IELTS Speaking Part 3 | Questions and topics

IELTS Speaking Part 3 | Questions and topics

IELTS Speaking Part 3 consists of general questions on the topic that you had in the card from the second part.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 consists of general questions on the topic that you had in the card from the second part.

For example:

In Part 2 you were talking about this:

Describe someone you know who does something well.
You should say:
- Who this person is
- How you know this person
- What they do well
And explain why you think this person is so good at doing this.

Part 3 will be on the same topic with more general questions:

Discussion topics:

Skills and abilities

Example questions:
What skills and abilities do people most want to have today? Why?
Which skills should children learn at school? Are there any skills which they should learn at home? What are they?
Which skills do you think will be important in the future? Why?

Salaries for skilled people

Example questions:
Which kinds of jobs have the highest salaries in your country? Why is this?
Are there any other jobs that you think should have high salaries? Why do you think that? Some people say it would be better for society if everyone got the same salary. What do you think about that? Why?

Note that the second set of questions is not very related to the topic from the card. This is normal. This usually happens!

The meaning of these questions: to show that you can talk about general topics, society, other people, your country and other countries, etc.

Here are part 2 and part 3 questions from official Cambridge sources so you can see the connection between parts 2 and 3.


PART 2

Describe a website you use that helps you a lot in your work or studies.
You should say
- what the website is
- how often you use the website
- what information the website gives you
and explain how your work or studies would change if this website didn't exist.

PART 3

Discussion topics

The internet

Example questions:
Why do some people find the internet addictive?
What would the world be like without the internet?
Do you think that the way people use the internet may change in the future?
Social media websites

Example questions:
What are the ways that social media can be used for positive purposes?
Why do some individuals post highly negative comments about other people on social media?
Do you think that companies' main form of advertising will be via social media in the future


PART 2

Describe an occasion when you had to wait a long time for someone or something to arrive.
You should say:
- who or what you were waiting for
- how long you had to wait
- why you had to wait a long time and explain how you felt about waiting a long time.

PART 3

Discussion topics:

Arriving early

Example questions:
In what kinds of situations should people always arrive early?
How important it is to arrive early in your country?
How can modern technology help people to arrive early?

Being patient

Example questions:
What kinds of jobs require the most patience?
Is it always better to be patient in work (or studies)?
Do you agree or disagree that the older people are, the more patient they are?


PART 2:

Describe a film/movie actor from your country who is very popular.
You should say:
- who this actor is
- what kinds of films/movies he/she acts in
- what you know about this actor’s life and explain why this actor is so popular.

PART 3

Discussion topics:

Watching films/movies

Example questions:
What are the most popular types of films in your country?
What is the difference between watching a film in the cinema and watching a film at home?
Do you think cinemas will close in the future?

Theatre

Example questions:
How important is the theatre in your country’s history?
How strong a tradition is it today in your country to go to the theatre?
Do you think the theatre should be run as a business or as a public service?


PART 2

Describe an interesting discussion you had about how you spend your money.
You should say:
- who you had the discussion with
- why you discussed this topic
- what the result of the discussion was
and explain why this discussion was interesting for you.

PART 3

Discussion topics:

Money and young people

Example questions:
Why do some parents give ...their. children money to. spend .each week? Do you agree that schools should teach children how to manage money?
Do you think it is a good idea for students to earn money while studying?

Money and society

Example questions:
Do you think it is true that in today's society money cannot buy happiness?
What disadvantages are there in a society where the gap between rich and poor is very large?
Do you think richer countries have a responsibility to help poorer countries?


PART 2

Describe a time when you visited a friend or family member at their workplace.
You should say:
- who you visited
- where this person worked
- why you visited this person's workplace
and explain how you felt about visiting this person’s workplace.

PART 3

Discussion topics:

Different kinds of workplaces

Example questions:
What things make an office comfortable to work in?
Why do some people prefer to work outdoors?
Do you agree that the building people work in is more important than the colleagues they work with?

The importance of work

Example questions:
What would life be like if people didn’t have to work?
Are all jobs of equal importance?
Why do some people become workaholics?


