Latest IELTS Speaking Questions May to August 2025

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What You Will Get!

Latest questions, Sample Answers and GREAT Tips on this page

The latest questions for IELTS Speaking tests between January and April 2025 and great tips
More questions will be posted as they are reported. Usually, all the questions that are going to be used will be posted here by about the 14th to 21st January.

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Are you looking for the latest IELTS Speaking topics to fine-tune your practice? Our list covers real IELTS Speaking questions from January to April 2025, shared by candidates who’ve recently taken the test.

Home > IELTS > Speaking > Questions Archive

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Latest IELTS Speaking Questions Parts 2 & 3

As questions are reported, the list will become more and more accurate. If some of these questions are similar to ones in previous lists, it’s because that’s what has been reported. New questions will be added as soon as possible. Good luck with your test!

Part 2
Describe a time when you needed to search for information
You should say:
What information you needed to search for
When you searched for it
Where you searched for it
And explain why you needed to search for it

Part 3
1.How can people search for information now?
2.2. What information can people get from television?
3.3. Do you think libraries are still important in the digital age?
4.Does the development of the Internet have any impact on some disadvantaged people?
5.5. How do people identify reliable information on the Internet?
6.ls it good if people could have more access to information in the future?

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Part 2
Describe your favorite place in your house where you can relax
You should say:
Where it is
What it is like
What you enjoy doing there
And explain why you feel relaxed at this place

Part 3
1.Why is it difficult for some people to relax?
2.2. What are the benefits of doing exercise?
3.3. Do people in your country exercise after work?
4.4.What is the place where people spend most of their time at home?
5.Do you think there should be classes for training young people and children how to relax?
6.6. Which is more important, mental relaxation or physical relaxation?

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Part 2
Describe an outdoor sport you would like to do
You should say:
What it is
When/where you would like to do it
With whom you would like to do it
And explain why you would like to do it

Part 3
1.What are the differences between indoor sports and outdoor sports?

2. Which outdoor sports are popular in China?
3. Which sports are popular among elderly people?
4. Which outdoor sports are popular with children?
5. How do weather affect outdoor sports?
6. Which sports can children do on rainy days?

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Part 2
Describe a place in your country or part of your country that you would like to recommend to visitors/travelers
You should say:
What it is
Where it is
What people can do there
And explain why you would like to recommend it to visitors/travelers

Part 3
1.ls it important to take photos while traveling?
2.2. Can you trust other people’s travel journals on the Internet?

3. What factors affect how people feel abouttraveling?
4. Will you go to a foreign country to travel because of the distinct landscape?
5. How can tourists have a good travel experience?
6. What kinds of comments do travelers typically leave online after a trip?

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Part 2
Describe a sports event you would like to watch
You should say:
What it is
Who you want to watch with
Why you want to watch it
And explain how you feel about it

Part 3
1.What kinds of sports events are broadcast on TV or other media in your country?
2.2. Do people in your country enjoy watching football games?
3.Does encouragement and applause from the audience have an impact on athletes? What are the impacts?

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Part 2
Describe a person’s house/apartment that you think is very good
You should say:
Who this person is
What the house/apartment is like
How often you visit there
And explain why you think it’s very good

Part 3
1.Why is it so expensive to buy a house or an apartment now?
2.2. Do many people spend a lot of money renovating and decorating their houses or apartments?
3.3. ls natural light important for a house or apartment?

4. What kind of houses or apartments do people prefer to buy?

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Part 2
Describe your first day at school that you remember
You should say:
Where the school was
How you went there
What happened that day
And how you felt on that day

Part 3

1. What would parents prepare when their kids go to school on the first day?
2. How do children socialize with each other?
   3.ls socialization important for children?
3. What are the reasons for job change?
4. Are big companies better than small companies? Why?
   6.What are the advantages and disadvantages of changing jobs?

