IELTS Speaking Part 2: Will I get a low score if I speak for less than 2 mins?

In speaking part 2, you will be given a topic, 1 min to prepare and then  you will need to speak for between 1-2 mins. The examiner will not move on to part 3 until 1 minute has passed of your talk and the examiner will stop you at exactly 2 minutes to prevent you speaking further. So, this means you have between 1 and 2 minutes available to you for your talk.

Speaking part 2 is the only part of the test where you can show the examiner that you can speak at length. So, if you are aiming for a higher score, this is a great opportunity to impress the examiner with fluency.

However, if you run out of things to say after 1 minute then tell the examiner you have finished so that the examiner can move on to the next part of the test. You can say ‘I’ve finished’.

Here are some more points to consider:

  • It is better to give a strong, fluent talk for 1.5 minutes than a weak, hesitant talk for 2 mins.
  • You can still get a high score if you only speak for 1.5 minutes but only if the quality of your talk is very good.
  • The criterion of fluency accounts for 25% of your marks and is taken from your overall performance in all parts not only in part 2.
  • If you wish to lengthen your talk,  then add more information. The prompts (the points on the topic card) are only guidelines – you can and should expand on each one.

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Comments

  1. Kshitij Kasabekar says

    Hello Liz
    For part 2 the examiner asked me 1 follow up question
    Will it affect my score?

    • The examiner usually asks one or two follow up questions after part 2 and before part 3. So, your experience is normal. Good luck with your results

  2. Hi liz
    I had my speaking test the other day and i spoke well but both first and third part but the second part was on a gift i would give my mom and how expensive can it be etc.
    I spoke for about a minute or more and came to a conclusion before the examiner could stop me. How do you think it will affect my score?

    • You are not given a score for each part of the speaking test. So, your score for fluency will depend on the other parts of the test and other factors as well. So, there is no way to know what your final score will be. Good luck and stay positive!

      • Saransh says

        Hi Liz,
        I gave my IELTS Speaking test today and overall it went good. During the Part 2 of test, I spoke about my topic and concluded it in around 1:30 min (and I think I addressed all the demands of the question I was asked in the cue card). But the examiner gestured me to talk more about the topic, it made me a bit nervous and I started to stutter for few seconds. Though I continued to talk about the topic until se asked me to stop. Will the stuttering part effect my score?
        Thank you

        • You are marked on your overall performance in each marking criteria. The way you answer one or two questions doesn’t impact your overall score. However, please note that it is not your task in part 2 to cover all prompts on the cue card. This is not the aim of part 2. The prompts are only guidelines to use or not use as you wish. Your score is based only on the level of your English. Good luck with your results 🙂

  3. Hello Liz,
    I hope you are well. I just wanted to thank you because I have watched your videos on YouTube and learn from this website for just a week. I have just received my IELTS result with 7.5 overall bands.

  4. Aditya Srivastav says

    I gave my Speaking Test today, April 12th, 2023, and my questions are:
    Part 1:
    Do you study or work?
    From which university, you have completed your studies?
    Which thing about your university you would like to change?

    Is weekends your favourite time?
    Do you ever study or work on weekends?
    Have you ever planned your weekends?

    Had you studied space technology in your school?
    Do you ever watch Sci-Fi movies?
    If you get a chance to do space travel, would you like to go?

    Part 2:
    Describe a technology you find difficult to use.
    What the technology is?
    When you used it?
    Which purpose it can be used for?
    and explain why find it difficult to use that.
    Follow-up:
    Did your friends also find it difficult to use that?

    Part 3:
    What is the difference between in use of technology by young people and old people?
    Why do many people face difficulty while using new technology?
    Do you agree that every individual should learn using technology?
    What is the positive and negative development of using technology?
    (There are two or three more questions related to technology, but I couldn’t recall)

    If I talk about my experience, my part 1 went well, these are easy questions.
    However, my part 2 was not that good, I paused for some seconds and the examiner signalled me to speak more. I also made some grammatical mistakes. This was because I never faced any difficulty using any technology so I spent a good portion of my 1 minute thinking about that technology.

    But my part 3 was amazing, I answered in a very proper manner, spoke at length by using different good vocabulary and also gave some examples. I can even speak much because the topic was simple, and everyone knows a lot about technology.

    I hope that I will get a good score, I’m still nervous because my part 2 didn’t go well.

    • Thanks for sharing the topics. In part 2, you can adapt the topic as long as you stay within the main topic. Your topic was technology that you use. You could easily say “I actually find technology easy to use and I don’t struggle with anything new.” Then you continue to talk about a type of technology you have recently learned to use and what you found easy or harder about it. You could branch into why you think some people might struggle with that technology even if you don’t. Anyway, hopefully you’ve still done very well. Part 2 isn’t everything and your score is based on your overall performance, not on each part. The main aim being for the examiner to generally get a feel for your correct level of English. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for your results 🙂

  5. Ismail Khan says

    I just gave my IELTS speaking test today, the topic that I was given in the 2nd part was “Talk about an outdoor activity” although I’m not sure about what it was clearly, I feel i have completely messed up the whole topic by speaking about my site-seeing tour in a museum thinking that’s an outdoor activity, I’ve mentioned things like the history, artworks and fine details of what it consists inside including who went with me for the first 30-40 seconds and I gave a thought by pausing myself for a couple of seconds then started talking the same thing with a little changes and then the examiner said to stop with a follow-up question and we continued with other topics. Overall my exam went quite well except for part 2. I’m really scared if this is going to lower my score since most examiners usually judge a canditates capability of speaking with a wide range of several things to count in which can lead a good or a bad score. What do you think?

    • It sounds like a misunderstanding on your part as to what “outdoor” means. The examiner will probably realise this and it won’t affect your score. For anyone else doing IELTS who gets this topic, an outdoor activity is something that you do outside of a building such as a picnic in the park. Good luck with your results!

  6. Your pupil says

    Hello, Liz

    Today, i had my speaking test and part 2 was a mess🥺.
    The topic was “ describe an object that you think is beautiful” . I spent my 1min prep ,trying to come up with an idea and went for compass. Also i never had a compass, was lying and talked for only over 30 seconds. Then the examiner implied me the bulletpoints, and answered them . So all together laster for about 30 seconds . Then the examiner directly started asking other questions (did not say this was part 3) and i kept answering . Part 1 and 3 were good tho , what will happen? ( i spoke in part 3 questions at length kinda)

    Will i get a low score? ( it was a complete content-related hesitation, during 1 min prep all i did was hold the pen and look at the paper, saddd , i wrote only 2 words on the paper in 1 min “compass, direcion” )

    • I don’t fully understand what your situation was and what you are specifically asking. What you write on the paper in your 1 min is irrelevant to your score. The examiner doesn’t look at it and doesn’t mark it. That 1 min is for you to use, not only for ideas but also to plan which language points you want to use. Part 2 is your chance to show your degree of fluency by speaking at length without effort. Speaking for only 30 seconds or 1 mins doesn’t show that. The examiner isn’t interested in your ideas, only your language. So, when you speak at length, the examiner has a chance to be impressed by more of your English. The prompts on the cue card are not questions to be answered, but guidelines to help you build your talk so that you can talk longer and more easily. Your score is decided based on your entire test, not on each part so there is no way for me to predict how well you did. Good luck with your results!

    • Abu sufyan butt says

      I believe that your result came. I faced same situation you mentioned. Can you please tell me how much bands you get in speaking. So i can get an idea about my result. Thanks please let me know bcz i also spoke for 30 sec only in cue card.

  7. Mehdi from Iran says

    I cannot believe you answer all these questions this fast, unless you have got a team around you 🙂
    I just came here to thank you for all the material you provide.
    I went through your “common speaking part2 topics/questions” article which was really helpful.
    https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-speaking-part-2-topics/
    I guess if I study these topics in depth with a right attitude and mindset, I can achieve a high score in my exam.
    I hope you know how important you were/are to many of us – English learners.
    Wish you the best of luck

  8. Bella says

    Hello Liz, let me just start by saying that your lessons have been incredibly helpful in my IELTS preparation.
    I just sat my test today, and on Speaking test part 2, I think I spoke for more than one minute but less than two. My examiner didn’t ask me “Anything else you’d like to add?”, but he gave me an additional question correlating to my answer. I answered the follow up question and then we moved on to part 3. Do you think this means my answer was too short? Will the examiner move on to part 3 if the two minutes aren’t up yet? Thank you!

    • Asking a round up question at the end of part 2 which relates to your talk is 100% normal for all speaking tests. Moving on to part 3 when you finish your talk (either at 2 mins or whenever you choose to end the talk) is also 100% normal. Giving a short talk does not come with a fixed penalty but it is a missed opportunity to showcase your fluency (your ability to speak at length without effort). Part 2 is the best place to demonstrate this. But you might have excellent fluency in other parts which will compensate for this. As I tell everyone, your score will depend on your performance in all parts, not one part. Good luck with your results!

  9. glendalop says

    Hi liz. Hope you will notice me. I had my exam yesterday and the speaking exam is only i think less than 11mins. Since there were a clock in the monitor. So i could say it was only less than 11mins. Is it bad or good thing?

    • The speaking test takes between 11 to 14 mins. Not more and not less. This is something that is controlled strictly by the examiner. It is not possible for any speaking test to be under 11 mins unless the candidate refuses to talk. So, either you are mistaken and the time was 11 mins which is normal or you are right and the examiner is not being fair to candidates. You have the right to complain, but it won’t alter your score at all. You can also ask for a remark if you feel your score is lower than you believe it should be.

  10. shaikhah says

    Hi Liz
    I had my speaking test today and i felt like i did really well on all the parts. Although, for part 2 i stopped talking and the examiner told me “anything else?” which showed that i didn’t speak for 1 minute yet so i started talking a bit more saying whatever came up to mind and then we went on to part 3. How much can this going to effect my grade? I’m really hoping for an 8.5!

    • It won’t affect your score. However, it is a shame to miss the opportunity to show that you can speak at length without any effort. This is a vital part of a high score in fluency. So, it will now come down to how well you expanding your answers in the other parts of the test. Showing willingness to speak, the ability to keep talking and an effortless expansion of ideas is important. It also means that the technique of expanding answers and the part 2 talk should be something you’ve prepared for. Anyway, not speaking for 2 mins will not rule out a high score. Good luck with your results 🙂

  11. Ejike says

    hi Liz, how are you doing? you’ll get better and fine with time.
    In speaking test, can i close my eyes to answer any question. i tend to focus more when my eyes are closed.

    • It’s unusual to speak to someone that way. It might seem that you are trying to remember a memorised answer rather than chatting to the examiner spontaneously. The speaking test is an informal chat with the examiner. If someone asked you “Do you like pizza?” would you normally close your eyes to answer it? Part 1 contains mostly such questions – simple and about your life. Part 2 is also simple and about your life experience. Certainly part 3 has more complicated questions and answers which you might need to focus on harder. There is actually no rule to say that can’t close your eyes. There is nothing in the band scores that lowers your score if you close your eyes. But do think twice about attempting to answer most of your test this way. For a speaking test that is supposed to be natural, informal and relaxed, it shows a response which is the opposite. I won’t advise you not to do it, but just to think about it more carefully.

  12. Priya says

    Hi,
    I had my speaking test yesterday , i was actually blank for two questions and could speak only for yes and no . Although I speak quite good in part 2 . Will this silence affect my score ?

    • Your score will depend on your overall performance, not two answers. However, it is never a good choice to reply with one word. Even if you can’t think of an idea, you can say:

      Well, let me see. It isn’t something I’m familiar with. To be honest, I’m not sure.

      The word “yes” only is the lowest possible level of English. However, the above answer, while not providing an idea or clear response, is actually band 9 English.

