IELTS Part 2 and Part 3 Topics and Questions
Page 138
688.
A Product You Were Happy With
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
what the results of your decision were
Notes
See Note 3
See also relevant questions in the Part 3 of
See also any relevant questions related to
"decision making", which is a leadership skill, at the following topics:
Everyday Decisions
What are some of the typical, everyday decisions that
people have to make
What determines people's daily plans? (For example - What will I do tomorrow/)
(Similar to above) When people make their plans for the day, what factors do they consider when they make these plans?
How to Make a Decision
Do you prefer to shop at many different shops or just a
few?
How do you (or, people) decide which one to shop at?
When shopping in a shopping mall or a big department store, do you think it's easy to decide what to buy?
How do people decide what to buy when faced with many choices of the same thing, such as clothes?
When buying clothes, do you prefer to go to a shop with a wide selection of choices, or to a shop that has a small number of choices?
In general, do you think it's easier to make a decision when you have few choices, or many choices?
Do you think teachers should help students make decisions?
How can one choose what is the most important factor when making a decision?
Can you suggest why people sometimes make a quick decision?
(Unreported but possible question) How can someone know that they have made the right decision? *
In the future, do you think people will find it easier to make decisions than
they do today, or will they find it harder?
Decisions Throughout Life
What do you think are the most important decisions that people have to make in their lifetimes?
Do you think children and adults usually have the same decisions to make? FQx2
(Similar to above)
Do you think children and adults make choices (or, decisions) in the same way that adults do?
Who do you think has a harder time making decisions,
children or adults?
(Similar to above) Do you think the decisions that children make are more
difficult (for them) than the decisions that adults have to make?
Do you think it's a good idea to get the advice of other people when making a decision (or choice)?
Who do you think we should ask for advice?
Do you think children should make their own decisions,
or should they follow the advice of adults?
(Similar to above) Do you think parents should make decisions for their
children?
What sorts of decisions do young people have to make
-------------------------------------------
The following are questions that I have not seen reported since this topic came into use in January 2016, but which are listed on an IELTS website for this current topic. (I believe most of these questions are taken from my work when a similar topic was used before). Possibly some of these questions will be used again this time.
What skills are necessary when making decisions?
How can people improve their decision-making skills?
How do you think computers will change the way people make decisions?
Do parents in your country allow their children to make important decisions about the future?
Do you think that parents should make important decisions for the children?
How can older people help young people make their own decisions wisely?
What do you think of the qualities of a good leader or a good decision-maker?
Do you think it is important for parents to encourage the development of leadership abilities in their children?
In what ways can parents encourage their children develop leadership abilities?
Notes
If the real wording says, "a place" then it is possible to describe an area in or near your own city or town.
See also the Part 3 of Topic 180 and Topic 299
Pollution in Your Country
Besides
your example from Part 2, what other examples of pollution are there in your
hometown (or your country/ or around where you live)
What
are the reasons for (or the sources of) these kinds of pollution?
How do
suggest this problem should be tackled?
In
general, would you say there is more (rubbish and) pollution today than
several decades
ago?
What do
you think could (or, can) be done about this problem
Do you think pollution near or alongside waterways is very important?
Can you suggest why some people do things such as throw rubbish into a lake?
What can we do to reduce pollution
If no-one had the money to buy a car, do you think everyone would then travel on the subway?
(Similar to above) How
much do you think government is responsible for doing something about
pollution, and how much do you think it is an individual responsibility for
everyone?
Who do
you think has more responsibility for handling pollution problems,
individuals or companies
What
can individuals do
What do
you think is the relationship between pollution and the economy?
Is there any pollution problem (or, environmental problem) that is world-wide? See Note 10
Do you
think the pollution situation in your country will change in the future?
Do you think the pollution situation will get worse in
the future, or better
Do you think the food you are buying (or eating) is contaminated?
(If Yes to the above question) Then why are people buying that food?
