IELTS Speaking Part 1, 2 & 3: sample questions and Band 9 model answers

The IELTS Speaking test is an 11–14 minute conversation with a real examiner, scored on four criteria: Fluency & Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range & Accuracy, and Pronunciation. It's the same in Academic and General Training. This guide walks through all three parts with sample questions and model answers, and shows the techniques examiners reward.

Part 1 — Introduction and interview (4–5 minutes)

The examiner asks familiar questions about you: home, work or study, hobbies, and everyday topics. The trap is answering too briefly. Aim for two to three sentences — a direct answer, a reason, and a small detail or example.

Part 1 sample question + model answer

Q: Do you prefer to study in the morning or the evening?

Model: "Definitely the morning. My mind is freshest just after breakfast, so I get through difficult material much faster than I would at night. By the evening I'm usually too tired to concentrate, so I save that time for lighter tasks like reviewing vocabulary."

Part 2 — The long turn (3–4 minutes)

You get a cue card with a topic and prompts, one minute to prepare with notes, then you speak for 1–2 minutes uninterrupted. Use your prep minute to jot keywords for each bullet, and structure your talk with a beginning, middle and a reflective ending.

Part 2 sample cue card + how to answer

Cue card: Describe a skill you would like to learn. You should say: what the skill is, why you want to learn it, how you would learn it, and explain how it would change your life.

Cover every bullet, but spend most time on the 'explain' prompt — that's where you show range. Tell a small story rather than listing facts: "The skill I'd most like to learn is coding… I first became interested when…" Narrative keeps you fluent and fills the two minutes naturally.

Part 3 — Two-way discussion (4–5 minutes)

The examiner asks broader, more abstract questions linked to your Part 2 topic. This is where you earn the higher bands, so give opinions, compare, speculate and justify. Use phrases like "It depends on…", "On the one hand… on the other…", and "I'd argue that…".

Part 3 sample question + model answer

Q: Do you think schools should teach practical skills as well as academic subjects?

Model: "Absolutely, and I'd argue they're just as important. Academic knowledge matters, but many graduates leave school unable to manage money or communicate well in an interview. If schools built in practical skills — basic finance, public speaking, even simple coding — students would be far better prepared for real life. That said, the challenge is fitting it into an already crowded timetable."

The four things examiners actually reward

• Fluency: keep going. A little hesitation is fine; long silences are not. Fillers like "that's an interesting question" buy thinking time.
• Vocabulary: precise collocations and idiomatic phrases beat rare 'big words' used incorrectly.
• Grammar: mix simple and complex sentences, and use a range of tenses accurately.
• Pronunciation: clarity and natural sentence stress matter far more than accent — you do not need to sound British or American.

Common mistakes that cap your score

• One-word or one-line answers in Part 1.
• Memorised speeches — examiners spot them instantly and mark them down.
• Running out of things to say in Part 2 (fix this by telling a story, not listing).
• Giving yes/no answers in Part 3 instead of developing a position.

How to practise Speaking effectively

Speaking improves fastest with recorded practice and honest feedback. On IELTSVega you can practise real Part 1, 2 and 3 questions, record your answers with the built-in timer (including the Part 2 preparation minute), and get instant AI scoring against all four Speaking criteria — including pronunciation. Do a few every day and your fluency compounds quickly.