Should your answers be long or short in IELTS Speaking? Are the answers different lengths for different parts of the speaking test? How long should my answer be? This page offers advice on the best length of your answer for each part of the IELTS speaking test. Learn how many sentences to use for IELTS speaking part 1 or how to expand your talk for IELTS speaking part 2. Learn how long your answer should be for IELTS speaking part 3.
IELTS Speaking Part 1: Length of Answers
Some people think that they must give only short answers in speaking part 1. Other people think you should expand all answers for all questions. Take a look at the answers below and then click on the advice tab to reveal advice about what is acceptable length.
Example Question Lengths – which answers are the right length?
- Question 1: Do you like cooking?
- Answer 1: Yes, I do.
- Question 2: Do you often cook?
- Answer 2: No, not really. I suppose I only cook about once a week.
- Question 3: What is your favourite meal?
- Answer 3: Well, it’s really hard to say. I actually enjoy all meals. I mean, breakfast is always great because it’s my first meal and I love eating loads of tropical fruit. But dinner has more elements to it including dessert. I’ve got such a sweet tooth. So, I really couldn’t choose.
Click below to learn which answer is a suitable length and get useful advice:
ADVICE & TIPS- Don’t limit your answer to only a few words or just one sentence. You need to show the examiner that you are willing and keen to speak at length. This is not just my advice, it is actually part of the marking for Fluency, which is 25% of your marks.
- Speaking part 1 does have simple questions, so the answers won’t be long. But they should be a decent length.
- Answer 1 is too short. The examiner can’t provide a good score if your answers are so short. Here is an example of what Answer 1 should be:
- Question 1: Do you like cooking?
- Answer 1: Yes, I do. I can’t say I’m any good at it, but I do enjoy it when I try. I’m not sure anyone really enjoys the meals I prepare though.
- Answer 2 is also a bit short. See the example:
- Question 2: Do you often cook?
- Answer 2: No, not really. I suppose I only cook about once a week. To be honest, I wish I cooked more often but I just don’t have time. I’ll have to make time somehow because home cooking is so much healthier.
- The answer to question 3 was a good length.
- The examiner can’t give you a good score, if you don’t show your English enough.
- Be chatty. It’s an informal speaking test.
- Be more natural with your answer.
- Speaking part 1 is 4 to 5 minutes in length for 12 questions. This means there are a lot of questions in a limited time. So, your answers won’t be long, but they definitely shouldn’t be very short.
- If you have strong fluency then don’t limit your answers to only two sentences. To get a high score in fluency, you must show you are able to speak at length without much effort.
- Speaking until your are interrupted.
- See this page for Speaking Part 1 Topics
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IELTS Speaking Part 2 Answer Length
What happens if you don’t speak for 2 mins? Will you get a low score for fluency? See the advice below.
Typical IELTS Speaking Cue Card:
Describe a family celebration that you remember. You should say
– what you were celebrating
– who was present
– what happened
– and why you like that celebration
Length of your Talk
Take a look at the talk below to see the average length.
I’m going to describe my sister’s wedding day, which took place a few years ago in the town where I grew up. For my sister it was the biggest and most important day of her life.
I think there were around 100 people at the marriage ceremony, which was held in a church. Even more people came to the party, or the wedding reception as we call it, after the ceremony. Of course, most members of my family were there, as well as the groom’s family and a collection of the bride and groom’s friends and colleagues. The person I remember most was John because we hadn’t seen each other in over two years so that was a really pleasant surprise.
It was a wonderful wedding and quite lavish if I remember rightly. The wedding dress was incredible with layers of silk and lace. The cake was magnificent with detailed icing and it had about four tiers to it. It tasted amazing too, which is always the way with beautiful cakes. It was such a fun day but I can’t say anything particular happened. I mean, it was good weather, great food and the people were full of joy.
I’ve been to a number of weddings and celebrations in the past. This wedding isn’t my favourite in terms of events, but it was the most memorable because it was my sister who was getting married. To be honest, I prefer normal family get-togethers which are much more relaxed and a bit smaller so you get the chance to talk to people for longer. Next year, my cousin is getting married so I can’t wait for that.
Click below to see advice and tips about length of answer for part 2.
Advice and Tips- There are no questions on the topic card. There are prompts on the card. Prompts are there to guide you – nothing more.
- To give a full talk, you must add much more information to your talk rather than only follow the prompts.
- This is your main chance in the test to show your fluency. Use this opportunity and give lots of description and information.
- If the prompt asks “who was present”, you can add why they were there, how close you were to those people, how they travelled to the wedding, if there were any people you wished hadn’t gone, describe a person you clearly remember … You choose what extra information to add.
- Part of your preparation at home will be getting cue cards and practicing speaking for 2 mins. Always use your recording device (your phone) to record yourself so that you can play it back and work on improvement.
- See this page for Speaking Part 2 Topics
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IELTS Speaking Part 3: How long should my answer be?
Is the answer below the right length?
Q. Is it better to get advice from a friend or from a family member?
A. I think it depends on the kind of advice that you need. Parents and grandparents probably have more life experience than a friend, and so you might get a wiser or more sensible answer from them. But they might not think on your level or understand your life as well as a friend. Also, friends are less likely to become too worried if you go to them with a problem. For example, I probably wouldn’t want to burden my parents with a financial worry but I’m pretty sure my friends won’t mind if I go to them with a problem like that. It’s easier to talk to friends and they don’t get so stressed out about things.
