Lesson 6 of 8 · 10 min read

Speaking

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Speaking is a recorded, face-to-face conversation with an examiner, lasting 11–14 minutes. It's the same for Academic and General Training.

Part	Length	What happens
1. Introduction & interview	4–5 minutes	Questions about familiar topics: home, work or study, hobbies, food.
2. Long turn	3–4 minutes	You get a task card and 1 minute to prepare, then speak for 1–2 minutes.
3. Discussion	4–5 minutes	Deeper, more abstract questions linked to the Part 2 topic.

How it's marked

Fluency & Coherence: speaking at length without long pauses, ideas in a logical order.
Lexical Resource: a range of vocabulary, including some idiomatic language, used naturally.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy: a mix of structures with few errors.
Pronunciation: easy to understand, with natural stress and intonation. Your accent doesn't matter.

Part 1: extend your answers

Too short vs. just right

Q: Do you enjoy cooking? ✗ "Yes, I do." ✓ "Yes, I really do, especially at weekends when I have more time. I've been learning to make dishes from different countries. Last week I tried cooking jollof rice for the first time, and it turned out better than I expected."

Aim for two or three sentences: answer, reason, example.

Part 2: use your minute well

Write key words for each bullet point on the card, not full sentences.
Add one specific detail or story: names, places and feelings make it vivid.
Speak until the examiner stops you. Two minutes is longer than it feels, so practise with a timer.
If you run out, add how you felt, or what you'd do differently now.

Part 3: think bigger

Questions move from your life to society: "Why do you think…?", "How might this change in the future?"
Give your view, a reason, an example, and if you can, the other side: "On the other hand, some people would argue…".
It's fine to take a moment: "That's an interesting question. I'd say…".

Don't memorise answers. Examiners are trained to recognise rehearsed speech and will mark you down. Practise ideas and vocabulary instead.

Record yourself answering practice questions on your phone and listen back. You'll hear your filler words ("umm", "like") and repeated vocabulary straight away.

Practise speaking with a timer