Page 124

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Updated Sep. 27, 2015

IELTS Part 2 and Part 3 Topics and Questions

Page 124

616. A Time When You Got Lost (January, 2015) (Probably no longer used)

617. A Happy Family Event from Childhood (January, 2015) (Probably no longer used)

618. A Vehicle You Would Like to Own (January, 2015) (Probably no longer used)

619. A Colourful Place (January, 2015) (Probably no longer used)

620. An Unusual Building (January, 2015) (Probably no longer used)

RETURN TO PART 2 TOPIC INDEX

FQ = frequent question = a question that has frequently been reported = a question that is probably in the examiner's question book

* = my guess at a question

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616. A Time When You Got Lost (January, 2015) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a time when you got lost.

You should say:

where it was

who was with you

how you felt

and explain how you eventually found your way.

Notes

"Get lost" = "Lost you way".
As with any past tense situation, you also have to say when, even if this is not written on the card. (Even something as general as "a long time ago" is good enough for setting the time when you use past tense verbs. But for most Part 2 answers, you should be more specific than that.)

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Possible follow-up questions:

Do you often get lost?

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Part 3

Becoming Lost (Losing One's Way)

What are some of the reasons why people get lost (lose their way)? FQ
What's the problem with becoming lost?
Why do you think some people are better than others at finding their way when they are travelling in a new environment (such as a new city)?
Who do you think generally has a better sense of direction (in an unfamiliar place), males or females? FQ
How do you (or people in general) maintain their sense of direction when they are moving through a new environment? See Note 2
What would you do if you got lost in an unfamiliar city, without a map?

Maps & Modern Navigation Aids

Do you think maps are important? FQ
Do you think knowing how to read a map is an important skill?
(Similar to above) Do you think map reading is an important practical skill?
How does one read a map? * (Possible question, not reported)
How does a person orient themselves (= find the right direction) when using a map?
How would you teach someone (e.g., a child) to read a map?
Which do you think are better, paper maps or digital maps? FQ
(Similar to above) Why do you think people are using digital maps more and more today, instead of paper maps? FQ
What modern technology is available to help people find their way in unfamiliar locations? See Note 1
Do you think some people who use modern electronic navigation aids (such as an app on a cell phone, or a digital map), without using a paper map, can become too dependant on that technology? FQx2
(Similar to above) Do you think there is a danger that we (or, people) are becoming overly-dependant on this technology? FQx2

Travelling to a New Place

What are some of the reasons why people from your country travel away from home (= away from their hometowns or home countries)? FQ
(Similar to above) Why do people travel to new places? FQ
What are the benefits of travel?
What preparations do you think a person should make before they travel abroad (or far from home)?
How is travel today different to that in the past?
What kinds of problems can people have while travelling?

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617. A Happy Family Event from Childhood (January, 2015) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a happy family event from your childhood.

You should say:

what the event was

where it happened

what you saw and did *

and explain why you remember this event so well. *

Notes

Those points marked with * are not 100% confirmed.
Strictly speaking, your "childhood" is before the age of about 13. So, an event when you were, say, 16 is unsuitable as an example here.
Every year, most Chinese and other Asian people celebrate New Year (春节) as a family event, including visits to and from members of the extended family. For this Part 2, it is suitable to talk about a New Year celebration as your example but you would have to choose one specific New Year celebration (i.e., in one particular year) and use the past tense – you should not speak about "the typical New Year celebration" that you usually celebrated in your childhood every year.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Do other members of your family still remember this event?
Do you have a lot of family events? See Note 4

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Part 3

See also any relevant Part 3 questions at Topics 547, 366, 345, 301, Topic 257, Topic 191, Topic 146, Topic 116 & Topic 55

See Note 3

Family Events

In your country, are there a lot of family events?