PART 2

Describe someone you know who has started a business.
You should say:
- who this person is
- what work this person does
- why this person decided to start a business
and explain whether you would like to do the same kind of work as this person.

PART 3

Discussion topics:

Choosing work

Example questions:
What kinds of jobs do young people not want to do in your country?
Who is best at advising young people about choosing a job: teachers or partents? Is money always the most important thing when choosing a job?

Work-Life balance

Example questions:
Do you agree that many people nowadays are under pressure to work longer hours and take less holiday?
What is the impact on society of people having a poor work-life balance?
Could you recommend some effective strategies for governments and employers to ensure people have a good work-life balance?


PART 2

Describe an interesting discussion you had as part of your work or studies.
You should say:
- what the subject of the discussion was
- who you discussed the subject with
- what opinions were expressed
and explain why you found the discussion interesting.

PART 3

Discussing problems with others

Example questions:
Why is it good to discuss problems with other people?
Do you think that it's better to talk to friends and not family about problems?
Is it always a good idea to tell lots of people about a problem?

Communication skills at work

Example questions:
Which communication skills are most important when taking part in meetings with colleagues?
What are the possible effects of poor written communication skills at work?
What do you think will be the future impact of technology on communication in the workplace?


PART 2

Describe a time when you started using a new technological device (e.g. a new computer or phone).
You should say:
- what device you started using
- why you started using this device
- how easy or difficult it was to use
and explain how helpful this device was to you.

PART 3

Discussion topics:

Technology and education

Example questions:
What is the best age for children to start computer lessons?
De you think that schools should use more technology to help children learn?
Do you agree or disagree that computers will replace teachers one day?

Technology and society

Example questions:
How much has technology improved how we communicate with each other?
Do you agree that there are still many more major technological innovations to be made?
Could you suggest some reasons why some people are deciding to reduce their use of technology?


PART 2

Describe a shop near where you live that you sometimes use.
You should say:
- what sorts of product or service it sells
- what the shop looks like
- where it is located
and explain why you use this shop.

PART 3

Discussion topics:

Local business

Example questions:
What types of local business are there in your neighbourhood? Are there any restaurants, shops or dentists for example?
Do you think local businesses are important for a neighbourhood? In what way?
How do large shopping malls and commercial centres affect small local businesses? Why do you think that is?

People and business

Example questions:
Why do some people want to start their own business?
Are there any disadvantages to running a business? Which is the most serious?
What are the most important qualities that a good business person needs? Why is that?


PART 2

Describe a child that you know.
You should say:
- who this child is and how often you see him or her
- how old this child is
- what he or she is like
and explain what you feel about this child.

PART 3

Relationships between parents and children

Example questions:
How much time do children spend with their parents in your country? Do you think that is enough?
How important do you think spending time together is for the relationships between parents and children? Why?
Have relationships between parents and children changed in recent years? Why do you think that is?

Children’s free-time activities

Example questions:
What are the most popular free-time activities with children today?
Do you think the free-time activities children do today are good for their health? Why is that? How do you think children’s activities will change in the future? Will this be a positive change?


PART 2

Describe something you don’t have now but would really like to own in the future.
You should say:
- What this thing is
- How long you have wanted to own it
- Where you first saw it
And explain why you would like to own it.

PART 3

Discussion topics:

Owning things

Example questions:
What types of things do young people in your country most want to own today?
Why is this?
Why do some people feel they need to own things?
Do you think that owning lots of things makes people happy? Why?

Salaries for skilled people

Example questions:
Do you think television and films can make people want to get new possessions? Why do they have this effect?
Are there any benefits to society of people wanting to get new possessions?
Why do you think this is?
Do you think people will consider that having lots of possessions is a sign of success in the future? Why?


PART 2

Describe something you would like to do to improve your health. You should mention:
-why it is healthy
-why you want to do it
-how popular that thing is
and say if you think you will do that soon or not, and why

PART 3

Do you think people worry more about their health as they get older?
Do you think people have become more health conscious in recent years?
Why do some people think that modern lifestyles are not healthy?
Why do you think some people continue bad habits when they know that they are damaging to their health?
Why do some people choose to live unhealthy lives?
How can children be encouraged to adopt healthy eating habits?
How important is it for people to do some regular exercise?
Should individuals or governments be responsible for making people’s lifestyles healthy?
What could be done to encourage people to live in a healthy way?


