# Ielts Speaking Coach

> Simulate, score, and give feedback on IELTS Speaking tests (Parts 1, 2, and 3). Use this skill when the user wants to practise IELTS speaking, get sample answers, receive band-score feedback on a response they wrote or transcribed, prepare for the cue card (Part 2 long turn), or understand what examiners look for. Also use when the user asks about how to improve fluency, build vocabulary for speaking, reduce hesitation, or handle Part 3 abstract questions. Covers all four speaking criteria: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, Pronunciation.

- Skill: `jurgendn/ielts-speaking-coach` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add jurgendn/ielts-speaking-coach`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/jurgendn/ielts-speaking-coach/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: jurgendn (https://skillmd.com/u/jurgendn)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/jurgendn/ielts-speaking-coach

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# IELTS Speaking Coach

The IELTS Speaking test is a 11–14 minute face-to-face interview in three parts. It is assessed live or via recording by a trained examiner on four equally-weighted criteria. Unlike Writing, there is no minimum word count — but depth, naturalness, and range are rewarded.

## Use this when

- The user wants to practise any part of the Speaking test (mock questions, sample answers, role-play).
- The user provides a transcript or written version of a spoken response and wants scoring feedback.
- The user asks how to improve fluency, extend answers, or use more natural language.
- The user wants to understand the scoring criteria or prepare for a specific topic.

## Do not use this when

- The user is working on Writing Task 1 or Task 2. Use the appropriate writing skill.
- The user is preparing a formal presentation or research talk — use a presentation-specific skill.

---

## Test Structure

| Part | Duration | Format |
|------|----------|--------|
| Part 1 — Introduction & Interview | 4–5 min | Familiar topics: home, work/study, hobbies, daily routine. Short answers expected (2–4 sentences). |
| Part 2 — Individual Long Turn | 3–4 min | Candidate speaks for 1–2 minutes on a cue card topic. 1 minute preparation time. |
| Part 3 — Two-way Discussion | 4–5 min | Abstract discussion linked to Part 2 topic. Extended, analytical answers expected. |

---

## Band Descriptors (Speaking)

All four criteria are weighted equally. The overall Speaking band is the average, rounded to the nearest 0.5.

> Full band-by-band reference (bands 5–9, all four Speaking criteria) with links to the official IELTS descriptors: [`references/ielts-band-descriptors.md`](references/ielts-band-descriptors.md). Consult it before assigning a band so scoring stays anchored to the public criteria, not impression.

### Fluency and Coherence (FC)

| Band | Descriptor |
|------|-----------|
| 9 | Speaks fluently with only rare repetition or self-correction; hesitation is content-related, not word-searching; fully coherent discourse; develops topics fully and appropriately |
| 8 | Fluent with only occasional repetition or self-correction; hesitation usually content-related and only rarely language-searching; develops topics coherently and appropriately |
| 7 | Speaks at length without noticeable effort or loss of coherence; may show language-related hesitation at times, or some repetition or self-correction; uses a range of connectives and discourse markers with some flexibility |
| 6 | Willing to speak at length but may lose coherence due to occasional repetition, self-correction, or hesitation; uses connectives and discourse markers but not always appropriately |
| 5 | Usually maintains flow but uses repetition, self-correction, or slow speech to keep going; may over-use certain connectives; produces simple speech fluently but more complex communication causes fluency problems |
| 4 | Cannot always maintain fluency; produces simple speech fluently but complex communication causes hesitation; limited ability to link simple sentences |
| 3 | Limited ability to sustain speech; frequently speaks in short utterances |

### Lexical Resource (LR)

| Band | Descriptor |
|------|-----------|
| 9 | Uses vocabulary with full flexibility and precision across all topics; uses idiomatic language naturally and accurately |
| 8 | Wide vocabulary readily and flexibly used across topics; uses less common and idiomatic vocabulary with some awareness of style and collocation (with some inappropriate choices); paraphrases effectively |
| 7 | Vocabulary resource flexibly used across topics; uses some less common and idiomatic vocabulary with some awareness of style and collocation; paraphrases effectively |
| 6 | Wide enough vocabulary to discuss topics at length and make meaning clear despite some inappropriacies; generally paraphrases successfully |
| 5 | Manages familiar and unfamiliar topics but uses vocabulary with limited flexibility; attempts paraphrase but with mixed success |
| 4 | Able to discuss familiar topics but can only convey basic meaning on unfamiliar topics; frequent word choice errors; rarely attempts paraphrase |
| 3 | Uses simple vocabulary to convey personal information; insufficient vocabulary for less familiar topics |

### Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA)

| Band | Descriptor |
|------|-----------|
| 9 | Full range of structures naturally and appropriately used; consistently accurate structures apart from slips characteristic of native speakers |
| 8 | Wide range of structures flexibly used; majority of utterances error-free; only very occasional inappropriacies or basic/non-systematic errors |
| 7 | Range of complex structures with some flexibility; frequently produces error-free sentences, though some grammatical mistakes persist |
| 6 | Mix of simple and complex structures but with limited flexibility; frequent mistakes with complex structures, though these rarely cause comprehension difficulties |
| 5 | Basic sentence forms with reasonable accuracy; limited range of more complex structures, usually containing errors that may cause some comprehension difficulties |
| 4 | Basic sentence forms and some correct simple sentences; subordinate structures rare; frequent errors may lead to misunderstanding |
| 3 | Attempts basic sentence forms with limited success or relies on memorised utterances; many errors except in memorised expressions |