Click below:
Advice- The answer above a good length. It’s natural – typical of spoken English.
- When you prepare and practice answers for your speaking test, don’t write them down. Speak your practice answers into your phone to record them. We don’t write and speak in the same way so always speak your answers at home.
- It’s always good in speaking part 3 to give examples.
- Give more examples of when you would seek advice from grandparents – what kinds of problems would prompt you to ask for their help?
- It is always better in speaking to give more than you need to give, than to give less.
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How long should my answers be in IELTS speaking?
If you have a lower level of English with many hesitations, your answers will be shorter. If you are a fluent talker, your answer should be longer – in fact it would be a shame to have fluent English and only give short answers.
Here is a link to an IELTS speaking practice test video. There is also a link in that lesson to a model speaking test. You will be able to see clearly how long my answers are: Practice Speaking Test Video
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ALL MODEL ANSWERS & TIPS FOR IELTS SPEAKING
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Hello Liz ,hope you are doing well, this is a very urgent question as I have my speaking test knocking at door .
I wanted to know ,can I use interrogative question in the speaking exam? For example if I get question like ‘Do you have a hobby?’ can I reply this with ‘Surely ,who does not? I have many hobbies’ or it is good to avoid using such interrogative question in the middle of answer?
Another thing is can I comment anything about the question to have some time to think like if question is ‘What is your favorite color?’ Can I reply with, ‘This is a very interesting/uncommon question, let me have some thoughts about it’
The answer is not black and white.
1) Your first example of using an interrogative question – it is possible to use it but not as you are using it. There are loads of people who don’t have hobbies so saying “Who doesn’t?” is inappropriate. We only use this expression if it is almost a certainty that people do it. If you are not sure how to use a particularly expression in English, don’t use it because it will only lower your score. So, your example would only show the examiner you are not fully clear on how to use this and it would class as a mistake.
2) This is the same problem as the expression above. Certainly, you can use “That’s an interesting question, let me think about it…”, but not for a question that is a common question. You can only use it for interesting questions. It is one of the most common questions to ask about your favourite colour, your favourite book, your favourite website etc. These are not classed as interesting questions which you need to ponder. Even school children can answer “what’s your favourite X?” questions so saying that it is an interesting question is not appropriate. An example of an interesting question would be “What do you think the future of sports equipment is?” – that certainly is interesting and it’s a question that does require some thinking about so using that filler to give you time to think of an answer would make sense.
So, the answers to your questions are not black and white. Yes, these things are possible, but not as you have used them. As you are using them, they would lower your score.
Hello, Liz!
In your website, you say that we should talk until we are interrupted. Previously, when I’ve attended an IELTS preparation course, we were told that we should be careful about the instructor’s body language, and stop talking if it seems like we have said enough. We were told that it is actually bad if we are interrupted, that it is somewhat of a sign that we don’t understand social cues well or something of this idea. Should we really talk until interrupted?
Thank you in advance!
That is definitely very very wrong. That is actually very bad advice that shows the teacher does not fully understand the test.
The examiner will move on the next question in part 1 and part 3 when he or she wants and you should keep talking until that happens. This is an internationally controlled language test designed by professionals and it certainly does not involve candidates guessing body language for instructions. Don’t forget that this test is recorded using voice only, so everything must be clear in that recording for remarking purposes. It would be impossible to create a worldwide language test that requires the test taker to guess instructions from vague body signs and that would require test takers to concentrate during a language test on non-verbal cues. You should be concentrating on speaking, not guessing body language. The mere suggestion of such a language test is insane.
As you are talking, the examiner might or might not interrupt your answer in part 1 and part 3. You cannot know when or if this will happen and you certainly should NOT be focusing guessing what to do. When they interrupt you, they will say “thank you” or “moving on” or simply ask the next question suddenly. Some examiners might have body language like all humans do (like holding up their hand as a way to stop you), but the test isn’t based on giving instructions in such an unclear way and your aim isn’t to guess them. Everything (all instructions) will be very clear for you in the test. And you should always keep talking and allow the examiner to control the test the way they want to control it. It is good a thing to keep talking until you are interrupted. Willingness to speak at length is part of any band score for band 7 and above. You can’t do this if you are guessing body language and stopping because you think you must. Of course, the test isn’t so vague or confusing.
For part 2, the examiner cannot interrupt you during the 2 mins that you are given to talk. Some examiners will sit back and allow you to talk. Some might point at the cue card if you don’t follow the prompts. But you should never stop talking in part 2 until the examiner actually speaks to stop you when 2 mins is up or if the examiner moves on if you finish early.
Also, you are NOT being marked on understanding social cues. This is not part of the marking criteria for this international language test. In fact, understand any language (whether words or body language) is not marked in the speaking test.
When you find a teacher who is giving extremely bad advice, ask for a refund and don’t continue with that teacher. Gosh, I’m horrified at what you’ve been told. This is the reason I made this website to combat such appalling, damaging advice.
Thank you!
I was quite confused when I read that we should not stop talking, I guess now it makes sense why I got a lower score than I expected few years ago. So is it okay if the instructor interrupts us before a well-rounded answer has been made? My guess is if they are interrupting they feel like they got enough, but I still worry about not being able to express myself properly enough. Would it be correct for me to assume that they aren’t interested in the content of my answer, or it’s structure, but they are rather checking off certain categories/requirements?
