This IELTS Speaking Practice Test has 3 Sections. In Part 1, you will be asked questions for 4- 5 minutes about Studies by your examiner. In Part 2, you will be given a cue card for a monologue of 2 minutes based on the topic Describe A Present You Have Given Someone, followed by more in-depth questions for another 4-5 minutes based on the cue card in Part 3. Overall, the speaking test takes 15 minutes.
IELTS Speaking Part 1
Q. What are you studying at the moment?
A. I'm studying History at university. It's a four-year course, and I started it three years ago, so I have just one year left. I'm enjoying it a lot, so it will be sad to finish.
Q. What do you like most about your studies?
A. We learn about many things from the past, such as politics and wars, but I like learning about how people lived in the past the most. It's amazing to see how our lives have changed so much from the past up until now. In some ways, our lives have got much easier now, but in other ways, the simplicity of life in the past made people much happier. Learning about all that is fascinating.
Q. What do you hope to do in the future when you have finished?
A. I'm not sure at the moment, but I may go into teaching. This is why I'm taking the IELTS, as I intend to continue with a Master's in a specific area of history. I'll probably decide for sure what to do when I have completed that
Vocabulary
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University: An institution of higher education where students study for degrees.
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Course: A complete program of study in a particular subject.
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Simplicity: The quality of being simple, plain, or uncomplicated.
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Fascinating: Extremely interesting or attractive.
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Intend: To have a plan or purpose to do something.
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Specific: Clearly defined or particular; exact and detailed.
IELTS Speaking Part 2
Cue Card
Describe a present you have given someone.
You should say:
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Who did you give it to?
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What kind of present was it?
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How does it compare to other presents you have given?
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Explain why you decided to give this particular gift.
Sample Answer
I’m going to talk about a present that I gave to someone.
The person that I gave it to was a very good friend of mine at the time. His name was Tom, and he came from India. I knew him because we studied together at a language school in Cambridge. Although we were from different backgrounds and cultures, we got on really well and shared the same sense of humour, so we became very good friends.
The present was a picture painted of the River Cam in Cambridge. It was not so big - maybe around 10 inches by 14 inches, but it was very beautiful. It came in a gold-plated frame, and the picture had been drawn by a particularly well-known Cambridge artist. It had been signed by this person as well.
It’s the first time I have given this person a present, and I guess it’s quite different from presents that I have given to other people before – I don’t recall ever giving someone a picture, actually. If I’m buying for my family, then I’ll usually buy clothes or maybe some jewellery if it is a special occasion. Normally, when I’ve bought something for friends, it’s something more jokey so we can have a laugh about it, nothing that serious.
The reason I decided to give this particular gift is that we had spent a lot of time together in Cambridge and had some really fun times punting on the River Cam – that’s obviously why I thought this was an appropriate present. We used to go punting at least once a week, sometimes a couple of times. On one occasion, there was a group of about ten of us that went down there, and we spent the whole day sitting by the river in the sun and as usual, we went on a boat trip together. We all have a lot of photos to remind us of this great day. So my friend, Tom, is the person I gave a present to, because I felt it would always remind him of the fun times we had and of Cambridge.
Vocabulary
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Backgrounds: The different cultural, social, or educational experiences that shape a person’s life.
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Sense of Humour: The ability to find things funny and enjoy jokes.
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Gold-Plated: Covered with a thin layer of gold.
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Signed: Having a person’s name written on something, usually by the creator or artist.
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Jewellery: Decorative items such as rings, necklaces, or bracelets worn for personal adornment.
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Appropriate: Suitable or right for a particular situation or occasion.
IELTS Speaking Part 3
Q. What is beauty for you?
A. For me, beauty means both physical and inner beauty. You have to look good and be a good person in order to be considered beautiful. Some people think inner beauty is enough, but I disagree. I don’t think you can be truly beautiful inside if you’re not much to look at. These people are often quite lonely. As human beings, we need affection and attention, otherwise we’ll suffer psychologically.
Q. Do you think the media influences our idea of beauty?
A. Yes, in a big way, actually. For example, when I was a child, a man was considered handsome if he looked fit and had a nice face. Now, because of Western influence, some people think men need to look strong and muscular. As most people who appear in the media are very good-looking, the audience also feels pressured to have the same looks. As a result, plastic surgery has become a lucrative business.
Q. Do you think advertisements’ portrayal of beauty is correct?
A. I think they are not incorrect, just exaggerated. There are people who are really that good-looking, but not many. I think portraying the ideal appearance is good in that it encourages people to live more healthily, but more often than not, it puts pressure on ordinary people.
Q. Do people in your country like to buy luxury clothes?
A. Yes, a lot of people see luxury clothes as a sign of social status. And of course, these outfits are often better in terms of design and material. But I think there are clothes that are equally good but a lot cheaper, just because they are not the same brand.
Q. What are some drawbacks of being beautiful?
A. First, you have too many people going after you. It is flattering and disturbing at the same time. It is not a good feeling when you have to reject a person, not to mention the person being rejected may resent you or even want to take revenge on you. Second, people often treat you very nicely, and everything is easier for you, so you may lack the ability to understand others’ problems.
Q. Is goodness better than beauty?
A. For me, they are equally important. People without good looks often suffer from alienation, which affects their goodness. How can one be good to others if they’re constantly isolated, rejected or even ridiculed
Vocabulary
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Affection: A feeling of love, care, or fondness for someone.
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Portrayal: The way someone or something is represented or described.
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Exaggerated: Made to seem larger, better, or worse than it really is.
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Lucrative: Producing a lot of money; profitable.
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Resent: To feel anger or bitterness toward someone because of something unfair.
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Alienation: The feeling of being isolated or separated from others.
