IELTS Speaking practice: Part 1, 2 and 3 questions
Practise all three parts of the IELTS Speaking test with original questions, including a Part 2 cue card with the one-minute preparation timer. On Stride you can record your answers and get feedback.
IELTS Speaking Part 1 questions
Part 1 lasts four to five minutes. The examiner asks short questions about you and familiar topics. Aim for two or three sentences each: answer, then add a reason or a detail.
Topic: your neighbourhood
- Do you live in a busy area or a quiet one?
- What do you like most about your neighbourhood?
- Is there anything you would change about it?
- How well do you know your neighbours?
Topic: mornings
- What do you usually do first thing in the morning?
- Are you more productive in the morning or the evening?
- Has your morning routine changed in recent years?
IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card, with timer
In Part 2 you get a card, one minute to prepare, and then you speak for one to two minutes without interruption. Use the timer to practise the real rhythm.
Describe a time when you taught someone how to do something.
You should say:
- who you taught
- what you taught them
- how you went about it
- and explain how you felt about the experience
Make notes for one minute, then speak for up to two.
Use your minute to note one or two words for each bullet point, not full sentences. If you run out of things to say, describe what happened afterwards or how you would do it differently.
IELTS Speaking Part 3 questions
Part 3 is a four to five minute discussion linked to the Part 2 topic. The questions are more abstract, so give an opinion, explain it and add an example or a comparison.
- Why do some people find it easier to learn from a friend than from a teacher?
- What makes someone good at explaining things?
- Do you think practical skills are taught well enough at school?
- How has technology changed the way people learn new skills?
- Will people still need human teachers in the future?
How the IELTS Speaking test works
| Part | Length | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1: Introduction and interview | 4–5 minutes | Questions about yourself and everyday topics such as home, work, study and interests. |
| Part 2: Long turn | 3–4 minutes | One minute to prepare, then you speak for one to two minutes on the cue card topic. The examiner may ask one or two follow-up questions. |
| Part 3: Discussion | 4–5 minutes | A two-way discussion of more general ideas connected to the Part 2 topic. |
The whole test takes 11 to 14 minutes and is the same for Academic and General Training. You are marked on four equally weighted criteria: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation.
Practise IELTS Speaking on Stride
Stride's Speaking test takes you through all three parts in order, with the Part 2 preparation minute built in.
- Record each answer in your browser and play it back. The recording stays on your device.
- Your words are transcribed as you speak, and you can correct anything misheard.
- You get an AI-estimated band with feedback on your answers, plus measures such as answer length and filler words.
The feedback is based on the transcript of what you said, so it can assess fluency, vocabulary and grammar, but it cannot hear your pronunciation the way an examiner does. Your first full test is free; see pricing for what comes after, or explore the other IELTS practice tests.
IELTS Speaking questions and answers
- How long should my Part 2 answer be?
- Keep speaking until the examiner stops you, which is at two minutes. Stopping well before one minute suggests you could not develop the topic.
- Can I ask the examiner to repeat a question?
- Yes. Asking for a question to be repeated does not lower your score. In Part 3 you can also ask the examiner to explain a word.
- Do I need a particular accent?
- No. Any accent is fine as long as you are easy to understand. Pronunciation is marked on clarity, word stress, rhythm and intonation.
- Is the Speaking test the same for Academic and General Training?
- Yes. The format, timing and marking criteria are identical.
- Can AI feedback replace a speaking examiner?
- No. It is a practice aid that estimates a band and points out patterns in your answers. Only a certified IELTS examiner gives an official Speaking score.