  13. Hi Liz
    I would like to ask a question related to part 2
    The question was
    Describe a city or town where you want to live in the future
    But I misunderstood because of my nervous and I talked about a city which I want to see.
    I guess examiner noticed and asked “Do you want to live there ?”
    I answered negatively .Whwo.When I realized the time was up unfortunately.
    I wonder that my score will be lower .
    Thanks

    • It shouldn’t affect your score. It is perfectly normal to misread the finer detailed of the cue card from nervous. You stuck to the main topic which was a city yo want to visit. That is close enough to the actual topic not to present a problem. Good luck with your results

      • Patel shrey says

        If we forgot to cover one topic in part 2 this will effect my band score and how much it will effect.

        • It has no impact at all. However, some of the prompts on the cue card are to prompt you to use past tense or comparatives or some specific language. If you miss that chance to showcase that type of grammar or language, it would mean you are limiting your score. Of course, if you then put that grammar into other parts of the test, you’ll be fine. Just don’t miss the chance to shine when you can.

      • Zaluar Igreja says

        Liz, what if you completely shocked and don´t speak at all? It happened to me

        • You can only be scored on the English you speak. Going silent is something to avoid. If you are someone very nervous, it might be good to book two tests. Hopefully, by the second test, you’ll be less nervous.

          • simranjeet kaur says

            Hello Ma’am, what its mean that we can book two tests, booking two tests for speaking only or for other modules also?

            • If you wanted to take two IELTS tests, it is your choice. They are fully tests. You can take as many tests as you want.

  14. Today I gave my ielts speaking I got the topic describe a country where u will like to visit for some time and I talked about going to Canada to complete my masters and come back to India to work did I speak totally irrelevant the subtopic. We’re where u want to go ? And where u got to know about this place ? Did I made a blunder by speaking about going for my academic or I shud have only spoke about a trip or vacation . Please answer

    • It’s fine. There is no marking for being on or off topic so as long as you stick to the main topic of visiting a foreign country, it’s ok. Your score will be based only on your fluency, grammar, vocab and pronunciation. Good luck with your results!

  15. Anuj Mittal says

    Dear Liz

    If someone wants to retake 1 or 2 specific tests (such as speaking &/or listening) as he/she did not perform well in his previous attempt; can they do it without having to retake tests for all the 4 sections? Secondly, will they have to pay the full fee or partial fee in this case?

    • You will have to book a new test and it will be the full fee.

      • My examinor pointed towards the recorder and signed few times to speak more loudly. Will this effect my IELTS score.?

        • No, it won’t affect your score. But if your voice is too weak to record properly, it might affect things if you go for a remark which relies on the recording.

  16. Simran Shah says

    Dear Liz,

    If we haven’t completed talking within 2 minutes and the examiner stops us, then would this affect the score?

  17. Fatima says

    Hi,
    I had my speaking test today and I was asked about public buildings in part 2 of the speaking test. I thought public buildings were just any normal building that have made me astonished by its set up and all. So I answered with “A hotel”. And then after I finished the lady said you talked about a hotel, but public buildings are libraries, museums and all. This was just when I finished my 2 minutes talk. May I know will this effect my score significantly ?

    • No, it won’t affect your score. You are not marked on Task Response or Task Achievement in the IELTS test. I’ll put up a page about the topic of Buildings shortly 🙂

      • Hi Liz,can iask the examiner to show me the
        stopwatch when i am talking?Since ihave no idea
        about the length of my speech during the exam.

        • No, you can’t. Get used to the feeling of 2 mins at home when you practise. During the test, let the examiner control the time. The examiner will stop you when two mins is finished.

          • connywww says

            if i had too amny ideas in part2, and i still hadnt finish my speech, the examiner stopped me after 2mins, will i get a lower mark?

            • Your ideas are not marked and the examiner must stop everyone at 2 mins. It doesn’t affect your score.

      • Hi Liz today I gave my speaking test n question for cue card was
        Describe the time when someone asked for your help.
        – when it was
        – who ask u for help
        – how u help them

  18. Kamal says

    Hi Liz!
    I have two questions. First one is about speaking topic,” Describe a piece of art you like.” Can I talk about my favourite novel which is the masterpiece of the novelist(still an art)? My second question is about Writing task 2, Can we use one or two interrogative sentences? Let’s say we end the introduction with it, writing, what can be the causes? and then, of course, answering the question in the body paragraph.

    • There’s no wrong or right in IELTS Speaking. The topic is art and writing is an art. However, make sure the examiner doesn’t think you are changing the direction because you have no English to speak about art. To avoid this, just explain “I’m going to talk about a novel which is a masterpiece, a real work of art. I know it isn’t a sculpture, a sketch or portrait, but it really is a work of art that inspires me and I think that is what art is all about” – continue talking about the novel. When you do this, you are showcasing all the language the examiner wants and then going in your own direction which is still relevant to the topic. It’s perfect. Remember, this is about showcasing your language in a natural way.
      For Writing Task 2, don’t write questions. Just provide clear statements with clear ideas in them. Each statement should be an essential part of your essay that cannot be omitted.

  19. Miki Tsui says

    Hi Liz, i had my IELTS exam today and was given a topic I have no idea about so I guess I have spoken for less than 1 minute, but I’m sure I speak long and fluently in all other parts. I assume I wont get a high mark for speaking, what do you think the highest score I may have? I’m thinking the need to retake the exam…Thanks

    • You don’t have to speak a long time in part 2 to get a good score. Of course, it helps if you do. But there are many ways to show fluency. Also fluency score is based on your overall performance, not your performance in each part. You will have to wait for your results to see how you have done. What was the topic you didn’t have any idea about?

      • Ashamed to share that I couldn’t think of any idea helping others that time and I’m sure the examiner couldn’t get me but except part 2, the others were good. Honestly I’m prepared for retake…

        • I’ll keep my fingers crossed for your results!! If you retake, you can use the results from either test – they will both be valid and you can choose which ones to use.

  20. Anuj Nayyar says

    Hi Liz,

    I had my speaking test today. I had brilliant performance for all sections, but for 2nd part, wherein I missed one prompt question in my entire speech. Other than that, I performed at best of my current abilities. The invigilator did point out this question and accepted my one word (yes) answer only. How will this affect my overall score. I think baring this I have performed to a 7. 5 band test scores.

    Regards

    Anuj Nayyar

    • There is no task achievement in IELTS Speaking. You do not need to cover all prompts on the card.

  21. Paula Rafael says

    Hi Liz. Could you please tell me whether I can use expressions borrowed from Franch such as faux pas, rendezvous, cliché, fait accompli?

    • If the word is found in an English dictionary, you can use it. Some will be and some won’t be. If you are in doubt, don’t use it.

  22. What if someone just spoke for 25 seconds.

    • Part 2 is a chance to show fluency – the ability to speak at length without effort. You didn’t use this opportunity. However, fluency is marked based on your overall performance, so it depends how well you did in the other parts. Good luck with your results 🙂

  23. Reynalou Laygo says

    Hi Liz! I just had my Speaking exam awhile ago. And i m worried because i dont think i answered it correctly. The cue card was asking a time when i had to tell lie to a friend. What i talked about is my friend her boyfriend. that i saw her boyfriend at the mall with another girl and i didnt tell her.. It keeps bothering me as it was about an information that i hid. I am not sure if a secret is connected to a lie. 😭

    • You are not marked on the information you give. Your choice of talk is not marked. Your ideas are not marked. So, don’t worry about it. Only your fluency, grammar, vocab and pron are marked.

  24. Shahkar Ayub says

    Hi Liz,
    I had my speaking test today. In task 2, I spoke for 1 minute in which I provided enough content fluently. However, the examiner insisted me to talk a bit more, which I did afterwards. Will this affect my score? Was I supposed to talk for 2 minutes?
    By the way, thanks for the amazing lessons, It really helped me.

    • Speaking part 2 is your chance to show fluency – a willingness to speak at length without effort. The examiner will giving you your chance. It’s your choice is you take the full 2 mins or not. Your score will be based on your overall performance, not on each part.

  25. Sagar Kuwar says

    Hi Liz,
    I made blunder on my speaking test as they asked about ur favourite wild animal and I said dog . Will it impact my overall score

  26. Prabashi says

    Hi Liz,
    I’m taking the IELTS speaking test on 6th of September. Just in case if I am asked about my favourite book,or a book that I have recently read , will it be ok to tell about an academic book or a thesis?I find it easy to speak the truth than preparing for something that I will forget easily.

    • Try to avoid turning a topic to your own work or subject. Everyone can talk about their own work – but can you show the ability to discuss other topics in English. This is what IELTS is testing – what are the range of topics you are able to talk about. If the books are not based on your own work, then it is fine.

  27. Michael Scofield says

    Hello liz,

    Ihv stammering problem in speaking section. So, can I say to examiner that I have stammering problem after he asks for my name? Please message me ASAP

    • If this is something that a doctor can give you a certificate for, I suggest you contact your local test centre and discuss it with them.

  28. Hi Liz. J just had my ielts speaking a while ago and I feel terrible because of what happened.. on the second part of the exam, i spoke for less 1.5mins i think.. and then the 3rd part it lasts for more or less 3.5 mins.. the examiner asked me two types of questions that is totally not related with each other.. the first question was about the “throwing away rubbish” that last for 3.5mins i supposed.. and then the second question is about “inviting someone to eat at home or in a restaurant” that lasts for 3.5mins too.. what can you say about this liz?

    • In part 3, the examiner has freedom to ask the questions they want to ask. It is possible for the examiner to ask an unrelated question. If the examiner wants to check a particular language function that might happen. There is nothing that should worry you about this.

  29. Hello Liz,
    Thank you for all the great tips about the IELTS test.

  30. Does examiner provide mark in speaking test or any other else will give by listening audio??

    • The examiner will write down your score when you leave the room. The recording is made for remarking purposes.

  31. Brendon says

    Hi Liz, I appeared in my speaking test today, and i gave answers accurately. However, in part-1 examiner asked me a question do you work or study, and i replied her that i work in a software house i am web developer, But in part-2 of speaking i mentioned that i work with my grandfather in cars business. Is it okay that i have mentioned 2 different fields of work ?

    • It should not affect your score but it isn’t something you should do in your test. If the examiner thinks that you staged (memorised) your answer, it won’t be accepted. That is the only problem that could come from it.

  32. Soumit Das says

    Liz ma’am

    I am from Kolkata (Calcutta), West Bengal, India. Today I had my speaking test. From part1 to part 3, I was quite fluent. My vocabulary was good. My pronunciation was on point. But in the Part-2, I only spoke for 1 min 24 seconds. I mean, I was really fluent and had covered all the points of the cue and also added 1 to 2 two points extra of my own imagination. But still it ended earlier. Otherwise, I answered all the questions correctly. There were times when my examiner was about to interrupt me in some of the questions of part-3 as they were getting quite long. Overall, the test was good.

    Ma’am, can I expect a band score of at least 6.5?
    I am really worried and the main reason is due to the part 2. Moreover, in the speaking part-2 the time preparation time was for 1 min…and I was ready within 30 seconds roughly.
    The topic was on ‘Health, like what exercise I prefer to do? At what time I do it? Why started doing this exercise?’ and so on.
    Ma’am, can I get at least 6.5 in speaking?

    • There is no limit in score based on how long you speak in part 2. Your score is not decided or limited in that way. Your score will be based on your overall performance through the whole test. Relax and good luck with your results 🙂

      • Soumit says

        Thank you from the core of my heart ma’am. Your lessons really helped me a lot. My LRW exams were also good. And for me, you are the ‘Mother of IELTS.’ I respect you a lot ma’am. 😊

        • Mousumi Latif says

          Would you please share your speaking score because I had the same problem and got a low score only in speaking

          • I have the same problem have you got your results yet?

            • Sowmya sree says

              Don’t worry aayu..I had the same concern while speaking where I only spoke for 1:20 in my part-2..But fortunately, I got results and I got a band of 7 in speaking with overall band of 7.5 . So, yeah that shouldn’t be a problem.

