IELTS Speaking
Advanced Speaking analysis developed with Official IELTS assessment criteria
An expert guide to the IELTS Speaking test, covering interview structure and timing, Band 7 descriptors, examiner behaviour, and the speaking criteria that most often affect final scores.
In this guide:
- • Official Speaking test format & question types
- • What examiners are listening for at Band 7
- • Official IELTS Assessment descriptors explained
- • Speaking diagnostic test with criteria analysis
Speaking Test Format & Make-up
The speaking test is a face-to-face interview lasting 13-14 minutes in total.
The interview is split into 3 parts: after a quick introduction, you will answer 8 short questions on two topics, followed by a 2-minute long-turn, and finally a discussion on general topics related to your long turn response.
Part 1 - Introduction & Short Answer Questions
(4-5 minutes)
General topic questions about your home, work/study plus two sets of 4 short answer questions
Part 2 - The Long Turn
(3-4 minutes)
1 minute preparation time, then speak for 1-2 minutes on a given topic card
Part 3 - Discussion
(4-5 minutes)
Discussion of topics related to your Part 2 response with follow-up questions
Interview Flow
All IELTS interviews are recorded for the full duration. Here's exactly what happens during your speaking test:
Introduction
Examiner reads date, venue details, and verifies your ID
Part 1 Questions
Questions about home/work/study plus two topic sets (8 questions total)
Part 2 Preparation
Receive topic card, 1 minute to prepare notes
Part 2 Speaking
Speak for 1-2 minutes uninterrupted on your topic
Part 3 Discussion
Extended discussion with follow-up questions
Conclusion
Examiner thanks you and ends the interview
Assessment Criteria
During the Speaking Test interview, the examiner uses the official IELTS Speaking Test Assessment Rubric to assess your performance across 4 distinct assessment criteria.
These are the official IELTS Speaking assessment descriptors for Band 7.
You must demonstrate all descriptors at a particular band level to achieve that rating.
Speaking Assessment Criteria
Your ability to speak at length with natural flow and logical organisation
Range and accuracy of vocabulary and ability to paraphrase
Variety and correctness of grammatical structures
Correct use of rhythm, stress, intonation and overall intelligibility
Key Criteria Descriptors
- Speak at length without long pauses (FLC)
- Organise ideas logically with connective features (FLC)
- Use a wide range of vocabulary accurately (LR)
- Demonstrate varied grammatical structures (GRA)
- Maintain clear pronunciation and intonation (PR)
Insider Knowledge
The examiner follows a preset script and cannot deviate — your Part 1 interaction is more constrained than you think.
If you stop speaking before 1:40 in Part 2, the examiner will prompt you — but after that they stay silent until time is up.
Pronunciation is the most common cause of lower-than-expected scores — technically strong speakers regularly underperform here.
Paraphrasing is scored as a distinct skill under Lexical Resource — the examiner is specifically listening for whether you can restate ideas in different words.
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