How is IELTS Speaking Graded?
The IELTS speaking test is an important part of the IELTS exam. There are no right or wrong answers. So, how is your speaking scored in the IELTS speaking test? How can you know what is needed to get IELTS speaking band score 6.5 or IELTS speaking band score 7.5?You must understand the four features of your speaking the examiner will evaluate: fluency, cohesion, grammatical range and accuracy and pronunciation.
It is essential to practice and make sure you can meet these criteria for the IELTS speaking band score you need to achieve.
Here are some tips to help you achieve the best IELTS speaking score you can.
IELTS Speaking Test
The IELTS speaking test consists of three different sections during which the IELTS examiner will ask you some introductory questions.Then the IELTS examiner will ask you to talk about a topic for 1 -2 minutes.
And in the final part, the IELTS examiner will ask you some follow up questions related to the topic in the second part of the interview and expand the discussion asking you about your views and ideas in response to some additional discussion questions.
The purpose of the IELTS speaking test is to evaluate how effectively you can communicate in English.
Each IELTS speaking interview lasts an average of 15 minutes and is recorded.
IELTS speaking performance
The IELTS candidate’s speaking performance is given an IELTS speaking band score based on the 9 levels of proficiency in IELTS. For more detailed information and a description of the IELTS bands see theIELTS speaking criteria
The IELTS examiner will listen to the IELTS candidate’s responses during the IELTS interview and grade or evaluate their speaking performance throughout the interview based on the following criteria:Fluency and Coherence
This is the candidate’s ability to speak in a normal way, continuously, at a normal speed, without any longer than normal pauses, and the candidate’s skill at organizing and connecting their ideas together to form coherent speech. The rate of speech and ability to maintain continuity of speech provide evidence of the candidate’s fluency.Lexical Resource
This evaluates the candidate’s ability to use a wide range of vocabulary and their level of competence using English to express meaning and attitude with accuracy or precision. How varied the vocabulary is that the candidate uses and how appropriate and suitable the words are related to the context are important factors. The candidate’s ability to deal with occasions when they can’t remember a certain word and have to paraphrase or use other words to describe things is also taken into account.Grammatical Range and Accuracy
This measures the IELTS candidate’s ability to use a variety of different grammatical structures and the level or degree of accuracy or precision the candidate demonstrates when applying them. How frequently the candidate makes errors and how much those errors influence the clarity of communication are important in the evaluation.Pronunciation:
This evaluates the IELTS candidate’s ability to use normal phonological features of English pronunciation correctly, consistently and precisely in order to transmit correct meaning. The rhythm, emphasis and intonation of the IELTS candidate’s speech are monitored as well as the clarity of sounds and how easily the candidate can be understood.