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IELTS Speaking · 2026

A 11–14 minute conversation in three parts.

A face-to-face (or video) interview, identical for Academic and General Training. Marked on Fluency & Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range & Accuracy, and Pronunciation. It's a conversation — extend your answers, speak naturally, and let some personality through. There are no 'right opinions', only well-expressed English.

Part 1
Interview · 4–5 min
Part 2
Long turn · 1 min prep + 1–2 min
Part 3
Discussion · 4–5 min
Criteria
FC · LR · GRA · Pronunciation

How to push your Speaking band up

  • Extend every answer — a reason plus an example turns a Band 5 answer into a Band 7.
  • Fluency beats perfection: keep going; a single self-correction is fine, freezing is not.
  • Show range — idioms, mixed tenses, topic vocabulary — to lift Lexical Resource and GRA.
  • Pronunciation is clarity and natural stress/intonation, not accent.

The three parts

Part 1 — Introduction & interview

Familiar questions about you: home, work/study, hobbies, hometown, daily routine. The warm-up — keep it natural and personal.

How to answer

  1. 1Answer directly, then add a reason or detail (2–3 sentences).
  2. 2Mix tenses naturally (I usually…, last weekend I…, I'm hoping to…).
  3. 3Sound relaxed — these are the easy questions.

Do

  • Extend with 'because…', 'for example…', 'these days…'.
  • Use contractions and natural spoken English.

Don't

  • Don't give one-word answers.
  • Don't recite memorised speeches — they sound unnatural and lower your score.

Useful language

  • To be honest…; I'd say…; I'm really into…; It depends, but usually…; I've never been a big fan of…

Worked example

Do you enjoy cooking?

Band 8–9

To be honest, I do — although I didn't used to. I've really got into it over the last couple of years, mainly because it's such a good way to unwind after a long day. Just last night I made a Thai green curry from scratch, which turned out surprisingly well!

  • Direct answer → reason → specific recent example, all in natural spoken English.
  • Range: mixed tenses (do / didn't use to / 've got into / made), phrasal verbs ('got into', 'unwind') and a natural exclamation.

Part 2 — Long turn (cue card)

A topic card with prompts; 1 minute to prepare, then you speak for 1–2 minutes uninterrupted.

How to answer

  1. 1Use the prep minute to jot keywords for each bullet — not full sentences.
  2. 2Cover all bullets, but treat them as a springboard to tell a story.
  3. 3Keep talking for the full two minutes; it's fine to be stopped.

Do

  • Use the prep minute.
  • Use past/future tenses and descriptive vocabulary.

Don't

  • Don't stop after 30 seconds.
  • Don't just read out the bullets mechanically.

Useful language

  • I'd like to talk about…; It all started when…; What made it special was…; Looking back…; I'll never forget…

Worked example

Describe a place you visited that left a strong impression on you. You should say: where it was; when you went; what you did there; and explain why it made such an impression.

Band 8–9

I'd like to talk about a trip I took to Kyoto in Japan, about three years ago, during the autumn. What drew me there was the promise of the changing leaves, and it completely lived up to it. I spent most of my days simply wandering — visiting old temples, walking through a bamboo forest, and sitting by the river watching the maple leaves drift down. What made it so memorable, though, wasn't any single sight; it was the atmosphere — this incredible sense of calm and craftsmanship in everything, from the gardens to the food. Looking back, it was one of those rare trips that genuinely changed how I think about slowing down, and I've wanted to go back ever since.

  • All four bullets covered, but woven into a narrative rather than listed.
  • Rich descriptive vocabulary, varied structures, and a reflective 'looking back' close — sustained for the full turn.

Part 3 — Two-way discussion

Abstract, opinion-based questions linked to the Part 2 topic. Answers should be more analytical and general than Part 1.

How to answer

  1. 1Give an opinion, justify it, and consider another angle.
  2. 2Speak about society, trends and the future — not just yourself.
  3. 3Buy thinking time naturally ('That's a good question — I'd say…').

Do

  • Develop ideas: claim → reason → example → implication.
  • Use hedging/speculation (it depends, arguably, it might) to show range.

Don't

  • Don't give short answers — Part 3 rewards developed responses.
  • Don't panic about 'knowing' the answer — there's no right one.

Useful language

  • Arguably…; It largely depends on…; There's a strong case that…; On the other hand…; In the long run…

Worked example

Do you think tourism always benefits local communities?

Band 8–9

Not always, no — it really depends on how it's managed. On the one hand, tourism can be a huge economic lifeline: it creates jobs and can fund the preservation of heritage sites that might otherwise fall into disrepair. On the other hand, when it's poorly managed, you get 'over-tourism' — rising rents that push out locals, and a kind of cultural dilution where a place starts performing for visitors rather than living authentically. So arguably the benefit isn't automatic; it hinges on whether the profits actually stay in the community and whether growth is kept sustainable.

  • Balanced, analytical answer: both sides, a real concept ('over-tourism'), and a conditional conclusion.
  • Hedging and sophisticated linking ('arguably', 'it hinges on') signal a high band.

References & further reading

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