Below are  new topics that were given for IELTS speaking part 2 this month, September 2017. I will post more topics when students have informed me.

To prepare fully, you need to prepare the topics below, topics used in Aug and also common topics. You can find Aug topics on this page: Aug topics and common topics on this page: Main Speaking Page

The topics below are not easy so it is vital that you choose something simple to talk about. That way, you can expand your ideas more easily to showcase your English.

IELTS Cue Card Topics Sept – Dec 2017

Topics have been reported by students and are not predictions.

1. A School Rule
2. A Plant
3. A person who helped you in your studies or work
4. Disagreement with a decision that someone made
5. Your favourite item of clothing
6. Good news about a person you know well
7. When someone said positive comments to you
8. A book
9. A healthy life style
10. An occasion you helped someone
11. Something you planned to do but haven’t done yet
12. An important letter you received
13. An important invention
14. A gift that made you happy
15. An achievement
16. A time you were happy to have a mobile phone
17. Your ideal home
18. A garden you visited as a child
19. A happily married couple
20. An English lesson
21. Something you got for free
22. A piece of art
23. Your favourite sport
24. An invention
25. A special cake
26. A conversation with someone you don’t know
27. A website
28. A product of your country
29. A time you teamed up with an old person
30. A big company/organisation near you
31. A car journey
32. A city or town you visited
33. A group of people who made you smile
34. A place to listen to music
35. A happy memory from childhood
36. A business person you admire
37. A holiday
38. A time you moved home or school
39. A person you admire who is not from your country
40. Your favourite TV program
41. An interesting place in your country that tourists don’t know about
42. A person who knows everything

Tips for Speaking Part 2 Topics 2017

Below are some ideas for you to use for the current topics. Feel free to share your ideas in the comments box below.

Examples of School Rules:

• no eating in class
• do not disturb the teacher when he or she is talking
• hand your homework in on time
• turning off your mobile phone in class

Tips for Plant topic

• choose a plant that is common or symbolic
• you don’t need to know the name of the plant in English
• you can choose to talk about any plant, tree, flower, fruit, vegetable – your choice doesn’t affect your score
• you can describe it: leaves, colour, height, flower, stem, trunk, branches

A person who helped you in your work or studies

• maybe a teacher or a colleague (you can you choose anyone you like)
• remember to describe the person (appearance and character)
• always say when you first met the person
• mention if you will see this person again in the future

An item of clothing

• choose something easy to talk about
• mention – colour, material, length, style
• talking about when you got it, when you usually wear it, when you plan to wear it next

A book

• describe the story simply – don’t make it complicated or confusing
• mention only main characters and describe them
• mention plot, setting (where it was and which time period)
• mention if it has been converted into a film
• talk about when you bought it, how often you have read it, what type of people would like it

An achievement

• try to branch away from your work or studies
  • it’s time to show the examiner you can talk about something else
• examples: cooking, making something, a speech, a hobby, a time you helped someone, something you learned, travel, language etc

A product of your country

• you can choose anything made or grown in your country
  • clothes, equipment, food, transportation, tea, coffee, wine, musical instruments, etc
  • your choice of product is not marked – only your language is marked
• describe the product – appearance, how it’s made, where it’s made, who makes it, price etc
• talk about the first time you use it, if you will use it again and what type of people would use it

Useful IELTS Speaking Link

See my Tips, Model Answers for IELTS Speaking

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I think it is a good time to talk about your IELTS Speaking Examiners. In the IELTS speaking test, you will be face to face with an IELTS speaking examiner who will ask you questions. There are three parts:

1. short answer questions – about 12 questions in under 5 mins
2. a talk – 1 mins to prepare and 1-2 mins to talk
3. a discussion – about 4 to 8 questions in under 5 mins

The IELTS speaking test is informal. This means you need to be open, chatty and friendly throughout your test. This way you can showcase your English to the examiner. For speaking tips and model answers, see my Main IELTS Speaking Page

IELTS Examiners

IELTS examiners are supposed to be friendly, smiley and encouraging. They can’t be chatty with you but they should be encouraging in their body language, facial expressions and general manner. This is what they are taught to do.

BUT not all examiners are friendly. This means it can feel difficult to be chatty and friendly with an examiner if they don’t smile, yawn, avoid looking at you and show disinterest in what you say. Unfortunately, not all examiners are good with body language.

