IELTS Speaking : Suggested Topics : Part 2 & 3
In the second section candidates are given a topic card and then have one minute to prepare after which they must speak about the given topic. The third section involves a discussion between the examiner and the candidate, generally on questions relating to the theme which they have already spoken about in part 2.
1. Describe a piece of equipment you often use at home or at work.
You should say:
- What it is
- What you do with it/ How to use it
- How long you have had it
- How important it is to you
Discussion:
- What are the impacts of electrical equipment on human’s life in the past ten years?
- What are the differences of the life in the past and at the present?
- What role does technological development play in people’s life?
- How will technology develop in the future?
- Do you have a mobile phone? What are its advantages?
- Why do many foreign countries develop faster than China?
- Why does the China’s West develop faster than China’s East?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of computer and internet?
1. Describe a well-known person.
You should say:
- Who he/she is
- What makes him/her famous
- Why you admire him/her
Discussion:
- Do you want to become famous?
- How to become a well-known person in China?
- What kind of people can become famous in China?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of being famous?
- What do you think of the privacy of a well-known person?
- What do you think of the relationship between a well-know person and
advertising?
- Would you be influenced by the well-known persons in TV commercials?
- Do you often talk about singers with your friends? What do you often
talk about?
2. Describe a friend in your school time you like most.
You should say:
- Who he/she is
- When did you became friends?
- Why do you like him/her or why do you think that he/she is important
to you?
- How he/she influences you
Discussion:
- What are the differences between adults and children in terms of
making friends?
- Can adults make friends with children?
- What do you think are the most important factors when making
friends?
- What are the possible factors that cause the break-up of friendship?
- Why is it difficult for adults to make friends?
- What will the friendship become like when getting old?
3. Describe a person whom you like to work or study with.
You should say:
- Who is he/she?
- When did you work/study together?
- What do you often do together?
- Why do you like to work with him/her?/ What can you learn from
him/her?
- Why is he/she particular?
Discussion:
- Do you like to work alone or with a partner?
- What do you think of teamwork and team spirit?
- What kind of people are good to work with?
- Do you like group work or group learning?
- What is your opinion on efficiency?
- What are the advantages of studying by yourself?
- What do you think of efficiency?
1. Describe a restaurant or a cafe.
You should say:
- Where it is
- What it looks like
- What kind of services are provided
- What kind of food you like there/ What kind of food is famous?
- Why you like it
Discussion:
- Do you like cooking?
- Will you cook for your friends when they visit you?
- Who cooks in a Chinese family?
- What do you think of the advantages and disadvantages of fast food?
- Why is fast food so popular?
- Where would Chinese go when they eat out?
- What changes would take place in terms of Chinese eating habits?
- What food is popular?
- What is the difference between fresh food and canned food?
- What can we do to solve the problem of food shortage?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of family food?
2. Describe an interesting building.
You should say:
- Where it is located
- What it looks like
- What services are provided
- How you like it
Discussion:
- What role do old buildings and new buildings play in modern society?
- What changes have taken place in architecture in the past two decades?
- Do you think it necessary to protect old buildings?
1. Describe a kind of book you like.
You should say:
- What kind of books you like most
- What they are about
- Why you like them most
- What effect have books brought on you?
Discussion:
- What is the difference between men and women when choosing what to read?
- What kind books do children like? Why do they like reading?
- What is the difference between reading and watching TV?
- What is the relationship between reading and computer?
- What are the advantages of reading books?
- Why do children like pictorials?
- What books are popular in China?
2. Describe one of your favorite books.
You should say:
- What kind of books you like
- What is your favorite book?
- What it is about
- When did you get it?
- Why you like it
Discussion:
- Do you like other books?
- What kind of books do Chinese people like?
- What kind of books do Chinese women like?
- What kind of books do Chinese children like?
- What kind of books do you recommend to others?
3. Describe a letter.
You should say:
- When you received it
- Who sent it to you
- What it is about
- Whether it is important to you
Discussion:
- What is the difference between letter and e-mail?
- Do you often keep diaries?
- What is the difference between diary and letter?
- What is the difference in the past and at the present as regards communications?
- What is the role of letter 50 years ago and at the present?
- What do you think of the role 50 years later?
- What do you think of creative writing?
- Would post office disappear 50 years later?
- What role does computer play in our society?
