IELTS Speaking Test Part 1 strategies

IELTS Speaking Part 1 gives you a chance to relax, with some easy and familiar questions.

After they have asked you about what you do and where you live, the examiner will choose from a
list of everyday topics.

The questions are designed for ALL levels and get gradually more difficult. So this might start with
a simple:

 ‘What’s your favourite colour? Why?’

and then get more complex, leading up to something like

 ‘Is there any colour that you would NOT choose to decorate your room? Why?‘

The topics might seem a bit strange because they don’t want you to give ‘memorised’ answers.

They want to see that you can ‘discuss a variety of topics’ (Band 7 in the Speaking Descriptors).

IELTS Speaking Test Part 1 Dos and Don'ts

1. Avoid repeating the examiner’s question

If someone asks you

‘Have you been to the cinema recently?’

how would you answer in your own language?

1. ‘No I have not been to the cinema recently.’

2. ‘No, not recently’.

Option #2 is a much more natural answer.

Wherever possible, use a short answer and then expand on it, as you would in your own language
e.g

 ‘Yes I have – I went last week’.

 ‘No not recently but I’m planning to go next week’
2. Choose the right tense

Use the examiner’s question to guide you and help you choose the right tense. For example:

 ‘Have you ever…? ‘Yes, I have‘.

 ‘When did you last go to…?’ ‘I went…’
 Would you like to…’ “Yes, I‘d love to”.

Practise answering questions in a variety of tenses before test day (see examples below).

Get a speaking partner and a list of Part 1 questions (use my Speaking Part 1 Planner) so that you
are ready for any question they ask, no matter what the topic is.

Use the question:

When did you last (go swimming)?

or

When was the last time you (went swimming)?

3. Use synonyms of the question

If the examiner ask a “Do you like…?” question,

DO use synonyms for “I like” for example:

  Yes, I’m a big fan of…
 I’m very keen on…
 I absolutely love..
 I’m really into…
 I’m a (choca)holic!
 I’m a bookworm/ sports fanatic/ movie addict
 That’s not really my kind of thing.
 I can’t stand (noun or +ing verb)

DON’T use idioms/cliches that people often share on social media like “It’s my cup of tea” or “I
really dig it”, as they often sound unnatural.

4. Avoid giving answers which are too short

Just because the question is simple, it doesn’t mean your answer should be simple.

 Don’t let the examiner ask ‘Why?’. Always give a full enough answer so that the examiner
doesn’t need to ask for any more information.
 Train yourself to say ‘because….’ or ‘so…’. This will help you get a better score for fluency
and coherence.

Show the examiner that you can easily ‘speak at length without noticeable effort’.
IELTS Speaking Part 2 Topics
In Part 2, you have 2 minutes to talk about a topic, and you have 1 minute to plan what you’re
going to say (you can make notes if you wish, and they give you a pencil and paper).

These topics can be grouped into 6 broad categories:

1. A person

e.g. a teacher you like, a polite person you know, a neighbour, someone you remember from your
childhood, a person you admire, a celebrity, someone you met recently.

2. An object

e.g. something you bought/took back to the shop, a gadget in your house, something you’re planning
to buy, something that is special to you, a piece of technology (not a mobile phone or laptop!), a gift
you gave/received, a photo/painting you like.

3. A place

e.g. a museum, a sports venue, a park, a tourist attraction, a building you like, a restaurant/cafe/shop
you often go to

4. An experience

e.g. a party you attended, a meal you enjoyed, a sports event/concert you went to, a time when you
won a prize/medal, a speech you gave, a holiday/difficult journey, a film you saw, a book you read, a
day out.

5. An imaginary situation

e.g. a job you’d like to have, something you’d like to buy, a language/skill you’d like to learn, a
country you’d like to visit, a small business you’d like to start

6. Something you enjoy

e.g. a hobby, a website you use, a cafe you like going to, a song/pop group you like, a newspaper you
often read.

