IELTS Speaking

Band 5.5 to 6.5

Get to know the IELTS Speaking band
descriptors

Link

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IELTS Speaking – Part 1
Strategy: Answer in 2 or 3 sentences

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Part 1 – Types of answers

1. Liking

▪ I’m really keen on…

▪ I’m a big fan of…
▪ I’m passionate about…
▪ I love…

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Part 1 – Types of answers

1. Liking

Do you like shopping?

I am very keen on shopping because it helps me to relax. After a hard-

working week, I usually go window shopping with my mates/friends.

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Part 1 – Types of answers

1. Liking
▪ What do you like about your hometown?
▪ What do you like about your job/studies?
▪ What sort of music do you like?
▪ What sorts of books do you like reading?
▪ What type of movies do you like?
▪ Where do you like to shop?
▪ What types of food do you like?
▪ What types of activities do you like doing in your free time?
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Part 1 – Types of answers

2. Disliking

▪ I’m not much a fan of…

▪ …is simply not my cup of tea.
▪ I really can’t stand…
▪ …not my thing

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Part 1 – Types of answers

2. Disliking

Is there anything you don’t like about your hometown?

In general, I’d have to say that I am not so keen on the weather. I really don’t
like summer time because the temperatures often reach up to 40 degrees.

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Part 1 – Types of answers

2. Disliking
▪ Is there anything you don’t like about job/studies?
▪ Is there any food you don’t like?
▪ Are there any clothes that you don’t like?
▪ What type of weather do you dislike?
▪ What type of noises do you dislike?
▪ What type of movies do you dislike?

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Part 1 – Types of answers

3. Listing out typical features

▪ Starting-off: Ok, then; actually; alright; well, you know (discourse
markers)
▪ Point 1: The first thing is …
▪ Point 2: Another point is that …

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Part 1 – Types of answers

3. Listing out typical features

Tell me something about your hometown.

Well, I come from Ho Chi Minh. The first thing I would like to share is that it’s
very crowded. Another point is the variety of foods that come from different
parts of Vietnam.

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Part 1 – Types of answers

3. Listing out typical features

▪ What does your house look like?
▪ What does your neighborhood look like?
▪ What does your city/town look like?

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Part 1 – Types of answers

4. From general to specific

▪ There’s (quite) a variety of …
▪ There are a lot of …

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Part 1 – Types of answers

4. From general to specific

Tell me about the different types of transportation in your city.

Of course, you know there are a lot of means of transport in Ho Chi

Minh City. I think the most common one is motorbikes. Other ones are
bus and car.

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Part 1 – Types of answers

4. From general to specific

▪ What kinds of restaurants are popular in your country?
▪ What types of shops can be found in your local area?
▪ What types of things do people collect in your country?
▪ What sorts of TV programs do you watch?
▪ What sorts of TV programs are popular in your country?

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Part 1 – Types of answers

5. “It depends…”
It depends + if [condition 1] + if [condition 2]

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Part 1 – Types of answers

5. “It depends…”

What sort of restaurants do you usually eat at? 

Well it really depends. For example, if I want to eat something quick, I will
go to McDonalds or KFC. However, if I have more time to eat something
healthier like rice or salad, I will go to Vietnamese restaurants.

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Part 1 – Types of answers

5. “It depends…”
▪ What do you usually do on the Internet?
▪ What do you like to do for holidays?
▪ When do you go shopping?
▪ What do you do to relax?
▪ How much time do you spend on watching TV?
▪ Which do you prefer, reading a book or watching TV?

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Part 1 – Types of answers

6. Yes – No
▪ Yes: Sure/Of course/Definitely!/Absolutely
▪ No: 
– Not really/Not at all!/Definitely not!
– Although (using concession)…. + reasons

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Part 1 – Types of answers

6. Yes – No

Do you eat healthy food?

 Absolutely. I think healthy food like vegetables or fruits is good for my body and mind.
To be more specific, I can lose weight and focus on my work better.

 Although I know healthy food like vegetables or fruits is good for my mind and body, I
don’t usually eat it because I hate them. Instead, I prefer snacks or high-calorie food.

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Part 1 – Types of answers

6. Yes – No
▪ Do you enjoy eating food from other countries?
▪ Do you enjoy going shopping?
▪ Do you get up early in the morning?
▪ Do you play or watch any sports?

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Part 1 – Types of answers

7. Avoidance
Strategy: avoiding giving a direct answer to the question

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Part 1 – Types of answers

7. Avoidance

- Where would you like to go for your next vacation?

