IELTS Speaking - Question Types by James O'Hearn

IELTS Speaking Question Types

Table of Contents PART 1...........................................................................................................................................................................3 PART 1 ‐ ANSWERS AND DISCUSSION ..........................................................................................................................................4 PART 1 – EXAMPLE QUESTIONS ...................................................................................................................................................5 PART 1 ‐ TRANSCRIPT ....................................................................................................................................................................6 PART 2...........................................................................................................................................................................7 PART 2 ‐ ANSWERS AND DISCUSSION ..........................................................................................................................................8 PART 2 – EXAMPLE QUESTIONS ...................................................................................................................................................9 PART 2 ‐ TRANSCRIPT ................................................................................................................................................................. 10 PART 3........................................................................................................................................................................ 11 PART 3 ‐ ANSWERS AND DISCUSSION ....................................................................................................................................... 12 PART 3 – EXAMPLE QUESTIONS ................................................................................................................................................ 13 PART 3 ‐ TRANSCRIPT ................................................................................................................................................................. 14

*Note – All materials in this document originate from the IELTS.org website. The information was made freely available to teachers and students.

Part 1 Task Description What happens in this part? In this part, the examiner introduces him/herself and checks the candidate’s identity. Then s/he asks the candidate about familiar topics such as friends, hobbies or food. To ensure consistency, questions are taken from a scripted examiner frame. How long does it last? 4 – 5 minutes. What skill is being assessed? The candidate’s ability to communicate opinions and information on everyday topics and common experiences or situations by answering a range of questions. Understanding the Task To understand better how students should approach this task, it may help you to do the activity yourself first and analyse what you have done and what you needed to know to do it. You can ask a fellow teacher or friend to act the role of the examiner, or you can do both parts yourself. Record the interaction on tape so you can go back and listen to what you said and how you said it. Things to consider Now look at these questions about how you approached the task and consider your answers. 1) What is the candidate expected to do in this part? 2) What kinds of topics are likely to be included? 3) What language areas/functions is the candidate likely to need? 4) How long should the candidate’s answers be?

Part 1 - Answers and Discussion What is the candidate expected to do in this part? Respond appropriately to questions from the examiner. What kinds of topics are likely to be included? In Part 1 the focus is on personal and familiar topics, for example: family home aspects of life in the candidate’s home country work or study hobbies and interests leisure activities Topics may however be drawn from any area of ordinary life or common experience, and may recur in test materials with a different emphasis or from a different aspect. What language areas/functions is the candidate likely to need? The candidate may need to: give information describe people, places or things explain things compare express likes and dislikes Answers may not always be factual, and candidates may be asked to explain their answers further, with supplementary questions such as ‘why?’ or ‘in what way?’. To help students respond appropriately to the range of questions possible, teachers need to cover a variety of structures such as tenses, comparatives/superlatives, modals, and conditionals. How long should the candidate’s answers be? This will naturally vary from question to question, but the candidate should avoid very short or single-word answers as this gives the examiner a very limited example of the candidate’s speaking abilities. However, it’s not appropriate for candidates to embark on a long turn in Part 1.

Part 1 – Example Questions Let’s talk about your home town or village. • • • •

What kind of place is it? Whatís the most interesting part of your town/village? What kind of jobs do the people in your town/village do? Would you say itís a good place to live? (Why?)

Let's move on to talk about accommodation... Tell me about the kind of accommodation you live in? How long have you lived there? What do you like about living there? What sort of accommodation would you most like to live in?

Part 1 - Transcript Introduction and interview [This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself and checking the candidate's identification. It then continues as an interview.] Examiner: Now, in this first part, I’d like to ask you some more questions about yourself, OK? Let’s talk about your home town or village. What kind of place is it? Candidate: It’s quite a small village, about 20km from Zurich. And it's very quiet. And we have only little two little shops because most of the people work in Zurich or are orientated to the city. Examiner: What’s the most interesting part of this place village? Candidate: On the top of a hill we have a little castle which is very old and quite well known in Switzerland. Examiner: What kind of jobs do people in the village do? Candidate: We have some farmers in the village as well as people who work in Zurich as bankers or journalists or there are also teachers and some doctors, some medicines. Examiner: Would you say it’s a good place to live? Candidate: Yes. Although it is very quiet, it is people are friendly and I would say it is a good place to live there, yes. Examiner: Let’s move on to talk about accommodation. Tell me about the kind of accommodation you live in ...

