IELTS Speaking Part 3: explain, alternative, example
In part 3 of the speaking test, you need to give longer, detailed answers. A good way to do this is
by organising your answers according to the following steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Idea: answer the question directly.
Explain: give a reason or explain your answer in more detail.
Alternative: explain an alternative (e.g. the opposite) to your answer.
Example: give an example to support your answer.
Another idea: sometimes you think of another idea while you are speaking. Just add it on
the end of your answer.

You can give a really good answer without including all five steps, but you might find it useful
to practise including all five, as I've done here:
Why do you think some people prefer to buy products from their own countries rather than
imported items?
(idea) I suppose it‟s because those people want to support the economy of the country they live
in. (explain) If they buy something that was made in their own country, they know that they are
contributing to the salaries of workers within the same country, (alternative) whereas if they buy
imported items, a foreign company and its employees will benefit. (example) For example, if I
buy some meat that originates from a local farm rather than a farm in another country, I‟m
helping one of my fellow citizens to carry on in business. (another idea) Also, I think that trust is
an issue; people might feel that they can trust domestically produced items more than imported
ones.
I think this is a matter of national pride. In my case, whenever I see a product made in my own country, I
feel proud and would choose to buy it even I know there are better products in the market from other
countries. Besides, although it is very little amount of money that I spend, I can somehow feel that I am

who created Harry Potter. They have had amazing careers and have also made a lot of money in the
process. Nevertheless, for every Stephen King there are probably a 10,000 failed writers and even some
of his books have not been well received. It’s a tough industry because so many people want to become
writers and so it’s extremely difficult to write something original and even then it’s not guaranteed to
sell.

Here are some useful phrases from the sample which you can use to answer the same
questions.
In my opinion, there are many reasons why people decide to write a book
Some people have an important story to tell
For instance, I recently read…and it was fascinating.
Writers of fiction, on the other hand, may just enjoy writing.
Look at…he/she has written countless books and shows no sign of stopping.
People like him/her seem to have a real passion for writing.
Being a professional writer is a tough job.


The whole creative process of planning, writing and redrafting a book can take years.
I guess that dedication and self-discipline are prerequisites for any aspiring or established
writing.
I also believe that being able to connect with readers is essential.
People say that ‘everyone has a book in them’ but I doubt if we could all write one.
Writing is a skill and not everyone has it.
There are many famous writers like…who has/have..
Some of his/her books have not been well received.
It’s a tough industry because…

Now, make some of your own sentences about writing books and write them in the
comments box below. Here are some more practice questions. Leave your answers in the
comments box and a teacher will mark them for you!

the activities for free time such as badminton as an expensive outlet.
TOPIC: Your town


1. Can you describe your town or village to me? My hometown is such a simple place. It’s a community with

2.
3.
4.
5.

about 10, 000 people who are mostly into farming but others go to offices. Houses are well-spaced unlike in
cities that are crowded. There are small stores and a market and other commercial establishments like
hospitals, schools and retail shops. There’s also a small sports complex and a quiet park.
What jobs do people in your town do? Some are farmers and the others are working in offices. In addition,
there are also some who own business such as stores and other poultry business.
What things are there to do in your town in your free time? Well, there are quite a number of you know
simple activities that could be done in my hometown. There’s badminton, typical Filipino games, and card
games. Most often, people there love to gossip or chat about anything for long hours.
What do you like about your town? I think it has to be the peacefulness of the town as there are only a few
people there. Also, I would say that there is no traffic in the town.
How has your town changed over the last twenty years? It changed significantly. For instance, the market
has been improved by constructing a building to enclose the area. There’s also a swimming pool now in the
sports complex and the road are well-paved and there are enough public transport in the area.

TOPIC: Transport—provide your own answers here
1. How did you come here today?
2. What is public transport like in your town?
3. How do you think it could be improved?
4. Do you think people should use public transport more? Why (not)?


TOPIC: Places to go in your free time
1. What do people do in your town in their free time? Well, most of them just stay at home, watch TV or read
magazines while the others would play a sport such as badminton or basketball.
2. Where can they go out for entertainment, or to enjoy themselves? Most of them go to shopping malls.
Filipinos love going to the malls. Well, there are parks where they can spend time talking with someone.
3. Which do you prefer: eating in restaurants or eating at home? I prefer to eat at home because it’s safe,
cheaper and you can cook the food that you’d like to eat. In restaurants, it’s a little expensive and
sometimes the taste of the food isn’t what you’re looking for.
4. Which are the best places to eat out? In my hometown, there are small restaurants. Well, there are fast
foods which are really popular and also restaurants catering Japanese, Chinese and other international
menu.

