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IELTS Speaking webinars always attract a lot of questions from IELTS test-takers. Having a confident conversation with an examiner who is assesing your level of English can be daunting. At IELTS, we strive to help you prepare for your test to make it as comfortable as possible.
Did you know that IELTS Examiners are trained to pick up on your emotions to help you pass your test? If you tell an examiner that you feel nervous, they will try their best to put you at ease. It’s a part of their job, and that’s why IELTS is a very humane test.
Learn more about this and other questions from test-takers in our IELTS Speaking FAQ.
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Frequently asked questions
Find the answer with our IELTS Speaking FAQs
If you are taking the computer-delivered test, speaking is done on the same day. You may nominate your preferred time which can either be before or after the other three modules.
As for the paper-based test, it can be on the same day or on either side of the test date. Your test centre will arrange a time for you.
At first, the examiner reads out some information and checks your ID.
Part 1 includes questions about personal topics and lasts between 4 and 5 minutes.
Part 2 is a short talk. 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 is a discussion that is based on the topic of Part 2. This part of the test lasts between 4 and 5 minutes.
The examiner is the only one who can see the timer. One way to get a good idea is to do some speaking practice and have someone time you so you get used to the length of each part of the test.
If an examiner interrupts you in the IELTS Speaking test, it’s perfectly fine. The examiner has to stick to a very strict schedule. For example, in part 1 of the Speaking test, it’s strictly no more than five minutes. So perhaps, they just want to move on to the next stage.
Sometimes, if you’ve given a full response to a question, maybe they might want to move on and ask you something else to get some other ideas that you have.
Wearing a mask should not affect your IELTS Speaking score. Just make sure that you can be heard clearly. If the examiner can’t hear you, they will ask you to repeat what you have said.
We can’t really say it’s ‘the most essential’ part of the test when it comprises 25% of your actual score. The other parts of the test, IELTS Reading, Listening and Writing, are worth 25% of your overall band score.