The examiner interrupts because they’ve got what they want. This happens a lot in part 1. The questions are simple and many, so once you’ve hit the required language target, the examiner will interrupt to move on quickly. For part 3, they often interrupt to either challenge your answer. This is either because they want more language or they are testing your ability to counter argue using language – or it is simply because they want to change the question entirely. You must allow the examiner to decide when you’ve given enough in an answer. They are the professionals at assessing language and giving a full answer isn’t actually needed for such assessment, particularly as ideas are not marked (this of course is not the case in the writing test where ideas are marked: https://ieltsliz.com/ideas-ielts-essays-ideas-ielts-speaking/).
It sounds like your teacher is all about vague advice instead of specific details. You are marked on your Fluency, Grammar, Vocabulary and Pronunciation only – each worth 25%. While structure isn’t marked, Fluency does involve Coherence. Together Fluency and Coherence are about speaking at length without pauses but also being clear in what you are saying. So, only your language is marked – nothing else is marked in IELTS Speaking. Read all tips and details on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-speaking-free-lessons-essential-tips/
Thank you!
I’ve been able to clear up the misconceptions I’ve had by your advices and comments, I now honestly feel much more confident.
Good. Confusing advice eats away your confidence because you enter the test room unsure of yourself and unsure of the test. Having a very clear understanding of what the test is about and how it will be conducted is essential. Good luck in your next test! Keep talking to showcase your fluency!! And keep smiling – try to enjoy the informal speaking test.
Hello, Liz!
Passed my IELTS test a couple days ago, just got the results back, wanted to thank you and share the achievement with you. Honestly, I hadn’t really had much time for prep, 2 weeks at most, and I did fully prepare using your website, it really is quite informative!
My overall score is 8.0! L – 8.5, R – 8.5, W – 7.0, S – 8.0.
Writing might seem low, but with the amount of time I had for preparation, I am happy with the result, especially since I found the topic of task 2 a bit complex (I would happily share the prompt!). With Speaking I saw a significant improvement, as I previously scored 6.5, and I believe I couldn’t have scored 8.0 without your feedback and clarification!
Honestly, I am really grateful to not only this website that is brimming with free knowledge and resources, but also your feedback! I really did feel much more reassured after this chain of replies you left, and have enjoyed the speaking test!
Sincerely, thank you, Liz! Your work is reaching so many parts of the world, for us non-English speaking students you really are a blessing! I wish you well, and I hope your health will strengthen.
That’s so wonderful. I’m so very happy for you. Well done indeed! Brilliant score! It’s really amazing how much your speaking score went up! If you have the chance to share your writing topic, please do so. If it was a challenging one, it’ll be interesting to see it for future reference. Of course, you can paraphrase for copyright purposes. I wish you lots of luck with your future plans. Thanks for coming back to share this with everyone 🙂
Gladly!
It seems that I am unable to reply to your message anymore, so I am replying to my own.
The first prompt was a bar chart which showed the number of museum visitors in four years, I believe it was something like 1987, 1997, 2007, and 2017. There were also three types of visitors – adults (which prevailed significantly), visitors under 15 and special exhibition visitors. The bar chart displayed the number of visitors for each of them, the adults had an increase with a peak in 2007, special guests have also increased, although they were the least at all times, and the children have slowly decreased. There were also total amounts on the bottom of the charts for each year, it was something like 441K, 448K, 525K and 501K.
The second task was something like this: “Recently, to find work, people must move away from their friends and families. Do you think this development’s advantages outweigh the disadvantages?”.
Hope this helps!
Thanks for sharing 🙂 You did well to spot that although it was a bar chart, it was actually a chart of change over time which means you approach it like a line graph using line graph language. I have a similar task of a bar chart showing change over time here: Bar Chart Over Time
Wishing you all the best, Liz
I’m so glad that I found this now. I am taking the speaking test tomorrow and my previous knowledge was what Mira described. I’m glad I saw your feedbacks and I will apply them tomorrow. Thank you for all you do.
Thank you for asking this question Mira.
Good luck!
Hi Liz,
Firstly, I must appreciate you for providing such an in-depth resource to practice for IELTS.
Moving forward, I am looking for some help regarding speaking exam. I have explored your website thoroughly. However, I am worried about following issues, can you guide me regarding them with some tips:
-I speak too fast so stray away from topic. what’s the trick to stay objective?
-how much complex vocab and idiomatic language can get me band 8+?
-please give me tips that I can help me stay focused and I can recall all the necessary signposts etc., on the day?
Thanks,
Mariam
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I’m not sure what you mean by “stray off the topic”. In part 1 and part 3, you won’t have a chance to do that much because the examiner will interrupt you and bring you back to the question asked. In part 2, it is fine to stray and build your talk in various directions as long as it is centered around the main topic. I’ll be filming a video about speaking part 2 next week with tips about this so please look out for it when it’s ready.
For idiomatic language, there is no specific amount of idiomatic language that equates to a single band score. Your Vocabulary band score will depend on range, accuracy, collocations, topic based words, precise meaning as well as examples of less common and idiomatic language (such as phrasal verbs). So, it is not just about one aspect of vocabulary. For band 8, you would need to be able to give precise, flexible meaning to your answers, be able to expand topics in depth because you have the words to do so, use less common items, use idiomatic language and only have occasional inaccuracies.
For tips, you’ll find last minute tips for all parts of the speaking test on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-exam-tips-on-the-day/. And you’ll find other tips and model answers to review on the main speaking page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-speaking-free-lessons-essential-tips/. Also review tips from successful candidates in the past: https://ieltsliz.com/category/tips-from-successful-ielts-candidates/. But like I said, look out for my next video coming soon. Wishing you lots of luck!
