IELTS Speaking Mock Test with Band Score Guide
Quick answer: This page gives you a complete, original IELTS Speaking mock test you can run at home. It has an examiner script for Part 1 (4 to 5 minutes), a Part 2 cue card with 1 minute to prepare and 1 to 2 minutes to speak, and Part 3 discussion questions (4 to 5 minutes). Record yourself, then score your answers with the self-assessment guide.
Last updated: 29 October 2026
How does the IELTS Speaking test work?
The Speaking test lasts 11 to 14 minutes and has three parts. It is the same for Academic and General Training, and it is recorded. Depending on the centre, it may be on the same day as your other sections or up to about 7 days before or after. The timings below are from the official IELTS Speaking format page.
| Part | Time | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | 4 to 5 minutes | Short questions about you and familiar topics |
| Part 2 | 3 to 4 minutes in total | 1 minute to prepare a cue card, then speak for 1 to 2 minutes |
| Part 3 | 4 to 5 minutes | A discussion of wider questions linked to the Part 2 topic |
There is no Speaking test in Band Ready Practice Series 1, so use the script on this page. Ask a friend to read the examiner lines, or read them aloud yourself and record your answers on your phone.
Part 1: examiner script (4 to 5 minutes)
Examiner: Good morning. Please tell me your full name. Thank you, and can I check your ID? Thank you. Let's begin with a few questions about you and your everyday life.
Topic 1: Where you live
- Do you live in a house or a flat?
- What do you like most about the area where you live?
- Is there anything you would like to change about it?
- Has your area changed much since you were a child?
Topic 2: Mornings
- Would you say you are a morning person?
- What do you usually do in the first hour after you wake up?
- Did you have a different routine when you were younger?
- Is there anything you would like to change about your mornings?
Topic 3: Rainy days
- Does it rain a lot where you live?
- How do you feel on rainy days?
- What do you like to do indoors when the weather is bad?
Tip: Aim for two to four sentences per answer. Give a direct answer, then a reason or an example. One-word answers give the examiner very little to assess.
Part 2: cue card (3 to 4 minutes)
Examiner: Here is a card with a topic on it. You have one minute to get ready, and you can write notes on this paper. Then please speak about the topic for one to two minutes.
Describe a practical skill you learned outside school.
You should say:
- what the skill is
- who taught you, or how you learned it
- how long it took you to learn
and explain why this skill is useful to you.
Examiner (after 1 minute): Your minute is up. Please begin now, and keep going until I stop you.
Follow-up questions: Do you still use this skill often? Would you like to teach it to someone else?
Sample answer
I'd like to talk about fixing a puncture on a bicycle, which is something I learned from a neighbour when I was about thirteen. I used to cycle to school every day, and I got flat tyres all the time, so I was always pushing my bike home and waiting for my dad to sort it out.
One evening our neighbour, a retired mechanic, saw me struggling and offered to show me. He was very patient. First he showed me how to take the tyre off without damaging it, then how to find the hole by putting the tube in a bucket of water and watching for bubbles. After that, I learned to clean the area, put on a patch and check that it held.
Honestly, it took me three or four attempts before I could do it on my own, because my first patches kept peeling off. But after about two weeks I could fix a puncture in fifteen minutes.
The reason it's so useful is that it saves me time and money, and I don't have to depend on anyone else. More than that, it gave me confidence. Once I'd fixed something myself, I started to believe I could learn other practical things too, like basic repairs around the house.
Why it works: It covers every point on the card in order and uses a clear sequence ("First", "then", "After that"). It includes precise vocabulary (puncture, patch, tube, peeling off) and a mix of past tenses ("used to cycle", "Once I'd fixed"). The last part goes beyond the card to explain a personal effect, which shows the speaker can develop ideas.
Part 3: discussion questions (4 to 5 minutes)
Examiner: You told me about a practical skill you learned. Let's now talk about skills and learning more generally.
Learning practical skills
- Which practical skills do you think every young person should learn?
