IELTS Speaking: Question Types, Strategies and Sample Questions

There are some common problems during the IELTS Speaking exam which our students have reported to us over a period of time. They range from being nervous during the interview session, not knowing how to respond to examiners questions, having difficulty understanding examiners questions and not understanding examiner’s accent. As a result students either start speaking fast, give ill structured answers or just go blank.

The solution to all such and other problems is practise speaking fluently, learn to structure your responses, and pronounce words correctly, but most importantly you need to learn how to generate content in response to the questions that your examiner will ask in speaking part 1, 2 and 3.

Below are some suggestions students can incorporate while preparing:

• Question Words: On a regular basis, start practising answering question words like who, what, where, when, how much/many, etc. 
• Word links/associations: Use words that are related to the given topic and generate content around it. This is one of the best methods to generate content on any topic. 
• Wishful thinking: Talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the topic and the best or worst possible outcomes.
  Talk about statistics: You can use numbers, facts and statistics in your conversation with examples.

Sometimes the best thing to do is start with whatever first comes into your mind. And remember to use the right intonation and pace while speaking. 

Many students wonder why they are not able to cover up a gap of 6.5 to 7.5 or 8 despite being fluent and coherent while speaking. One of the biggest reasons is the lack of linking words like idioms in speech. Some of the common linking words that you can use are:

To add ideas:

• Also
• In addition to
• Besides
• Moreover

To express opinion:

• As far as I am concerned
• In my opinion
• It seems to me that

To explain:

• Since 
• Because
• The reason why
• As

For consequences:

• As a result
• Therefore’
• Thus
• Eventually

For contrasting situations:

• Whereas
• But
• Yet
• However
• On the other hand

To give an example:

• Like
• For instance
• Namely
• In particular
• For example

Sign-post language is used by people in order to guide the listener coherently through what is being said. It comprises two main components, namely, Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. Some salient examples of idioms are On Cloud Nine, Over the Moon, and A White Lie. On the other hand, common examples of phrasal verbs include fall apart, hold up, stop over, get through, look up to, etc.

Being able to employ sign-post language whenever necessary, is an important skill to have. Infact, it is one of the most important skills to score high in the IELTS speaking exam.

We all are well aware that all the questions in the IELTS Speaking section are about you and your past, present and future. This just means that when you are giving your speech to the examiner, your conversation shifts from present to past, present to future, present to past to future or in any other order.

You talk about different time frames in the same conversation. Therefore, you get points for the correct usage. On the other hand, if you use it incorrectly, you lose those points.

In each part of the speaking section, the usage of correct grammar, especially tenses, is extremely important. While answering the questions in IELTS Speaking part 1, you must be able to quickly and smoothly shift from your past self to your present self.

Sometimes, it might even require you to move ahead and talk about your future self. Even though you feel that it is an easy task to complete, since you have talked about yourself on multiple occasions before, this assumption is far from true.

Similarly, in IELTS Speaking Part 2 and Part 3, everything revolves around what is happening around you. This is where most people make mistakes. While these mistakes may be small, they can cost you a fortune in marks as they violate the parameters of marking in IELTS Speaking exam.

It is important to note here that grammar is not only a parameter of marking in IELTS Speaking, it is one of the biggest mark pools. It accounts for 25% of your marks in IELTS Speaking Section. 

Pronunciation accounts for 25% of the marking criteria in the IELTS Speaking test, along with other criterias like fluency, vocabulary and grammar, making it an essential part of the IELTS Speaking test.

Your pronunciation is tested based on various features like, how much stress you put on words, how well you use intonation to make your speech impactful, how you speak a sentence, etc.

Pronunciation is something that cannot be changed in a day, since it takes time to change your speaking habits and speak like a native speaker. But if you have enough time before your test date, then you can follow some of the below given strategies to improve your pronunciation skills:

1. Make a habit of speaking out loud and recording yourself, so that you can notice the mistakes and make improvements accordingly.
2. Use online dictionaries from oxford and cambridge to understand the correct pronunciation of words that you find difficult to pronounce.
3. Watching documentaries, news and movies can help you immensely, since you can understand how native speakers pronounce the words.

