Category: IELTS Speaking
IELTS Speaking Practice Test 3: Family
Part 1 (4-5 minutes)
How large or small is your family?
What you do together as a family?
Who are you closest to in your family?
Is yours a typical family?
Are there many different types of family in your country?
Part 2 (3-4 minutes)
You have 1 minute to read the instructions in the box and prepare an answer. You can make notes. After your preparation time has ended, please speak for 1 to 2 minutes on this topic.
Describe a famous family in your country
You should say:
Who the family members are
How you know about them
Whether they get on well together
And say if you would like to be a member of this family
Follow-up question: Does your family resemble this one?
Part 3 (4-5 minutes)
Family members
What characteristics do elder siblings often have?
Is it better to grow up in a small family or a large extended family?
What role do grandparents play in a family?
Family values
Which are more important: family or friends?
What do you think about single parent families?
Should people be more accepting of alternative family types?
Click here to download a PDF version of this IELTS Speaking practice test for classroom use.
IELTS Speaking Part 3: 50 Practice Questions by Topic
Role models
- Which type of people are respected most in your society?
- Do you agree with this situation?
- What happens when young people lack good role models?
- What standards of behaviour should teachers set?
- Do you agree that you should never meet your heroes?
Travel and transport
- How easy is it to travel around your country?
- Which method of travel do you consider safest?
- Has travel become safer in recent years?
- What are the pros and cons of low-cost air travel?
- How do you think people will travel in the future?
Universities
- Is higher education too expensive in your country?
- Should all students pay for their university education?
- What advantages do universities bring to society?
- Which is more important, research or teaching?
- How should students spend their summer vacations?
Sports and competition
- Why are some sports fans so passionate?
- Is there any violence at sporting events in your country?
- Should athletes be better role models?
- What benefits do international sporting events bring?
- Is it important for a country to win lots of medals?
Leadership and politics
- Do you think people are born to be leaders?
- Can leadership skills be taught?
- Why are elected politicians often so unpopular?
- What should a leader do to remain popular?
- Do you think unelected heads of state are a good idea?
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IELTS Speaking Part 2: 10 Practice Questions
Special person
Describe someone who has had a special influence on your life. You should say:
- Who the person is
- When you met this person
- What special qualities this person has
And explain how this person has influenced your life.
Memorable journey
Describe a memorable journey you have made. You should say:
- Where you went
- How long the journey lasted
- What happened during the journey
And say if you will ever make the same journey again.
Study method
Describe a good study method you use. You should say:
- What the method is
- Where you learned it
- Whether you think many other people use it
And explain why this method is effective for you.
Sporting event
Describe a competitive sporting event you have attended. You should say:
- When the event was held
- What happened
- Which team or player you supported
And explain why you think the winner was successful.
Good leader
Describe someone you consider a good leader. You should say:
- Who the person is
- How you know the person
- What the person’s style of leadership is like
And explain what makes this person a good leader, in your view.
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IELTS Speaking Part 1: 50 Practice Questions by Topic
You and IELTS
- Why are you taking IELTS?
- How many times have you taken IELTS?
- What do you enjoy about learning English?
- Is there anything you dislike about learning English?
- How will you use English in future?
Lifestyle
- What do you do in your free time?
- Do you have a busy social life?
- Do you lead an active life?
- Has your life changed much in the last year?
- What would you like to change about your lifestyle?
Family
- How many people are there in your immediate family?
- Who do you get on best with in your family?
- Do you have a large extended family?
- What do you do together with your family?
- Why is family important to you?
Friends
- Do you have a lot of friends?
- Who is your best friend and why?
- Who would you most like to be friends with and why?
- What kind of person is it easy to make friends with?
- Who are more important to you, friends or family?
Work
- Do you have a job right now?
- What did you want to be when you were a child?
- Are there good job opportunities in your home country?
- What job do you think you will be doing in five years?
- What skills and qualifications are required for this job?
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IELTS Speaking Part 1: Useful Language
In the interview part of the IELTS Speaking test, you’re simply asked questions about yourself and other familiar topics. The examiner will be listening for how well you express yourself in a few words or sentences.
Of course, you should try to do more than simply answer the question if you want to achieve a high score. The following useful language will give you ideas for expanding an answer by talking about the past, present and future. It will also help you speak more fluently and with an awareness of collocation and idiomatic speech. Some idiomatic expressions are explained in parentheses.
Asking for repetition
- Could you say that again?
- I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.
- Did you say ( )?
Stalling for time
- Well, let me see.
- In my case, …
- Hmm, I’d have to say …
Saying something negative
- I’m sorry but …
- I’m afraid (to say that) …
- To be (perfectly) honest, …
Giving an example
- For example, …
- A good example is …
- Maybe you’ve heard of …
Describing frequency
- Every other day, … (= Frequently)
- Once in a while, … (= Occasionally)
- Once in a blue moon, … (= Rarely)
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IELTS Speaking Part 2: Useful Language
In the individual long-turn part of IELTS Speaking, you have to talk for one to two minutes on a topic chosen by the examiner. This is the only part of the Speaking module in which a time limit applies, so there’s more pressure to speak quickly and without hesitation. However, it’s also the easiest part to practice, as answers tend to follow a similar pattern regardless of the topic. The useful language below will help you structure a response in Part 2. How you use it depends on the question.
Beginning your response
- I’m going to talk about …
- I’d like to tell you about …
- I’ve decided to speak about …
Indicating a time in the past
- I think it was when I was around (age) years old.
