Most Speaking Part 2 checklists tell you to record yourself and practise timing. That advice is true but vague, and it does not tell you what to actually listen for. This rubric is organised around the four official Speaking assessment criteria, so you are checking your own performance against what the examiner is actually scoring.
For Fluency and Coherence, record a full two-minute answer and listen back for three things. Count your filler words, such as “um,” “like,” and “you know,” per minute; more than three or four per minute is worth addressing directly. Notice whether you self-corrected mid-sentence more than once or twice, since occasional repair is natural but frequent restarts usually mean you are translating in your head rather than speaking directly in English. Finally, ask whether a listener could follow your answer without seeing the cue card. If the logic only makes sense with the card in view, the issue is your spoken organisation, not your content.
For Lexical Resource, check whether you reached for a more specific word at least twice, or whether every description defaulted to “good,” “nice,” or “interesting.” Precision here is what tends to separate Band 6 from Band 7 and above. Also listen for natural collocations, such as “striking a work-life balance” rather than “having a good balance between work and life.” Stiff, word-for-word phrasing is a common sign of a memorised vocabulary list rather than genuine command of the language.
For Grammatical Range and Accuracy, check whether you used more than one verb tense appropriately. Most cue cards invite past tense for the description and present tense for how you feel about it now, and using only one tense flattens your range. Also note whether any grammar error repeated more than once. A single slip under time pressure is normal, but the same error appearing three times in two minutes is a pattern worth drilling on its own.
For Pronunciation, listen for variation in intonation rather than a flat, even rhythm throughout, since flat delivery can read as low confidence even when the content is strong. Identify two or three specific sounds or word stresses you consistently get wrong, rather than settling for a vague sense that your pronunciation needs work.
After each practice recording, score yourself in one or two sentences per criterion instead of a general “that felt okay.” The goal is a running list of three or four specific, recurring issues you are actively fixing, not a fresh generic checklist every time you practise.