IELTS Speaking Exam - How to Do Part Three of the IELTS Speaking Test

Hi, I’m Oli.

Welcome to Oxford Online English.

In this lesson, you can learn about the IELTS speaking exam part three.

The IELTS speaking test has three parts.

In this class, you can learn in more detail about part three of the speaking exam, and

how to get a better score.

First, let’s review what happens in part three of the IELTS speaking test.

The examiner will ask you some open-ended questions about a topic.

The topic is often related to what you spoke about in part two of the exam.

For example, if your topic in part two was “Talk about a sport you enjoy playing,”

the topic in part three will almost certainly be about sports.

In part three, the examiners want to see if you can express your opinions clearly.

They also want to see if you can talk about more abstract topics, not just about you and

your own life.

Also, in part three, the examiner can respond to what you say and take the conversation

in different directions.

That means it’s more like a natural conversation than the other parts of the IELTS speaking

exam.

The other parts follow a script.

The questions in part three are generally quite simple.

However, you need to be careful; just because the questions are simple, that doesn’t mean

your answers should be simple.

The questions give you an opportunity to speak.

You need to use that opportunity.

So how can you do that?

Well, let’s take some sample questions on the topic of sports:

"Do you think that children do less sport and exercise than in the past?"

Let’s see how you can answer this question effectively.

Part one: support your opinions.

The worst answer in part three is a very short answer.

Don’t say something like,

"Yes, I agree."

It's not enough just to give your opinion; you also need to support your ideas.

How can you do this?

Well, first, try to give a reason.

For example:

"Yes, I agree.

Children have more homework and are under more pressure at school, so they have less

time to play sports or do something outside."

Secondly, try to add an example from your life.

For example:

"Yes, I agree.

Children have more homework and are under more pressure at school, so they have less

time to play sports or do something outside.

For example, when I was younger, I played outside with my friends every day after school.

Nowadays, I never see children playing outside."

But, you say, what if I can’t think of a reason?

What if I don't have an example?

No problem—just add one or the other.

But, you say, what if I can’t think of examples from my life or any reasons?

No problem—just make one up!

For example:

"My friend Sam and his wife have an 8-year-old daughter.

She has to do around two hours of homework every day after school.

Of course, this means she’s too tired to go outside or do anything in the evening.

When I was eight years old, I hardly had any homework."

Good answer, right?

But guess what—I don’t have a friend called Sam!

I just made it all up.

It’s a complete lie, and that doesn’t matter at all.

The examiner doesn’t care if you’re telling the truth or not.

Using an imaginary friend as an example can be a very useful.

Here's another trick:

"In a recent survey, researchers discovered that children 30 years ago did five hours

of exercise or physical activity every week.

Now, the average is just one hour of activity a week."

Again, there was no survey.

I just made it up.

I'm lying!

And again: no one cares.

You can do this too.

The examiner is not going to stop the exam to check your research on the Internet.

They don't care.

However, remember that this is only for emergencies, if you can’t think of anything to say—it's

difficult to think of things like this.

It’s always better to use real examples if you can.

Now it’s your turn.

Think about the question:

"Do you think that children do less sport and exercise than in the past?"

First of all, do you agree or not?

Secondly, why do you agree or disagree?

Thirdly, can you think of examples from your life, or from people you know?

Think about how you would answer this question.

Okay, part two: speculate—talk about possibilities.

You can make your answers better in part three of your IELTS speaking test by speculating.

What's speculating?

What does speculate mean?

Speculating means talking about something you aren’t sure about.

For example, for our sample question, if you answer:

"Children definitely do less sport and exercise nowadays, but I’m not sure why that is.

Maybe it’s because they spend more time online, playing video games and so on."

By saying “I’m not sure why that is.

Maybe it’s because…”

By doing this, you are speculating.

You’re talking about something which you don’t know about, and you’re saying what

could be true.

You’re talking about possibilities.

Speculating is a really useful tool.

