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All three parts, what each of the four criteria means, and ten Part 2 cue cards answered in full. The same test in both modules. 47 pages, free.
This is the speaking book from the IELTSforFREE set. It covers all three parts of the speaking test, explains what each of the four marking criteria actually means in the room, and works through ten Part 2 cue cards with complete answers rather than bullet point suggestions.
Speaking is identical in Academic and General Training. Same examiner, same format, same criteria, so there is nothing module specific to worry about here.
It is also the paper candidates prepare for least and worry about most, usually in that order. Most of the fear comes from not knowing what the examiner is listening for, which is a solvable problem.
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What is inside
Six sections, in the order they appear.
Four to five minutes on familiar topics. Why one word answers fail, and why very long ones fail too.
One minute to prepare, up to two minutes to talk. What to write in the preparation minute, and what to do if you run out of things to say.
Four to five minutes of abstract questions linked to the Part 2 topic. This is where band 7 and above is decided.
Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation, described in terms of what the examiner is listening for.
Complete answers at the length the test actually wants, not bullet points you have to turn into speech yourself.
The difference between thinking pauses and searching pauses, and why only one of them affects your band.
Method
Six things worth doing, and one worth avoiding.
Uncomfortable and effective. Almost everyone speaks for less time than they think they do.
Two minutes is longer than it feels. Practising against a timer is the only way to find that out before test day.
Not sentences. Nouns and names give you something to point at when you lose the thread, and they are faster to write.
A Part 3 answer without a reason is a Part 1 answer, and it will be marked accordingly.
Examiners recognise memorised material immediately, and it is penalised under Fluency and Coherence.
Three full speaking tests on this website come with Band 9 model answers for all three parts.
Practice
Five questions on the format and the criteria.
Too short is the most common problem. A one word answer gives the examiner nothing to assess.
Too long is the second. Part 1 answers do not need a paragraph.
Part 3 is where higher bands are decided, because it asks you to reason rather than to describe.
1How long do you get to prepare for the Part 2 cue card?
One minute. You get paper and a pencil, and you should use both. Speaking for up to two minutes follows.
2How many criteria is IELTS speaking marked against?
Four. Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation. Each carries equal weight.
3Is the speaking test different in Academic and General Training?
No, it is identical. Same format, same criteria, same examiner briefing. Only reading and writing differ between the modules.
4The examiner asks a Part 1 question and you answer in one word. What is the problem?
There is nothing for the examiner to assess. They cannot mark language you did not produce. Two or three sentences with a reason is the target.
5What happens if the examiner recognises a memorised answer?
It is penalised under Fluency and Coherence. Examiners are trained to spot it, and it is obvious in delivery even when the language is good.
You cannot hear your own hesitation the way an examiner does, and recording yourself only goes so far, because you still have to judge what you hear.
IELTStestONLINE assesses your speaking against the four criteria, with video lessons on all three parts and a support tutor you can ask when feedback does not make sense. Take a look at the complete course
The ten worked cue cards in the book show you the target length and the target depth, which is most of the battle.
For an assessment of your own speaking rather than someone else's, IELTStestONLINE marks it against the four criteria. See what full membership includes
Yes. It downloads directly with no signup, no email address and no account.
No. Both modules sit an identical speaking test, so this book covers both.
Yes, ten of them, answered in full at the length the test actually asks for rather than as bullet points.
47 pages, organised by part and then by criterion.
It explains what Pronunciation means as a criterion, which is broader than an accent. Improving it needs speaking practice and feedback, not reading.
Full membership
Recording yourself helps, but you still have to judge what you hear, and judging your own English is exactly the skill you do not yet have.
IELTStestONLINE assesses your speaking and writing against the four IELTS criteria, instantly and as often as you like, using a system built by a former IELTS examiner and examiner trainer. It carries no advertising.
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