Families in Your Country

Can you tell me a little about the typical family (the family structure) in your country? FQ
Is that the same in both urban areas and in the countryside?
What role do men play and what role do women play in the family? FQ (men and women = husbands & wives / fathers & mothers)
Why do they do different things?
What is the role of fathers towards their children?
Are boys and girls treated the same in the family? FQx2
Do you think boys and girls should be treated exactly the same?
What impact do these attitudes in the family have on society as a whole?
Would you say that men and women are equal in families in your country? FQ
Do you think it's good to have only one child in a family?
What do you think of the idea of "social engineering" the old, traditional roles and structures of families in society?
What factors should be considered when discussing such questions?
Quite often, young children are left in the care of their grandparents (or, are actually brought up by the grandparents). Why does that happen and do you think it's a good thing?

Adulthood / Maturity

What differentiates childhood from adulthood, in your opinion?
In your country, at what age is a person considered to have become an adult? FQx2
In your country, is there large pressure on young people to achieve? FQ
Are the expectations the same for girls and boys?
What are the effects of this pressure?
Within the community (or, society) is there any help given to young people to help them achieve their personal goals? (unclear question)
(Possibly the question above means this) How can we help young people to become mature adults? FQ
In your opinion, what actually constitutes "maturity"?

Do you think teenagers should start working early to make money for their families?

Do you think that people today are more materialistic than in the past? FQ

Do you think it is a positive development? FQ

(Similar to above) Some people say that the current young generation is too materialistic. Do you agree? FQ

Childhood

Do you think that childhood is the preparatory phase for adulthood?
Do you think that children today are growing faster than in the past? FQ
(Similar to above) Do you feel that childhood is becoming shorter today, compared to what it used to be in the past? FQ
Do you think that there is too much pressure on children nowadays?
What can society do to help a child grow up and become a responsible adult?

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618. A Vehicle You Would Like to Own (January, 2015) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a vehicle you would like to buy (or have / own). *

You should say:

what kind of vehicle it is

what it looks like

what you would use it for

and explain why you would like to buy it

Notes

This topic has been used several times in the past, although this one might be slightly different and the Part 3 questions might be a little different.
The wording in the first line might simply be, " ... a vehicle you would like to own". Most people are reporting the word "buy" is used.
For this Part 2, "vehicle" is anything that has wheels and runs on roads. It could be a bicycle, motorcycle or even a truck or a mobile home!
I believe the wording is "would like to own", not "want to own". If it says "would like to", it is possible to speak hypothetically, to speak of a fantasy OR to speak with the same meaning of "want to". But if it says "want to", then you should not speak of a fantasy but instead, speak of a real desire that you have.

See more Notes

See some vocabulary

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Possible follow-up questions:

Have you ever driven such a car?

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Part 3

See also the Part 3 of Topics 418, 318, 222 & 7

Transportation

What are the main modes of transport that people use in your hometown?
How is the transport that people use today different to the transport that people were using s few decades ago?
How do you think it will change in the future? FQ

Private Vehicles & Public Transport

In your country, how has private vehicle ownership and public transport use changed over the past few decades?
How do you think it will change in the future?
What types of cars do people like to buy in your country?
How do people get information (or advice) about what car to buy?

Traffic Congestion / Air Pollution

Do you have many traffic jams in your city (or the city you are in now)?
What do you think are the reasons for these traffic jams? FQ
When do traffic jams (or, when does traffic congestion) usually occur?
(Similar to above) Are traffic jams more severe during any particular period of the day? FQ
Who do you think is affected the most by this problem?
What is the government doing about this problem?
What do you think can be done to ease this problem? FQ
(Similar to above) Do you have any suggestions on how to reduce traffic jams? FQ
Do you think the amount of traffic on the roads in this city has increased over the few decades?
(Different to above) Do you think there are more traffic jams in this city than there were a few decades ago?
Do you think traffic jams will become worse in the future than they are now?
What do you think is the impact of traffic jams? FQ
Do you think traffic contributes a lot to air pollution?
How do you suggest we could reduce this air pollution problem?
Are there any other problems that traffic causes?
Do you think the government should spend money on building more roads by eliminating some of the parks in the cities?
How does government fund road works?
Are there any other ways that government could pay for road works?

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619. A Colourful Place (January, 2015) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a place you went to that was full of colour.