- When I was a (school) student, …
- In my (school) days, …
Speaking hypothetically
- If I could choose any (repeat topic), I’d choose …
- Given a choice of any (repeat topic), I’d rather …
- If money were no object, I’d …
Describing a book/film/story
- It’s about a (person) who …
- The story concerns a (person) who …
- The main character is a (role) played by (actor) who …
Omitting some details
- Briefly, …
- I won’t go into detail here but …
- There’s no time to explain fully here but …
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IELTS Speaking Part 3: Useful Language
For most people, the discussion is the toughest part of the IELTS Speaking test. Remember though, you’re NOT required to demonstrate any special knowledge of the topics discussed. The examiner is listening for how well you connect your ideas, expand your answers and cope with difficulty when it arises. The following useful language will help you speak with more fluency and coherence, which together are worth 25% of your speaking score in IELTS.
Asking for help
- Could you say that in other words?
- I’m not sure what you mean exactly.
- Do you mean ( )?
Stalling for time
- That’s a(n) interesting/tough/difficult question.
- I don’t know much about this issue but …
- I’ve never really thought about it before but …
Giving an opinion
- Well, I think/suppose/would say …
- … for two/several reasons.
- I think most people would agree that …
Self-correcting
- Or rather …
- I mean …
- Or, should I say …
Rephrasing
- What I mean is …
- What I want to say is …
- What I’m trying to say is …
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Informal & Formal Vocabulary for IELTS
The informal words below are best avoided in Academic IELTS. The neutral words are ‘fine’ for the Speaking module, but you really should learn the formal equivalents if you want to score highly in the Academic Writing module.
| Informal (Avoid) | Neutral (Spoken) | Formal (Written) |
| Stuff | Things | Items, Possessions |
| Folks | Family | Relatives |
| Kids (younger) | Babies, Children | Infants, Offspring |
| Kids (older) | Teenagers | Adolescents, Youths |
| Guy | Man | Male |
| Old people | Elderly people | Senior citizens, Retirees |
| - | Boss, Manager | Supervisor, Superior |
| Cops | Police | Law enforcement |
| Crooks | Criminals | Offenders, Lawbreakers |
| OK, Alright | Fine | Acceptable, Satisfactory |
| Great, Awesome | Good | Preferable, Desirable |
| Rubbish, Useless | Bad, Poor | Unsatisfactory, Unacceptable |
| - | Nice, Polite | Considerate, Agreeable |
| - | Kind, Friendly | Sociable, Neighbourly |
| Nasty, Cheeky (person) | Rude, Impolite | Abusive, Disagreeable |
| Stupid, Crazy, Dumb (idea) | - | Misguided, Questionable |
| Stupid, Crazy, Dumb (person) | - | Misguided, Mistaken |
| - | Happy (person) | Satisfied, Delighted |
| - | Happy (situation) | Satisfying, Delightful |
| - | Sad (person) | Regretful, Distressed |
| - | Sad (situation) | Regrettable, Distressing |
| Sick of, Fed up with | Tired of | Dissatisfied with |
| - | Poor (country) | Developing, Poverty-stricken |
| - | Poor (person) | In poverty, Underprivileged |
| - | Rich (country) | Wealthy, Developed |
| - | Rich (person) | Wealthy, Privileged |
Contractions such as don’t are fine in IELTS Speaking but it is better to use do not in the Academic Writing module. Casual forms such as gonna and dunno should only ever be used in the Speaking test and NEVER in Writing.
IELTS Speaking: Emergency Language
In the Speaking module of IELTS, you may be asked a question you don’t understand. In such situations, you CAN ask for help from the examiner. The kind of help you will be given depends on the part of the test:
- In Part 1, the examiner can ONLY repeat the question.
- In Part 2, the examiner can answer your questions during the preparation time.
- In Part 3, the examiner can help you to understand the question.
The following useful language will enable you to get the help you need.
When you don’t hear the question
- I’m sorry, could you repeat that please?
- I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.
- Would you mind saying that again?
When you don’t understand a particular word
- What does ( ) mean?
- Does ( ) mean ( )?
- Sorry, I’m not sure what ( ) means.
When you don’t understand the question
- I’m sorry, what do you mean exactly?
- Could you say that in other words?
- I’m afraid I’m not quite sure what you mean.
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How to Get a Band 8 Score in Academic IELTS
Some linguistically demanding courses such as literature and law can require IELTS 8.0 or even 8.5. Thankfully, most people never have to aim this high! If you’re one of the unlucky few, this is what you need to do to obtain a Band 8 score in the academic version of IELTS.
IELTS Listening
- Get 35 out of 40 answers correct
IELTS Reading (Academic Module)
- Get 35 out of 40 answers correct
IELTS Writing (Academic Module)
- Answer both questions fully
- Use paragraphing skillfully to convey several key ideas
- Use less-common vocabulary naturally with an awareness of collocation
- Provide an overview and explain key points in Task 1
- Indicate a clear position and develop it extensively in Task 2
- Produce mostly error-free complex sentences
IELTS Speaking
- Speak fluently and at length on any given topic with almost no hesitation
- Use a range of linking words accurately to develop ideas
- Use higher-level and idiomatic vocabulary to convey precise meaning
- Produce mostly error-free simple and complex sentences
- Use pronunciation and intonation patterns similar to those of a native speaker
Follow the advice above to meet the IELTS criteria for Band 8 in all four modules. A Band 8 score in IELTS is good enough for any university undergraduate or postgraduate programme and should be sufficient to practice medicine or law in an English-speaking country.
