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IELTS Speaking Band Score & Descriptors
The Speaking band descriptors are the criteria examiners use to assess your performance in the speaking section.
These criteria apply to both the Academic and General Training IELTS tests. Scoring is based on four categories across nine bands.
1. Fluency and Coherence: This assesses how smoothly you speak, avoiding too many pauses or hesitations, and how well your ideas flow logically from one to the next.
How to Improve: Practice speaking on a variety of topics without stopping to think for too long. Try summarising short articles or discussing familiar subjects to build fluency. Using linking words (e.g., "firstly," "however," "in addition") will help your ideas connect better.
2. Lexical Resource: This measures your range of vocabulary and how well you use it to express ideas, emotions, and abstract thoughts accurately.
How to Improve: Expand your vocabulary by reading widely on different topics and practicing new words in sentences. Try using synonyms, idiomatic phrases, and expressions related to IELTS topics. Check out our IELTS Vocabulary page for more tips and word lists to boost your lexical range.
3. Grammatical Range and Accuracy: This evaluates your ability to use a variety of sentence structures accurately, including complex and compound sentences.
How to Improve: Focus on using different sentence structures, such as questions, negatives, and conditional sentences, while speaking. Record yourself to catch common errors and work on improving them. Grammar exercises targeting complex structures can also be very helpful.
4. Pronunciation: This checks how clearly you pronounce words, including intonation, stress, and rhythm, to ensure you can be easily understood.
How to Improve: Listen to native speakers and repeat after them, focusing on sounds and intonation patterns. Practice with a language partner or record yourself to identify any unclear sounds. Pronunciation exercises can further help refine your accent and clarity.
For a complete guide on preparing for the IELTS, including sample questions and tips, visit our IELTS Preparation page.
Here is a detailed explanation of how each band score evaluates the IELTS speaking test:
Band 9 (Expert)
| Criterion | Description |
| Fluency and Coherence | Speaks effortlessly with natural flow and coherence, demonstrating no hesitation or repetition. Ideas are logically organised and interconnected, with smooth transitions between points. |
| Lexical Resource | Utilises an extensive vocabulary with precision, appropriately incorporating idiomatic expressions and synonyms. Demonstrates a sophisticated range of vocabulary to convey nuanced meanings. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Exhibits mastery of complex grammatical structures with near-native fluency. Errors are rare and minor, with precise and accurate usage throughout. |
| Pronunciation | Pronunciation is clear, natural, and effortless, with native-like intonation and stress patterns. Speech is easily understandable to all speakers of English. |
Band 8 (Very Good)
| Criterion | Description |
| Fluency and Coherence | Speaks fluently with occasional hesitation or minor repetition. Ideas are well-organised and coherent, with clear connections between points. |
| Lexical Resource | Demonstrates a wide range of vocabulary, with occasional inaccuracies or inappropriate word choice. Manages to convey complex ideas effectively, though with occasional circumlocution. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Displays a high level of grammatical accuracy, with occasional errors that do not impede communication. Utilises a variety of complex structures appropriately. |
| Pronunciation | Pronunciation is generally clear and intelligible, with minor errors that do not hinder comprehension. Maintains a natural rhythm and stress pattern. |
Band 7 (Good)
| Criterion | Description |
| Fluency and Coherence | Speaks fluently with some hesitation or repetition. Ideas are generally well-organised, though coherence may be occasionally affected by minor digressions. |
| Lexical Resource | Shows good control of a range of vocabulary, though with occasional inaccuracies or limited flexibility. Manages to convey ideas adequately, though with some difficulty in expressing nuanced meanings. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Demonstrates a good grasp of grammar, with occasional errors that do not obscure meaning. Uses a variety of sentence structures effectively. |
| Pronunciation | Pronunciation is generally clear and understandable, though it may be influenced by the candidate's first language accent. Intonation and stress patterns are generally accurate. |
Band 6 (Competent)
| Criterion | Description |
| Fluency and Coherence | Speaks with some effort, with frequent hesitation or repetition. Ideas are generally coherent but may lack clear organisation or development. |
