If you are preparing for IELTS in Turkey, the Speaking test is often the part people can least picture. There is no paper to read and no keyboard: you talk with an examiner. This page sets out what the test looks like, as IDP Turkiye describes it in Turkish, and how practice with a tutor can fit around it. Details can change, so check the provider page before you book your test.
How IELTS Speaking works
IDP Turkiye says the Speaking test lasts 11 to 14 minutes and has three parts. It is the same for Academic and General Training. A certified IELTS examiner conducts it face to face, and the session is recorded in case it has to be reviewed. A tutor is not part of the test.
| Part | What happens |
|---|---|
| Part 1 | The examiner asks general questions on everyday topics such as work, family, school and hobbies. |
| Part 2 | You receive a topic card and one minute to make notes (pen and paper are provided), then speak for about two minutes. |
| Part 3 | A two-way discussion with the examiner. |
Timing and ID
- Computer-delivered tests: IDP Turkiye says Speaking must take place on the same day.
- Paper-based tests: Speaking can be the day before, the same day or the day after.
- ID: bring the passport or T.C. kimlik kartı you used to register. The IDP test-day page says it is checked before you enter the room and during the test.
For centres, booking steps and ID, see IELTS test centres in Turkey, booking, ID and test day and IELTS on computer in Turkey. Rules can differ by provider, so read the page of the provider you choose.
Accent
IDP Turkiye states that candidates are not expected to change their accent for IELTS.
Practical ways to prepare
- Practise out loud, in order: Part 1, then Part 2 with a one-minute plan, then Part 3. Reading answers silently is not the same skill.
- Time yourself on Part 2 with the Speaking Part 2 timer, and browse the Part 2 cue card themes and Part 1 and Part 3 topics.
- Give reasons and examples instead of one-word answers, and keep going when you make a small mistake.
- Practise with a person, because a real conversation includes follow-up questions you cannot predict.
- For a closer look at what separates one level from the next, see IELTS Speaking band 6 vs 7.
How lessons with Mike can help
Mike holds the Cambridge CELTA and is based in Hanoi, Vietnam. He teaches every lesson himself, one-to-one, live on Google Meet, in English. He has 12+ years teaching English and IELTS in Vietnam, Turkey and Iran, and his own IELTS result is 8.5 in Speaking. He is a teacher, not an examiner.
In a Speaking lesson you work through Parts 1 to 3 in the real format, and Mike gives feedback in the moment: what to extend, where a phrase sounds unnatural, how to organise a two-minute answer. Written progress notes are kept in your account. If you also need Writing, Task 1 and Task 2 are marked against the public band descriptors. Read more about Mike, or see the overview for Turkey.
The booking calendar shows each slot in your own time zone. Turkey is UTC+3 all year and Hanoi is UTC+7, so Hanoi is four hours ahead; the calendar does the conversion for you. Lessons last 60 minutes. Your first booking can be a paid 30-minute trial, available once per student. You can reschedule at no charge up to 12 hours before the slot. There is no subscription or package. The price for your country appears on the booking page before you pay. PayPal charges the US-dollar equivalent. After payment, the Google Meet link and calendar invite arrive by email.
No lesson can promise a particular band. Progress depends on where you start and how much you practise between lessons. See open times and book.