It lets you extend your answer.

It lets you use advanced language.

It also lets you talk about something you don’t know about.

Many students complain that they don’t know what to say in the IELTS speaking test.

Here's a solution; here's an answer.

You can talk about ideas and things you don’t know about; you don’t just have to talk

about facts.

So, how can you speculate?

There are many simple phrases and structures you can use.

First, use a verb like 'might', 'may', or 'could'.

For example:

"I think children might have less free time than in the past."

"Parents may not be willing to let children play outside nowadays, especially in big cities."

Secondly, you can use a phrase like 'it’s possible that…' or 'one possible reason

is that…'

For example:

"It’s possible that there aren’t so many parks and other places where children can

play sport."

Or: "One possible reason is that parents aren’t

interested in sport, so they don’t encourage their children to play sport and be active."

Thirdly, you can use an if-sentence.

For example,

"If children have more homework nowadays, of course it’ll be more difficult for them

to play sport."

"Obviously, if children spend lots of time in front of a screen, they won’t go outside

and do something active."

Speculate as much as possible during part three of the IELTS speaking exam.

It will help you to give longer answers and get a better score.

Part three: how the other side of the argument.

A lot of IELTS advice sounds the same.

“Develop your answers.”

“Add details.”

“Make your answers longer.”

Okay, but how?

Here’s the simplest way: don’t just give your opinion; discuss the opposite opinion

too.

Let’s stay with our sample question and answer.

To review, you want to agree with the idea that children do less sport now than before.

You start your answer, you give reasons and examples, and you speculate.

Next, discuss the other side of the argument.

For example:

"… On the other hand, many of my friends’ children are very active, often more active

than their parents.

It isn’t true that all children are less active than in the past."

"… However, spending time online can also help to get children interested in new sports

and activities.

It’s much easier to find sports clubs and activities in your local area nowadays, thanks

to technology."

This lets you use linking words like 'on the other hand' or 'however', and again, this

is all making your answer longer and more detailed.

We haven’t finished yet, but let’s review these three points, because they’re all

connected.

In part three of the IELTS speaking test, you can improve your answer by: adding reasons

to support your opinions; using examples from your own life; speculating (= talking about

possibilities, and things you aren’t sure about); and, discussing the other side of

the argument.

If you do all this, you can turn a bad answer:

"Yes, I agree."

Into this:

"Yes, I agree.

Children have more homework and are under more pressure at school, so they have less

time to play sports or do something outside.

For example, when I was younger, I played outside with my friends every day after school.

Nowadays, I never see children playing outside.

I’m not sure why that is.

Maybe it’s because they spend more time online, playing video games and so on.

However, spending time online can also help to get children interested in new sports and

activities.

It’s much easier to find sports clubs and activities in your local area now, thanks

to technology."

You can see how following a few simple steps can help you to extend and develop your answer

into something really good.

If you can produce answers like this in part three of your IELTS speaking exam, you’ll

get a good score.

Okay, I know what you’re thinking.

Firstly, you’re thinking: “Well, that’s easy for you, Mr Native Speaker!

But how can I do it?”

I disagree—I think you can do it.

Here’s why:

Most of the IELTS students I meet are around bands 5-6-7 and their target is maybe 6, 6.5,

7, rarely higher.

If you're at this level, you have the language to do something like this.

Go back, read the answer again.

It isn’t that complicated.

I don’t use advanced vocabulary or very complicated grammar.

You can do it!

Maybe with some mistakes, but if you can understand this video, you can make an answer like this.

It just takes practice.

Secondly, maybe you’re thinking: “Thanks very much, Oli.

Now I know how to answer one question.

How does that help me?

They’re going to ask me different questions in my exam.”

You can use these ideas to answer any question in part three of the IELTS speaking test.

You can’t possibly prepare for every question they might ask you.

But you can remember to think of reasons, think of examples, and so on.

This will make your answers better.

Next, let’s look at some different advice for part three:

Number four: use filler phrases to give yourself thinking time.

