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Most popular IELTS Speaking Part 3 topics (Part 1)

Topics covered

    The topics in part 3 Speaking are very diverse, divided into different groups such as media (advertising, media and news), human life (cellphone, meeting people, gender roles, punctuality, busy time, daily routine), scenery (river and lake, street market),... Let's explore more about the common question types based on the most popular topics in part 3 IELTS Speaking.

    The topics in part 3 Speaking are very diverse, divided into different groups such as media (advertising, media and news), human life (cellphone, meeting people, gender roles, punctuality, busy time, daily routine), scenery (river and lake, street market),... Let's explore more about the common question types based on the most popular topics in part 3 IELTS Speaking.

    IELTS Speaking test Part 2 and Part 3 are closely related to each other. Specifically, Part 3 requires candidates to discuss in more detail the topic mentioned in Part 2. Therefore, in addition to referring to Part 3 questions, you should also link with Part 2 questions to get a more comprehensive view.

    1. Advertising

    Advertising is a popular topic in IELTS Speaking. For this topic, in Part 2, you may encounter the question “Describe an advertisement you saw recently”. The ideas you need to have in order to answer this question include:

    • What the product was?

    • Where you saw it

    • How the product was advertised

    • How you felt about it

    Next, in Part 3, the examiner may add the following questions:

    • Do you think advertising will change in the future?

    • What are the differences in advertising now in relation to the past?

    • Some people think that children should not see the advert. What is your opinion?

    For these questions, you should answer directly to the point, using complex sentence structures and uncommon vocabulary to impress the examiner. In addition, you can improve your vocabulary and expressions on this topic on websites related to advertising and marketing.

    Some common vocabulary

    Từ vựng

    Từ loại

    Nghĩa

    Billboard

    Danh từ

    Bảng quảng cáo

    Flyer

    Danh từ

    Tờ quảng cáo

    Brand awareness

    Danh từ

    Nhận thức thương hiệu

    Celebrity

    Danh từ

    Người nổi tiếng

    Endorsement

    Danh từ

    Sự tán thành

    Marketing

    Danh từ

    Tiếp thị

    Commercial

    Tính từ

    Có tính thương mai

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    2. River and lake

    This is also one of the common IELTS Speaking Part 3 topics. Questions on this topic revolve around describing the location, size and influence of rivers/lakes on life. To do well on this topic, candidates can refer to geography channels such as National Geographic or read travel articles.

    In Part 2, you may encounter the question: “Describe an important river/lake in your country”, you need to develop your speech according to the following ideas:

    • What it is called

    • The place the river/lake is located

    • The width or length of this river/lake

    • How it looks like

    • Why it is important

    Sau đó, bạn sẽ tiếp tục đến với Part 3 với những câu hỏi đi sâu vào lòng vấn đề.

    • How can the lakes benefit residents/ tourism?

    • Do you think rivers/lakes attract tourists?

    • Do you think rivers/lakes are good for transport?

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    3. Cellphone

    Mobile phones are not unfamiliar to most IELTS candidates, but talking about this item in the IELTS Speaking test is not a simple matter. To do well, you need to practice your reflexes through the following frequently asked questions:

    In Part 2, you will often encounter the question: “Describe a time when you used a mobile phone to do something important”. Similar to the previous parts, your speech should have the following structure:

    • When it was

    • What you did

    • Why it was important

    • How you felt

    Next are the questions for Part 3:

    • How many times a day do you look at your cell phone?

    • How often do you use your cell phone?

    • What do you usually use your mobile phone for?

    • Which app do you use most on your smartphone?

    • Do people in your family/class/company/country use cell phones a lot?

    • What are the advantages of mobile phones these days?

    • Do the young and the old have the same phone usage?

    Useful vocabulary/collocations/idioms

    Từ vựng

    Smartphone

    Landline

    Low on battery

    Wireless

    Wireless

    Handheld device

    Cellular network

    Touch screen

    A quick/slow charge time

    A handy device

    A weak/strong signal

    Charge up

    Drop me a line

    Keep me posted

    Play phone tag

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    4. Meeting people

    Meeting people is a popular topic for IELTS Speaking examiners. For this topic, you can familiarize yourself with the interpretation through TV series such as Friends, How I met your mother, as well as watching dialogues on Youtube. Below are some suggested questions for IELTS candidates.

    • Where are your favorite places to meet with your friends or other people?

    • Are you nervous about meeting new people?

    • What are some ways to overcome being nervous about meeting new people?

    • Do you enjoy meeting new people?

    • Is it easy for you to meet new people?

    • Do you often meet new people?

    • Do you usually be an “icebreaker” in the first meeting with someone?

    • What do you like to talk about with new people?

    • What are some good things to ask someone you just met or what are some bad things that you shouldn’t ask people you just met?

    • Which one do you prefer, talk or listen to?

    • What things will impress you on the first meeting?

    • Do you care about people’s thoughts about you?

    • Where do you find new people?

    Similar to the topics above, you need to answer the question directly before expressing ideas to support your answer.

