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IELTS Speaking Part 2 Topics Jan to Apr 2019

January 10, 2019 by 171 Comments

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Topics for January, February, March & April 2019 

Below is a list of topics for IELTS Speaking Part 2. Please read all parts of this page to use this information correctly.

On this page, you will find:

  1. List of Topics for Part 2
  2. Tips which you MUST read about this page and about IELTS speaking

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Topics Jan-Apr 2019

Below are some of the current topics for IELTS Speaking Part 2.

  1. A remote place you wish to visit in the future
  2. A sport on TV you would like to try
  3. A quiet place
  4. A special date in your country’s history
  5. A lecture you have been to
  6. A situation when you found an item
  7. A book you recently read
  8. A person you know who is beautiful or handsome
  9. A time you needed to repair a broken item
  10. A recent public development in your city
  11. A time you gave money as a gift
  12. A beautiful city
  13. A person who cares about the environment
  14. A project that you need to collect information for (I need confirmation of the exact words)
  15. A place indoor or outdoor where you can study
  16. Your ideal house
  17. A public facility recently opened (park, cinema etc)
  18. A person you would like to meet
  19. A time you had to search for information
  20. A movie or TV show that made you laugh
  21. A subject you didn’t like at school, but are interested in now
  22. Something you taught a younger person
  23. Your grandfather’s job
  24. A statue in your city
  25. A service that wasn’t good and that you complained about
  26. Food for a special occasion
  27. A family business you know
  28. An interesting old person you met
  29. Good news you received or heard about
  30. A time when someone didn’t tell you the whole truth
  31. A good law in your country
  32. A time you wished to do something but you didn’t have time
  33. A party you went to
  34. Something you started that is good for your health

IELTS examiners have a lot of topics and the above are only a sample posted by candidates. You MUST prepare a range of topics which include the above and also common topics. See below for the useful link.

Tips Relating to Above Topics

  1. These topics are not predictions. They are topics that students have posted after their test.
  2. This list is not complete. There is always a chance you might get a topic not listed below.
  3. I will continue to up-date this list when candidates report new topics.
  4. You should prepare ideas for all topics listed on this page.
  5. Also prepare:  Common Part 2 Topics
  6. Do not memorise your talk. IELTS do not accept memorised answers. Instead you should prepare ideas and useful words. Then your talk will be natural during your test.
  7. You cannot change the topic, but you can adapt it. For example, if you get the topic of a poisonous plant, you can say “I don’t know about any poisonous plants, but one plant I often see in the local park is…”. It is fine to do this. You are still following the main topic which is plants.
  8. You cannot ask for the topics to be changed. You must talk about what you are given.
  9. You do not need to follow or use all prompts. But I recommend using them because they provide good structure for your talk.
  10. See all my speaking tips and free lessons: IELTS Speaking Main Page

All the best

Liz

Filed Under: IELTS Speaking

Maps Topic in IELTS Speaking Part 1

November 23, 2018 by 15 Comments

I recently had someone ask me to post answers and vocabulary for the topic of MAPS in IELTS Speaking Part 1. It’s not a common topic to get but it is being used at the moment.

On this page, you will find:

  1. Questions for the topic of MAPS
  2. Model Answers for the topic of MAPS
  3. Information about the examiner interrupting your answers
  4. Useful link to more model answers.

Map Questions for IELTS Speaking Part 1

Below is a collection of questions about MAPS. The examiner will usually select between 3 or 4 questions to ask you for one topic. Part 1 usually contains about 3 topics.

  1. What kind of maps are available?
  2. Do you often use maps?
  3. Have you ever used a map to find a location?
  4. Do you prefer paper maps or electronic maps?
  5. Which is better, paper maps or e-maps?
  6. Why do some people prefer electronic maps?
  7. Did you ever use a map when you were a child?
  8. Did your school ever teach you how to use maps when you were younger?
  9. Do you ever ask anyone for directions?
  10. Would you ever use a map on holiday?

World Map

Street Map of Central London

Model Answers for MAPS Speaking Part 1

These model answers are actually quite long for speaking part 1, but I wanted to give you a chance to learn useful words and phrases. It is fine to prepare lots of ideas for part 1. The examiner will interrupt your answer when it’s time for the next question so always keep talking until that happens. See below about the examiner interrupting your answer.

What kind of maps are available?

There are quite a few, for example world maps that show all the countries in the world and their location. There are also maps for individual countries, road maps for main motorways in a country and street maps for the streets in a given city centre. Some maps show climates around the world or other particular information. It is possible to choose between paper maps or digital maps, such as Google Earth.

Note: The examiner is not testing your knowledge. Even if you don’t know many kinds of maps it doesn’t matter because you can showcase your English in other answers.