- What changes have been brought by the computer? What is professors’ attitude?
4. Describe a kind of music.
You should say:
- Whether you like music
- What kind of music you like best
- What role music plays in people’s life
Discussion:
- How long do you listen to music everyday?
- Why is it easier for children to learn playing a musical instrument?
- What are the benefits of learning to play musical instruments?
- Discuss the impact of western music on the world music?
1. Describe a traditional festival in China.
You should say:
- What it is
- When is it celebrated?
- How to celebrate? / what you usually do on that day
- What you like and what you don’t like
Discussion:
- What is the concept of holiday in China?
- Why is holiday so important to modern people?
- Do you think it is necessary to observe the traditional customs?
- What changes in terms of spending festivals and holidays have taken
place in the past decade?
- What is the difference as regards celebration in different part of
the country?
2. Describe a perfect trip/holiday.
You should say:
- Where you would go
- When would you go?
- Whom you would go with
- What you are going to do
Discussion:
- What is the difference in the past and at the present as regards
travelling?
- How would the tourist industry develop in the future?
- What should the government do to attract tourists?
- What should the people do to attract tourists?
3. Describe an interesting trip you have taken.
You should say:
- Where you went
- When you went there
- Whom you went with
- What you did there
- Why you like it
Discussion:
- What is the difference in the past and at the present as regards
traveling?
- How would the tourist industry develop in the future?
- What should the government do to attract tourists?
- What should the people do to attract tourists?
4. Describe an interesting hobby.
You should say:
- What it is
- How long you spend on it
- How often you do it
- Why you like it
Discussion:
- Do you think that surfing the Internet, watching TV, listening to
music or keeping a pet are interesting hobbies?
- Do you think it will cost too much time to do them?
- Do you like hobbies requiring teamwork?
- Why do people usually do in their spare time?
1. Describe an environmental problem.
You should say:
- What it is
- How long it has existed
- What effect it has brought to people’s life
- What we can do to solve it
Discussion:
- What causes environmental problems?
- What should the government do to protect the environment?
- What should we do to protect the environment?
- What other measures can you think of to protect the environment?
- How should we educate children to protect environment?
- What’s the difference between the old and the young as regards environmental protection?
2. Describe a kind of extreme weather.
You should say:
- What it is
- When did it happen?
- Where you were
- How you felt at that time
Discussion:
- What should you do in a bad weather?
- Will bad weather mould or change people’s personality?
- What is the relationship between weather and culture?
- The climate has changed these 50 years. Have you noticed the changes?
- What changes do you predict in the following years?
- Are the people interested in gathering the weather information in your place?
- How does weather influence people’s personalities in your country?
3. Talking about learning English.
You should say:
- When and where you began studying English
- What is the most interesting thing in an English class?
- What is the most effective way of learning English?
- What difficulties you have when learning English
- What are the advantages of learning English?
Discussion:
- What problems do you have when studying English?
- Do you think that English is the most important language in the world?
- Can English take the place of Chinese in China?
- What other languages are taught in China?
- Do you think that age is the most important factor of learning English? Why?
- What difficulties would a foreigner have when he learns your native language?
- What problems would Chinese people have when communicating with foreigners?
- When would be most suitable for children to learn English?
- How will translation and interpretation develop in the future?
4. Describe different ways of getting news.
You should say:
- Whether you get news every day
- Whether the news is national or international
- How you get news (via newspaper, TV, Internet, radio or other people?)
- How do most Chinese people think about the importance of getting update news everyday?
Discussion:
- Do you think the information on the Internet believable or not?
- What is the most effective way of getting news?
- How do reporters gather information?
- What do you think of the importance of privacy?
- How do journalists entertain their customers?
- What role do media play in people’s life?
- How do Chinese people gather information?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of different media?
- Do you think it necessary to control the news coverage?
- What kind of news do you think should be controlled?
5. Describe a skill you want to learn.
You should say:
- What it is
- Why you think it is important
- How you are going to learn it
- What role it will play in you future life
Discussion:
- What do you think of the traditional skills?
- What skill do you think the university has provided for your job?
- What skills can you learn in school?
- What kind of skills have your parents learned?
- What do you think of the role of family for children to learn skills?
- What is the most popular skill that people want to learn?
- What kind of school would you send your children to? Why?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of school education and family education?