IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Tests
18 IELTS Academic Speaking practice tests in the real format, timed like the exam, with answers when you finish. A three-part interview, including a cue-card long turn, with Band 7/8/9 sample answers.
IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Test 1 with Answers
A free, interactive IELTS Academic Speaking practice test with answers, about 14 minutes.
TopicsHoneybee navigationThe history of urban parksThe psychology of remote work
This IELTS Academic Practice Test 1 has 1 paper — Speaking. Choose a paper below to start; your browser will load the interactive version automatically.
Speaking
Speaking Part 1 — Introduction and interview
The examiner asks general questions about familiar topics (4-5 minutes). Answer naturally and extend each answer with a reason or example.
- Let's talk about where you live. What do you like most about your neighbourhood? Example: What I appreciate most is how convenient it is — there's a market, a park and a metro stop all within ten minutes' walk, so I rarely need a car.
- Do you work or are you a student? Example: I'm currently working as a junior accountant, although I'm also studying for a professional qualification in the evenings, so it feels like a bit of both.
- How do you usually spend your weekends? Example: It depends on the season, but typically I catch up with friends over coffee, and if the weather cooperates I'll go for a long cycle along the river.
- Do you prefer cooking at home or eating out? Why? Example: On balance, cooking at home — partly to save money, but mainly because I find chopping vegetables strangely relaxing after a day of staring at spreadsheets.
Speaking Part 2 — Long turn (cue card)
You have 1 minute to prepare notes, then speak for up to 2 minutes. CUE CARD: Describe a useful skill you learned. You should say: what the skill is; how you learned it; how long it took; and explain why it has been useful to you.
- Describe a useful skill you learned. You should say what it is, how you learned it, how long it took, and explain why it has been useful to you. You have one to two minutes. Example: (Compare the three band samples below to see what separates Band 7, 8 and 9.)
Speaking Part 3 — Discussion
The examiner asks broader questions connected to the Part 2 topic (4-5 minutes). Give extended, analytical answers with reasons and examples.
- Why do you think some people give up learning new skills quickly? Example: (See the band samples below for this question.)
- Are practical skills more valuable than academic knowledge nowadays? Example: A balanced Band 8+ answer weighs both: practical skills pay off immediately, while academic knowledge compounds over decades; the strongest answers refuse the either/or framing.
- How might the way people learn skills change in the future? Example: Strong answers speculate with hedged language: AI tutors personalising feedback, shorter 'micro-credentials' replacing degrees, though face-to-face mentoring is likely to survive because motivation is social.
Ads paying for your free English lessons. Prefer a quiet page? Go ad-free
IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Test 2 with Answers
Coral reef restorationThe history of the printing pressThe science of sleep
Speaking · about 14 min
Start Test 2 →IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Test 3 with Answers
Monitoring the world's glaciersThe history of the tea tradeThe psychology of crowds
Speaking · about 14 min
Start Test 3 →IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Test 4 with Answers
Farming in the desertThe Silk RoadMusic and the brain
Speaking · about 14 min
Start Test 4 →IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Test 5 with Answers
Plastic-eating bacteriaThe history of lighthousesThe benefits of bilingualism
Speaking · about 14 min
Start Test 5 →IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Test 6 with Answers
Wildlife in citiesHow the Romans made concreteThe science of procrastination
Speaking · about 14 min
Start Test 6 →IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Test 7 with Answers
Rewilding rivers with beaversThe history of map-makingHow taste perception works
Speaking · about 14 min
Start Test 7 →IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Test 8 with Answers
Vertical farmingThe invention of the telegraphMemory and ageing
Speaking · about 14 min
Start Test 8 →IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Test 9 with Answers
Migratory birds and artificial lightThe history of coffee housesThe science of creativity
Speaking · about 14 min
Start Test 9 →IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Test 10 with Answers
How ocean currents workThe history of paper moneyHow children acquire language
Speaking · about 14 min
Start Test 10 →IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Test 11 with Answers
Volcano early-warning systemsThe history of the bicycleHonest signals in animals
Speaking · about 14 min
Start Test 11 →IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Test 12 with Answers
Seed banks and crop diversityThe Trans-Siberian RailwayDecision fatigue
Speaking · about 14 min
Start Test 12 →IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Test 13 with Answers
Antibiotic resistanceThe mystery of cave artThe science of sport
Speaking · about 14 min
Start Test 13 →IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Test 14 with Answers
Mangrove forestsThe elevator and the modern cityThe science of humour
Speaking · about 14 min
Start Test 14 →IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Test 15 with Answers
Citizen scienceThe history of the spice tradeHandwriting versus typing
Speaking · about 14 min
Start Test 15 →IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Test 16 with Answers
Smart electricity gridsThe history of the newspaperWhy animals play
Speaking · about 14 min
Start Test 16 →IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Test 17 with Answers
Drought-resistant cropsThe history of clocks and timekeepingCrowd-funding scientific research
Speaking · about 14 min
Start Test 17 →IELTS Academic Speaking Practice Test 18 with Answers
Microplastics in riversThe history of the postal systemBirdsong and human language
Speaking · about 14 min
Start Test 18 →
About the IELTS Speaking paper
A three-part interview, including a cue-card long turn, with Band 7/8/9 sample answers.
How IELTS is scored
IELTS is reported as a band score from 1 to 9. On 7ESL, Listening and Reading give an instant practice score, while Writing and Speaking come with Band 7, 8 and 9 sample answers and examiner-style commentary so you can see exactly what raises a band. 7ESL Pro members can also have each Writing task marked by the AI examiner, with an estimated band for each criterion.
Other IELTS papers
IELTS Academic Listening practice tests · IELTS Academic Reading practice tests · IELTS Academic Writing practice tests. Or sit a full IELTS practice test.
Study the matching course
Want to master the English behind the exam? Our IELTS Preparation course teaches the grammar, vocabulary and skills at B1-C2 level — with structured lessons, worksheets and videos. It is the ideal companion to these IELTS practice tests: learn on the course, then check your progress here.
7ESL practice material written in the official IELTS Academic format. 7ESL is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the IELTS partners. IELTS is a registered trademark of the British Council, IDP IELTS and Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Writing and Speaking are not auto-marked (the optional AI examiner for Pro members gives an estimate only); Band 7–9 sample answers with commentary are provided instead.