Hi ma’am Liz.
I had my speaking test today and the very first question came like I wasn’t expecting it (Do you live in a house or apartment?) I only gave direct answer and then other questions followed,. I was asked about cakes and sunglasses. I think my answer were short.
The examiner asked if I often wear sunglasses and I said no, it depends on the weather when it’s sunny I put on sunglasses but if it’s not then I don’t. I didn’t even paraphrase sunglasses 😩
part 2, I was asked someone I know that talks too much. I didn’t describing the physical look of the person although I used my full 2mins and was eager to continue then the examiner stopped me.
Part 3 was good but I don’t think I really extended my ideas I had 7.5 before I wish I can even get more than that this time.
Lets talk about bit more about IELTS speaking so you can learn more.
1) most part 1 questions are simple and that means the answers will probably be relatively short. It doesn’t mean one word answers or just one sentence, but maybe just two sentences or three at most. It is in part 2 and part 3 that you will speak at length with longer answers. So, your part 1 sounds fine.
2) you didn’t paraphrase the word “sunglasses”. Do you think we have multiple words for “sunglasses” in English or in any language? Sunglasses are sunglasses. If you talk about sunglasses, you will repeat that word. Paraphrasing is NOT about changing every word. Paraphrasing is about knowing what words can be altered and which words cannot. That means some words will be repeated, some won’t. That is what language is all about. But what language could you have showcased around that topic? Well, the topic of weather – bright sunshine, lack of clouds, overcast, dull skies, cloudy, shade, bright light etc. That is all you need to do. But you will repeat the word “sunglasses”. So, you have nothing to worry about.
3) There are many ways to talk about a person. Certainly, one thing you could do is mention their physical appearance. But IELTS isn’t about fixed rules relating to content. You choose what you talk about in part 2. If your description of their character, life etc was good, then you can get band 9 without talking about their physical appearance. Because, it’s all about the language you showcase, not about giving specific content. But it’s a shame you didn’t talk about it because there is rich language in the topic of appearances. But while it is a missed opportunity, it is not a fault.
4) It is good to extend your ideas in part 3. But this isn’t because ideas and supporting points are marked in the speaking test. It is because the examiner needs to hear more English. It is a time to give descriptions, details, comparisons, explanations, examples etc. It’s about explaining what you mean, not giving formal supporting points. Just be open, chatty and enjoy the topics.
Nothing you have said indicates any band score. Your band score is decided based on the words, sentences and language you used in the entire test. You’ll have to wait for your results to see how you’ve done. But I hope you’ve learned something from my reply. Good luck with your results 🙂
hii liz,
where are you?You are not posting anything on you tube. Are you okkayy?😢🥺
Thanks for asking. I’ve been sick for many years and had to stop making videos. Each year I hope to continue, but each year it doesn’t happen. I will never stop preparing ideas for videos because I know one day I will return to Youtube. You can read a little bit about my story here: https://ieltsliz.com/determination-my-story/
Hello Liz, was going through the comments and I saw your response here concerning your health. I really hope you’re doing better, and have recovered fully. I have used your resources in the past when I was preparing for IELTS academy and scored an 8.0. Currently preparing for general exam soon.
Thank you for all you do, you’re truly the best. I wish you good health.
Thanks for your concern. I’m still struggling to get my strength back and I’m delayed in making videos. But I hope to have a new video lessons launched soon. Luckily, the speaking and listening test are the same for GT IELTS. And the reading test has exactly the same types of questions with easier passages. For writing, the GT writing task 2 is the same. So, you’ve only really got to focus on the GT writing task 1, which is a letter, see this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-1-lessons-and-tips/#GT-letter. Good luck! I’ll keep my fingers crossed for another band 8 or even 8.5 for you 🙂
Hi liz, I think I messed up in my speaking test. I was asked what is the photo you’re proud of? Etc etc. in section 2. I kept babbling about the photos of sunsets and cats I took in different places. I was really nervous so I cut my sentences short mid way and stuttered a lot. What’s the lowest band I can get? 🙁
Part 2 is only one part of the test. Your score is based on your overall performance, not on each part. This is because some people do struggle with one part more than other parts of the test and the examiner is aware of that. So, your final score will be based on your overall performance and your general level of English. The main problem I see with your comment is not that you went slightly off topic (that’s fine because you still stuck to the main topic which was photos). So, the actual problem is more because you cut your sentences short. The examiner needs to hear examples of extended English so that they can award a higher score. But if you produced more extended English in part 3, then it isn’t so much of a problem. There is no way to predict your results but hopefully my comments have helped you understand more.
hi liz!
today was my speaking test part 1 goes well but in part 2 i think i just spoke for 1.30 secs and part 3 my answers were kind of short like
examiner asked me
what business families do in your country?
i answered:
most of the families in my country open shops such as shops of clothes in which 2 or 3 brother do business as a unit.
she asked me shop opening is the only busines in your country families do
i answered:
Different types of shop opening because literacy rate is not so high in pakisatn so thats why people use to do this business
she then asked why people do family bussines
i said:
because in family bussines there communication is strong and there is no business rivarly and also there is no jealousy factor.
