How are your speaking skills assessed?

The IELTS speaking module tests your ability to communicate with native English speakers in an academic environment such as a university. During the speaking test, each candidate is assessed individually by a trained examiner.

Both academic and general training modules have the same format for the speaking test. With some practice you can easily obtain a band score of 8 in the speaking test.

How is your speaking skill assessed?

During the speaking test, the examiner will assess your speaking skills according to the following criteria:

Fluency and coherence

By fluency and coherence, we mean the ability to express ideas clearly without long hesitations.

Range of vocabulary

Your range of vocabulary as well as your ability to use words appropriate for the context is also considered while assessing your performance.

Grammatical range and accuracy

During natural discourse people use a variety of sentence patterns. You should be able to do the same during the speaking test. If you repeat the same sentence patterns, your score will suffer. You must also limit the number of mistakes you make. As far as possible, try to give descriptive answers in grammatically correct English.

Pronunciation

Pronunciation is equally important. The examiner should be able to easily understand what you are saying. This will not be possible if your pronunciation is bad. You should also be able to use features such as intonation and stress naturally. Don’t worry about your accent: it is not taken into consideration.

Manjusha Nambiar

Hi, I'm Manjusha. This is my blog where I give IELTS preparation tips.