Do you often use maps?

I use them only when I’m going to a new place. Before any holiday, I use an online map beforehand just to see the exact location of the place I’m going to. I also check the street map to see how central my hotel is before I book it. If I’m driving anywhere new, I’ll check the map to find the quickest route and then have the map app on my phone visible throughout the drive so I don’t lose my way.

Why do some people prefer using e-maps?

Well, I guess it’s because they can be easily accessed by phone which means people will be carrying them anyway. Also you can zoom in to enlarged the map to see more detail with just a simple click, rather than rooting around to find a new paper map for the detail. Online maps also allow the user to access extra information about restaurants and hotels which is really useful.

Did schools ever teach you to use maps?

I can’t say that I learned a lot about maps, but we did spend some time looking at a world map and a map of our own country. We spent time labelling the major cities of our country on a blank map and filling in details such as population and shared borders with other countries. But we didn’t really learn how to read maps, such as road maps or street maps which is a shame.

The Examiner Interrupts my Answers

It is 100% normal that the examiner will interrupt your answer in speaking part 1. They are not being rude, it is just part of the testing system. Once they know that you can easily handle the question, they will interrupt you to move on and test you on another question. This way they are hearing a broader range of your English which is the only way to award a higher score.

This all means that you must keep talking until the examiner interrupts your answer. When that happens, don’t be surprised and just listen to the next question.

Useful Link

Below is a link to the main speaking page which contains tips, model answer, topics etc:

IELTS Speaking Tips Plus

If you want to learn about the other parts of the test, click on the RED BAR at the top of the website.

All the best

Liz

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: IELTS Speaking

Andrew’s Tips for IELTS Speaking Band Score 9

November 12, 2018 by 56 Comments
Andrew was successful in scoring band 9 in IELTS speaking. Below he shares his tips with you on how to prepare and tackle IELTS speaking. Andrew clearly demonstrates his full understanding of IELTS speaking and how prepare properly.
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Andrew’s IELTS Results

Overall IELTS Band Score 8.5

  • Listening: 8.5
  • Reading: 8.5
  • Writing: 7
  • Speaking: 9
“On one side I was confident of my abilities but as it was my first attempt on such a test,  I had a lot of jitters. Though I was disappointed about my score in writing, I was more than happy about the other modules. All credit goes to you and your amazing blog.” Andrew

Andrew’s Band 9 IELTS Speaking Tips

Regarding tips, I did not follow many for speaking, but I did a few:
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1 Calming yourself

Right before the speaking test one tends to get tense and nervous, this if unchecked could lead to stammering, loss of words and a general discontinuation of speech. To overcome this I simply took deep breaths, for about five minutes till the examiner called me, to calm my nerves.

2 Timing

This is an integral part of the module where one must practice the speaking test using a timer to time their answers, as one cannot afford to speak too less or too much. Use  timer to time your answers. Timing is everything.

3 Part II

Go through all the possible questions for part II of the speaking test test. This helps a lot as you one will not have enough time to think and speak, so therefore it must be sub-conscious. It pays to prepares answers to such questions before hand(but don’t memorize) to have an idea, even if the questions seem similar to you.

4 Work hard

Though the exam can be taken again, it is quite a morale booster when one achieves in the first go. Practice speaking the answers, attempt mock practice tests till you are confident. Spend some time practising daily. Consistency is the key.

5 Language

When speaking don’t worry about the correctness of your answers, the examiner is looking at your language and not on your knowledge. Even if you do not know the exact answer for a question, you can beat around the bush to an extent.

6 Notes

For part II the examiner  will give you paper to make notes. Make notes in the order of your speech, in a logical manner. Write hints and not sentences. I guess it is safe to say that the examiner does look into it for their final scoring. Comment from Liz: That’s correct. Your notes are not marked and do not influence your score.

7 Practising with a Recorder

Doing so will give you an idea of the flow of your speech pattern, your speed, pronunciation, pitch of sound and clarity of voice, with which you can improve all parts of you speech. It also aids you to consciously categorize your thoughts before speaking.
 
These were the tips I followed for speaking test. Once again I would like to thank you. Andrew.
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IELTS Liz Message: I want to congratulate Andrew on his excellent results. Band score 9 in IELTS speaking is something to be very proud of. Andrew, your tips will certainly help many IELTS candidates to not only gain confidence but also tackle this test in the right way. Thank you and well done 🙂
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For more tips about IELTS speaking, visit this page: IELTS Speaking Tips, Topics & Model Answers
Filed Under: IELTS Speaking Tagged With:

Sept to Dec 2018 IELTS Speaking Part 2 Topics

September 7, 2018 by 152 Comments

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Topics for September, October, November and December.

