ielts-speaking-coach

IELTS Speaking Coach

The IELTS Speaking test is a 11–14 minute face-to-face interview in three parts. It is assessed live or via recording by a trained examiner on four equally-weighted criteria. Unlike Writing, there is no minimum word count — but depth, naturalness, and range are rewarded.

Use this when

• The user wants to practise any part of the Speaking test (mock questions, sample answers, role-play).
• The user provides a transcript or written version of a spoken response and wants scoring feedback.
• The user asks how to improve fluency, extend answers, or use more natural language.
• The user wants to understand the scoring criteria or prepare for a specific topic.

Do not use this when

• The user is working on Writing Task 1 or Task 2. Use the appropriate writing skill.
• The user is preparing a formal presentation or research talk — use a presentation-specific skill.

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Test Structure

Part	Duration	Format
Part 1 — Introduction & Interview	4–5 min	Familiar topics: home, work/study, hobbies, daily routine. Short answers expected (2–4 sentences).
Part 2 — Individual Long Turn	3–4 min	Candidate speaks for 1–2 minutes on a cue card topic. 1 minute preparation time.
Part 3 — Two-way Discussion	4–5 min	Abstract discussion linked to Part 2 topic. Extended, analytical answers expected.

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Band Descriptors (Speaking)

All four criteria are weighted equally. The overall Speaking band is the average, rounded to the nearest 0.5.

Full band-by-band reference (bands 5–9, all four Speaking criteria) with links to the official IELTS descriptors: references/ielts-band-descriptors.md. Consult it before assigning a band so scoring stays anchored to the public criteria, not impression.

Fluency and Coherence (FC)

Band	Descriptor
9	Speaks fluently with only rare repetition or self-correction; hesitation is content-related, not word-searching; fully coherent discourse; develops topics fully and appropriately
8	Fluent with only occasional repetition or self-correction; hesitation usually content-related and only rarely language-searching; develops topics coherently and appropriately
7	Speaks at length without noticeable effort or loss of coherence; may show language-related hesitation at times, or some repetition or self-correction; uses a range of connectives and discourse markers with some flexibility
6	Willing to speak at length but may lose coherence due to occasional repetition, self-correction, or hesitation; uses connectives and discourse markers but not always appropriately
5	Usually maintains flow but uses repetition, self-correction, or slow speech to keep going; may over-use certain connectives; produces simple speech fluently but more complex communication causes fluency problems
4	Cannot always maintain fluency; produces simple speech fluently but complex communication causes hesitation; limited ability to link simple sentences
3	Limited ability to sustain speech; frequently speaks in short utterances

Lexical Resource (LR)

Band	Descriptor
9	Uses vocabulary with full flexibility and precision across all topics; uses idiomatic language naturally and accurately
8	Wide vocabulary readily and flexibly used across topics; uses less common and idiomatic vocabulary with some awareness of style and collocation (with some inappropriate choices); paraphrases effectively
7	Vocabulary resource flexibly used across topics; uses some less common and idiomatic vocabulary with some awareness of style and collocation; paraphrases effectively
6	Wide enough vocabulary to discuss topics at length and make meaning clear despite some inappropriacies; generally paraphrases successfully
5	Manages familiar and unfamiliar topics but uses vocabulary with limited flexibility; attempts paraphrase but with mixed success
4	Able to discuss familiar topics but can only convey basic meaning on unfamiliar topics; frequent word choice errors; rarely attempts paraphrase
3	Uses simple vocabulary to convey personal information; insufficient vocabulary for less familiar topics

Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA)

Band	Descriptor
9	Full range of structures naturally and appropriately used; consistently accurate structures apart from slips characteristic of native speakers
8	Wide range of structures flexibly used; majority of utterances error-free; only very occasional inappropriacies or basic/non-systematic errors
7	Range of complex structures with some flexibility; frequently produces error-free sentences, though some grammatical mistakes persist
6	Mix of simple and complex structures but with limited flexibility; frequent mistakes with complex structures, though these rarely cause comprehension difficulties
5	Basic sentence forms with reasonable accuracy; limited range of more complex structures, usually containing errors that may cause some comprehension difficulties
4	Basic sentence forms and some correct simple sentences; subordinate structures rare; frequent errors may lead to misunderstanding
3	Attempts basic sentence forms with limited success or relies on memorised utterances; many errors except in memorised expressions

Pronunciation (P)

Band	Descriptor
9	Full range of phonological features with precision and subtlety; effortless to understand
8	Wide range of phonological features; easy to understand throughout; L1 accent has minimal effect on intelligibility
7	Shows features of Band 6 and some of Band 8; easy to understand throughout; some features of native-speaker rhythm and intonation
6	Uses a range of phonological features but control is variable; some effective use of features but not sustained; generally understood but mispronunciation of individual words or sounds reduces clarity at times
5	Shows features of Band 4 and some of Band 6; accent clearly noticeable; mispronunciations cause some listener difficulty
4	Limited range of phonological features; attempts to control features with inconsistent success; frequent mispronunciations cause some difficulty for the listener
3	Shows features of Band 2 and some of Band 4; frequently difficult to understand

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Workflow

Step 1 — Identify what the user needs

Determine:

• Which part are they working on? (1 / 2 / 3 / all)
• Do they want mock questions, a sample answer, or feedback on their own answer?
• Do they have a specific topic or difficulty?

