Interlocutor Frame
An interlocutor frame is the scripted set of questions, prompts, instructions, and rubrics that an examiner follows during a speaking test. It ensures that every candidate, regardless of when, where, or by whom they are tested, participates in essentially the same assessment event.
The term is primarily associated with Cambridge Assessment and the IELTS Speaking Test, though the principle applies to any face-to-face oral assessment that aims for standardisation across multiple examiners and test sites.
Purpose
In speaking tests, the examiner is both interlocutor (conversation partner) and rater (scorer). This dual role creates a standardisation problem: if examiners are free to ask whatever they like, some candidates will face harder questions, more supportive examiners, or more natural conversations than others. The interlocutor frame constrains the examiner's language to reduce this variability.
Key functions:
- Standardisation — Every candidate hears the same instructions and core questions
- Reliability — Reduced examiner variability improves score consistency
- Fairness — Candidates are assessed on their language, not on whether they happened to get a chatty or terse examiner
- Construct protection — The frame ensures the test elicits the language samples it was designed to elicit
The IELTS Speaking Test Frame
The IELTS interlocutor frame structures all three parts of the 11–14 minute test:
| Part | Duration | Frame characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1: Introduction and interview | 4–5 min | Scripted identity check + set topic questions. Examiner must follow the exact wording. |
| Part 2: Individual long turn | 3–4 min | Scripted task card handover + standard instructions. 1 minute preparation, 1–2 minutes speaking. |
| Part 3: Two-way discussion | 4–5 min | Looser frame — topic prompts provided, but examiner has more flexibility to rephrase and follow up at a level appropriate to the candidate. |
The frame includes explicit instructions: "Stick to the rubrics — do not deviate in any way... If asked to repeat rubrics, do not rephrase in any way" (IELTS examiner guidance). Part 3 allows more flexibility because the discussion format requires responsive interaction, but even here, topic content is pre-specified.
Strictness vs Flexibility
The level of scripting represents a trade-off:
Strict frames (Parts 1 and 2):
- Maximise standardisation
- Can feel mechanical and unnatural
- May disadvantage candidates who need rephrasing to understand a question
Flexible frames (Part 3):
- Allow more natural interaction
- Better elicit complex language
- Introduce examiner variability
- Require more skilled examiners
Research (e.g., Brown, 2003; Seedhouse & Egbert, 2006) has shown that examiner deviations from the frame — even well-intentioned ones like rephrasing a question for a struggling candidate — can affect candidate output and, therefore, scores.
Examiner Deviation
Common deviations from the frame:
- Rephrasing questions (changing difficulty or focus)
- Adding follow-up questions not in the script
- Providing evaluative feedback ("Good," "That's interesting")
- Spending too long or too short on a section
- Using a supportive or challenging interactional style
All of these can affect what language the candidate produces. Rater training and regular monitoring aim to minimise deviation, though some degree of natural variation is inevitable.
Beyond IELTS
The principle of standardised examiner behaviour applies to any speaking assessment:
- Cambridge B2 First, C1 Advanced — Use paired candidate format with a structured interlocutor frame
- PTE General (Pearson) — Uses interlocutor frames with specific role descriptions
- Institutional speaking tests — Even informal speaking assessments benefit from a basic frame: a list of questions, a time allocation, and instructions for what to do if the candidate is silent or off-topic
Key References
- Brown, A. (2003). Interviewer variation and the co-construction of speaking proficiency. Language Testing, 20(1), 1–25.
- Seedhouse, P. & Egbert, M. (2006). The interactional organisation of the IELTS speaking test. IELTS Research Reports, 6, 161–206.
- Taylor, L. (2011). Examining Speaking. Cambridge University Press.
See Also
- Reliability — the interlocutor frame directly supports score reliability
- Standardization — the frame is a standardisation tool for speaking tests
- Rater Training — examiners learn to follow the frame during training