Part 2 Task Description What happens in this part? This is the long turn section. The examiner gives the candidate a task card, and a pencil and some paper to make notes. The task card gives the topic, some points to include in the long turn and a final prompt asking the candidate to explain one aspect of the topic. Using the prompts on the task card effectively will help the candidate think of appropriate things to say, organise what s/he says, and keep talking for 2 minutes. Making notes during the preparation time also helps the candidate structure the long turn. The candidate has a minute to prepare, after which the examiner asks him/her to speak about the topic for 1 to 2 minutes. Then the examiner stops the candidate after 2 minutes, and asks one or two questions to round off the long turn. How long does it last? 3 – 4 minutes, including the preparation time. What skill is being assessed? The candidate’s ability to speak at length on a given topic (without further prompts from the examiner), using appropriate language and organising his/her ideas coherently. It is likely that the candidate will need to draw on his/her own experience to complete the long turn. Understanding the Task To understand better how students should approach this task, it may help you to do the activity yourself first and analyse what you have done and what you needed to know to do it. You can ask a fellow teacher or friend to act the role of the examiner, or you can do both parts yourself. Record the interaction on tape so you can go back and listen to what you said and how you said it. Things to consider Now look at these questions about how you approached the task and consider your answers. 1) How long is the candidate expected to speak for? 2) Does the candidate need to make notes? 3) Does the candidate need to talk about the points on the task card? 4) Should the candidate start speaking as soon as they receive the task card? 5) Should the candidate worry if the examiner interrupts them? 6) Will the examiner make comments during the long turn? 7) Does the candidate need to be able to speak on a wide range of topics? 8) Are Part 2 topics always about present-day situations?

Part 2 - Answers and Discussion How long is the candidate expected to speak for? 2 minutes. The examiner may stop the candidate before 2 minutes but the candidate should be prepared to speak for the whole long turn. Does the candidate need to make notes? Candidates may make notes if they want to, but they do not have to. Does the candidate need to talk about the points on the task card? No, as long as what the candidate says is about the topic, however, using the prompts will help the candidate keep on the topic and generate language and ideas. If the examiner needs to stop the candidate before s/he has covered all the points on the card because the 2 minutes are up, there will still be a useful sample of language for assessment. Should the candidate start speaking as soon as they receive the task card? No, the candidate has 1 minute to prepare the long turn before s/he has to start speaking. After the minute’s preparation is over the examiner will ask the candidate to start speaking. Should the candidate worry if the examiner interrupts them? No. The examiner will stop the candidate when the time allowed for the long turn is over, in order to keep to the timing. Will the examiner make comments during the long turn? No. The examiner takes no part in the long turn, but may ask one or two questions at the end to round off the candidate’s talk. If the candidate has not used up the 2 minutes the examiner may encourage him/her to respond further to these questions. Does the candidate need to be able to speak on a wide range of topics? Yes. A whole range of topics are designed to be accessible to all candidates, with no special knowledge needed. Before being included in test materials, tasks undergo a trialling process to ensure their suitability. Are Part 2 topics always about present-day situations? No. Topics may relate to present, past, future or hypothetical situations. Teachers should encourage students to practise talking about a wide range of topics, using functions such as describing and comparing etc.

Part 2 – Example Questions Describe something you own which is very important to you. You should say: where you got it from how long you have had it what you use it for and explain why it is important to you. 1) You will have to talk about the topic for 1 to 2 minutes. 2) You have one minute to think about what you're going to say. 3) You can make some notes to help you if you wish. Rounding off questions • Is it valuable in terms of money? • Would it be easy to replace?