  33. Simran says

    Hi, I just gave my IELTS speaking test and my question is I was unable to cover my last point of cue card, how this will affect my overall speaking score(I need 6 bands)

  34. Madhuri Maheshwari says

    Hello Liz,

    Thanks a lot for your support to me for preparing IELTS. I have observed about myself, my hands and neck moves a lot when I speak naturally. Will it be a point to loose marks?

    Thanks
    Madhuri

    • It is 100% fine. There are many nationalities that have a lot of hand movements – Italians are very well known for it. The speaking test is informal and it is based on your language abilities – nothing else matters. So, be yourself, act normally, be chatty, be friendly and be prepared to showcase your English 🙂

      • Madhuri Maheshwari says

        Thanks a lot ma’am. I have my IELTS test on 1st June, 19. I’m preparing through your website, I will try to do my best and make you feel proud. once again many thanks for your support.

        Regards
        Madhuri

  35. Sonia says

    Hi Liz

    Can I boost my IELTS speaking score from part 3 if I didn’t do much well at part 2? Also what is the rough percentage weight for parts 1-3 in IELTS speaking to its final score?

    • Your score is based on your overall level of English throughout the test – it is not marked in parts.

  36. Kiran says

    Hi Liz,

    How informal can we be while speaking? I know we are not speaking with a friend. I mean can we start our answers with “Definitely” or “Of course” or “Pretty much”. I mean can we directly jump to our answers without the “In my opinion or I think or As far as I am concerned”
    Please suggest.

    • Yes, of course. IELTS speaking is informal and it’s fine to answer in an informal manner.

  37. Harmohan Joshi says

    Hi Liz,
    I have given my speaking test today. In part 1 I have given each question’s answer but the cue card which I was given. I spoke around 1-1.5 minutes didn’t stretch too much as I didn’t have much ideas but mentioned each points of cue…..i stopped myself after finishing….would that deduct my scores? The replied spontaneously on follow ups…just worried but cue card

    • You do not need to cover the points on the cue card. It does not affect your score if you use them or do not use them.

  38. Hello Madam,
    I did not receive my result on an announced day. I am worried because of it. I wrote one answer in reading after they asked all to stop. Then examiner signs on my last answer and deleted that answer.

    Please assist me in it.

    • I suggest you contact your test center and also check your emails in case they have written to you.

  39. Ayesha Mehta says

    I just finished my speaking test now. I am hearing disability. She was not looking at me when I entered in a room for speaking test. I understood a little bit but I managed to say everything I could say different words. She was speaking really slow and not normal. Just slow. I have no idea if this is fair to speak slow or not for examiner. I asked her to speak loudly. Again she was speaking low. She looked like middle aged woman. I had a hard time hearing her voice. Part one was okay as I gave my full name. Part 2 was okay okay. Topic in part 2 was about any interesting person that I have never met so i mentioned my grandmother that I have never met. Part 3 was a difficult one. She was asking about judging people or whatever although i only understood a little. But I am more worried about speaking scores. I HAVE LISTENING, READING, WRITING EXAMS are coming after one week. Please give me advice how should I manage to get high score. Will it possible to pass if i Didnt score well in speaking?

    • Did you submit a doctors medical note about your condition? Did you discuss this with the test centre long before your test? Did you say clearly to the examiner “I am hearing impaired, please speak loudly or I won’t be able to hear you.” – did you say this clearly while the test is recorded? You need to do all these things if you take the test again.
      You will get a score for listening, reading, writing and speaking. Also you will get a total score based on the average of those four.
      It sound like you didn’t prepare properly for this test. I wish you luck with your results. If you don’t get a good score, please prepare properly next time.

  40. Dominic says

    Hi mam,
    I got my result yesterday. I have taken acedemic ilets. Result was,
    Listening 7
    Reading 7.5
    Writing 7
    Speaking 5.5 only.
    I was shocked as i need atleast 6 in each and overall 6.5 bands. Should i apply for enquiry on result? Is there any chance of increase in my speaking score? I am afraid. I know very well that my performance in exam was atleast 6 bands in exam.
    While i was taking speaking, i had occasional look at what examinar was writing.does this affect my speaking score? Pls help me

    • Your score is not decided until the final question in answered. Nothing the examiner writes down is about your score. If you feel you should have got band 6 at least, then try for a remark. There’s no guarantee of course. It must be your choice. If you decide to do it, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.

  41. Gurpreet singh says

    In 2 part of the ielrs speaking, i think my cue went wrong. My cue card topic was
    Speak about something your friend did and you want to do yourself.
    I spoke about a pet dog that my friend bought and i wanted to buy a dog after that.
    Is this affect my score?

    • I don’t understand the problem? The examiner doesn’t mark your ideas. You are not marked for being on or off topic. And your choice was fine anyway. The examiner will only mark the level of your English language, for example saying “is this affect..” instead of “will this affect…” or “does this affect”

  42. Hi Liz. I had my speaking test today.
    The only thing I’m worried is that the examiner asked me one question in two different ways in part 3 of the test. The question was about the social impact of shopping. Why people tend to buy things that they don’t even need.
    Well in first part I answered because sometimes they think that the discounted offer won’t come again and they can keep it to gift someone later on. However the examiner asked the same question again in different way in which I answered that it’s due to competition between people. For instance if someone has something better than you, you want to buy it too not because you need it, but because you too want to have it.
    I’m confused now. However I was quite fluent during the whole test.

    • The examiner was trying to draw more out of you – it is normal in the IELTS speaking test.

  43. Hi Liz,

    I just received my IELTS General Training results today. I have an overall band score of 7.5 (listening 8, reading 7.5, writing 8.5 and speaking 6). I’m extremely surprised by my speaking score because my English oral exam scores have always been good.

    Some years ago I have taken the academic module and my overall band score was 8, with an 8 in speaking. Just to tell you a little about myself, I am an English major. I can speak with near-native fluency and have a rich vocabulary which I can easily exploit at my command. I have years of experience working in an international environment and many native speakers are amazed by my English fluency.

    Now my problem is, I am very disappointed with the result and think it was the fault of the examiner. To fill you in, the examiner appeared to be sick (he was wearing a face mask and clearly looked a bit unwell). During the test, there were at least 3 to 4 instances when I have already talked about a certain issue and expressed my views quite thoroughly, he would still go on to ask me the same question. When I expressed that I’ve already talked about that and expanded upon my points, he would still keep asking me again. It made me wonder whether he really paid attention to me. I also felt as though he was only forcing me to give me the answers he was looking for (which I clearly used my way to answer) and he was not really testing my speaking ability.

    As far as I understand, the questions and prompts provided in the test are used as a guide for test takers to demonstrate their English ability. They are not directives to dictate what you MUST say, as long as your speech is relevant and makes sense. For example, I was asked to talk about an example of me borrowing something from family or friends. I wasn’t able to recall such an incidence so I offered to talk about a case of me borrowing a book from a teacher. Could you tell me whether my understanding is correct?

    If I think that the examiner did not give me a fair judgment, how should I go about making a complaint? Would my case be accepted?

    Many thanks for your help!
    Jimmy

    P.S. I took a lot of your advice for my writing test and there you go, a very satisfactory score of 8.5. Thank you very much Liz!

    • I’m really shocked that your examiner was wearing a face mask. I think that is completely inappropriate for a speaking test as you can’t see their lip movement which is actually a significant part of listening to questions in order to answer them. Further to that, he was obviously sick and not able to concentrate. I’m sure you could complain, but the real question is, “would it make any difference?”. That I can’t answer. If you feel your level of English (not the level you know you have, but the level you produced in the test) was higher than 6, you should think about going for a remark.

      You mentioned about not answering questions directly. That is incorrect. The questions should be answered with complete relevancy – even though relevancy isn’t marked, each question is testing a specific language function. If you don’t produce that specific language, the examiner will ask the question again and possibly again. That applies to part 1 and part 3. However, there are NO questions in part 2. There is a cue card which contains a main topic and prompts. You should stick as close as possible to the main topic. The prompts can be used or not used as you wish.

      Does this help you decide what to do? Does it help you understand the test more?

      • Hi Liz,

        Your advice was really helpful! I contacted the local test operator and lodged my complaint. Initially they didn’t accept it because all complaints would have to be done on the test day or before the test results are announced. However, they also found themselves guilty of not notifying the candidate about the examiner wearing a face mask. So in the end they’ve decided to let me retake the test at no cost (while forfeiting the previous results)! Thank you so much Liz! You’re awesome!

        Jimmy

  44. Dear Liz,
    Thank you for your amazing website…I just har my speaking test…I can say it was quite good i spoke fluentely and non-stop….part 1 and 3 where pretty good. i am just worried about part 2…like so many other candidates above I was advised by a teacher to mention all the questions and additionally they must be in order!! This just distracted me and I think I couldn’t speak long…I was also told to have ea conclusion…I was really running out of speech that I decided to finish it, the examiner stoped me by thank you and added two morr questions of the topic which I answered well…then part 3 was anounced…will I lose mark?

    • In part 2, there are NO questions. That means absolutely zero questions are on your cue card. There is a main topic which you should stay close to. There are also prompts which you can use or not use as you wish. No, you don’t need to complete them all. No you don’t need to follow the order. No, you don’t need to use them. My recommendation is to use them, but adapt them and add your own information, descriptions, memories, hopes, experiences, opinions etc. Build your own talk close to the main topic. Does that help?

  45. Hi,
    Is it mandatory to cover all the points in 2 mins?
    let’s say I have covered only 3 points out of 5 in 2 mins and if the examiner goes to section 3, will it affect my score?
    Joseph

    • The prompts on the card are guidelines which you can use or not use as you wish. They do not impact your score.

  46. Hardik Patel says

    what is band classification of ielts speaking part 1,2 & 3? does cue card contain more bands compare to questions & answers ?If my speaking part 2, still is there any probability that one can get around 6 band just based on question and answers ?

    • Your speaking test is not marked based on each section. Your score is based on your overall performance and is decided only at the end of the whole test.

  47. Harshil patel says

    Hello.. i gave ielts examination on 11 october.. im confident about lrw.. but in speaking i think i made a blunder… in cue card i forgot to answer 1 subquestion.. will it create a negative effect?? However i will be satisfied if i get 6 in speaking considering my 5-6 grammatical mistakes??

    • There are no questions on the cue card. There are only prompts which you do not have to use or complete.

  48. Hi Liz,
    I recently took the ielts exams. However, I only discovered your site the day before my exam so was not able to fully utilize all the great tips and info u have here. My question is, if I score well in some sections, say reading and writing, but not so good in listening or speaking and decided to retake the test, is it that I can only use the scores from the new test, or can I choose the highest scores from both test only and use that…

    • It depends what you are going to use your results for. I think people applying for becoming nurses in the Uk have that option. But it is universities will accept it. You need to ask this question to the people you are applying to.

  49. Sohaib Bhatti says

    my IELTS speaking teast was today on 1August, i think i did well in the test, but when i got home i received a call from IELTS institute, they said you have to come for your speaking test as the examiner is not able to find your voice recording on the device, now what should i do?

    • All speaking tests must be recorded successfully. This means the speaking test you completed is now invalid and you will have a new speaking test. This is now a second chance for you to do better than in the first test. So, think carefully how you want to improve and what aspects of the test to focus on.

  50. Hi…
    Yesterday was my speaking test… I ans. All the questions and every time she stops me and asked me next question. And in cue card first i start in medium speed in middle i got little bit slower and on ending i recover my speed… And then she stopped me that time over but i ans. Each cue card 3 questions which i need to ans. In cue card…. I am worried that i did some grammer mistakes… I used less connectors and 2-3 idioms… Can you tell me please how much i score?

    • I think you didn’t fully prepare for your speaking test. You should be fully ready for all situations in the test and you should understand the test requirements.
      1. It is normal for the examiner to interrupt answers in part 1 and part 3.
      2. There are NO questions on the cue card at all. There are prompts which you do not need to use and you do NOT need to complete.
      3. Idioms are not recommended to use – it is better to use idiomatic language such as phrasal verbs
      4. Your score cannot be predicted – it is based on your fluency, grammar, vocab and pron.