Step 2 — Run the mock or analyse the response

If running a mock:

• For Part 1: ask 3–5 topic questions; after each answer, give brief feedback or save feedback for a summary at the end.
• For Part 2: give a cue card with 4 bullet points; allow the user to write a 1–2 minute response; prompt with "Have you covered all four bullet points?".
• For Part 3: ask 3–4 abstract, analytical follow-up questions linked to the Part 2 topic.

If analysing a transcript:

• Assess naturalness and flow even from written text (hesitations, sentence starters, self-corrections if visible).
• Note vocabulary range and any errors in grammar.
• Estimate pronunciation issues from phonetically unusual constructions where possible, and note what you cannot assess from text.

Step 3 — Score and feedback

Report a band estimate for each criterion and an overall estimated band:

Fluency & Coherence:  X / 9
Lexical Resource:     X / 9
Grammatical Range:    X / 9
Pronunciation:        X / 9  (estimated / not assessable from text)
Estimated overall:    X.X / 9

For each criterion below 7, give 2–3 specific, actionable improvements with examples drawn from the user's actual response.

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Part-specific guidance

Part 1 — Short answers

• Aim for 2–4 sentences per answer: direct answer → reason or example → optional elaboration.
• Avoid one-word answers ("Yes." / "No.") — they give the examiner nothing to assess.
• Avoid over-long answers — Part 1 is meant to be conversational.

Example prompt: "Do you enjoy cooking?"

• Weak: "Yes, I like it."
• Strong: "Yes, I really enjoy cooking, especially on weekends when I have more time. I find it quite relaxing to experiment with new recipes — last month I tried making Vietnamese pho for the first time."

Part 2 — Long turn (cue card)

Structure for the 1–2 minute talk:

1. Who / What / Where / When — set the scene quickly (first 20 seconds)
2. Description — develop 2–3 points from the bullet list
3. How you felt / why it matters — personal reaction or significance

Tips:

• Use the 1-minute prep time to jot 3–4 keywords, not full sentences.
• If you finish early, add a brief reflection ("Looking back, I think this was important because…").
• Do not stop abruptly — the examiner will signal when to finish.

Part 3 — Abstract discussion

• Give structured answers: position → reason → example → implication.
• Use hedging language for opinions: "I would argue that…", "It seems to me that…", "There's a strong case for…"
• Show awareness of different perspectives: "While some people might say X, I think Y because…"
• Part 3 rewards analytical depth — don't just repeat Part 2 ideas.

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Key language for speaking

Buying time (natural, not mechanical)

• "That's an interesting question…"
• "Let me think about that for a moment…"
• "It's hard to say exactly, but…"
• "I've never really thought about it that way, but I suppose…"

Avoid overusing "um" and "uh" — they reduce Fluency scores.

Extending answers

• "What I mean by that is…"
• "To give you an example…"
• "This is particularly true when…"
• "In fact, I'd go so far as to say…"

Expressing nuance (important for Band 7+)

• "It really depends on the situation."
• "There are arguments on both sides."
• "While X is generally true, there are exceptions when…"
• "The picture is more complicated than it first appears."

Useful idioms (use naturally, not forced)

• "It goes without saying that…"
• "On balance, I think…"
• "All things considered…"
• "At the end of the day…"

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Common mistakes to flag

1. One-word or one-sentence answers in Part 1 — always extend with a reason or example.
2. Stopping at exactly 1 minute in Part 2 — it is better to fill the full 2 minutes; practise expanding.
3. Overusing "because" as the only connective — vary with "due to", "as a result of", "given that", "since".
4. Memorised answers — examiners are trained to spot them; they may redirect questions if an answer sounds scripted.
5. Saying "I don't know" — always attempt an answer; speculate if unsure ("I'm not entirely sure, but I imagine…").
6. Staying in simple tense structures — Band 7+ requires a range of tenses, conditionals, modals, and passive forms.

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Output format

When giving mock questions:

• List the questions clearly (Part label + question).
• Wait for the user's response before giving feedback, unless they ask for a sample answer first.

When giving sample answers:

• Provide a realistic Band 7–8 answer.
• Annotate 2–3 features that make it effective (vocabulary choice, structure, grammar).

When scoring a transcript:

• Quote the user's response where relevant.
• Provide the scored table.
• Give a revised version of 1–2 weak sentences to illustrate improvements.