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Last Updated: September 02, 2024

IELTS Speaking Section

The IELTS is one of the most popular English proficiency tests used by universities, organizations, and countries as criteria for admission. The IELTS tests English language skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking. Of these, the speaking section is known to make candidates particularly nervous. But here is everything needed to know to calm those pesky nerves and ace the IELTS.

Note: The IELTS Speaking test is exactly same for both IELTS Academic and General.

The IELTS Speaking section is a recorded, one-on-one interaction between a candidate and a certified IELTS examiner. This section may take place within a few hours after completing the rest of the sections in the IELTS or within the week of completing the other sections. This depends on the scheduling at the test center. If a candidate is doing the IELTS online test, candidates will have a live online video interaction with an IELTS examiner at a scheduled time.

IELTS Speaking Section Test Structure

The IELTS speaking section is completed within 11-15 minutes. There are three parts to this IELTS section, each testing a different speaking ability.

PartsTimeDescriptionSkill Tested
I4-5 minutesAbout you! General introductory questions relevant to candidates personally.Ability to be descriptive about common, everyday subjects.
II3-4 minutesJust a minute! Candidates will have a minute to prepare on a given topic before speaking about it.Ability to structure thoughts and speak at length, using appropriate language and tone.
III4-5 minutesLet's discuss! The examiner and the candidate will converse about the previous topic and the points mentioned. Ability to express, discuss, and analyze opinions and views.

Types of questions

How is the IELTS Speaking Section Scored?

The IELTS speaking section is scored based on four criteria. There are: IELTS Speaking Score: The scoring system is measured on a band of 9, depending on the speaking section's criteria. Here is an example of an IELTS speaking conversation that earns a score of 7. The average score for the IETLS speaking section is usually between 6.5 to 8.

10 Tips to Ace the IELTS Speaking Section

Many IELTS candidates consider the speaking section the most terrifying. Instead, candidates must think of it as walking into a room and spending fifteen minutes with someone who wants to listen. The key is to remember that the test is to see how comfortable you are in a natural, everyday social situationâ€"a simple conversation!

2024 IELTS Test Dates

IELTS Resources


IELTS Writing

IELTS Listening

IELTS Speaking

IELTS Practice Tests/Reading

IELTS vs Other Test

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