IELTS
JOURNAL
77
Comparing past and present
In part 3 of IELTS speaking, you might be asked to compare the past with the
present. The examiner will be listening to your use tenses. For example:
Are there any differences between the types of people who were seen as
celebrities in the past and those who are celebrities nowadays?
Yes, I think there have been some big changes in the types of people who
become famous. In
the past, before the invention of television, I suppose there
were very few national or international celebrities; maybe kings and queens,
military, political and religious leaders were the only household names. With
the
advent of TV and radio, performers such as actors and musicians became
more well-known. However, we now seem to have a completely new breed of
celebrity as a result of 'reality' television programmes; these are people who
don't really have any
special skills as performers, but who are famous for just
being themselves.
Giving longer answers
Here are 3 techniques to help you give longer, more detailed answers:
1.
Keep asking yourself "why?"
2.
Explain the alternatives
3.
Give an example
Question:
Do you think that school children should be encouraged to have their own
ideas, or is it more important for them to learn what their teachers give them?
Answer:
I think that we should definitely allow children to
be creative and have their
own ideas.
(why?) Children need to develop the ability to think for themselves
and solve problems
(why?) because as adults they will not always have
somebody to guide them or tell them what to do.
(alternatives?) If we don't
allow children to have their own ideas, they will be less successful
in the adult
world; they will be too reliant on others.
(example?) A doctor, for example,
might encounter a situation that he or she hasn't been trained for, but will still
be expected to make a decision that could save someone's life.
IELTS
JOURNAL
78
Adding details
These are the 3 techniques you can use to create longer,
more detailed
answers:
1.
Explain why
2.
Give an example
3.
Explain the alternatives
Question:
Why do you think friendship is important?
Answer:
I think friendship is important for all sorts of reasons.
(why?) We need friends
to share experiences with,
to talk to, and for support.
(example?) In my case, I
like to meet up with friends at the weekend to do something enjoyable, like
see a film or go out for dinner. I like chatting with my friends about what we've
been doing during the week, or about what's happening in the world.
(alternatives?) Without friends to talk to, life would be dull and boring; we
would only have our families to talk to.
Using what you already know well
In parts 2 and 3
of the IELTS speaking test, you need to make quick decisions
about what to talk about. Always try to talk about a topic you have prepared or
something you know about. Here are some examples:
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