Below are predicted IELTS Speaking Topics for May, June, July & August 2020. Please read all this page carefully so that you prepare properly for your IELTS Speaking Test.

Note:

• Below are predicted topics for part 1 and part 2 speaking
• Part 3 questions are based on your part 2 topic
  • Example:
  • Part 2: A skill
  • Part 3: learning, practical skills, technology, skills for business & work, children learning skills etc
• Do you want topics for IELTS Writing Task 2?
  • Writing task 2 topics change every day.
  • Click here: 100 IELTS Essay Questions
  • Prepare as many common topics as you can

Preparing Speaking Topics

IELTS do not release their list of questions for IELTS Speaking. This is to ensure that you don’t memorise answers and the test fairly checks your natural level of English. But you can prepare predicted and common topics. By preparing as many topics as possible, you will hopefully be better prepared. The list below is predicted list of topics for this period that are due to be recycled. Also prepare other common topics, click here: Speaking Section.

Do not memorise whole answers. Prepare ideas and useful vocabulary that you can use naturally in your test. Remember to be natural and chatty – not rehearsed or repeating from memory.

IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics May-Aug 2020

The list below shows topics that could appear in IELTS Speaking Part 1. This part lasts from 4-5 mins in length. Answer directly and then add one or two sentences more. Be prepared for the examiner to take the lead and interrupt your answers. Can you find more common topics here: Common Part 1 Topics which will likely appear in your test.

1. Work/Study
2. Your home or your house
3. Where you come from originally
4. Friends, friendship and socialising
5. Family (people in your family and relationships)
6. Diet – types of food, meals, places to eat
7. Plants, flowers and places in nature (beauty spots)
8. School, subjects, homework and teachers
   1. languages, history, geography (maps), cookery, art
   2. science, maths, technology, social sciences
   3. note: IELTS do not use political or religious topics.
9. Holidays, places to stay, activities, journey
10. Health and exercise (including gentle exercise)
11. Leisure time
12. Sport – types of sport
13. Animals – types of animals, your experience of animals
14. Visitors to your home
15. Bags, Shoes and Accessories
16. Shops & Purchases & Money
17. Routine – your day and night routines – changing routines
18. Gifts and special occasions
19. Cars, buses, trains and planes
20. Music, songs and singing
21. Bread and rice: staple foods
22. Films & TV
23. Writing – letters, emails, messages
24. Happiness, enjoyment and fun
25. Museums and Galleries
26. Weather

May-Aug IELTS Speaking Part 2 Predicted Topics

Use your 1 mins planning time to think about language as well as ideas that you want to use in your talk. Try to speak for 2 mins. I will add to this list as more topics are reported. Part 3 will last for between 4 and 5 mins. Part 3 is the discussion where the examiner might challenge your answers and push you for more detail – give as much as you can in your answers.

The examiner will have many topics to choose from in part 2. So, I’ve put some predicted topics and also common topics that are frequently used.

The bullet points below are the usual directions that part 3 can take. Part 3 is a discussion so be prepared for the examiner to interrupt and challenge you.

1. An animal
   • Part 3 questions about:
   • Pets, Zoos, Vegetarianism
2. A healthy activity
   1. keeping healthy, types of exercise and sport
   2. dangerous sports, bad lifestyles, hobbies
3. A family member
   1. spending time with family, older generations, family roles
4. A successful business
   1. local products, success in business, skills for success, family run business, international/local business, business in your area (shops), famous brands
5. A quiet or crowded place
   1. places to relax, crowds, stress, health concerns around other people, mental health, balanced life style
6. An old person you admire
   1. retirement, taking care of the elderly
7. A charity
   1. volunteer work, helping people, types of problems in society
8. A book
   1. types of books, books & real life stories, films, children stories, learning, e-books etc.
9. A meal
   1. healthy eating, restaurants, home cooking, food allergies, the food industry
10. A famous Person
    1. TV or music stars, role models, how media influences people

Usual Types of Part 2 Topics

The topics below are divided into common types. These are the usual types of topics you get in part 2 which are based on everyday life. Remember, IELTS Speaking Part 2 is not about knowledge, it is just a chance to speak at length on a topic that touches everyone’s life.

A person

• old or young people
• famous people or people you wish you could meet
• professions and jobs in society and that help the environment
• family, friends and strangers
• children and teenagers

Place

• to relax, to have fun, to learn, to meet people
• quiet place, busy place, crowded place, interesting place, colourful place
• in nature,
• cities, towns, parks
• hotels, restaurants, libraries, shops
• a house, your neighbourhood, 
• a foreign country and place you wish you could visit
• a place from your childhood or a recent place you have visited

Objects

• films, books, newspapers
• clothes, furniture, recently bought items
• gifts, art, a souvenir
• a device, a toy, a game
• animal, bird, plant, flower, garden park
• a meal
• a charity, a business, an organisation

Abstract objects

• websites, skills (learned and innate), a language, useful advice, information
• holidays, travel, journeys – recent or didn’t go as planned
• future goals, dreams
• routine, hobby, activity 
• something that hindered you, something that helped you
• weather, seasons, sky, stars, climates, environmental problem
• professions and jobs 

A time when

• you were happy, sad, bored, exited, worried, embarrassed, disappointed, confused
• you helped someone, someone helped you, you got advice, you gave advice etc, you got news, you told someone good news
• you got lost, you found something, you learned something, you achieved something, you forgot something, you remembered something important

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Free Speaking Tips

For tips, free video lessons and model answer for speaking, go to the HOME page of this site and read how to access them.

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E-BOOKS for Ideas & Grammar

Just a reminder that my Ideas for Topics E-book and my Grammar E-book are available in my store. Both will help improve with your level of English. Click here: Visit Store

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Colours is a topic currently being used in IELTS Speaking Part 2 and Part 3. Below you will find the cue card being used with a model answer and some Part 3 questions that might follow. This topic will probably run from May – August 2020. I’ll update more topics as they are reported. Meanwhile, make sure you prepare from previous topics which will no doubt be recycled this month. Click here: IELTS Speaking Topics so far in 2020.

Below you will find:

1. IELTS Speaking Cue Card “Colourful Place” with Model Answer
2. Review Questions & Tips
3. Speaking Part 3 Questions
4. Speaking Part 1 Questions
5. Vocabulary for Colours
6. Thank you message from Liz

1) Colours: IELTS Speaking Part 2

Below you will find a cue card and model answer for the Speaking Part 2 Topic: A Colourful Place. This topic frequently appears in IELTS Speaking.

Cue Card: Describe a colourful place that you have visited.

• where it was
• when you went there
• what you did there
• why you thought it was colourful

Model Answer for “A Colourful Place”

The model answer below is a band 9. Answer:

It isn’t easy to decide on just one colourful place to talk about because I have been to so many. But I’d like to talk about somewhere in Vietnam where the colour is a type of beauty beyond anything I have seen before. It’s a place that I will never forget.

The name of the place is Hoi An. It’s a small town located in central Vietnam not far from the sea. It is a UNESCO heritage site known for it’s stunning buildings, which were mainly one or two storey high, and it’s amazing colours. The first time I went there was about 8 years ago when I was travelling through Vietnam on vacation on my own. Since then, I’ve visited a number of times and I’m sure I’ll return again one day.

From the moment I arrived I was struck by the incredible colour of the traditional houses. They were nearly all painted a soft pastel yellow with tropical flowers and plants growing around them. In the daylight it was stunning but as evening came, the glow from the setting sun turning everything golden. The colours were almost ethereal. I’m really not surprised it’s a UNESCO heritage site and extremely popular with photographers. When I was there, I only had a basic camera. But if I had known how lovely it was, I would have taken my best camera with me.

I can’t say I did very much there. It was possible to get clothes made by tailors, travel down the river to the sea, take a cookery course to learn Vietnamese cuisine and learn about lantern making. However, all I wanted to do was mainly soak in the sites and the gentle, inspiring colours. I admit I did enjoy the food in the local restaurants and the seafood was the most delicious I’ve had. I can’t remember ever having eaten any squid as tender or any mackerel as tasty. 

The whole atmosphere made me feel lucky to be alive. Even now when I’m stuck at home, I can recall those sites and I remember the wonderful feeling I had at that time. It helps me remember that we live in a remarkably colourful world.

2) Review Questions & Tips

Questions about Language Content

This cue card is a past tense topic about a place you have been to before. Staying true to the past tense is important. You need to show the examiner you can speak in the past tense for 2 mins. However, it is also very important to showcase other tenses and grammar features.

1. Can you spot a third conditional statement?
2. Can you spot a future tense?
3. Can you spot a present perfect?
4. Can you spot a present simple?
5. Can you spot a superlative?
6. Can you spot any useful descriptive language?
7. Can you spot any particular language about colour?

Using first, second and third conditional statements is a great way to showcase your grammar skills and boost your score. Part 2 is the best time to use conditional statements because you have 1 mins to plan what to include in your talk. Showcasing a range of grammar tenses and showing the ability to change from one tense to another is essential for a high score. Description is also something you need to think about and plan in part 2.

Cue Card Tips

• Use your 1 min planning time to plan not only ideas, but also language you wish to showcase.
• Use the prompts. They will help you build a structure to your talk.
• Go beyond the prompts. Add rich description – paint a picture.
• Even if all you did was “walk around”, talk about what other options of activities there were. Add more. Showcase your English. You can mention both what you did and what you didn’t do.
• Showcase a range of grammar tenses and other features as explained above.
• Keep talking. You can also add recommendations, suggestions, opinions, other people’s opinions etc.
• Don’t worry about time, the examiner will control the time and stop you when 2 mins is up.
• You do not need to conclude your talk.

What else could you talk about with the topic “colourful place”?

• someone’s house
• a garden or a park
• a street, town or city
• a market (for clothes, food or spices)
• an art gallery

Similar Cue Cards about Colour:

1. Describe your favourite colour
2. Describe a colourful event you have attended

3) Colours: IELTS Speaking Part 3 Questions

1. Do colours affect our mood? In what way?
2. Do you think the colours a person chooses to wear illustrates something about their character? OR – Are certain colours connected to particular character traits?
3. Do you think men and women like to wear similar colours?
4. How are colours used in advertising? OR – Do you think colour plays an important role in marketing and advertising?
5. Do you think colour is important for company uniforms?
6. Is there any particular colour that is symbolic in your country?
7. Are there any colours that are connected to festivals in your country?
8. Are there any specific colours used to decorate homes in your country?
9. Are there any colours in your country that are considered lucky or unlucky?
10. Do you think colour is important in text books?
11. Do you think children should be given colourful storybooks to read?

4) Speaking Part 1 Colours

Although this topic isn’t being used as a part 1 topic at the moment, it can appear in part 1. As you will see below, some questions overlap with Speaking Part 3. However, in part 1, you are expected to give shorter answers.

1. What is your favourite colour?
2. Are there any colours you dislike?
3. Is there any colour you would never wear?
4. Do you prefer dark or light colours?
5. What colours do you have in your home or on the walls of your home?
6. Were colours important to you when you were a child?
7. Do you think the colour people like changes as they grow older?
8. Do you think colour shows us things about people’s character?
9. Do you think men and women like different colours?
10. Are there any popular colours in your country?

5) Vocabulary for Colours

• vivid
• bright
• deep
• rich
• soft
• pastel
• harsh (this can be used to describe very bright, unpleasant colours)
• loud (to describe very bright colours that you can’t ignore)
• neutral
• multicoloured
• vibrant

Don’t just say “it was blue” – describe the blue:

• deep blue, sky blue, soft blue, pastel blue, navy blue, aquamarine, midnight blue
• If you can’t remember the exact words, paraphrase – it was a blue that reminded me of a gentle summer’s day / the blue was darker than the sky just before nightfall. 

6) Thank you from Liz

I just want to say thank you to all of you who responded to my post last week called “My Story”. I have posted a message to you all back on the original page at the end of my story. Needless to say, I was deeply touched by your comments. To read my thank you message and return to My Story Page, click here: Liz’s Personal Story

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To prepare for the predicted topic of Health & Coronavirus in IELTS Speaking Part 3, you will find below questions, model answers and useful vocabulary with an audio for pronunciation. This is a current world issue and as you know IELTS are guided by world issues for their choice of topics in IELTS Speaking and IELTS Writing.

Questions & Model Answers: IELTS Speaking Health & Coronavirus Part 3

See the questions and model answers below. Remember, the examiner is not testing your knowledge. Each question is an opportunity for you to showcase your English language. The examiner might ask you to explain more, or interrupt you or challenge you. Be prepared in part 3 for a discussion rather than question/answer.

Do you think health is important? Why?

Health is extremely important. Without it we are unable to work, unable to earn a living, unable to socialise and we become completely dependant on others. Health is one of the few things that we can’t buy, but we can take steps to improve and protect our health. By protecting our health, we are protecting our future.

What types of activities do you think help people stay healthy?

There are many kinds of activities that can help us maintain good health. Cardiovascular exercise such as jogging, tennis and football are really beneficial. But many people prefer doing more gentle exercise like yoga or taichi that help us with our physical and mental health. Personally, I think a balanced approach of different types of exercises is best combined with a healthy life style and diet.

What is the difference between physical health and mental health?

Physical health is about our physical bodies: our muscles, our blood circulation, our internal organs and about keeping our immune systems and other bodily systems working well. Mental health, on the other hand, is concerned with how healthy our thoughts are and our perspectives. It affects our ability to cope with situations in life.

What difficulties did some people face with social distancing and lockdown at the time of the Coronavirus outbreak?

I think some people had a lot to cope with during lockdown. Some people struggled with the isolation, some people worried about their income and others struggled with being trapped in a building unable to go out. Most of the problems were psychological, but some also had practical problems. Some people were unable to get to supermarkets due to vulnerability and struggled to get food. It was a really challenging time.

What did some people do to stay positive at that time?

People used different methods to keep their chins up when they were in lockdown. I think some of them went online to either work or socialise. Others turned to indoor exercise and art projects. Nature projects like planting indoor plants and watching live videos of wildlife were also really popular. It was surprising how enterprising and creative people were ideas.

What useful technology helped us combat the Coronavirus?

That’s a really interesting question. Let me see … I guess some of the most important pieces of technology were things like ventilators which kept people breathing when they had severe Coronavirus and the technology behind the contact tracing and testing which was used quite effectively in many countries to suppress the spread of the virus. Looking ahead at new technology coming out, new apps are being designed to allow people to trace where they have been and if they have come into contact with the virus at any time. I think this will really help us control the virus better.

During the Coronavirus crisis, some people did courageous deeds. Can you give an example of one from your country?

There was more than one example of courage in the face of possible illness or death in my country during the Coronavirus pandemic. All doctors, nurses, hospital staff, care home workers, social workers and other frontline workers all selflessly went to work knowing the risks they were facing. Some of them lost their lives as a result. Each day, they showed courage and determination to save lives. They were indeed brave and without them many more people would have died.

What do you think could have been done better to deal with the Coronavirus outbreak?

It’s hard to say. Each country had their own approach based on what was happening in their own country and decisions were led by the science. With hindsight some countries should have done more rigorous contact tracing and testing at the start of the pandemic to prevent the disease spreading so widely. Also some of them ought to have gone into lockdown sooner before the virus had spread so far. We will see how things progress from this point onward.

Note: “It’s hard to say” is an expression which means “This isn’t a simple thing to discuss – it’s complicated.”

Useful Language & Pronunciation

To learn the pronunciation of the following vocabulary, click the audio below this word list.

• cardiovascular
• muscles
• aerobic
• brisk walking
• vigorous exercise
• blood circulation
• internal organs
• immune system
• taichi / yoga
• mental health
• psychological well-being
• perspectives
• struggle with isolation
• feeling trapped in a building
• socialise
• nature or art projects
• a creative outlet
• to be enterprising and creative
• ventilators
• rigorous contact tracing and testing
• pandemic
• frontline workers
• to be led by the science
• hindsight

Audio

.

I hope you found this useful 🙂

All the best and stay safe!

Liz

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Learn why the IELTS speaking examiner might interrupt your answer in the IELTS Speaking Test. A lot of IELTS candidates are shocked that the examiner stops them in the middle of their answer to ask a new question. They are not prepared for interruptions and when it happens, they lose focus, get stressed and their performance suffers. Don’t let this happen to you. Be prepared and understand why the examiner is interrupting your answer.

Why the IELTS speaking examiner interrupts your answer

There are three main reasons why the IELTS speaking examiner might interrupt you and not let you finish your answer.

1. The main reason is that time is limited. If your answer is slow, lengthy or not giving enough good English, the examiner might choose to stop you and start with a fresh question. It’s one way that the examiner can help guide you and keep you on track.
2. Another reason is that you already gave the examiner the aspect of language they wanted to hear. When this happens, the examiner doesn’t need to hear the rest of your answer and can interrupt you to move on. Let me give you an example:
   1. Question: What changes would you make to your home if you could?
   2. Answer: If I could, I’d expand the living room so that we have more space and maybe build a patio. But I’d also like to ….
      1. Comments: Why would the examiner stop the answer after only one sentence? Well, this question was testing if the candidate could speak in the hypothetical tense (second conditional). The candidate already showed that this tense was easy for them, so the examiner can stop them and move on to a new question. Remember, some questions are testing specific language functions and once you’ve shown that ability in your answer, the examiner could stop you so that they can test other aspects of your language.
3. The examiner will also interrupt you if time is up in any part of the test. This is actually obligatory.

It is important that you understand this fully:

• The IELTS speaking examiner is not being rude or lacking concentration by interrupting you. In fact, when they change questions, they usually have a valid reason for doing so, which is neither bad or good as far as you are concerned.
• The examiner is not trying to undermine your confidence. You actually should be prepared for interruptions to your answers if you have prepared fully for the test. This aspect of the IELTS speaking test should not be a surprise to you.
• Being off topic does not affect your score in IELTS speaking. So, when the examiner interrupts you to redirect the question, it won’t affect your score. It is the examiner helping you.
• The examiner isn’t interrupting you because you gave the wrong answer. There are no right or wrong answers – only opportunities to showcase your English. Interrupting your answer gives you a chance to tackle a new question.
• The examiner does not rapidly ask questions to test your ability to handle stress – this is not how the IELTS speaking test works. The examiner only has a certain amount of time to test your English thoroughly so that they can give you a fair and valid score. Often you might show a wider range of English when you are given more different questions and topics.
• Each examiner is different. Some examiners do tend to interrupt more than others so always be prepared. Whether they interrupt a lot or not at all doesn’t mean one examiner is better than another.

Always remember that the examiner is only testing 4 things: fluency, vocab, grammar and pronunciation. Nothing else is marked. 

Will interruption to your answer lower your score?

No. 100% not. This is a choice made by the examiner to cover all language functions and direct the test in the way the examiner wants.

How Can you Prepare and Cope for Interruptions

1. You should know that the IELTS speaking examiner might interrupt you before you enter the test room. This is knowledge about the test that you ought to learn during your exam preparation.
2. When it happens, don’t be upset or confused. 
3. Being interrupted isn’t bad or good. It’s just part of the testing system and will help the examiner assess many parts of your language.
4. Don’t think you made a mistake. The examiner might be moving on because your answer was actually excellent already. For whatever reason, it is simply a way for the examiner to manage the test and you don’t need to be concerned about it.
5. Keep talking until you are interrupted. Let the examiner manage the test their way.
6. As soon as you are interrupted, focus on the new question.
7. Regardless of interruptions, be confident and try to enjoy the test. It is an informal speaking test.
8. Remember, interruptions are normal.

Free IELTS Speaking Tips & Model Answers

Click here to learn more about IELTS Speaking for free: IELTS Speaking Tips & Answers

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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