Quick answer: IELTS Speaking is scored on four criteria, each marked from 0 to 9 and weighted equally - Fluency & Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range & Accuracy, and Pronunciation. Your overall Speaking band is the average of the four. Because they carry equal weight, the fastest way to raise your score is to find your weakest criterion and target it, rather than polishing the one you are already strong at. Below is each criterion in plain English, plus what specifically separates a band 6 from a band 7.
Not sure which band you are at? Get an honest estimate from the free IELTS band-score estimator.
How the four criteria fit together
A certified examiner listens to you across all three parts of the test and gives a band from 0 to 9 on each of the four criteria. Those four scores are then averaged into your Speaking band, which is reported in whole and half bands. Because each criterion is worth exactly a quarter, a single weak area drags your whole score down - and improving that one area is the most efficient way up.
1. Fluency & Coherence
This is about whether you can keep speaking at a natural pace and whether your ideas connect logically. Examiners listen for how much you hesitate, how often you correct yourself, whether you repeat words while searching for the next one, and whether you link ideas clearly.
What it rewards:
- Speaking at length without long, unnatural pauses.
- Linking ideas with a range of connectives - "because", "so", "although", "which means".
- Self-correcting smoothly rather than stalling completely.
Myth to drop: fluency does not mean speaking fast. A measured, clear speaker who keeps going scores higher than a fast one who stumbles.
2. Lexical Resource
Your vocabulary: how wide it is, how accurately you use it, and how well you can talk about different topics - including paraphrasing when you do not know the exact word.
What it rewards:
- Precise word choice for the topic, including natural collocations ("heavy traffic", "a close friend").
- Being able to paraphrase around a word you cannot recall.
- Some less common vocabulary and idiomatic language used correctly.
Myth to drop: cramming in "advanced" words does not help if you use them wrongly. A common word used accurately beats a rare word used awkwardly.
3. Grammatical Range & Accuracy
The variety and correctness of your sentence structures. Examiners want to hear a mix of simple and complex sentences, used accurately enough that your meaning is always clear.
What it rewards:
- A range of structures - conditionals, relative clauses, a mix of tenses.
- Accuracy: most sentences error-free, with any slips not blocking understanding.
- Control under pressure, especially in the Part 2 long turn.
Myth to drop: you do not need perfect grammar for a high band. Even at band 7 or 8, occasional errors are acceptable - what matters is that they are rare and do not obscure meaning.
4. Pronunciation
How easy you are to understand. This covers your individual sounds, word and sentence stress, and intonation.
What it rewards:
- Clear sounds that a listener can follow without strain.
- Sensible stress on the right syllables and key words.
- Natural intonation that helps carry your meaning.
Myth to drop: you do not need a British or American accent. Pronunciation is judged on clarity, not on sounding "native" - a clear regional accent can score at the very top.
Rehearse all four criteria under realistic conditions with the free IELTS practice test.
What separates a band 6 from a band 7
The jump from 6 to 7 is specific and trainable. Broadly, at band 6 you can be understood and keep a conversation going, but with noticeable strain in one or more areas; at band 7 you sound more comfortable and controlled across all four criteria:
- Fluency: a 6 hesitates and repeats fairly often; a 7 speaks at length with only occasional hesitation, usually to find ideas rather than words.
- Vocabulary: a 6 has enough words to discuss familiar topics; a 7 paraphrases flexibly and uses some less common vocabulary with awareness of style.
- Grammar: a 6 uses complex structures but with frequent errors; a 7 uses a range of structures with only occasional mistakes.
- Pronunciation: a 6 is generally clear but can require effort to follow; a 7 is easy to understand throughout, with good control of stress and intonation.
Because the four are averaged, lifting your single weakest criterion by a band often raises your overall score more than any other change.
Frequently asked questions
How many criteria is IELTS Speaking marked on?
Four: Fluency & Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range & Accuracy, and Pronunciation. Each is scored from 0 to 9 and weighted equally, and your Speaking band is the average of the four.How is my overall Speaking band calculated?
The examiner gives a 0–9 score on each of the four criteria, and those are averaged into your Speaking band. Because the four are equally weighted, a low score on any one criterion pulls the whole result down.Does speaking fast improve my fluency score?
No. Fluency & Coherence rewards speaking smoothly and connecting your ideas logically, not speed. Speaking too fast often causes more errors and unclear pronunciation. A steady, clear pace usually scores better.Do grammar mistakes stop me getting a high band?
Not on their own. Even at band 7 and above, occasional errors are expected. What matters is that your mistakes are infrequent and do not prevent the examiner from understanding you, and that you use a genuine range of sentence structures.Is pronunciation about having a native accent?
No. Pronunciation is assessed on how clearly you can be understood - your sounds, stress and intonation - not on which accent you have. Many high-scoring speakers have a clear regional accent.What is the quickest way to raise my Speaking band?
Find your weakest of the four criteria and focus on it, since they are averaged. For many people that is fluency (from hesitation) or grammar (from frequent small errors). Recording yourself and getting feedback is the fastest way to spot your weak area.To see these criteria in the context of the whole test, read our pillar, IELTS Speaking: Format, Scoring and How to Prepare. Once you have the band you need, teaching English abroad with an accredited TEFL course is a natural next step.
The examples in this article are original writing for GE and do not reproduce any real exam material.