At the start of the test, you enter the room and sit down. The examiner will be recording the speaking test.

The examiner always starts the exam by asking you some basic information about yourself such as your name and home country.

You must show proof of identity, such as a passport. Remember to bring the same identification document to the speaking test which you used when you signed up to do the IELTS test.

Next, part 1 begins. Part 1 of the speaking test is between four and five minutes long. In part 1 the examiner always asks about common, everyday topics which should be easy to talk about. The examiner will ask you a number of questions about three different topics. For example, the examiner may ask you about the course you study at university or the job that you do, about clothes, and about a traditional celebration in your country.
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There are a very large number of different topics which you may be asked about and so it is impossible to practice for each one. However, you can prepare for the types of questions which the examiner will ask you. The questions may be about your likes/dislikes, abilities, habits and routines, or past experiences.

If you do not understand the question, you may ask the examiner to rephrase it. You will not lose points for this. Try to avoid giving short answers. If your answers are too short you will receive a poor score for fluency so always try to add detail to your answers and explain yourself fully.

While you are speaking, the examiner will be evaluating your fluency, lexis (vocabulary), grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation. These four areas are all equally important for your band score.