Noise Pollution
Perceptions about Pollution
In
general, would you say that most people in your country are concerned about the
environment?
Do you think different people have different perceptions about (or, of) pollution?
(Similar to above)
Can you explain why some people are concerned about pollution while others are not? FQx2
Can you suggest why some people are not interested in (the topic of) protecting the environment?
688. A Product You
Were Happy With
Notes
All past tense topics need you to say "when", whether it is stated on the question card or not.
One person (in India) reported this as, "a
product you were unhappy with". That topic was used
before as
The meaning of "happy" for this topic is similar to "satisfied". This means that the product fulfilled the expectations that you had for the product when you bought it. The whole topic is related to product quality.
If you still have the product, it would be more suitable to describe it as "a product that you are happy with".
See also any related questions
from the Part 3 of
Shopping
What are some of the various ways that people buy
things
Do you like shopping in shopping malls? See Note 4
Do you prefer to go shopping in shopping malls, or in small shops around your home?
How does that compare with the ways people bought things in the past?
How (or, where) do most people in your country buy things
What would you say are the major differences between
online shopping and shopping in typical shops
Can you explain why online shopping is so popular today?
Why are goods online generally cheaper than those in
typical shops
What would you do if you were disappointed with
something you had bought on the internet
(Similar to above) How do people deal with problems
when they buy something online
What effect do you think this is having (or, will have) on the typical shops that people used before the internet age?
Do you think online shopping tends to make people lazy?
Do you think online shopping will (eventually) replace shopping in real shops?
How often do people in your country go shopping?
When do people usually go shopping?
Do you think people spend too much time on shopping
Would you say that, in general, people like shopping
Who usually does more shopping, men or women?
(Similar to the 2 questions above) What are the
differences between men and women when it comes to shopping
What would you say are the differences between your shopping habits and those of your mother?
Do you know anyone who could be described as a "shopaholic"? See Note 12
Do you think many people buy things that they don't
really need
(Similar to above)
Have you ever had a bad shopping experience?
What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of using a credit card when buying things, as opposed to paying cash?
The Quality and Price of Products
Which is more important to you, the price of a product, or the quality?
Do you think there is a relationship between the brand of a product and the quality of that product?
Do you think expensive products are always high in
quality
What makes a product a "high quality" product?
How do you (or, how can a person) compare prices
(Similar to above) How can people find the best prices
for a product or service
In your country, is bargaining very common when
shopping?
Why (or, when) do some people bargain?
Can you suggest why most Westerners don't like to bargain?
Can you explain why some places have cheaper prices than other places? *
How can (or, how do) people find out the lowest prices for goods (products)?
(Similar to above)
Second-hand Goods
Do people in your country ever buy second-hand goods?
Do you think some people get cheated (tricked) by these advertisements?
Marketing
What do you think are the advantages and the disadvantages of buying luxury products?
How much do you think the brand of a product influences people?
Do you think the advertising of harmful products, such as tobacco, show be allowed?
Notes
Although no-one has yet reported the words, "a person you know", it is likely that those words are included and therefore it is safest to prepare an answer about someone who you personally know, someone you have at least spoken to. Don't talk about a movie star or sports star, someone you see regularly on TV, or someone who was in the news last month, for example.
A similar topic, "Describe an old person who you admire" has been used several times in the past. This time, several candidates have stressed that the new wording is now, "much older than you". This change of wording might be because some candidates don't know any "old" people, i.e., people over the age of about 60. With this new wording, you could either talk about an old person or you could talk about a middle-aged person (35 to about 55 years old). If you talk about one of your parents, be careful not to sound like you are repeating a "speech" or essay about one of your parents that many students have to do in English class at school. Examiners don't want to hear an obviously rehearsed answer. Those answers also often include too many superfluous statements, statements that are not closely related to the topic that you are asked to talk about, such as "my mother is a very beautiful woman".