She then question me if these are the benfits then if there are disadvantage of family business?
i said yes every positive side has a downside the (i dont remember the next line but next line was about money)
next question was how globalization has change business in world?
i said globalization has revolutionized the world. plant eart has become a small village because of gloabalization in past people used to do business using different modes of transport but now people do online bussineses because of internet as internet is the main cause of globalization.
Last question: do you think we should stop small business and just open large business?
i said: no i dont think so, because small businesses are the roots of large bussines and every large bussiness starts from a small bussiness every small business develops into large
i know there was repetion of words there was also rumbling in my answers and answer length was just moderate size
do you think after all these things i will be still able to get band 6?
Your vocabulary is well above band 6. I can’t comment on your possible grammar score because you haven’t written full sentences. But from what you have written, I see lots of errors but also a good range of grammar features, sentence structures and tenses. As for fluency, I also can’t comment because you haven’t written your full response. If you spoke at length without effort, you could get above 6. However, if your answers were shorter, you might be around band 6. I also can’t comment on your pronunciation because I haven’t heard your voice. So, you see it is not possible to predict a score based on short comments regarding your answer. However, I wish you lots of luck with your results!! 🙂
You are so good and lovely. You reply to everyone and your comments length shows that you spend much time to just satisfy your followers.
Thanks but I don’t actually reply to all comments. There are many that I don’t have time to reply to because I work alone. I wish I had time to help everyone individually.
Dear Liz, I’d like to thank you for your lessons and free access to all the resources made available to people. I wrote my exam for the first time last month and my result came out well for me. I appreciate you and I am grateful. I wish you speedy recovery. Hey everyone Liz is an amazing teacher!!!! Love you Liz!!!
I’m glad to hear you did well in your test. Well done 🙂
Hello Dear Liz!
Although I read these great questions and answers I am curious about some points.
1-)First, specifically, how long should my first part last? When I practice with practice questions it takes me 2-2.30 mins for answering first stage questions. I do not want to talk less then expected. So what is the limit for this stage and what is the limit of each of those questions in section 1? Is it bad if I answer one question very long and run out of time without seeing other questions?
2-)For the last part… How many questions will I see and what is my time and sentence limit for each of those questions? Same question in my mind for stage 3… 🙁
3-)when people say first part 4-5mins second 3-4 mins third 4-5 mins… Do they include examiner prompts?
Your first two questions are answered by yourself in the third question. part 1 lasts for 4-5 mins. This means during those 4-5 mins, the examiner will ask you about 12 questions based on usually three different topics. You can easily time yourself at home by asking and answering 12 questions over a period of no more than 5 mins. You will not be given even 1 second more than 5 mins. The last part is the same time limit, but the questions require a more detailed response. This means you usually get about 5 questions – could be more, could be fewer. The examiner might ask a question and ask you “why?” or “can you give some examples” – this is a way for the examiner to encourage more detail from you. The detail helps you produce more language so the examiner can asses you better. In all part 1 and part 3, the examiner will control the time and the length of your answer – you don’t decide this. If the examiner feels it is time to move to the next question, you will be interrupted in the middle of your answer and the next question will be asked. It is part of the testing system and nothing to worry about.
Hii Liz,
Just want to confirm a doubt of mine which I faced in my speaking test. Inspite of the fact that I spoke for around 1.5 mins in topic 2, the examiner prompted me to speak more. Well everything went well, its just that as soon as he prompted I again added few more points. So I spoke for in total 2 mins wherein he prompted me twice. Will this affect my marks? Its just that I was concerned about his need for extension of my speech, rest everything went fine.
It doesn’t affect your score that the examiner prompted you to continue. It is just a normal part of the testing system. Good luck with your results 🙂
Hi Liz,
I had my speaking test today, my part 2 topic was to talk about a live sports event I attended. However, I spoke about a live screening I attended of a football game and spoke about that. Only after my test got over I realised I made that mistake. My part 1 and 3 I think were fairly good enough. Do you think I’ll at least manage a band 4?
It’s completely fine. It makes no difference if you adapt the topic slightly. You can’t change it, but you can adapt it. Your topic was fine. Judging only by the English in your comment, you should easily get a band score 4. If you don’t, review your exam skills very carefully, because your level of English is easily over band 4. Good luck with your results 🙂
Hello Liz,
This might be a bit long, as I sort of ramble about stuff open minded. I hope you kindly read. I had my speaking test today and I guess it went pretty well. I only had a little less than 2 weeks to prepare for my test, but I think it was more than enough. I think I did brilliant in every single part of the test, all thanks to you :). Even though I may sound a bit overconfident, I’m actually worried if I messed up a bit in some parts of the exam. However, my parents have been telling me I’m just overthinking about it. This is my first time sitting in an IELTS exam and I’ve got writing, reading and listening tests tomorrow. I’m just going to focus on that first, but this has still been bugging me since morning, haha. I’d also like to share the questions.
What I didn’t expect was that I would have to take part in my test through a video call on zoom, instead of a face to face conversation. But that’s no big deal. What’s been bothering me is that during the test, the call was stuttering sometimes and I could not hear the examiner for a second or two at all. However, I did tell the examiner about that in a really polite way, and begged his pardon if he could repeat those questions again (only twice the entire exam, one right before part 1 and the other one at part 3). I also reported to the invigilator, but he told me the examiner said it was fine. But on the bright side, I fluently and properly answered every single question I was asked.
