DailyMocksLessons / Speaking
IELTS Speaking
Speaking is a face-to-face interview
You speak with a certified examiner for 11 to 14 minutes. The format is the same for Academic and General Training.
The three parts
| Part | Time | What it is | What makes it hard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1: Introduction and Interview | 4–5 minutes | General questions about yourself, your home, family, work, studies, and interests. | Give more than one-word answers. The topic is familiar, but you need to extend your answers without sounding memorised. |
| 2: Long Turn | 3–4 minutes | You are handed a task card on a specific topic. You get 1 minute to prepare, then must speak for 1 to 2 minutes continuously. | Keep speaking for the full time. Two minutes is hard without a prompt, and stopping early can lower your score. |
| 3: Discussion | 4–5 minutes | The examiner asks further, abstract questions connected to the topic in Part 2. | Move beyond your own experience. Explain opinions about society and the wider world. |
Marking reminder: You are assessed on four equally weighted criteria: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource (Vocabulary), Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation.
The Speaking lessons
Learn what happens in each part of the interview and how to handle common problems.
- 1 Part 1: Introduction and Interview A short first part where the examiner asks about familiar topics.
- 2 Part 2: Long Turn (The Cue Card) Speak about a topic from a task card for up to two minutes.
- 3 Part 3: Discussion A four to five minute discussion about wider topics linked to your Part 2 subject.
After you read
Read a Speaking lesson, then practise it free.
Every Speaking question type has free practice in the app. Try one, and the review shows you the answer and why the wrong choices looked right. No payment needed.