See more topics in my Speaking Part 2 Planner.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Dos and Don'ts

Do:

1. Use the 1 minute to plan and organise your answer.

2. Keep talking for the full 2 minutes.
3. Make your topic interesting.
4. Develop a ‘story-telling’ style. Telling a story will help you show off your tenses and help
you to avoid repetition.

Don’t:

1. Run out of things to say. It really doesn’t matter what you say or even if you go off-
topic as long as you keep talking for the full 2 minutes.
2. Repeat what you’ve already said because you’ve run out of things to say. Avoid repetition at
all costs. It’s much better to develop the subject in a different area (see above) than to go over
what you’ve already said.
3. Read too much from your notes.
4. Worry about the bullet points – the examiner really doesn’t pay any attention to them.

There is NO MARKING CRITERIA for answering the question.

The examiner really doesn’t care what you talk about, as long as you talk.

How to avoid repetition in Speaking Part 2

The best thing you can do in Part 2 is to tell a story.

Look at the Speaking Part 2 question below about a piece of technology that you use regularly.
Now look at the tapescript from a high-level student’s response.

What do you notice?

I’m going to talk about the Bluetooth technology that I use a lot in my day-to-day life and my work.
Usually I use this technology to connect to my various digital devices instead of using various
complicated options. For example, I use Bluetooth technology to transfer files from my own laptop,
to my cell phone or other cell phone. And I also use Bluetooth technology to send some commands
to my home appliances such as opening door for me and so on. The thing I use the most
is Bluetooth headphones. Whether I’m out and about or working out, I can listen to music while
doing my business. The benefits of Bluetooth technology is that this technology consumes less
power, costs less and is easy to use. Bluetooth technology has advanced so much that most people
can buy electronic products that apply this technology. And it really, really helps people.

It’s a very good response, but the word ‘technology’ is repeated in almost every sentence.

It is not the student’s fault – this kind of question often leads to simple and repetitive answers.

How can you avoid this?

My advice for questions like this is to ignore the bullet points (which keep you stuck in the same
tense) and tell a STORY.
This will help you avoid repetition and will show your ability to use a variety of tenses.

Improved answer

I use Bluetooth a lot to transfer files between my laptop and phone. I don’t know what I’d do without
it!

The other day, for example, I was rushing to catch my train. As I grabbed my backpack, I realized
I’d forgotten to transfer an important file from my laptop to my phone. I tapped a few buttons, and
within seconds Bluetooth effortlessly sent the file across. It saved me from a potential disaster.

Learn more about storytelling and How to avoid repetition in Speaking Part 2

Record yourself

Record yourself doing the 2-minute long turn regularly.

Here is the most common feedback I give my members on their Part 2 recordings:

 SLOW DOWN
 Pause at the end of each sentence
 Use intonation to mark the end of one sentence and the beginning of the next
 Use contractions (I’m, I’d, I’ll)
 Tell a story to avoid repetition
 Fix a specific sound that is causing problems (the Academy has a lesson for each sound).

In the Members Academy, we use an app called FLIP.

When you record a FLIP Video, you can read the full transcript of your captions, so you can see
exactly what you said.

Look at this example from the Speaking we did about a puzzle (this student is a high-level speaker
and got 7 in her final test).

What do you notice about the words in italics?

I’d like to tell you about a puzzle that I bought recently for my son. I remember when my son was 2
years old. I wanted to buy my son an educational toy that could stimulate his psychometric skills for
solving problems. So I bought some 3-dimensional puzzle bricks called Lego, which is a really
famous brand. There are many kinds of Lego, such as Lego for building a home, Lego cars,
or Lego furniture. And one of our favorites was a Lego car. We bought the Lego car from our local
toy shop in our city and my son was very fascinated when he entered the shop. When I went to buy
the Lego for my son, there was an option that was based on the age of the children such as Lego for
two-year-old children, children between 5 and 7 years old, children above 12 years old, and so on.
Mostly I chose the Lego that was suitable for my son’s age, but sometimes I also bought
the Lego that had a level above his age, and we played with Lego a lot.