Now, there’s two other things that bothered me. One of em was a mistake of mine. In part 3, while I was answering a question… halfway through, I accidentally picked up the pen from the table and casually waved it around alongside my hands with the flow of my words (lol… This is of course, a bad habit of mine). And almost instantly, I reacted by saying, “Oh, sorry. I accidentally picked up the pen from the table again. *putting it down while continuing my answer without a single pause* So anyways, I do believe that humor…” Would this affect my score badly? I really hope that isn’t the case. The other problem was something about part 2… I freaking nailed the entire thing and talked for like a minute and 40 seconds, until for some reason (and god bless me why). Right after I finished a sentence my brain completely froze for a split second and that’s when I knew, after all this fluency, I really don’t wanna destroy it all through hesitations. I told the examiner that was all I had to share and thanked him for listening.
Part 1: “Do you work or study?”, “Did you find the subjects easy to understand?”, “What job would you like to do in the future?”, questions about picnics (do you go on, how often, when was the last time etc.) and finally,do you enjoy watching movies?
Part 2: Describe about a movie that made you laugh (when, where, with who, why exactly did it make you laugh)
Part 3: A broad discussion about comedy movies, cartoons and most of all humor. I felt like I was the one controlling the questions through my answers more than half of the time. And by that I mean like, whether humor is universal, whether it’s limited to age (cartoons and stuff), action or comedy and “Why do different genders have different preferences, as you’ve mentioned?”
I had a really fun time answering the speaking test but there’s just some of those stuff that got me worried. Thank you, Liz, if you actually read through all of that and answer me. I’m not a native English speaker and I hardly talk in English other than on social media voice calls. It was quite surprising and sorta funny that most people I’d talk to couldn’t tell whether I was an Aussie or not. Because I live nowhere near those parts. But I guess accents don’t really matter much.
Again, Liz… I’ve really got to thank you again for explaining all the stuff about IELTS in such a fun and effective way. I’m hoping I’m gonna do really good in the other tests tomorrow. And I heard you were having health issues. Please, get better soon and take care of yourself.
I enjoyed reading your message. You’ve got lots of life in you and I see a great future for you. About your first concern of the zoom connectivity problems. Don’t worry about it. The examiner will know that the connection was the problem and not your fluency. So, it wouldn’t affect your score. It does make the examiner’s job of marking more difficult, but they are professionals and by now are used to such issues. You did well to speak out about it. Whenever there is a problem which is beyond your control in a test, always tell someone. Regarding your second worry of waving the pen around – that made me laugh. It doesn’t affect your score at all. You can use whatever body language you want and the more natural you are, the better. Only your spoken English will affect your score. When it comes to pausing because you suddenly lack ideas, that is normal. Even band score 9 allows for such pauses. The examiner knows the difference between people who pause for language problems and those who pause for ideas. Even native speakers pause for ideas and this is allowed by IELTS. So, it seems your parents are correct 🙂 I don’t see anything to worry about. Your speaking score will be based on the language you produced – now it’s just a waiting game.
Time for you to focus on tomorrow!!! Here are some tips:
L Don’t lose your focus in the listening test.
L Key words in the questions will help you follow the order of the questions.
L Move to the next question without delay so you don’t lose your place.
R & W Remember to keep your eye on the clock for reading and writing.
R Each question is worth 1 point and your aim to gain points so manage your time carefully.
WT1 Academic – make sure you write a clear overview with all key features in it – this is the most important paragraph and replaces the conclusion – don’t miss it out.
WT1 Add data to support all statements in the body paragraphs (for graphs, tables, charts)
WT2 Avoid informal language such as the word “kids” and write “children” instead
WT2 Plan both main points and supporting points before you start writing – make sure all points are relevant
WT2 Spend time analysing the question, the words and instructions. Too many people don’t read carefully enough and their essay is only loosely connected. Underline the keywords and address the issue or issues given
WT2 Don’t miss the conclusion – check the time and make sure you write a conclusion
Lots of luck!! 🙂
Liz
Thank you for such a quick response yesterday, Liz. I wasn’t even expecting a reply, as I came to know you don’t really answer questions… but you did :). And thank you so much for the tips, they worked wonders for me. I wanted reply you back after I was done with the rest of the tests. And I think they went super well.
As a first timer, I did not have a single clue about the IELTS test at the start. It all started from the ‘How to Prepare for IELTS’ video and I followed all your content till the very end. The topics and ideas, tips and lessons… along with the samples were extremely helpful, especially for the writing test. Because if you didn’t remind me to plan out the introductions, overview and thesis statement, bodies and the conclusion beforehand, give all those samples and ideas, I would’ve never imagined I’d write such an organized and wonderful description of the chart along with the essay.
I started overthinking about an answer in the listening test, but I remembered you told me to just focus on the rest of the test and I nailed everything. Plus, I completely remembered the correct answer to that single question in the end too, yay! I got a bit nervous during the reading test for literally no reason. But I went through it just as well as the speaking and listening test. Skimming and scanning, speed reading etc. were a thing I already used to do. But your suggested practice materials helped me improve them by a ton.
For the writing tests, one of my tasks were to describe a bar chart about the top ten sports played by the percentages of Canadian people in two separate years. And the other task was an agree or disagree essay, on whether or not I agree that it’s no longer necessary to learn about the facts of subjects like history or science, due to the existence of the internet.
Again, thank you, Liz. I would’ve never imagined I’d be confident enough to say that I might score a band 8.5 or 9 on my first time. I can’t thank you enough for spending time to create all these stuff and share all this knowledge. That’s pretty much all I wanted to say. Oh shoot, sorry for typing such a long message again (lol…). I’ll surely let you know about my scores later if you’d like. Take care!
