What IELTS Examiners Really Listen for in Speaking (Band by Band)

When you walk into an IELTS speaking exam, you are not just having a casual conversation with a friendly examiner. Every word you say, every pause you take, and every grammatical structure you use is being carefully evaluated against a precise set of standards. Understanding exactly what examiners listen for can transform your preparation strategy and dramatically improve your performance.

The IELTS speaking criteria might seem mysterious to many candidates, but they are actually publicly available and remarkably transparent. In this comprehensive guide, we will break down exactly what happens in the examiner's mind as they assess your speaking ability, band by band.

The Four Pillars of IELTS Speaking Assessment

Before diving into specific band descriptors, it is essential to understand that your speaking performance is evaluated across four distinct criteria, each carrying equal weight in your final score. The criteria for IELTS speaking assessment are:

• Fluency and Coherence (FC) - How smoothly and logically you speak
• Lexical Resource (LR) - Your vocabulary range and accuracy
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA) - Your command of English grammar
• Pronunciation (P) - How clearly and naturally you pronounce English

Each criterion is scored separately, and your final speaking band is the average of these four scores. This means a weakness in one area can be compensated by strength in another, but balanced development across all four is the most reliable path to a high score.

Band 9: The Expert Speaker

At Band 9, examiners are listening for near-native proficiency. This does not mean you need to sound British or American—it means your English flows effortlessly and naturally.

Fluency and Coherence: Band 9 speakers demonstrate complete fluency with only rare repetition or self-correction. Their speech flows naturally with fully appropriate coherence features. They develop topics fully and appropriately without any apparent effort.

Lexical Resource: These speakers use vocabulary with full flexibility and precision in all topics. They use idiomatic language naturally and accurately throughout their responses.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 9 candidates use a full range of structures naturally and appropriately. They produce consistently accurate sentences with only very occasional slips that are immediately self-corrected.

Pronunciation: The full range of pronunciation features is used with precision and subtlety. The speaker maintains flexible use of features throughout and is effortless to understand.

Band 8: The Very Good Speaker

Band 8 represents a very high level of English proficiency, and this is where many candidates aiming for competitive university programs or professional registration need to reach.

What Examiners Hear: At this level, speech is fluent with only occasional repetition or self-correction. Hesitation is usually content-related (thinking about ideas) rather than language-related (searching for words). Topic development is relevant and extended.

The key difference between Band 8 and 9 is consistency. Band 8 speakers may occasionally search for language or make minor errors, while Band 9 speakers maintain near-perfect performance throughout the 11-14 minute exam.

Vocabulary expectations: Band 8 candidates use a wide vocabulary resource readily and flexibly. They use less common and idiomatic vocabulary skillfully, with occasional inaccuracies. They use paraphrase effectively as required.

Band 7: The Good Speaker

Band 7 is often the target score for university admissions and immigration purposes. At this level, the IELTS speaking criteria become more forgiving of occasional errors while still demanding strong overall performance.

Fluency characteristics: Band 7 speakers speak at length without noticeable effort or loss of coherence. They may demonstrate some hesitation or occasional repetition and self-correction, but these do not significantly impede communication. They use a range of connectives and discourse markers with some flexibility.

Grammar at Band 7: These candidates use a range of complex structures with some flexibility. They frequently produce error-free sentences, though some grammatical mistakes persist. The key is that errors do not impede communication.

Vocabulary at Band 7: Speakers use vocabulary resource flexibly to discuss a variety of topics. They use some less common and idiomatic vocabulary and show some awareness of style and collocation, with some inappropriate choices. They use paraphrase effectively.

Band 6: The Competent Speaker

Many IELTS speaking exam candidates find themselves at Band 6, which represents competent but limited English proficiency. Understanding what separates Band 6 from Band 7 is crucial for those seeking to improve.

What holds Band 6 speakers back:

• Willingness to speak at length but with some loss of coherence due to occasional repetition, self-correction, or hesitation
• Use of connectives and discourse markers that may not always be appropriate
• A vocabulary adequate for the discussion but lacking precision in less familiar topics
• A mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but complex structures often contain errors

The examiner at this level notices that while communication is effective, there is visible effort and occasional breakdown. The candidate can handle familiar topics well but struggles with abstract or unfamiliar subjects.

