IELTS Course Lesson 2 – Some IELTS speaking topics with examples and exercises.
IELTS Speaking #1
Introduction to the Speaking Section of the IELTS with an Exam sample
IELTS SPEAKING
Test format – Speaking
11–14 minutes
The speaking component assesses your use of spoken English. Every test is recorded.
Part 1 – the examiner will ask you general questions about yourself and a range of familiar topics, such as home, family, work, studies and interests. This part lasts between four and five minutes.
Part 2 – you will be given a card which asks you to talk about a particular topic. You will have one minute to prepare before speaking for up to two minutes. The examiner will then ask one or two questions on the same topic.
Part 3 – you will be asked further questions about the topic in Part 2. These will give you the opportunity to discuss more abstract ideas and issues. This part of the test lasts between four and five minutes.
Speaking Section of the IELTS
The format of the Test
This section lasts between eleven and fourteen minutes and consists of three parts.
The object of the Test is to assess the candidates level of spoken English. All parts of this test are recorded.
PART 1: introduction and interview
In this part the examiner will ask the candidate some general questions about himself and a range of everyday topics, such as family, homework, studies and general interests. This part usually lasts about five minutes.
Let’s see some examples of the IELTS speaking section!
Part 1 Introduction and interview. The examiner will begin by introducing him or herself and controlling the candidate’s identification, after which he will begin the interview.
Examiner: Now, in this first part, I’d like to ask you some more questions about yourself, OK? First of all, let’s talk about your home town or village.
What kind of place do you live in?
Candidate: I come from a suburb in the French town of Bordeaux, I am about 10 minutes from the city center. Although it is a suburb it has many of the facilities that you find in the centret And we have a small cinema, supermarket and municipal swimming baths, and the local transport system is very good. So it is no real problem to go to town
Examiner: What’s the most interesting part of Bordeaux?
Candidate:
I suppose the architecture because the town was built at the same time and the streets and buildings have not changed in three hundred years..
Examiner: What is the principal industry of the town?
Candidate: I think everyone would say the wine particularly the red wine. There are vineyards all around town and people come from all over the world to try it, there are many good restaurants and wine bars..
Examiner: Would you recommend living in your town to somebody else.?
Candidate: Of course. Although it is a big city ,where I live it is very quiet, it is … well..safe and the people are friendly so I would say it is a good place to live there, yes.
Examiner: Let’s move on to talk about housing. Tell me about the kind of place you live in …
Now it is your turn.
Stop the video, think of an appropriate answer and say it out loud and then start the video again.
This is quite a common question and it often comes up in the exam so it’s worth writing some phrases down and remembering them.
Let’s talk about your home town or village!
What kind of place is it?
What’s the most interesting part of your town/village?
What kind of jobs do the people in your town/village do?
Would you say it’s a good place to live? (Why?) Let’s move on to talk about accommodation!
Tell me about the kind of accommodation you live in.
How long have you lived there?
What do you like about living there?
What sort of accommodation would you most like to live in?
PART 2: individual long turn
Now we come to Part 2, Individual long turn Candidate Task Card.
You will be given a card with a subject on it, for example .
Describe something you own which is very important to you.
You could say:
What it is?
Describe it..
where you got it from…
how long you have had it?
what is its use?…..
and say why it is important to you.
Read the card and plan out what you are going to say.
You need to talk about the topic for 1 to 2 minutes.
Take one minute to plan what you’re going to say.
Make some notes to help you if you wish.
You will now be asked some rounding off questions.
For example:
Is it valuable in terms of money?
Would it be easy to replace?
Let’s practise!
Part 2 – Individual long turn
Transcript:
Examiner: Alright? Remember you have one to two minutes for this, so don’t worry if I stop you. I’ll tell you when the time is up.
Candidate: OK
Examiner: Can you start speaking now, please?
Candidate: Yes. One of the most important things I have is my guitar because I get great satisfaction from playing it.
It was a gift from my uncle on my sixteenth birthday, so I have it for about ten years, and the reason why it is so important to me is that I can just pick it up and entertain myself for hours.
I can forget what’s happening in the world … I can just switch off completely.
It is also a challenge to play some difficult pieces which require lots of concentration, it helps me to relax but it also stimulates me.
Examiner: Thank you. Would it be easy to replace this, this guitar?
Candidate: Yes, no problem as it is a standard model but it has a sentimental value as it was a gift and I have become attached to it.
Part 3 – Now for a two-way discussion, I am going to ask you further questions about the topic in Part 2. These questions will give you the opportunity to discuss more abstract ideas and issues. This part of the test lasts between four and five minutes.
Let’s consider first of all how people’s values have changed in the last thirty years.
What kind of material things are important to people in your country?