PART 2

Describe a time you were late for something. You should say:
- when it was
- why you were late
- how people reacted to you being late
and explain what happened because you were late.

PART 3

When is it very important that people arrive on time?
What is the attitude towards arriving late in your country?
Can you suggest some ways to make sure you are not late for anything?
How easy is it to manage your time in the modern world?
Do you think computers makes it easier or more difficult to manage time?
How much free time do you think people will have in the future?


PART 2

Talk about a situation that made you laugh. Please say:
- What was the situation?
- When was it?
- Who was there with you?
and say why it made you laugh.

PART 3

Do you think sense of humor is important? Why? Why not?
Is humor easy to translate from one language to other?
Can humor be useful in learning another language? In what way?
Do you think that when people laugh it is always genuine or sometimes people even fake it?
How do you think can laughter be used in a negative way?
Do you think that the less the people laugh, the older they get?


MORE IELTS SPEAKING PART 3 QUESTIONS:


Let’s talk about cities in general.

  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a big city?
  • What changes have you seen in your city in the past 5 years?
  • Why do you think many people prefer to live in the city instead of in the country?
  • Would you agree that people living in the country have fewer problems than people living in cities?

Reasons for daily travel

  • Why do people need to travel every day?
  • What problems can people have when they are on their daily journey to work or school for example? Why is this?
  • Some people say that daily journeys like these will not be so common in the future. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

Keeping fit and healthy

  • What do most people do to keep fit your country?
  • How important is it for people to do some regular physical exercise?

Health and modern lifestyles

  • Why do some people think that modern lifestyles are not healthy?
  • Why do some people choose to lead unhealthy lives?
  • Should individuals or governments be responsible for making people lifestyles healthy?
  • What could be done to encourage people to live in a healthy way?

Attitudes to newspapers

  • In what ways are newspapers better for learning about the news than listening to the radio or watching television?
  • Do you think newspapers should be completely free to say whatever they want?

Tastes in reading

  • What do people enjoy reading in your country?
  • Do you think it is important for people to read a lot? Why (not)?

Public and private lives

  • What sort of stories do newspapers and magazines publish about well-known or famous people in your country?
  • Do you think the media should be allowed to publish stories about the private lives of public figures?

The importance of gifts

  • Do you think that present giving plays an important role in daily life? Why?
  • On what occasions do people in your country usually give presents?
  • Do people who receive a present usually open it straight away, or do they open it later? Why / Why not?
  • What is the role of advertisements in the gifts industry?

Attitudes to education

  • How has education changed in your country in the last ten years?
  • Is a good education more important to a boy or a girl? Why?

The focus of education

  • How well do you think schools prepare young people for working life?
  • Do you think schools should teach subjects like art, music and dancing? Why (not)?

Education and technology

  • How important is it for schools to have computers for their students?
  • Is the Internet a valuable educational tool?

Attitudes to family

  • In what ways have families in your country changed in recent years?
  • Should husbands and wives have different roles within the family? Why (not)?

Family or friends

  • Which are more important to you: your family or your friends?
  • What conflicts can arise between a person's family and a person's friends?

TV and radio

  • In your country, which do people prefer: watching TV or listening to the radio? Why?
  • What kind of programmes are most popular?
  • Do men and women tend to like the same kind of programmes?

The effects of TV

  • Some people think that watching TV can be a negative influence. Would you agree?
  • What benefits can TV bring people?
  • What programmes will there be in the future?

Friends and friendship

  • Is friendship important in your culture?
  • Are friends more important than family?
  • What are the qualities of a good friend?

Let’s talk about technology in general

  • Why do you think so many people want to have the latest technology?
  • Why do you think mobile phones are so popular?
  • Do you think we are becoming too dependent on technology?
  • How has the way people use mobile phones changes over the years?

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