Updated Jul. 24, 2017
IELTS Part 2 and Part 3 Topics and Questions
Page 147
734. A
Time When You Had to Get Up Early
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
See also the Part 3 questions for Topic 523
Moving Out of the Family Home
Why do young people move out of the family home
Could it be that they have differences with their parents?
Do you think parents should help their young-adult children when the children move out?
Do you think that, at a certain stage (or age) young people should move out of the family home?
In what ways do you think the lives of young people are changed after they move out of the family home?
What are the differences between renting a room or flat and living in the family home?
Living Arrangements
Do many young people in your country live away from their parents?
In your country, at what age do most young people move out of their parents' home?
What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of living alone? FQ
(Similar to above)
Do you think young adults should live alone?
Would you prefer to live with someone your own age or someone older?
What advantage are there from living with an older person?
Living Independently
How do you think parents can help teach (or, help) their kids to live independently?
What important skills do you think teenagers need to learn in
order to live independently
(Similar to above)
Do you think they need to learn how to cook for themselves?
Which do you think is better for children, to be brought up by their parents, or to be brought up by their grandparents?
In your country, which group generally lives in the cheaper accommodation. young people or old people?
Describe a good part of your personality or character. *
You should say:
what it is
how it affects your life or work
and explain why you think it is good.*
or
Notes
This is likely to be a return of Topic 328, although the Part 3 might be different in places.
Note that the wording above might be a little inaccurate.
The words, "a good part of your personality or character" are usually expressed as, "a good personality or character trait" in more advanced English.
See also these
See also the Part 3 of
Personality
What types of personality are most common
(or universal) in your
country (your society)
Can you explain why that is the most common type of personality?
Do urban and rural people in your country tend to have different personalities?
In general, would you say that men and women have different personality traits?
Do you think the ability to compromise is very important?
Do you think people in your country have any personality traits that are quite distinctive, compared to other countries? *
What sort of personality should a school teacher have?
Which do you think is better, to date or marry someone with a similar personality, or someone with an opposite (or, complementary) personality? FQx2
Can you explain why many people prefer to make friends with others who have a similar personality to themselves?
In the future, what personality (or character) traits do you think might be most preferred by people?
Success
What does the word, "success" (or, "successful") mean to you?
How do you (or, how do people) judge whether someone is successful or not?
In order to be successful, what personality traits
do you think one needs to have
Do you think successful people are happy
Would you say successful people are more selfish than
average people
What personality (or character) traits do you think celebrities (or "famous" people) tend to have?
Describe a short trip that you frequently make (or, take) but dislike.
You should say:
where you travel from and to
how often you make this trip
Notes
This topic has never been used before.
It looks like it is referring to a daily commute that you take (present tense) such as to work, school or university. If you drive or take the bus, you could talk about the traffic jams or crowded bus etc. It could be answered by using an example such as disliking travelling on the subway on Saturday afternoons (for some reason). Another example (if you are a married man) might be the frequent trips you make to the shopping centre with your wife. If you don't have an inside toilet, you could talk about disliking having to make frequent trips to the outside toilet, especially on rainy days or in winter.
A few people are using the past tense in the wording for this topic but I suspect they are mistaken to think it is past tense. Instead, I suspect that, "A disliked trip" = "A trip that is disliked by you". It's still a current trip that you make, a trip you make at least occasionally or, possibly every day.
See also the Part 3 of
Travelling in Cities
The word "commuting" is often used to describe people travelling to work, school etc., especially in cities.
How do most people in your country travel to work?
Can you explain why many people in big cities choose to live in the suburbs? FQx2
(Similar to above) People in cities used to like living
downtown but now they prefer to live in the suburbs. Can you explain why?
Do you prefer to walk or take a car for short trips? (e.g., less than 1km) *
(Similar to above)
Do you think there are any connections between transportation and the
environment
How can big cities deal with the problem of having many people crowded into the same place?
Long Trips
What are some examples of long trips that people make?
International Travel
Do people from your country like to travel abroad?
What are the most common foreign destinations for travellers from your country?
Can you suggest why some people (from your country) go
abroad to work
What would you say are the benefits, and the downsides, of travelling abroad?
Notes
It is not certain that the words, "had to" are part of the question, but several people have reported those words.
See also the Part 3 of
Getting Up Early
How do most people feel about getting up early?
Is that the same for everybody? For example, small children, students, employees, employers?
What are the benefits of
getting up early?
Some people say that the morning is the best time of day. Do you agree?
Can you suggest why some people dislike getting up early? FQx2
In general, which group would you say prefers to get up early, young people or elderly people? (Why?)
Sleep
Do you think it is normal if someone sleeps for a long time (or, sleeps too much)?
What do you think causes some people to sleep so much? *
Time Management
Do you think good time management is important?
(Similar to above) Do you think it's important for people to manage their time well?
Who would you say is best suited for teaching time management to children, their parents or their teachers?
Punctuality
See Note 3
(Similar to above) Would you say punctuality
is important
What problems could possibly be caused if someone is late for an appointment?
Can you suggest why some people think it's not so important?
What would you say is the difference between the type of person who thinks it's important to be on time, and the type of person who thinks it isn't?
(Similar to above)
What are the benefits of knowing in advance if someone else is going to be late?
What are the benefits of
being early for an appointment
Are there any occasions when it is not important to be on time?
Deadlines
Do you think deadlines
serve a useful purpose
(Similar to above) What are some examples of occasions when (not losing) time is very important?
See also any related
questions at the Part 3 of
Activities at School
What kinds of classroom (or school) activities are popular in your country? See Note 1
Do you think schools should organize more group activities?
What kinds of activities are good for children's health?
Recreational (Leisure) Activities
What are the differences between indoor and outdoor
recreational activities
(Similar to above) Which do you think are better,
What sorts of outdoor activities do people in your country like to do?
Do young people and elderly people engage in the same leisure activities?
Would you say that free time is important to people?
Do you prefer to do things in your free time alone, or with friends?
What would you say are the benefits of taking part in group activities?
Risky Activities / Extreme Sports
What do you think of (mountain or rock) climbing?
Do people in your country like to engage in extreme sports?
(Similar to above)
Can you suggest why some people like (to engage in)
dangerous
Do you think young people should engage in dangerous activities? FQx2 See Note 2
Who do you think likes exciting sport (or, adventure) more, males or females?
What do you think of women who engage in dangerous activities?
Do you think children should engage in extreme sports?
What activities would you say are too dangerous to do?
Keep in mind that the words, "common" and "popular" do not always mean the same thing. For example, traffic jams might be common in your city but they are certainly not popular. But television sets in people's homes are both common and popular.
Instead of, "dangerous sports" that question or other questions might be about "extreme sports" or "adventurous activities".
The word, "appointment" does not just apply to meetings or interviews etc. You can also have an appointment to see a doctor, dentist. lawyer or other professional worker. On the other hand, the word, "appointment" is a little too formal for describing an agreed time to meet a friend.