Well, to be honest, I don’t really have a clear plan but I guess that I will go to another country
like Thailand because I really love this country.
- Do you prefer reading a book or watching TV?

Oh, I like them both so it's hard to choose only one. But if I had to choose one, I would like to
read books and the main reason for this is because I can learn more from books.

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Part 1 – Types of answers

7. Avoidance
▪ Would you like to learn a new language in the near future?
▪ Do you prefer studying in the morning or in the evening?
▪ Do you prefer taking photos with your phone or with a camera?
▪ Do you like to take lots of short holidays or one long holiday?
▪ Do you prefer sending text messages or calling someone?

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IELTS Speaking – Part 2
Strategy: answer each clue within 2 or 3 sentences

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4 umbrella subjects

▪ People
▪ Places
▪ Events
▪ Objects

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Part 2 – Breaking it down

Describe a place that you have visited that you particularly liked.
You should say:
▪ When you visited it?  2 sentences
▪ Who you went with?  2 sentences
▪ And explain why you liked most about this place  3 sentences

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Part 2 – Sample answer

I like traveling around Viet Nam. So far, I have visited to 20 cities in my country, however, Ha Noi
is the most attractive destination. I visited Ha Noi last year with my friend. We had many good
memories together.

I love Ha Noi for two reasons. First, Ha Noi has a reputation for culture, which is reflected in 36
streets, West lake, Hoan Kiem lake. They were built thousand years ago. Second, there are a
wide range of food here. You can go around streets and try local foods such as Pho, spring rolls
and Bun Cha. I do not remember how much I ate them.

Ha Noi is the capital of Viet Nam, where you can find the balance of modernity and antiquity so if
you have time, I think you should go to Ha Noi for once.
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Part 2 – Let’s try

Describe a person who taught you something.

You should say:
• who this person was
• what he/she taught you
• how this helped you
• and how you felt about him/her.

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IELTS Speaking – Part 3
Strategy: answer each clue within 2 or 3 sentences

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Part 3 – 4 common question types

1. Giving opinions

Don’t start every sentence with “I think” or “In my opinion…”. The examiner
will be looking for how you vary your language. Below are a number of ways
you could do that:
• As I see it, • I’m convinced • I’m sure that….
that….
• Personally, • I guess that…
• I’m certain that….
• I suppose that….

• I’d say that…..

Example: What are some of the ways people can help others in the community?
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Part 3 – 4 common question types

2. Evaluating (agree or disagree)

For agreement  For disagreement we can use:
• I couldn’t agree with you more. • I don’t think so.
• That’s so true / That’s for sure. • I’m afraid I disagree.
• That’s exactly how I feel. • I totally disagree.
• No doubt about it. • That’s not always true.
• I suppose so./I guess so.

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Example: Some people say that people helped others more in the past than they
do now. Do you agree or disagree?

I don’t think so. In the past people were poorer than now, so it was hard for
them to help other people in the community. But in my generation, people
are regularly doing things to help out the community and I don’t think this
happened in the past, so I would say I disagree.

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Part 3 – 4 common question types

3. Indicating future
We normally use ‘will + verb’; however this is quite simple and the examiner
will be looking for your ability to use more complex structures to predict the
future.
• I plan to…..
• It is predicted that….
• I intend to….
• It is likely that…
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Example: Some people say that working from home will be quite common in the
future. Do you agree?

It is likely that more people will work from home in the future. If the internet
becomes faster and there are more programs, such as Skype, that allow
people to work from home more easily, I’d predict that more people will stay
at home. Also, I guess that face to face meetings will be a thing of the past.

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Part 3 – 4 common question types

4. Hypothetical

You might get asked a question about an ‘unreal’ situation. The grammar we
use is If – type 2

Example: If you were a mayor of your city, what would you do to improve it?
If I became a mayor, I would modernize the public transport system. Doing this
not only supports the commuters but also reduces the use of private
vehicles. Another proposal is investing in social enterprises for economic
sustainability.
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WHAT IF…
I don’t understand the question?

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▪ Could you please rephrase your question
simplier?

▪ Could you please simplify your question?

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WHAT IF…
I need more time to think?

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▪ That’s a difficult question, let me think for a
second.

▪ That’s a very interesting question, let me think.

▪ It’s very difficult to know exactly, but I think/but

I believe/perhaps….

▪ It’s difficult to say, I think….

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Good luck!

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