How IELTS speaking is being Scored

 I used to do a lot of speaking mock exam, it was a long process but I got to know our students better.  I would ask them after the interview what they think they needed to work on or what their concerns were. 

The students tend to worry about the topic they might get for the second task.  “What if I don’t know anything about the topic?” was the biggest concern.  Second was probably pronunciation.  It is therefore good to know how you’re being graded and what the examiners are looking for.

Knowing what the examiners are looking for will help you focus your efforts when preparing for the exam.  Instead of trying to improve on every aspect (although you probably should if you have the time), you can focus your efforts and hopefully improve your chances within the limited time that you have.

Fluency and coherence – fluency is the ability to flow from one sentence or idea to the next.  Your ability to use connecting words or phrases will help you achieve a better grade.  An easy and smooth transition doesn’t mean you can’t have pauses, it means that your gaps should be associated with the right idea rather than hesitating with finding the right words or structure.  Coherence is the flow of your ideas, whether they are logical, orderly and consistent.

Lexical Resource – this pertains to your vocabulary and ability to use idiomatic expressions.  A wide range of vocabulary and idioms are good to have, but precision or proper use is even more important. 

Grammatical range and resource – this is one of the reasons you want to avoid one word answers.  If given a yes or no question, answer yes or no first, then explain.  This is your ability to form sentences properly, your ability to use and mix simple with complex structures determines how high your score will be.

Pronunciation – I’m having a hard time trying to come up with an explanation for this.  Utterance of speech is what comes to mind, but the general idea here is to be as clear and consistent as you can be.  Try not to mumble, the examiner may not understand you and end up deducting marks on pronunciation.

Here is a link to a public version of an IELTS speaking band descriptors

For other tips, check out the Speaking Category