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Part 2
Describe a website that sells second-hand items
You should say:
What it is
How you found out about it
What people can buy from it
And explain whether you like it

Part 3
1.Some people think it’s a waste to buy too many clothes for children. What do you think?
2.2. How do people usually handle the clothes they don’t want?
3.Why do people buy second-hand clothes?
4.4. What problems will occur if people don’t recycle?
5.5. Should the government encourage people to recycle items?

6. How do people in your country recycle various items they don’t want?

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Part 2
Describe a sports competition you watched
You should say:
What it was
When/where you watched it
Who you watched it with
And explain why you watched it

Part 3
1.What kind of competitions do people in your country like to watch? Why?
2.2. Do you think there should be more matches or competitions broadcast on TV?
3.3. What is the most popular sport in China?
4.4. Do you think it is necessary to award prizes and incentives to athletes?

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Part 2
Describe a program you like to watch
You should say:
What it is
What it is about
Who you watch it with
And explain why you like to watch it

Part 3

1. What programs do people like to watch in yourcountry?
2. Do people in your country like to watch foreign TV programs?
3. What’s the benefit of letting kids watch animal videos than visiting zoos?
4. Do teachers play videos in class in your country?
5. Do you think watching talk shows is a waste of time?
6. Do you think we can acquire knowledge from watching TV programs?

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Part 2
Describe a problem you had while shopping online or in a store
You should say:
When it happened
What you bought
What problem you had
And explain how you felt about the experience

Part 3

1. What kind of customer service do you think is good?
2. What are the differences between shopping online and in-store?
3. What problems do customers often have while shopping?
4. What do you think customers should do when there are problems with products bought online?5.Can customer complaints help improve product quality?
5. What do you think of people complaining when they buy poor quality goods at a low price?

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Part 2
Describe a popular place for sports (e.g. a stadium)that you’ve been to
You should say:
Where it is
When you went there
What you did there
And explain how you felt about this place

Part 3
1.Do young people like to do sports?
2.2. What are the benefits of sports for children?
3.3. ls it necessary to build public sports spaces?
4.4. What do you think of companies donating sports venues for poor children?
5.5. ls technology helpful for people to do sports?
6.6. Do you think local sports teams can help increase community connections?

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Part 2
Describe a time when you saw a lot of plastic waste(e.g. in a park, on the beach, etc.)
You should say:
Where and when you saw the plastic waste
Why there were a lot of plastic waste
What you did after you saw them
And explain what your thoughts were about this

Part 3
1.Do you think we should use plastic products?
2.2. How can we reduce our use of plastic?
3.3. What kinds of plastic waste are often seen in your country?
4.4. Why do people like to use plastic products?
5.5. What can the government do to reduce plastic pollution?
6.Do you think we can do without plastic altogether in the future?

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Part 2
Describe a city that you have been to and would like to visit again
You should say:
When you visited it
What you did there
What it was like
And explain why you would like to visit it again

Part 3

1. What’s the difference between the city and the countryside?
2. Some people say large cities are suitable for old people. What do you think?
3. Do you think it is possible that all of the population move to cities?
4. Do you think people in the countryside are friendlier than people in the city?

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Part 2
Describe a website you often visit
You should say:
What it is about
How you found out about it
How often you visit it
And explain why you often visit it

Part 3

1. What are the most popular and least popular apps in your country?
2. What’s the difference between the internet and television?
3. Why do some people like to read the news on the internet instead of getting it from TV?
4. ls the library still necessary? Why?5. What kinds of people would still go to the library to read and study?
5. What are the differences between old people and young people when they use the internet?

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Part 2
Describe a person you have met who you want to work/study with
You should say:
Who this person is
How you met this person
How long you have known him/her
And explain why you want to work/study with him/her

Part 3
1.Why should children be kind to their classmates?
2.2. Can children choose their desk-mates?
3.3.What matters most about a colleague’s personality?
4.4. Are good colleagues important at work?
5.5. What kind of people are popular at work?
6.6. Are knowledgeable people popular at work?

