The examiner marks you on four criteria, each worth a quarter of your Speaking band. The official band descriptors are short and dense. Here is what they mean in plain words, with examples.
1. Fluency and Coherence
This criterion measures two things: whether you can speak at length, and whether your ideas connect logically.
- Around band 6: you speak at length but sometimes stop to search for a word, and the linking words repeat ("and", "but", "also").
- Around band 7: you rarely pause, and when you do it is to think about the idea, not to find a word. Linking is varied and natural: "on the other hand", "that's why", "what I mean is".
How to improve: record your answers and count the pauses. Practise a shape for each answer: point, reason, example. If an idea will not come, say "Let me think about that for a second" rather than going silent.
2. Lexical Resource
What matters is not how many words you know but how precisely you use them.
- Around band 6: enough vocabulary to discuss the topic, with some wrong word choices and repetition ("very good", "very interesting").
- Around band 7: some less common words and natural word partnerships (collocations), and the ability to say the same idea another way (paraphrase).
How to improve: learn phrases rather than single words: "make a decision", "heavy traffic", "a tight budget". Collect eight to ten for each topic. Our topic pages have lists like this, for example Hometown.
3. Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Two sides are marked: how varied your grammar is (range) and how correct it is (accuracy).
- Around band 6: a mix of simple and complex sentences, with frequent errors in the complex ones.
- Around band 7: complex structures (conditionals, relative clauses, the present perfect) used often and mostly without errors; mistakes do not get in the way of meaning.
How to improve: the most frequent errors for speakers of Uzbek and Russian are articles (a/the), tenses and the "-s" ending. We list them in common mistakes.
4. Pronunciation
This is not about a British or American accent. The question is: are you easy to understand?
- Around band 6: generally clear, but some words are mispronounced and the listener has to work at times.
- Around band 7: easy to follow, with natural word stress and intonation; your accent is noticeable but never gets in the way.
How to improve: the "th", "w" and "v" sounds, and word stress ("PHOtograph" against "phoTOgraphy"). Record yourself and compare with the original pronunciation.
Reading is not enough: speak
In IELTS Buddy an AI examiner talks to you as in the real test and gives an estimated band on all 4 criteria. 3 mock tests are free.
The question everyone asks: which criterion matters most?
They are equal. In practice, though, Fluency improves fastest: regular speaking practice shows results within a week or two. Grammar and pronunciation change more slowly, so give them time from the start of your preparation.
Frequently asked questions
Does my accent lower my score?
No. Being easy to understand is marked, not your accent. Candidates with an Uzbek or Russian accent can score 8 or 9.
Will difficult words raise my score?
Only if they are used correctly. A difficult word used wrongly is worse than a simple word used well.
Reading is not enough: speak
In IELTS Buddy an AI examiner talks to you as in the real test and gives an estimated band on all 4 criteria. 3 mock tests are free.
