Category: Part 2
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 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 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: 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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IELTS Speaking Practice Test 2: Work
Part 1 (4-5 minutes)
Do you have a job right now?
What kind of work would you like to do in the future?
What qualifications are required for this job?
How many hours would you like to work each week?
Do you consider it important to have a career?
Part 2 (3-4 minutes)
You have 1 minute to read the instructions below 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 job that you consider highly important
You should say:
what the job is
what the job involves
why it is important
and explain if people who do this job are appreciated enough by society
Follow-up question: Would you consider doing this job yourself?
Part 3 (4-5 minutes)
Jobs in your country
What jobs are most popular among young people these days?
Are there enough jobs for people who want to do this kind of work?
Is it easier to change jobs now than in the past?
Careers
Do people usually choose the right career?
Is it a good idea to leave a secure job in order to pursue a dream?
What career advice should be given to young people?
Click here to download a PDF version of this IELTS Speaking practice test for classroom use.
IELTS Speaking Practice Test 1: Childhood
PART 1 (4-5 minutes)
Where did you grow up?
Was that a good place to grow up?
What do you remember most about growing up?
What kind of child were you?
Did you ever get into trouble at home or school?
Do you miss anything about your childhood?
PART 2 (3-4 minutes)
You have 1 minute to read the instructions below 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 your best friend during childhood.
You should say:
who the person was
why you became friends
what you used to do together
and explain if you keep in touch with your friend now.
PART 3 (4-5 minutes)
Childhood friends
Do children find it easy to make friends?
Why do some people grow apart from their childhood friends?
Is it better for children to have a few close friends, or many?
Childhood changes
Has the image of childhood changed in your country?
At what age do children become adults?
Do you think children should be treated the same as adults?
Click here to download a PDF version of this IELTS Speaking practice test for classroom use.
IELTS Speaking: 10 Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Silence
Different cultures have different attitudes to silence, but for English speakers the attitude is one of near-zero tolerance. It’s fine to hesitate for a few seconds before speaking or between ideas, but silences of longer than five seconds will go down badly. Happily, there’s a solution to this problem and that’s to learn some filler expressions such as That’s a tough question and Let me see.
2. Memorised answers
The examiner is very likely to notice if you try to recite an answer from memory, and there is a penalty for this. The telltale signs of a memorised answer include speaking in a ‘written’ style of English, unnatural intonation, and the candidate attempting to ‘rephrase’ the question to the one they want to answer. Any questions you try to memorise answers to are very unlikely to be asked, so it is much more effective to practice speaking about a wide range of topics before you take the test.
3. Overuse of transition signals
It’s helpful to use a few signposting words like first, for example or on the other hand. But if you overload your speech with these you could actually damage your score. Sounding natural, not like a signposting robot, should be your goal in IELTS Speaking. There are also many words characteristic of formal writing such as furthermore, moreover and in addition that are hardly ever used in speech and could actually make you sound less natural if you say them.
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IELTS Speaking, Part 2: Practice Questions with Sample Answers
Today we will look at three example questions from Part 2 of the Speaking module of IELTS. Each question deals with a different timeframe: one past, one regular and one hypothetical future event. Try answering these questions yourself first and then compare the sample answers below with your own. For each question, you have one minute to prepare your answer, and you should then speak for one to two minutes.
Question 1
Describe a major decision you have taken in your life.
You should say:
- What the decision was
- What other choices were available to you
- Why you made the decision you did
And explain if you think the decision was a good one.
Question 2
Describe something you do to forget about work or study.
You should say:
- What the activity is
- How often you do it
- How it helps you forget
And say whether you would recommend other people try the same thing.
Question 3
Describe a language you would like to learn.
You should say:
- What the language is
- Where it is spoken
- Why you are interested in this language
And say if you think you will ever actually have the chance to learn it.
See below for sample answers and analysis
