IELTS Speaking, three parts with an examiner
A live interview
- Speaking lasts 11 to 14 minutes.
- You sit with one examiner. It is not a recording.
- There are three parts. The test is recorded.
Practice
About how many minutes is the Speaking test? Give the lower end of the range.
It lasts 11 to 14 minutes.
Part 1 and Part 2
- Part 1: questions about yourself and familiar topics — home, work, study, interests.
- Part 2: you get a task card, one minute to prepare, then speak for up to two minutes.
- The examiner may ask one or two follow-up questions after Part 2.
Practice
Complete: in Part 2 you have ___ minute(s) to prepare.
One minute to prepare, then up to two minutes to speak.
Part 3
- A discussion linked to the Part 2 topic, but more abstract.
- Short answers that worked in Part 1 are too thin here. Give a reason, then an example.
- You can ask the examiner to repeat a question. You cannot ask them to explain the topic.
Practice
Who asks the questions?
It is a live interview with one examiner in all three parts.
How to practise
- Use a sample Part 2 card from the Library. Time one minute of notes, then speak without stopping for two minutes.
- Do not write a full script in that minute. Write three prompts.
- Record yourself once. Listen for silence, not for accent.
Practice
You should memorise a full Part 2 speech and say it whatever the card is.
The examiner hears memorised speeches all day. Answer the card in front of you.
Official samples
- Sample cards show the shape of the task. They are not a list of this month's topics.
- Sources, checked on 19 September 2026: IELTS Academic Speaking, sample test questions.
Practice
Match each part to what happens.
Part 3 is not a second Part 1. The questions are broader and more abstract.