Scoring Criteria
- Fluency & Coherence — speak at a natural pace with clear logical flow; avoid long, unnatural pauses
- Lexical Resource — use a wide range of vocabulary; paraphrase when you can't recall an exact word
- Grammatical Range & Accuracy — mix simple and complex structures; occasional errors are fine at Band 7+
- Pronunciation — be clear and easy to understand; you are not judged on accent, only intelligibility
Strategies by Part
- Part 1 — give natural 2–3 sentence answers; don't over-explain, but don't give one-word replies
- Part 2 — use your 1-minute prep to jot 3–4 bullet points; structure your talk: context → detail → reflection
- Part 3 — treat it like a discussion, not an interview; acknowledge the question's complexity and explore both sides
- All parts — if you don't understand a question, ask the examiner to repeat it — this is perfectly acceptable
Common Mistakes
- Memorised answers — examiners are trained to spot rehearsed speeches and will redirect you
- Stopping too soon — especially in Part 2; aim to fill the full 1–2 minutes without being prompted
- Repeating the question — don't echo the examiner's words; paraphrase or dive straight in
- Filler overload — occasional "well" or "you know" is fine; constant fillers hurt fluency scores
- Simple grammar only — many candidates stick to present simple; use conditionals, passives, perfect forms
Band Score Descriptors
| Band | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| 8–9 | Effortless fluency, wide sophisticated vocabulary, complex grammar with rare slips, fully intelligible |
| 7 | Speaks at length with some hesitation, good range of vocabulary, mostly accurate complex grammar |
| 6 | Willing to speak but pauses to think, adequate vocabulary, mix of accurate simple and flawed complex grammar |
| 5 | Slow and hesitant, limited vocabulary, basic structures dominate, some strain for the listener |