Common IELTS Speaking Part 2 and Part 3 Sample Questions Set 4 of 11

In Part 2, the individual long turn, candidates have to speak for up to 2 minutes, while in part 3, they need to engage in a two-way discussion with the examiner on topics connected directly or indirectly to the topic in Part 2.

Describe a work or sport you have done as a team

You should say:

what work/ sport you did
who all were with you
when you did it

and explain how you felt doing a team activity

Part 3

Are team activities popular in the community around you? Why?/ Why not?
What kind of qualities can you learn in a team?
Do you think team leaders are important in a team?
Why do companies practice team activities?
Do you think employees are motivated better by team activities than doing it themselves?
Why do you think sports teams perform so well?

Describe a time you were surprised to see or meet a friend

You should say:

when this happened
who this friend was
where it was

and explain what surprised you on seeing or meeting them

Part 3

Do youngsters in your country plan surprise parties or trips?
Do you think one should plan or be spontaneous in doing things?
Why are people surprised even when they plan and do not achieve results?
Do unexpected situations make people feel stressed? Why?/ Why not?
Are unexpected behaviours from people a sign of anger? Why?/ Why not?

Describe an occasion you forgot something important

You should say:

what you forgot
what the occasion
where you were

and explain how you felt about it

Part 3

Some people are born with an organised mindset, is it important to learn organisational skills?
Should one update oneself with new organisational skills? Why?/ Why not?
Do you think people were more organised at work in the past or now? Why?/ Why not?
Are organisational skills important in today’s work environment? Why?
Why do people face difficulty when they are not organised?

Describe a time you bought something and had difficulty using it

You should say:

what you bought
where you bought it from
what its purpose is

and explain what difficulty you faced while using it

Part 3

Do people in your country try new gadgets and appliances in the market? Why?/ Why not?
Some people find it easy to follow instructions while assembling a gadget, others find it difficult – Why is it so?
Do people feel uncomfortable using new products at home or work? Why?/ Why not?
Do advertisements play a key role in promoting innovative and trendy products these days? Why?/ Why not?
Are people now preferring to buy local products than imported items? Why?/ Why not?

Describe an interesting book that you read recently

You should say:

what it was about
when you read it
how you came across this book

and explain why you found it useful

Part 3

Is reading important for individuals? Why?/ Why not?
What kinds of books are popular in your country? Why?
Do you think reading should be encouraged among children? Why?/ Why not?
How can reading habits be encouraged among youngsters?
Do you think e-books would replace paper books in the future? Why?/ Why not?

Describe a time a family member asked you for help

You should say:

who the family member was
what help he or she wanted
how you helped them

and explain how you felt about it

Part 3

How helpful are families with each other in your country?
Do you think people are close to their cousins and relatives these days compared to the past?
How can children help their parents in a family?
Are children more helpful these days than in the past?
Should children be encouraged to help their parents in doing household work?
In what ways can children be rewarded for their kindness and help?

Describe a photograph you have in your home

You should say:

what the photograph is about
where and when it was taken
who all are captured in the pic

and explain why this photograph is important to you

Part 3

Is photography a preferred profession in your country?
Do people in your country take a lot of photos?
Do you think digital photography has changed the phase of photography? Why?/ Why not?
Why do some people delete images after they have clicked?
How has photography changed in recent years?

Describe a successful business you know

You should say:

what it is
where it is
what they do

and explain why you think it is a successful business

Part 3

Is it important for a business to be competitive? Why?/ Why not?
How do successful businesses impact their surrounding region?
Do you think entrepreneurship has increased with the advancement in technology? Why?/ Why not?
What kinds of businesses are most popular in your country? Why?
What qualities do successful entrepreneurs have than others?
Do you think running a business is easier than doing a job? Why?/ Why not?

