First-time IELTS Speaking test takers may be nervous about studying for their IELTS preparation. The speaking test assesses English proficiency and requires an in-person grader interview. To help you effectively prepare for the test, we have 15 practice IELTS speaking questions on several topics, including general training. The more you answer these questions, the more comfortable you will feel discussing your ideas on the IELTS test. Be confident and pass your first IELTS Speaking test. This is the greatest approach to pass future tests. To simplify matters, BestMyTest, our online IELTS prep course, provides a lot of speaking practice materials for IELTS preparation. You can answer IELTS speaking practice questions in English and hear your score every day at BestMyTest. When discussing transport, people may question if you prefer public or private. By following our essential IELTS Speaking Tips, you can achieve the score you need in the IELTS Exam first time!
Understanding the Structure of the IELTS Speaking Test
Before learning how the IELTS speaking test works, know what it looks for. The speaking test has three portions that assess different speaking skills. Starting with standard inquiries about family, school, work, and hobbies. They may also ask about your favourite high school instructor and topic. Thinking on what made the teacher good can help you learn. Considering where you learned is also crucial. A excellent learning environment could be a great school facility with modern resources, like a good teacher and a good school building. Second, the “long turn,” gives you one to two minutes to talk on a topic, such as a memorable experience. The reviewer will discuss the second portion in greater detail in the third part. Knowing what the IELTS speaking test looks like, like a school building, will help you relax.
Introduction and Interview: The First Phase
The IELTS speaking test begins with a chat and introduction. Examiners introduce themselves and verify your identity throughout this step. The test taker will then ask a few generic questions about your family, studies, job, and hobbies. This section makes you feel comfortable before the deeper questions. Prepare to discuss your everyday life, free time, and other topics. Speak clearly and confidently and give complete responses to demonstrate your language skills. To demonstrate your linguistic talents, vary your words and phrase patterns. Good news. First-day speech tests normally take four or five minutes. It sets the tone for the test.
The ‘Long Turn’: The Second Phase
The IELTS speaking test’s second portion is the “long turn”. Each student receives a topic card with a question and points to cover. Use your one-minute preparation time to take notes. You have one to two minutes to speak. It evaluates your ability to speak for a long time about a topic without any preparation. Discussing a family heirloom is one example. Sort your thoughts and present the data logically. Practice speaking rapidly, correctly, and with an accent. The “long turn” of the speaking test is crucial since it assesses English proficiency. When discussing your family history, mention any significant events or anecdotes.
Discussion Questions: The Third Phase
In the third portion of the IELTS speaking test, questions cover abstract concepts, societal issues, and the effect of technology on how people learn about history. The examiner and test taker discuss what they discussed in the second part in this step. The test assesses your ability to express your perspective, justify it, evaluate, guess, and discuss larger issues connected to the general topic. Participating in the discourse requires thoughtful responses and expanding on others’ ideas. This section assesses your understanding of complex terminology and your ability to have a lengthy discourse about vague topics. Your country’s teachers’ pay should also be considered. The discussion may also cover the most popular electronic devices and future advances in such fields. The inspector may also ask if your age group prefers foreign or domestic music.
Breaking Down the IELTS Speaking Questions
After discussing the elements of the IELTS speaking test, let’s move on to examine the questions. They may inquire about the kind of accommodation you live in or if you’ve hosted foreign guests. You can practice answering these questions using examples. Each of the three speaking test portions has its own set of questions. Sample questions and model answers can help you prepare for the IELTS speaking test, improve your responses, and perform better. Also, be prepared to answer questions about your country’s TV shows. This knowledge will help you answer the speaking test comprehensively. Consider the health and mobility of elderly people in your country. On the speaking test, talk about your best buddy and why you value them so much. Some families throw expensive parties to celebrate major events. Does this happen in your country? Is this trend good or bad? Public transportation is also an important part. What kinds of public transport does your country offer? What Metro do most people use? Which method is best to get around town? Finally, let’s discuss the good points and bad points of the travel system. You know how many languages besides English? When did you start learning your first language? Children in your country learn how many languages in school? Is learning another language important? Why is age ideal for learning an instrument?
Part 1: IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1 of the IELTS speech test is to ask general questions about well-known topics. There will be a lot of questions about your life, like what you do in your daily routine, what you like to do in your free time, what you know about current events, and things that have happened to you on your first day. The best way to answer IELTS speaking part 1 is to be confident. This is an example of a Part 1 question: Describe an exciting experience you’ve had. You should say how you met this person, how long you have known him or her, and the kind of things you do or have done together.
- Do you spend a lot of time with young people or old people?
- Who is the most important family member to you? Why?
- What is your favourite animal? Why?
- How do you usually spend your leisure time?
