[SUMMARY] Frequently asked questions in the IELTS Speaking test that you should know

To be able to thoroughly and memorably understand the IELTS speaking test questions, we will help you list specific topics in each part of the speaking test.

1.1 IELTS Speaking Task 1

Considered as the introduction and preliminary interview. Common questions in Speaking in part 1 of the IELTS Speaking test often revolve around daily issues such as hobbies, living environment, hometown, food and drink, study and work, etc. Accordingly, there will be 3 specific segments as follows:

• Segment 1: Asking about name, hometown, country, personal documents…

• Segment 2: Questions about the candidate themselves, around their family, about their current job

Segment 3: Questions about your hobbies, personality (usually selected from sample questions) )

The time for this Task 1 will range from 3-5 minutes, so you need to pay attention to answer clearly and fully to the point!

Speaking Task 1 usually includes questions revolving around daily issues such as name, hometown, job

1.2 IELTS Speaking Task 2

In part 2 of the IELTS Speaking test , candidates may encounter topics revolving around themselves and their experiences, specifically as follows:

• Describe a person

• Describe a place

• Talk about an experience (a trip in hometown, a memorable experience in your student life)

• Talk about a habit

• Describe an object

• Talk about emotions

IELTS Speaking Task 2 includes topics describing people, emotions, objects, etc.

1.3 IELTS Speaking Task 3

Questions in Speaking IELTS in part 3 will be a discussion, giving opinions, evaluating and comparing the topics mentioned in part 2. The usual structure is to compare past and present events, evaluate current events and predict the future, state causes and effects, etc.

Speaking Task 3 will be a discussion, giving opinions, evaluating the topics in Task 2

After understanding the three main topics of the tasks in the IELTS Speaking test, you will need to grasp the types of questions and the common question structures in each part.

2.1 Common types of questions in IELTS Speaking Part 1

The types of questions in IELTS Speaking Part 1 will revolve around your likes or dislikes, yes/no questions. You will need to explain clearly and specifically why you agree or disagree.

• Liking/Disliking Questions

• “Basic Description” Questions

• “Types of” Questions (what kind of …”, “what type of…”)

• “When/How often” Questions

• “Yes/No” Questions

• “Would” Questions

To answer accurately and impressively in Speaking Part 1, you can use the A.R.E.A formula. Specifically:

A – Answer: Answer

R – Reason: Reason

E – Example: Specific Example

A – Alternatives: Agreeing or disagreeing opinions

We also have some leading phrases that you can refer to when answering Speaking Part 1 questions

- In general I would say that...

- Actually, I suppose that…

- Well, to be honest…

- Of course, of course not…

- In my opinion…

- Certainly

See more: Sample answers for IELTS Speaking Part 1

2.2 Common types of questions in IELTS Speaking Part 2

Speaking Part 2 will include descriptive questions such as describing places, events, people, and objects. You will need to use descriptive vocabulary to describe features and emotions. For example:

• Describe or remember a place: You will receive questions such as where it is, what is special about it, what you like about it to describe a specific place you have experienced, loved, or visited. These places are usually countries, schools, shopping centers, restaurants, or landmarks.

• Describe a person you know: You will receive questions such as who that person is, what relationship they have with you, what their style is to describe the appearance, unique features, personality, or first impression of someone.

• Describe an event you know: You will receive questions such as when the event took place, why you know about it, and describe the scene when participating or watching, the emotions and prominent activities at an event you have attended or organized that has special meaning to you. These places are usually outdoor parties, concerts, or sports events.

• Describe an activity: Similar to the event description questions, you will also receive questions to describe an activity you have participated in the past, which is also your favorite activity for a long time. These are usually sports and talent activities.

• Describe a thing: You will be asked to describe an item that you love or have unforgettable memories with.

• Describe a favorite: You will be asked to describe your hobby, this topic is quite diverse as it can be sports, entertainment, objects, or activities like eating, shopping, etc.

Describe a place - you will be asked to describe a specific place that you love or have many memories with

See more: IELTS Speaking Part 2 topics and tips to achieve a perfect score

2.3 Types of questions in IELTS Speaking Part 3

Speaking Part 3 also has opinion questions, but your opinion needs to be clear and include answers in both past and future tenses. This requires you to use present, past, and future tenses well along with comparison structures.

• Opinion: What do you think about this?

Instead of just answering simply with opening structures like: I think, for me, in my opinion,... You can use more novel and “slang” opening structures like: Well, I guess, to be honest, you know,...

• Evaluate: What do you think about someone else’s opinion?

• Future: What do you think will happen in the future?

• Cause and Effect: What caused ‘this’ and/or what effects has ‘it’ had?

• Hypothetical: Talk about imaginary or unreal situations.

• Compare and Contrast: Talk about the difference and/or similarities between two things.

You will need to use comparative, superlative structures for this part

• Past: How were things different in the past and how have they changed?

Some grammatical structures used to answer this type of question:

• Past simple, past continuous, past perfect

• Present perfect continuous: have/has + been + ving

• Used to + infinitive: Talking about past habits that no longer exist

• Would + infinitive: Talking about past habits.

See more: Most common IELTS Speaking Part 3 topics (Part 1)

Above is the summary article of common questions in the IELTS Speaking test that IDP has collected. We hope that through this article, readers have gained useful information to prepare for their upcoming IELTS exam. If you have any questions about the test schedule or related issues, you can contact us directly through the website: https://ielts.idp.com/vietnam/ to receive more dedicated support from our staff.

See more:

Types of questions in the IELTS Speaking test

The shortest IELTS Speaking study plan for all candidates

Scoring criteria for the IELTS Speaking test