  51. Farah says

    Hello Liz,
    Today I did my speaking exam (7/8/2018)

    In part 2, I talked for a while and then I stopped and the examiner asked me to continue and I did until she stopped me, will this will effect my score?

    Also in part 3, she asked me if governments used machines to do people’s jobs will they do it better than humans?
    I said no, I don’t think so because only people can do people’s jobs, and using machines has its bad effects.
    And she said “but you said earlier that concentration for along time has its bad effects in humans and it caus them headache for example, don’t you think by using machines to concentrate for along time will result in doing jobs better than humans?”
    I said yes, using Artificial Intelligence for example will be beneficial for the human race, but in the long run it will have bad effects like high rates of unemployment.

    I feel like I switched/changed my answer
    Will I lose marks for this and effects my score? I’m so worried

    • I do not see anything to worry about in your message above. It is all normal in the IELTS speaking test.

  52. Jenish says

    Hello liz,
    I had my speaking test yesterday and. I was given a topic about a photograph of mine taken by someone , so i talked for about 1.5 mins then i stoped after getting stoped examiner ask me if i want to add more ,so would it affect my band score?
    I’m little confused
    Thank you for guiding us

    • You have the right to speak for 2 mins. The examiner was asking if you wanted to talk more or if you had finished. It’s a normal question to ask.

  53. Lovepreet says

    Hello Liz
    I had my speaking test today. Topic was “when you show your politeness ”
    Examiner gave me a lot of negative expressions it seemed I was going wrong.. 😡 Will it effect my scores?

    • It is not professional that the examiner had a negative expression. This is a fault with the examiner, not a fault with you. Just ignore it. Your score is based only on the language you produced, it has been recorded and it can be remarked if you need. So, don’t worry.

  54. Kudeep says

    Hi Mam
    Done with speaking today
    Topic:describe the Magzine???
    I so terrified, I don’t know much info about the given topic.instead I talked about the book written by APJ ABDUL KALAM.i continuosly talked 2mints.without break…I know it was not my given topic..:(
    Can wrong answer to cue card,can reduce band score

    • When you adapt the topic, you need to explain why: “I’m going to talk about a book becuase I don’t actually read magazines. I know there are many people who enjoy magazines because of the colourful, glossy pages and well laid out content, but I only read books. So, I’m going to talk about a book by APJ ABDUL KALAM …..” This shows the reason for your choice. It also shows an understanding of magazines.

      • Kudeep says

        I did not mention about it…how will it effect my score..

        Thank you

        • It probably will not affect your score. It depends if the examiner thinks you delivered a memorised answers. The topic of a book is almost the same as a magazine, so hopefully it will be fine. But you need to think why you didn’t just communicate naturally to the examiner and explain. This is an informal speaking test – you should be open, friendly and chatty.

  55. Deepak panwar says

    Hii liz, is it necessary to write the articles in the listening part ot IELTS… I had practiced few listening test and in one of the answer i wrote waa (camera) .. and when i checked the answer it was a camera or camera .
    So will i get marks or not fo writing only camera?? .. plz reply i have my speaking test tomorrow and RLW on 24th May .

  56. Jessi Kalkat says

    Hi Ma’am
    Today it was my speaking and my question is that while giving answers the interviewer interrupted me and changed the questions. Now I’m afraid that this will affect my score.

    • It is 100% normal that the examiner will interrupt your answer. You should be prepared for that before you enter your test. It doesn’t affect your score.

  57. In the listing part 1 if in the audio tape person speak “September 12” then should i right
    1. 12 September
    2. 12th September or
    3.September 12
    4. September 12th

    Word limit is no more then one word and/or number
    Which answer is correct from this four choice

  58. Akhil Thomas says

    Hi Mam

    Your classes and tips are awesome. Thanks

    Done with speaking today (6th April 2018),

    Question : Traditional product from your country ? Blank for few seconds, I couldn’t get anything ? I threw some other answers, ie the selected product was not a traditional product. But was talking continuously for 2 minutes and answered all the questions ? Not satisfied. I think this is the most difficult question for speaking.

    Can wrong answer to cue card can reduce band score ?

    Tommorow is my LRW, cool. Frustrated with the speaking question.

    • The examiner is not marking your ideas or your task response in IELTS speaking. Only your spoken English is marked. Don’t worry about it. Focus on tomorrow!! Good luck!! 🙂 Get plenty of sleep!

  59. Amith says

    If I don’t speak the all 3 points given in cue card, will i get lower band score?

  60. Hello Liz, thank you for the useful tips on your website. I got a band 8 in my speaking test and I must say that the information provided here gave me a lot of useful insights. Thank you so much.

  61. In my first attempt, I scored 7 band in speaking. I spoke fluently and didn’t pause but didn’t use any complex sentences or advance words.

    I took IELTS again on 10 Feb, 2018 again, to improve writing module. Unfortunately, this time, in speaking test, I got extremely nervous and gave rather short answers. In task 2, I think I messed up. I couldn’t speak much. I ran out of words. I answered all the questions mentioned in the cue card but after that I didn’t know how to build up stories.

    I speak in English only at work so I don’t have problem in speaking. It’s just that I tried to use relatively advanced words and complex sentences but with pauses and may be short answers. I don’t know what to expect.

  62. Mahbub Omi says

    Hello liz
    I am really thankful to you for providing such valuable suggestions to the examine. I have a question regarding part 2 of the exam. Will i lose score if i do not touch all the questions in the cue card? Besides, if i can not complete within 2 minutes will i lose mark? Someone told me that i should speak for 1.5 minutes….and MUST have a CONCLUDING sentence…..if i can’t make concluding sentence (that is continue to speak for 02 minutes and examiner stops me) i will lose mark. Is it so? Waiting eagerly for your reply.

    • You have obviously been given advice from someone who has not been fully trained in IELTS speaking. There are no questions on the cue card. There are prompts which you can use or not use. You do not need to complete them all. And you should add your own prompts in order to expand your talk. You do not need a concluding statement because this is an informal speaking test and an informal talk. For all parts of IELTS speaking, you should talk until the examiner stops you. You do not need to think about timing – the examiner controls the time, not you. I hope this helps you. Try to relax. Enjoy the speaking test – be friendly, chatty and open 🙂

      • Mahbub Omi says

        We spend so much money to get those illogical advices…u r really great..providing us with the actual information philantrophically…….a great relief …because whenever i look at the prompt questions everything just gets vanished from my head…that person also told me to record my response to see how much sentences can i speak within 1.30 minute….so that i can add a concluding sentence at the end of my speech…yeah i think she is definitely not someone trained to take the speaking test…

  63. Maria Ali says

    Dear Liz,
    I gave my speaking test this 15th. My speaking is really very good when I speak in normal circumstances and is in good flow and fluent. But in the actual test, I became stressed and could not speak in a flow and gave long pauses 🙁 . My grammar and pronunciation remained good. My vocabulary is not too high but acceptable.
    In part 2, after 1 minute, I found nothing to speak on my topic….and knew nothing what to say. What could be my band in this situation?

  64. Dear Liz

    I messed up in part 2, finished talking within a minute because of nervousness and stress and also missed the last question in my cue card , they mentioned on pointing that question and after that I started talking on that. Part 1 and part 2
    was ok. How much they reduce ? I’m so stressed and my remaining modules on coming Saturday.

    • Just forget it and focus on your coming test. Your speaking score is marked over your whole performance.

  65. Taha kamran says

    Hey Liz. I had my Ilets speaking exam 1 day ago. During my spekaing part 3 I had to talk about that should tourist adapt culture of any other country? I couldn’t understand or hear properly so I asked her to repeat is it okay if we do so? Also I tried to explain the way culture is connected to religion and they should adapt id they like the way every country has different religion? Can you tell me about it

  66. Pradzee says

    Hi Liz,
    I have a small query. In part 2, I have often noticed that the model answers have 20-25 sentences and the audios provided are also actually of 1.5-2.5 minutes. But when I record myself and analyse the recording, I often notice that I always end up speaking hardly 10-15 sentences (and I do speak for 2-3 minutes). But I think its my natural speed of speaking which is slow and I am not able to better myself on that front. Would that be a problem?

    • Do you think your task is to answer the questions? In that case, you are very very wrong. there are no questions, only ideas for your talk. It is your job to add memories, descriptions, opinions, dreams, people, places events etc etc to your talk. Use the 1 mins prep to plan all the other things to add.

      • Shripad says

        Hii Liz, thanks a lot for all your lessons.
        I have a question to ask. My natural speed of speaking is quite slow. So will it hamper my score in speaking test?

        Looking forward to your response.

        • It depends how slow. If language is very slow, it can confuse the listener and that will lower your score. But if your pace is reasonable, it’s fine.

      • Mitesh says

        Hi Liz,

        I was following questions that many people questioned and let me tell you I am quite impressed with the answers you gave. Normally I don’t ask my queries in such forum but as I mentioned I liked the response that you gave. So, here is my query; in my speaking test there were 2 sentences where I made a mistake and during task 2 I was about to finish my topic but examiner was quite cooperative and she signalled me to continue talking and I continued. Overall I am satisfied with part 1 and 3 but not with part 2. So, can I expect to get band 7?

        Also looking to my writing style can you share your opinion regarding score which I may get in writing section?

        Thanks in advance…

  67. Hi Liz. Thanks a lot for your guidance. I have a question. Can I use informal words and slangs or should I stick to formal speaking?

    Thank you.

    • The speaking test is informal – it is not formal. You can use all types of informal language but make sure you are still polite.

  68. Neha Surya Prakash says

    Hello Liz,
    First of all, I’d like to express my gratitude to you, as your lessons have helped me very much. I did not have enough time to prepare efficiently for the test and your lessons helped me do the required last minute preparations.
    I’m undertaking the IELTS Speaking Test on the 6th of January, i.e tomorrow. My test is going to held in Bangalore, India.
    I had a small question about the forthcoming test,
    1. Is it okay to do a lot of hand movements, in order to express yourself ?
    2. Will the examiner judge me by the style I speak ??

    Thanks again!!

  69. Hello Liz

    I have my speaking tests tomorrow, could you please help me with quick tips that i need to keep in mind also i want to know apart from a few suggestions that you have given, do you think its important to practice the test with a person in front of you just get over the fact of talking to a stranger

  70. Hi Liz, I took my speaking exam this morning , I answerd all of the questions fluently and my examiner look impressed.However in part 2 I puased for about 10 or 12 second due to heavy stress, then I continued normaly and flunetly again, will this affect my score badly?

    • Fluency is 25% of your marks in speaking and is graded based on your performance in the whole test.

  71. Nitin Kunigal says

    Hi Liz,

    I was wondering if you could clarify a couple of important doubts on part 2 of speaking test.

    Firstly, for boring/ mundane topics, can I talk about two entities instead of one? i.e. if the topic says, “Describe an old item your family has kept for a long time”/ “Describe a stranger who once helped you” for these, I would love to talk about 2 different items/ people weaving stories around them so that I can hold on to my talk for 2 mins and don’t run out of ideas. Is that fine?

    Secondly, if I am asked about something in the present tense, for instance, “Describe a lake/ river/ sea you visit” and if the cue card uses the present tense even in the sub-questions, can I talk about the sea I recently visited while I was in the UK (by the way, I’m from India) because it’s been ages since I visited any river/ sea in India. So if my fluency is very good, is it ok if I talk about the past despite the card having questions in present tense?

    I genuinely appreciate your advice on this issue.

    Cheers,
    Nitin

    • You seem to think that you need to fulfil a task in speaking. You seem to think the examiner will mark you based on being on topic or following instructions. This is not true – it’s your talk – add any information you want.

  72. Maulik Jhaveri says

    Hi Liz

    I have my speaking test scheduled tomorrow. I have a silly query: While talking in speaking (part 2), is it okay to look at your watch seldomly to trace your talking time?

