The IELTS speaking test is an interview with a certified IELTS examiner that lasts between 11-14 minutes. The interview is timed and recorded by the interviewer.
The IELTS speaking test evaluates your fluency in English. This is a must when you wish to apply for a job in an English-speaking company, get admission to a foreign university, or migrate to a new country where English is the primary language of communication.
There are three parts in this exam and each part consists of a specific type of question.
- Part 1- Introduction spanning 4-5 minutes
- Part 2 – Long turn spanning 3-4 minutes. Candidates must speak on a given topic for 2 minutes. 1 minute preparation time given.
- Part 3 – Two-way discussion with the interviewer spanning 4-5 minutes. Expands on Part 2’s topics with the examiner asking more in-depth questions on the candidate’s previous answers.
The answers given by the candidate are assessed using a standard rubric based on fluency, pronunciation, lexical resources, grammatical range, and accuracy. Scores are given on a band of 0-9.
Read on to learn in detail about the IELTS speaking test, the common topics, question types, scoring pattern and more.
Different Sections of IELTS Speaking
The table below gives a brief overview of the IELTS speaking test. You will get more details further on.
| Part | Time | Details and Skills Tested |
| 1 | 4-5 minutes | The examiner will introduce himself/herself. Ask the candidate to do the same and check the identification proof. Then, questions about familiar topics like work, study, hobbies, family, daily routine, and so on are asked.
The candidate’s ability to give information and opinion about everyday topics is tested. |
| 2 | 3-4 minutes | In Part 2, candidates will be asked to give a 2-minute talk on a specific question. The examiner will give a booklet with a task. This booklet will have the points one should include in the talk. One minute is provided to prepare the talk, and the examiner will give you a pencil and paper to make notes. They will maintain the time using a stopwatch and inform the student when to begin and stop.
This section will test a candidate’s ability to speak at length. The use of appropriate language, organization of ideas, words, and fluency will be assessed. |
| 3 | 4-5 minutes | In part 3, the examiner will ask more detailed and abstract questions linked to the topic in part 2. The questions will get gradually more difficult to answer.
A candidate’s ability to express an opinion, analyze an issue, or discuss an idea is assessed in this part. |
IELTS Speaking Topics for Part 1
Below is a list of the common topics that are asked in Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking test. Practice answering the questions with a friend or in front of a mirror. The right column of the table shows how often the individual topics have come in the past exams.
| Topics | Frequency |
| Country/Hometown/Accommodation | High |
| Family/Friends/Children/Housework | High |
| Music/Reading/Films/TV/Newspapers & Magazines | High |
| Jobs/Career Planning/Work/Volunteer Work | High |
| Internet/Computer/Technology | High |
| High School/School Majors | Medium |
| Season/Weather/Sunny Days/Rain | Medium |
| Media/Advertisements/Celebrities | Medium |
| Lifestyle/Travel | Medium |
| Transportation/Buses/Boats/Taxis | Medium |
| Sports/Indoor Activities/Outdoor Activities | Medium |
| Fashion/Clothes/Bags/Shoes | Medium |
| Gifts/Mirrors | Low |
| Photography/Art/Colors | Low |
| Patience/Noise/Politeness | Low |
IELTS Speaking Topics Part 2 & 3
The table below illustrates the popular categories and the subsequent topics that generally come in the second and third parts of the IELTS speaking test.
| Category | Specific Topics for Parts 2 & 3 |
| People | Family/Good Parents/Teacher/Influential People/Friends |
| Object | Money/Food/Gifts/Clothing/Vegetables/Traditional Products/Electronic Devices/Musical Instruments/Machine/Furniture |
| Media & Entertainment | TV/Art/Advertisements/Internet/Books/News |
| Events | Travel Experiences/Helping People/An Experience of Being Late/Memorable Experiences
Holiday/A change in life/Exciting Experiences/Illness Experiences/Decision |
| Place | School/City/Party/Museums/Shopping Places/Company |
| Society | Society/Environment/Transportation/Traffic Rule |
| Others | Sports/Language/Leisure Activities |
How to Tackle IELTS Speaking Part 1
You already know the IELTS speaking test part 1 assesses your conversational skills in English. Talking with a native English speaker might seem daunting at first. You should prepare yourself beforehand.
- Answers should be to the point and neither too lengthy nor too short. You need to show the examiner that you can speak English.
- Use longer answers for the part 1 topics. Try to limit your part 1 answers between 3 to 4 sentences.