As you can see, there is a lot of repetition of key words (my son x 6, Lego x 12 and children x 4),
which my student noticed as soon as she read the transcript.

Here’s how you can check the tapescript:

Improved version

I’d like to tell you about a puzzle that I did recently with my son. I remember when he was 2 years
old, I wanted to buy an educational toy that could stimulate his psychometric skills for solving
problems. So I bought some 3 dimensional puzzle bricks called Lego, which is a really famous
brand. There are many kinds of Lego, and one of our favorites was a car. We bought one from our
local toy shop in our city. My son was absolutely fascinated when he entered the shop. When I went
to buy it, there was an option that was based on the age of the children. Mostly I chose ones that
were suitable for his age, but sometimes I also bought something that was more challenging.
IELTS Speaking Part 3
The IELTS speaking test is made up of 3 parts and lasts about 11 – 14 minutes.

 Part 1: General questions on familiar topics (4-5 minutes)

 Part 2: A ‘long turn’ – speak about a topic (3-4 mins)
 Part 3: A follow-up discussion (4-5 mins)

For Band 7+, you need to show that you can:

 speak at length and use a range of linking words (Fluency and Coherence)
 discuss a variety of topics and use some less common and idiomatic vocabulary (Lexical
Resource)
 use a range of complex structures with some flexibility (Grammar)
 use a range of pronunciation features and be easy to understand (Pronunciation)

Part 3 of the Speaking test is particularly important as it assesses your ability to express opinions,
discuss abstract topics, and engage in a more in-depth conversation.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Overview

In Speaking Part 3, the questions are related to the topic you discussed in Speaking Part 2.

In Part 3, the examiner can ask you questions more freely, so they might ask you to explain more,
or be more specific, or give an example.

It just shows that the examiner thinks you can take on the challenge of more complex questions.

It just shows that the examiner thinks you can support your arguments with clear argumentation.

The skills you need for Speaking Part 3

Imagine your Part 2 (Long Turn) Speaking topic was a famous building in your town:
Describe a famous building/landmark in your hometown. You should say:

 where it is
 how old it is
 what it looks like

and explain why you think it is an important landmark/ building.

Below you will see some of the follow-up questions you might get in Part 3, which are related to
your Part 2 topic.

Some of the skills you need to develop and practise for answering Part 3 questions are:

1. Expressing your opinion

Do you think people should have to pay to visit historic buildings?

 Personally, I think entry should be free, so that everyone can benefit from the experience.

2. Making generalisations

How do people in your country feel about protecting historic buildings?

 People tend to be very passionate about protecting their heritage but sadly very few people
actively campaign to stop them from being demolished.

3. Using signals and listing

What problems do town planners have when trying to decide what to do with a historic building?

 I think the main issue is cost, and whether it will cost more to renovate a building than to
simply knock it down.

4. Saying what other people think

Do you think the government or private investors should pay for the upkeep of old buildings?

 Many people would argue that the government needs to invest more in the maintenance of
these places, but I’m not convinced. It seems to me that there are other, more urgent, issues
to tackle, such as homelessness.

5. Using conditionals and making predictions

How do you think town centres will change in the future?

  If people continue to do most of their shopping online, I think towns will have a different
function. There’s a drive to transform them into green spaces where people can meet up and
go for a coffee rather than go shopping.

6. Making comparisons

What are the benefits of living in a town compared to living in rural areas?

 For a start, there are far more sources of irritation in a town – noise, pollution, litter etc, so
I think living in a rural area is much better for your mental health.

7. Developing a topic

A big difference about Speaking Part 3 is that you are expected to ‘speak at length’ about a topic.
Show that you are aware of the complexity of the issue. Try to explore the topic rather than just
answer the question.