Make sure you understand the meaning of "admire". It means a mixture of "like" and "respect", with more emphasis on respecting than liking. Sometimes "admire" can even include a touch of "envy", in a positive sense (unlike "jealousy", which is more negative).
It's possible that the first line is, "
See also the Part 3 of
When the words, "young people" and "older people" are both used in the same sentence, "older people" means, "older than the young people", which could include anyone over the age of about 30 for most IELTS candidates.
Generational Differences
In your view, what is "an old person"?
How do you know when you are looking at an old person? For example, do all old people have white hair?
Do you think there an increasing proportion of old people in the population today, compared to the past, or a decreasing proportion?
What would you say are the main differences between "young people" and "old people"?
Do you think the media today is more focused on young people, or on old people?
Do you think young people would have difficulty living with old people?
Do you
think young people and old people have difficulty communicating with each
other
Do you think there is such a thing as, "the generation gap"?
What do you and X (the person you spoke about in Part 2) have in common?
How is this generation gap formed?
In what ways is the thinking of young people and that of old people different?
Which group do you think spends more money shopping, old people or young people?
What sources of income do old people in your country have?
In
general do young people in your country respect old people
Do you
think the young people and older people (or, old people) can learn anything
(or, learn much) from each other
Do most old people know how to use modern electronic products?
Can you suggest why many elderly people are not interested in learning how to use modern technology such as using the internet?
What do
you think young people should learn from older people
(or, old people)?
Why do young people sometimes ask older people about the past? See Note 1
Can you explain why young people ask older people for advice?
The Lives of Elderly People Today
What
sorts of things do old people like to do with their time
(Similar to above)
If you were an old person, what would you do with your time?
Do old people like to go on long trips?
What sorts of outdoor activities do old people like to do?
Do they like to do outdoor exercise (or sports)?
Do they use any particular exercise equipment?
Do they prefer to watch films at home, or in a cinema?
How would you compare the lives of old people in your country with the lives of old people in other countries?
Would
you say that old people today have better lives (e.g. better living
conditions; happier lives) than old people had in the past?
Do you think old people in the past were more optimistic than old people are today?
How do you think young people could help old people?
In many parts of the world, people are living longer than they did in the past. Can you suggest why that is happening?
Would you say modern technology has improved the lives of old people, compared to the past?
Do you think old people need to know how to use modern technology?
In your country, is there much media coverage of elderly people?
In general, what is the attitude towards old people expressed in the media?
Do you think there are benefits for some old people to delay retirement?
Can you suggest why many old people like to talk about the past?
Many old people talk about the "good old days". What do you think they mean? *
(Similar to above) Many old people feel their life was better when they were
younger. Why do you think they feel that way
When old people talk about their past to their grandchildren, do you think they always speak accurately?
Television in General (in your country)
How often do you watch TV?
Do you think you will be watching more TV in the future than you do now, or less?
Do you think people watch too much TV? *
What kinds of TV programs are popular in your country
Have people's preferences in TV programs changed much in the past few decades?
Can you suggest (or, explain) why people like to watch
television?
Do most people prefer to watch TV rather than read a newspaper?
Can you suggest why some people choose not to watch TV?
Can you think of anything about (watching) television
that's not good
Do people generally watch TV alone, or with others?
Do young people today spend more time watching TV, or using the internet?
Please compare watching television on a device such as a smart-phone and watching it on a traditional TV set.
In the future, do you think television will continue to
exist as it is now, or will we see some changes
Do you think people in the future will be watching more television than now, or less?
Television and Family
What effects do you think television has on family
relations?
Do you think (the invention of) television has changed family relationships?
How does television influence / effect people?
How important do you think it is for a family to watch TV together? FQ
How does that benefit a family?
Do you think a family watching television together leads to stronger family ties?
Which is better for a family to watch together, TV on the internet, or TV on a traditional TV set?
What about watching a debate on TV? Do you think that always promotes harmony in a family?
Do you think watching TV together promotes communication in a family?
