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What a Speaking session looks like
The real IELTS Speaking test takes 11 to 14 minutes, and ielts.org says the Speaking test is the same in Academic and General Training. It has three parts:
- Part 1: an introduction and questions on familiar topics.
- Part 2: a long turn, where you speak on a cue card.
- Part 3: a discussion of more abstract questions linked to Part 2.
In a lesson, Mike runs these parts in the same order and the same style. He stops you, names what he heard, and has you try again, so you get feedback in the moment rather than days later. Mike does not set or predict real test questions. For topic ideas, see Part 1 and Part 3 topics and Part 2 cue cards.
The Speaking scores some UK routes ask for
Required scores belong to the organisation that sets them, and rules change. The table shows what these official pages said when this page was written; read the linked page for the current rule. This is general information, not personal advice.
| Route | What the official page says about Speaking |
|---|---|
| Visas needing CEFR B2 | At least 5.5 in all four components of IELTS for UKVI, Speaking included (ielts.org, tests for UK visas). That page also lists exceptions for some routes, so check it for your own case. |
| Visas needing B1 in four skills | The same page gives 4.0 in each of the four components. Check the page and your visa's own guidance for which level applies to you. |
| Life Skills A1, A2 or B1 | Listening and Speaking only, with a Pass rather than a band score (same ielts.org page). |
| Nursing and Midwifery Council | In a single IELTS Academic sitting, at least 7 in reading, listening and speaking and 6.5 in writing (NMC). |
| Health and Care Professions Council | 7.0 with no elements below 6.5 for most professions, and 8.0 with no element below 7.5 for speech and language therapists (HCPC). Check the page for your profession. |
Where the Speaking test is taken
ielts.org says that at a test centre the Speaking section is a face-to-face session with a trained examiner. It also describes IELTS Online, available for Academic only, where Speaking is a video call with an examiner. The same page says tests for UKVI must be taken at an official IELTS test centre. Band Booster is not a test centre and does not register candidates or set exam fees; you book the test with the provider. See IELTS for UKVI or standard IELTS to decide which version you can use.
The NMC page adds that its UKVI version is the same as the standard Academic test in content, format, scoring and difficulty.
Practical points for students in the UK
- Lessons run live on Google Meet. The booking calendar shows each slot in your own time zone.
- The UK is on GMT in winter and British Summer Time in summer, while Hanoi stays on UTC+7 all year. Hanoi is 7 hours ahead in winter and 6 hours ahead in summer.
- Which hours are open is decided by Mike's calendar, so check the booking page for times that suit you before you plan around a test date.
- The Google Meet link and calendar invite arrive by email right after payment.
- You can reschedule at no charge up to 12 hours before the slot.
If you are choosing between Speaking help and score targets
A required score tells you where you need to be, not how to get there. If you already know your gap, improving IELTS Speaking from band 6 to 7 explains what the criteria change between those levels. Between lessons, the Speaking Part 2 timer lets you practise the long turn alone.
IELTS Life Skills is a different test, and these lessons do not prepare you for it. Lessons here cover IELTS Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, and General English.
How lessons with Mike can help with this
Mike holds the Cambridge CELTA (July 2017), teaches from Hanoi and has 12+ years teaching English and IELTS in Vietnam, Turkey and Iran. He scored 8.5 in Speaking in his own IELTS. Lessons are one-to-one, 60 minutes, in English, with no subscription or package. A paid 30-minute trial can be taken once, on your first booking. Your price appears on the booking page before you pay, and PayPal charges the US-dollar equivalent.
He can run a full Speaking test with you, mark where each criterion slips, and leave written progress notes in your account. No band or timeline is promised: results depend on where you start and the practice you do between lessons. Open the booking page or read about Mike.
