IELTS Speaking
IELTS Speaking: the test, the questions and how to practise
A face-to-face conversation in three parts, about 14 minutes. Below: how each part runs, how it is scored, and the 58 Part 2 cue cards for September–December 2026.
Format
Three parts, about 14 minutes
Part 1 is a short interview about you. Part 2 is a long turn on a cue card. Part 3 is a discussion of bigger questions on the same theme.
Parte 1 · EntrevistaUnos 4 min
Preguntas breves sobre 3 temas cotidianos: tu hogar, trabajo o estudios y tus actividades.
PreparaciónHablar
Parte 2 · Turno largoDe 3 a 4 min
1 minuto para preparar notas, hasta 2 minutos para hablar y luego 1 pregunta breve.
Parte 3 · DiscusiónDe 4 a 5 min
Preguntas más amplias relacionadas con el tema de la Parte 2, con hasta 2 preguntas de seguimiento cada una.
Scoring
Four criteria, each worth a quarter of the band
| Fluency and Coherence | How long you can keep going without strain, and whether your ideas link up and are easy to follow. |
|---|---|
| Lexical Resource | The range and precision of your words, including natural phrases and paraphrasing when you don’t know a word. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | A mix of simple and complex sentences, and how many of them are free of errors. |
| Pronunciation | How easy you are to understand, including stress, rhythm and intonation. |
Bands run from 0 to 9 in half steps. Ashore scores the first three on every answer. Not assessed yet. The report says “not assessed” instead of guessing a number.
September–December 2026
28 new cue cards this season
- NewDescribe a person you know who did something difficult and was successful.People
- NewDescribe a happy person you know.People
- NewDescribe a person you know who is very organised.People
- NewDescribe a person you know who really likes taking photos.People
- NewDescribe someone older than you that you admire.People
- NewDescribe a person who is good at making things by hand.People
- NewDescribe a person who studies history and loves it.People
- NewDescribe a person who taught you a new skill.People