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Part 2
Describe a film that made you laugh
You should say:
What it is
When you watched it
Who you watched it with
And explain why it made you laugh

Part 3

1. Do people like comedy?
2. Why do people of all ages like cartoons?
3. Why do some people like to make others laugh?
4. Should teachers tell jokes in class?

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Part 2
Describe a story or novel you have read that you found interesting
You should say:
When you read it
What the story or novel was about
Who wrote it
And explain why it was interesting

Part 3
1.Do you prefer to read e-books or printed books?
2.2. What kinds of novels are suitable for a film adaptation?
3.How does technology help people tell stories?
4.4. Why are mystery novels so popular nowadays?
5.5.ls there any difference between the popular novels now and those in the past?

6. Why do some people prefer reading novels to playing computer games in this digital world?

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Part 2
Describe a difficult thing you did and succeeded
You should say,
What it was
How you overcame the difficulties
Whether you got help
And explain how you felt after you succeeded

Part 3

1. Should people set goals for themselves?
2. How would you define success?
3. How can we judge whether young people are successful nowadays?
4. Are successful people often lonely?
   5.What kinds of success can students achieve at school?
   6.Should students be proud of their success?

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Part 2
Describe a person who you think wears unusual clothes
You should say:
Who this person is
How you knew this person
What his/her clothes are like
And explain why you think his/her clothes are unusual

Part 3
1.What are the differences between clothes worn by old people and those by young people?
2.2. What kind of clothes do people wear in the workplace?

3. Do you think it is a good idea to buy clothes online?
4. Do you think young people wear unusual clothes more than other age groups?
5. Do you think that the style of the clothing is more important than its comfort?
6. What factors affect people’s decisions when buying clothes?

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Part 2
Describe a time when you forgot/missed an appointment
You should say:
What the appointment was for
Who you made it with
Why you forgot/missed it
And explain how you felt about the experience

Part 3
1.ls punctuality important to people?

2. What do you think is a good way to record things? why?
3. Which is more important, a work-related appointment or an appointment with a friend?Why?
4. lf someone doesn’t really like whom they are going to meet, they may deliberately miss their appointment. ls that true? Why?
5. Do you think people should remember family history?
6. How do people who are busy remember things they need to do?

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Part 2
Describe a person from a different cultural background with whom you enjoy spending time
You should say:
Who he/she is
Where he/she is from
Where/how you knew him/her
And explain how you feel about him/her

Part 3
1.ls it easy to meet people from different cultural backgrounds in your country?
2.2. What do people from different cultural backgrounds usually talk about with each other?
3.3. ls it good to live in a multicultural society?
4.4. What are the advantages of being friends with people from different cultural backgrounds?
5.5. Why do people choose to travel or live abroad?
6.6. What are the benefits of living in another country?

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Part 2
Describe an argument two of your friends had
You should say:
When it happened
What it was about
How it was solved
And how you felt about it

Part 3
1.Do you think arguments are important?
2.2.What do family members usually have arguments about?

3. ls it easier for you to have arguments with your family or with your friends?
4. Do you think people should change the way they think when having arguments?
   5.When two people have an argument, do you think they should find a third party to ask for advice?
   6.What qualities make a good lawyer?

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Part 2
Describe a time you made a decision to wait for something
You should say:
When it happened
What you waited for
Why you made the decision
And explain how you felt while waiting

Part 3

1. What do people in your country often do while waiting?
2. Why do some people like a slow-paced life?
3. ls being patient good for people? Why?
4. Are people less patient now than people in the past? why?
5. Why do children lack patience?
6. How can people become more patient?

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Part 2
Describe a shop/store you enjoy visiting
You should say:
What the shop’s name is
Where it is
How often you visit it
And explain why you like to visit it

Part 3

1. Do people in your country go to the shopping mall frequently?
2. How have people’s shopping habits changed in recent decades?
3. Do you think shops and shopping malls will disappear in the future?
4. What are the differences between shopping in street markets and big shopping malls?
5. What are the differences in the shopping habits of different age groups?
6. What are the differences between shopping online and in-store?

