ielts-yasi.englishlab.net                                                                                                       

(Updated Dec 4, 2006) 

Groups of Part 2 Topics - by subject

• On this page, I have grouped all the known possible Part 2 topics into groups of similar topics. A separate grouping by the verb form (verb tense) that you should use in your answer can be found HERE. 

• All Part 2 topics are related to you in some way.

• My information about the exact wording on the task cards is not always 100% accurate. This is most important when it concerns the verb form of the question. For example, whether it is past tense, present tense or subjunctive (虚拟语气). It is your responsibility to read the exact wording on the task card very carefully. Your answers should use the same verb form that is written on the task card for the questions.

• Some people think it's a good idea to prepare an answer for a topic and use that answer for another topic that is similar. For example, they prepare to talk about their favourite sport and think they can use this answer to also talk about how they spend their leisure time. Yes, to some extent, this is a good idea but you have to be careful not to make this obvious to the examiner. If you have obviously memorized your answers, it might result in a loss of points. Examiners want you to speak naturally, not speak a long passage of English that you have memorized.

When you use an answer that you have prepared for one task card as the answer for a similar task card, the examiner might realize that your answer is mostly memorized if you concentrate in an inappropriate way on just one part of the task card topic. Two topics being similar is not a good enough reason to use the same answer for both topics. Instead, there must be an exact equivalence between the what the task card expects you to say and what you do say. For example, describing a building in your hometown and describing a building in your school or university could be answered exactly the same by always choosing to talk about the school library, which is also in your hometown.

To repeat: do not 100% memorize an answer, like a poem and repeat this in the test, even as the answer for the task card that you prepared for. This advice applies even more strongly if you decide to use an answer you prepared for one task card as your answer for a similar task card. The reason for this is that 9 out of 10 candidates in China are not good enough actors to make their language seem natural when they have memorized a long section of English. Yes, use a few short sentences and phrases that you memorized (even for a different task card), but only use them in your answer only if they exactly fit the questions on the card. 

(If you prepare an answer in writing, memorize key points, key words & expressions, and key short sentences. If you memorize, word-for-word, any more than, say, 60% of what you wrote as an answer, you run the risk of damaging your test result.)

• This page will be updated as new Part 2 topics are introduced.

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Groups of Part 2 Topics

Note that some topics could fit into more than one group. This is especially true when we consider the three sub-questions on the task card. Also, some of these topics that are not listed under 'An experience' could also be considered to be experiences.

Summary of Topics

a.   A Person

b.   A Thing

c.   A Place

d.   A Building

e.   An Aspect of Your Present Life (e.g. a habit, a preference)

f.    A Desire or Plan for the Future

g.   An Experience

h.   Speculation (E.g., What you would do if  you received a large amount of money.)

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a. A Person

  3.   An adventurous person

  8.   A friend

      27.  A good neighbour

30.  A childhood friend

31.  A character from a childhood story

34.  The oldest person you know

40.  A child you know

44.  A person you visited

49.  Someone who spoke a different language

55.  Two people from the same family 

60.  A leader

b. A Thing

       1.  An important letter

       6.  A film

       7.  A vehicle you would like to own

     11.  A work of art

     12.  Your childhood room

     14.  A book you enjoyed reading

     15.  A meal for your friends

     16.  A piece of furniture

     33.  A photograph that you like

     39.  A wild animal from your country

     48.   Something you saved for

     51.  A piece of equipment

     53.  A domesticated animal (possibly not a topic)

     54.  A childhood present

     61.  A means of transport

     65.  An unforgettable advertisement 

     67.  An Item of Clothing

    c. A Place

     10.  An exhibition (Also = an experience)

     20.  A walk (Also = an aspect of your present life)

     24.  A (place in a) city you visited

     26.  A leisure centre (Also = An aspect of your life)

     32.  A planned trip

     38.  A place where you often go shopping

     45.  The house you lived in as a child (Also = a building)

     52.  A library

     58.  A place you would like to travel to

     66.  A Hotel

    d. A Building

    13.  A building in your hometown

    35.  A building in your school or university

    45.  The house you lived in as a child (Also = a place)

    66.  A Hotel

    e. An Aspect of Your Present Life (e.g. a habit, a preference)

       4.  A busy time

     17.  A practical skill

     18.  A class or course (If you are still studying this course)

     20.  A walk (Also = a place)

     25.  Your favourite season or time of year

    26.  A leisure centre (Also = a place)

    29.  A foreign culture (If the topic is: Describe a foreign culture that you are interested in.)

    36.  An interesting subject ( = an aspect of your life if you are still studying it)

    41.  A radio program (= A radio program that you find interesting)

    42.  Leisure time

    50.  Your work

    52.  A library

    56.  A language skill

    57.  An outdoor activity

    61.  A means of transport

     f. A Desire or Plan for the Future

       7.  A vehicle you would like to own

     15.  A meal for your friends

     22.  Future plans

     32.  A planned trip

     37.  A small business you would like to own

     43.  Success

     58.  A country you would like to visit

   g. An Experience (not also included in any other group)

       2.  An important decision

      9.   An unhappy shopping experience

    18.   A class or course (If you are no longer studying this course)

     19.  An interesting or unusual thing you did recently

     21.  An English class activity

     23.  A local event

     28.  A time when you helped someone

     29.  A foreign culture (If the topic is: Describe something you learned from a foreign culture.)

     36.  An interesting subject ( = an experience if you no longer study it)

     41.  A radio program (= an experience if the question is past tense)

     46.  Some recent news

     47.  A positive change

     59.  Some advice you received

     63.  An occasion when your were late

     64.  A sports event that you enjoyed 

     66.  A hotel

    h. Speculation

       5.   Receiving a large sum of money

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