| Lexical Resource | Displays a sufficient range of vocabulary, though with noticeable errors or limited variety. Communication may be hindered by occasional word-finding difficulties. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Shows control of basic grammatical structures, though errors are frequent and may affect communication. Relies on simple sentence structures. |
| Pronunciation | Pronunciation is generally clear enough to be understood, though errors may occasionally hinder comprehension. Intonation and stress patterns may be inconsistent. |
Band 5 (Modest)
| Criterion | Description |
| Fluency and Coherence | Speech is often hesitant and disjointed, with frequent pauses and self-corrections. Ideas may be poorly organised, leading to difficulty in following the conversation. |
| Lexical Resource | Relies on a limited range of vocabulary, with frequent errors and inaccuracies. Communication may be hindered by difficulty in finding appropriate words. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Demonstrates limited control of basic grammatical structures, with frequent errors that impede communication. Relies heavily on simple sentence structures. |
| Pronunciation | Pronunciation may be unclear and difficult to understand, with frequent errors that hinder comprehension. Intonation and stress patterns may be inconsistent. |
Band 4 (Limited)
| Criterion | Description |
| Fluency and Coherence | Speech is often halting and disjointed, with frequent pauses and struggles to convey ideas. Coherence is severely affected, making it difficult to follow the conversation. |
| Lexical Resource | Displays a very limited range of vocabulary, with frequent errors and difficulty in expressing ideas. Communication is often hindered by lexical gaps. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Shows limited control of basic grammatical structures, with frequent errors that significantly impede communication. Relies heavily on simple sentence structures. |
| Pronunciation | Pronunciation is often unclear and difficult to understand, with frequent errors that severely hinder comprehension. Intonation and stress patterns are inconsistent. |
Band 3 (Extremely Limited)
| Criterion | Description |
| Fluency and Coherence | Speech is extremely hesitant and fragmented, with long pauses and frequent breakdowns in communication. Coherence is severely lacking, making it nearly impossible to follow the conversation. |
| Lexical Resource | Demonstrates an extremely limited range of vocabulary, with frequent errors and an inability to convey even basic ideas. Communication is severely hindered by lexical gaps. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Shows very limited control of basic grammatical structures, with frequent errors that render communication nearly incomprehensible. Relies heavily on simple sentence structures. |
| Pronunciation | Pronunciation is often unclear and unintelligible, with frequent errors that severely impede comprehension. Intonation and stress patterns are inconsistent or absent. |
Band 2 (Intermittent)
| Criterion | Description |
| Fluency and Coherence | Speech is sporadic and disjointed, with frequent pauses and struggles to form coherent sentences. Communication breaks down frequently, with significant difficulty in conveying ideas. |
| Lexical Resource | Displays an extremely limited range of vocabulary, with frequent errors and an inability to express even the simplest ideas. Communication is severely hindered by lexical gaps. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Shows minimal control of basic grammatical structures, with frequent errors that render communication nearly incomprehensible. Relies heavily on simple sentence structures. |
| Pronunciation | Pronunciation is often unclear and unintelligible, with frequent errors that severely impede comprehension. Intonation and stress patterns are inconsistent or absent. |
Band 1 (Non-User)
| Criterion | Description |
| Fluency and Coherence | Speech is virtually non-existent, with very few coherent utterances. Communication is extremely limited, with frequent pauses and an inability to convey even basic ideas. |
| Lexical Resource | Demonstrates an almost complete lack of vocabulary, with minimal ability to express ideas. Communication is severely hindered by an inability to find appropriate words. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Shows virtually no control of grammatical structures, with frequent errors that render communication incomprehensible. Unable to form coherent sentences. |
| Pronunciation | Pronunciation is virtually unintelligible, with frequent errors that prevent any meaningful communication. Intonation and stress patterns are virtually absent. |
Band 0 (Did Not Attempt the Test)
| Criterion | Description |
| Fluency and Coherence | The Candidate did not attempt the question. |
| Lexical Resource | The Candidate did not attempt the question. |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | The Candidate did not attempt the question. |
| Pronunciation | The Candidate did not attempt the question. |
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