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Part 2
Describe a goal you set that you tried your best to achieve
You should say:
What it was
When you set it
What you did to achieve it
And how you felt about it

Part 3
1.Do people in your country set goals?
2.2. Do people usually set long-term goals or short-term ones?
3.Why is setting goals important in the workplace?
4.4. What is the difference between goals set by old people and young people?
5.5. How do people set goals?
6.6. Do you think people should have personal lifegoals?

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Part 2
Describe something you had to share with others
You should say
What it was
Who you shared it with
Why you had to share it with others
And explain how you felt about it

Part 3
1.Do you think kids like to share? why?
2.2. How can parents teach their children to share?
3.3. What do you think is the benefit of sharing for children?
4.ls there anything that parents should persuade children to share with others?
5.5. How can governments encourage shared transport?

6. Why is it important to share food with others during a celebration?

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Part 2
Describe an advertisement you have seen that introduced a well-known product
You should say:
When and where you saw the advertisement
What the product was
How you liked the advertisement
And explain how you felt about it

Part 3

1. Where do we often see advertisements?
2. What are the benefits of advertising?
3. Are advertisements good or bad for children?
4. How does advertising affect people?
5. Do people pay attention to advertisements onpublic transport?
6. Do you think it is good to see the same advertisements everywhere?

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Part 2
Describe a friend from your childhood
You should say:
Who he/she is
Where and how you met each other
What you often did together
And explain what made you like him/her

Part 3
1.Do you still keep in touch with your friends from childhood? Why or why not?
2.2. How important is childhood friendship to children?
3.3. What do you think of communicating via social media?
4.Do you think online communication through social media will replace face-to-face communication?
5.5. What’s the difference between having younger friends and older friends?
6.6. Has technology changed people’s friendships? How?

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Part 2
Describe an impressive English lesson you had and enjoyed
You should say:
What it was about
When you had it
What the teacher did
And why you enjoyed the lesson

Part 3
1.Why do people learn foreign languages?
2.2. What makes a good foreign language teacher?
3.3. Do you think grammar is important when learningforeign languages?

4. ls it interesting to be a foreign language teacher? Why?
   5.What is the impact of information technology on learning foreign languages?
   6.6. What effect will it have on the students if the teacher is impatient with them?

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Part 2
Describe an impressive and interesting conversation you had that you remember well
You should say:
Who you talked to
When and where you had it
What you talked about
And explain why you think it was impressive

Part 3
1.What topics do young people like to talk about?
2.2. ls it important to have good communication skills at work?
3.What are the differences between talking with friends online and face-to-face?
4.4. What are the differences between online and onsite meetings in a company?

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Part 2
Describe a beautiful sky you enjoyed seeing
You should say:
Where you saw it
Who you saw it with
What you sawAnd how you felt about it

Part 3
1.What kind of people are interested in stars?
2.2. ls high technology helpful for star watching?
3.3. Should kids know more about stars and planets?
4.4. Would people be willing to get up early to watch and enjoy the sunrise?
5.When would people watch the sky?
6.6. Do many people pay attention to the shapes of stars?

Part 2
Describe a time when you and some other people made a plan to do an activity
You should say
What it was
When and where you made it
What the activity was
And explain how you felt about the plan

Part 3

1. What kind of plans do young people often make?
2. Why can’t people always follow their plans?
3. Why do people make plans?
4. ls it important to make plans?
5. Why do some people like to make plans whileothers just don’t like to?
6. Are there any people who never make plans?

Part 2
Describe a person who inspired you to do something interesting
You should say:
Who he/she is
How you knew him/her
What interesting thing you did
And explain how he/she inspired you to do it

Part 3
1.What qualities make someone a role model?
2.2. Why should children learn from role models?
3.3. Who can influence children more, teachers or parents?
4.What kind of international news inspires people?
5.5.Besides parents and teachers, who else can motivate children?