You should say:

what place it was

why you went there

what you did there *

and explain why you think it was full of colour. *

Notes

The two points marked with * might be inaccurate but this is the best information I have found so far. After all, "What you did there" seems to be similar to "why you went there". And I would expect one of the points to ask you to describe what the place looked like. The last line is probably more like, "How you felt when you saw that place".
Places that have a lot of neon lights at night, such as shopping districts in cities, would be a good choice here. A flower shop is another obvious choice! Some restaurants & other shops are also quite colourful inside. And of course, there are colourful places in nature, especially in certain seasons.
Sometimes the phrase, "colourful" is used to mean something like, "unique and interesting in character" but I would not use this meaning for this Part 2.

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Possible follow-up questions:

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Part 3

and ALL_PART_1_QUESTIONS-PAGE_2.htm#70. Colours

Don't forget to try to explain "why" after many of these questions. Don't just answer the basic question and then stop.

(There are probably three topics below, but I can't clearly see what these three topics are.)

Colours in Our Daily Lives

Besides the place you just spoke about, what are some other places where we can see lots of colour? *
Do you think colour plays an important role in our daily lives?
What colours do people in your country most often choose for the (inside) walls of their home? FQ
Do people generally wear the same colour clothes at work and at home?
Why do businessmen often wear dark business suits (instead of bright colours)? FQ
Do you think it's possible to make judgments about a person based on the colours of his/her clothes?
Is colour important to you when you buy something? FQ
Do any colours have a particular meaning or usage in your culture? *
(Similar to above) In your culture, are there times when it is important what colour you choose for something?
What colours are least popular in your country (at the moment)? FQ See Note 5
Do you think these colours might become popular in the future? FQ
Was that colour popular last year? FQ
What colour(s) do you think are most suitable for offices?
What colour(s) are most of the buildings in your country? FQ
Why is it that people think a newly painted building (painted outside) is an "improvement"? *
What do you think is the impact of using colour in advertisements? FQ

Colours and Mood

What colours do you think have the greatest effect on people's mood (or, feeling)? FQ
How/why do these colours affect mood? FQ
What colours do you have in your home, such as the inside walls of the rooms? FQ
Do you like those colours?
(Similar to above) Would you like to change the colour of any of the walls?
Do you think men and women (or, boys & girls) generally choose the same colours for such things as their clothes or the walls of their rooms? FQ
What effect do you think bright colours have on people? FQ
What effect do you think a city with brightly coloured buildings has on people?
Do you think the colours of food (cooked food) is an important aspect of food presentation? FQ
Do you think colourful pictures in a book make the book more interesting for children (or people)? FQ

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620. An Unusual Building (January, 2015) (Probably no longer used)

Describe an unusual building you have visited (or seen) *

You should say:

where it is (was)

what it is (was) used for

what it looks (looked) like

and explain why, in your opinion, it is (or looks) unusual. *

Notes

When we talk about a place we have visited in the past, we usually say "it was ...". For example, "I went to XYZ beach and it was beautiful". So, "where it was" is more suitable language than "where it is". However, if you know the building is still used for the same purpose as it was when you saw it, the words, "what it is used for" is more suitable than, "what it was used for".
Of course, the main idea is probably how the building looks, its appearance. A building can be unusual for other reasons, such as its history or location. Nevertheless, I think you should focus on its appearance.
The first line is unclear. Usually when you "visit" a building, you go inside it. But this is not always the case. On the other hand, the test writers did not want you to describe a building that you have only seen in a picture. So maybe the word "visited" is the word used. But it could be just a building you have walked past.
The last line might not have the words, "in your opinion" but I suspect that is the meaning here. After all, it's not easy to explain why an architect decided to design a building that looks unusual but you can explain your own judgment, i.e., the reason why you say it looks unusual.
It's probably OK to choose a building that is, or looks, unusual on the inside when the outside does not look unusual. However, most people will probably choose a building that looks unusual on the outside, whether or not it looks unusual on the inside.
You will need to prepare some special vocabulary to describe shapes and similar concepts, especially if you are describing the outside appearance. But be careful not to make it obvious to the examiner that you had prepared an answer for this before the test. There is a strong chance that you will lose points if the examiner is quite sure that your answer was prepared before the test. (As a former examiner, I'm warning you to be careful!)
Don't be afraid to use your hands to help you communicate shapes and appearance. After all, the IELTS Speaking test is not only a test of spoken English – it's a test of communication.
With China's building boom in the past 35 years, you people in China should have a good choice of buildings to talk about because almost every big city has several unusual, artistically designed buildings, some designed to look very modern or even futuristic.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Would you take a friend to see that building?