Explain your opinion, give examples and think about the

 advantages and disadvantages

 problems and solutions
 reasons and causes
 the possible outcomes
 how important something is
 who is affected by the issue (think about your town, city, region, country, the planet)

Speaking Part 3: Language

Showing your attitude and opinion

Part 3 of the IELTS Speaking test requires you to show critical thinking skills by analyzing and
evaluating ideas.

It’s important to provide well-reasoned arguments and support opinions with relevant examples or
evidence.
You should practise thinking critically about various topics and develop the ability to express your
thoughts clearly and logically.

Here are some ways of showing your attitude:

 unfortunately, sadly
 luckily, fortunately
 clearly, obviously
 basically
 definitely, absolutely
 strangely, surprisingly
 Actually, As a matter of fact

Strategies for developing critical thinking skills include: reading opinion articles (or good Writing
Task 2 models), engaging in debates or discussions, and actively questioning and evaluating
information.

Generalising

 generally speaking…
 on the whole…
 the majority of people…
 most people… (*not most OF people)
 most of the people in my region/ country…
 it’s hard to generalise but…
 it depends (on …)

Listing and using signals

Organizing your thoughts and structuring responses effectively is crucial in IELTS Speaking Part 3.

Aim to provide a clear introduction, develop your main points coherently, and conclude your
response briefly.

Use linking words and phrases to connect ideas and create a smooth flow of speech.

One useful tip is to use a three-part structure for each response: introduction, main body, and
conclusion. This helps you stay focused and ensures that you cover all relevant points. Practicing this
structure in mock speaking sessions or with a language partner can help improve response
organization.

 First of all,
 To start with…
 Another reason/problem is…
 On top of that…
  To make matters worse…
 On the one hand…
 The biggest drawback is…
 But at the end of the day (idiom)…
 But when all’s said and done (conclusion)

Saying what you think

 It seems to me that…
 As far as I’m concerned…
 My view is that…
 In my opinion/view/experience
 From my point of view
 I tend to think that…
 I’m sure that…
 I guess…
 I suppose…

Making predictions

 I’m quite optimistic/pessimistic about the future of…

 I doubt very much if…
 It’s likely/unlikely to get better/worse.
 I hope (so).
 I expect
 I’m (pretty) sure…
 We’ll have to wait and see.

Making comparisons

 In the same way

 It’s exactly/more or less the same.
 It’s quite similar.
 It’s totally different.
 However, on the other hand, whereas

Giving examples

Providing relevant examples and incorporating personal experience into responses is highly valued in
IELTS Speaking Part 3.

Examples help illustrate ideas and make your responses more engaging and persuasive.

 I saw an example of this the other day (on the news/internet).

 A great example of this is….
  For instance, for example
 In other words
 Such as

When using examples, it is important to ensure they are relevant to the question and clearly
explained.

Vary the types of examples you use, such as personal stories, general knowledge, statistics, or
imaginary scenarios to support your arguments.

What to say when you need some thinking time

 It’s hard to say. I mean…

 Well, conditions vary but…
 It all depends on (the situation)
 I’ve never thought about that before but…
 Obviously I’m no expert but…
 I’m not sure there’s an easy answer to that but…

What to do when you don’t have a ready answer

You are allowed to pause and think.

Don’t be afraid to express what you’re thinking out loud.

 ‘Ooh that’s a tough question’

 ‘Hmmm, let me think…’

If the question is really too difficult, try to think of a personal example and then generalise later.

 ‘I’ve never really been in this situation before but I know someone who…’
 ‘…so I guess it’s the same for everyone else.’
 ‘…but I guess everyone reacts differently’.
 ‘…but if it happened to me, I’m sure I’d feel…’
 ‘… but if I was in their position…’

How to improve Speaking Part 3

Discussing a topic at length in a different language takes time and practice.

Here are 10 things you can do to prepare better for Speaking Part 3.

