IELTS Speaking Test Format
Table of Contents
Last updated: April 2026
What is the IELTS Speaking Test format?
It is essential you understand the IELTS Speaking test format, if you want to do well in the test.
Key Facts:
Duration of the test: 11-14 minutes (Academic & General)
Format: Face-to-face with a real person (in person or online)
Number of parts: 3
Purpose of each part
Part 1 includes your document (ID) check, some warm up questions, then questions on 2 different topics related to you and your life.
Part 2 is a long turn where you have 1 to 2 minutes to talk about a topic you will be given in the test. You have 1 minute to prepare.
Part 3 is a deeper conversation based on the topic you talked about in Part 2.
Notice the IELTS Speaking test is the same for both Academic and General modules.
Some test centres in some countries are delivering the speaking test by video calls. Find out more about which countries this applies to here.
Watch this video to get some top tips on all 3 parts of the test!
Part 1: What happens in the IELTS Speaking Test?
Name and ID check
Part 1 of the test lasts 4- 5 minutes
What the examiner will do:
- Ask for your full name.
- Ask what you want them to call you.
- Ask to see your ID or passport.
TOP TIPS
What you should do:
- Arrive early.
- Relax and smile as you walk into the room.
- Have your ID ready (the same one you registered with).
- Don’t be too formal. IELTS Speaking is a test of natural, conversational English, not formal academic English.
Introducing yourself
What the examiner will do:
- Ask you 2 or 3 warm-up questions on one of the following topics; your work, studies, hometown or home.
TOP TIPS
What you should do:
- Use this time to get relaxed, and also to make a good first impression.
- Smile.
- Be confident. Not always easy but believe in yourself!
- Speak clearly.
- Use simple language to help you warm up.
Topics 1 and 2
What the examiner will do:
- Ask you 3 to 4 questions on a first Part 1 topic.
- Ask you a further 3 to 4 questions on a second Part 1 topic.
Topics are chosen from a wide bank of topics and questions, so there is no way of knowing which topics you will be asked. You can find a wide range of part 1 topics here.
TOP TIPS
What you should do:
- Give fairly short answers (2 to 3 sentences).
- Spend about 10 – 20 seconds on each answer.
- Do not worry if the examiner interrupts you, this is normal.
- Most questions are about you, so talk about you and your own life and experience.
- Some questions are yes/no questions (closed questions), e.g. Do you like your hometown? However, never just answer yes or no. You need to expand your answer a little.
- Give a direct answer, explain why, and maybe add a detail or example.
Watch this video to see the IELTS Speaking Test Format for Part 1 + Part 1 Tips!
Part 2: What do you have to do?
This part of the test lasts 3-4 minutes
What the examiner will do:
- Give you a Task Card (sometimes called a Cue Card) with a question.
- Give you a pencil and piece of paper to make notes.
- Give you one minute to prepare.
- Ask you a rounding-off question at the end. If you have spoken for the full 2 minutes, they may not ask you an extra question.
What you will do:
- Prepare for 1 minute.
- You can use the bullet points on the Task Card to help guide your answer, but you don’t have to.
- Speak on the topic for 1 to 2 minutes.
TOP TIPS
What you should do:
- Make good use of the 1 minute preparation time.
- Give a strong first first sentence.
- Speak calmly, not too fast.
- Speak at least for 1:30 minutes.
- At home, practise speaking for 2 minutes so you know how long that feels. It’s longer than you think!
Watch this video to see the IELTS Speaking Test Format for Part 2 + Part 2 Tips!
Part 3: How is the test concluded and what to expect?
Part 3 lasts for 4 – 5 minutes.
What the examiner will do:
- Ask you further questions connected to the main topic in part 2. These will look at more general, wider themes, ideas and debates.
- Divide the questions usually into 2 related sub-topics.
- Ask a total of 4 or 5 questions.
TOP TIPS
What you should do:
- Talk in more depth and develop your answers. You will need to give longer answers, often up to 1 minute, if appropriate.
- Do more than just give your opinion.
- You also need to explain, speculate, justify, hypothesise, and evaluate your ideas.
- Don’t be surprised if the examiner interrupts you (and they sometimes do if your answers are too long), relax, it will not affect your score.
Watch this video to see the IELTS Speaking Test Format for Part 3 + Part 3 Tips!
Ending the test
What the examiner will do:
- Tell you when the test has finished.
- They will not give you the score then.
- Say something like, ‘This is the end of the test.’
What you should do:
- Just say, “Thank you!”
- Smile and leave the room.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Part 1 lasts 4 to 5 minutes
- Part 2 lasts 2 minutes (with 1 minute to prepare)
- Part 3 lasts 4 to 5 minutes
- In Part 1 you are asked some questions about yourself and your everyday life.
- In Part 2 you are given a topic that you must talk about for 1 to 2 minutes.
- In Part 3 you will asked more in-depth questions about the same topic as Part 2, as well as some more related sub-topics.
- Fluency and Coherence
- Vocabulary (Lexical Resource)
- Grammar (range and accuracy)
- Pronunciation
Yes, it is exactly the same test for both the academic and general modules or IELTS.
- You should get familiar with the different parts of the test and the kinds of questions you might be asked.
- You should study and practice continually to develop your overall English speaking skills, don't just focus on exam technique.
- Study lots of different topics so you can speak on a wide range of topics flexibly.
- Do some IELTS Speaking mock tests or practice tests, so you are used to the timing and the pressure of the speaking test.
Avoid These IELTS Speaking Mistakes and Improve Your Score!
Discover the most common mistakes in IELTS Speaking and what to do instead so you can speak with confidence and ace the IELTS Speaking test. 😁
👍 Now you know all about the format of the IELTS Speaking test, let’s find out how it is evaluated.