TOPIC: Reading
1. Do you enjoy reading? Why? Yes sometimes because I know that reading is an important skill. You can
learn many things from reading.
2. What sort of things do you read? I don’t read books that much. I prefer newspapers and magazines.
3. Tell me something about your favorite book. I’d rather tell you about my favorite newspaper. It’s called the
Manila Bulletin. It’s a daily broadsheet but I prefer to read the Sunday issue of this paper. Basically, it
contains up to date and comprehensive news coverage of issues affecting the people and issues
concerning the country. However, I read most of the time the classified ads section as I normally search for
hot jobs in and out of the country.
4. What are the advantages of reading instead of watching television or going to the cinema? First of all,
reading is not expensive as compared with going to the cinema. Reading provides detailed information
about a subject or topic whereas watching television gives you abbreviated information about a subject or
topic.
Topic: You
1. Do you work or study?
Definitely, your response to this question would be I am working, I’ve worked before in…, or I worked as a
welder before in…

your answer in a blank tape. Read the topic first before your recording of answer. Your objective is to record a
response that is 2-minute long. You are provided a list of transitional markers at the end of this hand out for
use with your responses in Part 2 and 3. Before recording, read first the 3 sample part 2 answers below.

1. Describe a place you visited recently
2. Describe a friend
3. Describe a child you know
4. Describe an object you like
5. Describe a photograph
6. Describe a historical figure
7. Describe an important event in your culture
8. Describe your favorite newspaper
9. Describe your last holiday
10. Describe the clothes that you like
11. Describe the person whom you’d like to spend time always
12. Describe a person that you like to be with when you grow old
13. Describe a game that you play when you were a child
14. Talk about the difference of growing up in the city and in the countryside
15. Describe a household equipment that you prefer

*Look at the NOTE section below. Use the opening phrases to start with your responses for the topics above.
Model Answers
NOTE: There are many possible ways of starting your answer, including:
I’d like to talk about a TV program called…
I’m going to talk about a TV program called…
A TV program that I found really interesting was…
Sample 1:
Talk about a happy event in your childhood that you remember well.
You should say:
-where the event took place

work. Despite its comic attributes, it also provides awareness to viewers about issues confronting personalities of
national prominence as well as typical situations in the Philippine community. These things make the program
interesting to me. I think this is all that I can say about the show.
Describe a town or city you would like to visit.
You should say:
-where it is
-how it is similar to your hometown
-how it is different from your hometown
And explain why you would like to visit it.
A city that I found really interesting and which I would like to go to in the future would be Perth, Australia. This city
comes to mind first because this is where I will work as a welder. Most probably, this will also be the destination of
the majority of the skilled workers applying for Australia. It is located in Western Australia and is the fastest growing
city in the country. Being the fourth largest city, it holds major commercial establishments which are really ideal for
skilled workers like me. Well, I come from Pampanga, also a growing town. This is the only similarity that I could cite.
Perth is very different from Pampanga, of course. Firstly, Perth has huge population which favors their labor force. As
I have read, there is always job for everyone in Australia. Secondly, it has well-established highways for an economy
to prosper. In Pampanga, roads are still being improved. Thirdly, there is good provision for the benefits of the
residents unlike in my hometown where even health care is not sufficient. I would like to visit this place to enjoy these
benefits and, most of all to work and earn for my family here. That’s all!
SPEAKING MODULE PART 3
Sample Questions


Directions: Prepare your response to the following questions. When you prepare your answer, make sure that you
don’t write the whole answer but rather write key words. Once you are ready, in a quiet place, record your answer in
a blank tape. Read the topic first before your recording of answer. Your objective is to record a response that is 35 sentences long. You are provided a list of transitional markers at the end of this hand out for use with your
responses in Part 2 and 3. Before recording, read first the 3 sample part 3 answers below.
Topic A:
How does tourism affect a country? Does it have some advantages? Can cultures learn from each other?
Topic B:

Sample 2:
How do you think the countryside may change in the future?
Well, most probably there will be internet access to these areas and stronger signals for mobile networks so that the
residents can benefit from good communication. In addition, I am also looking at positive changes in the education
sector. As observed, nowadays, people coming from these areas have poor communication skills.
Sample 3:


Where do most people live in your country- in the city or in the countryside?
I guess more people are coming to cities lately in the Philippines. Noticeably, teenagers and young adults are
searching for jobs in Makati or Ortigas City and eventually live there for work purposes. While this could be positive to
the city’s labor force, it would also pose some problems such as overcrowding and traffic.