I’ll keep my fingers crossed for your results 🙂
my student was asked to talk for longer even though he thought he had spoken for 1.5 mınutes, and then asked again. Will thıs have a negatıve effect on his score_
Thank you for all your tips I’m sure ıt helped. I am just suprised that he had t talk more,however he ıs very nervous in exams despıte hıs excellent vocabulary.
Thank you for everythıng
Sorry for this late reply. It is the rules of IELTS that a candidate be given 2 minutes to speak. So, when a candidate finishes their part 2 talk early, the examiner must encourage them to continue speaking because it is the candidates right to have 2 mins. However, the candidate does not need to keep speaking. In fact, if they finish early, they can simply say “That’s all, I’ve finished”, then the examiner will understand, move on to the rounding off questions and then move into part 3. Fluency is not marked only by reaching 2 mins in part 2. There are many other factors involved in marking fluency throughout the test. So, it might not have an impact on their score. But, it is a wasted opportunity to stop if the candidate can offer more. Always best to help candidates find ways of extending their talk.
Hi Liz,
I just want to ask whether it’s normal for an examiner to stop my answer in part 3?
I sat IELTS test in 2016 in Vietnam and the examiner constantly stop me in part 3 every I seemed to have a point to answer, but he would listen attentively to a question I am more clueless. Sometimes I was just be able to say “From my perspective, I would say that…” but then he jumped onto another questions.
And strangely, not one topic gets develop. Meaning that normally I heard people would answer 3-4 questions in the same topic, but my topic change every 1-2 question. Every time my answer go beyond 3 sentences he will stop me, which makes me think this is another extended part 1 session.
I got 5-7 topics in total in part 3 only. (Maths, sky etc)
I answered part 1 quite well because it has a lot of common questions (1-2 quite new but manageable), part 2 I received a card which requires me to tell a story (again manageable although I didn’t have any experience that fit the cue card)
It is normal for your answers to be challenged or interrupted because you are talking about personal things instead of the world in general in part 3. Part 3 is not about yourself. Part 3 is your chance to show you can talk about world issues, not personal issues.
However, you shouldn’t be interrupted before you actually give an answer. Furthermore, it is fine to start with “From my perspective” – that is fine – it is your personal opinion about world issues and is completely acceptable. Also, in part 3, the topic should follow that of part 2. It is possible for the examiner to change the topic to challenge a higher level candidate, but it is not normal to change continuously from topic to topic. Just one change is usually enough.
Certainly, you could complain if you want, but I don’t think it will alter your score. Complaining might make sure the examiner is reviewed which might ensure other candidates don’t have a similar experience. About your score, wait until you get your score. You could ask for a remark if you feel it necessary.
Hi. I just read about that it is normal to change the topic in part 3 not relating to part 2. So it means there is possible that the score will be high? Since the examiner is trying some different topic?. I had my part 2 about getting up early. When it comes in part 3 the examiner ask about getting up early question and about country side? I hope you notice me thankyou
Just because the examiner changes topic does not mean you will get a higher score. It is just a choice the examiner makes to allow further expression of English in order to pin point a more accurate score. Certainly in some cases, the examiner might be testing to see if you can produce higher band score English with a different topic, but it doesn’t mean that you will actually get a higher score.
Thank you Liz for the tips shared around this topic.
In my case, I stutter occasionally and can get more frequent under exam conditions. Is it acceptable to communicate to the examiner my condition at the outset of the speaking test?
Sure, you can let the examiner know. Try to tell him or her after the recording starts so that the information is recorded.
Thank you for your quick response.
Dear teacher Liz, firstly thanks a lot for your valuable efforts and for all the time that you dedicate to improve the IELTS preparation for several people around the globe, may God reward you and your family.
I will pass the speaking test tomorrow morning and my question is should I try to talk until the examiner stops me in part 1 also or if I feel that my response is clear and sufficient I stop and let the examiner ask the following question.
For part 3, for example if I don’t talk directly after the examiner asks his question , I take some seconds to think rapidly and start my answer, would it affect the score ? because sometimes seen that in the speaking test there is no sufficient time to think we can lack some ideas in the beginning.
the last thing , is it normal to shake hands with the examiner when greeting him or it’s better to avoid it seen that it can be not accepted by some persons. Thanks a lot in advance.
Greetings from Tunisia..
The examiner is not interested in your ideas, only your English. So, if the examiner asks “Do you swim?”, he or she isn’t actually interested if you really swim or not, they are interested only in hearing your English. If you give short answers, it means you don’t have enough English to give a longer answer. So, yes, speak until you are stopped. Always keep talking until you are interrupted. Let the examiner decide when it is time to move on to the next question. Answer directly and add more.
In part 3, the questions are more difficult. But hopefully you will have prepared a lot of topics and have lots of ideas. You do not get thinking time. If you don’t answer directly, it shows your English is failing you. Silence is not good in a language test. If you need thinking time, ask the examiner to repeat the question – it doesn’t affect your score – but don’t do it all the time.
About your last concern, act in any way that you feel comfortable. Greet the examiner as you wish. But mostly I would advise you to let the examiner direct things. But it is still fine to be yourself and act naturally. Remember this is an informal speaking test.
Good luck tomorrow!! 🙂
thanks a lot for your rapid answer, I just was concerned about exceeding the five minutes limit of part 1 because I can speak for a long time and therefore the examiner will not reach twelve questions.
