IELTS SPEAKING

What is the structure of the IELTS Speaking Test?

The IELTS Speaking test is designed to assess a candidate's ability to communicate effectively in English through a face-to-face conversation with an examiner. The speaking test consists of three parts and takes approximately 11-14 minutes to complete.

Part 1:

In Part 1, the examiner will ask the candidate some general questions about themselves, their work, studies, interests, hobbies, and so on. This part is designed to put the candidate at ease and help them warm up to the conversation. The questions are usually simple and straightforward and the candidate is expected to give short, direct answers.

Part 2:

In Part 2, the candidate will be given a topic card with a task to speak about for 2 minutes. The candidate will have 1 minute to prepare their talk and can make notes if they wish. The task on the card can be a personal experience, an opinion on a general issue, a description of a person, place, object or event, or any other related topic. The candidate should try to speak fluently, coherently, and confidently, and include details and examples to support their ideas.

Part 3:

In Part 3, the examiner will ask the candidate follow-up questions related to the topic in Part 2. These questions are designed to test the candidate's ability to discuss more abstract and complex ideas, and to express opinions, speculate, compare and contrast, and draw conclusions. The candidate is expected to demonstrate a higher level of language proficiency, fluency, and coherence in this part.

Overall, the speaking test assesses a candidate's ability to use a range of vocabulary, grammatical structures, and pronunciation accurately and appropriately, as well as their ability to interact effectively with the examiner in a real-life communication situation. The test is recorded for assessment and moderation purposes.