- Should schools teach skills such as cooking and basic repairs, or is that the family's job?
- Why do some people prefer to learn from online videos rather than from a teacher?
Skills and work
- Do you think practical skills are valued less than academic qualifications? Why?
- How might the skills people need for work change in the next twenty years?
- Is it ever too late for an adult to learn a completely new skill?
Examiner: Thank you. That is the end of the Speaking test.
Tip: Part 3 asks for opinions about society, not just your own life. Give your view, explain why, and consider another side: "Some people would argue that..., but in my view...".
How do you score your Speaking mock test?
Speaking is assessed on four criteria: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation. Listen to your recording and decide which description fits you best for each one.
The guide below is our own simplified, unofficial summary to help you practise. It is not the official IELTS band descriptors, and it cannot give you an exact band.
| Criterion | Around Band 5 | Around Band 6 | Around Band 7 | Band 8 and above |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fluency and Coherence | You stop often to search for words and repeat yourself. Linking is mostly "and", "but" and "because". | You keep going and give full answers, with some hesitation or self-correction. You use a range of linking words, not always well. | Your answers run to several sentences and flow well. You pause now and then, but the listener never loses the thread. | You sound relaxed for the whole test. Any pauses are for choosing ideas, and your answers build logically. |
| Lexical Resource | You manage familiar topics but run short of words on new ones, and you repeat the same words. | You have enough words to discuss each topic at length. When you lack a word, you explain it another way. | You choose words with care, use some less common words and natural phrases, and make a few slips. | You use a wide, flexible vocabulary, including idiomatic phrases that sound natural, with rare mistakes. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Mostly short, simple sentences. Longer sentences often go wrong. | A mix of short and longer sentences. Errors are common in the longer ones, but meaning stays clear. | Plenty of complex sentences, many of them error-free, though some mistakes remain. | A wide range of structures, and most sentences contain no errors at all. |
| Pronunciation | Usually understood, but some words or sounds make the listener work hard. | Clear most of the time, with some unclear sounds or word stress in places. | Easy to follow throughout. Stress and intonation help your meaning, with occasional lapses. | Easy to understand all the time. Stress, rhythm and intonation sound natural. |
What should you do after the mock test?
- Listen to the whole recording once without stopping, as a listener would.
- Count your long pauses in Part 2. If you stopped before one minute, practise more cue cards.
- Write down three words you repeated and find two alternatives for each.
- Pick one grammar point to improve, such as past tenses or conditionals, and use it on purpose in your next test.
- Repeat the test in a week with new Part 1 topics and a new cue card, and compare the two recordings.
For more practice, see our cue cards with sample answers and Part 3 guide.
Practise now: There is no Speaking test in Band Ready Practice Series 1, so run the script above today. Then complete the rest of your mock exam with Listening Test 1, Academic Reading Test 1 and Writing Test 1.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the IELTS Speaking test?
The Speaking test lasts 11 to 14 minutes. Part 1 is 4 to 5 minutes, Part 2 is 3 to 4 minutes including 1 minute to prepare, and Part 3 is 4 to 5 minutes.
Is the Speaking test the same for Academic and General Training?
Yes. The Speaking test is the same for Academic and General Training candidates.
How long should I speak in Part 2?
You have 1 minute to prepare and then speak for 1 to 2 minutes. Try to keep talking until the examiner stops you.
Is the IELTS Speaking test recorded?
Yes. The IELTS Speaking test is recorded.
Can this mock test give me an exact Speaking band?
No. The self-assessment guide on this page is a simplified, unofficial summary. It helps you see your strengths and weaknesses, but only a trained examiner can give you a real band.
Is the Speaking test on the same day as the other sections?
It may be on the same day or up to about 7 days before or after the other sections, depending on the test centre.
Does Band Ready have an online Speaking test?
No. Practice Series 1 covers Listening, Reading and Writing. This page gives you a full Speaking script to use at home instead.