I understand that it’s the right strategy now and the examiner will interrupt me when he wants.
In reality, I’m counting on my level of English, I concentrated more on other parts of the test that seemed more challenging for me like the reading part but hopefully with the topics on your rewarding website and the official cambridge guide to IELTS I will manage to get the band the score that I aim for inchallah.
Best Regards and a lot of respect great teacher Liz
Your English is all that counts in the speaking test. In part 1, show your fluency and willingness to speak straight away. And think about the language you are using and the skills you want to showcase. For example, in part 2, you have 1 minute to prepare. So, use that 1 min to think of future forms, past tenses, comparisons, superlatives, conditional statements (If I had X…, I would …) – all these things boost your score. Add description, details and examples. The more you add, the more English you showcase. In part 3, make sure to focus on talking about people in general and expand your ideas to show ho you can handle complex language and speak at length.
Good luck!! Let me know how it all goes 🙂
Good evening dear teacher Liz,
I’m trying to post the comment since I finished the exam but it’s not accepted I don’t know why, anyway for my speaking test I think that I spoke well without hesitation or stops , I answered directly modt of the time , however I have two concerns that i want to ask you about.
in the second part I suppose that I spoke for 1 min 45 , the examiner added one question and we passed directly to part 3 , what it can affect the evaluation ?
my second concern is about part 3 , in one of the questions after I answered she said the question was and we continued the discussion I guess that I didn’t respond to this question from the beginning , how can it affect the score.
I had the rest of my test on saturday , it’s was not easy and not difficult in my opinion, the reading part that I was struggling with and I afraid of not finishing on time went well surprisingly and I had time to check and verify my answers, the listening was a little bit difficult despite that it seemed acceptable for me in the practice tests that I had, I improved my reading with the excellent strategies that I found on your website especially for locating answers which was my weaskest point, I losr valuable time on it.
I’m really grateful for you and I always tell other people to visit your website , the teachers in British council Tunis know your website also and they say it’s one of the best.
I hope that you will have one day a visit to British Council Tunis where we can learn from all your expertise
Best Regards
Part 2 is your chance to show fluency. While aiming for 2 full minutes is good, it’s fine to speak for only 1.5 mins. At the end of the day, it is more about the level of your English and willingness to speak at length that counts. Fluency is also about the effort involved for you to keep talking. So, don’t worry about that. For the whole of the speaking test, there are no marks for task achievement or completing a question or ideas or developing ideas. It does not affect your marks if your answer wasn’t completely on target. If the examiner guides you, it’s fine. Again, your score will be about the level and range of your English when you speak, not what you understand.
I’m glad to hear teachers in Tunis know my work. I will certainly put Tunis on my list of places I would one day love to visit 🙂
Good luck with your results 🙂
thanks a lot, I hope that I will get the band score that I worked for.
Dear teacher Liz,
thanks to your website , the practice tests in the official cambridge guide to IELTS I achieved my objective and got 7.5 overall band score which I think is a respectable score.
Despite that I haven’t too much time to prepare , I was confident practice is the key.
I’m very grateful that in our difficult world nowadays great people like you still let their knowledge and expertise available for several learners around the world for free.
my score for each section of the test :
listening : 7.5
reading : 7.5
writing : 7
speaking : 7
I’m so glad to hear your results – very well done 🙂
Im a house wife neither work nor study so what would be the answer of question Do I work Or study?
Being direct is always the best policy – “I’m a housewife. I don’t work or study”. IELTS is not a trick test. Just be yourself – it’s an informal speaking test.
Hello Liz, I took my speaking test today and I finish part two before time I don’t know if it will affect my score. And the last part was very confusing, the examiner ask two questions that seems to be similar to me
It is common to finish before 2 mins is up. Of course, it’s best to keep speaking until the end, but you can still do well in fluency if you don’t. Your score is based on your overall performance.
Hi Liz,
Is it fine if i close my eyes and answer to the question posted by the examiner? Or do it create any negative impression in his mind that i am not maintaining eye-contact with him.
Thanks in advance
One problem is that people who close their eyes or look away do that because they are trying to remember an answer that they learned by heart. This is a red flag for the examiner because you can’t use memorised answers – all answers need to be produced naturally. However, there is no actual rule that you need to keep eye contact. Not looking at the examiner doesn’t affect your score because your score is based on the English you produced. So, the key question really is – why would you not look at the person you are speaking to? What is the reason you don’t want to look?
Hi Liz ,your lessons are understandable . However you didn’t quite answer the question regarding carrying a wrist watch in order to time yourself during speaking part 2. The question is if it is really necessary to carry a wrist watch.
You can’t wear a watch in the speaking test. There is no reason for you to think about time in the speaking test. The examiner controls the time and will stop you when it’s time for a new question. You should keep talking until the examiner stops you in part 1 and part 3. In part 2, if you then think “but how do I know what 2 mins feels like?”, I will answer – because you will have practised at least 50 times at home to speak for 2 mins with your stop watch. This means you will instinctively know more or less how long your talk should be from your practice sessions. Even so, the examiner will stop you when 2 mins is up so just keep talking until the examiner stops you. Never think that your answer is too long – there is no such thing. Showing fluency and a willingness to speak is essential for a high score.
exactly! it is not necessary to bring watch…even disturbs the concentration and shares some focus that supposed to be in the answering. Liz you explain it perfectly.