Your IELTS Speaking tutor in Hanoi: Mike
Mike holds the Cambridge CELTA. His own IELTS result is 7.5 overall, with 8.5 in Speaking. He is based in Hanoi and teaches every session himself, one-to-one, live on Google Meet and in English. There is more on the about Mike page.
How can I check an IELTS Speaking tutor before I pay?
Nobody can objectively rank IELTS Speaking tutors, this page included; what you can do is check each point below against public information before you pay. The guide to choosing an online IELTS tutor goes through the questions in more detail.
| What to check | Band Booster IELTS | Where you can verify it |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching qualification | Mike holds the Cambridge CELTA (July 2017), a qualification in teaching rather than in marking exams. The number on his certificate, 501/1891/2, matches the entry for the "Cambridge English Level 5 Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA)" on Ofqual's register. The register shows the qualification is real; because the name on the certificate is covered, it does not show who holds it. | The certificate, with the name covered, on the about Mike page. Open the CELTA entry on Ofqual's Find a regulated qualification service and compare the qualification number shown there (501/1891/2) with the number on the certificate; Ofqual is a regulator of qualifications in England. Cambridge's CELTA page describes CELTA as a qualification for teaching English as a foreign language. |
| Published price | In Vietnam, 500,000 ₫ for a 60-minute session, charged per session rather than per course. Students in other countries see their own regional price, in their own currency, on the booking page before paying. | Your own price is shown on the booking page and in the pricing section of the home page before you pay. |
| Paid trial | In Vietnam the 30-minute trial is 150,000 ₫, once per student, on the first booking: a live one-to-one session with Mike, so you see how he gives feedback before you book more. | Choose the session type on the booking page; open times are shown in your own timezone. |
| Promised band | Band Booster IELTS promises no band and no timeline. The result depends on your starting point and your practice between sessions. | If any tutor promises a band or a date, ask for the conditions in writing. Here, the pages and the FAQ state that no band is promised. |
| Rescheduling and cancelling | You can reschedule up to 12 hours before the slot; cancellations inside 12 hours are not refunded. There is no subscription and no package to commit to. | The FAQ and the list of what is included on the booking page. |
The CELTA check covers the qualification only. A direct way to judge the teaching itself is the paid 30-minute trial: one session with Mike, one-to-one, before you decide on more. You also receive a receipt from the payment provider and another from the site, and the site never sees or stores card details.
What a CELTA-certified teacher means for IELTS Speaking, and how to check a tutor's certificate
The CELTA is a qualification for teaching English as a foreign language, from Cambridge. According to Cambridge's CELTA page, every CELTA course includes at least 120 hours of study; teaching practice is with groups of learners and is observed by a trainer, and trainees are assessed on their teaching skills and on written assignments. It shows that a teacher has been trained and assessed in teaching English.
What it does not show is a Speaking score, or a role in marking IELTS. According to ielts.org, the real Speaking test is an interview between the test taker and an examiner. Mike's own result, 7.5 overall and 8.5 in Speaking, is a separate fact that he reports himself, so the way to judge his teaching is a session: the paid 30-minute trial is a live one-to-one session with him.
How to check any tutor's certificate
- Ask for the certificate and the number printed on it (the register calls it the qualification number), and ask who awarded it and when.
- If the certificate is for a qualification regulated in England, such as the CELTA, search for the qualification on Ofqual's Find a regulated qualification service and compare the qualification number shown there with the number on the certificate. For a certificate from another awarding body, ask that body how to confirm it.
- Remember what a register shows: that the qualification exists and is regulated, not who holds it.
What a 60-minute Speaking session with Mike looks like
There are no group classes: every session is a live video call. A Speaking session runs like this:
- Parts 1, 2 and 3 in the real format. Mike runs Part 1, then Part 2 with a cue card and the one-minute preparation, then Part 3, keeping to the timing of the real test so you get used to the pressure of a live interviewer.
- Feedback in the moment. You hear what happened while the answer is still fresh, during the session rather than days later: the pause you did not notice, the tense that slipped, the word that was almost right.
- Time where you need it. Because the session is one-to-one, the remaining time can go to whichever criterion is holding you back, whether that is extending Part 1 answers, planning a Part 2 talk from keywords, building Part 3 answers with reasons and examples, or working on pronunciation (see Vietnamese pronunciation habits that can affect IELTS Speaking).
- Recording on request. If you want to listen back, the session can be recorded. Hearing your own Part 2 is often the moment a pacing or pronunciation problem finally becomes obvious.
