Updated Feb 2, 2019
IELTS Part 2 and Part 3 Topics and Questions
Page 174
876.
Something a Friend Did
877.
Your First Mobile Phone
878.
Something that Made You Happy
879.
An Interesting Job
880.
Something You Lost
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
876. Something a Friend Did
Notes
This is a new topic.
It is asking you to talk about something you have never done (= not done yet).
Basically, the topic is looking for an example of an interesting or exciting (fun) activity. Of course, you could talk about a place your friend had visited. especially abroad, that you would also like to visit one day.
The Influence of Friends and Family on Young People
In your country, what are some of the typical things that families do together?
Do you people generally prefer to spent more time with their friends, or with their family? *
Who do you think has the greater influence on young people, their friends or their family? FQx2
(Similar to above) Whose opinions and advice do young people pay more attention to, that of their parents of that of their friends?
In what ways do friends influence young people (and/or children)?
When people grow up, do you think they are more like their friends or more like their parents?
In general, do adults have much influence on young people, in your opinion?
Do you think it's a good thing to always think of the, "generation gap"?
Trying New Things
Would you say that people today are more
willing to try new things than people in the past
Do young people and old(er) people
generally feel the same about new things
Would you say that young people today have different interests than young people did in the past?
877. Your First Mobile
Phone
Describe your first mobile phone (or communication device).
You should say:
when you got it (or, how old you were when you got it)
how you got it *
what you used it for *
and explain how the mobile phone changed your life.
Notes
This looks like a repeat of Topic 553.
Mobile Phone Use in Your Country Today
What do you think are the advantages of having a mobile phone?
Are there any downsides to having or using a mobile phone?
Do you think the development of mobile phones has changed the way that people chat with (or communicate with) each other?
How are modern mobile phones different
to the first mobile phones
(Similar to above)
Do you think it's important (or, necessary) to have mobile phones that do more than allow people to make phone calls and send text messages?
Can you explain why some people prefer to make phone calls while others prefer to send text messages?
Do you think mobile phones have more
influence on young people or old(er) people
Do old people use mobile phones very much?
Mobile Phone Apps
What do young people use their smart
phones for
What mobile phone apps do you use?
What do you suggest could be done to fix this problem? *
Children and Mobile Phones
Is it common for children in your
country to use (or have) a mobile phone
Do you think children should be using a mobile phone?
Why do some parents buy a mobile phone
for their children, sometimes when the child is only a few years old
Are the phones that children use different to your phone?
What do you think is the most suitable
age for children to start using a mobile phone
Do you think there are any differences in how using a mobile phone influences children, compared to the effect on adults who use a mobile phone?
Notes
This looks like a repeat of Topic 682.
The Nature of Happiness
In general, what do you think brings
happiness to people
Do you think money can make people happy?
How important do you think money is for bringing happiness to people?
Would you say rich people are happy?
Which do you think gives people more
happiness, having money, or having good relationships with other people
(Similar to above)
How does work bring happiness to people
Would you say that children are generally happier than adults?
Notes
This looks like a repeat of Topic 277.
If the card uses the word, "interesting", make sure you know how to talk about a job that would be interesting (for you), not just a job that you would like because of the high salary or for some other reason. A job that would be exciting or fun to do is not really the same as an interesting job. Something that is "interesting" stimulates the mind.
This does not have to be your real future work plan, and it
might be best not to talk about that, although it would not be wrong to
choose that. An example of an answer is, "I think working as an
archaeologist would be an interesting job". Unfortunately, there are not
many jobs
Work in Your Country
What are
some of the most popular job choices (or career choices) among young
people in your country today
Do you think it's a good trend for many young people to choose the same kind of job (or career, or course to study)?
Do many young people want to get a government job?
What are
some examples of high-paying jobs in your country
What qualities are required for the highly paid jobs? See Note 1
Why are
some jobs highly paid while other are low-paid jobs
Can you think of any jobs that used to exist in your country that no longer exist?
At what age do people usually retire in your country?
(Similar to above) How many years do you think people are fit for work, before they retire?
Changing Jobs
Is it common for people in your country to stay in the same job for a long
time
Choosing a Career
Do you think high schools should give career guidance to their students?
Describe a time when you lost something important.
You should say
what you lost
when and where and you lost it
what you were doing at the time
and explain how you felt after you lost it. *
or
Notes
Losing (and mislaying) Things
Do people in your
country often lose things
Can you explain why people lose things?
What kinds of
people do you think often lose things
What kinds of things do you think are the easiest to lose?
In what situations do people most often lose things?
How do people find something that they have lost?
Do you think it's useful to ask others whether they have seen the lost thing?
Children Losing Things
Being Well-Organized
Do people often lose things at home?
Can you suggest
how someone can avoid losing things at home
Do you think
well-organized people lose things very often
(Similar to
above)
Do you think well-organized people are that way from birth, or did they learn to be organized?
Can you give any examples of how a person can be well-organized?
Studies have
shown that people who are messy are more creative. Can you explain why this
is so
Do you think the world is, in general, well-organized, or is it in chaos?
Collecting Things
What are some examples of things that people in your country like to collect?
Where can (or do) people buy collectibles?
Do you have the hobby of collecting anything?
Is there anything you would like to collect?
Possibly this
question was really, "
"Qualities" means personal qualities, including learned skills but "qualifications" refers to formal educational qualifications, such a degree.
a) That question
might be,
b) Many candidates say something like, "they like to choose ..." Including the word "like" is not necessary. And I doubt that the examiners use the words, "like to choose" in the question. Just say, "they choose".
A more serious grammatical error is to say, "they would like to choose . . ." What people do and what they would like to do are two different things and, in fact, what they would like to do is talking about something they don't do!
For example, "Many young people choose to work in the financial industries or in the information technology area but I think some of them would like to work in the entertainment industry, such as acting in TV shows and films or being pop singers, (if they could)." Another example: "Most people in my city live in an apartment but many of them would like to live in a house (if they could)".