Below are IELTS speaking part 2 topics from September to December 2018. These topics have been reported by students in their IELTS test. Remember that there is only one speaking test for everyone. This means GT and Academic students will do the same IELTS speaking test with the same marking criteria. All the topics are for both sets of candidates.

Q) Will I get these topics in my speaking test?

A) There is no guarantee. The examiner has a long list of topics (longer than the list below) to choose from and you can’t predict what you will get. The most you can do to prepare is much as you can. Prepare both the recent topics below and also common topics which you can find on this page: Common Part 2 Topics for IELTS Speaking.

Q) Why from September to December?

A) This is because in September the examiners get a new list of topics which will be used for about 4 months. It is a long list and only some of the topics are listed below.

I will add more topics to the list below once students have informed me. These topics are not predictions, they are topics reported by IELTS students in their test.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Topics Sept – Dec

  1. an interesting job you would like to do
  2. a time you helped someone
  3. a time you planned something that later got changed
  4. a recent happy moment
  5. a useful website
  6. a journey
  7. a book you recently read
  8. something you made by hand for a friend
  9. a good law
  10. a story you have been told
  11. a decision you made with someone’s help
  12. a talkative person
  13. your favourite animal
  14. a foreign language you would like to learn (not English)
  15. something you lost that was important to you
  16. someone who has visited your country
  17. a piece of equipment you had repaired
  18. a distance place you would like to visit
  19. a place you prefer to study indoors or outdoors
  20. a film or TV show that made you laugh
  21. your first mobile phone
  22. a person you never met but heard a lot about
  23. a magazine you like to read
  24. a teenager you know
  25. a young child
  26. a valuable gift you received
  27. a competition you would like to take part in
  28. a happy event that you celebrated
  29. a family business that you know
  30. something interesting your friend has done
  31. a time you complained about something and action was easily taken
  32. something you borrowed from a family member or friend
  33. someone actively involved in environmental problems
  34. a national flower or plant
  35. a childhood friend
  36. an important part of your country
  37. an interesting thing your friend has done
  38. how you learned maths in primary school
  39. an item you own that needs replacing
  40. something a friend has done that you would like to do
  41. the last time you went shopping in a market
  42. a skill that takes a long time to learn
  43. a beautiful city
  44. a journey you made using public transport
  45. a special item of clothing you wore for an occasion
  46. a building you like

Click here to see a Full IELTS Speaking Test for 2018

IELTS Speaking Tips

If you would like to get some IELTS speaking tips, free videos and model answers, click here: IELTS Speaking Tips.

All the best

Liz

Get my free lessons by email

Subscribe for free to get my new IELTS lessons sent to your email inbox.

Filed Under: IELTS Speaking

IELTS Speaking Test August 2018

August 17, 2018 by 44 Comments

Below is a sample IELTS speaking test for August 2018. The topics and questions are currently being used in the IELTS Speaking test.

Remember that there is only one speaking test. All candidates, both GT and Academic, will get the same topics and questions. There is no difference in marking. The test will last between 11 and 14 mins. The IELTS Speaking test is informal.

Full IELTS Speaking Test August 2018

IELTS Speaking Part 1

Home

  1. Do you live in a house or an apartment?
  2. What room do you most like in your home?
  3. Is there anything you would like to change?
  4. Do you plan to move in the future?

Apps

  1. Do you often use apps?
  2. What type of app would you like to get for your phone or computer?
  3. What type of app do you think is most popular?
  4. If you could create an app, what would it be?

Foreign Food

  1. Did you often eat foreign food as a child?
  2. What type of foreign food have you recently eaten?
  3. Are foreign foods popular in your country today?
  4. Do you think there will be an increase in the amount of foreign food in your country in the future?

IELTS Speaking Part 2

Describe an important event that you celebrated in the past. You should say:

  • what the event was
  • when it was
  • where it was held
  • who you celebrated with
  • and explain why the event was important to you

IELTS Speaking Part 3

  1. Do you think it is essential for people to celebrate their birthdays?
  2. Have you ever attended an outdoor event before?
  3. Which one do you prefer, indoor or outdoor events?
  4. Do you think people spend more money on events today compared to the past?
  5. What is the most popular event in your country? How do people celebrate it?
  6. Do you think it is beneficial for a country to host international events?

Click here for RECENT SPEAKING TOPICS FOR PART 2

Click here for: COMMON TOPICS & TIPS FOR SPEAKING

 

Filed Under: IELTS Speaking

Speaking Part 1 Topic: Plants

July 23, 2018 by 12 Comments

Below are a few questions for the IELTS speaking part 1 topic of plants. This is a current topic in the IELTS speaking test.