Describe an enjoyable show or performance you watched online

You should say:

when it was
how you got to know about it
what it was about

and explain why you enjoyed it so much

Part 3

Do you think people enjoy live shows than watching them on television or online? Why?
What kind of live shows are popular in your country? Why?
How are concerts and live shows now different from the past?
Is learning performing arts or drama encouraged among children in your country?
Do you think children must be encouraged to learn drama and other art forms like painting and dancing in schools? Why?/ Why not?

Describe a movie that inspired you a lot

You should say:

what kind of movie it was
when you watched it
why you chose to watch it

and explain how it inspired you

Part 3

Are people fond of movies in your country? Why?/ Why not?
What kind of films do young people enjoy? Why?
Do you think that the internet has made movie watching easier globally? Why?
How different are movies from your country from those from western countries?
Is it right to have audience discretion for every film? Why?/ Why not?
Do you think children are advancing due to the movies they watch? Why?/ Why not?

Describe an item of clothing that you love to wear

You should say:

what type of clothing it is
when you wear it
how you look when you wear it

and explain how you feel wearing it

Part 3

Are formal clothes more popular than informal clothing in your country?
Do you think people buy more online now than going to retail shops for buying clothes? Why?/ Why not?
Do you think formal clothing makes a better impression? Why?/ Why not?
Should students be encouraged to wear uniforms in school or civilian clothes? Why?/ Why not?
How different is the clothing style now as compared to the past? Why?/ Why not?
Do you think youngsters experiment more with clothing styles? Why?/ Why not?

Describe a time you set a goal for yourself

You should say:

when you set the goal
what the goal was
how you worked for it

and explain why it was important to you

Part 3

Do you think young and old people have similar goals? Why?/ Why not?
Is it important for a person to have goals in life? Why?
Does one need to have a plan to achieve a task? Why is it important? /Why not?
Do you think achievements are important for a person to feel successful? Why?/ Why not?
Should parents encourage children to set goals for themselves? Why?/ Why not?

Describe a public facility in your hometown

You should say:

what it is
where it is
what you can do there

and explain why you visit this place

Part 3

How different are the public facilities in rural and urban parts of your country?
Why do you think people should be made aware of hygiene and cleanliness in public places?
Do you think there are enough public facilities in your country?
What steps can be taken to improve the quality of old public facilities?
How can we avoid people from damaging public places or facilities?

Describe a time you went on a car journey

You should say:

when it was
who was with you
what you did

and explain how you felt about it

Part 3

Are cars popularly preferred by people in your country?
What is the difference between a two-wheeler ride and a car drive?
Do you think it is important to have a car? Why?/ Why not?
What do you think future cars would be like?
Do you think it is safe to travel in a car or a two-wheeler?

Describe a time you had to change your plans due to the weather

You should say:

when it was
who was/were with you
what you were planning to do?

and explain how you felt

Part 3

Do people use weather apps in your country?
Do you think weather apps can be considered reliable? Why?/ Why not?
What kind of fun activities can people do on a rainy day?
What kind of weather do people prefer to have while they are on holidays?
Do you think rapid weather changes are a result of global warming? Why?/ Why not?

Describe a foreign country you want to visit

You should say:

which country it is
when you plan to go
how you got to know about this country

and explain why you are so interested in visiting it

Part 3

Do you think technology has made it possible to learn about global cultures?
Why do you think people like to travel and learn about new places?
Do you think guidebooks are more reliable than travel apps? Why?/ Why not?
Should children be encouraged to go on trips and tours to explore new destinations? Why?/ Why not?
Are people these days more open to foreign influence than in the past? Why?/ Why not?

Describe a noisy place you have been to

You should say:

where it was
why you went there
why it was noisy

and explain how you felt about being there and how you resolved it

Part 3

Do you think noise pollution negatively affects us? Why?/ Why not?
Are there several noises of traffic in your country? Is it disturbing?
Is it important to be loud among people? What are its disadvantages?
Why do you think noisy children are a disturbance to others?
Do noisy environments make individuals irritated?