Here are more topics for you to practice. You may or may not record these and your answers. However, it is still
highly recommended that you record them if you don’t have a partner to practice with. NOTE: Practice makes perfect!

1. Describe your own family’s favorite holiday destination.
2. Identify what most people in your country do on their holidays.
3. Discuss the pros and cons of spending holidays overseas or spending them in your own country.
4. Describe the main tourist destinations for overseas tourists coming to your country.
5. Describe how people entertain guests in your country.
6. What are the advantages of entertaining friends at home or of meeting them in public places?
7. What are the forms of entertainment young people and adults prefer in your culture.
8. Describe the main activities that go on in a family room in your culture.
9. Evaluate the importance of spending time with your family at home.
10. Compare the importance of spending time with your family and with your friends.
Transitional Devices (Connecting Words)
Transitional devices are like bridges between parts of your essay or letter. They are cues that help the reader to interpret ideas in
the way that you, as a writer, want them to understand. Transitional devices help you carry over a thought from one sentence to
another, from one idea to another, or from one paragraph to another with words or phrases. And finally, transitional devices link

To Give an Example:
for example, for instance, in this case, in another case, on this occasion, in this situation, take the case of, to demonstrate, to
illustrate, as an illustration, to illustrate
To Summarize or Conclude:
in brief, on the whole, summing up, to conclude, in conclusion, as I have shown, as I have said, hence, therefore, accordingly,
thus, as a result, consequently, on the whole

Speaking Activity
Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, write two sentences for each question. Remember to write interesting
sentences as these will catch the examiner’s attention and would count towards getting a higher score in the IELTS
Speaking Test.
Warm-up

1. Could you show me your identification card please? Sure. Here is my passport/SSS
2. Could you tell me your full name please? My name is John Santos. You can call me Joe as my friends call
3.
4.
5.
6.

me this way.
What shall I call you? I prefer to be called Joe. Ever since I was young I was called like this.
Does your name have any special meaning? I actually don’t know but I’ll to research on that.
Why do so many people change their names? Maybe because it’s unpleasant or conflict of interest.
Is your name important to you? Definitely. It is for security purpose and personal identification.

Hometown or birth place

1.
2.

5. What do you usually do with your friends?
6. Do you like reading?
7. What kind of books do you like best?
8. Do you like English? Why or why not?
9. What do you think of the importance of English?
10. What are good hobbies and bad hobbies? Why?

Future plan

1.
2.
3.
4.

Why do you take the IELTS test?
What are you planning to do in the next five years?
What are you planning to do in the next ten years?
What is the first thing you will do when you arrive at the new place?

Traveling

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Do you like traveling?
Do you like travel alone or with your friends?

What kind of music do you like best?
Why do you like this kind of music?

Transportation

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Can you say something about the transportation in your hometown?
What is the common means of transport in your country?
Do traffic jams often occur in your hometown or in the city where you live?
How to solve the problem?
What changes in transportation have taken place in the past several years in your country?

Building

1. Can you tell me an interesting building in your hometown?
2. Can you tell me an interesting building in Manila?

IELTS Speaking

Brushing Up

Useful Language
At the moment, I’m living/ studying/ working…
Before that I lived in…
Recently, I’ve been to …/ started playing badminton…etc

Usually, I and my family go out and stroll around in a mall. Also, we go to church to hear mass.
REMEMBER:
 Make sure you answer the question.
 One-word answers are NOT acceptable.
 Always add some extra information to your answer.
Frequently Asked Questions in Part II

Describe an occasion when you have been successful. You should say:
 Where and when you were successful
 How you were successful
 What you had to do to make sure you were successful
And describe how you felt about your success.
ANSWER: I would like to talk about the moment that I worked in the Middle East as a welder. I
think it was 3 years ago. It was a very challenging experience since I have to leave my family
behind and work there alone in a country where I don’t know anyone. The culture was totally
new and I had to deal with it squarely. So, I consider this a great success because I was able to
survive and to send money to my family in the country. Aside from constant missing of my family,
I also had to bear with the inconveniences of day to day work where I met foreign people and


talk to them. Nevertheless, it was fulfilling and rewarding experience because I saw my children
grow up properly in terms of education, food and shelter.
REMEMBER:
It is important to keep talking, but don‟t talk about things which are not related to the topic.