- Written progress notes afterwards. After each session, notes go into your account: what was covered, what improved, and what to work on before next time.
One student reported moving from 6.5 to 8.0 in Speaking. No band is promised, though: results depend on the starting point and on the work done between sessions, and a single hour will not change a band on its own.
Mock IELTS Speaking interview with a tutor: Parts 1, 2 and 3 to time
A session can run as a timed practice interview in the real test format: Part 1 questions on familiar topics, Part 2 with one minute to prepare and then up to two minutes on a cue card, and a Part 3 discussion. Mike gives feedback during the session, not days later, and can record the lesson on request so you can listen back. Written progress notes are added to your account afterwards. It is practice with a teacher, not an IELTS test.
Price in Vietnam: what 500,000 ₫ covers
A 60-minute session is 500,000 ₫ in Vietnam, and the paid 30-minute trial is 150,000 ₫ (once per student, on the first booking). A session includes: 60 minutes live and one-to-one on Google Meet with the same teacher every time; feedback during the session; a recording on request; written progress notes in your account; and rescheduling at no charge up to 12 hours before the slot. There is no subscription and no package to commit to.
Booking more than 5 sessions in a single order gives 10% off until 31 December 2026 (450,000 ₫ per session), available once per student on their first qualifying order; every order after that is full price, and there is no discount for 2–5 sessions. Students outside Vietnam see prices in their own currency automatically, as the site uses regional price tiers. Full details are in the pricing section of the home page.
If you would rather read this in Vietnamese, this page has a Vietnamese version: luyện IELTS Speaking 1 kèm 1 với thầy Mike.
How booking works
- Open the booking page. The live calendar shows the available slots in your own timezone.
- Choose a slot and pay. You can use PayPal (cards work through PayPal guest checkout), a bank transfer in Vietnam with VietQR, or USDT on TRC20 or BEP20. The site never sees or stores card details, and you receive a receipt from the payment provider and from the site.
- Your Google Meet link and calendar invite arrive by email immediately. The same email contains a link to set up your account, where your session history, receipts, progress notes and rebooking live.
You can reschedule at no charge up to 12 hours before the slot; cancellations inside 12 hours are not refunded. Book one session, see whether it helps, and decide from there.
If you are in the United States, the page for learners in the USA shows how Hanoi times convert to US time zones before you book a Speaking session.
If you are in India, the page on lessons for students in India shows how Hanoi times convert to India time before you book a Speaking session.
Ways to practise IELTS Speaking, and what to check before paying
This is a Speaking-only version of the comparison in the guide to choosing an online IELTS tutor, which has the full table for every skill. It names no other provider and quotes no price for any other option. Terms vary inside every type, so treat each row as a prompt for questions, not a rating.
| Way to practise | When feedback arrives | What to check before paying |
|---|---|---|
| A tutor found on a marketplace | Varies by tutor: during the lesson, afterwards, or both. | Whether Part 2 is timed, with one minute to prepare and up to two minutes of talking; whether feedback covers all four criteria, including Pronunciation; whether the same tutor teaches every lesson; the cancellation rules and the full price. |
| A language centre or group course | Varies by course: it can come during class, and how much of your own Speaking is heard and commented on also varies. | Class size; how many minutes each student speaks; whether you get individual comments on your own Speaking; refund rules; any promise about results. |
| One independent teacher, one-to-one (Band Booster IELTS) | In the moment, during the live session on Google Meet; written progress notes afterwards; recording on request. | The CELTA number against Ofqual's register; the price on the booking page before you pay; reschedule without charge up to 12 hours before; no band promised. |
| Practising alone, with a study partner or with an AI tool | Immediate if you listen back to your own recording; a partner can comment if they will be honest. This page makes no claim about how accurate any AI tool is. | Whether you practise Part 2 to time; whether anyone can tell you what is hard to follow; whether the feedback covers pronunciation as well as content. |
Before you book
If you are not sure whether one-to-one coaching is right for you, the 30-minute trial is a shorter session in the same live, one-to-one format, so you can judge whether the feedback is useful before paying for a full hour. You can book a trial session directly, or contact Mike first at mkcenter007@gmail.com or +84 383 390 963 (Zalo, WhatsApp and Telegram on the same number).
How the IELTS Speaking test is scored: format and the four criteria
The three parts and their timing
The Speaking test is a live interview with an examiner, face to face or by video call, and the format is the same for Academic and General Training. ielts.org gives the timing of the real test: 11 to 14 minutes in all, in three parts.
