ielts.org and IDP India pages as read in October 2026.
How a one-to-one Speaking session with Mike works
Mike holds the Cambridge CELTA and is based in Hanoi. He teaches every session himself, one-to-one, live on Google Meet and in English. His own IELTS result is 7.5 overall with 8.5 in Speaking; see about Mike. There are no group classes and no classroom in India. A regular session is 60 minutes.
A Speaking session runs like this:
- The three parts, in the real test format. Part 1 questions on familiar topics, a Part 2 cue card with one minute to prepare, then a Part 3 discussion.
- Feedback during the session. You hear what worked and what to change while the answer is still fresh.
- Time where you need it. The rest of the time can go on the part or criterion you choose.
- A recording and notes. A session can be recorded on request, and written progress notes go into your account afterwards.
Mock IELTS Speaking test online
Can you do a mock IELTS Speaking test online with Mike? As practice, yes: a practice interview in the real three-part format over Google Meet, with feedback during the session. It is not an IELTS test and gives no IELTS result. The IELTS Speaking coaching page says more about a session (its prices are for Vietnam); how your price is shown, and payment, are on the online IELTS tutor for India page.
The real Speaking test: three parts, 11 to 14 minutes
According to ielts.org's Speaking format page, the test takes 11 to 14 minutes in three parts, is assessed by certificated examiners, and is recorded. ielts.org also says the Speaking test is the same for Academic and General Training (see its sample test page); it is Reading and Writing that differ, as its General Training test page and Academic or General Training explain.
| Part | What happens, per ielts.org | Time allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1, introduction and interview | General questions on familiar topics such as home, family, work, studies or interests. | 4 to 5 minutes |
| Part 2, long turn | You get a task card on a topic and one minute to prepare, with pencil and paper for notes. You structure your talk to keep going for 2 minutes; the examiner stops you when time is up and may ask one or two questions on the same topic. | 3 to 4 minutes, including preparation |
| Part 3, discussion | Issues related to the Part 2 topic are discussed. | 4 to 5 minutes |
The Speaking Sample Tasks document (PDF) words Part 2 a little differently: one minute to think, notes allowed, a talk of one to two minutes, then rounding-off questions.
The four band criteria in plain words
ielts.org's scoring page says examiners award a score for each of four Speaking areas, that the four carry equal weighting, and that their average gives the Speaking score. The key assessment criteria (PDF) list what each one looks at:
| Criterion | The question behind it | Some of what ielts.org lists |
|---|---|---|
| Fluency and coherence | Can you keep going at a natural pace, with ideas that are easy to follow? | Speech rate and continuity; logical order, relevance, linking devices. |
| Lexical resource | Do you have the words you need, and do you choose them well? | Variety, appropriacy, collocation (words that go together) and paraphrase. |
| Grammatical range and accuracy | Do you use a mix of sentence types, and how often do errors appear? | Sentence length, subordination, verb-phrase complexity; error density and whether errors affect understanding. |
| Pronunciation | How easily can a listener follow you? | Grouping words into phrases, rhythm, connected speech, stress and intonation, and how words and sounds are produced. |
The band descriptors document adds two rules: a candidate must fully fit the positive features of a level, and is rated on average performance across all parts of the test. So the band comes from the whole interview, not from one strong answer.
How the Speaking test is arranged in India
IDP India's 2021 announcement says IDP delivers all IELTS tests in India from 25 July 2021; as it is a 2021 statement, check IDP India's current pages for your own booking. Band Booster IELTS is a private tutor, not the exam board or a test centre; it registers no candidates and sets no fees or dates, so this page quotes none. The pages of ielts.org and IDP India do not all say the same thing about how Speaking is held, so read what follows as things to check, not as a rule.
Video call or face to face?
- ielts.org's ways to take IELTS page says that for IELTS on computer, Speaking is a face-to-face session with a trained examiner, and for IELTS Online (at home) an online video call. ielts.org's Guide for Test Takers says you take Speaking face to face or via video call. IDP India's IELTS on Computer page, which was read for this page, does not mention IELTS Online, so ask IDP whether it is offered for your test.
- IDP India's IELTS on Computer and Speaking preparation pages describe a video call interview with a certified examiner.
- IDP India's Writing on Paper page describes Speaking as a face-to-face interview with a certified examiner.
IDP India's own pages do not all describe Speaking the same way, so the name of the test type is not a reliable guide to how yours will be held. Check the confirmation IDP sends you; if it does not say how Speaking is held, ask IDP, and follow IDP's instructions for any set-up. Either way, a Google Meet session lets you rehearse the three parts.
Same day or a different day?
IDP India's pages do not agree on whether Speaking is held on the same day as the written test. Its registration page says that for IELTS on Computer it is held on the same day as Listening, Reading and Writing, with the slot released two days before the test. Its test dates page says Speaking may be held before or after the test date, and that availability varies by city and test centre. A separate page on choosing a Speaking slot is written for IELTS on Paper candidates, with different timings, although IDP India's IELTS on Computer page says IELTS on Paper has been discontinued. Treat your Speaking date as unconfirmed until IDP sends your schedule, and do not fix your lesson plan around it before then. The India tutor page covers paper versus computer and IELTS Online.
Time difference and the booking calendar
India Standard Time is UTC+5:30 and Hanoi is UTC+7, so Hanoi is 1 hour 30 minutes ahead of India. The IANA time zone database shows no current daylight saving for either, so the gap is the same all year: 19:00 in Hanoi is 17:30 in India. The calendar on the booking page shows every slot in your own time zone. Open times follow Mike's calendar and no particular hours are promised.
IELTS Speaking practice online: sample tasks and tools for between sessions
- Speaking Sample Tasks from ielts.org. The PDF has a frame for each part with a sample candidate's transcript; the Academic sample test page links to it.
- IDP India's Speaking practice test. Its practice test page describes a Speaking practice test with answers and sample responses.
- On this site. Part 2 cue card themes, Part 1 and Part 3 topics and a Part 2 timer. They are practice themes, not real exam questions.
ielts.org says the IELTS Trial Test is available for Listening, Reading and Writing, and IDP India's computer-delivered familiarisation test page lists Listening, Academic Reading and Academic Writing. Speaking is not among the sections that either page lists.
How to improve IELTS Speaking: general habits
This is general teaching advice, not guidance from IELTS or a test provider, and it promises no band.
- Practise aloud, in test order. Rehearse the real shape: Part 1, one minute of preparation and a long turn, then Part 3.
- Record yourself and listen back, one criterion at a time. The criteria are scored separately, so listen once for continuity, once for variety and paraphrase, once for sentence mix and errors that block meaning, and once for phrasing, stress and intonation.
- Add a reason or an example. A one-word Part 1 answer gives you little chance to show the range the criteria describe.
For the step between bands, see improving IELTS Speaking from band 6 to band 7.
Who this suits, and who it does not
It may suit you if you want to speak with a live person and hear feedback during the session, can follow explanations in English (sessions are in English only), and will practise between sessions.
It may not suit you if:
- you want classmates or a fixed weekly timetable, because open times follow Mike's calendar;
- you want teaching in person, because every session is online;
- you want a result for a university or employer, because a session gives no IELTS result;
- you want a band or timeline promised, because none is given;
- you want someone to book the test, because IDP India handles registration.
Not sure? Message Mike before you book: mkcenter007@gmail.com or +84 383 390 963 (Zalo, WhatsApp, Telegram). Your price appears in your own currency before you pay, and a paid 30-minute trial can be taken once, on your first booking.