Your Preparation

You need to be prepared to face any type of examiner – encouraging or not encouraging You need to be mentally ready to be chatty and open even if the person you are talking to appears bored.

Your speaking test is 11 to 14 minutes in length. This is not a lot of time. But in that time, you can change your future. So, don’t let a bored examiner control your fate. Take your future into your own hands and be ready for anything.

Students’ Experience

Most IELTS students have a good experience in their IELTS speaking test and some even enjoy it. Most students found the examiner encouraging and friendly. This is the ideal situation. But examiners are humans and a few of them are not prefect – you must be prepared for that.

Your Experience

Please share your experience of the speaking test by posting below. Remember this is not a time to complain. It is a time to share experiences – good and bad. Please remember that the aim of this website is to prepare students for IELTS and also BUILD CONFIDENCE !!!

My Message to IELTS

It is time to get a camera in the IELTS speaking test room. Having an audio recording is not enough and certainly behind the times. Having a camera in the room means IELTS can monitor their examiners more closely to ensure that IELTS candidates who have paid money for this test are in fact being tested at the standard that IELTS have set. It should not be acceptable that IELTS have some examiners who put students off talking by appearing bored and annoyed. This entirely defeats the purpose of having a face to face speaking test rather than one done with a computer. IELTS want their speaking test to be as life like as possible – but at what time would you have a personal chat with someone for 14 minutes who wishes you weren’t in the room and shows it!

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It is important that you understand what ideas you can use for your IELTS speaking Part 2. You need to know what topics are appropriate and how a topic can be expanded.

On this page you will see:

• a list of ideas
• a model answer
• examiner comments
• a list of vocabulary
• useful link
• a picture

Possible Ideas

Lets look at this topics: An Activity near the Sea. Below is a list of possible topics:

Let me give you a current speaking part 2 topic: An Activity Near the Sea You have Done

Which of the following ideas can you use for this topic?

1. Fishing
2. Water-skiing
3. Swimming
4. Sunbathing
5. Shopping
6. Photography
7. A lazy day near the sea
8. A future holiday near the sea

Decide which of the above ideas is possible for the this topic.

Answer

You can use all of the above ideas for your Speaking Part 2 talk about an activity near the sea.

The examiner is not marking your ideas. It does not affect your score to go off topic. You are not marked on using relevant ideas.

Your speaking score is based 100% on your English language – nothing more. You are not even marked on understanding. You are only marked on fluency, grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation.

How to Use Ideas for Speaking Part 2

See this model answer below to learn how to use all the above ideas:

Model Answer

I will tell you about a place I have been to near the sea and all the activities there were on offer there. Personally, I go to the sea to enjoy the sea air and see family. But there are also plenty of other things to do.

The town I go to is called Hoi An, which is both by the sea and also situated on a river. Most people take part in fishing and swimming, although the current in the sea can sometimes be a bit strong. It’s not the best place for water-skiing due to the waves, so most people just take a dip in the sea and sunbathe. Along the coast line are loads of shops selling a variety of souvenirs. I often enjoy browsing when I have the time.

The town itself is incredibly pretty. It is a UNESCO heritage site and boasts amazingly photographic scenes, particularly as daylight fades in the evening and the town has a golden glow under the street lamps. It attracts a lot of photographers from around the world and, the last time I was there, I couldn’t stop taking snap shots as I pottered around the town.

I think Hoi An is the perfect place for a lazy day near the sea. It’s not just because there are activities to do but because there is just a pleasant feel of arriving in another world that takes your breath away. I plan to have a lot more holidays there in the future. In fact, I’ve already booked my next trip.

Comments

You can see that this model answer does not focus on one activity near the sea. Instead, this model answer offers lots of activities as it describes a holiday.

This model answer would get band score 9. It is fine to adapt the topic and bring in lots of ideas to develop your story. The talk is informal (all IELTS speaking is informal) and you can see this in the style. It is chatty, friendly and full of interesting ideas – with great vocabulary.

Speaking part 2 has no questions, just prompts. It is your task to go beyond the prompts and add lots more information that isn’t asked for in order to develop your talk and showcase your English. Going off topic by adding more detail does not affect your score. Your ideas are not marked in IELTS speaking.