Watch the video given below to know more about pronunciation and how you can improve it.

For IELTS speaking part 1, the examiner will introduce him or herself and ask you general questions about common topics such as home, family, work, studies, and your interests.

Part 1 lasts for about 4-5 minutes and the examiner asks questions on common topics such as home, family, work, studies, and your interests. Some sample topics can be - your home town or village, your residence, etc.

While answering these questions, follow these strategies:

• Don't hesitate while speaking.
• Don't give long, detailed answers. Give short and simple answers.
• Say your answer and then end your sentence with confidence.
• Even though your body language is not scored, your posture and even your facial expression can affect how you speak. Sit up straight but comfortable, smile, and make good eye contact.
• IELTS Speaking Part 1 is only a warmup, use it as a chance to get comfortable speaking with your examiner.

These questions in the IELTS Speaking exam are designed to test the candidate on the following skills: fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation/intonation.

It is important to understand that you should not try to note down and cram the answers. Remember! Our purpose here is to channelise the thinking, be ready for any type of questions and improve the fluency while using correct grammar and vocabulary.

Moreover, the interviewers are smart enough to gauge from your tone and speed that you've crammed. So keep it as natural as possible with a proper flair.

The types of questions that can be asked in IELTS Speaking Part 1 are of the following types:

1.  Fashion

• Do you always follow trendy fashion?
• How has fashion changed in your country in recent years?
• Is maintaining fashion expensive in your country?
• Do you think fashion is an important part of life?
• How often do you buy clothes online?

Sample IELTS Speaking Part 1 Answer about Fashion

2.  Sports

• What type of sports do you like?
• Do you like to watch sports on TV?
• What is the most popular sport in your country?
• Do you prefer team or individual sports?
• Who is your favourite sports star?

Sample IELTS Speaking Part 1 Answer about Sports 

3.  Food 

• What sorts of food do you like eating the most?
• Who normally does the cooking in your home?
• Do you watch cookery programmes on TV?
• In general, what do you prefer - eating out or eating at home? 
• What do you think of fast food?

Sample IELTS Speaking Part 1 answer about Food 

4.  Home

• Tell me about the kind of accommodation you live in?
• Who do you live with?
• How long have you lived there?
• What’s your favorite room in your home?
• What sorts of accommodation would you most like to live in?

Sample IELTS Speaking Part 1 answer about home 

5.  Flowers

• Do you like to have flowers in your home? [Why/Why not?]
• Where would you go to buy flowers? [Why?]
• On what occasions would you give someone flowers?
• Are flowers important in your culture? [Why/Why not?]
• Have you planted any flowers?

Sample IELTS Speaking Part answer about Flowers 

IELTS Speaking Part 2 is a monologue in which you'll talk and the examiner will listen. A monologue is when one person does all the talking. This round lets the examiner know if you can speak for a longer period of time.

This is how the IELTS speaking part 2 round takes place:

1. The examiner will give you a Topic Card.
2. The topic will be related to personal experiences or life events, for example a person you know or an event you participated in.
3. The card also provides you with some key points or ideas which you can use to prepare your talk.
4. You'll also be given a pencil and a paper in case you wish to make notes.
5. The examiner will give you exactly one minute to prepare. He or she'll start the timer.
6. After one minute, the examiner will ask you to start speaking.
7. You are expected to speak, without interruption from the examiner, for one to two minutes. After 2 minutes the examiner will interrupt you.
8. He or she'll probably ask you a follow up question about the topic just to wrap up the round. You only need to give a short answer to that question.

There are some important points to keep in mind while attempting the part 2 of the IELTS Speaking exam:

• Always paraphrase the question statement. Don't use the exact words from the topic statement.
• Because you have time constraints to prepare your answer, create bullet points and use keywords as notes.
• Answer the bullet point questions in the order they are given in the prompt.
• Try to use high vocabulary words, idioms and collocations.
• Use correct tenses. Understand the nature and time frame of the given topic. Is it talking about your past, present or future activities?

