How Examiners Score IELTS Speaking Part 2
Four criteria · Sustained talk · May 2026
Examiners do not assign a separate “Part 2 band.” They listen to your one-to-two-minute monologue and add evidence to the same four Speaking criteria—Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation—used for the whole interview. Part 2 rewards sustained, organised speech with clear progression through the cue-card prompts, not memorised speeches read at speed. Long hesitation, shallow bullet lists, or finishing far under time weakens the same criterion scores that cap your overall Speaking band.
What examiners listen for in the monologue
During Part 2 the examiner notes whether you can hold the floor without constant repair, sequence ideas logically, and show vocabulary and grammar beyond rehearsed chunks. Notes are brief; they reflect band descriptors, not a checklist of bullet points covered.
Part 2 traps that pull criteria down
| Trap | Effect on scoring |
|---|---|
| Memorised script | Flat intonation, no natural repair—hurts FC and Pronunciation |
| Bullet-only answers | Thin development—Lexical Resource stalls |
| Early stop | Insufficient evidence for higher bands |
Timing, notes, and examiner prompts
One minute to prepare; one to two minutes to speak. Brief notes are allowed but reading them aloud breaks fluency. If you stop early, the examiner may ask you to continue—those extra seconds still count toward the same four criteria.
Key takeaways
- Part 2 feeds the four global Speaking criteria, not a separate mark.
- Sustained, organised talk beats a fast memorised monologue.
- Under-length answers remove evidence examiners need for Band 7+.
- Practice with a timer and one clear story arc per cue card.
FAQ
See whether your Part 2 monologue shows Band 7 evidence on all four criteria.
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