Apart from these methods, here are some more IELTS speaking tips to help improve your English speaking:
| Sr. No. | Question | What the Answer Should Have | Possible Answer |
| 1 | Do you listen to music? | Provide examples of the answers | Yes! I love listening to music. It is my favorite hobby. For example, I like to listen to the Beatles and Harry Belafonte. |
| 2 | Where is your hometown? | Provide details | My hometown is Mumbai, one of the busiest cities in India. It is famous all over the world for Bollywood movies and film stars. It is the commercial capital of India and one of the major trade hubs of the world. |
| 3 | Are you a nervous person? | Make speculations | That’s a good question. If I have to speak, then I would say that I am not. I keep calm in tense situations and try to think rationally. I try my best to keep my nerves steady. |
| 4 | Who was your favorite teacher in college? | Provide reasons | My favorite teacher in college was my professor who taught the Romantic Age of English. The reason why he was my favorite teacher is that he talked to us in a casual tone. This made learning fun and innovative. |
| 5 | Where do you stay now? | Talk about the future or the past | Currently, I live in Kolkata, which is also known as the ‘City of Joy.’ I was born in Delhi but I completed my higher education in Kolkata. Living in Delhi was a lot of fun during my childhood and I would love to go back there someday. |
Make sure to NOT DO the things listed below!
- Provide single-word answers
- Speak quietly
- Look down when speaking
- Frown your eyebrows
- Speak in a monotonous voice
How to Tackle IELTS Speaking Part 2
In the part of the IELTS speaking test, the examiners will provide you with a candidate task card, a paper, and a pen. You have to speak for 2 minutes on a topic written on the task card. There will be bullet points to help you answer. You will get 1 minute to write down your monologue. Use a pen and paper. The examiner will time your answer using a stopwatch.
Use the IELTS speaking tips listed below to tackle part 2.
- Don’t limit your speech to the bullet points – The main idea is to talk about the topic. The bullet points can guide you but you can choose to leave some of them out and talk about something else.
- Use the 1-minute time judiciously – Plan your speech during the 1 minute. Jot down keywords that can help you speak.
- Plan a structure for your answer – You may have a precise idea of the topic in your mind, but it is no use if you fail to express that in words. Have a structure in mind for answering IELTS topics.
- Do not think about making errors – All of the IELTS examinees commit some type of mistake, whether grammatical or otherwise. It is common to make some mistakes but do focus on the mistake. This can derail your train of thought. Move on and say something else.
How to Tackle IELTS Speaking Part 3
Part 3 of the IELTS speaking test entails answering a wider range of questions based on the topics you have talked about in part 2. You need to further develop your answers with examples. This section will go on for about 4-5 minutes. Justify your answers to prove to the examiner that you can easily express your thoughts.
Here are some useful ways to help you navigate part 3 of the test.
- Try to use connecting words as well as phrases – Do not repeat words over and over again. Avoid fillers that serve no purpose to enhance the answer. Some of the linking phrases that you may use are: as a result, to begin with, to be honest, on one hand, for instance, as a rule, etc.
- Make wide use of grammar – Use various types of grammatical structures to show that you can express yourself. Use various types of tenses and modal verbs to further enhance your speech.
- Make general comments about the topic – You have already talked about the topics in part 2. So examiners will expect you to discuss them in a general manner. Give your opinions and ideas on the topics.
- Use your sense of vocabulary – Try to incorporate as many relevant words as you can in your answer. This will prove to the examiner that you know what you are talking about and have no hiccups in speaking English.
IELTS Speaking Practice
Let us take a look at some sample questions and answers related to the 3 parts of the IELTS speaking test.
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Part 1
Common topics for the IELTS speaking test – Family, job, and sports.
Here are some sample questions and answers for the IELTS speaking test Part 1.
| Topic | Question | Answer |
|
Family |
How many members are there in your family? | I have 4 family members including me. They are my mother, father and sister. My sister is older than me by two years. |
| How strict were your parents when you were a child? | My parents were very strict during my childhood. They scolded me when I made mistakes but they were also full of praise whenever I achieved something. My parents are my biggest supporter and I inform my parents before making any decisions. | |
|
Job |
Where do you work? | I work as a high school teacher at a prestigious school in my city, I started working there after I finished my graduation. It has been more than two years since I started teaching at my school. |
| How many students do you teach? | I teach 5 classes daily. Each of them has 50 to 70 students. So you can imagine how many children I have to handle each day. But I love teaching them the various aspects of the English language. | |
|
Sports |
Do you like watching sports? | I am very fond of sports, especially cricket and football. I played cricket during my childhood. I also like to watch the Summer Olympic games every four years. |
| Who is your favorite sportsperson? | Lionel Messi is my favorite sportsperson. I started watching football because of him when I was in the tenth standard. I was very happy and excited when Argentina lifted the FIFA World Cup in 2022. |
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Part 2 & Part 3
Parts 2 and 3 will consist of the same topic but the question pattern will be different. In part 2 of the IELTS speaking test, you will get a task card with the topic written. The examiner will ask you further questions on the same topic in part 3.