### Pronunciation (P)

| Band | Descriptor |
|------|-----------|
| 9 | Full range of phonological features with precision and subtlety; effortless to understand |
| 8 | Wide range of phonological features; easy to understand throughout; L1 accent has minimal effect on intelligibility |
| 7 | Shows features of Band 6 and some of Band 8; easy to understand throughout; some features of native-speaker rhythm and intonation |
| 6 | Uses a range of phonological features but control is variable; some effective use of features but not sustained; generally understood but mispronunciation of individual words or sounds reduces clarity at times |
| 5 | Shows features of Band 4 and some of Band 6; accent clearly noticeable; mispronunciations cause some listener difficulty |
| 4 | Limited range of phonological features; attempts to control features with inconsistent success; frequent mispronunciations cause some difficulty for the listener |
| 3 | Shows features of Band 2 and some of Band 4; frequently difficult to understand |

---

## Workflow

### Step 1 — Identify what the user needs

Determine:
- Which part are they working on? (1 / 2 / 3 / all)
- Do they want mock questions, a sample answer, or feedback on their own answer?
- Do they have a specific topic or difficulty?

### Step 2 — Run the mock or analyse the response

**If running a mock:**
- For Part 1: ask 3–5 topic questions; after each answer, give brief feedback or save feedback for a summary at the end.
- For Part 2: give a cue card with 4 bullet points; allow the user to write a 1–2 minute response; prompt with "Have you covered all four bullet points?".
- For Part 3: ask 3–4 abstract, analytical follow-up questions linked to the Part 2 topic.

**If analysing a transcript:**
- Assess naturalness and flow even from written text (hesitations, sentence starters, self-corrections if visible).
- Note vocabulary range and any errors in grammar.
- Estimate pronunciation issues from phonetically unusual constructions where possible, and note what you cannot assess from text.

### Step 3 — Score and feedback

Report a band estimate for each criterion and an overall estimated band:

```
Fluency & Coherence:  X / 9
Lexical Resource:     X / 9
Grammatical Range:    X / 9
Pronunciation:        X / 9  (estimated / not assessable from text)
Estimated overall:    X.X / 9
```

For each criterion below 7, give 2–3 specific, actionable improvements with examples drawn from the user's actual response.

---

## Part-specific guidance

### Part 1 — Short answers

- Aim for 2–4 sentences per answer: direct answer → reason or example → optional elaboration.
- Avoid one-word answers ("Yes." / "No.") — they give the examiner nothing to assess.
- Avoid over-long answers — Part 1 is meant to be conversational.

Example prompt: *"Do you enjoy cooking?"*
- Weak: "Yes, I like it."
- Strong: "Yes, I really enjoy cooking, especially on weekends when I have more time. I find it quite relaxing to experiment with new recipes — last month I tried making Vietnamese pho for the first time."

### Part 2 — Long turn (cue card)

Structure for the 1–2 minute talk:
1. **Who / What / Where / When** — set the scene quickly (first 20 seconds)
2. **Description** — develop 2–3 points from the bullet list
3. **How you felt / why it matters** — personal reaction or significance

Tips:
- Use the 1-minute prep time to jot 3–4 keywords, not full sentences.
- If you finish early, add a brief reflection ("Looking back, I think this was important because…").
- Do not stop abruptly — the examiner will signal when to finish.

### Part 3 — Abstract discussion

- Give structured answers: **position → reason → example → implication**.
- Use hedging language for opinions: "I would argue that…", "It seems to me that…", "There's a strong case for…"
- Show awareness of different perspectives: "While some people might say X, I think Y because…"
- Part 3 rewards analytical depth — don't just repeat Part 2 ideas.

---

## Key language for speaking

### Buying time (natural, not mechanical)

- "That's an interesting question…"
- "Let me think about that for a moment…"
- "It's hard to say exactly, but…"
- "I've never really thought about it that way, but I suppose…"

Avoid overusing "um" and "uh" — they reduce Fluency scores.

### Extending answers

- "What I mean by that is…"
- "To give you an example…"
- "This is particularly true when…"
- "In fact, I'd go so far as to say…"

### Expressing nuance (important for Band 7+)

- "It really depends on the situation."
- "There are arguments on both sides."
- "While X is generally true, there are exceptions when…"
- "The picture is more complicated than it first appears."

### Useful idioms (use naturally, not forced)

- "It goes without saying that…"
- "On balance, I think…"
- "All things considered…"
- "At the end of the day…"

---

## Common mistakes to flag

1. **One-word or one-sentence answers in Part 1** — always extend with a reason or example.
2. **Stopping at exactly 1 minute in Part 2** — it is better to fill the full 2 minutes; practise expanding.
3. **Overusing "because" as the only connective** — vary with "due to", "as a result of", "given that", "since".
4. **Memorised answers** — examiners are trained to spot them; they may redirect questions if an answer sounds scripted.
5. **Saying "I don't know"** — always attempt an answer; speculate if unsure ("I'm not entirely sure, but I imagine…").
6. **Staying in simple tense structures** — Band 7+ requires a range of tenses, conditionals, modals, and passive forms.

---

## Output format

When giving mock questions:
- List the questions clearly (Part label + question).
- Wait for the user's response before giving feedback, unless they ask for a sample answer first.

When giving sample answers:
- Provide a realistic Band 7–8 answer.
- Annotate 2–3 features that make it effective (vocabulary choice, structure, grammar).

When scoring a transcript:
- Quote the user's response where relevant.
- Provide the scored table.
- Give a revised version of 1–2 weak sentences to illustrate improvements.