- In Part 1, the examiner aims to assess your ability to provide information and express opinions on familiar topics. It is important to speak fluently, showcase your vocabulary and grammatical accuracy, and provide detailed answers. Practicing with common topics and preparing strong answers can help you feel more confident and perform well in Part 1 of the speaking test.
Part 3: IELTS Speaking Questions
It takes longer for the person taking the test and the person giving it to talk about Part 3’s main point. These tests check how well you can talk about big ideas that are hard to grasp, give your opinion, and explain it. They also test your ability to think about, study, guess, and talk about bigger issues that are related to the main theme. This is how a Part 3 question looks:
- What is the impact of social media on society?
- How can we address environmental problems?
- What role does education play in problem-solving?
- In Part 3, actively participate in the conversation, providing detailed comments and supporting examples and explanations. Practice discussing many subjects to prepare for this speaking test section..
Preparing for the IELTS Speaking Test
You need to study and learn the right way to do things for the IELTS speech test. These things could help you study for the test:
Practise the test’s format and organisation.
Use the free IELTS practice tests that you can find online.
To do better on the test, make plans for how to handle each part.
As you speak English more often, you will feel more confident.
Go over the example answers to get a better idea of what the test is looking for..
Strategies for Tackling IELTS Speaking Part 1
In Part 1 of the IELTS, you have to talk about things you know in a broad way. Remember these things if you want to do well in Part 1:
Speak fluently and confidently, showcasing your language skills.
Expand on your answers by providing detailed information.
Use a wide range of vocabulary to demonstrate your language proficiency.
Engage the examiner in conversation by asking follow-up questions.
Make use of personal experiences to support your answers.
By employing these strategies, you can effectively tackle the general questions in Part 1 of the speaking test and showcase your communication skills.
Strategies for Tackling IELTS Speaking Part 2
In Part 2, you have to talk for a long time about a subject. To do well on Part 2, do these things:
Carefully read the job card to know what it’s about and what you need to cover.
Make good use of the one minute you have to prepare by organising your thoughts.
Talk for two minutes straight and give enough information about the subject.
To make your speech more interesting, use personal examples and stories.
Use a wide range of words and sentence patterns to describe things.
If you practise speaking for long periods of time, using personal examples, and improving your language skills, you’ll feel ready for Part 2 of the speaking test.
How to Do Well on the IELTS Speaking Part 3:
In Part 3 of the speaking test, you’ll talk about general topics and have long conversations. If you want to do well in Part 3, think about these tips:
Pay close attention to the questions and give straight answers.
Use appropriate examples and explanations to back up your answers.
Show off your language skills by using long, complicated words and advanced language.
Ask questions when it makes sense to stay involved in the talk.
To get ready for Part 3, talk about a lot of different things. By using these tips, you’ll be able to handle the talks in Part 3 of the speaking test well and show that you can communicate clearly in English..
Sample Questions to Prepare Effectively
To prepare effectively for the IELTS speaking test, practice with sample questions. Here are some sample questions categorized by the different parts of the test:
Part 1 Questions:
- How do you usually spend your free time?
- Who is the most important family member to you? Why?
- What is your favourite animal? Why?
- Part 2 Questions:
- Describe an interesting place you have visited.
- Talk about a good idea you have had recently.
- Describe your favourite room in your home.
- Part 3 Questions:
- What impact does social media have on society?
- How can individuals contribute to solving environmental problems?
- What role does education play in problem-solving?
- By practicing with these sample questions, you can enhance your speaking skills, familiarize yourself with the types of questions asked, and feel more confident during the speaking test.
Sample Questions for IELTS Speaking Part 1
In this section, we will provide you with some sample questions for Part 1 of the IELTS speaking test. These questions cover topics related to free time, daily life, your favourite room, and your hometown.
Sample Questions:
- How do you usually spend your free time?
- Do you prefer spending time alone or with friends? Why?
- What are some common leisure activities in your country?
- How important is free time in your daily life?
- Describe your favourite room in your home.
- Why is this room special to you?
- How do you feel when you are in this room?
- Bullet Points:
- Different ways of spending free time
- Importance of leisure activities in daily life
- The role of free time in relaxation
- The significance of having a favourite room in your home
- The emotions associated with being in that room
- These sample questions and bullet points can serve as a starting point for your preparation. Use them to practice answering questions, build vocabulary, and improve your speaking skills in preparation for the IELTS speaking test.
Sample Questions for IELTS Speaking Part 2
In Part 2 of the IELTS speaking test, you are required to speak on a given topic for 1-2 minutes. Here are some sample questions for Part 2, along with bullet points to guide your responses.
Sample Questions:
- Describe an important event in your life.
- Talk about a foreign country you would like to visit.