6. Can online teaching motivate students to learn? How?

Part 2
Describe a time when you saw children behave badly in public
You should say:
Where it was
What the children were doing
How others reacted to it
And explain how you felt about it

Part 3
1.What bad behavior do children usually have?
2.2. How should parents stop their children from behaving badly in public?
3.3. Are parents these days stricter than those in the past?

4. Whose influence on children is more important? Friends’ or parents’?

Part 2
Describe a photo you took that you are proud of
You should say:
When you took it
Where you took it
What is in this photo
And explain why you are proud of it

Part 3

1. Why do some people like to record important things with photos?
2. What can people learn from historical photographs?
3. ls taking photos the best way to remember something?
4. Which is better, taking photos or keeping a diary?
5. When do people take photos?
6. Why do some people like to keep old photos?

Part 2
Describe a time when a person persuaded you to do something and you were happy about that
You should say:
Who he/she was
When/where it happened
What he/she persuaded you to do
And explain why you were happy

Part 3

1. What impact does advertising have on children and their parents?
2. What do parents often persuade their children to do?
3. Who do children listen to more, their parents or their teachers? Why?
4. What are some good ways to persuade children?
5. What advice should young people follow?
   6.How do advertisements persuade people?

Part 2
Describe a disagreement you had with someone
You should say:
Who you had the disagreement with
What the disagreement was
What happened
And explain how you felt about it

Part 3
1.What do you do if you disagree with someone?
2.2. How can we stop an argument from escalating into a fight?

3. Who do you think should teach children to respect their teacher?
4. What disagreements do parents and children usually have?
5. Why do some people avoid arguing with others?
6. How do we show respect to others when we disagree with them?

Part 2
Describe a movie you watched recently and would like to watch again
You should say:
What type of movie it was
What it was about
Where you watched it
And explain why you would like to watch it again

Part 3
1.Where do people normally watch movies?
2.2. What are the differences between watching movies at home and in a cinema?
3.3. Are actors or actresses important to movies? Why?
4.4. Why are there fewer people going to the cinema to watch movies nowadays?
5.What makes a movie a blockbuster?
6.6. Why do people of different ages like differenttypes of movies?

Part 2
Describe a person you disliked at first but ended up being friends with
You should say:
Who he/she is
How you knew him/her
Why you disliked him/her at first but changed your mind
And explain how you feel about the experience

Part 3
1.What do you think of making friends online?
2.2. ls it a good idea to make friends with people who are much older than you?
3.Do you enjoy meeting new people?
4.4. Do you think friendship is important?
5.5. Why is it difficult for some people to make friends with others?

6. Do we benefit from having friends with different personalities?

Part 2
Describe an object that you think is beautiful
You should say:
What it is
Where you saw it
What it looks like
And explain why you think it is beautiful

Part 3

1. Do you think there are more beautiful things now than in the past? Why?2. What beautiful scenery spots are there in your
   country?
   3.Why do you think people create beautiful things?
   4.4. Where do you think people usually come into contact with beautiful things?
   5.Do people in your country prefer listening to music to appreciating paintings and literature?
   6.6. Why do many people go to scenic spots in person instead of just reading about them in books?

Part 2
Describe a skill that you think you can teach other people
You should say:
What it is
When you learned it
How you can teach others
And how you feel about this skill

Part 3
1.Should teachers be funny when they teach?
2.2. What qualities should teachers have?
3.3. Which do you think is more important, practical skills or academic skills?

4. Which age group is the best at learning new things?
5. What can be done to improve modern teaching methods?
6. What are the differences between online and face-to-face teaching?

Part 2
Describe a friend of yours who is well-dressed and is good at dressing up
You should say:
Who he/she is
How you knew him/her
What his/her dressing style is
And explain why he/she dresses this way

Part 3
1.Do most people in your country prefer to buy clothes online or at the street market? Why?
2.2. Do you think young people know more about fashion and are better at dressing up than elderly people?