Now, let's discuss the most probable topics that you might witness in your final examination. Since this part is all about you and your life experiences, the topics will revolve around you only. The types of questions that can be asked in IELTS Speaking Part 2 are:

1.  Describe a part of the world you would like to visit.

• Where is it? 
• How and what you know about it? 
• What would you like to do there? 
• Why would you like to visit this part of the world? 

Sample answer for IELTS Speaking Part 2 on  Travel

2.  Describe a film/movie actor from your country who is very popular.

• Who is this actor? 
• What kinds of films/movies he/she acts in? 
• What do you know about this actor's life? 
• Why is this actor so popular?

Sample answer for IELTS Speaking Part 2 on Films

3.  Describe an interesting discussion you had about how you spend your money.

• Who did you have the discussion with? 
• Why did you discuss this topic? 
• What was the result of the discussion? 
• Why was this discussion interesting for you? 

Sample answer for IELTS Speaking Part 2 on Talks and Discussion

4.  Describe a child that you know.

• Who is this child and how often do you see him or her? 
• How old is this child? 
• What is he or she like? 
• What do you feel about this child? 

Sample answer for IELTS Speaking Part 2 on Family

5.  Describe a shop or a store you often go to.

• Where is it? 
• What type of people go there? 
• What types of goods are sold there? 
• Why do you go there and like/dislike most about it? 

Sample answer for IELTS Speaking Part 2 on places

The IELTS Speaking Part 3 lasts for about 4-5 minutes. The examiner will ask you 4-6 questions related to the topic you spoke about in part 2. These questions are more general or abstract in nature.

For instance, if in Part 2 you spoke about, "Describe an article on health that you read from a magazine or online", then in Part 3 the examiner will almost certainly ask you questions related to the health or reading habits in general.

Such as, "Do you think most people worry more about their health as they get older"? or "Do you think people read more these days"?

Questions asked in IELTS Speaking Part 3 are not straightforward like the ones in Part 1 and 2, where questions are more about YOU, YOUR LIFE and YOUR EXPERIENCES.

Part 3 is not about you. It's about how well you can express your thoughts, feelings and opinions about general or abstract concepts.

This round lets the examiner know if you can talk about more abstract topics, not just about yourself and your life. Well this round is a bit trickier but don't worry, we have got you covered.

In the given video we have covered everything that you need to know about the IELTS Speaking Part 3.

Some of the common types of questions that can be asked in IELTS Speaking Part 3 are:

1.  Do you think music has an effect on people’s lives? 

• Which is more important to the young generation in your country- music or TV programmes? 
• Does music have a relation with dancing? 
• Has the type of music people used to like 20 years ago changed? 
• Do you think anyone can be a musician? 

Sample answer for IELTS Speaking Part 3 on music

2.  Why in your opinion university education is important for us?

• What is the importance of technical universities in your country?
• How university education prepares students for the challenges in the future?
• Do you think university teachers in your country should be paid more than what they are earning now?
• Should attending classes in a university be mandatory or optional for its students?

Sample answer for IELTS Speaking Part 3 on university education 

3.  What is the most common way to get a job in your country?

• What do most young people do to find a job in your country?
• Would you say if it is easy to find a job in your country?
• How do schools support students to help them select the job they like?
• When is the right time for students to end their studies and get a job?

Sample answer for IELTS Speaking Part 3 about a job 

4.  What kind of gifts would men, women and children like to receive?

• What changes have been seen in the past 10 years regarding giving and receiving of gifts?
• How should people react when they do not like the gifts they receive?
• How do you think technology will change the way we send or receive gifts?
• Why do some people like to look for gifts for others?

Sample answer for IELTS Speaking Part 3 about gifts

5.  How can different room colours affect the way people feel?

• What is modern furniture compared to old styles of furniture?
• Do you think women are more interested than men in the way rooms are decorated?
• Which room do families usually spend most of their time in?
• What do you think living spaces will be like in the future?

Sample answer for IELTS Speaking Part 3 about a house 

If you are looking for a comprehensive IELTS Preparation course or just want to focus on the speaking section, get in touch with us at www.yunolearning.com . Along with our free study material and practice tests, we have one to one doubt sessions too, so that you can resolve all your doubts and get your desired score. In case of any query, give us a call at 098739 98199.