Vocabulary

• the sea air
• the current can be strong
• take a dip in the sea
• variety of souvenirs
• enjoy browsing
• photographic scenes
• as daylight fades
• golden glow
• taking snap shots
• potter around
• take your breath away

You can see that the vocabulary is mostly informal or descriptive. This is prefect for IELTS speaking part 2 when you are describing a place or a memory.

See my IELTS Speaking Tips

Click here to see all my IELTS Speaking Topics, Tips and Model Answers

Hoi An, Central Vietnam

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Hi guys,

Many students ask me if their idea for topics in speaking part 2 is ok. I want to see how much you understand about choosing an idea for part 2 speaking.

Let me give you a current speaking part 2 topic: An Activity Near the Sea You have Done

Which of the following ideas can you use for this topic?

1. Fishing
2. Water-skiing
3. Swimming
4. Sunbathing
5. Shopping
6. Photography
7. A lazy day near the sea
8. A future holiday near the sea

Decide which of the above ideas is possible for the this topic.

Answers

Find out how to use these ideas: How to use Ideas for Speaking Part 2: Activity near the Sea

This page: Ideas, will show you how to use ideas, a model band score 9 answer and vocbaulary.

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Hi guys,

I’ve posted answers and advice about asking the IELTS examiner to repeat the question in speaking. You can find details of the answers and tips on yesterday’s page. Click here: Asking to Repeat the Question

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Some people ask if it is ok to ask the examiner to repeat the question in IELTS speaking. Can you ask for the question to be repeated? Will you get a lower mark if you ask for the question to be repeated?

Can I ask the IELTS examiner to repeat the question without it affecting my score?

The answer is simple:

1. It’s fine to ask for the question to be repeated.
2. It won’t affect your marks.
3. You are not marked on your understanding in IELTS speaking. You are not marked down if you go off topic. It’s ok to go off topic in IELTS speaking. You are not marked for your ideas.
4. Your IELTS speaking score is based on four criterion:
   1. Fluency
   2. Vocabulary
   3. Grammar
   4. Pronunciation
5. This means only your language is marked in IELTS speaking.

What questions can you ask the examiner?

In part 1, you can ask the examiner to repeat the question. It is useful to give you time to think. In part 3, you can ask the examiner to explain what they mean. This means they can rephrase the question so you can understand it better. However, you can’t ask for a new topic.

Learn more about what questions you can and can’t ask: Asking the examiner questions

———————–

Getting Band 9 in Speaking

Get useful tips about how one student got Band Score 9 in IELTS Speaking:

Click here: How I got band score 9

Get all Liz’s Model Answers and Tips for IELTS Speaking

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Hi guys,

Below is a list of IELTS speaking part 2 topics which students have had so far this summer. These topics have been used this summer and will continue to be used in August 2017.

Of course, examiners have other topics as well but you should definitely prepare ideas for the topics below. It is common for speaking topics to be repeated in IELTS speaking.

Speaking Part 2 Topics Summer 2017

Students have reported the following topics this summer in their test:

1. A TV show
2. A special cake
3. A time you arrive early for something
4. A well paid job you would be good at
5. Good news you received
6. A future plan
7. A useful website
8. A book you know
9. A time when you changed your house or school
10. A special thing you have which you had to wait for
11. Your favourite sport
12. An event where there were people smiling
13. A quiet place you often visit
14. An invention that changed people’s lives
15. A plan in your life that is not related to work
16. Your favourite season/weather
17. A time when you ate food from a foreign country
18. An interesting conversation with someone you did not know
19. Historical event in your country
20. Describe a crowded place you went to
21. Describe about a person whom you worked with and helped
22. A polite person
23. Describe a place where you want to go on a trip in future
24. Talk about a time you have spend time with a young child
25. The most polite person you have come across in your life
26. A personal goal which you have not been able to achieve
27. A recent inspirational talk or speech you have heard
28. Describe a famous person
29. Describe a happy experience from your childhood
30. A time you had good service from a hotel or restaurant
31. A place you can swim
32. Describe a trip to the countryside
33. Talk about an occasion when you received a good service from a person
34. Describe a new shop that recently opened in your city
35. An item of clothing
36. A clever child
37. A free item you received
38. A family member who made you proud
39. An English lesson
40. A house that you visited before
41. An occasion you arrived early
42. Two people who are related
43. A time you felt excited

Useful IELTS Speaking Link

See my Tips, Model Answers for IELTS Speaking

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