Have things changed since your parents’ time?
Finally, let’s talk about the role of advertising.
Do you think advertising influences what people buy?
Let’s start the Two-way discussion.
Transcript:
Examiner: We’ve been talking about personal belongings or possessions . I now would like to ask you one or two more general questions about this topic.
Let’s consider people’s values and the way they can change. In France, what kind of possessions are considered as status symbols?
Candidate: The first thing which comes to my mind is the clothing. Yes,the way the people dress show their status, their place in the society.
Examiner: Is that something new?
Candidate: No, I don’t think it is.
Examiner: Your parents thought like that then?
Candidate: Yes. absolutely! My parents and their friends are very particular about how they look. In a way they dress the same in order to identify with each other. Cars are less important people in France to not like show offs and they do not want to attract attention from the wrong kind of people. Even very rich people drive modest cars so as not to attract too much attention to themselves..
Examiner: So you are saying that in France people want to be discreet but they want to wear the uniform of their own class and social standing.? Was it always like that?
Candidate: I don’t think it was always like that but there has always existed a social divide in France and people are very jealous of success..
Examiner: Do you don’t think that that is a healthy way of thinking?
Candidate: I don’t know about that but it seems to work for everybody.
Examiner: Yes. And do you think this will change? In the future, will cars status symbols in the same way as clothes?
Candidate: I’m not sure that cars will be … because everybody is becoming aware of environmental issues and I’m not so sure that big expensive cars will be popular in the future.That is another debate.
Examiner: Can we talk about that then? …
How the IELTS Speaking topics are marked.
How it’s marked: Marking and assessment
Speaking performances are assessed by certificated IELTS examiners. All IELTS examiners hold relevant teaching qualifications and are recruited as examiners by the test centres and approved by the British Council or IDP: IELTS Australia.
Scores are reported in whole and half bands. Detailed performance descriptors have been developed which describe spoken performance at the nine IELTS bands. These are available on the How IELTS is scored page.
Fluency and coherence
This refers to the ability to talk with normal levels of continuity, rate and effort and to link ideas and language together to form coherent, connected speech. The key indicators of fluency are speech rate and speech continuity. The key indicators of coherence are logical sequencing of sentences, clear marking of stages in a discussion, narration or argument, and the use of cohesive devices (e.g. connectors, pronouns and conjunctions) within and between sentences.
Lexical resource
This criterion refers to the range of vocabulary used and the precision with which meanings and attitudes can be expressed. The key indicators are the variety of words used, the adequacy and appropriacy of the words used and the ability to circumlocute (get round a vocabulary gap by using other words) with or without noticeable hesitation.
Grammatical range and accuracy
This refers to the range and the accurate and appropriate use of the test takers’ grammatical resource. The key indicators of grammatical range are the length and complexity of the spoken sentences, the appropriate use of subordinate clauses, and the range of sentence structures, especially to move elements around for information focus. The key indicators of grammatical accuracy are the number of grammatical errors in a given amount of speech and the communicative effect of error.
Pronunciation
This criterion refers to the ability to produce comprehensible speech to fulfil the Speaking test requirements. The key indicators will be the amount of strain caused to the listener, the amount of the speech which is unintelligible and the noticeability of L1 influence.
Describe a shop that recently opened in your city/country.
You should say:
- what its name is
- where it is
- who the typical customers are
- and say if you have bought anything from the shop. Why/Why not?
Sample Answer:
I would like to thank you for this nice cue card topic. A store for babies named “The Baby Shop” has been opened in my locality. The shop is specialized for babies and sells products for children only. The shop provides the best necessaries for the children including the newborn babies. This is a great cue card to answer and I am feeling lucky with this.
The shop is located in the centre of my town and initially has only a single branch in my country, Indonesia. Being located in the centre of the town, the shop is accessible from every corner and remains open round the day. This is a great shop for the babies and provides a wide range of necessary stuff for the people. Interestingly, it sells almost all types of products for babies ranging from zero to five years old.
New parents are the typical customers for this shop. Besides, the other parents who have babies under five-years-old at their home are also the visitors to this shop. They frequently visit the shop and get their necessaries. The options are broad and thus there are plenty of chances to get the right product for their babies. Moreover, people who need any baby products and cannot find them in other places also visit this shop. This is of a great importance to them.
Recently, I had to visit the shop for getting a baby product. In fact, one of my cousins has become a new mother and I went to see the baby. Before visiting the baby, I was planning to what I can take as a gift for the baby. Suddenly, I realized that baby shop is the best place to find the right thing for the newborn. I visited the shop and got some clothes for this newly born angel.
Some ielts speaking topics with examples and exercises, describe an invention that changed how people live.