Plant Questions: IELTS Speaking Part 1

  1. Do you like plants?
  2. Do you know a lot about plants?
  3. Have you ever had a plant?
  4. Did you ever grow a plant as a child?
  5. Would you ever give a plant as a gift?
  6. Why do people like plants in their house?
  7. Do you have a garden?
  8. Do you know how to cultivate plants?

Vocabulary:

Click below to visit the vocabulary page for this topic:

Plant Vocabulary & Model Answers

Tip: you are not expected to know specialist knowledge about plants – keep your answers personal and friendly. Be descriptive and chatty.

Other Speaking Topics

See common topics: IELTS Speaking Part 1 Common Topics

Also review the recent questions page: Current Topics & Questions

All the best

Liz

Get my free lessons by email

Subscribe for free to get my new IELTS lessons sent to your email inbox.

Filed Under: IELTS Speaking

Subtitles or Dubbing: Film Question for IELTS Speaking

June 27, 2018 by 37 Comments

Recent I posted a list of questions for the topic of Film that appears frequently in IELTS speaking part 1, part 2 and part 3. You can see the full list of questions for film on this page: Film IELTS Questions

The question below is one of the common  questions and some students asked me to offer a model answer for it.

Question:

  • Is it better for a foreign film to be dubbed or subtitled?

Meaning:

Dubbing: to replace the original language of the film and use voice actors of the country viewing it

Subtitles: to have a translation of the foreign film written on the screen throughout the movie, but keep the original language of the movie.

Model Answer

I think subtitles are best for documentaries and slow paced movies, but fast paced action movies should be dubbed because it is too distracting to read the subtitles and watch the action at the same time.

Further Points:

Dubbed Films

  1. Films that are dubbed help you learn a foreign language.
  2. Changing the language also means altering the experience of the film.
  3. Some times the voice actors for dubbed movies do not match how the character looks.
  4. Dubbing can be annoying to see the actors’ lips moving at a different pace to the words spoken by the voice actor.
  5. Cartoons and animated films can easily be dubbed.
  6. subtitles sometimes take up too much of the screen so you can’t see everything.

Subtitling

  1. If you are reading the script of the movie, you miss the expressions of the actors and the dramatic scenes.
  2. Not all countries can afford to pay voice actors to dub all films. Subtitles are cheaper.
  3. It is good to hear the real voices of the actors in the movie.
  4. Children can lose interest in a film that has subtitles and can’t read fast enough.

Your Opinion

  1. Do you think foreign films should be dubbed or subtitled?

Answers

Feel free to post your answers below in the comments box below.

Sharing ideas is one way to help you all develop.

All the best

Liz

 

Filed Under: IELTS Speaking

IELTS Cue Card Meaning

June 16, 2018 by 51 Comments

IELTS Speaking Part 2: Cue Card Topics

Many students have written to me about whether or not they can ask the examiner to explain the cue card topic in IELTS speaking part 2. Other students ask if they can change the topic of the cue card.

Understanding IELTS Cue Cards

  1. Do you think you can change the cue card topic?
  2. Can you ask the examiner to explain the topic if you don’t understand?

Answers

The examiner will give you the cue card with the main topic and prompts underneath. Here is an example:

An outing that didn’t cost anything. You should say:

  • when it was
  • where you went
  • who was with you
  • what you did
  • how you felt about it

You will also be given a piece of paper and a pencil to make notes. You will have one minute to prepare. During that 1 min, the examiner will remain silent. At the end of 1 min, the examiner will ask you to start speaking. You should aim to speak for 2 mins.

Can you change the cue card?

No, you can’t. You are given the IELTS cue card and then you start preparing. There is no chance to change it.

Can you ask the examiner to explain it?

No, you can’t. The examiner is not allowed to help you at this time. The cue card is given to you for your preparation time and also for your talking time. At no point, can the IELTS examiner explain in part 2 speaking.

What if you don’t understand?

  1. Then you must try to speak about something you think is similar. You can explain your choice when you start speaking. Also follow the prompts so that the examiner doesn’t think you are trying to change the topic completely.
  2. Most cue cards are simple topics. They rarely contain language that is complicated. Common cue card topics: a meal you enjoyed, a book you read, an item of clothing you like, your favourite season, a place near water etc. Very easy to understand.
  3. You are not marked on your choice of subject. If you get “a place near water”, you could talk about a place near the sea, a place near a river or just a place near a swimming pool. It really doesn’t matter. The examiner is only interested in your spoken English.
  4. The topic above “an outing that didn’t cost anything” is similar to “an activity that was free”. This is about leisure time activities that do not cost money (no fee was paid) – going to the park, having a picnic, playing badminton in the garden, going to the beach etc.

All the best

Liz

 

Filed Under: IELTS Speaking