Before Part 1 officially starts
The examiner is already listening before you know it.
Many candidates assume the Speaking test begins the moment the examiner asks the first official question. In reality, your tone, greeting and general manner from the moment you enter the room already shape the examiner’s first impression of your English.
This isn’t a hidden or unfair part of the test — natural, everyday communication like greetings and small talk genuinely reflects how comfortable you are using English, which is exactly what IELTS Speaking is designed to assess.
An important distinction
Practical confidence, not a hidden scoring criterion
It’s worth being clear about what this page is, and isn’t, teaching. Official IELTS scoring begins with Part 1’s recorded questions — your greeting itself isn’t formally scored. What matters here is confidence and comfort: arriving relaxed and speaking naturally from the very first moment makes it easier to perform well once the recorded assessment does begin.
Greet Naturally
A simple, confident greeting and eye contact help settle your nerves before the interview begins.
Expect Small Talk
Examiners often make brief, friendly conversation while settling in — treat it as a natural warm-up, not a trick question.
Settle Your Nerves Early
Using the walk to your seat and the greeting to steady your breathing can make the official start of the test feel far less sudden.
A teacher’s tip
Treat the whole appointment as one conversation.
Rather than mentally dividing your time into “before the test” and “the test,” think of the entire appointment as one continuous conversation. This naturally carries your confidence and tone into the officially assessed part of the interview.
Ready for the next step?
Learn what happens in each of the three parts.
Now that you know how to settle in confidently, learn exactly what to expect once the recorded assessment begins.