Part 2 - Transcript Examiner: Alright? Remember you have one to two minutes for this, so don’t worry if I stop you. I’ll tell you when the time is up. Candidate: OK Examiner: Can you start speaking now, please? Candidate: Yes. One of the most important things I have is my piano because I like playing the piano. I got it from my parents to my twelve birthday, so I have it for about nine years, and the reason why it is so important for me is that I can go into another world when I’m playing piano. I can forget what’s around me and what I can forget my problems and this is sometimes quite good for a few minutes. Or I can play to relax or just, yes to relax and to think of something completely different. Examiner: Thank you. Would it be easy to replace this, this piano? Candidate: Yes, I think it wouldn’t be that big problem but I like my piano as it is because I have it from my parents, it’s some kind unique for me.

Part 3 Task Description What happens in this part? In this part, the examiner and the candidate discuss issues related to the topic in Part 2 in a more general and abstract way, and where appropriate, in greater depth. How long does it last? 4 – 5 minutes. What skill is being assessed? The candidate’s ability to express and justify opinions, analyse, discuss and speculate about issues. Understanding the Task To understand better how students should approach this task, it may help you to do the activity yourself first and analyse what you have done and what you needed to know to do it. You can ask a fellow teacher or friend to act the role of the examiner, or you can do both parts yourself. Record the interaction on tape so you can go back and listen to what you said and how you said it. Things to consider Now look at these questions about how you approached the task and consider your answers. 1) How does the approach to the topic change in Part 3? 2) What kind of language areas/functions are candidates likely to need? 3) What structures are candidates likely to use? 4) Does the candidate need to initiate in this discussion?

Part 3 - Answers and Discussion How does the approach to the topic change in Part 3? In Part 3 the interaction explores more abstract areas, so the candidate is expected to be able to move away from their personal experience. What kind of language areas/functions are candidates likely to need? The Part 3 discussion develops the topic raised in Part 2. Questions could be asked about how things have changed, or may change in the future and candidates may also be asked to offer and justify their own opinions about a topic. Candidates are therefore likely to be required to: make comparisons discuss advantages and disadvantages describe changes or trends speculate about the future analyse issues express opinions and justify them What structures are candidates likely to use? Structures to express the functions above, such as: comparatives and superlatives modals past, present and future forms conditionals cohesive devices Does the candidate need to initiate in this discussion? The examiner is responsible for guiding the discussion and helping the candidate to explore the issues under discussion.

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Part 3 – Example Questions Let’s consider first of all how people’s values have changed. • What kind of things give status to people in your country? • Have things changed since your parents’ time? Finally let’s talk about the role of advertising. • Do you think advertising influences what people buy?

Part 3 - Transcript Examiner: We’ve been talking about things we own. I’d like to discuss with you one or two more general questions relating to this topic. First, let’s consider values and the way they can change. In Switzerland, what kind of possessions do you think give status to people? Candidate: The first thing which comes in my mind is the car. Yes, because lots of people like to have posh cars or expensive cars to show their status, their place in the society. Examiner: Is that a new development? Candidate: No, I think it isn’t. Examiner: People have thought like that for quite a long time? Candidate: Yes. Another thing is probably the clothing. It starts already when you are young. When the children go to school they want to have posh labels on their jumpers or good shoes. Examiner: What do you think of this way of thinking, that I need to have a car or certain clothes to show my status? Candidate: Probably it’s sometimes a replacement for something you don’t have, so if your wife has left you or your girlfriend, you just buy some new, I don’t know, new watches or new clothes to make you satisfied again. Examiner: You don’t think of it as a healthy way of thinking? Candidate: It’s probably not honest to yourself. You can understand what I mean? Examiner: Yes. And do you think this will change? In the future, will cars and designer clothes be status symbols in the same way? Candidate: I’m sure that clothes will be that the thing with the clothes will be the same. I’m not so sure about the cars because cars cause lots of environmental problems and probably in some years, a few years, this will change because it’s not reasonable to drive a car anymore. Examiner: Can you tell me a little bit more about that?