IELTS Speaking - Speaking Parts 1 and 2

To practise for the speaking test, find a friend or study partner and take it in turns to ask one another questions and speak about the following:
Part 1
In the initial stage of the interview, the examiner will inquire about your general information and knowledge, including your educational background, work experience, and leisure activities. Upon entering the interview room, the interviewer will greet you, verify your identity, and begin the interview by asking you questions on familiar topics. This will give you an opportunity to showcase information about yourself and provide you with a chance to relax and get comfortable. It's crucial that you strive to give elaborate responses, as the interviewer's aim is to get you to speak. Additionally, the questions may revolve around your country's culture, such as its educational system and social customs, or aspects of your lifestyle like family life, hobbies, and city life. These broad areas can lead to numerous questions, so it's not possible to prepare specific answers.
Draw up a personal information form like the one below and be prepared to talk about it for four minutes:

			Your full name
			Nationality
			First language
			Other languages
			Educational background
			Occupation and work experience
			Personal interests
			Family
			Features of your home culture

Then your partner should ask you to talk in more detail about specific aspects, which could include work, education, hobbies and interests or some aspect of the culture of your country, for another four minutes.  The aim here is to show your fluency so it is important to keep the conversation going.
Part 2
In the second stage of the interview you will be given a card which tells you the topic you should talk about for one to two minutes. It also gives you some prompts about what you should include in your talk.  You then have one minute to prepare your topic and you will be allowed to make some notes.  The examiner will tell you when to start and finish and may ask you one or two questions. In this part it is important to try to keep talking for the whole two minutes.  It is not a conversation so do not expect the examiner to join in.
Here are some example cards.  Use them to practise with your partner:

	Describe a wedding you have been to or heard about.              You should say: who got married what they wore what they did on the day and explain how you felt about this wedding.

	Describe a wild animal that can be found in your country. You should say: what it looks like where it lives what you like/don't like about it and explain how people in your country generally feel about it.

Practicing speaking English on your own can also be effective. Record yourself speaking and listen to the playback to evaluate your performance. Focus not just on fluency, but also on clarity, accuracy, and appropriateness in your speech. Organizing your thoughts and using proper introductions, numbered main points, and conclusions can help. Keep in mind that spoken English is less formal than written English and make sure to use appropriate conversational cues.