    Not to mention, your online material has really helped me understand and shape my preparation for the test; cannot thank you enough :))

    Regards

    • Why do you need to track time? You should be talking as long as possible. The examiner will let you know when it’s time to stop. Make sure you take your talk beyond the prompts – it’s the only way to demonstrate a good range of language and also extend your talk. Good luck tomorrow !! 🙂

      • saikrishna says

        Hi liz

        I would like to know what kind off dress we need to wear for ielts speaking test ? and i also want to know wheather we need to shave beard or not?? Do they consider all these things? Will it effect my score?

        • See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-help-faq/. To be honest, I can’t actually believe you are asking this question? Do you really think that an international English language test from the UK or Australia would require you to alter your appearance? You can’t be serious!!

  73. Dede tan says

    Hi! What if I speak a non-english word but I further explained what it is and how it works (in english) will it affect my score?

    • If you use a foreign word, it is best to explain what it means in English. This is an English language test – so explain the word.

  74. Hi,
    I had my IELTS couple of days ago. I sometimes corrected my sentence or word. Will it be a problem? I also used “aa” sometimes. how much does these effect my score?

    • When you self correct and also use “ahh”, it affects your score for fluency because you are breaking your flow.

  75. Hi Liz,
    If I used stuff like ‘uhm’ alot will that be a problem?

    • It hinders fluency and should be avoided when possible. Of course, it is normal to have a few “ums” but if there are too many, it is a problem.

  76. can I see cue card or notes which I have made again after one minute to recall the things which i need to cover?

  77. Sleeba Mathew says

    Hi Liz,

    I would like to know, how can we tackle a topic that is unfamiliar to us in speaking part 2. Although, we are given 1min to prepare and if we have no knowledge about the topic that’s given to us, how are we going to speak on it for 2min.

    • At the start of your talk, you will explain it to the examiner and then tell the examiner you will speak on a similar topic which is …. You are marked on your ability to communication clearly in English – so communicate!

  78. Recently I got 4.5 band in speaking module, but I performed well overall except few mistake, unfortunately, examiner stoped me before completing the fully task,when examiner watched the time ,examiner said to me 50 seconds are remaining, then I started speaking again,at the end of the test examiner gave me 4.5 band,which is unexpected, now I applied for reachaking, can I hope to increase .5 to 1 band in speaking

  79. Dear Liz,

    Today I have given Ielts speaking test. In part 2 the examiner stops me at 1 Min even though I was in flow to talk more. Please suggest me is it normal or there would be something I was doing unusual or I was talking out of the Topic.
    Thanks

    • The examiner can’t stop you at the end of 1 mins. You can talk for 2 mins without being stopped. The examiner controls the time and most students are not accurate at time estimation.

  80. Anam Fatima says

    Hi Liz,
    I took my IELTS speaking test this morning. I did well in part 1 and part 3. But i guess i finished in about a minute in part 2.I covered
    all the questions on cue card but I had nothing more to say.The examiner signalled me to speak more but I could not. Is that an issue?

    • There are no questions on the cue card. There are some suggestions but no questions. The suggestions are to help you and should not be the only content of your talk. You need to add more ideas of your own. Part 2 is a chance to show fluency so you missed that chance. But it doesn’t mean that you won’t do well. There are other aspects of fluency that are marked.

  81. Hello Liz
    I had an exam today ,and I was nervous (it was the first time).so during the cue card I spoke so fast which I think my description was over around 1 minute (more or less) and I said what else ….,and again continued my speaking till the end ,but the examiner did not interrupt me which means I should have spoken more ,and I said shall I continue?he hesitated for like 5 or more seconds and then he moved on the next topic .So does it mean that I have lost score? actually it was well prepared and I did the second part very good but the negative point was that I had stress .
    And another thing that I probably should mention is that he did not tell me to speak louder till the 3 part in which I said “shall I speak louder?” And he said yes . If the examiner can not understand fully what I have said without informing me can lower my score?

    • Your speaking part 2 sounds fine. To understand about the volume issue, I would have needed to be present in your test. I’m sure the examiner could understand you. Wait for your results to arrive and try to relax.

  82. SYED SAMI says

    Dear liz,
    If we say in test It’s me SYED SAMI in introduction then it will be right or wrong as I said like this in my test 🙁

  83. I gave my test today and I was not satisfied with my performance because in some place I went blank I didn’t know what to talk, but my fluency was good enough. What score can I expect ?

    • Your score is based on your overall performance in 4 criteria: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-band-scores/. Your score can’t be predicted.

      • I remember her writing 9 in the first column of a sheet she had with her so, could you guess as to how much I will get on an average ?

        • The examiner usually makes notes of timing. The score is always decided at the end of the speaking test.

          • I contacted the british council directly about the speaking grading system. Once the speaking exam is finished if will be assessed by some other person for grading the score and is not by the speaking examiner.

            • I trained to give both the speaking test and the scoring. May be it is different depending on if the person asking the questions is an actual trained examiner. You should ask if the person asking the questions is a trained, qualified IELTS speaking examiner.

              • Sheryl Benavente says

                Hi Liz,
                Will I get lower score if I did not answer the question in Part 2 of speaking test but I introduce my own topic?

                • I am confused by your question. There are no questions on your cue card. Take a look. There are suggestions and nothing more. You use or don’t use the suggestions as you want.

        • SYED SAMI says

          Dear I hope you got your result would you please tell me about your speaking result please?
          Because same thing happened in my exam too.

        • SYED SAMI says

          DEAR JENI WOULD YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW MUCH BAND YOU GOT IN SPEAKING TEST?

        • Himanshu says

          What was your score jeni

  84. Will the reduce my score because of repeating same ideas?

  85. Akiho Pasang says

    Will I get low score if i get stuck at the last question of part 3??
    And will using “you know” at the end of a sentence affect the score of speaking??

    • The speaking test is informal and using “you know” is normal. Don’t worry about it.

  86. Hi Liz,

    I just have my speaking test yesterday. But I noticed that the Examiner always stops me from talking further. This happens from part 1 to part 3. Does this affect my score? Sometimes I forget the right word of what I want to speak but i just keep going on.

    Thanks.

  87. Erick Yap says

    For some reason, the examiner changed the topic in part 3. He initially asked me questions related to home, then moved to education on the latter part. Is it normal, or a sign of poor score?

  88. Fagbenro toni says

    Is it the speaking examiner that will score me for my speak test

  89. Ashwin Patil says

    Hello Liz,
    I had my IELTS speaking test today. Overall, it was good but I stopped for some time in part 2 and I used fillers like ah.
    What score can I expect??

    • “ah” is not a filler. It is not a word. Fillers are actual words, such as “Well, let me see …”

  90. Hi.. I had my speaking test today.. (India)
    1st part: Tell me something about yourself.
    Basic questions regarding the workplace, travel and computers.

    2nd part : Describe a car journey which is memorable

    3rd part: Do u think driving lessons should be given in schools?
    What do u think about driverless or flying cars in future? Advantages and disadvantages
    At what age, according to you, should one learn driving?
    What are some jobs which require a car?

    My first and last part were very good.. I guess without any grammatical and pronunciation mistakes.. But in second part I paused for around 5 seconds to think.. Then continued.. I made two grammatical errors in cue card.. Rest everything was fine.. Do u think it will affect my score much?

  91. vani patel says

    in my speaking test the examiner asked me why not after i completed my answer. will this reduce my marks by 0.5 ??

    • Of course not.

      • vani patel says

        i was told so by my teachers from whom i took coaching for IELTS. so i was a bit nervous. and is it required to give examples in the discussion questions??

        • Your speaking score is based on the language you produce. Not your ideas or the development of ideas. It is a normal part of the test for examiners to ask you to explain or defend your ideas in part 3 – that is part of the discussion. Of course, it’s better for students to offer the language and expand as much as possible but it doesn’t matter and won’t affect your score if the examiner asked this.

  92. Harzald says

    Hi Liz,
    I’m about to take the speaking test in the next 12 hours and I’m kinda panic about the speaking part 2.

    For example, a practice question told me to “Describe a friend of your” and it only gave me about 2 mins to answer.

    Whenever I practiced the question, I always ended up telling “how I know him” and several off-topic points without having the time to directly answer the task given, which is to “describe” and all the following cues

    I wonder if this will negatively affect my band score, and if i should prepare a more on-topic answers for this particular task

    Thank you

    • Being off topic or on topic isn’t important for your score in IELTS speaking. Your talk is 2 mins and you decide:
      – what information to give
      – what order to give the information
      – what language to use
      You decide all of it. You can choose to skip some points on your card – it won’t affect your score. You can choose to not use the points at all – it won’t affect your score. So, use your 2 mins to plan how you want your talk to be. If you want to describe your friend first, then do it. It’s a good idea because that will contain lots of excellent language that will boost your score. If you talk about a museum, talk about its features first – that will contain the best language. Also add past memories and future hopes to boost your score for grammar. Each part of IELTS speaking is a chance to showcase your English. Your ideas and relevancy are not marked – take control of your speaking test, stop worrying and enjoy it. Be chatty and friendly!! Good luck 🙂

      • Harzald says

        Oh god! Thanks for your quick reply! Now I feel less anxious and more confident. You are awesome Liz 😊!

  93. Muhammad Mubashir says

    Hello liz, i want to ask about memorize answers that i belong to pakistan my name is from urdu but i said,you can call me by my english name,mubashir.i just forget to change it..

  94. Rohail kayani says

    Hi Liz,
    I had my speaking test today. The examiner asked questions in a very rapid pace i wasn’t even able to think much about the question. She didn’t even let me finish and asked another question. Does this happen quite often that examiners asks you questions in a such a way? Will i get good bands because i messed up quite much because of her speedy questions .

    • It is normal that the examiner will interrupt your answers in order to ask a new question. It’s a normal part of the test and doesn’t affect your score.

  95. Dhruvit says

    Hello Liz how are you?
    A question
    I have no issues speaking till two minutes actually, 2 minutes are not enough for me, whatever the topic is I have this strategy, I start off with an introduction that is generalised, takes me 20 or 30 seconds, and then start emphasising on the other questions, so will the examiner let me speak more than 2 minutes? Or just stop me right there and then? Actually I’m a little worried I won’t cover all points that way lol, but I’m pretty fluent, I’m able to score 7 or 7.5 in mock tests

    • The examiner is not allowed to let you speak for more than 2 mins. So, make sure you get to the good language skills before 2 mins is finished.

      • Kavitha N says

        Hi liz
        Yesterday i appeared for speaking test
        Before 2 min examiner ask me to stop and ask one question
        How should i take itis that negative point

  96. Kornelija says

    Hello, just got back from my speaking test. The thing is, the part 2 cue card asked me to describe a TV drama series, but it turns out I described a comedy series (I did say during the test that the series was a comedy). Will that affect anything or am I just too paranoid? Thanks in advance!

    • Your speaking score is based on language and not ideas. This means it doesn’t affect your score is you go off topic in any way.

  97. Pranay Rathod says

    Hi Liz,

    First of all thank you for all the guidance provided on your website.
    I just gave a speaking test today,
    Introduction was about
    -Secondary high school experience
    -Mirrors

    Cue card
    An experience of a good service when your visted a restaurant
    -when you visited
    -what services you received
    -how you feel about it

    And follow up questions were on customer services.

    I actually could speak for 2 mins but i started with the introduction of why we did go to that restaurant and we had to wait for a long time in and all these stuff, and u could speak for litlle on what services we received.
    Will these affect my score negatively ?
    Plz help

    • Thanks for sharing 🙂 You can talk about anything you want in your talk. Your score is only based on the language you produced.

  98. Hi Liz,
    I have a few questions
    1. Is it ok if i try include too many formal words in my speaking?
    2. My friend who got 7 in speaking said that i should only include about 3 idoms in the whole test, too many would sound unnatural, is it true?
    Then how many idoms should I use in the whole tests and in part 2?
    3. Will it affect my score if i talk too much that the examiner stop me before i stop?
    4. Is it ok if i answer differently in questions. For example, I said “I love walking alone because I like to wear headphone” in one question and in the following one I said “i fancy walking out with my peers so that we can have some gossips” ?
    Thank you a lot for your answer as well as what you have shared, they are extremely fruitful!

