Do the 3 parts of the speaking test carry equal weighting when your score is calculated, or is one part more important?
The simple answer is that the 3 parts are not scored separately; the examiner rates the student's performance as a whole. In this sense, neither part is more important.
However, it's useful to think about the 3 parts like this:
- Part 1 is supposed to be quite easy (like a warm-up), so you won't get a high score if you only do well in this part.
- Part 2 is when the examiner really gets a chance assess how good you are. He/she will now have an idea of what scores to give you.
- During part 3, the examiner is making his/her final decision. A good performance here can boost your score.
When preparing for the exam, my advice is to spend most of your time on part 2. This is the part that you can really work on in terms of topics and techniques.