The IELTS is taken by international students who want to pursue higher education in an English speaking country. And hence the purpose of the IELTS speaking module is to assess a non-native student’s ability to engage in effective oral communication with other speakers of English in educational and social contexts. Each candidate is assessed individually by a trained examiner.

The highest band score you can receive in the speaking module is 9 and the lowest is 1.

During the speaking test, the examiner uses the following criteria to assess your speaking skills.

Fluency and coherence

Candidates who are capable of speaking clearly and coherently without difficulty or hesitation will receive high marks.

Range of vocabulary

While giving answers, you have to use appropriate vocabulary. You answers must also demonstrate your range of vocabulary.

Grammatical range and accuracy

You have to give your answers in grammatically correct English. Of course, part of your answers can consist of fragments, but you must also speak grammatically correct complete sentences. While marking your answers, the examiner will consider the number of grammatical errors you have made. The fewer the mistakes the higher your score.

Pronunciation

Pronunciation is equally important. The examiner should be able to understand what you are saying without any difficulty. You must also be able to use stress and intonation correctly. Don’t worry about your accent. It is not taken into consideration.