IELTS Speaking

The IELTS Speaking module takes the form of a face to face interview. Your IELTS confirmation letter will tell you when and where your IELTS Speaking interview is to take place. Some Test Centres may tell you to arrive a certain period of time before the test.

When you arrive at the Test venue the administration staff will check your ID, which must be the same as on your application form. You will then be shown where to wait for your interview.

The Interview

When your interviewer is ready they will come and ask for you. You must not take any belongings into the interview room; this includes mobile phones even if they are switched off. Your interviewer will greet you and ask you to sit down. At an early stage in the interview you will be asked to show the interviewer your ID. This will be quickly checked and the interview will continue.

All IELTS Speaking interviews are recorded. This allows the interview to be monitored to ensure it was conducted properly. It also allows the interview to be assessed by another examiner should there be a question over your score. Another benefit is that any problems during the interview, such as excessive noise or interruptions, will also have been recorded.

Section 1

The IELTS Speaking interview lasts between 11 - 14 minutes and is made up of three parts. The first part of the interview lasts for 4 - 5 minutes and consists of questions on general topics such as questions about the candidate, their families, interests etc. Your interviewer is working from a script and is obliged to ask the questions word for word. This sometimes means that you are asked questions which may seem a little odd in the context of what you have just been talking about.

Section 2

In the second section you will be asked to talk on a topic for 1 - 2 minutes but will be given 1 minute beforehand to think about what you are going to say. During this thinking time you can make notes. You will be told your topic and given a task card on which the topic is written together with some points you should cover in your talk. You will also be given a pencil and paper for making notes. It is up to you whether you make any notes; they are not used as part of the assessment.

You will be told when your thinking time is up and asked to start talking. Your interviewer will tell you when two minutes is up but it is OK to stop earlier, as long as you have been talking for at least a minute. If you haven't, your interviewer will probably ask you to continue. When your talk has finished the interviewer may ask one or two brief questions before moving on.

Section 3

The third section is a 4 - 5 minute discussion based broadly on your section 2 topic. Here the interviewer has much more leeway about the questions that can be asked but is still expected to follow a set of prompts.

Finally, your interviewer will thank you and tell you that the IELTS Speaking test is over. You will then leave the interview room.