Can You Disagree With the IELTS Examiner? What Actually Matters in Speaking

Yes, you can disagree with a view raised in your IELTS Speaking test. You can explain a different position, qualify a claim, or say that you see advantages on both sides. You do not have to discover the opinion your examiner would personally choose.

I would rather hear an answer you can explain than an answer you have chosen because it sounds acceptable. Once you start wondering what the examiner wants you to believe, you give yourself another job to do while you are already trying to speak English. You are thinking about the question, finding the words, and monitoring your grammar. Trying to read the examiner's mind only makes that harder.

The British Council's Speaking guidance makes the distinction clear: your opinions are not what receives the mark. The assessment concerns fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation.

Two opposite opinions can both give you something useful to say

Consider this practice question: Should schools ban smartphones in classrooms?

You might support a ban:

Yes. Notifications can interrupt lessons, and some students find them difficult to ignore. Keeping phones away during class would help students concentrate on the activity in front of them.

Or you might oppose it:

No. Phones can be useful learning tools. Students could use them to look up unfamiliar words or complete a classroom quiz. I would set rules for their use rather than ban them completely.

I can follow the reasoning in both answers. The first connects notifications with interrupted attention. The second gives practical uses for a phone and suggests an alternative to a complete ban. Each person has answered the question and given the listener enough detail to understand the position.

Notice, too, that neither person needs a surprising argument. A familiar observation about notifications or classroom activities gives the answer something concrete to develop. That is the same principle I explain in my guide to developing ideas without overthinking: start with something you understand well enough to explain.

The improvement comes from explaining your position

Suppose your answer is simply, “Yes, because phones are distracting.” That gives me a position and a reason, but I am still waiting to hear what you mean by distracting. Do students check messages? Does the class stop while someone answers a call? Does a notification pull someone's attention away from an explanation?

Choose one of those situations and explain the connection:

Yes, I think phones should be put away during lessons. A student might check one notification and then miss the teacher's explanation. That can make the next activity harder to follow, even if the interruption only lasts a few seconds.

The position has stayed the same. What changed is that the listener can now understand how the distraction affects learning. You have created room to use more language because there is something specific to communicate.

I would practice that movement from a general claim to a clear explanation. You do not have to keep adding unrelated reasons. Give the reason you have already chosen enough attention.

What if the examiner challenges your answer?

Imagine that, after you support the ban, the examiner asks, “But couldn't phones also help students learn?” You do not need to abandon your answer immediately. Listen to the point being raised and respond to it.

They could, especially when the teacher has planned an activity that needs them. I would still keep them away during explanations, though, because students need to follow what the teacher is saying. The rule could allow phones for particular activities.

You have acknowledged a useful exception and explained how it fits your original concern. That is a more interesting discussion than repeating “phones are distracting” or changing your opinion simply to agree.

IDP's Speaking guide explains that Part 3 may include questions that challenge your opinions. They give you an opportunity to discuss ideas more fully. A challenging follow-up, by itself, does not tell you your score.

Disagree with the idea politely. You can acknowledge part of a point and then explain where your own position differs. The useful part is the explanation that follows, so do not spend your preparation memorizing a long collection of disagreement phrases.

You can also have a balanced opinion

Sometimes neither a complete yes nor a complete no describes what you think. You might support restricting phones for younger students while allowing older students to use them for certain tasks. You can say that.

I think it depends on the age of the students and the activity. Younger children may need clearer limits, while older students could use their phones for research. I would prefer a rule that allows supervised use when there is a clear learning purpose.

“It depends” becomes useful when you explain what it depends on. Without that explanation, you leave the listener waiting. With it, you have a position that can be followed even though it includes a condition.

How I would practice this before test day

Choose one familiar question, such as whether working from home is better than working in an office. Record your answer, then listen for the point at which your explanation becomes vague. Can you identify what “better” means in your response? Less commuting? Fewer interruptions? Easier communication with colleagues?

Pick the meaning you intended and make it specific in your next attempt. You can then practice answering a follow-up that presents another perspective. The aim is to become comfortable developing a response, including when the next question takes the discussion in a direction you did not plan.

That is the preparation I want you to build with the Lexis Success Package. Use the masterclasses to understand the approach, study sample Writing & Speaking responses, and apply what you learn in Practice Studio with feedback. Your study plan helps you decide what to work on next, while full mock exams bring those skills together under timed conditions.

Give yourself practice expressing an answer you understand. You can walk into the Speaking test ready to explain your thinking without having to borrow someone else's opinion.

Questions students may have about IELTS Speaking opinions

Will I lose marks if the examiner disagrees with my opinion?

I would focus on your spoken performance. The examiner's personal agreement is not an assessment criterion. Answer the question, explain your reasoning, and give the listener a clear response to follow.

Should I change my answer when the examiner asks a challenging question?

I would listen to the question first. You may keep your position, acknowledge an exception, or revise your view if you have a reason to do so. You do not need to change it just to seek agreement.

Can I say that I see both sides?

Yes. I would then explain the distinction or condition that matters to you. For example, you might support supervised phone use for classroom research while opposing unrestricted use during explanations.

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