Test Format â?? Speaking (11-14 minutes)
The Speaking component assesses your use of spoken English, and takes between 11 and 14 minutes to complete. Every test is recorded. The Speaking component is delivered in such a way that it does not allow people to rehearse set responses beforehand.
Part 1
The examiner will ask you general questions about yourself and a range of familiar topics, such as home, family, work, studies and interests. This part lasts between 4 and 5 minutes.
Part 2Â
You will be given a card which asks you to talk about a particular topic. You will have 1 minute to prepare before speaking for up to 2 minutes. The examiner will then ask one or two questions on the same topic to finish this part of the test.
Part 3
You will be asked further questions connected to the topic in Part 2. These questions will give you the opportunity to discuss more abstract ideas and issues. This part of the test lasts between 4 and 5 minutes.
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Purpose of the test
The IELTS Speaking test is designed to assess a wide range of skills.
The examiner will want to see how well you can
- communicate opinions and information on everyday topics and common experiences; to do this you will need to answer a range of questions
- speak at length on a given topic using appropriate language
- organise your ideas coherently
- express and justify your opinions
- analyse, discuss and speculate about issues
Make sure that you relax and talk fluently. You will need to speak naturally.