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Part 3

See also the Part 3 for Topics 532, 383, 327, 243, 314, 71, 35 & 13

Buildings in Your Country

Have the buildings in your hometown changed much in the past few decades?
Are the buildings in your hometown the same as in other cities in your country?

Do you think it's good to have all the buildings in a city looking the same (or similar)?
What are the different styles of architecture in your hometown?
Do you prefer modern architecture or more traditional styles of buildings?
Do you prefer tall buildings or short buildings?

People's Homes

Do young people and old people tend to live in the same kinds of places? FQ
What sorts of buildings do young people prefer to live in? FQx2
Do young and old people like to live together in the same building?
Why do some people like to live in an old house (or, old building)? FQ
What kinds of people tend to live in old buildings?
What sorts of people live in (or, like to live in) tall apartment buildings?
How does living in a tall apartment building, as opposed to living in a big house, have different affects on the lives of residents?
If the lift (the elevator) in a tall apartment building were broken, what would an old person who lives there do?
What types of homes do you think most people will be living in, in the future?

The (Exterior) Appearance of Buildings

Is it good to have a few "unusual buildings" in a city?
Which do you think is more important, the outside or the inside of a building?
Do you think the outside appearance of a building is important?
Which is more important, buildings that are useful or buildings that are attractive?
(Similar to above) Which is better, an attractive building that is not very useful, or an unattractive building that is very useful?
What makes a building a "beautiful building"? FQ
Is it important to have beautiful buildings? FQ
What types of people tend to live in the more beautiful buildings?

City Life / City Planning

How can a building be designed so that it is best integrated into the surrounding environment?
How do you think a building can be constructed to minimize damage to the environment?
When the government plans a city (or a new part of a city), what factors should they consider?
Was your hometown built according to a plan?
Where do young people prefer to live in a city?

Why are old buildings (in city centres) often demolished?

Do you think these old buildings should be preserved?

(Similar to above) Do you think the government should spend money maintaining old buildings?

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Note 1

GPS (Global Positioning System), among other technologies such as electronic maps on cell phones & on the internet.

Note 2

Of course, using a compass is helpful! Some people can determine direction from the position of the sun. At night, some people know which direction is north by reading the stars. You can also use a landmark such as a tall building or a mountain. And you can maintain your sense of direction if you always know where you are in relation to a road that you know runs in a north-south or east-west direction.

Note 3

Personally, I don't like the feeling I get from these questions. There seems to be certain underlying, unspoken assumptions and attitudes (e.g., a "know-it-all" arrogance, a sense of cultural superiority) expressed by the original writer of these IELTS Speaking test questions, and possibly those of the examiners who might have made some of these questions themselves. In my personal opinion, if you want to see the most dysfunctional families in the world today, look at those in the English-speaking countries! This page is presenting the questions as they have been reported, not endorsing them.

Note 4

It is unclear whether this question means "In your family, do you have a lot of family events?" or whether it means, "In your country, do you have a lot of family events?" if it is the latter, then the question is more likely to be asked in Part 3, not as a follow-up question in Part 2. If the question is referring to your family, it might not be present tense ("Do you ..") but might, instead, be past tense ("Did you ...)

Note 5

What colours are least popular in your country (at the moment)? FQ

Do you think these colours might become popular in the future? FQ

Was that colour popular last year? FQ

These three questions are probably referring to fashion, especially women's clothes.