IELTS Speaking Remark (EOR): Is It Worth It?
How an IELTS Speaking remark (Enquiry on Results) works: the 6-week deadline, who re-marks it, refunds, timing, and when a remark beats a One Skill Retake.
Your Speaking score came back lower than you expected, and you're sure you did better. You have two official options: ask for a remark (officially an Enquiry on Results, or EOR), or retake the test. This guide explains how a Speaking remark works, what it can and can't do, and how to decide between a remark and a retake.
How an IELTS remark works (the official rules)
From IDP's official remark page, checked on 2 October 2026:
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Deadline | Within 6 weeks of the test date on your Test Report Form |
| What can be remarked | The whole test, or one or more parts: Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking |
| Who re-marks Speaking | "Experienced senior IELTS examiners." Writing and Speaking are re-marked by senior examiners, each marking one section |
| Fee | Paid when you apply. It varies by country and test centre |
| Refund | "If your band scores change, the fee you paid will be refunded" |
| Possible outcome | Your score "either stays the same or is higher" |
| Timing | Results within 2 hours to 21 days, depending on how many sections you request. Contact your centre if you have nothing after 28 days |
Remember that the IELTS Speaking test is recorded, so a remark is not a new performance. It's a second, senior judgement of the same test.
When is a Speaking remark worth it?
A remark is most likely to be worth it when the score doesn't match what you can reasonably show you did, not just when it's disappointing. Signs that point towards a remark:
- Your Speaking score is unusually low compared with your other skills. For example, 7.0–7.5 in Listening, Reading and Writing, but 5.5 in Speaking.
- Your recent practice scores were consistently higher. That includes scores from a teacher scoring against the descriptors, or practice tests, under realistic conditions.
- You're half a band short of a requirement. A one-band change in Speaking is unusual. A half-band change is a more realistic hope.
- The test went normally. You didn't freeze, run out of things to say in Part 2, or give very short answers in Part 3.
Signs a remark is less likely to help:
- You know you struggled: long pauses, memorised-sounding answers, going blank in Part 2.
- Your Speaking score is in line with your other skills.
- You need a gain of a full band or more.
The band descriptors explained will help you judge honestly where you were on each criterion.
Remark vs One Skill Retake vs a full retake
| Remark (EOR) | One Skill Retake (Speaking) | Full retake | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What happens | Same test, re-marked by a senior examiner | You sit Speaking again | You sit all four skills again |
| Deadline | Within 6 weeks of your test | Taken within 60 days of your original test | Any time |
| Eligible tests | Any IELTS test | Only if your original was IELTS on computer | Any |
| Can your score go down? | No: same or higher | You can use either your original or new report | You get a new report |
| Cost if it doesn't work | You lose the fee | You pay the retake fee either way | You pay the full fee |
| Canada Express Entry | Updates your original test's result (it is not a new test) | Not accepted for Express Entry | Accepted (General Training) |
Details for One Skill Retake are from ielts.org, and the Canada rule is from IRCC. See IELTS One Skill Retake for Speaking.
You can do both in sequence. Many candidates request a remark and also start preparing for a retake straight away, so they don't lose time if the remark doesn't change the score. Just watch both deadlines: 6 weeks for a remark, and 60 days to take a One Skill Retake.
If the remark doesn't change your score
Treat it as useful information: two examiners have now placed you at the same band. Before retaking, work out which criterion is holding you back. Then practise that criterion specifically, out loud, for at least a few weeks:
- Fluency and Coherence: see how to improve IELTS Speaking fluency
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy: see IELTS Speaking grammar
- Part 2 and Part 3 development: see Part 2 cue cards and Part 3 questions and answers
FAQ
How long do I have to request an IELTS remark? Six weeks from the test date on your Test Report Form.
Can my Speaking score go down after a remark? According to IDP, after re-marking your score "either stays the same or is higher".
Do I get my money back? Yes, if your band scores change. If they don't change, the fee is not refunded.
How long does a remark take? Between 2 hours and 21 days, depending on how many sections you ask to be remarked.
Can I request a remark for Speaking only? Yes. You can request a remark for one or more individual sections.
Is a remark or a retake better? A remark suits a score that looks out of line with your ability. A retake suits a score that reflects how the test actually went. If you're unsure, request the remark and start preparing for a retake.
Preparing for a retake
Sprechify is a live voice AI tutor built only for IELTS Speaking. Its 30-day course works through Parts 1, 2 and 3 and full mock tests, with feedback on all four Band Descriptors, so you can see which criterion to fix before you retake. Treat its band as a practice estimate; only the real test gives an official score.
Related reading: IELTS One Skill Retake for Speaking · How to register for IELTS · IELTS Speaking Band 6 to 7