IELTS Speaking criteria and the public band descriptors
ielts.org says Speaking is scored on four criteria: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation. The criteria are equally weighted and their average gives the Speaking score. The official pages used here do not say how that average is rounded to a half band.
ielts.org links the band descriptors as its explanation of how examiners assess Speaking. Note three features:
- They describe whole bands only, with nothing on 6.5 versus 7.
- Their wording is qualitative (frequent, some, occasional), with no error counts, percentages or timescales.
- Two notes say a candidate must fully fit a level's positive features, and is rated on average performance across all parts of the test.
The table below paraphrases these originals, checked in October 2026: ielts.org's scoring page, the Speaking band descriptors (PDF), which say to check ielts.org for updates, and the key assessment criteria (PDF).
Band 6 vs Band 7, criterion by criterion
In short, Band 7 gives long turns readily without noticeable effort, its hesitation does not cost coherence, and its linking, vocabulary and grammar are described as flexible, with frequent error-free sentences. It still allows some hesitation, inappropriate word choices and a few basic errors.
| Criterion | Band 6 | Band 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Fluency and Coherence | Keeps going and is willing to give long turns. Coherence can be lost at times through hesitation, repetition or self-correction. Uses a range of discourse markers, connectives and cohesive features, though not always appropriately. | Gives long turns readily, without noticeable effort. Some hesitation, repetition or self-correction may occur, often mid-sentence, but it does not affect coherence. Discourse markers, connectives and cohesive features are used flexibly. |
| Lexical Resource | Enough vocabulary to discuss topics at length. Word choice may be inappropriate, but the meaning stays clear. Generally paraphrases successfully. | Vocabulary used flexibly across a variety of topics. Shows some ability with less common and idiomatic items and an evident awareness of style and collocation, though inappropriate choices still occur. Paraphrases effectively as required. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | A mix of short and complex forms and a variety of structures, with limited flexibility. Errors are frequent in complex structures but rarely impede communication. | A range of structures used flexibly, with frequent error-free sentences. Simple and complex sentences are used effectively despite some errors. A few basic errors persist. |
| Pronunciation | A range of features with variable control. Chunking is generally appropriate, but rhythm may suffer from a lack of stress-timing or a rapid speech rate. Some effective intonation and stress, not sustained. Some words or sounds may be mispronounced, causing only occasional lack of clarity; generally understood without much effort. | No stand-alone description. It is defined as all the positive features of Band 6 and some, but not all, of the positive features of Band 8. |
What this page cannot do. It cannot hear you speak, so it cannot tell you your band or which criterion is holding you back. The descriptors give no timescale, and nothing here promises any band. A practice session is not an IELTS result.
Moving from Band 6 to Band 7: advice for each criterion
This is general teaching advice, consistent with the descriptors but not guidance from IELTS, IDP or the British Council, and it carries no guarantee.
A simple self-recording routine
- Record one answer from each part: a short Part 1 answer, a Part 2 long turn after a minute of note-making (one to two minutes, as ielts.org's sample task card says; the British Council advises keeping going for the full two if you can), and a Part 3 discussion answer.
- Listen once as a stranger would: could they follow your main point without hearing the question?
- Listen again with a pen. Mark each place you stopped mid-sentence, restarted or reached for a word.
- Write out one minute of what you said and mark which sentences are error-free.
Fluency and Coherence
Band 7 allows some hesitation and self-correction if coherence is unaffected, and the British Council says that if you need time to think, a brief pause or a natural filler is acceptable.
- When a word will not come, paraphrase and return to your point rather than stopping.
- If the same two or three linking words do all the work, try choosing one by what your idea is doing: a reason, a contrast, an example, a result. That is one reading of ‘used flexibly’, not an official definition.
- Do not rehearse whole answers: IDP says the examiner will be able to tell and that this may influence your final band, and the British Council says rehearsed responses can limit your score. Both are provider advice, not a rule in the descriptors.
Lexical Resource
- Test your range. Record short answers on three unrelated topics. If your vocabulary shrinks to basic words away from your usual topics, that is where ‘a variety of topics’ is tested.
- Learn words in company. The key assessment criteria mention collocation, style and idiom. Learn a word with its usual partners and say it aloud in a sentence, rather than from a list of single words. Forcing in an idiom that does not fit is itself an inappropriate choice.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
In your written-out minute, separate errors in complex sentences from basic errors, and compare what you find with the table.
- Avoiding complex sentences altogether does not fit Band 7, which describes both kinds used effectively. Pick two or three structures, such as a relative clause or a conditional, and practise them aloud until they come out accurately.
- For flexibility, practise saying one idea two ways, such as ‘I enjoyed the food most’ and ‘What I enjoyed most was the food’. The key assessment criteria mention moving elements for information focus; this is only an illustration.
Pronunciation
With no stand-alone Band 7 descriptor, this advice draws on Band 6 and on Band 8, which mentions sustained rhythm and flexible stress and intonation across long utterances.
- Chunking and rhythm. Listen for where your thought groups start and stop, and whether the key word in each stands out. Band 6 says a rapid speech rate may affect rhythm, and the fluency section of the key assessment criteria says speech rate should ideally not be too slow, so aim for a steady pace.
- Stress, intonation and sounds. Check whether stress and intonation fade in a long Part 2 turn. The key assessment criteria link sounds to the effort the listener needs, so start with the words you use most.
- Accent. The descriptors mention accent only at Bands 9 and 8, and only for its effect on intelligibility. IDP's article on accents and Speaking scores says IELTS is not looking for one perfect accent, but that if mispronounced words and unusual stress patterns make you hard to understand, you will probably get a lower score. Vietnamese speakers can use the self-check table on Vietnamese pronunciation habits in IELTS Speaking.
Stuck at Band 6? Questions to ask about a plateau
A plateau has no single cause, and this page cannot say which is yours. Using the routine and checks above, ask:
- Does your practice cover all four criteria and all three parts, including Part 3, which ielts.org says tests your ability to explain opinions and speculate about issues?
- Does anyone give you feedback on what you cannot easily hear yourself, such as pronunciation or repeated errors?
Where one-to-one coaching fits
Band Booster IELTS is a private coaching service, not the exam board. Mike holds the Cambridge CELTA (July 2017), has taught English and IELTS for 12+ years in Vietnam, Turkey and Iran, and has taught 500+ one-to-one sessions; his own IELTS result is 7.5 overall, 8.5 in Speaking (see about Mike).
A Speaking session runs Parts 1, 2 and 3 live in the real test format, with feedback in the moment, recording on request and written progress notes afterwards. One student reported moving from 6.5 to 8.0 in Speaking: a single reported result, not a promise or an average, and progress depends on your starting point and the work between sessions.
The booking page shows times in your own timezone and prices in your own currency before you pay (regional pricing applies), along with payment options. Mike also offers a 30-minute trial session. Lessons use Google Meet, so check you can open it from where you are, and message Mike at mkcenter007@gmail.com first if unsure.