    • 1. You should use a range of language but remember to be chatty and friendly.
      2. You don’t need to use any idioms in IELTS speaking. You can use phrasal verbs instead which are perfect: bring up, take over, chill out etc.
      3. It is normal that the examiner will stop you before you finish your answer. Don’t worry about it. It doesn’t affect your score.
      4. Why would you want to lie? Just be natural, open, honest and chatty. Don’t over think this. IELTS speaking isn’t a tricky test. It is a natural, friendly chat with the examiner.

  99. mohammed nawaz says

    Hi liz..I’ve finished my speaking test today.I was asked about my neighbor in part 2; so I added my own story….and I took some pauses in part 3.will it affect my score….

  100. Karim says

    Hi Liz,
    During my test, in part 2, the examiner asked me to keep going twice, even thought I am sure that I spoke for more than 1 minute when I stopped, she asked me to keep going until the whole two minutes were up! Why do you think this happened?

    • Your aim is to speak for 2 mins. You are supposed to show the examiner that you can speak at length. If you speak for only 1 mins, it shows the examiner you have problems to speak at length in English. You need to learn a lot more about IELTS speaking so you understand the expectations and also how to get a higher score.

  101. Honey says

    I m facing problems in part 2 in que card .can u help me ?

    • Just remember that there are no questions on the cue card. There is a topic which you can use and guidelines. But you decide what to include in your talk. The examiner doesn’t care about being on topic or following the guidelines – so decide what you want to add. For example, a past memory, a personal story, a description, comparisons, future hopes etc etc.

  102. shruti says

    Hello , today I gave my ielts speaking test. I was able to answer parts 1&3 but was
    unable to complete part 2 the last bit as I kept on speaking . will I lose my score? I m worried

  103. Maria says

    I have a question . What`s going to happen if i don`t come to the IELTS speaking ?

    • You need to ask your IELTS test center but I guess you would be given a band 0 for a no-show.

  104. emir says

    hi Liz,

    i just wanna learn that if we should follow the order of the prompts when we are giving our little speech. i mean that, for instance prompts are ordered as who, where, why. but in my speech, is it possible to start with explaining the reason (why)? because sometimes, your speech’s stream requires it.

    thanks a lot.

    • You don’t need to follow the order of the prompts for part 2. They do provide a good structure for your talk, but it isn’t necessary to follow the order. In fact, you are free to change them in any way you want 🙂 Just stick to the main topic and direct the talk in the way you want.

  105. Anonymous says

    Hello Liz
    If I do not conclude what I was saying because the examiner stops me due to the limited time, will that count negatively on me?
    Also can I use the SAME IDEAS for the writing and speaking modules on a given topic?(will it effect my score?)
    Looking urgently for reply since my test is tomorrow.
    Thanks!

    • There is no conclusion in speaking part 2. The speaking test is not formal and the talk is not formal. It is informal. Yes, you can use the same ideas for both speaking and writing. But in writing task 2, the essay is formally written. Good luck tomorrow!

  106. Swapna says

    Dear Liz,

    I did well in part1 &3. But I paused 15 to 20 seconds in part2. Can you please let me know how much I can expect in part2 in this case??

    • The speaking test is marked over the whole test, not by each part. You will need to wait and see your results. Good luck 🙂

  107. iyke peter says

    I just finished my test dis morning on the section 2 I discover I was too fast and I pause for some seconds do u tink if it will affect my band

  108. hi liz.
    i have some troubles ! i cannot hear because i have hearing problem , i have to use hearing aids and i also cannot speak very clearly !! what i can do ?

    • You need to contact your test center and ask them if you can submit a doctors certificate.

    • Hi
      Today I had an exam.
      Do you work or study? Where do I live< Do I want to go back after finishing the uni. Do I want to work for international company? In which country and why?
      I had a stop in the second part of the speaking and the examiner showed me with her hand to continue I continued the other parts were good.
      Is the booking for another exam before I receive the result would effect the result of the exam I just wrote today
      Thanks.

      • You can book another test as soon as you want and it won’t affect your score for the previous test at all. Each test is marked separately and often with different examiners. Even the examiner who marks your writing, doesn’t know your speaking score. It’s all independent in order to be more accurate. However, you should only book another test when you feel you have developed and improved.

  109. KABIR says

    Part 1:
    Were do u live, what is your name, do you work, why did you choose this work, do you plan to change your job in the future,
    Part 2:
    Describe a gift or present you gave to someone recently, you should say
    What is it, who did you gave it to, why you choose that gift, how the person though about it, explain why you think it will help the person
    Part 3:
    When do you normally give gifts, is it good to give gifts to children
    Accra, Ghana
    21/032017

  110. Lilly says

    Hello,

    Can you see a timer in the second speaking part?

  111. beverlene says

    hi!

    I just finished my speaking today..
    Im afraid that i was not able to speak well in part 2.(with long pauses and short answers)
    Is part 2 weigh more than part 1 and 3? Though, i think i was able to speak well in part 3.

    Thank you..Your site is so helpful

    • Your score is calculated over your performance in the whole test. Each part is not marked separately and no part of worth more than the other. The examiner assesses your overall performance. Fingers crossed for your results 🙂

    • Wajeeha says

      Hello… if u dont mind me asking
      .. how much did u score in speaking? Becsuse i had the same issue of not talking much in part 2 🙂

  112. Hi Liz. I’ve seen your videos recently and it helped me a lot in easing my tension of taking the exam. I just finished my Speaking test this morning and now I’m feeling anxious about the band score that I would get from this. I can say my part 1&2 went well. Is it okay if I was stopped during the part 2 though I finished answering the questions but still had been talking side stories for that? And the most frustrating thing bothering me is my part 3. I had a slightly long paused and then talked about the topic but mostly the interviewer kept on reminding me ‘in general’ because I run out of ideas about the topic pressure and when tried to bring examples, she insist on telling me that. I believe there isn’t much to explain and I might sound repetitive if I kept on discussing that so I hope examples would do but then that happened. Is this a bad thing? Is there still any chance I could get a band 7 for this because it’s the required score for my visa application.

    • There are four marking criteria: fluency, grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. You are not marked on understand the questions or finishing your talk. Only on your language. So, have a think about how good your language was – the range and accuracy. Try not to worry, it’s over now. Just wait for your results with fingers crossed 🙂

      • Thank you for your response. I think I might have voiced out some pretty uncommon words and I was able to speak fluently with more than average speed on the first two parts but that third part really bothers me. I still have the written part of my exam this coming Saturday, what other tips would you like to add to help me perform better on this second half part? Especially on the essay part. Thanks again in advance.

    • Julia says

      Hi cleo may i ask what’s your score in the speaking?. I think i did the same way.

  113. Hi Liz!
    I have been using your site for preparation of the exam on 25th Feb. I scored 7 last time but this time I was very good in written test but in speaking I got confused especially in task 2. I could not speak for more than 45 sec I guess. However part 1 and 2 went well. He asked me would you like to add something? As soon as I started he said lets go ahead. I think I spoke irrelavent so,. How much will this effect my score as I got 7 in speaking last time.

    • You are not marked on ideas, so irrelevant information doesn’t matter to your score. Speaking for under 1 min in part 2 speaking illustrates poor fluency, which is 25% of your score. But if your fluency was strong in other parts that may not have such a negative impact. You must now wait for your results.

    • Hey Inna,
      I am taking my ielts in few days . May I know how you improved your writing skills coz I am wondering where to start.

    • Same things happened tonme in yesterday’s speaking test… And now I am worried sick… Can you please share your speaking score?

  114. Dear Liz
    Hi
    first of all thank you for all useful pieces information given in this site that always have helped me too much. Unfortunately today in my ielts exam I experienced a disaster. I did really well in part 1 and two. I remeber that in part 2 I spoke about more than one minute and after a while when the examiner mentioned with her hand movements that I should continue, I went on. unfortunately in part 3,for the last question I wanted her to repeat her question one more time, but agian it was a bit strange to me and I asked her to explain or paraphrase it,but she said the time had been up and you unfortunately could not even answer the question.I felt really diasappointed, I did well in all parts with good range of vocabulary and grammer, just for one question in part 3 after a bit hesitation when she repeated one more time, I answered completely with a bit effort.It was exception to the last question.
    However I know it will be impossible to predict my ielts exam, but if I did well in all parts, due to the fact that I was not given a chance to answer the last question, would I be able to get 7? you know I have to take the other parts on saturday morning and I am too stressed.
    thank you for all your kindness

    • It doesn’t matter if you answered the question or not. You are not marked on how many questions you answered. You are not marked on understanding the question. You are not marked on ideas. You are marked on the language you produced and nothing more. So, relax and wait for you results!! 🙂

      • Kawleen singh says

        I had the same problem today. I feared if my inability to understand the question and not answer it would affect my result in a very major way. But this question and and your reply is giving me the hope. Thank you.

  115. kammularamgopal says

    I just spoken. For 45 seconds in. Task 2 with Long pauses but I did very well in task 1 and good in task 3 .so what will be m.y score
    A guess?.

    • It isn’t possible to guess your score. Fluency counts for only 25% of your marks. See the band score criteria: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-band-scores/

    • Hi, exactly the same happened with me on 26th feb exam in speaking. I am not sure weather I could spoke for more than 40 seconds and both the examiner and I were quiet for a few soconds, then he said do you want to add something?

      • Julia says

        Hi inna can i know the result of your speaking test? Because i have the same problem as i did today.

  116. Divas Shrestha says

    Hi ma´am,
    In task 2 of the speaking test when we are given a cue card, I asked a question about the task. The task was to describe an event in the history that is important and I asked if it was related to me in particular or about general things. the examiner didn’t say anything but signalled me to write. Will it affect my scores?

  117. Hi Liz,
    I have just finished my speaking exam today.Concerning part 2,once the examiner told me I might start talking,I was taking a breath before starting just for 2 seconds that she waived me to begin.I immediately embarked on my topic but in the middle of the talk I stopped for one second to check one of the points in my cue card placed on the desk,then I went on with my speech again until she stopped me at the end,I did not make any other pauses.Do you think those situations might affect my fluency score?

    • No they wont’. It’s fine to take a second to check your notes, even native speakers have to do that. And it is normal to have a very slight pauses before launching into a talk. Don’t worry about it if those are the only pauses you showed in the test.

  118. Flavia Ha says

    I mean, how much is important the conclusion for the part 2 of speaking test?

    • There is no conclusion for speaking part 2. It is not a formal talk. It is a chat where you tell a story or talk for an extended period of time. You don’t need to summarise or conclude.

  119. I had my paper today in task 3 I spoke for less amount, the invigilator asked me to speak more again after some seconds I stopped and wasn’t able to answer one question accurately, how much can it effect my score .?

    • It will probably have a negative impact on your score, particularly for fluency which is 25% of your marks. However, how it will affect your overall score I can’t say without hearing your full test including the other parts.

      • Abid shah says

        Hi, today i had my speaking test. Everything went so smooth. But unfortunately at cue card section. I was asked about an event you spent with child but i spoke of my childhood event which i spent with my little friend i spoke more than 2 minutes. How much it will affect my score kindly let me know.

        • It won’t affect your score. Your speaking test is marked on your language ability, not your ideas. It doesn’t matter if you go slightly off topic.

    • It will probably have a negative impact on your score, particularly for fluency which is 25% of your marks. However, how it will affect your overall score I can’t say without hearing your full test including the other parts.

  120. what if i remain silent for 15 to 20 seconds in part 2 and repeated few sentences

  121. Hi Liz!
    I took GT exam in Qatar on 19th Nov.
    I’m very much worried with my speaking & writing exam.
    In speaking, I was lost for words & I even said “what do you call this” maybe twice because I was so nervous. Do you think I can still get a score of 6, lowest score needed for immigration.
    Thanks for the great help, your website was very useful even just for a very limited time.

