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IELTS SpeakingYou speak English. But do you know what IELTS Speaking is listening for?
Maybe your Speaking result came back lower than you expected. Maybe your first test is coming, you use English every day, and you are not sure what the examiner is actually assessing. You may not need more advanced words. The issue may be how you develop your answers, your grammar, your fluency or your pronunciation.
The Diagnostic is $60. The roadmap is free.
Same question. Two answers.
Read both answers to this Part 3 question. Which one gives the examiner more to reward?
Part 3: Do you think technology has made people's lives better?
Well, that's a very interesting question. In this day and age, technology plays a vital role in our lives, and it has both advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, it is a double-edged sword. On the other hand, it has revolutionised the way we live. So, all in all, I would say it depends on the situation.
It sounds impressive at first. But it could answer almost any question about technology. There is no real opinion, no reason and no example. Phrases like these are very easy for an examiner to recognise.
Mostly yes, I think. The biggest change for me is keeping in touch with family. My parents live in another country, and ten years ago we spoke maybe once a month because calls were expensive. Now we have a video call every Sunday and I can watch my niece growing up. But I'd say it depends how you use it, because I also lose a lot of evenings scrolling on my phone.
Plain words, but a clear answer, a real reason, a specific example and a thought that goes one step further. This is what natural development sounds like.
What makes Answer B work
Answer
A direct answer to the question, straight away.
Reason
Why you think so, in your own words.
Specific detail
Something real from your life. It makes the answer yours.
Natural development
You take the idea one step further, the way people do in a real conversation.
This is not a formula to memorise. The words change with every question. The habit of answering, explaining and adding something real is what carries over to a question you have never heard.
The four Speaking criteria, in plain words
Your Speaking band comes from four criteria of equal weight.
Fluency and Coherence
Can you keep going without long pauses, and do your ideas connect in a way that is easy to follow? Speaking fast is not the goal.
Lexical Resource
Can you talk about different topics with suitable words, and say it another way when you do not know a word? Natural and accurate beats rare.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Do you use a mix of simple and complex sentences, and how well do you control them? Dropped endings, like “I work there last year”, count here.
Pronunciation
How easy are you to understand? Clear sounds, word stress, sentence stress and endings. Your accent is not marked. You do not need a British accent, or any other accent.
Where are you starting from?
Your Speaking came back lower than expected
Before you pay another exam fee, find out why. It might be rehearsed answers, short answers in Part 3, long pauses in Part 2, or grammar slips when you speak fast. If the preparation does not change, the result may not change either.
This is your first test
You use English at work, at home or with friends. Good. But your first official test should not be the first time you find out how you handle a stranger, a timer and a topic you did not choose. Check before the fee is on the line.
How Teacher J works on it with you
Listen
She listens to you answer IELTS style questions and notes what is holding the score down.
Work on it
In class, you practise the habit that needs to change, on new questions, never on memorised answers.
Check it
New topic, no preparation. Can you still do it? If you can, the skill is yours.
We are not selling you another mock test
Free and paid mock tests already exist, and they are useful. A mock tells you how you did on that mock. The Diagnostic gives Teacher J evidence of how you actually work, so she can tell you what deserves attention first, before you spend weeks practising the wrong thing.
First attempt? The aim is to find the gaps before the official test does.
Taking it again? The aim is to understand what needs to change before you pay another exam fee.
How it works
- You choose your exam and skills and pay $60.
- Straight after you pay, a private link and an 8 digit password arrive by email. Take the test whenever you are ready in the next 14 days.
- The timed test itself is 40 minutes. Refreshing or closing the page does not add time.
- Teacher J reviews your work herself and sends your feedback within 48 hours.
To be clear: this is not an official IELTS or PTE score, and it does not guarantee a result. It shows you what to fix first.
Not ready to book? Start with the free roadmap
Tell us your exam, your target and how much time you have. You get a week by week study plan on screen straight away, and a copy by email. It takes about 2 minutes. No card needed.
Build my free roadmapShort answers
Do I need a British accent for IELTS Speaking?
No. Your accent is not marked. Pronunciation is about how easy you are to understand: clear sounds, word stress and sentence stress. Speakers with many different accents score well.
Should I memorise answers for common topics?
No. Memorised answers are easy for an examiner to notice, and they rarely fit the exact question. Practise the skill of answering and developing instead, so you can handle a question you have never seen.
How does the Diagnostic check my Speaking?
You record your answers to Speaking tasks inside the timed test. Teacher J listens to your recordings herself and tells you what to work on first. It is not an official IELTS score.
I have never taken IELTS. Where do I start?
Build your free roadmap if you want a plan first. Book the Diagnostic if you want Teacher J to hear your Speaking and tell you what to fix before test day.
Read more in the Knowledge base
Find out what your Speaking needs first
Book the Diagnostic so Teacher J can hear you, or build your free roadmap to plan your weeks.
The Diagnostic is $60. The roadmap is free.