Although I’m on holiday, I wanted to share these tips about changing the topic in IELTS speaking.

Many students have asked me if it is possible to change the topic. They also asked me why the examiner continues to ask questions about a topic that you have answered you don’t like. Let me explain…

Changing the topic in IELTS speaking

At no time can you ask the examiner to change the topic. You must prepare enough information and vocabulary on common topics so you can talk about a range of topics.

If the examiner asks you “Do you like art?” and you answer “No, I don’t.”, the examiner will continue to ask you questions about art. Just because you don’t like the topic, doesn’t mean you can’t talk about the topic in English. This is an English language test and high level students should be able to talk about a wide range of topics that you like and also don’t like. Below is an example of how you can still talk about a topic you don’t like.

Part 1

The questions are often simple in speaking part 1. Even if you don’t know much about the question, you can still answer it. Here are some examples:

Q: What kind of art do you like?

A: As I don’t like art, there isn’t one type of style or art form that I particularly like. Of all the art forms, I really don’t like modernist paintings.

Examiner Comment: The student gave a clear and concise answer. The answer was an appropriate length for part 1 and it contained a clear explanation. This answer contains complex sentences which helps the grammar score.  The answer also contains a good range of vocabulary such as “art form”, “style” and “modernist paintings”.

Q. What kind of extreme sports are popular in your country?

A: I don’t know anything about extreme sports so I can’t say which ones are popular. Most people just play regular sports like ball sports and water sports.

Examiner Comments: This reply gives a direct answer and also adds more information. It helps with the criterion of fluency. Although this candidate didn’t give examples of extreme sports, they gave examples of other sports which is appropriate to the topic. This is a strong answer.

More Tips

• Part 2 –  Try to talk about the topic as closely as you can. If you can’t understand it, talk about something similar. Don’t worry if you don’t use all the prompts on the card.
• Part 3 – If you really don’t have any ideas for the answer, explain that. The most important thing is to use your English to express yourself.  You can still get good marks for using strong English in your answer. Below is an example of a part 3 question when the candidate can’t think of a clear answer or ideas:

Q: How do you think sports equipment will develop in the future?

A: I have no idea really but I guess that as technology develops, equipment will also change. That is clear from the development of equipment over the past 50 years and the introduction of new materials.

Examiner: Although the answer didn’t go into details, the candidate was able to offer an answer which used both future forms and past tenses which would give a strong score in grammar.

• Don’t expect the examiner to change your topic because you don’t know much about it. This is a language test and the examiner must test how well you cope talking about different topics.
• Prepare a range of topics for your IELTS test. Prepare ideas and vocabulary. See the links below for topic lists:
  • IELTS Vocabulary
  • IELTS Model Answers & Speaking Topics
  • IELTS Practice Test with Model Answers
• There are no marks for a right or wrong answer in IELTS speaking. There are only marks fr your English language.

Main IELTS Pages

Develop your IELTS skills with tips, lessons, free videos and more.

• IELTS Listening
• IELTS Reading
• IELTS Writing Task 1
• IELTS Writing Task 2
• IELTS Speaking
• Vocabulary for IELTS

Can you ask the examiner questions? This page explains clearly about asking the examiner questions in each part of the IELTS speaking test. Learn what questions can you ask and which you can’t ask.

Asking the IELTS Speaking Examiner Questions

Whether it is ok to ask the examiner questions depends on the part of the test. Each part of the test has different limitations and rules. For example, in part 1, the examiner can’t explain, but can repeat the question. In part 3, the examiner can explain the question. Check the limitations below to learn more and be fully prepared for your IELTS Speaking Test.

Asking Questions in IELTS Speaking Part 1

You can ask the examiner to repeat the question in IELTS speaking part 1 (Could you repeat that, please?) but that’s all. You can’t ask other questions. The examiner is limited to asking questions only in speaking part 1 and can’t help you or explain. The examiner can’t explain questions and can’t explain words.

Asking Questions in IELTS Speaking Part 2

You can’t ask any questions in part 2. You can’t ask to change the topic. You must use the topic given to you and try your best to talk about something related to your cue card.

If you don’t understand a word on your cue card, the examiner can’t help you. You need to follow the topic on your card and follow the prompts you understand. You can add any other information you want to your talk to make it longer which relates to the topic.

The examiner will tell you when to start talking and when to stop. You don’t need to ask.

Asking Questions in Speaking Part 3

You can ask the examiner to explain words and to explain the question in IELTS speaking part 3.  This is useful because the examiner will rephrase the question using different words and make it easier to understand. You can also ask the examiner to repeat the question, the same as part 1. Here is the list of questions you can ask in speaking part 3:

• Could you explain that, please? (the examiner will rephrase the question)
• What do you mean exactly? (the examiner will rephrase the question)
• Could you explain what X means, please? (for a specific word)
• What does X mean? (for a specific word)

Questions You Shouldn’t Ask

• Have you been there?
• What do you think?
• Where do you come from?
• Do you agree with me?
• What are your opinions?

The above questions are asking the examiner to participate in your test by answering your questions. This isn’t how the IELTS test works and the examiner isn’t allowed to take your test time to express their own opinions or talk about themselves.

Also don’t ask:

• Can you change the question?
• Can you give me a different topic?

The examiner can’t change the topic or the question because you want it changed.

Thinking Time

Sometimes you need to time to think about the question and think of your answer. One way to do that is to ask the examiner to repeat the question. It is a useful way to gain time to think. Just say “Could you repeat that, please?”. Then use the time when the examiner is repeating to formulate your answer in your mind.

Another way to gain some extra thinking time is to use fillers. Fillers are words that fill time while you think, such as “It’s an interesting question. I’ve never really thought about it before. I suppose…” You could use that method for difficult questions in part 3. See this page to learn more about fillers: Are Umm and Ahh a filler for IELTS Speaking?

Will I lose marks if I ask the examiner to repeat the question?

No, it won’t affect your score. Your score is calculated on fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. There is no score for understanding or comprehension. So, it is fine to ask the examiner to repeat one to two questions in part 1 or to explain a question in part 3.

Asking the IELTS Examiner to Speak Louder or More Slowly

It’s also fine to ask for the examiner to speak louder if you can’t hear them. You can say “Could you speak a bit louder please because I’m having trouble hearing you? Thanks” It’s really important that you do this if you can’t hear clearly. It definitely doesn’t impact your score to ask this and will actually help you because you’ll be able t hear properly. This is particularly important when doing the speaking test online where the sound might not be so clear. And if the examiner slips back into a quiet voice later in the test, repeat the question to remind the examiner.

It’s also fine to ask the examiner to speak more slowly. Most examiners will speak at a steady pace that is suitable for all candidates. But occasionally, you might get an examiner who speaks a little bit too fast. In this case, just say “Could you speak a little bit slower, please?”. And like the above situation, you can repeat this question later if the examiner forgets and starts speaking too fast.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU:

• ALL MODEL ANSWERS, TIPS AND TOPICS FOR IELTS Speaking

FREE SUBSCRIBE

Subscribe to get new lessons & tips by email.

Email Address

Subscribe

.