- Describe a place you find interesting.
- Bullet Points:
- The important event and its significance
- Factors that make the foreign country appealing to visit
- Key features of the interesting place
- Remember to use the task card you receive as a guide to structure your response and include the relevant points. Use descriptive language, provide examples, and showcase your language proficiency during the long turn in Part 2 of the speaking test.
Sample Questions for IELTS Speaking Part 3
For Part 3 of the IELTS speaking test, here are some sample questions related to social media, global issues, and higher education:
Sample Questions:
- What impact does social media have on society?
- How do you think social media has changed the way people communicate?
- What are some of the environmental issues facing the world today?
- How can individuals contribute to solving these problems?
- Do you think higher education is important? Why?
- Bullet Points:
- Positive and negative impacts of social media
- Challenges and potential solutions to environmental issues
- The role of individuals in addressing global problems
- The significance of higher education and its benefits
- Covering a range of topics, these sample questions will help you practice discussing abstract and complex issues, supporting your opinions, and engaging in extended discourse during Part 3 of the speaking test.
IELTS Speaking Test Scoring System
The IELTS speech test has a scale from 0 to 9, with 9 being the best score. The test looks at four things: how well you speak, how well you use words and phrases, how well you use grammar, and how well you pronounce words. You will get a band score for each of these things that tells you how well you met the condition. To prepare for the speaking test, it’s helpful to know how to score because it lets you know what the examiners are looking for in your answers. Learn about the evaluation standards to get a better idea of how people rate your speaking skills.
How IELTS Speaking Questions are Scored
IELTS speaking questions might have various scores based on elements that rank distinct speaking talents. Four things underpin it:
Fluency and Coherence: This criterion evaluates your speech flow, naturalness, and usage of linking words to connect thoughts. It assesses your ability to organise and present information clearly.
Lexical Resource: This component involves word usage, including quantity and quality. Testers evaluate your word choice and ability to communicate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: This criterion assesses your grammar knowledge by testing your usage of tenses, sentence kinds, clauses, and grammatical structures.
Speech clarity: This criterion ensures that you say each sound correctly and apply the right emphasis, intonation, and rhythm. It also assesses word and phrase stress.
Band scores vary from 0 to 9, with 9 being best. Examiners score using these factors. Knowing your speaking test score can help you focus on improving specific portions of your speech and prepare for the test.
Understanding the Band Scores in IELTS Speaking Test
Band scores on the IELTS speech test show how well you can speak at different levels. Here is a list of the band numbers and the performance descriptions that go with them:
Band 9: Expert User—Knows how to use the language perfectly, can understand and use complicated language, and can deal with arguments that are very specific and nuanced.
Band 8: Very Good User—Has a good grasp of the language, uses a wide range of words correctly, and speaks and writes clearly and fluently, with only a few mistakes here and there.
Band 7: Good User—Has a good grasp of the language, can handle difficult words well, and makes a few mistakes that don’t get in the way of understanding.
Band 6: Competent User—generally does a good job with the language, but there are some mistakes and bad language use.
Band 5: Modest User—Can talk to others, but often has trouble with grammar, fluency, and coherence, especially when using more complicated words.
Band 4: Limited User—Has basic skills but often has trouble keeping their speech together and has big issues handling language.
Band 3: Extremely Limited User—Can only communicate and understand basic meaning, and communication breaks down often.
In Band 2, “Intermittent User,” someone has a lot of trouble understanding spoken and written language, and they only understand a few words here and there.
Band 1: Non-User—basically can’t use the language, but can pick out a few words here and there.
Band 0: Took the test but didn’t give any useful information.
The band scores are based on the performance descriptors, which list the exact criteria that examiners use to judge speaking ability. Knowing the standards for each band score can help you set goals for your speaking practice and work towards getting the band score you want on the IELTS speaking test..
Final Thoughts
If you want to do well on the IELTS speaking test, you need to study well and use the right tactics. Finally, here are some last tips to help you do well:
Use the free tools and practice tests for the IELTS.
Regularly speaking will help you feel more confident and improve your speed.
Practise the test’s format and organisation.
Learn how to score and what the standards are for judging.
Have a good attitude and a strong desire to do well on the speaking test.
With the right study, practice, and test information, you can take the IELTS speaking test with confidence and get the best score possible.
Conclusion
Finally, to do well on the IELTS Speaking Test, you need to know how it works and practice answering practice questions. You might feel better about yourself and do better on the test if you break it up into parts and plan how to do well on each one. Talk about different topics a lot to get better at being fluent and consistent. You can also learn how to score and band grades to get an idea of what your grade is. Last but not least, please let us know if you need help studying for the IELTS test. We can help you learn what you want to learn.