3. Do you think people would use clothing to show their identity?
4. Why do many people prefer to buy rather expensive clothes?
   5.What are the differences between cheap and expensive clothes?
5. Why do some people care so much about their clothing?

Part 2
Describe a noisy place you have been to
You should say:
Where it is
When you went there
What you did there
And explain why you feel it’s a noisy place

Part 3
1.Do you think it is good for children to make noise?
2.2. Should children not be allowed to make noise under any circumstances?
3.What kinds of noises are there in our life?
4.4. Which area is exposed to noise more, the city or the countryside?

5. How would people usually respond to noises in your country?
6. How can people consider others feelings when chatting in public?

Part 2
Describe an important thing you learned (not at school or college)
You should say:
What it was
When you learned itHow you learned it
And explain why it was important

Part 3
1.What can children learn from parents?
2.2. Do you think some children are well-behaved because they are influenced by their parents?
3.3.ls it necessary for adults to learn new things?
4.4. How can people learn new things?
5.5. Does the internet make learning easier or more difficult?

6. Can people acquire more knowledge now than before?

Part 2
Describe a time when you received money as a gift
You should say:
When it happened
Who gave you money
Why he/she gave you money
And explain how you used the money

Part 3
1.Why do people rarely use cash now?
2.2. When do children begin to comprehend the value of money?
3.Should parents reward children with money?
4.4.ls it good and necessary to teach children to save money?

5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using credit cards?
6. Do you think it’s a good thing that more people are using digital payment?

Part 2
Describe an intelligent person you know
You should say:
Who this person is
How you knew this person
What this person does
And explain why you think this person is intelligent

Part 3

1. Why are some children more intelligent than others?
2. Who do you think plays a more important role in a child’s development, teachers or parents?
3. Do you think smart people tend to be selfish?
4. Are smart people happier than others?

Part 2
Describe a person you know who loves to growplants(e.g.vegetables/fruits/flowers etc.)
You should say:
Who this person is
What he/she grows
Where he/she grows them
And explain why he/she enjoys growing plants

Part 3

1. Are there many people growing their own vegetables now?
2. Do you think it’s good to let kids learn how toplant?
3. What do you think of the job of a farmer?
4. What are the differences between traditional and modern agriculture?
5. What happened to the farmers’ income during the pandemic?
6. How do people grow plants in cities?

Part 2
Describe an article on health you read in a magazine or on the Internet
You should say:
What it was
Where you read it
Why you read it
And how you felt about it

Part 3
1.How do today’s people keep healthy?
2.2. ls it difficult to keep healthy?
3.3. Why can’t many people keep healthy?
4.4. Where can people find information about keeping healthy?
5.Do schools have the responsibility to provide health education?

6. What can parents do to help improve their children’s health awareness?

Part 2
Describe a time when someone gave you something that you really wanted
You should say:
What it was
When you received it
Who gave it to you
And explain how you felt when the person gave it to you

Part 3
1.Should employees have their own goals?
2.2. How should bosses reward employees?
3.3. What kinds of gifts do young people like to receive as rewards?
4.4. How should children spend their allowance money?
5.5. Why do people like shopping more now than in the past?
6.6. Do you think shopping is good for a country’s economy?

Part 2
Describe a place you visited and enjoyed in the countryside
You should say:
Where it was in the countryside
What you did there
And explain how you felt about the visit

Part 3
1.Where do people like to visit in the countryside?
2.2. What are the consequences of the decrease of population in the countryside?

Part 2
Describe a photo that you enjoy looking at
You should say
Who took it
When and where it was taken
What the photo was about
And explain why you enjoy looking at it

Part 3

1. Why do many people like to share photos on socia media platforms?
2. On what occasions do most people like to take photos?

Part 2
Describe an interesting decision that you and your friend made together
You should say:
When and why you made the decision
What the decision was about
Why you made the decision together
And explain why you think it was interesting

Part 3

1. At what age do you think children can make decisions by themselves?
2. What decisions can children make by themselves?