    • I can’t predict scores. Your speaking score depends on grammar, vocabulary, fluency and pronunciation.

    • Tricia says

      Hi joy may i ask your score in speaking. Just anxious coz previously took the ielts exam a week ago and ive seen in you comment. I did exactly the same way.

  122. Hi, Liz. I just took my IELTS speaking test today. All topics given are the topic in your practice list. It helped me a lot. Thank you very much.

    Part 1 was about my hometown, how I spend my weekends, movie.
    Part 2 was about a person I usually spend time with.

    However, I talked about my visit to my grandmother house during weekends and I talked again the same topic in the part 2 about the grandmother who I love to spend time with. The content I talked for both parts were almost similar and without much paraphrasing, but I did add more details in part 2 the reason I love to time with my grandmother.

    Besides, I think that I didnt really speak for 1.5-2 minutes because the examiner asked me question after I stopped talking and before proceed to part 3.

    Would it affect my score in IELTS?

    • You are marked on your English language. If you didn’t use the questions to demonstrate a range of language, then you might struggle to get a high score. Each question is an opportunity to showcase your English and you should develop skills to do that naturally. Anyway, there’s no way to really know how you did until your results come out. Fingers crossed!! 🙂

    • How was your speaking result teo?

  123. Prerna Vij says

    Hi Liz,

    I read a lot of comments on your blog. I had my IELTS exam on 5 november. I halted in my part 2 speaking exam and the Examiner signed me to continue speaking. Please let me know that is it too negative and I will get low score because of that?

    • It might affect your score for fluency if you had problems talking at length. But it really depends on your performance throughout the whole test, not just one part. Good luck with your results!

      • Prerna Vij says

        Thank you so much Liz…..I was fluent but there was a halt in 2 minutes…..anyways lets see how much I will score… Thanks again 🙂

  124. Christine says

    Dear Liz
    I took my Speaking Test today, I think I was quite fluent in part 1 and 3, they were about transport and advertisement. I did use some idioms, uncommon words and attempted some complex grammar structures , but in part 2 I was off topic and hesitated a lot.
    My cue card was about describing a journey I often go on but I dislike it. in stead I talked about a journey I once went on and I didn’t like it.
    I am worried whether this will affect my score.
    thanks in advance

    • Christine says

      the examiner even reminded me that I was off topic 🙁

    • It shouldn’t affect your score even if you were off topic. You are marked on your level of English, not your ideas. So, going off topic doesn’t matter in speaking. Of course the examiner might bring you back on to topic but it won’t affect your score. In writing task 2, this is completely different as you are marked on both your English and your ideas.

      • Sidhartha says

        Hi liz,
        I had my speaking test ony 08-nov-16. I had my part 2 about to describe wild animal but. I spoke about dog which is domestic animal. Does this will effect my band score ?if yes how much.

        • You are not marked on your ideas, only on your English language. So, it won’t affect your score 🙂

    • liz me stop in cue card i covered my all cue but examiner gave me gesture to speak more it will affect my band score or not

  125. Hi Liz,
    In speaking test part 2, can I choose some of the prompts (not all) in the leading card if I can explain or add information long enough to 2 minute?
    Best Regards,
    Dream

    • You can use as many or as fewer of the prompts as you want. It’s your choice and won’t affect your score.

  126. Aishwarya Ranjan says

    Hi Liz,

    Hope you are doing good!

    Today I attended my speaking test in idp, but didn’t perform well in part 2 ,I took pause for some time,overall part 2 was not upto the mark. Rest part 1 and 3 was good. Will it effect my marks?
    Kindly help me in that I am bit tensed.

    Thanks,
    Aishwarya Ranjan

    • Your score for fluency is marked over the whole test. If all other areas were fine, you might still do well.

      • Aishwarya Ranjan says

        Thanks 🙂 Hope to get good band.

      • Gayathri Sampath says

        Hi Liz,

        I took my Listening, reading and writing test yesterday. I did well in reading but in listening, am bit worried since I am not up to the expected level. The problem is only with the multiple choices, where i got nearly 15 questions. Writing part is okay for me. I completed my speaking test 3days before and hopefully done well. My fluency as well as vocabulary was good. However, there were some typos in my grammar and also, I only got overall 15 questions from part 1 to part 3 in 14minutes. Is this means, my time management level is poor? Although I stayed in the topic and didn’t even pause, I feel some wrong in this, please let me know your views.

        • Gayathri says

          Hi Liz,

          Could you please answer my above query? Waiting for your reply long time 🙁

          • You need to post your questions again – I have over 1,000 comments to read. Post it again clearly.

            • Gayathri Sampath says

              No problem Liz, you have already replied for my query. Thank you so much for all your effort 😊👍

        • You do not control the time in speaking. The examiner controls the time and the examiner decides how many questions to ask you.

  127. Hi Liz,

    I jusr take part exam and under strong stress could not answer cue card completely.
    How it can affect my score?
    For instance I should wait for 6 ?!?!?!
    :((((

    Best regards,
    Sara

  128. hello Liz
    This is suganya from India. Today I took my ielts speaking test. in part 2 I was asked to speak about a thing that I shared with someone. but instead of thing I spoke about a piece of advice that I shared with someone. at the end when the examiner moved on to the next question she stressed the word “thing”. only then I realized I read the question as something and not some thing. Will I be marked 0 for part for going off topic?

    • You don’t get marked on being off topic or on topic in speaking. So, it won’t affect your score at all. Don’t worry.

    • Prashant b says

      Hi Suganya,

      I did exact same mistake today 🙂 …What was your score even after making this mistake. I am waiting fro my result and worried about since my exam was over 🙁 . Could you please reply so that I can relax a bit 🙂

  129. i had some problem in speaking then how can i rectife the problem mainly in part 2 in speaking module

  130. makshat says

    I greeted examiner with her name and did not used mam word but she was too elder than me.how it will affect my band score.

  131. Jeson Menezes says

    Dear Liz,

    Hope you are doing fine?

    Is it possible to club together the marks of 2 attempts to get better scores? I had the following scores:

    First attempt:
    Overall 7.5
    Listening 8.5
    Reading 7.5
    Speaking 6.5
    Writing 6.5

    Second attempt:
    Overall 6.5
    listening 7
    Reading 6.5
    Speaking 7
    Writing 6

    Please advice.

    Best Regards,
    Jeson

    • It would be great to club the scores together but unfortunately it’s not possible. Scores can fluctuate by 0.5 or even one whole band score depending on a person’s performance in the test and the luck of the topics. But for writing, you should get training to hit over 6 or 6.5 See my advanced lessons if you need help.

  132. Is football shoes a clothing item?? And what if I gave totally out of the topic answer in Part 2 of speaking. Will marks be not given on that part?

    • There is no score for being on or off topic in speaking. You are marked only on your English language.

  133. Maltesh says

    Hi Liz,

    I had my speaking test in Bangalore – India.

    I think overall it was OK OK. I didnt use too many complex words, perhaps I might have used few, my vocabulary was fairly good

    But in task 2 question was:
    Describe a situation when someone apologized to you
    1. When it was
    2. Who apologized you
    3. What you said/did after they apologized
    Also describe why it is special for you to remember it.

    I spoke for around 1.5 mins, but i thought time is getting over and I stopped and answered points 1 & 2. But didnt answer 3 & last one.

    3rd round went good around the apologizing topic. There I think I repeatedly used”Apolgize” few times.

    What do you thing how much my score likely would be?
    Thanks,
    Maltesh

    • Thanks for sharing 🙂 Vocabulary is only 25% of your marks. I can’t predict your score.

    • How many bands you got maltesh plz tell me i am in a same condition

      • Even I did same…use one word repeatedly coz all questions asked were same …I got 6.5

  134. Marya Lauigan says

    Hi liz,

    I just seated for exam today but i am worried i may not get a 7.0 in speaking, what would be the basis to get a 7.0. I was able to answer all questions and gave an example in each or expand my ideas but i feel that i may not get the grade that i need. The last time i took it was only 6.5. Im afraid its gonna be the same.

  135. Tabish says

    Hi Liz,
    I have a small query which is eating away my mind day by day…Today I appeared in IELTS Speaking test and in part 2 at one of the situations I used the word ‘fabled’ instead of ‘baffled’, but the overall test was good. How much score the may deduct for this mistake?

    • Your score is calculated over the whole test so one error won’t affect your score.

  136. what if someone become nervous during exam but gives positive answers,
    will this nervousness decrease the band score?

  137. Hi Liz,
    I’d like to ask on how much will the grade be affected if you’re unable to answer one question?

  138. roshan bista says

    hy liz, i am from nepal.i can’t even speak for 1.5 minutes .can you help me please?

  139. Arifine Al Haque says

    In part two i only spoke for 1 min, But i think it was better conversation. How much it will effect to my result?

  140. In by speaking test in part 2 I was totally opposite to my question they asked me whc new skill uwant to develop by I told I want to develop a new thing in mobile I was totally opposite dose it affect my score

  141. Actually iii my speaking test in part 2 like they asked me what new skill u want to develop and I was stuck and I totally opposite to my question I told I want to develop a new software in mobiles its was totally wrong and rest I did well like they will reduce my score

  142. Hi Liz,

    I had my speaking test yesterday in Malaysia, and I felt that I did the first and the third sections well. However, in the Cue Card section (Topic : Discuss a place, where you feel comfortable to read or write apart from your home), I was hardly given 30 seconds to think about my answer, before I was asked to speak. I barely had time to think, so as to speak for 2 minutes, and hence I felt that I ended up, speaking just for 1 minute, as I ran out of ideas and could not come up with anything else to speak. In this one minute also, I felt that I repeated two points. I can say that the grammatical errors were definitely less in my speech and the fluency was good. Can I expect a score of BAND 7?
    I am just concerned that if the speech is less than a minute, then there is no chance to score a BAND 7. Could you please share your opinion on this?

    Thanks,
    Varun

  143. Natasha Nur Mumu says

    hi..liz..today I gave my speking test.. part one was good enough..but in part 2 I didn’t speak enough although I didn’t stop .but it was not good enough 🙁 and it break me totally. how ever my 3rd part was better. what is the lowest marks on this sector ? and who gives us marks?

    • You are given an overall score and are not scored on each part individually. The examiner gives your score.
      Liz

      • vemuri sowmya says

        hi madam please give me a adivice i didnt done my cue card well i stopped in 2mins i did not talk for 1 min but i did excellent in other except cue card

  144. shabbir says

    Hy… my case is quite opposite. I wasn’t able to answer all the question in cue card within the allowed time. i m not sure though,as she stopped me and i have a feeling like she stopped me before two minutes. Lets just say she gave me 2min and still i failed. So, is there any mark deduction for that? how much? Apart from this,i faced no difficulty to answer all the questions in part 1 and part 3. Thanks in advance.

  145. Hlo mam,
    I gave speaking test today and part 1 gone well whereas I was stuck on part 2 as I was asked to speak on article that you read on magazine or internet .
    And I said. as technology has progressed by leaps and bounds and internet is an invention of technology and recently i read an article on internet in which it was said for a healthy lifestyle you should have a clean washroom an as it is an essential part of the home moreover having a healthy lifestyle has only pros and no cons and it is very useful for individual to have a good lifestyle so that he can sustain in this world

  146. hi LIZ,
    my exam will be on 21 nov in India.
    I am gOod ALL pARtS except pArt 2 .plz give me some tips and cue cards that I should prepare for my best. plzzzzzz reply me plzzzzz.