    Common vocabulary

    Từ vựng

    Từ loại

    Nghĩa

    Throw a party

    Idiom

    Tổ chức tiệc

    Chip in

    Phrasal verb

    Tham gia vào cuộc trò chuyện

    Hang out

    Phrasal verb

    Dành thời gian cho một địa điểm nào đó

    Casual occasion

    Collocation

    Dịp thường gặp

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    5. Media and News

    The topic of Media and News is a hot topic and there are many issues to discuss, especially in the era of technology and information explosion like today. The probability of encountering this topic is very high, so candidates should pay attention to this topic. To make it easier to deal with this topic, you should spend time reading English newspapers, watching and listening to news reports. This will help you expand your specialized vocabulary as well as have more ideas to complete the exam.

    • How has social media changed the way people get and share information?

    • What are the most popular ways people get their news in your country?

    • What are the benefits and harms of spreading information on the Internet?

    • What do you think about the speed of sharing news nowadays?

    • Do you completely believe in the news in online newspapers?

    Từ vựng hữu ích

    Từ vựng

    Get news

    Channel

    Print

    Social media

    Social platform

    Mislead the public

    The national newscast

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    6. Punctuality

    Punctuality is a very important topic for many people in most English-speaking countries, especially the UK - the home of the IELTS test. Therefore, the probability of punctuality, a part of British culture, being included in the test is very high. In this part of the test, candidates should express themselves concisely, using appropriate vocabulary.

    • Do you think it is important to be on time for an individual?

    • Can you describe yourself as a punctual person?

    • How do you feel when people keep you waiting for long hours?

    • Do you feel sorry if you are late?

    • How do you remind yourself to be on time?

    • What are the popular reasons that make people late?

    • What are the impacts of being late?

    • Are you often late?

    • Does your country have punctual culture?

    Common vocabulary

    Từ vựng

    All set

    Meet about

    A bit of a squeeze

    On time

    Run late

    On the dot

    Prompt

    Timely

    High time

    At the eleventh hour

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    7. Gender roles

    Gender is a topical topic in today's society, and it has many aspects that can be exploited in the IELTS test. Here are some questions that you should practice while studying for the IELTS test.

    • Do you think that women should be able to do the same sorts of jobs that men do?

    • Should more women be encouraged to work in male-dominated fields such as science and technology?

    • What is the difference between gender equity, gender equality, and women's empowerment?

    • Is it possible for women to join the army in your country?

    • What are the responsibilities of a father/mother in a family?

    • What habits are deemed appropriate for men but inappropriate for women?

    • Are more doctors/technology engineers female or male in your country?

    • Do professional women soccer athletes in your country make the same as male soccer athletes? What is your opinion about this?

    • What jobs do men/women do and women/men not do in your country?

    • Do you think men and women have equal abilities and intelligence?

    • Do men and women in your country access the same educational opportunities/the same incomes?

    • Do you think it is wrong to discriminate against students because of their gender?

    Common vocabulary:

    Từ vựng

    Từ loại

    Nghĩa

    Glass ceiling

    Collocation

    Rào cản vô hình

    Gender fluid

    Collocation

    Linh hoạt giới

    Equal opportunities

    Collocation

    Cơ hội bình đẳng

    Social bias

    Collocation

    Định kiến xã hội

    Feminine character

    Collocation

    Tính nữ

    Domestic violence

    Collocation

    Bạo lực gia đình

    Equality

    Danh từ

    Bình đẳng

    Discrimination

    Danh từ

    Sự phân biệt đối xử

    Male - dominated/ female-dominated

    Tính từ

    Môi trường hầu hết là đàn ông/đàn bà

    Stereotype

    Danh từ

    Sự rập khuôn

    Breadwinner

    Danh từ

    Người trụ cột trong gia đình

    The weaker sex

    Collocation

    Phái yếu

    Child-bearing

    Danh từ

    Quá trình sinh nở

    Sentimental

    Tính từ

    Đa cảm

    Single-mother families

    Collocation

    Mẹ đơn thân

    Ambitious

    Tính từ

    Có nhiều tham vọng

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    8. Busy time

    With the pace of modern society, time management and organization are essential. Therefore, this topic will also be an issue that the judges want to discuss.

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    Common vocabulary

    Từ vựng

    Management

    Leisure

    Routine

    Hobby

    Workaholic

    Extracurricular activities

    Mediation

    Overload/overwhelmed

    Binge - watching

    9. Daily routine

    The topic “daily habits” is a simple topic, but not everyone is capable of expressing it fluently to meet the criteria of an IELTS Speaking test, especially Part 3. Therefore, the questions below will help you get acquainted with this topic better.

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    Common vocabulary

    Từ vựng

    On a regular basis

    Keep an open mind

    Prioritize

    Productive

    Effective

    Accomplish

    10. Street market

    The topic of “street markets” is an interesting point in any country, and it is also a topic with many aspects to discuss. In this part, you should equip yourself with vocabulary about goods, festivals, items, prices and shopping habits to make your speech flexible and not go off topic.

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    Common vocabulary

    Từ vựng

    Từ loại

    Nghĩa

    Produce

    Động từ

    Sản xuất

    Perishing

    Tính từ

    Rét buốt

    Economic status

    Collocation

    Tình trạng kinh tế

    Under one roof

    Idiom

    Dưới một mái nhà

    The good fabrics that last longer

    Idiom

    Bền bỉ

    Above are the top 10 common topics in IELTS Speaking Part 3 along with frequently asked questions. To get good results in Part 3, in addition to collecting topics, you also need to spend time practicing speaking in front of a mirror or with a partner to quickly improve your reflexes.

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