Part 2
Describe a person who shows his/her feelings very openly
You should say:
Who he/she is
How you knew him/her
Why you think he/she is such a person
And explain how you feel about him/her

Part 3

1. Do you think it is good or bad for people to show feelings openly?
2. Who tend to show their feelings more openly, adults or children?
   3.Regarding showing emotions, are there any differences between women and men ?

Part 2
Describe an unusual but interesting building you would like to visit
You should say.
Where it is
What it looks like
Why you think it is unusual and interesting
And explain why you would like to visit it

Part 3

1. Why do some people choose to build houses by themselves?
2. What factors do you consider when choosing a house or an apartment?
3. Do you think a city’s buildings affect its vibe or atmosphere?
4. Do you think old buildings should be preserved?

Part 2
Describe a famous person you would like to meet
You should say:
Who he/she is
How you knew him/her
How/where you would like to meet him/her
And explain why you would like to meet him/ her

Part 3

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a famous child?
2. What can today’s children do to become famous?
3. What can children do with their fame?
   4.Do people become famous because of their talent?

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Latest IELTS Speaking Part 1 Questions

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The latest Part 1 questions will be added this week!

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Common Mistakes to Avoid in IELTS Speaking

Part 1

• Making your answers too long. Be calm, remain in control and answer the question, then add one or two sentences.
• Not answering the question. If you don’t know, say you don’t know. It’s an English test, not a general knowledge test. You’re not expected to know about everything, you are however, expected to be able to say what you mean.
• Using formal English when it isn’t needed.

Part 2

• Only using the points you are given on the cue card. Add your own in different places so you always have somewhere to go when you are speaking.
• Not looking at your notes. An incredible number of test takers make notes during the 1 minute then never look at them when they are speaking. They are REALLY useful, look at them!
• Spending too long thinking of the right word. You have to balance your vocabulary score with your fluency score. If you hesitate for too long trying to think of the right word, then your fluency will suffer. It’s better to just leave the word and move on with what you were saying. It’s a speaking test, so you need to speak!
• It’s really easy to tell a story about someone really close to you (maybe your mum) and not give any idea of what they are like. Especially if you struggle to think of things to talk about, get closer to the story and talk about more detail. If you do that, you can put the picture in your mind into the examiner’s mind, so they find it easy to follow you.
• Not having a structure to follow. If you practice, you find that structuring your answers a certain way will help you speak and make it easy for you to be understood. Zooming in at the beginning of an answer is a really good way to set the context, for example.
• Not knowing what to do if you still have time. You have followed the plan in your notes and said everything you can about the answer, but you still have time. What do you do? Have a plan, such as talking about how the topic reminds you of something else.

Part 3

• Thinking it’s OK to answer Part 3 questions in the same way as Part 1 questions. Part 1 questions are about you and your life, while part 3 questions are about topics in general. It’s important to know how to answer each type of question correctly.
• Giving circle answers, such as A=B, so B=A. This is just wasting everyone’s time. Structure your answer in another way if you find yourself wanting to do this.
• Trying to answer questions about people. rather than answering questions about a HUGE group of people, split them up into different sections by age, wealth, region or any way you like. Answering using three of these sections is much easier and sounds so much better.
• Not speculating or guessing. You can’t know the answer to every question, but you still need to speak. In some exams, this is called talking about an unfamiliar topic. It’s just a skill, but it takes practice. The more you practice it, the less you are afraid of not knowing the answer.
• Being disorganised. Prepare, know what is expected of you in each part of the speaking test. Know which kinds of questions you answer best and which you don’t like. Have a plan for each. The more you are prepared, the easier your speaking test will be.
• Trying to use vocabulary and grammar that is too advanced for you. Doing this will cause you to make much more errors and will decrease your score rather than improve it. You must find a balance between which vocabulary and grammar you use well and which you don’t.

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