  147. Aashina Miya says

    hlo liz .. i hav completed my speaking session today 6 nov .. in part 2 they hav ask me about hapy event recent … i told them about family and frends gathering party after earthquake …will it be ok

    • Yes, it’s fine. You are not marked on your ideas, only on your English language.
      All the best
      Liz

  148. Hi liz.. i took my ielts speaking test today.. The examiner asked me only 3 questions in PART 1 which are
    1) tell me abt ur hometown where u grew up.
    2) do u think ur hometown is good to grew up?
    3)would u like to shift to a countryside in the future?
    I think i gave that part well.
    After that she moved to part 2.. i was a bit confused why she asked only 3 questions, moreover in question 2 she inturrepted me in the middle and asked the 3rd question.. CAN U TELL ME PLZ WHAT DOES IT SHOWS?

    In PART 2 she asked
    Tell me about a person whose job you like the most..
    I answered that person as Edhi(Philanthropist) and that part also went well.

    In PART 3 she fired on me alot of questions which are
    1. Would u like to work as that person u mentioned?
    2. Which are some of the jobs that pay alot?
    3. Which are the jobs that pay less?
    4. Why there is that much difference b/w these two jobs pays?
    5. Do u think fresh employees should get less pay than experienced ones? (In this question while giving her the answer i tried to give her an example but she didnt get me and repeat the question again emphasizing on do u think fresh employees should get less pay than experienced one? Than i answer it to the point that if the employee has abilities and he performs up to the mark than he should get same salary as that of the experienced staff)
    6. Should schools give practical training to the students?
    7. Why do u think universities give practical training to the students while schools dont?
    (That was the only question for which i asked her to repeat as i couldnt hear her).
    8. Is internship a good thing for fresh workers?

    In all questions of part 3 she was looking in a hurry and she interuppted me in almost all questions and asked the next one…
    Im so confused why she did so ! Can u plz make a guess??
    Also why she asked only 3 questions in PART 1?

    And u r helping us alot, Thanx 🙂

    • Thanks for sharing 🙂 I have never heard of an examiner asking only 3 questions in speaking part 1 because it is not allowed by the rules of IELTS. If your examiner asked three questions and if it took less than 4 mins for those questions, she broke the rules. The only time part 1 questions might be limited is if the candidate can’t speak English and can’t answer the questions at all. In part 2, the examiner should never interrupt your answer. You should be given up to 2 mins to talk. No IELTS speaking test can take less than 11 minutes. This is something you can make your local IELTS center aware of if you wish. It certainly doesn’t reflect your performance, it only reflects her performance as an examiner.
      Good luck with your results
      Liz

      • she didnt interrupt me in part 2. i was talking about question 2 in part 1. she let me speak for 2 min in part 2. She interrupted me mostly in parts 3 questions.

        Well thanks for ur reply.. i think she asked me 4 questions in part 1 im not damn sure lol. Need Prayers.

        • sory now i remember she asked me 6 questions in part 1. The other 3 were
          4. Do u like to take photographs?
          5. How often do u take photographs?
          6. do u remember any childhood photograph which u like most?

          😉

  149. While I was studing my ielts test I saw a question about the speaking part 2.

    CANDIDATES CUE CARD Task 1
    UNIVERSITY CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS
    You have just arrived at a new university. It is orientation week and you
    want to know about the different clubs and associations you can join.
    Your examiner is a Student Union representative.
    Ask the examiner about: types of clubs
    meeting times
    benefits
    costs
    The first time I see a kind of question. So is it possible any sort of question in speaking part 2? And are we goint to ask question to examiner? I am confused so much. I thought that only examiners ask questions to candidates. And so how we can start our speech ? Can you give an example about it?
    Thank you very much Liz!

    • No, there are no part 2 cue cards like that in IELTS. Please see my speaking part 2 page for typical cue cards or look at the IELTS Cambridge Test books from 1 to 10 for the real questions: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-speaking-part-2-topics/.
      All the best
      Liz

      • I am preparing for ielts test and learn about tips and tricks and the question types on your website. But I want totry to make a fulI test under exam condition so I downloaded IELTS CAMBRIDGE PRACTICE TEST series 1-9 to test myself. And I found this question in test 1. May be the series are in old edition. So I will not pay attention about the sort of questions after then.
        Thank you Liz for your help. You are so kind 🙂

        • I think you have made a mistake. Which Cambridge IELTS test book did you find this question in?
          Liz

          • Sorry Liz, I have just seen your reply.
            I downloaded them on a site. I don’t remember the name of the webpage. It is written that Cambridge examination publishing. Self-study edition by Vanessa Jakeman and Clare Mcdowell
            Cambridge university press

  150. I just went for my speaking test today. I don’t feel that I am doing well on part 2 and part 3. For part 2, will the marks being penalized if I do not follow the sequence of the prompts given? For part 3, the examiner asked about the practical skills but I first gave a soft skill example and then she corrected by giving an example of practical skill. So, I elaborated using her example. And I can’t think of anymore practical skills. Will that hurts my marks?

    • Neither should hurt your marks. The prompts are only guidelines which you can choose to follow or not. In speaking, you are not marked on your ideas or understanding of the question. So, if you could only think of one example (even given by the examiner) but you explained it well – that’s fine. You are only marked on the English language you produced.
      All the best
      Liz

  151. Virendra says

    Hi Liz,
    I really thankful to you for the efforts you are taking towards preparation of IELTS students free of cost. I’ve extensive beliefe that positive and gratitude feedback coming from every indivisual’s heart, who is exploring your site,will definitely bless you with a great prosperity in your life ahead.

    Thanks for everyting you are sharing here.

    Regards,
    Virendra

  152. Hi Liz,

    I just attended my IELTS speaking test here, and unfortunately couldn’t cover one sub question in task 2, the questions that were given on cue card. I covered 3 of them, but missed the fourth one and examiner pointed me the fourth one, but by the time I started explaining it, 2 minutes got over. I guess I attended the remaining parts good, but with minor sentence construction issues here and there. What possibilities do you think here?

    • You are only marked on the English language you have produced, not on the number of prompts you cover. It is irrelevant to your score if you used 1 or all of the prompts.
      Liz

  153. Speaking questions on 26sep India
    Part 1 where is your hometown
    What do you do
    Which mode of transport you use
    You prefer public transport or private transport
    How often do you walk

    Part 2 describe a place you go to relax yourself

    Part 3 how do people relax in your country
    Is life these days stressful
    Is it a materialstic society
    How is affecting relationships
    What can be done to balance between personal and professional life

    My part 1 and 3 was good but i spoke only for 1 min 15 sec in part 2. Will it effect my score

    • Thanks for sharing 🙂 If your speaking part 2 was strong on fluency and your fluency was strong through the rest of your test, it won’t have a big impact but it will probably have a small impact. Don’t forget that fluency is only 25% of your marks.
      Liz

  154. Hi liz, I had my ielts speaking test yesterday but I couldn’t do well as I repeated a lot of sentences and couldn’t speak up to 2 minuts and was very fast while speaking and in part1 also I didn’t do well.and when i was done with my test I told my interviewer that “sorry I couldn’t speak for 2 minute as I was very nervous” do u think it will effect my score? And how much I could get?what do u think?

    • Fluency is 25% of your marks and it is based on your ability to talk at length and also to speak without hesitations or repetition. So, if you you repeated yourself and struggled to speak for a long time, it will affect that marking criterion. But there are three other criteria which you could do well in. You will have to wait for your results to see how it affected your score in total.
      All the best
      Liz

  155. Hi Liz, I’ve just taken my Speaking test. This is my third time sitting for the IELTS, only because I’ve had to score an 8 for each component. I’ve previously managed a 9 and 8.5 for each section other than writing (7.5 NOO!). However, I have severe anxiety and stopped talked at part 2 of speaking, and after being prompted to keep going I expanded on my answers more but stopped, assuming it was the end! There was an awkward silence before I realised I had to keep going.

    I’m confident I did well for part 1, but for one question in part 3, I was asked if meeting people has changed nowadays compared to the past, to which I answered no. The examiner then said she was referring to social media and moved on to the next question.

    I literally hAve panic attacks worrying about scoring a band 8 for every component. Do you think these mistakes could have cost me an 8?

    • It’s hard to say because your score is calculated on all your answers together not on just one or two. So, how good your fluency was in the other answers, I don’t know. But your limited talk might have an impact. It is essential that you don’t worry or panic in the speaking test because it’s the only way to produce a lot of natural language to get a high score. Why do you think you panic? Are you scared that your answer isn’t right? There are no right or wrong answers in speaking. Your score is based only on the language you produce. For part 2, you don’t need to only follow the prompts, you need to add more information, details, description about other people, stories about the past, your hopes for the future, your memories etc. Think more about what problems you have in each part.
      Good luck with your results. Let me know what happens.
      Liz

      • Hi Liz,

        Thanks for your reply. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what happens in 2 weeks*fimgers crossed*. I generally have anxiety disorder anyway which doesn’t help. I panicked on the day of the speaking test as I generally base my talks on real life events – when faced with a topic I had no experience of, I panicked and made up a story which lacked content. I received a 9 previously when my anxiety was under control years ago, so I really have to meditate or something if I sit for the next test! Shall report back with marks 🙂 also, you’ve been more helpful than my psychiatrist haha!

        • Glad I could help 🙂 Let me know what happens in your next test. Start developing ideas and plans for different topics in part 2, it will help. Once you have a store if ideas, you can adapt them for different talks.
          Liz

          • Hey Liz, I’m back with results! It turns out despite the huge blunders I thought I made, I managed an 8.5! Sadly I only managed a 7.5 for the third time running for writing, so it looks like I have to do the IELTS again (my god, migration is burning a hole in the bank).

            What I did want to say on this forum was that I noticed the examiner asked me A LOT of questions in Part 3 after messing up Part 2. I think it was to really test if I could save myself — and I’m glad she did because an 8.5 after so many mistakes is nothing short of a miracle. PHEW! Now on to round 4 🙁

            In any case, I hope my crazy experience helps someone who reads this comment and calms their nerves a little if they think they messed up!

            • Well done! Still a very good score if if it isn’t quite enough. I’m sure many students will be encouraged by your comments.
              Liz

            • I just took the speaking test today and yeah it’s same as your situation. Past 1 and 3 is ok but I did panic in part 2 which is really a disaster. Anyways there’s still hope.

  156. Sepehr says

    Dear Liz.
    I got confused after I read this post.I’ve got a question. Does the examiner allow me to speak more than 2 minutes in speaking part 2(cue card)? or does he or she stop me after I have talked for 2 minutes? in your post u have mentioned both of them as a possibility, that’s why I got confused. how long am I allowed to speak in speaking part 1 and 2?
    Thanks in advance.

  157. khalifa says

    Hi parsanthi.
    Can you please tell me your speaking band score? I m very upset as I had the exam yesterday and I did the 🙁 same mistake .I went on well in part 1 &3 but o ly talked for a minute in part 1.

  158. Dear Liz,
    I actually going to have my academic Ielts exam tomorrow morning 10 Jully 2015, please any additional of advice or tips for the day of exam? perhaps you already tried your best. I’m crazy waiting for your response please!

    • I hope this arrives on time. Make sure you have a very good sleep and eat breakfast. It is a long test of 2 hours and 40 mins – there is no break. Take a pen, pencil and eraser with you. Make sure you notice where the clock is in the exam room and make sure you check it regularly in your reading and writing test – you must manage your time well! Here’s a link to learn more about the test day: http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/prepare-your-test/test-day-advice
      Good luck !!
      Liz

  159. maninder says

    liz mam . you are the best. you all tips are immensaly benefitial for me thanx a lot.
    god bless you..

  160. S.a112 says

    Dear Liz

    What does 9.02 mean in one part of speaking score. I saw the Examiner wrote that?

    • When examiners make notes, they are doing so for themselves to remember language you are using or for their own benefit. The notes are not for you to see and are not scores being written down. Your score is decided at the end of the test not in the middle. So, don’t worry about what the examiner writes as notes.
      All the best
      Liz

      • Hello Liz,
        I hope you are well. I just want to thank you, because I have prepare for IELTS exam by watching your videos on YouTube and learn from this website for just a week and I just received my IELTS result with 7.5 overall bands.

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