What is the IELTS Speaking test?

The IELTS speaking test is the final part of the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) test, a popular exam for people who want to study or work where English is the main language of communication.

According to the official IELTS website, IELTS is now accepted by more than 8,000 institutions and governments in 135 countries.

The speaking test is a face-to-face interview with a certified IELTS examiner. It is designed to test your communication skills. The test lasts about 11-14 minutes and it is recorded.

There are three parts to the speaking test.

Part 1

The examiner will ask you some general questions about yourself and a variety of everyday topics, such as home, family, work, studies and interests. This part lasts between four and five minutes.

Speaking Sample Task Part 1 – Prompt (PDF, 21KB)
Speaking Sample Task Part 1 – Recording (MP3, 631KB)
Speaking Sample Task Part 1 – Transcript (PDF, 12KB)

Part 2

The examiner will give you a card which asks you to talk about a particular topic. You will have one minute to prepare and then 1-2 minutes to speak. The examiner will then ask one or two questions on the same topic to finish this part of the test.

Speaking Sample Task Part 2 – Prompt (PDF, 20KB)
Speaking Sample Task Part 2 – Recording (MP3, 762KB)
Speaking Sample Task Part 2 – Transcript (PDF,11KB)

Part 3

The examiner will ask some questions connected to the topic in Part 2. These questions are designed to encourage a deeper discussion. This part of the test lasts between four and five minutes.

Speaking Sample Task Part 3- Prompt (PDF, 18KB)
Speaking Sample Task Part 3 – Recording (MP3, 1.2MB)
Speaking Sample Task Part 3 – Transcript (PDF, 13KB)

IELTS Speaking test scoring criteria

Each candidate’s performance is evaluated on a scale of 0-9. You can score whole (e.g., 5.0, 6.0, 7.0) or half (e.g., 5.5., 6.5, 7.5) bands. Here is an example of a possible Band 5-5.5 candidate:

Sample IELTS Speaking test video

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