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IELTS Speaking — Beginner to Band 7.0

Learn each question type, then practise full answers: reason, detail, example.

Speaking

IELTS Speaking — Beginner to Band 7.0

Learn how to answer each question type, then say it aloud and find out whether your answer met the target.

Stages

Sessions

~14 h

Total duration

Intermediate (B1)

Level

Start Stage 1 free Start now, no account needed

What you'll learn

What the course trains you to do

Part 1: answer the four question types — likes, habits, opinions, experiences — straight to the point, then add a reason and details

Part 2: after a minute to prepare, give a long turn in three blocks, in order — opening and background, the events, the reason and your feelings — for one and a half to two minutes

Part 3: talk about people in general, not only yourself, across five question types: comparing, advantages and disadvantages, predicting, agreeing or not, causes and solutions

Keep final sounds and word stress, let your voice rise and fall, link words; buy time with a phrase instead of silence; finish with one whole mock test at exam timing

Who this course is for

You answer Part 1 in one or two words, run out of things to say in Part 2 before two minutes, or have little to say about people in general in Part 3
You know the question types but still leave out the reason, the detail or the linking word when you speak
You study on your own, want to speak aloud every session, and want to know what your answer did and did not do

Each session needs: about 40 minutes (a few are shorter), a microphone and a quiet place

A typical session

Review and a first try
Answer a few earlier questions that are due, then try today's question.
Learn a part, say it
Each part of the answer has a short page, then you practise it straight away in a speaking round with feedback. Two model answers to listen to come in between.
Phrases and reading aloud
Read aloud and say a few sentences with the session's phrases; once you read one right, hear the model. Then one speaking round on a grammar point or linking word.
Answer again and compare
Answer the first-try question again, then hear the two recordings side by side.

What sets this course apart

One target at a time

Each speaking round states one target. You answer and find out whether your answer met it; if not, you do two short drills and answer again.

Earlier points come back

A session opens with a few questions on targets that are due for review. If you miss one, its target goes to the review box on the course page.

Skim what you know

The placement test is four Part 1 questions, about 5 minutes. Each question checks the main part of one stage 1 session: for each one you answer well, you can skim that session.

Hear your start and your finish

In 14 sessions you answer the same question at the start and at the end, then hear the two recordings side by side.

One whole mock test

The last session is one whole Standard paper, all three parts at exam timing, about 16 minutes. The result lists the targets you showed and the ones not shown yet.

Curriculum

5 stages · 23 sessions

6 sessions

Stage 1 — Part 1: four question types

Answer Part 1 questions straight to the point, then add a reason and details.

Take the Placement test first, about 5 minutes: for each type you answer well, you can skim its session
Four question types: likes, habits, opinions, experiences
About 40 minutes per session: learn each part of the answer, hear a model and speak right after each part
End of session: phrases, one grammar point or linking word, then answer the opening question again

Before you startPlacement testFour Part 1 question types: Liking / Preferences, Habits, Opinion, Have you ever …?
Session 1Liking / Preferences — likes, dislikes and which you preferAnswer + one benefit or drawback · Choice first, reason after · Honest answer + one drawback · Link reasons with ‘because’ / ‘so’
Session 2Habits — habits and daily routinesWhat you do + when, where · Three kinds of detail · Frequency + one detail · Present simple with a frequency phrase
Session 3Opinion — giving your viewYes or no first + one reason · Opinion + two reasons · It depends + one example · Open an opinion with a lead-in phrase
Session 4Have you (ever) …? — telling an experienceDone it + one specific time · Never done it + why not + the future · Done it + what happened + how you felt · Tell it in the past simple, with at least two verbs in the right form
Session 5Stage 1 review — the four Part 1 types, mixedThe four Part 1 types, mixed: Liking / Preferences, Habits, Opinion, Have you ever …?

5 sessions

Stage 2 — Part 2: the long turn

Give a whole Part 2 talk of up to two minutes, with all three blocks in the right order.

Three blocks: opening and background, the events, the reason and your feelings
First three sessions, one block each, about 43 minutes: learn each part, hear a model and speak on a cue card
End of session: phrases, one grammar or vocabulary point, then say today’s block again
Session 9 puts the whole talk together with one minute to prepare; session 10 reviews it on new cue cards

Session 6Opening and backgroundName the person or thing in the first sentence · Two kinds of background information · Two specific facts · Relative clauses with ‘who’ / ‘which’ / ‘that’ / ‘where’
Session 7Telling the eventsThree events in order · Specific details for two events · End the story with the outcome · Sequence words
Session 8The reason and your feelingsOne reason, explained · One specific example · End with your own feelings · Feeling words
Session 9Putting the whole talk togetherAll three blocks, in order · Long enough · The last question gets the longest part
Session 10Stage 2 review — the long turn on new cue cardsA whole Part 2 long turn on new cue cards; the phrases of sessions 06, 07 and 08 mixed together

4 sessions

Stage 3 — Part 3: people in general, comparing, advantages and disadvantages

Answer Part 3 questions about people in general, not only about yourself.