Talk about an important day in your life. You should say:
When this day was
If you were alone or with others
Where you were and what happened
And explain why this day was important to you.

Do you enjoy playing sports?
Would you like to go there again?
Do you think it will be easy to get a job in IT?
Have you ever been to any other countries in
Europe?
Would you consider doing the same sort of
job again?
Would you recommend the holiday to other
people?

Yes, definitely. I particularly enjoy outdoor ones.
Possibly. It would depend on who I went with.
I expect so. It’s a growing industry.
Yes, a few. France, Spain and Germany.
I don’t think so. It wasn’t really for me.
No, not really. It wasn’t very good value for money.

Part III
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is it a good idea to exercise regularly?
Definitely! Nowadays, life is very stressful. Exercise is the ultimate solution to balance work and
family life.
Are there more crimes these days?
I think so. With the society becoming more materialistic, crimes tend to increase also because
people want to have more in life.
Do you think everyone should have a mobile phone?
Yes, I think it is a good idea that everyone becomes wireless in terms of communication.

Linking Ideas
On the other hand

I tend to think that…

Frequently Asked Questions in Part 3:
Do you think smoking should be banned in all public places?
It’s really hard to say but I think if this plan will benefit the majority, then it’s ok to ban it. For
sure smokers will greatly go against this proposal as this has become their way of life.
Do you prefer to go out or stay at home in the evening?
I prefer to stay at home because I have to help my wife take care of my children. Besides, this is
the only time that I can spend with my children, helping them do their homework. On the other
hand, when I became a father going out became limited to just meeting with very common
friends who my wife knows.
Do you think that e-mail has made our lives easier?
Definitely, yes! Before I used to send letter through post but it needed much time to reach its
destination. Now, e-mails greatly help me with sending of letters. It’s fast and convenient.
Which is better: living in the countryside or in the city?
I’d rather live in the city. City life offers modern living. There are many opportunities in terms of
work, entertainment, leisure and dining. However, the countryside gives a very common and
limited life style which is I guess preferred by people in their old age.
How likely it is that computer will be able to do your job in the future?
With the kind of work that I do, computers are of great help. Back then, we had to do manual
work in terms of calibration of machines. Today, calibration is done through computers making
our work more efficient and easy to do.
Would you rather watch sport or play it?
Actually, I like both. If I want to learn how to play a new sport, I watch it first. Similarly, if I
want to improve a sport that I know how to play, I watch it on TV so I could learn some
techniques.
What do you think the consequences of global warming will be?


If there’s global warming, our environment will be warmer. People and animals might have

It depends. There are toys that have good effects to children. Due to commercialization lately,
there are also many hazardous toys. So, having few or many toys would be the prerogative of the
parents. They should always guide their children in choosing toys to play.
Is it important to celebrate birthdays and other festivals?
Absolutely, yes! Birthdays come once a year. In the Philippines, celebrations are highly
regarded by Filipinos. Celebrations are blessings that need to be commemorated, the same with
festivals which are mostly religious in nature.


Speaking Practice:
Directions: Provide a 2-minute response to the following questions. Record your answer on a
blank tape.