You should say:
- what it is
- how it changed people’s lives
- the benefits it brought
- and say if it is more important for older or younger people.
Sample Answer:
The cellular phone is one of the greatest technological inventions of this century. It has changed people’s lives profoundly. A large number of people use cell phones and get benefits in many ways. This device is commonly known as mobile phones to many and almost everyone proudly owns at least a one of this device. This is a nice cue card topic and I feel lucky to have this on my share.
The use of cellular phone has become a part and parcel of people around the world. Earlier, people used to make communication through telephones (also known as landlines) but with the invention of cellular technology, they are using this one for its immense advantages. People can make phone calls for various purposes and it is cost effective too. The other important benefit is that they can make phone calls at any time of the day at any part of the world. Distance is no longer a barrier to communication. Moreover, people can carry their mobile phone with them which is another important benefit of using this technology. With the evolution and innovation of mobile phones, people use them for many other purposes which include playing games, making video calls, tracking cars, updating social profiles, uploading pictures, chatting with friends, using utility applications, watching videos and listening to music. the list of utility is quite large.
The most important benefit of a cellular phone is that it helps to make phone calls at a cheaper rate. The call rates are attractive and people can choose the right subscriber for their needs. Moreover, the cellular subscribers provide various types of offers for their client. People also get some attractive phone sets which look stunning than the old-model phones with large cables behind them.
The cellular phones are more important for the older people than the younger. But in the present days, the younger people are also using cellular phones for their needs. In fact, in this modern age, this is really impossible to do without a cellular phone. So, people of all ages are using them and meeting their needs. However, smartphones are more popular among the young generation while senior citizens mostly prefer features phones.
Describe a book that had a major influence on you.
You should say:
- what the book was
- how you first heard of the book
- what is the main story of the book
- and why it plays such an important role in your life.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk about a book that had a major influence on me. I am going to tell you the name of the book and the author, what I remember of it and why it is so significant to me.
Funnily enough, I was thinking about this book only the other day. It is called ‘The Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse’, I don’t know why I remembered it suddenly, but I had to google to look up the author. It is by Ursula Moray Williams, but I didn’t know that when I first read it.
As to how I first heard of the book, I can’t really say! It is actually a children’s book, and I think it must have been chosen for me by my parents as I don’t remember actually buying it with anyone, and I don’t think it was a birthday gift or it would have had an inscription in its front cover. The copy I had was a rather tatty paperback with an orange cover and published by a then famous book company called Puffin Books. It had a picture of crudely fashioned toy wooden horse on the front. The horse had a cylindrical body and straight legs fastened onto a board with four wheels on it. The horse had a flowing mane and tail, and in my copy was facing away from the reader, heading off on its adventures.
The story was so very sad! The horse in the title was a toy horse originally supposed to be sold by his maker. The little wooden horse is very loyal and wants only to stay with his Uncle Peder who crafted him. However, sadly the toymaker is forced out of business as mass produced toys become available, and the little wooden horse sets out to try and make his fortune so the two of them can stay together. Terrible things happen to the horse, he is sometimes lonely and unhappy. Eventually, though, he does make his fortune (I can’t remember how) and returns home only to find the toymaker has vanished! It is heart-breaking. In the end, the little wooden horse and the toy maker are reunited by chance and there is at last a happy ending after a harrowing set of adventures.
The reason this book is important to me is because it is the first book I remember really wanting to read for myself. My mum and dad would take turns to read me just one chapter at night, but there were lots and lots of chapters – about twenty I think, and I was so upset not knowing how the story would end if one chapter was finished and the poor little wooden horse was left in distress! I could read a bit, but not that well, and not well enough to read silently in my head. Anyway, one night, after my parents had closed the book and left me alone, I carried on reading all by myself. I had to read out loud, and the story was so sad I was sobbing as I read, which made it even harder for me to get the words out and finish the story. Even so, I carried on reading right to the end and fortunately the story did end happily! I can still remember this, even though I must have only been about four years old at the time. My parents remember the episode too. They could hear me in my room reading aloud and crying, and they said it was heart-rending to listen to, but also quite impressive, as I was so stubbornly determined to do this, and on my own.
Giving opinion/ Expressing Opinion:
- In my opinion/ In my view…
- My view is that/ My point of view is that…
- I reckon/ I feel/ Personally speaking…
- As far as I am concerned…
- It seems to me that…
- Well, I would say…
- I would like to point out…
- If you want my opinion…
- The way I look it…
- As I see it…
- The point I am trying to make is…
- I think/believe that…
- I suppose/ presume/ would say…
- I think most people would agree that…
- I believe it is hard to deny that…
- I strongly believe that…
- I think none would deny that…
- as a result,
- For
- Consequently
- under those circumstances
- Thus
- Therefore
- in that case
- Because
- the thereupon
- for this reason
- Then
- Forthwith
- Henceforth
- hence
- Accordingly
- A penny for your thoughts
A way of asking what someone is thinking
- Actions speak louder than words
= People’s intentions can be judged better by what they do than what they say.
