Question 1

Will it still be a face-to-face Speaking test?

Accepted Answer

Yes, your Speaking test will still be face-to-face, however your examiner will attend your test via a video call.
You will be able to see your examiners face, hear them speak, and have a live conversation with them, as you would in-person.
All aspects of the Speaking test will remain the same, including the question types, timing and marking.Your examiner will ask you the test questions, and you will answer through the video-call.

Question 2

Will I need to prepare for my Speaking test differently?

Accepted Answer

No, you will not need to prepare any differently. All aspects of the Speaking test will remain the same, including the question types, timing and marking.

Question 3

Will I need to do anything differently on test day?

Accepted Answer

On your test day, an IELTS staff member will complete your ID check as per normal and show you to your Speaking test room.
An IELTS staff member will set-up your video-call, you will not be required to touch any equipment or set up the call.

Question 4

Will my Speaking test be marked any differently?

Accepted Answer

No, your IELTS Speaking test will continue to be marked by a trained and certified examiner. Your speaking skills are marked against a number of criteria, including ‘fluency and coherence’, ‘lexical resource’, ‘pronunciation’, ‘grammatical range’ and ‘accuracy’.

Question 5

What measures has IELTS put in place to protect my health and safety?

Accepted Answer

We have been following the advice of the World Health Organisation and relevant local governments to help create a healthy test day environment. Here is a summary of some of the additional precautions we have introduced for you and your fellow test takers:

Ask you to sign a health declaration

Test takers and staff may wear a mask

Hand sanitisers readily available

Test room disinfection & deep cleaning

Additional spacing for test takers and reduced group sizes

Partitions in computer-delivered IELTS test rooms

To find out more, please read IELTS test day and preparation – COVID-19 updates.

Video call Speaking tests