A COMPLETE GUIDE FOR IELTS SPEAKING TOPICS: PARTS 1, 2 & 3
Guide for IELTS Speaking Topics
Many people taking the IELTS exam feel nervous about the speaking portion, but there's no need to be! The IELTS Speaking Test simply assesses your ability to communicate in English in everyday situations. You are evaluated on how well you can express your ideas, your use of grammar and vocabulary, and the overall fluency of your speech. In this blog post, we will provide you with a list of possible questions for the IELTS Speaking Test so that you can practice and improve.
IELTS Speaking Test
During the IELTS speaking test, the examinee will have a one-on-one interview with a native English speaker who acts as the IELTS examiner. The interview will be in a conversational format and will allow the examinee to speak to the examiner naturally and comfortably on a topic that they are familiar with.
The IELTS Speaking Test is divided into three parts, and the entire test lasts for approximately 11-14 minutes. In the first part, general introductory questions will be asked to help the candidate become more comfortable with the test. In the second part, the candidate is required to speak for 2 minutes about a topic they are familiar with, which may be challenging for some. In the third part, the examiner may ask a variety of questions, which may be related to the topic discussed in the second part or another well-known subject. For a better grip on IELTS speaking, approach any IELTS coaching center nearby for expert guidance to score high on the test day.
| Speaking | Details |
|---|---|
|
Time Duration |
11-14 Minutes |
|
IELTS Speaking Test Fee |
$0 |
|
Total Questions |
3 Parts |
|
Part 1 |
Introduction and Interview for 4-5 mins |
|
Part 2 |
Long Turn – Asked to speak at length on a topic for 3-4 mins |
|
Part 3 |
Discussion on a familiar topic for 4-5 mins |
IELTS exams are usually administered on Saturdays and Sundays, but the speaking section of the test may not be held on the same day as the other three sections. The listening, reading, and writing portions of the test will be completed on the same day, but the speaking section may be scheduled on the same day or within a week or two afterward, depending on availability. The cost of the IELTS exam, which is INR 15,500* (approx.), includes the fee for the speaking section, and no additional payment is required.
IELTS Speaking Topics: Part 1
During the first part of the IELTS Speaking Test, the examiner may ask a variety of questions about you, your life, and your country. This part lasts for approximately 4-5 minutes and the examiner will ask around 12 questions. Here are some examples of topics that may be covered in IELTS Speaking Part 1:
IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topic: About You
- What is your name?
- What is the significance of your name?
- How much importance do you attach to your name?
- Have you ever considered changing your name? If so, why? If not, why not?
- Are you currently employed or in school?
IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topic: Work
- Describe your job to me.
- What made you choose this profession?
- How does an average workday look like?
- Which aspects of your job do you love the most? And why?
- Are you considering changing jobs? If so, what are the reasons behind it?
(Read More: What is the minimum IELTS score to get Canada PR?)
IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topic: Study
- Are you a student at the moment?
- What is your field of study?
- Why did you decide to study this subject?
- What aspect of your field do you find most intriguing?
- Is there anything you dislike about the course or subject?
IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topic: Past Times
- What activities do you typically engage in during your leisure time?
- What is the reason behind your choices?
- Are there any other hobbies or interests you have?
- Are you interested in exploring new things to do during your free time?
IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topic: Home Town
- What is the most interesting aspect of your town/village?
- Do you believe it is a great place to live and if so, why?
- What do you like best about where you're from?
- Is there anything that your town is known for?
- How has your town evolved?
- Which would you choose: a town or a village?
IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topic: Accommodation
- Can you describe the type of accommodation you currently reside in?
- How long have you been there now?
- What are some things you appreciate about it?
- What would be your ideal type of accommodation to live in?
IELTS Speaking Topics: Part 2
In the second part of the IELTS Speaking Test, the examinee will have a face-to-face interview with the examiner for around 3-4 minutes. The examiner will provide the examinee with a topic card and they will have 1 minute to think about it and make any notes they wish. After one minute, the examinee will have to start speaking for 2 minutes uninterrupted or until the examiner interrupts. The topics for this impromptu speaking task usually revolve around personal experiences or events.
The topic for IELTS Speaking Part 2 can vary, it could be anything from describing an item of personal importance to you or a book you recently read. To make it easier, IELTS sample papers are also available digitally for practice. In either case, here are some questions that you might be asked:
Something important to you:
- Where did you acquire it from?
- For how long have you had it?
- What is its purpose?
- Why is it of significant value to you?
Book you recently read:
- Can you tell me the genre of the book?
- What is the book's main theme?
- Who would you say would appreciate this book?
Why did you find the book enjoyable?
IELTS Speaking Topics: Part 3
During IELTS Speaking Part 3, the examinee will engage in a 4-5-minute dialogue with the examiner. The examiner may ask a variety of questions based on what was discussed in the previous part. This part of the test offers the opportunity for the examinee to express their personal views on more abstract topics. Some examples of IELTS Speaking Part 3 topics include love, marriage, gender roles, music, city life, weather, jobs, culture, shopping, the environment, and many more. As an example, here is a topic and the questions that the examiner may ask related to it:
Ex: Water Pollution
- Is the issue of water pollution prevalent in your country?
- What are some main factors contributing to water pollution?
- What actions can individuals take to help keep the water clean?
- Do you believe that the water pollution problem will be resolved in the future?
(Read More: Best Tips to ace the IELTS speaking test)
IELTS Exam Pattern
| IELTS General Sections | Details |
|---|---|
|
Reading |
|
|
Test Duration |
60 Minutes |
|
Total Question |
40 Questions (MCQ) |
|
Question Type |
Identifying specific information, writer's views, and claims |
|
|
Matching information, headings, features, completing sentences and endings |
|
|
summaries, notes, tables, flow charts, and diagram labels, answering short-answer questions |
|
Listening |
|
|
Test Duration |
30 Minutes |
|
Total Questions |
40 Questions (MCQ) |
|
Type of Questions |
Matching |
|
|
Labeling plans, maps, and diagrams |
|
|
Completing forms, notes, tables, flow charts, and summaries |
|
|
Sentence Completion |
|
Writing |
|
|
Test Duration |
60 Minutes |
|
Total Questions |
2 Tasks |
|
Task 1 (20 mins) |
Writing a letter requesting information or explaining a question in 150 words |
|
Task 2 (40 mins) |
Writing an essay in response to a point of view or argument problem in 250 words |
|
Speaking |
|
|
Time Duration |
11-14 Minutes |
|
Total Questions |
3 Parts |
|
Part 1 |
Giving an introduction and participating in an interview for 4-5 minutes |
|
Part 2 |
Giving a long turn, speaking at length on a given topic for 3-4 minutes |
|
Part 3 |
Participating in a discussion on a familiar topic for 4-5 minutes. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, some universities don’t make IELTS scores mandatory and some universities have waivers during admissions through which you can enter the US without IELTS.
It depends on the course you are taking up. For English language proficiency, the best tests to choose from are IELTS, PTE, and TOEFL.
A minimum of 60% is mandatory to be eligible to go abroad. For studying abroad, you may need to submit scores of IELTS, TOEFL, SAT, PTE, GMAT, or GRE.
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