Updated Sep. 5, 2012
IELTS Part 2 and Part 3 Topics and Questions
Page 80
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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Money as a Gift
Besides the example you just talked about, are there any other occasions when money is given as a gift in your country?
What are the advantages of
giving money as a gift?
Do you think there are times when it's not very suitable to give money as a gift?
(Similar to above)
The Importance of Money
Do you think money is very important?
Do you think money is a good thing?
What do you think is the purpose of having such a thing as "money"?
Are there any problems (or, disadvantages) with using money for this (these) purposes?
Do you have any suggestions on how this problem could be addressed (or, solved)?
Do you think money can make people happy?
(Similar to above)
Would you say that having a lot of money is the same as being successful?
Are there any disadvantages to having lots of money
Do you think some people have too much money?
Are there many people in the country where you live who
have too much money?
(Similar to above) Is there much of a "wealth gap" in your country?
How do you think this problem should be handled?
Salaries
Are there any jobs in your country that are highly paid?
What jobs are the most highly paid in your country?
Why do some managers receive high salaries?
Do you think everyone who receives a high salary really deserves such a high salary?
Do you think people with occupations that help people such as doctors and nurses should be paid more?
Children, Young People & Managing Money
Do young people like to spend money?
Are there any differences between the way adults spend
money and the way young people spend money?
How can adults (parents) help children to learn to save
money?
Describe a film that you recently watched.
You should say:
what type of film it was
who the actors were
what the film was about *
and explain what you liked and possibly disliked about this film.
Notes
"Recently" here means within the past few months, up to a year ago. (But the film itself can be old!) The test makers probably include the word "recently" because if you have seen a film recently, you remember it better than a film you saw many years ago and can therefore talk more about it. It doesn't have to be an English-language film; it could even be a foreign film in another language besides English.
If you choose to talk about a film that originally had an English name, try to find out this English name of the film and say it correctly. This is not vital but it will give a better impression in an English language test.
I am guessing that the words, "and explain
See also the Part 3 questions for Topics 341, 278, 200, 145, 99 and 6.
Watching Films, in General
('young people' = those aged 13 to 30)
Film Preferences
What types of films are popular in your country?
What kinds of films do you personally prefer?
Do you prefer to watch new films or old films?
Why do you think some people like to watch old films? FQ
Do you think people can learn things from old films?
Where / How Films are Viewed
Which do you think is better, watching a film at home or watching it in a cinema? FQx2
(Similar to above) What's the difference (what are the differences) between watching a film at home and watching a film in a cinema? FQx2
How do people prefer to use to watch films, on a computer, on a television or on a big screen in a cinema?
Do you think there are advantages to watching a film on a big screen?
Who mainly goes to cinemas, young people or old(er) people? (Why?)
Do you think we really need to have cinemas now?
Age Difference
Who watches films more, young people or old(er) people? (Why?) FQx2
Do old(er) people generally like to watch the same kinds of films that young people watch?
Do you think young people spend too much time watching films?
Violence in Films
What's your opinion about violence and bloody scenes in
films?
Do you think such scenes should be censored from films? *
The Quality of Films
In general, what do you think are the qualities of a "good film"?
The Educational Value of Films
Do you think films are useful as educational tools?
Do you think people can learn more from
(Similar to above) In general, which do you think has
more educational value, watching a film or reading a book?
What do you think are the differences between watching a film and reading a book that has the same story as the film?
Film Actors (or, film stars)
Are there (any/many) famous film actors in your country?
How did they become famous?
The Film Industry
Is the film industry is an important industry in your country? *
In what ways does the production of films in your country help your country?
Notes
I am assuming that all the verbs in the 4 points on the card are past tense. As a general rule, answer using the same verb tense as the question.
See other important Notes
See important Notes on these Part 3 questions
Shopping in General
Do you like shopping?
Why do you think some people are "crazy about" shopping?
Shopping in Your Country
(Similar to above) How does shopping influence people's lives?
Types of Shops / Places for Shopping
Are there different types of shops?
Do different types of people go to different types of shops?
In recent years (e.g., the past 20 years), have there been any changes in your country to the ways people buy things? FQx2
(Similar to above) How is shopping today different to several decades ago?
How are shopping places (or, shops) today different to several decades ago?
Do people in your country prefer to but things in big supermarkets and department stores (or, shopping malls) or do they generally prefer to go to smaller, neighbourhood shops and markets? FQx2
Why are there more and more shopping malls being built nowadays?
What changes do you think we will see in the future concerning shopping? FQ
Shops Far From the City Centre
Why do you think shopping centres (or big shops) are sometimes built far from the centre of cities (on the outskirts of cities)?
Do you think there are any advantages for people to travel quite long distances to go to these shops (or shopping centres)?
Why do you think the prices of goods are usually cheaper in these shops than in shops that are in the city centre?
How would you calculate the cost of traveling to these shops?
So, do you think it's really worth traveling to these shops to buy things?
Male-Female Differences
Do men and women have the same attitudes towards shopping? FQx2
(Similar to above) Do men and women have the same shopping habits? FQx2
(Similar to above) Who prefers to go shopping, men or women? (Why?) FQx2
(Similar to above) What's the difference between men and women when it comes to the question of shopping?
In families, who generally buys the everyday household things (the groceries), men or women? (Why?)
Consumption Habits
What do people generally buy when they go shopping? *
In recent years (in your country), have there been any changes concerning what people buy?
Do you think people spend more money on buying things than they did in the past?
Holiday Shopping
Compared to normal shopping, what differences occur concerning people's shopping behaviour just before major a major (public) holiday period?
(Similar to above but different) Are there any differences between the shopping that people do during a major holiday and the shopping they do at other times?
Do people buy anything special when they go shopping during the holidays?
Do you think people spend too much money on holiday shopping?
Advertising
Do you think advertising has a big influence on people's shopping behaviour?
Online Shopping Frequent Sub-topic
What do you think are the pros and cons of shopping online? FQx2
(Similar to above) What are the benefits of online shopping? FQ
(Similar to above) Do you prefer online shopping or to buy things in real shops? FQ
Which is more popular in your country, shopping in shopping malls or shopping online?
What changes do you think will result as more and more people buy
things online?
Credit Cards
Do people in your country use credit cards very much?
Do you think credit cards are a good thing?
What do you think are both the advantages and the
disadvantages of using credit cards?
How can we prevent other people from using our credit cards online?
How are interest rates on credit cards decided?
Imported Goods
In what ways do you think "globalization" is changing shopping (in your country)?
What are some examples of imported things that people in your country buy?
What effect does it have on the food industry in your country when people buy imported food?
(Similar to above) Do you think buying imported goods is having an effect on local industries in your country? FQ
Describe an antique or some other old thing that your family has kept for a long time. *
You should say:
what it is
how (or when) your family first got this thing *
how long your family has kept it
and explain why this thing is important to your family. *
See also the Part 3 questions from
Old Things That People Keep in their Homes (or, in the family)
What are some examples of things that people keep in their homes for a long time?
Museums
What sorts of things can we see in museums?