Your answers in part three will often be longer and more complicated compared to part one

or part two, so trying to give an answer like this without thinking could be difficult.

If you start speaking without thinking first, your answer might be disorganized and difficult

to follow.

So what should you do?

If you need a few seconds to think and organize your thoughts, use a filler phrase.

For example:

"Let me think about that for a second."

"That’s an interesting question."

"What can I say about that?"

You can also use filler phrases in the middle of your answer, if you need to pause and think.

For example,

"What else can I say?"

"Let me see—can I think of an example?"

"What other reasons could there be for this?"

Filler phrases are natural—native speakers use them, so you can use them, too.

It's much better to use a filler phrase than just to sit there in silence.

Using filler phrases like this shows the examiner that you’re really thinking about the question,

and that you have more to say.

On the other hand, don’t use filler phrases too much.

You can’t use them for every question or all the time.

Save them for the more complicated questions, when you really need some extra thinking time.

Filler phrases can give you more thinking time, but what if you really can’t think

of anything to say?

Okay, let's look.

Part five: be honest.

I know we said before that it’s OK to lie or make up examples, but what if you really

can’t think of anything, even a lie, even a fake story?

If you really have no ideas about something, say so.

For example, the examiner asks you:

"Do you think that children do less sport and exercise than in the past?"

You could say:

"I really have no idea.

I don’t have children, and none of my friends do either.

I’m afraid it’s just not a topic I can say much about."

Be careful: you shouldn’t do this unless it’s absolutely necessary.

You also need to give a reason why you don’t have anything to say.

You need to make it clear to the examiner that it’s not just your English skills which

are stopping you from giving a full answer.

Secondly, if you do this, you can only really do it once.

Finally, even if you do this, you should still try to speculate.

For example:

"I really have no idea.

I don’t have children, and none of my friends do either.

I’m afraid it’s just not a topic I can say much about.

I suppose that children might be less active than in the past, because they spend more

time online and playing video games and things like that."

You need to put thought into your answer, and try to add details, even if your answer

is basically “I don’t know.”

Otherwise, it could affect your IELTS score.

However, this can save you if you get a question which you really don’t know how to answer.

It won’t affect your score if you make your reasons clear, and if you put some thought

into your answer.

The examiner wants you to speak.

By saying something like this to the examiner, you’re saying, “I can’t say much about

this, so give me a different question or topic.”

Being honest like this is much better than trying to answer the question when you have

no idea what to say.

Just remember, this is something you can only use if it's really necessary.

Okay, our last point:

Part six: interact with the examiner.

Part three of the IELTS speaking test is different, because it’s the first time in the speaking

exam that the examiner can actually talk to you.

In parts one and two, the examiner is reading a script.

He or she has very little freedom to respond to what you say.

However, part three is different.

The examiner can respond to what you say, and take part in the conversation more.

What does this mean for you?

During part three of the IELTS speaking exam, you need to listen to what the examiner says,

and think about what he or she wants you to do.

For example:

Is the examiner responding to something you said, or asking a new question?

Is the examiner asking for more details about something you said?

Is the examiner asking you to give your opinion, or respond to a different opinion?

This also means that you shouldn’t expect to just speak for as long as you want.

The examiner can—and will—jump into the conversation to ask extra questions, or to

change the direction a little bit.

You need to be flexible in part three.

In parts one and two, you’re given questions and you can answer without being interrupted,

you can say what you want.

In part three, you need to interact with the examiner.

It should be more like a natural conversation, rather than a question-answer format.

Okay, that’s the end of the lesson on part three.

I hope all this IELTS advice was useful.

If you’ve watched all of our videos on the IELTS speaking exam, you should now have a

good idea of what to expect and what to do in the IELTS speaking test.

Good luck if you have an exam coming up!

Remember also you can see more of our free lessons on our website: Oxford Online English

dot com.

But for today, thanks very much for watching, see you next time!