- Part 1, introduction and interview (4 to 5 minutes): questions on familiar topics such as your home, work or studies.
- Part 2, long turn (3 to 4 minutes, including preparation): a task card and one minute to prepare, with pencil and paper for notes. You then talk on the topic until the examiner stops you, and the guidance is to keep talking for 2 minutes. One or two questions on the same topic may follow.
- Part 3, discussion (4 to 5 minutes): a more general and abstract discussion of issues linked to the Part 2 topic.
Practising in order and to time lets you see whether a Part 2 talk lasts as long as the guidance asks. Check the current format on the ielts.org Speaking format page before your test date. If you are taking the test in Hanoi, see IELTS test venues in Hanoi and computer-delivered IELTS in Hanoi.
The four criteria
Your band is not a general impression. Your Speaking band comes from four criteria: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation. IELTS states that each carries equal weighting, and the average gives the Speaking score; bands are reported in half-band steps from 0 to 9. This matters for coaching: because the criteria are separate, a coach can look for the one or two holding a particular student back instead of treating speaking as one skill.
| Criterion | What a coach listens for |
|---|---|
| Fluency and Coherence | Whether you keep going at a natural pace without long pauses or constant self-correction, and whether each answer has a clear direction with linking that sounds like speech rather than an essay. |
| Lexical Resource | Range and precision: topic vocabulary, natural collocations, some less common words used correctly, and the ability to paraphrase when a word will not come. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | A mix of simple and complex sentences, tenses that match the question, and how often errors appear and whether they get in the way of meaning. |
| Pronunciation | Individual sounds, word stress, sentence stress and intonation, and how easily a listener can follow you without too much effort. |
A teacher who knows these criteria can tell you which one is costing you the most. That is a different kind of help from a friend saying your English sounds fine.
The key assessment criteria that IELTS publishes include three details worth knowing.
- Fluency is about continuity as well as speed. The wording asks for normal levels of continuity, rate and effort, and names false starts, backtracking and pausing to search for words as things that interrupt the flow.
- Grammar is judged on range as well as accuracy. The indicators include the length of spoken sentences, the use of subordinate clauses and the complexity of the verb phrase, alongside how many errors occur and what effect they have on meaning.
- Pronunciation is described through intelligibility. The indicators cover rhythm, stress, intonation and individual sounds, the effort required of the listener, and the overall effect of accent on intelligibility.
Differences between bands are covered in the guide to improving IELTS Speaking from Band 6 to Band 7, which also looks at what Band 8 asks for. The full wording is public in the IELTS Speaking band descriptors (PDF) and the key assessment criteria (PDF).
What typically goes wrong in each part
Part 1: short answers and rehearsed openings
Part 1 questions are about familiar topics, and that is where the trap lies. Two common problems are answers that are too short ("Yes, I like it") and answers that are clearly memorised, delivered at a different speed and tone from the rest of the interview. A useful Part 1 answer is two or three natural sentences: the answer, a reason, and a detail or example.
Part 2: the long turn falls apart
Part 2 is the long turn: you speak alone for up to two minutes, so planning and timing matter. Pitfalls include spending the minute of preparation on full sentences instead of a few keywords, running out of things to say well before the time is up, or drifting away from the cue card and never coming back to the points on it. Timing is a skill that is much easier to build under real conditions, with someone stopping you at two minutes and possibly asking rounding-off questions afterwards.
Part 3: opinions without reasons
Part 3 questions are abstract: not "Do you like your city?" but "Why do people move to cities?" and "Will that change?" It is easy to give a one-line opinion and stop, recycle the vocabulary from Part 2, or freeze because you have no view on the topic. What the examiner needs to hear is a developed answer: a position, a reason, an example, and often a contrast. That structure can be taught and practised until it becomes automatic.
Fluency and Coherence is about speaking at a normal speed without too much hesitation and keeping your ideas in a logical order. Speaking too slowly counts against you, and the Pronunciation descriptors note that a rapid speech rate can disturb rhythm, so a calm, steady pace is the better strategy.
Speaking coaching alongside the other skills
If you want help with Writing too, you can book a mix of Speaking and Writing sessions. If Writing is your weaker skill, the IELTS Writing feedback page explains how Task 1 and Task 2 are marked against the public band descriptors. If you want all four skills covered, see Mike's page for a one-to-one IELTS tutor in Hanoi. General English sessions are also available: General English conversation practice, pronunciation, job interviews, presentations and work email.