What Examiners Actually Look For
The IELTS Speaking score is based on four criteria, each worth 25%: Fluency & Coherence, Lexical Resource (vocabulary), Grammatical Range & Accuracy, and Pronunciation. Notice that "perfect grammar" is only one quarter of your score. You can have occasional errors and still score Band 7 if you communicate effectively.
Part 1: Short Questions (4-5 minutes)
These questions are about familiar topics: your home, job, studies, hobbies. The key:
- Give extended answers, not one-word responses. "Do you like cooking?" → "Yes, I enjoy it quite a bit. I usually cook three or four times a week, mainly Asian dishes because I find the flavors more interesting than plain Western food."
- Add a reason or detail to each answer
- Don't give overly long answers — 2-3 sentences per question is ideal
Part 2: Long Turn (3-4 minutes)
You receive a topic card with prompts and have 1 minute to prepare, then 1-2 minutes to speak. Use your preparation time wisely:
- Jot down key words, not full sentences
- Think of a specific example or story — personal anecdotes make your speech more natural
- Note the sub-questions on the card and make sure you address each one
Part 3: Discussion (4-5 minutes)
This is the most challenging part. The examiner asks abstract questions related to the Part 2 topic. Show your ability to discuss ideas at a deeper level:
- Use phrases like "It depends on..." "From my perspective..." "One way to look at it is..."
- Give balanced answers — acknowledge different viewpoints before sharing yours
- If you don't understand a question, say "Could you rephrase that?" — this is better than answering the wrong question
Practical Tips for Everyone
- Record yourself speaking on random topics for 2 minutes and listen back. You'll immediately hear areas for improvement.
- Don't memorize answers. Examiners detect this and will change their questions to force spontaneous speech.
- Filler words in moderation ("well," "I mean," "actually") sound natural. Native speakers use them constantly.
Strengthen your IELTS preparation with our IELTS Preparation Quiz.