The IELTS Speaking Test lasts 14 minutes and is divided into 3 parts.

In this tutorial we look at tips to help you successfully pass this section of the exam.

We find out:

* What exactly the examiner is listening for during the exam

* We look at the different questions and topic types

* We give you some tips to help you prepare yourself for this exam

* IELTS Speaking Part 1: Overview 

The IELTS Speaking Test lasts 14 minutes and is divided into 3 parts. Part 1 takes up the first 5 minutes and begins when the examiner greets the candidate with a “Good morning/afternoon. My name is ………. .”

The time has come for you to speak. This first part is not so demanding. You will be asked about whether you work or study or, alternatively, about where you currently live. Then, the examiner will ask 3 follow-up questions. Then, the examiner will ask you about 2 different topics to talk about. There are 4 questions to answer on each topic. Stop a moment and think about this:

Total time: 5 minutes (includes about 30 seconds to establish identification at the start)

4 questions about work/study or where you live.  4 questions each on 2 topics topic.

Let’s do the arithmetic. A total of 12 questions and answers in around 4 minutes 30 seconds. And, the examiner can ask you to explain answers in more detail with a simple “Why?” as a follow up to many questions.

What can we learn from those numbers?

Well, to begin with, that’s a lot of questions in a short space of time. It’s more of an interrogation. And first impressions are rightly or wrongly, important and so you need to show the examiner how good your English is right from the start. When you have to answer a lot of questions in a short time, you do not have time to “think” of what you are going to say. You have to be spontaneous and, of course, sound confident. And to help guarantee that will happen, you need to be extremely well prepared.

* What is the examiner listening for?

In Part 1, the examiner is reading the questions from the booklet. If we know what the examiner is looking for, that can help us plan our answers. The questions are designed so that the candidate can begin to show his or her language skills when talking on familiar topics in the four areas the examiner is assessing.

Fluency: your ability to keep talking without long pauses or hesitations. This includes our ability to re-phrase, to backtrack and say something in a different way.

Vocabulary: if you have a wide vocabulary of general and specialised words and how you combine words together in familiar patterns (collocations)

Grammar: your range of structures, that is, of the different verb tenses, modal verbs and conditional sentences as well as correct word order. Someone who only talks in the “present tense” will not receive a high band score.

Pronunciation/Intonation: you must speak clearly with acceptable pronunciation of individual sounds and use intonation to express meaning, such as the voice rising or falling at the end of an utterance, for example. There is no problem with having an “accent” as long as any native English speaker would not have problems in understanding you.

All the above are part of your current English level. If you have any weakness in any of these areas, work on it.

Now, Part 1 topics and the sets of questions on each one, are designed not only to give you the chance to talk about yourself but also for the examiner to find your level in the 4 areas.

* Topics and question types

The first question remember is either: