Model Answer for IELTS Speaking Part 2: A Service

The model answer for the IELTS speaking part 2 topic A SERVICE was produced by an ex-IELTS examiner. It shows how you can extend your ideas to showcase your English for a high band score. The topic has been repeated many times in the IELTS and will continue to be used yearly.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Card: A GOOD SERVICE

An occasion you received a good service from a company or shop

You should say:

  • where it was
  • when you received the service
  • who was with you at the time
  • and explain how you felt about receiving the service.

Model Answer: A GOOD SERVICE

I’d like to tell you about a recent purchase I made and the service I received which I thought was outstanding.

I bought a necklace from a small online shop that I found whilst surfing the net. It wasn’t a shop that I had bought things from before so I was slightly apprehensive about it. The shop didn’t have a wide range of gold jewellery but what it had was unique in style without doubt.

So, about three weeks ago, I selected a gold necklace to buy from this shop and within just three days it arrived through the post. The delivery came beautifully wrapped in fine Japanese style wrapping paper along with a gift voucher for a discount on my next order. I was truly impressed with the care that had been taken in wrapping it and the personal note that also came with it. But what impressed me the most was the free gift that arrived as well. I wasn’t expecting that at all. Along with my necklace was a matching bracelet which was also exquisitely made.

I remember the day it all arrived because my best friend was visiting me at the time. When I opened the parcel, we were amazed at both items of jewellery. My friend immediately went online and put in an order of her own. So, I suppose it goes to show that good customer service has its own rewards.

It’s hard to describe how I felt. Of course, as I said, I was amazed but it was more than that. Life can be tough sometimes and when you get such a lovely, unexpected present, it makes you feel as though anything is possible in the world. I’m pretty sure that small shop will do very well in the future. I know I will certainly order from that shop again.

Feedback:

Fluency: a full talk, delivered without unnatural pauses and without effort.

Grammar: past simple, past perfect, past prefect passive, past continuous, present simple, future form, frequent complex sentences. Error free

Vocabulary: flexible, an awareness of collocations and with a strong range of words: slightly apprehensive, unique in style, beautifully wrapped, Japanese style wrapping paper, matching bracelet, exquisitely made, put in an order, it goes to show, good customer service, its own rewards

Similar Cue Card Topics in IELTS Speaking Part 2

  1. A time you had to return something you bought
  2. A time you received poor service at a shop
  3. A successful business
  4. A time you helped someone
  5. A restaurant you frequently go to
  6. A local shop
  7. Someone with good people skills
  8. Someone who likes helping others

Tips for Speaking Part 2

  • Use your 1 mins effectively. Plan extra details to add, plan a past memory or a future plan to boost your grammar score.
  • Be natural and chatty. Talk as though you were chatting with a friend.
  • Remember that there are no questions to answer. There are guidelines of what to put in your talk which you can use or not use as you wish.
  • Following these links and prepare ideas: Common Speaking Part 2 Topics 
  • Check out another model answer for speaking part 2. Click on the link: Model Answer Speaking Part 2 Holidays
  • Learn How to Start your Part 2 Talk
  • See How your IELTS Speaking is Scored: IELTS Band Scores Explained
  • ALL FREE MODEL ANSWERS & TIPS FOR IELTS SPEAKING

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IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topic: Shoes

“Shoes” is a commonly recycled topic in IELTS Speaking Part 1. Most people think only about the topic of Clothes, but the topic could be very focused on just Shoes. Below are some typical questions for this topic and model answers. You can also find great vocabulary to boost your score for this topic here: SHOES VOCAB LIST

IELTS Speaking Topic SHOES: Questions

  1. What kind of shoes do you usually wear?
  2. Do you have a favourite pair of shoes?
  3. How often do you buy shoes?
  4. Where do you usually buy your shoes?
  5. What do you look for in a pair of shoes?
  6. Would you ever spend a lot of money on a pair of shoes?
  7. Do you think men and women have the same attitude towards shoes?
  8. Are there any shoes in your country that shouldn’t be worn at work?
  9. Do people usually wear different types of shoes in different seasons in your country?
  10. Would you ever buy shoes online?
  11. Do you think the type of shoes someone wears reflects their character?

For IELTS Speaking Part 1, the examiner will only ask you about three or four questions per topic. So, even though the examiner has a long list of questions, you’ll only be asked a few of them.

IELTS Speaking Model Answers for SHOES Topic

  1. What kind of shoes do you normally wear?
    • Well, most days I like to wear comfy shoes that are easy to wear for the whole day, like sneakers or some other kind of flat shoes. I definitely wouldn’t choose to wear heels normally.
  2. What’s your favourite pair of shoes?
    • I love my Red high heeled shoes that match my red evening dress. But even thought they are my favourite, I rarely get a chance to wear them because they aren’t suitable for everyday events, just for fancy evenings.
  3. How often do you buy new shoes?
    • Probably not as often as I should. I guess I get a new pair about once every couple of years. I tend to stick to my favourites until they completely wear out.
  4. Do you think fashion is important to consider when buying shoes?
    • Yes and no. I mean, in some ways yes I think you do need to consider whether your shoes match the clothes you already have and if they are relatively modern. But at the same time, if I was just buying a pair of trainers I wouldn’t bother with fashion and I’d just go with comfort instead.
  5. Do you think men and women have the same attitude towards shoes?
    • Well, this is probably a gross overgeneralisation but I suppose that on the whole women are more conscious of shoes than men and tend to pay out more for their shoes. Certainly, that’s the case with most men and women I know. But I’m sure there are plenty of men and women out there to counter that.
  6. Would you buy shoes online?
    • As long as there’s an easy return policy, I don’t see buying shoes online a problem. In fact, it’s often easier to just order five pairs online and then you have time to think about whether you want to keep them before the deadline for the returns.
  7. Do you think the type of shoes someone wears reflects their character?
    • Yes, I do. People say that first impressions are important and I think that goes for shoes too. If you see a person wearing a worn out pair of shoes, it gives you the impression that they that are sloppy. On the other hand, if you see someone wearing brand name shoes that cost a fortune, you know that the person has plenty of money to splash around and doesn’t care about costs. So, shoes can tell you a lot about someone’s character.

Vocabulary Review

  • comfy = short form of comfortable (short forms are suitable for IELTS Speaking which is informal)
  • gross overgeneralisation = to assume something without really thinking deeply, for example all women do X and all men do Y
  • worn out = tatty, shabby, the worse for wear, tired
  • sloppy = not tidy, lazy, slovenly
  • cost a fortune = very expensive (cost a fortune is a much better idiom to use than cost an arm and a leg).
  • have money to splash around = have money to waste, to throw around

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Going Off Topic in IELTS Speaking Part 2

Is it wrong to go off topic in IELTS speaking part 2? Will you get a lower band score if you go off topic? Do you get a higher band score if you stay with the topic and follow the prompts given in IELTS speaking part 2? See the tips below to learn how your IELTS speaking is marked.

Going Off Topics for Your IELTS Cue Card Talk in Speaking Part 2

Lets look at this closely because it is something that affects everyone in their IELTS speaking test. And especially in speaking part 2 when people want to expand their talk but they are scared to take the talk in a different direction.

  1. Is it essential to follow the prompts on your cue card for speaking part 2?
    • No, it isn’t. The prompts on the cue card are guidelines and support to help you build your talk.
  2. Will you get a lower score if you don’t complete the cue card prompts?
    • No, you won’t. You can choose which prompts you want to use. You can ignore some and use others. You don’t get a lower score if you don’t complete the cue card prompts.
  3. Are there questions to answer on the cue card?
    • No. There are no questions on your cue card. There are only prompts which are suggestions that will help you give a full talk. It is your choice to use them or not.
  4. Can you add information in speaking part 2 that isn’t on the cue card?
    • Yes, you can. It is recommended that you add information to expend your talk. You will not get a lower score if you go off the topic by adding extra information that is not on your card.
  5. Is the examiner marking your ability to use the prompts on the cue card?
    • No. You are not marked on ideas at all. You are only marked on your use of English language.
  6. I heard that going off topic will reduce your score. Is that true?
    • Not for IELTS speaking. It is true for IELTS writing. In IELTS writing, you are marked on your response, ideas and being on topic. This is not the case for IELTS speaking. You can learn how band scores are marked on the links below.
  7. Should you follow the prompts on the card?
    • I recommend that you use the prompts and also add extra information. The prompts are useful and provide a structure to your talk which will help your score. Adding extra information is a useful way to showcase your English language for a higher score.

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Learn about how your speaking and other skills are marked: IELTS Band Score Explained

Prepare ideas for Common IELTS Speaking Part 2 Topics

ALL MODEL ANSWERS, TIPS & TOPICS FOR IELTS SPEAKING

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Nov 2016 IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topic: Chocolate

Below is an IELTS speaking part 1 topic currently being used in the IELTS test this month. It is a new topic and has been taken from the main topic of Food.

I’ve listed the questions and provided some model answers and vocabulary. You can find more current speaking part 1 topics listed below.

Chocolate: IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topic

Questions with model answers:

  1. Do you like chocolate?
    1. Yes, I do. I like both blocks of plain chocolate as well as chocolate bars, such as Mars bars.
  2. Do you often eat chocolate?
    1. Unfortunately, yes I do. I eat it everyday even though I know I shouldn’t.
  3. Is chocolate popular in your country?
    1. Yes, it’s extremely popular, almost everyone eats chocolate. It’s probably the most common snack for children and adults, and certainly much more popular than fruit.
  4. Did you eat chocolate when you were a child?
    1. Yes, I did but I didn’t eat it as often as I do now as an adult. My parents were careful to ration the chocolate to twice a week only.
  5. Are there any occasions when people give chocolate as a present?
    1. Yes, there are a number of times in the year when that might happen. Some people give chocolates to each other on Valentine’s Day, while other’s give it at birthdays. Easter is also a common date to give a chocolate egg as a gift.
  6. Do you think it is healthy to eat chocolate?
    1. Not really. I’ve heard that if the chocolate is plain, without added milk or sugar, it is fine to eat a small amount each day but it’s certainly unhealthy to eat the quantities and types of chocolate that most people eat today.

Other Current Speaking Part 1 Topics

  • Colour
  • Hats
  • Mobile Phones
  • Weather
  • Art
  • Gifts
  • Walking
  • Flowers
  • Singing
  • Advertisements
  • Phototgraphy
  • Transport

Also check the common Speaking Part 1 Topics which are also being used:

Speaking Part 1 Topics Commonly Used

You can get more tips for IELTS Speaking and more Model Answers on the Main IELTS Speaking Page of this site.

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Using Body Language in IELTS Speaking

How does using body language affect your score in IELTS speaking? Should you use body language in your speaking test? Read below to get useful tips.

Does body language affect your score in IELTS speaking?

No, it doesn’t. Your speaking test is marked on four criteria which are related only to language:

  1. fluency and coherence
  2. grammar
  3. vocabulary
  4. pronunciation

The means the examiner will not mark your body language, your appearance or even your ideas. Your score will depend only on the level of English language you produce in the test.

Is it ok to use body language?

It is fine to use body language. It won’t affect your score at all.

Do you recommend using body language?

I recommend that you do what is natural to you. If you usually use body language when you speak, then continue to do that in your test. It is important that you relax and be yourself. In some countries, such as Spain or Italy, it is very common for people to use hand gestures while speaking and it is also fine to do this in your test.

Warnings

Don’t replace verbal language with body language. This is a language test, so if you use a gesture or action instead of a word, you won’t get a high score. At all times, use language to boost your score.

More Tips for Speaking

You can find model answers, tips to improve your speaking at home and much more on this page: IELTS Speaking 

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Sept 2016 Speaking Part 2 Topics

Below are speaking part 2 topics reported in the exam this month (Sept 2016).

IELTS Speaking topics and questions are recycled which means it is possible to get the same topics and questions again in the test. So, prepare all the topics below as well as common speaking part 2 topics: Common Speaking Part 2 Topics.

You can also find useful links and a free video at the bottom of this page to help you with speaking part 2.

Current Speaking Part 2 Topics: Autumn 2016

Describe your favourite film or movie.

Describe something you shared.

Describe something interesting you have done recently.

Describe a country you would like to work in for a short period of time.

Describe a place affected by pollution.

Describe a difficult choice you made that was the right one.

Describe a lesson you’ve learned from your mistake.

Describe a time when you were busy.

IELTS Speaking Tips:

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Video: How to start your talk

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IELTS Speaking Using Contractions: wanna, gonna

Should you use contractions in your IELTS speaking test? Will you get a lower mark if you use contractions like “gonna”?

What are contractions?

A contraction is when you combine two (or more) words to make them shorter and make them flow together when speaking. “It is” = “it’s” or “want to” = “wanna”. Most contractions are used in informal speaking. Is the IELTS speaking test formal or informal? The IELTS speaking is 100% informal.

  • Part 1 is informal short answer questions
  • Part 2 is an informal talk
  • Part 3 is an informal discussion on broader current issues
    • This means informal language is fine to use in all parts of the test.

They are an accepted part of SPOKEN English. One student pointed out that they even heard contractions used by the BBC and the British Royal Family – this is true.

Using Wanna / Gonna

Yes, it’s fine to use contractions (words joined in pronunciation) in the IELTS speaking test. In fact, it will boost your score for pronunciation.

  • want to = wanna
    • I really wanna go to the cinema tonight.
    • The majority of students wanna travel before starting university.
  • going to = gonna
    • He’s gonna visit his grandmother this evening.
    • The local council are gonna improve the roads in this area.

Wanna and gonna are only used in spoken English and NOT in formal writing. The reason is that “wanna” and “gonna” are pronunciation features – it is how we pronounce “want to” but it is not how we write it in formal written English. It is fine to use these words in your IELTS speaking test and in fact will help with your pronunciation band score. Are these contractions in the Cambridge dictionary? Yes, they are. Follow the links: wanna and gonna.

IELTS Speaking Pronunciation

Pronunciation is 25% of your marks for IELTS speaking. This means the way you pronounce sounds, words and sentences is marked in your speaking test. Part of that does include linking sounds and linking words, such as gonna, wanna, it’s and doesn’t. So, try to learn these contractions and use them naturally in your test.

Common  List of Contractions

To Be

  • I am = I’m
  • you are = you’re
  • he is = he’s
  • she is = she’s
  • it is = it’s
  • we are = we’re
  • they are = they’re

To Have

  • I have = I’ve
  • you have = you’ve
  • he has = he’s
  • etc

Will

  • I will = I’ll
  • you will = you’ll
  • he will = he’ll
  • etc

Negatives

  • is not = isn’t
  • are not = aren’t
  • does not = doesn’t
  • did not = didn’t
  • has not = hasn’t
  • have not = haven’t
  • should not = shouldn’t
  • would not = wouldn’t
  • could not = couldn’t
  • don’t know = dunno

Remember, these contractions are NOT used:

  1. in formal writing, such as in IELTS writing task 2
  2. report writing, such as writing task 1 (academic test)
  3. formal letters or business letters

But contractions are good to use in the IELTS Speaking Test.

Advanced Contractions

The contractions below are only used in speaking and NOT in writing. It is good to use these types of contractions in IELTS speaking.

  • I should have = I should’ve
  • should not have = shouldn’t’ve
  • I could have = I could’ve
  • I could not have = I couldn’t’ve
  • I would have = I would’ve
  • I would not have = I wouldn’t’ve

Contractions: Listen, Pause and Repeat Practice

Listen to the recording and read the sentences below. Pay attention to the contractions. Listen again and repeat aloud.

  1. If I’d know it was going to be expensive, I would have saved up more money.
    1. going to = gonna  /  I would have = I’d’ve
  2. He would not have gone by bus if he would have known how bad the journey was going to be.
    1. he would not have = he wouldn’t’ve / he would have = he would’ve / going to = gonna
  3. The government should have developed better public transportation a long time ago. If they want to limit global warming, they have got to limit the use of cars.
    1. should have = should’ve  / want to = wanna    /   got to = gotta
  4. If you’re going to learn a language, then you have really got to focus on your pronunciation.
    1. going to = gonna    / you have = you’ve  /   got to = gotta
  5. I don’t know what my favourite time of day is. I suppose it’s the evening because then I can really chill out.
    1. don’t know  = dunno    /   because = coz

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IELTS Tips: How words are counted

Learn how your words are counted in IELTS. This page explains about counting words, numbers and symbols. You need to know how words are counted for IELTS listening, reading and writing. If you make mistakes with the number of words, you can lose points which can affect your band score.

How words are counted in IELTS

1. Numbers, dates and time are counted as words in writing. For example 30,000 = one word  /  55  = one word  /  9.30am = one word / 12.06.2016 = one word. “Six million” is counted as two words in IELTS writing. In listening, 30,000 is counted as one number and 9.30AM is also counted as one number.

2. Dates written as both words and numbers are counted in this way: 12th July = one number and one word in IELTS listening and as two words in IELTS writing.

3. Symbols with numbers are not counted. For example, 55% = one number (the symbol “%” is not counted as a word). However, if you write “55 percent” it is counted as one word and one number.

4. Small words such as “a” or “an” are counted. All prepositions, such as “in” or “at” are also counted. All words are counted.

5. Hyphenated words like “up-to-date” are counted as one word.

6. Compound nouns which are written as one word are also counted as one word. For example, blackboard = one word.

7. Compound nouns which are written as two separate words, are counted as two words. For example, university bookshop = two words.

8. All words are counted, including words in brackets. For example in IELTS writing, “The majority of energy was generated by electricity (55%).”. This sentence is counted as 9 words. The number in brackets is counted. Brackets can be used in IELTS Writing Task 1, but not in IELTS Listening or IELTS Reading.

9. Some people have asked me if words such as “the” are counted only once regardless of how many times they are used. It is best to illustrate: “The man walked into the shop for the newspaper” = 9 words.

10. Contractions are counted as: it’s = one word / it is = two words.

Tips

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