What do people generally do at home when they are not watching TV?
What did people in families do before the age of television?
Television and Education
Do you think television helps people to study?
(Most likely the question above is really this)
Do you think a person can learn a language by watching films in that language?
Which do you think is better for learning a language, using the internet or using television?
Are mobile phones useful for learning a language?
Which do you think has more educational value for children, using a computer, or watching TV?
Do school children learn about (or, learn to use) computers in school?
What relationship do you think television and education have with each other? *
Do you think school children should watch TV in the
classroom (or, at school
Do you think TV could be used as an educational tool? *
Do teachers in your country ever use television in the classroom?
Which do you think is better as an educational tool in a classroom, a television, or a computer (+ projection screen)?
In the future, what role do you think multimedia (including television) will play in education?
Do you think these multimedia will one day replace the books that are used for education today (i.e., textbooks)?
Television and Children
What types of TV programs do children like to watch? See Note 11
What influence do you think (watching) TV has on a child's education
Do you think children watch too much TV?
Young people can learn about the past by reading but this might not include a lot of the information, and personal impressions that someone who has lived through it could give to other people.
Of course, the strongest relationship is often (but not always) between the local economy and the place where the pollution occurs, not just the national economy.
Industrial activity is also related to employment in that local area, and employment is an aspect of the economy.
Here's a suggestion for those who are not too strong at spoken English. "I had difficulty deciding whether or not to attend this speaking test today." :) Yes, it's a joke suggestion but, in reality, it would be perfectly acceptable as an answer!
A "shopping mall" is a particular type of shopping centre. In a shopping mall, many shops are (usually) inside one big building, situated along rather wide corridors, which people walk along while looking into the front windows of the shops.
There are also "shopping malls" where the shops are not within one building and people walk along an open outside area (often a road that has been closed to traffic, called a "pedestrian mall"). Pedestrian malls usually have seats for people to sit on and possibly some trees. If they are quite wide, they might include activities such as street performers playing musical instruments.
It would be a good idea to include the word, "factors" when answering this and similar questions.
Possibly the following more general question will be asked - "
A question worded as, "
1) = "
or
2) = "
For example, do people generally see good examples of family relations on TV, such as good child-parent or husband-wife relationships? Or do some TV programs have examples, or ideas or behaviour that are not conducive to good family relations?
Make sure you check the meaning of the verb, "bargain" in a dictionary. This question is obviously testing vocabulary and if you mistakenly think it refers to the noun, "a bargain" (a product that is cheaper than usual, or a good deal for the price) then your vocabulary score might be reduced.
On the other hand, for some candidates, showing knowledge of the correct meaning of this one word might cause the examiner to add one whole point to the candidate's vocabulary score. For example, an examiner might think you are very close to being 7 for vocabulary but he's not sure and wants to hear more good vocabulary from you. Showing knowledge of just one less commonly used word or expression such as, "to bargain" might be enough to tip the scales in this case and allow you to get a 7.
The question, "
If a question is about "choices" rather than "decisions" then you need to understand that the word, "choices" can sometimes refer to "potential choices", not the "real choices" that people have at the time when they have to "make a decision" = "make a choice" = "choose one of the choices". That is, "potential choices" only become "real choices" at those times when a person has to make a decision.
In other words, the wording of the question, "
O
If the question was worded as, "
Obviously this is an attempt to start a discussion about, "man-made global warming" and the notion that carbon dioxide (CO2) is a "pollutant".
Try to say more than just the one word, "cartoons". Examiners hear that answer all the time.
It is likely that some examiners are expanding on the theme of "awareness", although only one questions seems to have been reported using that word. That is, they are probably asking several more questions about, "awareness of pollution".
The topic might even extend to being aware of the difference between "carbon" and "carbon-dioxide", but that would mainly be a question for candidates who are Band 7.5 & above.
This question might be asked using the word, "litter" or "trash" instead of "rubbish".