- Split long sentences into thought groups and repeat them exactly
- Build a 45-second answer with the ARE formula
- Choose tenses and phrases that fit the question type
- Control word stress and fluency
The Speaking section lasts only about 8 minutes and has 11 tasks: 7 Listen and Repeat sentences and the 4 questions of Take an Interview. ETS scores every task from 0 to 5. So 35 of the section's 55 raw points come from repeating sentences. Accurate repetition is the shortest path to a good score here.
Listen and Repeat: say exactly what you hear
You get a scenario from campus or academic life (for example, you are learning to welcome visitors), and a picture appears on screen. After each sentence there is a short pause, and you repeat exactly what you heard. The sentences get longer and more complex. You have at most 8–12 seconds to record each response, and you repeat each sentence only once.
| Score | What the repetition is like (simplified) |
|---|---|
| 5 | An exact repetition, fully intelligible |
| 4 | Meaning kept, small changes: 1–2 function words, a tense or plural ending, two words swapped |
| 3 | Nearly complete, but the meaning is not fully accurate or some words are unclear |
| 2 | A large part is missing and the meaning is fragmented |
| 1 | Only a few words, or mostly unintelligible |
| 0 | No response, unintelligible or not in English |
- 1Read the scenario
The setting (library, zoo, lab) helps you predict which words will come.
- 2Listen for meaning, not sounds
Picture what the sentence describes — a sentence you understand is much easier to remember.
- 3Split into thought groups
Remember a long sentence as 3–4 blocks: Students who want / to reserve a group room / should book it online / at least one day in advance.
- 4Keep the small words
A, the, of, to, have and the endings -s, -ed are the difference between a 5 and a 4.
- 5Start at once, in the same rhythm
Don't wait — memory fades within seconds. Copy the speaker's stress and intonation.
Scenario: You are helping at the front desk of the university library. Listen to the librarian and repeat what she says.
Have someone read each sentence once (or use text-to-speech) and repeat it without looking. Record yourself.
1) Welcome to the main library.
2) Quiet study rooms are on the third floor.
3) You can borrow up to ten books at a time.
4) Laptops can be charged at the tables near the windows.
5) If you need help finding an article, ask at the reference desk.
6) Books that are returned late are charged a small daily fee.
7) Students who want to reserve a group room should book it online at least one day in advance.
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3) You can borrow / up to ten books / at a time. — don't lose up to.
4) Laptops can be charged / at the tables / near the windows. — passive can be charged; plurals tables, windows.
5) If you need help / finding an article, / ask at the reference desk. — an article: the article an.
6) Books that are returned late / are charged / a small daily fee. — are twice, and the article a.
7) Students who want / to reserve a group room / should book it online / at least one day in advance. — it, at least, in advance.
Check yourself: listen to your recording and mark every small word you dropped. Losing plural endings, as in Laptop can be charged at the table near the window, can turn a 5 into a 4.
Take an Interview: 4 questions, 45 seconds each
This is a simulated conversation with a prerecorded interviewer — for example, you are applying for a scholarship or taking part in a research study. The interviewer asks 4 questions, and you have 45 seconds for each answer. The first questions are about facts and personal experience; later ones ask your opinion on broader issues. The official criteria: the answer is on topic and developed, the pace is natural, pronunciation is clear, and grammar and vocabulary are varied and accurate.
- 1A — Answer, 5 seconds
Answer the question directly in your first sentence: Actually, I only partly agree.
- 2R — Reason, 10–15 seconds
Explain why you think so in one or two sentences.
- 3E — Example, 15–20 seconds
A concrete detail or a short story: In my university, for example, …
- 4Wrap-up, 5 seconds
Go back to your answer: So I think the best solution is… If time is left, add a second reason with Also, …
| Question type | Example | Grammar and phrases |
|---|---|---|
| Habits | How do you usually …? | Present Simple, usually, most of the time |
| Past experience | Tell me about a time when … | Past Simple, first, then, in the end |
| Opinion | Do you agree that …? | I (partly) agree / disagree because … |
| Future, policy | Should universities …? | should, would, might, If …, … |
Scenario: You are taking part in a university study about how students use technology. A researcher will ask you four questions.
Answer each question in 45 seconds and record yourself.
1) How do you usually take notes in class — on paper or on a device? Why?
2) Tell me about a time when technology helped you learn something new.
3) Some people think students should not be allowed to use phones in class. Do you agree? Why or why not?
4) In the future, should universities offer more courses completely online? Why or why not?
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Actually, I only partly agree. (A) It's true that phones can be a big distraction — when a message pops up, it's really hard not to check it, and then you miss what the teacher is saying. But I don't think a total ban is the answer. (R) In my university, for example, we often use our phones to answer quick online quizzes during lectures, and that makes the class more interactive. (E) So I think the best solution is a clear rule: phones stay face down unless the teacher asks us to use them. That way, students learn self-control instead of just following a ban. (wrap-up)
For the other questions: 1 — a habit, Present Simple; 2 — a story, Past Simple with first, then, in the end; 4 — future and opinion, should, would, might.
Pronunciation: stress changes everything
Key points
- Speaking ≈ 8 minutes: 7 Listen and Repeat + 4 interview questions; every task is scored 0–5.
- Listen and Repeat gives 35 of the 55 raw points: thought groups and small words decide the score.
- Each interview answer is 45 seconds; ARE formula: Answer → Reason → Example + wrap-up.
- Short um pauses are fine; long silences and memorized speeches are the problem.
- Ten minutes of shadowing a day builds memory, rhythm and intonation together.
Check yourself
10 questions. Every correct answer earns XP.