Describe a person you are happy to know about

You should say:

who this person is
how you know him or her
what he or she does

and explain why you feel so happy knowing him or her

Part 3

Is happiness an important factor for success in life? Why?/ Why not?
Do you think that rich people are happier than poor people? Why?/ Why not?
How do children express their happiness?
Do you think talented people are happy people as well? Why?/ Why not?
Are people happier than people in the past? What causes happiness to people nowadays?

Describe a friend who could be a good leader

You should say:

what his/ her name is
how you met him/her
whether people behave differently when he/she is around

and explain why you think he/she can be a good leader

Part 3

In Indian families, generally who is the decision-maker?
What kind of qualities does a decision-maker have?
Why is it important to make good decisions in life?
Who can be the best decision-maker in the workplace? Why?
Do you think nowadays people are better decision-makers than in the past? Why?/ Why not?

Describe an app that you use on your phone

You should say:

what this app is called
how you found it
what you use it for

and explain how useful you feel it is

Part 3

Do you think social media apps are the most popular these days? Why?/ Why not?
Do you think people spend too much time on these apps? Why?/ Why not?
What kind of apps do youngsters use mostly in your country? Why?/ Why not?
How do you think health or fitness-related apps benefit people?
Should children be encouraged to study through educational apps on phone? Why?/Why not?

Describe a recent good decision you made

You should say:

what the occasion was
what the decision you made was
how it affected you or what the result of this decision was

and explain how you felt about it

Part 3

Who usually takes decisions in families in your country? Why?
Why is decision making skill so important for a person?
Should children be allowed to make decisions regarding their activities?
Is decision making an important skill for managers at work? Why?/ Why not?
What consequences do you think can happen if there has been a wrong decision made?

Describe an energetic and active person you know

You should say:

who it is
how you know her or him
what they do

and describe how she/he is active and energetic

Part 3

What kinds of jobs require a lot of energy physically?
What are the disadvantages of physical labour compared to mental labour?
Do you think people who do physical work should be paid more than the ones who involve in mental work?
Is there a possibility that laborious work will be highly paid in future as technology advances?
Will one witness a future with technical aids for physical work completely replacing people?

Talk about a magazine article you read about healthy living?

Talk about an online article about healthy living?

You should say:

what the article was about
when you read it
how you came across this magazine and/or article

and explain what lessons you learnt from it

Part 3

What are the most popular ways of keeping healthy in your country?
Do you think most people worry more about their health as they get older?
Why do you think some people continue bad habits when they know that they are damaging to their health?
How can children be encouraged to adopt healthy eating habits?
Do you think people have become more health-conscious in recent years?
Could governments do more to promote healthier lifestyle options?

Describe a foreign language (not English) that you want to learn

You should say:

which foreign language you want to learn
when you plan to do it
how you plan to learn it

and explain why you want to learn this language

Part 3

Why do people prefer to learn foreign languages?
Is there a benefit at work or personally for individuals who know a foreign language? Why?/ Why not?
Does a foreign language benefit you more in verbal or non-verbal communication? Why?/ Why not?
Do you think learning another language other than English has an advantage?
Should children be encouraged to learn foreign languages?

Describe a popular tradition followed in your country

You should say:

what it is about
when it is practised
how you practise it

and explain why it is important for the people of your country

Part 3

Why is it necessary to follow and practice traditions?
How different is it now than present in practising traditions and festivals?
Do you feel western influence is replacing traditional popularity in your country?
Should young people be made to follow family traditions these days? Why?/ Why not?
Do people in your country celebrate and follow festivals and traditions? Why?/ Why not?

Describe a time when you met someone for the first time (online or offline)

You should say:

who this is
how you met him or her
what kind of person he or she is

and explain how you felt about it

Part 3

How has technology and social media influenced connecting new people?
Were relationships between people better without technology? Why?/ Why not?
Do you think people will be able to connect better and have improved relationships in future? Why?/ Why not?
Are people in your country influenced by social media a lot? Why?/ Why not?
Do you think these days people enjoy real or virtual meetings with one another? Why?/ Why not?

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