The IELTS speaking section is considered easy as the students feel that it is all about expressing yourself and also that it is of a very short duration. However, non-native English speakers or students having low English language skills have to work very hard to score high bands. Just recommending students IELTS speaking practice books does not make them confident speakers, so in today's article, we shall share some real-time audios of students well prepared and confident for the exams versus students who have just read the books and not practised real-time speaking.
This Story also Contains
- IELTS SPEAKING PRACTICE TEST 5 - PARTS
- MARKING SCHEME OF IELTS SPEAKING SECTION
- PART-WISE ANALYSIS OF THE IELTS SPEAKING SECTION
- IELTS PRACTICE SETS
- RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
IELTS Speaking Practice Test 5
Before we begin with the analyses, let's quickly check out the format of the IELTS speaking test
The duration of the IELTS Speaking test is 15-17 minutes and is usually conducted on a separate day.
IELTS SPEAKING PRACTICE TEST 5 - PARTS
The IELTS speaking test can be difficult for first-time test takers because the student will be tested live in front of the examiner. Due to this live format, non-native English speakers or students having low English language skills feel difficulty during the test, but practice is a key to success. Students must follow the IELTS speaking tips and tricks to succeed. Before practising with the IELTS speaking practice test, let's understand the format of the test.
IELTS Speaking Test Duration and Format
The duration of the speaking test is 11 - 15 minutes. The IELTS speaking test consists of three parts, which are as follows:
| Part 1 – Introduction and Interview |
Overview | During the introduction part, the examiner would read out the candidate's name and their unique candidate ID, followed by the examiner’s candidate ID. This is followed by asking questions about general topics such as the hobbies of the candidate, their interests, field of study or work. The examiner would ask questions based on whatever the candidate responded to.
Part 1 is 4–5 minutes long. |
What skills are involved? | As this is an initial process, only a few skills are assessed. But again, the ability of the candidate to initiate the conversation, provide answers with confidence and give apt responses is measured. |
| Part 2 – Task Card |
Overview | This is the second part of the IELTS speaking test. After part 1 is concluded, part 2 or the individual long run, commences immediately. In this section, the candidates are required to speak about a topic given by the examiner for a minimum of one minute and a maximum of two minutes. Before speaking, the candidate is given one minute to prepare. Additionally, they also have an option to note down points.
After the preparation time is over, the examiner would ask the candidate to speak about the given topic. After the candidate is finished speaking, the examiner may ask a question or two about the spoken topic. |
What skills are required? | This section assesses the ability of a student to speak about the given topic with confidence, ability to articulate well, ability to give justifications to strengthen the viewpoints, etc. |
| Part 3 – Discussion |
Overview | In Part 3, the candidate and the examiner talk in detail about the topic that the candidate had spoken on. The examiner can ask 3 -6 general questions on the topic recited by the candidate.
Part 3 lasts 4–5 minutes. |
What skills are required? | This section assesses the ability of the candidate to interpret questions asked, engage in meaningful conversations, and speculate on topics, as well as the accurate articulation of thoughts. |
MARKING SCHEME OF IELTS SPEAKING SECTION
A candidate is measured using four attributes in the IELTS speaking test. These include fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range accuracy, and pronunciation. Throughout the conversation, the candidate is assessed. This is from the moment they answer the first personal question to the last question in the discussion. Now let us discuss each marking attribute in detail.
Fluency and coherence are linked with the confidence level of the student in conveying his thoughts, opinions, and views in a coherent manner using a range of cohesive devices; here, it's okay for the candidate to make minor self-corrections; however, the candidate should not struggle to articulate his ideas. Being able to develop the topic, speak at length, and showcase a correct understanding of the question asked will help the candidate score high. We suggest that the aspiring candidates practice speaking before registering for the exam. An IELTS speaking practice mock test attempt is beneficial.
The lexical resource highlights the candidate's ability to use less common vocabulary flexibly,
Showcasing style and collocation in language or using less common idiomatic expressions makes the candidate eligible for a high band score. The student must practice IELTS speaking test questions to gain command over the language.
Grammatical range and accuracy assessment assesses the ability of the candidate to respond to queries with grammatical accuracy. The student must use a range of sentence structures to gain high bands. Candidates can improve in this skill by practising IELTS speaking test questions to better prepare for grammatical hurdles.
Pronunciation evaluation gauges the ability of the candidate to communicate clearly and in a manner which is understandable to the examiner. Going through sample IELTS speaking questions from the IELTS speaking test can help the candidates refine their pronunciation skills.
PART-WISE ANALYSIS OF THE IELTS SPEAKING SECTION
PART - 1: INTRODUCTION AND QUESTIONS ON FAMILIAR TOPICS
As mentioned above in the format section about part 1, let us now check the difference between students with low vocabulary and fluency versus students with appropriate usage of lexical resources and fluency, along with the range of sentence structure.
In the Lower band audio, the student is having low language skills
In the Higher band audio, the student has excellent language skills
SAMPLES:
Candidates can listen to the speaking sample (audio 2) above designed by Careers360 to have an idea about the questions that have a high probability of being asked in the IELTS speaking section. These samples are designed after careful analysis of the previous IELTS speaking questions and are aimed to help the candidates in their IELTS speaking preparation journey.
PART - 2: INDIVIDUAL LONG TURN
This is one of the most important parts of the IELTS speaking test, and the format is described above. We will now see the difference in performance of the candidates with less practice and lower usage of vocabulary and grammar range, with that of a student having excellent skills in all parameters of the language.
Lower band audio has a student with lower skills, and Higher band audio has a student with a higher band score
The above is a sample of part 2 (audio 2) of the speaking section of the IELTS speaking test. The candidate can refer to the sample and gain an idea of how to structure their speech, what to include and what not to, how to use effective vocabulary, and give an apt conclusion.
PART - 3: TWO-WAY DISCUSSION
The discussion round gives another chance for the student to score high and even rectify errors previously made. Sometimes, due to exam anxiety, students lose their confidence and show lower language skills as they might end up fumbling or get distracted. So, it is always recommended that the student should maintain an optimistic view and attempt the IELTS speaking test confidently.
The format is already discussed above, and now we shall show you the difference between a low-scoring student of a high-scoring student.
Low band audio is of a low-scoring student, and Higher band audio is of a high IELTS score.
The candidates can listen to this sample conversation of part 3 of the IELTS speaking section. This can give them a clear picture of what to expect in the section. The reasoning abilities of the speaker are expressed in the audio, and this shows how the candidate must answer the questions.
IELTS PRACTICE SETS
The candidates can go through the IELTS practice sets of all four IELTS examination sections and enhance their IELTS scores, and the candidates must follow the IELTS preparation tips to score high bands.
IELTS SPEAKING PRACTICE SETS
IELTS READING PRACTICE SETS
IELTS LISTENING PRACTICE SETS
IELTS WRITING PRACTICE SETS
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
ARTICLES |
How to Improve IELTS Speaking Skills: Practical Strategies | Read Now |
Common IELTS Speaking Questions and Model Answers | Read Now |
About the Author:
Pooja Aggarwal is an experienced trainer with over 15 years of expertise in helping students achieve their educational goals. With a degree in Education, she focuses on clear, patient, and personalised instruction. Her approach has successfully guided students from diverse backgrounds, preparing them for both Academic and General Training modules of various exams in a supportive and engaging environment.