Band 5: The Modest Speaker

At Band 5, candidates can maintain simple communication on familiar topics but struggle significantly when the conversation becomes more demanding.

Fluency issues: Speech is slow with frequent repetition and self-correction. The speaker can link basic sentences but often fails to produce coherent extended speech. Overuse of certain connectives and discourse markers is common.

Vocabulary limitations: The range is limited but adequate for familiar topics. Simple paraphrase is used with limited success. Errors are frequent when attempting to discuss unfamiliar topics.

Grammar patterns: Band 5 speakers produce basic sentence forms with reasonable accuracy. Complex structures are rare and usually faulty. Errors are frequent and may cause some comprehension problems.

What Examiners Notice First

While all four criteria for IELTS speaking are equally weighted, examiners often form initial impressions based on certain observable features:

Immediate fluency indicators: How quickly do you respond to questions? Do you need the question repeated? Can you speak for the full two minutes in Part 2 without significant pauses?

Vocabulary signals: Do you use the same words repeatedly, or do you demonstrate range? Can you paraphrase when you do not know an exact word? Do you use topic-specific vocabulary appropriately?

Grammar red flags: Consistent errors with basic structures (subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, article usage) signal lower band performance even when vocabulary is strong.

Pronunciation clarity: Can the examiner understand you without significant effort? Do you use intonation to convey meaning? Are individual sounds produced clearly?

Common Misconceptions About IELTS Speaking Assessment

Many candidates preparing for the IELTS speaking exam hold mistaken beliefs about what examiners are looking for:

Myth 1: You need a British or American accent.
Reality: Examiners assess whether you can be understood easily, not whether you sound like a native speaker. Many Band 9 speakers retain their original accents while demonstrating excellent pronunciation features.

Myth 2: Complex vocabulary always impresses.
Reality: Using sophisticated words incorrectly hurts your score more than using simple words correctly. Examiners value appropriate word choice over ambitious attempts that miss the mark.

Myth 3: Speaking faster shows fluency.
Reality: Fluency is about smooth, connected speech—not speed. Speaking too quickly often leads to errors and can actually reduce your score.

Myth 4: You must always give long answers.
Reality: In Part 1, concise answers of 2-3 sentences are appropriate. Examiners notice when candidates artificially extend responses beyond what is natural.

How Examiners Calibrate Their Judgments

IELTS examiners undergo rigorous training and regular recertification to ensure consistent scoring worldwide. During the exam, they are listening for specific features that indicate each band level.

The listening process: Examiners do not score in real-time. Instead, they conduct the interview naturally while making mental notes. Immediately after you leave, they review their observations and assign scores for each criterion.

Evidence-based scoring: Every score must be justifiable based on observable language features. Examiners cannot give you a higher score because you seemed intelligent or a lower score because you were nervous. Only your actual language production counts.

The importance of range: Examiners look for evidence of your full range across all three parts of the test. Part 1 might not give you opportunities to demonstrate complex structures, but Parts 2 and 3 will. They consider your best performance across the entire exam.

Preparing With the Criteria in Mind

Now that you understand the IELTS speaking criteria in detail, you can design targeted preparation strategies:

For Fluency: Practice speaking on various topics for 2 minutes without stopping. Record yourself and listen for unnecessary pauses, repetition, and self-correction. Work on discourse markers and connectives.

For Vocabulary: Build topic-specific vocabulary for common IELTS themes: technology, environment, education, health, work, and leisure. Practice paraphrasing when you do not know exact words.

For Grammar: Identify your most common errors and practice eliminating them. Work on using a variety of structures: conditionals, passive voice, relative clauses, and perfect tenses.

For Pronunciation: Focus on word stress, sentence stress, and intonation patterns. Practice with native speaker recordings and consider working with a pronunciation coach if this is a weak area.

Conclusion

The IELTS speaking exam may feel intimidating, but understanding exactly what examiners listen for can demystify the process and focus your preparation. Remember that the criteria for IELTS speaking reward natural, effective communication—not perfection or imitation of native speakers.

By familiarizing yourself with the band descriptors and practicing with specific criteria in mind, you can approach your exam with confidence, knowing exactly what you need to demonstrate to achieve your target score.