1. Familiarise yourself with typical Part 3 topics and practise discussing them.
2. Watch the news in English for ideas, especially interviews. For example, The Moral
Maze (BBC radio 4).
 3. Find a podcast that you enjoy, where people discuss issues. (See this list)
4. Nervousness and anxiety can hinder performance in Part 3. Practise relaxation techniques,
such as deep breathing or visualization, before the test. Try to stay calm and focused
throughout the speaking section.
5. Keep a steady flow of speech without unnecessary pauses or hesitations. Use appropriate
fillers, such as “well,”, “you know” or “I mean,” to give yourself time to think without
disrupting the overall fluency.
6. Expanding your vocabulary is crucial for effectively expressing ideas in IELTS Speaking
Part 3. Aim to use a wide range of vocabulary related to the given topic. Read extensively,
keep a vocabulary journal, and actively use new words in conversations or writing.
7. Actively engage in conversations in English, both in formal and informal settings. Join a
language exchange program, or a conversation club. By exposing yourself to different accents
and speech patterns,you can develop a more natural speaking style.
8. Clear pronunciation and intonation are crucial in IELTS Speaking Part 3. Aim to speak
clearly and confidently. Practicing pronunciation exercises and listening to strong English
speakers can help improve these skills.
9. There are various resources available to help you prepare for Part 3 of the IELTS Speaking
test. Online practice tests, sample questions, and model answers can be found on the official
IELTS website or through reputable IELTS preparation books.
10. It is also beneficial to practice speaking with an English speaker who can give
you feedback on pronunciation, grammar, and overall fluency.

Speaking Part 3 Question types

Generalising/ your country/ where you live

 What kinds of (events do people celebrate)?

 When/How often do people in your country (go to restaurants)?
 What are the most popular/interesting (tourist places)?
 How well (do people know their neighbours)?
 How do people in your country feel about (protecting old buildings)?

Is it important?

 Do you think it’s important to (be a good neighbour)?

 Do you think people should (learn more languages)?
 Do you think (museums) should be free?
 What (facilities) are important to (people living in cities)?

How …?

 How (easy, difficult, important, enjoyable etc) is it (for families to eat together)
 In what ways has (the design of homes) changed in recent years?
 How much (influence) does (TV) have on ….
  To what extent does (the design of buildings) affect people’s moods?

What…?

 What skills do you need to (be a good cook)?

 What is a good way to (make friends)?

Why?

 Why do some people (prefer to travel alone)?

 Why can it be expensive to (visit cities)?
 Why have (cities increased in size) in recent years?
 Why are there often (statues of famous people) in public places?
 Why is (architecture) such a popular university subject?

Is it good or bad?

 Do you think it’s a good thing for (parents to help children with schoolwork)?
 Do you think it’s ok to (arrive late when meeting a friend)?
 Do you believe that everyone should (share household tasks)?
 Can you think of any disadvantages of (making new friends online)?
 Do you think children (should go to the nearest school to where they live)?
 Is it better to (visit cities) alone or with friends?
 Do you agree that (old buildings) should always be preserved?

Effects

 What sort of impact can (tourists) have on (the environment)?

 What are the likely effects of (students not managing their study time well)?

Comparisons

 Is it harder to (make friends as you get older)?

 Was life easier (for your grandparents’ generation)?
 How does (shopping in a market) differ from (shopping in a big mall)?
 Do you think the government or private investors should pay (for the upkeep of old
buildings)?
 What are the benefits of (living in a town) compared to (living in rural areas)?

Problems/Solutions

 What are the problems caused by (ever-growing cities)?

 How can these problems be solved?
 What should happen to people who (arrive late for work)?
 Can you suggest how people can (make sure they don’t arrive late)?
Predictions

 In what ways do you think (cities) of the future will be different to (cities) today?
 How do you think (the way we shop) will change in the future?

Speaking Part 3 Topics

I collated the Speaking questions above from recent Cambridge Past Papers.

The questions were everyday topics such as:

Friends

Families

Museums and art galleries

Holidays and tourism

Cooking

Neighbours

Shopping

Cities

Public monuments and architecture

Time management