Talking about most people, then two question types: comparing, advantages and disadvantages
About 43 minutes per session: learn each part of the answer, hear a model and speak right after each part
End of session: topic phrases, one grammar point or linking word, then answer the opening question again
Review session: four Part 3 questions in a row

Session 11From your own life to people in generalAnswer about most people + a reason they have · A general statement + an example from society · The general situation + your view · General subjects with the right verb form
Session 12Compare — two groups of people, two choices, the past and nowBoth sides on the same point · The past and now · A difference + why it exists · Comparatives
Session 13Listing advantages and disadvantagesOne point + development · Two points, the second one signalled · Both sides + a closing line · Contrast linking words
Session 14Stage 3 review — three Part 3 types, mixedThe three types of this stage, mixed: people in general, Compare, advantages and disadvantages

4 sessions

Stage 4 — Part 3: predicting, agreeing, causes and solutions

Give your prediction, position or solution in Part 3, with a reason and an example.

Three question types: predicting, agreeing or disagreeing, causes and solutions
About 43 minutes per session: learn each part of the answer, hear a model and speak right after each part
End of session: topic phrases, one grammar point or linking word, then answer the opening question again
Review session: five Part 3 questions in a row

Session 15Speculate — predicting what will happenPrediction first, reason after · Evidence from today · How you feel about that change · The future and how sure you are
Session 16Agree / Disagree — where you standPosition, reason, example · Partly agree: give both sides · End with what should be done · Conditionals with ‘if’
Session 17Listing causes and solutionsOne cause, fully explained · Two points, each with its own detail · Solutions: who does what, and what it brings · Cause and effect linking words
Session 18Stage 4 review — a Part 3 practice testMixed: Speculate, Agree / Disagree, Listing causes and solutions (stage 4); Compare and general questions (stage 3)

4 sessions

Stage 5 — Pronunciation, fluency and a mock test

Speak more clearly and fluently, then see what you can do in one whole mock test.

Two pronunciation sessions: final sounds, word stress, intonation, linking and weak forms
One fluency session: buy time with a phrase when no idea comes, instead of staying silent
One whole Cambridge mock test, all three parts, at real exam timing
About 30–35 minutes per session; the mock test session takes about 16 minutes

Session 19Word pronunciation: final sounds and word stressWord stress · Final sounds
Session 20Sentence pronunciation: intonation, weak forms and linkingIntonation · Linking and weak forms
Session 21Fluency: buying time with a phraseBuy time with words instead of silence · No silence longer than 3 seconds
Session 22Mock test: one whole Cambridge testEvery question type in Cambridge 21, Test 3: Part 1 (4 questions), Part 2 (describe a place), Part 3 (6 questions)

No band score is given for each answer, and 7.0 is where the course leads, not a score it guarantees: the result depends on your practice. Feedback comes from automatic grading against each target; no teacher reviews your answers.

Start Stage 1 free Start now, no account needed

Stage 1 — Part 1: four question types

Try it now, no account needed. Sessions with a lock need a free account.

Before you start
Placement test
Four Part 1 question types: Liking / Preferences, Habits, Opinion, Have you ever …?
Start this session
Session 1
Liking / Preferences — likes, dislikes and which you prefer
Answer + one benefit or drawback · Choice first, reason after · Honest answer + one drawback · Link reasons with ‘because’ / ‘so’
Start this session
Session 2
Habits — habits and daily routines
What you do + when, where · Three kinds of detail · Frequency + one detail · Present simple with a frequency phrase
Free sign-in needed
Session 3
Opinion — giving your view
Yes or no first + one reason · Opinion + two reasons · It depends + one example · Open an opinion with a lead-in phrase
Free sign-in needed
Session 4
Have you (ever) …? — telling an experience
Done it + one specific time · Never done it + why not + the future · Done it + what happened + how you felt · Tell it in the past simple, with at least two verbs in the right form
Free sign-in needed
Session 5
Stage 1 review — the four Part 1 types, mixed
The four Part 1 types, mixed: Liking / Preferences, Habits, Opinion, Have you ever …?
Free sign-in needed