The IELTS Speaking test, part by part

The IELTS Speaking test lasts 11–14 minutes and has three parts. You begin with questions about familiar things, give a longer talk on a task card, then discuss broader ideas with the examiner. Knowing this order helps you spend your attention on the question in front of you instead of wondering what happens next.

The Speaking test is the same for IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. You do not need specialist knowledge for either version. You need to understand the question and express your own meaning in English.

The order and timing

The IELTS website describes the Speaking test format and the purpose of each part. Keep this outline beside you for your first practice session, then put it away when you rehearse a complete test.

• Part 1 lasts 4–5 minutes. The examiner introduces themselves, checks your identity and asks questions on familiar topics.
• Part 2 lasts 3–4 minutes in total. You have 1 minute to prepare, speak for 1–2 minutes, and answer one or two rounding-off questions.
• Part 3 lasts 4–5 minutes. You discuss ideas connected with the topic in Part 2.

The examiner manages the time. You do not need to calculate how much remains or change your pace to make the whole test last longer. Practise responding when the examiner moves on.

Part 1 starts with familiar subjects

Questions may concern your home, work, studies or leisure activities. Their everyday nature does not mean that a yes or no is enough. Add a relevant detail so the examiner can hear you explain something.

For a practice question about your home, you might say: I live in a small flat near the centre. The kitchen is quite narrow, but the living room gets sunlight in the morning, which I like. This gives a direct answer and a little description without becoming a long story.

Listen for changes in time. A question about where you live now needs a different answer from a question about where you grew up. Familiar vocabulary can hide an unfamiliar question, so do not start a prepared speech when you recognise a topic word.

Part 2 gives you a long turn

The examiner gives you a task card with a topic and prompts, plus paper and a pencil for notes. Use the preparation minute to choose an example and write a few reminders. Full sentences take time to write and can tempt you to read instead of speak.

You then speak for 1–2 minutes. Aim to develop the subject until the examiner stops you. If you finish one detail, explain why it matters or describe what happened next. You are showing that you can organise a longer stretch of speech.

Afterwards, the examiner may ask one or two rounding-off questions about the same subject. These call for brief responses, not another long turn. A change in the examiner's instructions signals that you should change the length of your answer.

Part 3 moves towards wider ideas

The discussion grows out of Part 2, but it asks you to look beyond your own experience. A talk about a useful object might lead to questions about why people replace things or how buying habits change.

Give an opinion you can explain. You do not have to choose the most sophisticated position. For example: I think people replace household equipment too quickly. Sometimes a small repair would keep an appliance working, but finding someone to repair it can be difficult.

The examiner may ask why, ask you to compare situations or introduce another view. Treat that as a new question. Listen before extending the previous answer. If your first explanation was narrow, the follow-up gives you a chance to make the distinction clearer.

The examiner listens across the whole test

The same four criteria apply throughout: Fluency and coherence, Lexical resource, Grammatical range and accuracy, and Pronunciation. There is no separate band for each part. A conversation about your neighbourhood and a discussion about social change both provide evidence of your English.

That means you should keep speaking naturally after a difficult answer. Replaying a grammar mistake in your head makes the next question harder to hear. If a quick correction helps the meaning, make it and continue; do not interrupt every sentence to repair a minor detail.

Our guide to the public Speaking band descriptors explains the criteria in more detail. Use it to identify a practice focus after recording, rather than trying to monitor four criteria while answering.

Prepare for your appointment

Read the instructions from your test centre before the day. Check the Speaking appointment time, the location and the identity document you must bring. Follow those instructions for arrival and belongings. Do not assume that a friend's arrangements apply to your booking.

If the centre has arranged a video-call Speaking test, read its instructions about the setting and equipment. The conversation still needs your full attention. Let staff know if you cannot hear clearly, rather than guessing what the examiner said.

In the room, use your normal speaking volume and sit in a position that lets you breathe comfortably. An elaborate greeting adds nothing. Respond to the introduction, follow the identity check and wait for the first question.

Handle interruptions and missed questions

The examiner may stop an answer to keep the test moving. An interruption is not evidence that your English was poor. Stop speaking, listen to the next question and answer it. Finishing your previous story over the examiner's voice makes that harder.

If you have not heard a question, ask for it again: Could you repeat the question, please? If you need a moment to think, a short pause is better than several sentences about how difficult the question is.

You also do not need to agree with an idea because the examiner mentions it. Explain your position politely. The language you use to support an opinion matters; there is no requirement to match the examiner's personal views.

Rehearse the changes between parts

A useful first rehearsal tests your ability to change speaking habits. Answer several short questions, take 1 minute to prepare a task card, give the long turn and move straight into a broader discussion. Ask a practice partner to manage the timing so you cannot pause the exercise whenever an answer feels difficult.

Listen back for the transitions. Did you continue giving very short answers in Part 3? Did you keep telling a personal story after the question asked about people generally? Choose the clearest mismatch and practise that transition again with a different subject. This makes the format familiar without teaching you to depend on memorised answers.

BandNine lets you rehearse the three-part Speaking test with Alex, its live AI examiner.

Questions people ask

How long is the IELTS Speaking test?

The Speaking test lasts 11–14 minutes. Part 1 takes 4–5 minutes, Part 2 takes 3–4 minutes including preparation and rounding-off questions, and Part 3 takes 4–5 minutes.

Is IELTS Speaking different for Academic and General Training?

The Speaking test is the same for IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training. Both use three parts and the same four assessment criteria.

Why does the IELTS Speaking examiner interrupt me?

The examiner controls the timing and may stop you to move to another question or part. An interruption alone does not tell you how well you are performing. Stop, listen and answer the next question.