Speaking Module

IELTS Speaking

Face-to-face with an examiner across 3 parts — from everyday small talk to complex abstract discussion. Scored on 4 equally-weighted criteria.

Practice with 30 Cards →

Exam parts

Part 1 · 2 · 3

11–14

Total minutes

Live with examiner

Scoring criteria

25% each

Practice cards

All topics covered

🗣️

4–5 minutes

Part 1 — Introduction & Interview

The examiner asks you questions about familiar topics such as your home, family, work, studies, and interests. This part is designed to relax you and get a baseline of your spoken English.

Examiner asks 2–3 topics, with 2–4 questions each. Topics are always familiar and personal. Answers should be 2–4 sentences — detailed but conversational.

EXTEND Every Answer (2–4 Sentences)

Never give a one-word or one-sentence answer in Part 1. Every answer needs at least one reason, example, or extra detail to show fluency and vocabulary.

→Use the AREE formula: Answer → Reason → Example → Extend

→'Do you like music?' → 'Absolutely, I'm a huge fan of jazz in particular. I find it incredibly relaxing after a long day at work — something about the improvised nature of it helps me switch off completely. I've been listening to Miles Davis recently and I'm completely hooked.'

→If stuck, add 'and the reason for that is…' to buy time and extend naturally

→Aim for 30–45 seconds per question in Part 1

Paraphrase the Question Word

Don't start your answer by repeating the exact question word. Paraphrase it to immediately demonstrate vocabulary range.

→'Do you like cooking?' → Start with 'I'm actually quite passionate about preparing food' rather than 'Yes, I like cooking'

→'What is your favourite season?' → 'The time of year I enjoy most is…'

→Paraphrasing counts towards your Lexical Resource score

→Prepare paraphrases for common question verbs: like → be fond of / be keen on / enjoy / have a passion for

Stay Conversational — Don't Sound Scripted

Part 1 is informal. Examiners are trained to recognise memorised answers. Speak naturally, even if it means occasional self-correction.

→Use contractions: 'I'm', 'it's', 'I've' — not 'I am', 'it is', 'I have'

→Vary your sentence starts — don't begin every answer the same way

→It's fine to say 'Actually, thinking about it more carefully, I'd say…' — this sounds natural

→Personal stories beat abstract statements every time in Part 1

Ready to practise all three parts?

30 topic cards — each with Part 1 questions, a Part 2 cue card, and Part 3 discussion questions. All with Band 9 model answers.

Open Practice Cards →