IELTS Speaking practice: Parts 1, 2 and 3
IELTS Speaking is an eleven to fourteen minute face-to-face interview with a certified examiner, in three parts. It is the only paper that stays a live conversation even when the rest of your test is computer-delivered.
This page explains what happens in each part, how the four criteria are applied, and how to practise speaking when you do not have an examiner — or a partner — sitting in front of you.
How the Speaking test is structured
| Part | Length | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 — Introduction and interview | 4–5 minutes | The examiner asks familiar questions about you: home, work or study, and two or three everyday topics |
| Part 2 — Long turn | 3–4 minutes | You get a task card, one minute to prepare with notes, then speak for one to two minutes, followed by a short question or two |
| Part 3 — Discussion | 4–5 minutes | A two-way discussion of more abstract issues connected to the Part 2 topic |
The test is recorded, and the examiner marks it live. The whole conversation is assessed together — there is no separate score per part.
The four Speaking criteria
- Fluency and Coherence — can you keep going at a natural speed, and does what you say hang together?
- Lexical Resource — range and precision of vocabulary, including the ability to paraphrase when a word will not come.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy — variety of structures and how often errors get in the way.
- Pronunciation — how easy you are to understand, including stress and intonation, not having a particular accent.
Hesitation is not the same as thinking
Fluency penalises hesitation caused by searching for language, not pauses used to think about the content. Buying time with a natural phrase — that is an interesting question, let me think — is normal speech, not a fault.
How to practise IELTS Speaking on TestPilot
TestPilot approaches Speaking in two ways, because the skill needs both study and live practice:
- Speaking Samples — model answers for Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 questions, with the useful vocabulary picked out and a practice mode for working through the questions yourself.
- Speaking Rooms — live audio rooms where you practise with other candidates in real time, using proper Part 1 to Part 3 question sets and timers. Speaking Rooms are part of the Premium plan.
TestPilot does not score Speaking automatically, and no honest tool should claim to: the official band comes from a trained examiner in a live interview. What practice can do is remove hesitation, build topic vocabulary, and make the two-minute long turn feel routine before exam day.
Preparing without a partner
- Record yourself answering Part 1 questions and listen back for filler and for one-word answers.
- Set a timer and do the Part 2 long turn daily on a new card. Two minutes is longer than it feels.
- Take a Part 3 question and argue the opposite side of what you believe — this forces the linking language Part 3 rewards.
- Build topic vocabulary rather than memorised answers. Examiners recognise rehearsed scripts and they damage the Fluency score.
- Book time in a Speaking Room once a week so the exam is not the first time you speak English to a stranger.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the IELTS Speaking test?
Eleven to fourteen minutes in total, split across three parts: four to five minutes of interview, three to four minutes for the long turn, and four to five minutes of discussion.
Is IELTS Speaking done on a computer?
No. Even in the computer-delivered test, Speaking is a live interview with a certified examiner, either face to face or by video call.
Does my accent affect my Speaking score?
No. Pronunciation is marked on how easily you can be understood, including stress and intonation. A regional accent is not penalised.
Can I practise IELTS Speaking online with a partner?
Yes. TestPilot Speaking Rooms are live audio rooms where candidates practise together with structured Part 1 to Part 3 question sets. They are included in the Premium plan.
Study model answers for all three parts, then take the practice into a live speaking room.
See plans and Speaking Rooms