Here is a sample topic along with questions and answers.
A Crowded Area You Visited
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Part 2
| Describe a crowded area you went to.
You must talk about:
Also, explain how you felt |
Answer:
Last Monday, I went to Andheri Railway Station to catch a train to Thane. I had urgent work at Thane and taking the local train is the fastest option. The station was full of people when I arrived at ten o’clock in the morning. I had taken a bike taxi to reach the station. As soon as I stepped inside the station, I was greeted by a horde of heads. I could not see anything, just scores of people going about their work. I made my way through the crowd to the ticket counter and found a long queue of people standing. Gradually, my turn came and I grabbed hold of the ticket. It was difficult to find the designated platform due to the sea of people moving continuously. I was feeling almost nauseous. But finally, I found my train and I was lucky to find a place to sit inside. As the train left the station behind, I soon dozed off.
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Part 3
- What is the most crowded area in your city?
I think the Dadar area is the place where you will find the most number of people at any given time of the day. People from all walks of life visit the place for various purposes – education or work. Dadar area is also the place where you might encounter a lot of pickpockets. So you have to be extra cautious.
- Do you like going to crowded places?
I do not enjoy crowded places at all. I feel claustrophobic whenever I find myself in a huge crowd of people. On rare occasions, I like crowded places. The Ganesh Festival is one such instance where I enjoy visiting various temples which are full of devotees. The city comes to life during the Ganesh Festival.
IELTS Speaking Pattern
There are four assessment criteria upon which the examiner evaluates you. Examiners give band scores in the range of 0-9 on each criterion. Try to score a high band score to improve your chances. These four criteria are:
- Fluency and coherence: The examiner tests how easily they can understand your English and how much fluency you have in conveying your ideas.
- Lexical resource: The examiner tests your English vocabulary knowledge. They check if you can speak without any pause even if you fail to remember certain words or phrases.
- Grammatical range and accuracy: The examiner evaluates your sense of English grammar, especially tenses, pronouns, and clauses.
- Pronunciation: The examiner checks how well you enunciate words with appropriate rhythm, intonation, and stress on each syllable.
IELTS Speaking Tips & Techniques
Follow these IELTS speaking tips to pass the exam with flying colors.
- Make yourself familiarised with the format of the test – Note down the format of the 3 parts of the test and make a list of the common topics. Use our guide to help you.
- Regularly speak English – Conduct IELTS speaking practice with your family and friends. Converse daily in the English language and this will help you to speak more fluently. You may take the help of learning apps.
- Speak with confidence and clarity – Do not think about speaking fast. What matters is speaking clearly. Talking too fast can lead to wrong pronunciations. Be confident and try to keep calm.
- Develop a habit of pronouncing words – Enunciate words correctly. This might take time but is of utmost importance. Record your conversations and listen to the recording to find out your mistakes.
- Try to show your English vocabulary knowledge – As already discussed, use a wide range of vocabulary during the IELTS speaking test. Learn to use synonyms and idioms when you talk about the assigned topics.
- Practice timed responses – Use a timer for IELTS speaking practice. Set the timer to two minutes and talk about a topic. You will soon be able to speak without any hesitation.
- Arrive early – Arrive at the test center well before your fixed time. This will allow you to settle in and relax a bit before you begin the test.
- Use linking words and phrases – While speaking, use linking phrases to elevate your answer. Some of these phrases might be “broadly speaking,” “consequently,” “after this,” “additionally,” etc.
- Elaborate your answers – Never respond with a yes/no to the examiner. Always extend your answers by adding personal opinions, instances, and reasons.
- Be spontaneous – Chatting about scripted answers can sound unnatural. Try to be as much spontaneous as possible during the conversation.
Maintain eye contact – It is important to maintain eye contact with your evaluator as you enter the exam room. This shows that you are confident enough to speak in English without any unnecessary interruptions.
