IELTS speaking exam procedures

IELTS consists of four exams: "write, read, listen, and speak." I think there are many people who are not good at speaking. It is important to know the flow of the exam and the tendency of questions in order to be able to demonstrate your ability in the exam.

In this article, I will explain the flow and countermeasures for the three parts of IELTS speaking. If you have any questions such as "I'm worried about the flow of IELTS speaking" or "What kind of questions will be asked?", Please refer to it.

IELTS Speaking consists of three parts!

IELTS Speaking is a one-on-one interview-style exam between the test taker and the examiner. The exam consists of the following three parts:

Part 1: Self-introduction and interview (4-5 minutes)
After the examiner's self-introduction, you will be prompted to introduce yourself and your identity will be verified. Examiners ask general questions about familiar themes (family, work, research, interests, etc.).

Part 2: Speech (3-4 minutes)
The examiner will give you a task card on a particular subject. This task card also contains points that you can cover in your speech. You will be given one minute of preparation time and will be given a pencil and paper for your notes. Talk about the theme for a minute or two. The examiner asks one or two questions about the subject.

Part 3: Discussion (4-5 minutes)
The examiner asks other questions related to the theme of Part 2. Candidates will be given the opportunity to discuss more general issues and opinions.

Flow from entry to greeting

On the day of the test, I'm curious about how it will proceed. Here, we will explain the flow from entering the room to greeting.

Enter the room

On the day of the exam, you will be asked to verify your identity at the reception at the check-in start time. Don't forget the original passport you used when you applied for the exam to verify your identity. IELTS Speaking is a one-on-one exam, with time allotted to each student. If you are late for the exam, you will not be able to take the exam, so be sure to arrive at the venue as soon as possible.

When the reception is over, leave your luggage in the designated place according to the instructions of the proctor and wait at the designated place until your name is called. When the name is called, it is a flow to enter the examination room with only the passport.

Greeting

After entering the room, when you get to your seat, the greeting begins. The examiner has the following greetings and questions, so let's answer by referring to the example answers.

Examiner ①: Good morning. My name is 〇〇 (test tube name). Could I have your full name, please? (Good morning. My name is 〇〇. Can you tell me your full name? ?)

Candidate ①: Good morning. My name is 〇〇 (examinee's name). (Good morning. My name is 〇〇)

Examiner ②: What can I call you?

Candidate ②: You can call me 〇〇 (examinee's name). (Please call me 〇〇)

Examiner ③: Can I see your ID? (Can you show me your ID?)

Candidate ③: Of course. Here it is. (Yes, please)

You will always be asked these questions, so be prepared to answer them properly. The greetings and questions here do not directly affect your score, but it is an important time to relieve the tension of the exam. If you can get rid of the tension, you will be able to calm down to the next exam.

Part 1 flow

Part 1 of IELTS Speaking will cover everyday topics such as work, school, hometown, hobbies, sports and weather. It's a relatively easy part of speaking, so I want to get a good score. The following questions will be asked, so it is safe to prepare the answers in advance.

(Question example)
・Where do you work? (Where do you work?)
・What do you study? (What are you studying?)
・What is your job? ( What kind of work do you do?) )
・Do you like your job? (Do you like your job?)
・What is your hometown like? (Please explain a little about your hometown)
・What is your favorite room? (Which room do you like the most?)
・Who do you live with? (Who do you live with?)

Answer questions with sentences that include the subject and predicate, not just Yes / No. It is recommended to add 1-2 sentences if possible.

source：IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics & Questions

Countermeasure

As for the countermeasures for Part 1, be sure to understand the frequently asked question patterns. If you know the pattern, you can prepare some answers in advance. However, it would be unnatural to just memorize the answer, so it is recommended to organize this episode when such a question is asked.

Also, in Part 1, there are many everyday questions, and it is also important to be able to speak fluently. Be careful not to make the answer too long, keep the main points in mind, and answer quickly. You also need to be familiar with question formats such as When, Where, Who, What, How.

Part 2 flow

In Part 2, the examiner will first give you a topic card about your speech. Below the topic are bulleted list of related questions (guidelines), so build your speech accordingly. You don't have to answer every question, the trick is to build a story that's easy to tell.

Candidates will be given one minute of preparation time to take notes and think about the content of their speech. After some time, a two-minute speech will be given. As with Part 1, the topic will be routine, so candidates should answer based on their own experience.

(Topic example)
・Describe a book you have recently read.

You should say:
・what kind of book it is

・what it is about
・what sort of people would enjoy it )
・And explain why you liked it.

source：IELTS Speaking Part 2 Topics & Questions

Countermeasure

In order to capture Part 2, it is recommended to decide the "type" of the story. By applying what you say to the pattern, you don't have to think about the big picture of your speech every time. Let's summarize the story in the following flow.

1. Introduction
2. Past events and thoughts
3. Details of my experiences and episodes
4. My opinions
5. Summary (future prospects)

You don't have to answer all the questions, so just talk about what you're good at. It is more important to be able to speak without mistakes in grammar and vocabulary, or to speak fluently while being aware of pronunciation. If you are impatient, you will be quick and easy to make mistakes, so be aware of speaking calmly and slowly. You should be confident that you will be exposed to various topics before the exam.

Part 3 flow

Part 3 asks questions related to the topic of Part 2. Part 1 and 2 were questions that asked questions about familiar events and experiences, but Part 3 is a discussion-style exam that answers objective opinions and general theories.

(Question example)
・When do people wear traditional clothing in your country?

・What role should the teacher have in the classroom? What is the role of Is
family important in your country? What is a balanced diet?)

・Do you think there will be less illness in the future?

source：IELTS Speaking Part 3 Topics

Countermeasure

Part 3 requires a logical answer, so it's important to give your conclusions first. The point is to put together the sentences in the order of opinion → reason → concrete example. If you can explain with a concrete example, it will lead to a higher score.

Also, questions are difficult to predict, so you need to take the time to practice assuming various questions. It's a good idea to get in touch with the news on a regular basis and have an opinion on social issues.

If your question is complicated and inaudible, be sure to ask it back. No points will be deducted for listening back. It is also a relief to think about how to deal with it when you cannot answer.

Conclusion

IELTS Speaking is a total of 11-14 minutes. Understand the characteristics of the three parts and the tendency of questions, and prepare well in advance. However, speaking is difficult to practice alone, so if you want to improve your speaking score, we recommend using an English conversation school.