- Add insult to injury
To add further pain or embarrassment with mockery or indignity; to worsen an unfavorable situation.
- At the drop of a hat.
Meaning: without any hesitation; instantly.
- Back to the drawing board.
When an attempt fails and it’s time to start all over.
- The ball is in your court.
It is up to you to make the next decision or step
- Barking up the wrong tree
Looking in the wrong place. Accusing the wrong person
- Be glad to see the back of
Be happy when a person leaves.
- Beat around the bush.
Avoiding the main topic. Not speaking directly about the issue.
- Best of both worlds.
Meaning: All the advantages.
- Best thing since sliced bread.
A good invention or innovation. A good idea or plan.
- Bite off more than you can chew.
To take on a task that is way to big.
- Blessing in disguise.
Something good that isn’t recognized at first.
- Burn the midnight oil.
To work late into the night, alluding to the time before electric lighting.
- Can’t judge a book by its cover
Cannot judge something primarily on appearance.
- Caught between two stools
When someone finds it difficult to choose between two alternatives.
To repeat a statement/ Rephrasing:
- What I actually meant was…
- To express it another way…
- Another way to say it…
- Another way of saying it is…
- Let me put it this/another way…
- What I mean is…
- To rephrase what I have just said…
- What I want to say is…
- What I am trying to say is…
Giving an Example:
- Take ………., for example…
- A good example of this is…
- To give an example…
- I can give a relevant example here…
- Look at…….., for instance.
Giving an explanation:
- Well, the reason is…
- Well, the thing is…
- What I mean is…
- The reason for this is…
Asking for help/ Asking to repeat something/ Asking for an explanation:
- I am not sure what you meant by (…)
- Could you please, say that in other words?
- Could you please, repeat the question?
- Do you mean……….?
- I am sorry. Could you please, repeat that?
- I beg your pardon…
- Could you please repeat that…?
- Could you please explain it to me in another way?
- I did not quite get that. Did you mean…?
Agreeing with an opinion:
- I quite agree…
- I completely agree that…
- Yes, Indeed…
- I could not agree more…
- I entirely/totally agree with you on that…
- That’s exactly how I see it…
- That’s exactly what I think/ believe…
- Precisely/ Exactly/ Certainly/ Definitely…
- You are quite right about…
- You have just read my mind…
- Yes, that’s obvious…
Disagreeing with an opinion:
- I possess a different view…
- I must disagree with the view that…
- I am afraid I believe/ see it otherwise…
- This might be true in some context but…
- I am inclined to oppose the view that…
- I am afraid I disagree…
- Yes, perhaps, but…
- Well, it depends…
- I see what you mean, but this is not the whole story…
- Yes, but there is also another aspect to consider…
- I don’t quite agree that…
- Well, that’s one way to look at that, but…
- I am not quite so sure that…
Self-correcting:
- I mean…
- Or, should I say…
- Or, rather…
- … would be more precise…
Buying some time/ Stalling for time:
- That’s an interesting/ difficult/ tough question…
- I have never really thought about it, but…
- I don’t know much about it but…
- I have not given enough thought on that…
- Well, not sure where should I start…
Commenting on your own ideas:
- I know this may sound obvious but…
- This may sound strange but…
- I am not sure if this is the correct example…
- Strange it may seem but…
- I am sorry to have to say this but…
- Though this is very sad, this is the reality…
Getting to the point:
- To get to the main point…
- Anyway, to get to the point…
- The main point I want to make is that…
- So, to turn to my original point…
Expressing certainty:
- I am absolutely convinced that…
- There is no denying that…
- Nobody will deny that…
- It is a fact that…
- Undeniably…
Introducing other ideas/contrasting ideas:
- On the other hand…
- On the contrary…
- To look at it another way…
- Then again…
- From a different perspective…
- From a different point of view…
Making a complaint or showing frustration about something:
- Can’t something be done to/about…
- Forgive me for mentioning it, but…
- It really is terrible/ridiculous that…
- I wish someone did something about it…
- Something ought to be done about it…
To interrupt:
- Sorry to interrupt…
- If I may interrupt…
Drawing the conclusion/ Ending a point/ discussion:
- In summary, I can say that…
- So, that’s why I think that…
- Anyway, that’s why…
IELTS Speaking Exam Tip: Useful expressions to describe yourself
Recommended Grammar Videos for ielts speaking topic with examples and exercises.
1. Time expressions and tenses
2. Adjectives review
3. Order of adjectives
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