In IELTS Speaking Part 3, your performance is evaluated using four official criteria, each contributing 25% to your overall Speaking band score. These criteria are:
Fluency and Coherence
Lexical Resource
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Pronunciation
Understanding each criterion in detail helps candidates strategically improve their performance and avoid common pitfalls. This lesson breaks down each criterion with explanations, examples, and actionable tips to help you score higher in Part 3.
Fluency refers to your ability to speak at length without unnatural pauses, repetition, or hesitation.
Coherence measures how logically and clearly your ideas are organized and connected.
Together, fluency and coherence assess how smoothly and logically you can communicate in English.
Speaking without frequent self-correction or hesitation
Using discourse markers to connect ideas
Maintaining a logical flow in responses
Staying on topic and avoiding irrelevant details
Speaks at length with only occasional hesitation
Connects ideas using a range of cohesive devices
Develops topics coherently
Low Fluency Example:
“Uh… I think… online shopping… is, uh… easier… because… it’s… um… faster.”
Improved Version:
“I believe online shopping is much more convenient because it saves both time and energy. For instance, instead of spending hours in a physical store, I can compare products online and make a purchase within minutes.”
Practice speaking on a timer to build rhythm
Use common linking words: however, for example, in addition, on the other hand
Prepare and rehearse answers for common Part 3 topics
Avoid filler words like “um,” “you know,” or “like”
Lexical Resource refers to the range, precision, and appropriacy of vocabulary used during the test. Examiners look for your ability to use:
A wide range of vocabulary
Accurate word choices
Collocations and idiomatic expressions
Paraphrasing skills
Uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss topics at length
Uses some less common and idiomatic vocabulary
Shows some awareness of style and collocation
May make occasional errors in word choice
Weak Vocabulary Example:
“Pollution is a big problem. People throw rubbish everywhere.”
Improved Version:
“Environmental pollution has become a pressing concern in modern societies, especially due to the improper disposal of waste materials and industrial emissions.”
Learn topic-specific word lists (e.g., for technology, environment, culture)
Use collocations like “renewable energy,” “social norms,” “public health”
Practice paraphrasing using synonyms and rephrasing techniques
Introduce idiomatic expressions cautiously (e.g., “a double-edged sword”)
Overusing basic or repetitive words (e.g., “good,” “thing,” “bad”)
Misusing idioms or slang in formal responses
Using complex words without knowing their exact meaning
This criterion measures both the variety of grammatical structures you use and the accuracy with which you use them.
To score well, you must show that you can:
Use complex sentence forms
Maintain subject-verb agreement
Apply verb tenses consistently
Minimize grammatical errors
Uses a range of complex structures
Frequently produces error-free sentences
Makes occasional grammatical mistakes
Conditionals: “If more people used public transport, pollution would decrease.”
Passives: “Many laws are introduced to combat climate change.”
Relative Clauses: “The government, which oversees public health, should intervene.”
Modal Verbs: “People should be encouraged to recycle more.”
Record and transcribe your speech to find patterns in your mistakes
Practice transforming simple sentences into complex ones
Use online grammar tools to identify and correct errors
Learn advanced structures like inversion, cleft sentences, and mixed conditionals
Incorrect verb tense usage
Inconsistent subject-verb agreement
Article misuse (the, a, an)
Word order mistakes
Pronunciation assesses how clearly and naturally you articulate your words. It includes:
Individual sounds
Word stress and sentence stress
Intonation and rhythm
Connected speech
Shows effective use of features of pronunciation
Is easy to understand throughout
May have a slight accent, but it does not affect comprehension
Stressing the correct syllables in words: EDUcation, ecoNOMics
Using rising and falling intonation for questions and statements
Linking words naturally: “kind of” → “kinda”, “going to” → “gonna”
Reducing sounds appropriately: “would have” → “would’ve”
Poor: “I think is good idea.” (Flat, unclear, no stress)
Better: “I think it’s a good idea.” (Natural stress and intonation)
Practice with shadowing techniques: repeat after native speakers
Listen to English podcasts and mimic the rhythm
Record yourself and compare it to native models
Focus on intonation to express opinions and contrasts
A slight accent is acceptable as long as your intelligibility is high. IELTS examiners are trained to handle a wide range of global English accents. Clarity matters more than sounding “native.”
To succeed in IELTS Speaking Part 3, you must balance all four criteria. For instance:
A fluent speaker with poor vocabulary will struggle with Lexical Resource.
A grammatically accurate speaker who hesitates often will lose marks in Fluency.
A well-structured answer with poor pronunciation may still be hard to understand.
Therefore, preparation should be holistic, focusing equally on content delivery, language use, and clarity.
Use this self-evaluation guide to check your readiness:
| Criterion | Yes/No |
|---|---|
| Do I speak at length with logical flow? | ✅ / ❌ |
| Do I use a wide range of vocabulary naturally? | ✅ / ❌ |
| Can I form complex grammatical structures accurately? | ✅ / ❌ |
| Is my pronunciation clear and easy to follow? | ✅ / ❌ |
| Do I link ideas using cohesive devices? | ✅ / ❌ |
| Can I paraphrase and avoid repetition? | ✅ / ❌ |
| Do I avoid frequent hesitations and fillers? | ✅ / ❌ |
Understanding the assessment criteria for IELTS Speaking Part 3 is essential for strategic improvement and a high band score. Focused preparation in the areas of fluency, vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation ensures you can perform confidently under exam conditions.
These are not skills that develop overnight, but with targeted daily practice, you’ll see noticeable improvements that reflect positively in your test results.
Are you ready to explore how these criteria are applied in real conversations? Continue to the next lesson to learn about the types of questions you’ll face in Part 3 and how to answer them using the criteria effectively.