1. Discuss an interesting place you have been to recently (What is it, where is it, whether
you like or dislike the place)

2. Discuss an interesting person you have met (who he is, where he lives, what qualities
make him interesting)
3. Discuss what you would like to do when you get older (what is it, how you will do it,
why you will do it)
4. Discuss what you would like to learn in the future (what is it, how you can learn it,
why you’d like to learn it)
5. Discuss a frightening experience you had when you were young (what is it, where it
took place, what makes it frightening)
6. Discuss a person you like to spend time always (who he is, what you enjoy to do, why
you like to be together always)
7. Discuss an exciting experience you had (what it is, where it happened, why it became
exciting)
8. Discuss a favorite pet (what kind, where you got it from, why it is a favorite)
9. Discuss something you like to do when you have free time (what it is, how you do it,

is to familiarize yourself with the kind of questions that could be asked. While answering, avoid
monosyllabic answers like „yes‟ or „no‟. Here are some questions that could be asked. Sample
answers are also given.
Question: Can you tell me your full name?
Answer: Sure. My full name is Manjusha Santosh Nambiar.
Question: Tell me something about the city you live in.
Answer: I live in Delhi. It is the capital of India. Delhi is an old city with a rich cultural heritage.
It is known for its monuments.
Question: Tell me something about the apartment you live in. What do you like about it?
Answer: I live in a rented apartment. It is a nice little place to live in. The one thing that I like
most about my apartment is its balcony where I spend my evenings listening to music. I can also
host small parties in my balcony.
Question: Is there anything you don‟t like about your apartment?
Answer: I like my apartment, but sometimes I feel that I should move into a bigger home. In my
apartment, there is hardly enough room for my things and me.
Question: Do you have a hobby?
Answer: Yes. Collecting stamps is my favourite hobby. I think stamps are windows to the world.
They tell us a lot of things about the history and civilization of the countries they come from.
Question: Do you enjoy watching English films?
Answer: Oh yes. I like English films because they are the most technologically advanced. I
watch them mostly for the special effects, but sometimes I enjoy the storyline too.
Question: What do you like about your city?


Answer: I like several things about my city. For instance, in my city the people are very warm
and friendly. They make you feel at home.
Question: Is there anything you don‟t like about your city?
Answer: Yes. In my city the traffic system is very congested. It is well connected by roads and
rail, but during peak hours you can hardly reach your home or office in time.
Question: Do you like your name?

answer.

2. Think about the tense required
3. Write down some key points
4. Write down some key vocabulary

Speaking
1. Use strong adjectives (fantastic!)


2. Speak with rhythm if possible
3. Try to avoid long pauses

1. Read the question below and the then underline the
key words.
Describe a place that you have visited that you particularly liked.
You should say:
a. When you visited there?
b.

Who you went with?

c.

What was most memorable?

And explain what you liked most about this place.
There are many possible ways of starting your answer, including:
I’d like to talk about a country called…
I’m going to talk about a city called…


3. Introduce your answer, paraphrasing the question, to
show you clearly understand the question.
I‟d like to talk about San Francisco, because it‟s a place I will never forget.
a. I went there in …..
b. I went there with ………
c. The thing I remember most is (PRESENT TENSE) …
d. Some of the things I enjoyed were
I‟d like to talk about San Francisco, because it‟s a place I will never forget. I went there in 1994 for
about six months. I went there with a friend of mine who is from Viet Nam. He is a vegetarian,
so we couldn‟t use any meat when we cooked. I also remember his brother who was a very
talented artist. The thing I remember most about San Francisco is that there were many tourist
attractions such as Fisherman‟s wharf, which had lots of delicious seafood and sour dough bread;
and Alcatraz Island, which used to be a prison for murders and other serious criminals. Some of
the things I enjoyed most about San Francisco were the different types people, the good weather,
the many different places and neighborhoods to visit. There were also many great restaurants and
overall it is a very relaxed lifestyle there.

4. Read the question below and the then underline the
key words.
Describe a historic place that you have visited that you particularly liked.
You should say:
a. When you visited there?
b.

Who you went with?


c.



7. Modifiers
To modify is to change. Modifiers can be weak or strong.
Weak
Strong

A little, sort of
Much, really, very, extremely

8. Useful language to use in your speech
Introductory phrases - when you start your talk:
I want to talk about…
I’d like to talk about…
I’m going to talk about…
I'm going to describe…
What I'm going to talk about is…
Developing phrases - when you want to expand your argument:
First of all…
Secondly,…
Additionally,…
Another thing…
Another reason why…
Furthermore…
Background phrases - when you want to add some detail:
At that time…
It happened…
It took place…
It’s been going on for/since…
It's near…
Impression phrases - when you want to say something that made an impression on

“Yes, I do.”

Sample Questions according to different topics
PEOPLE: Individuals : Appearance / Personality / Hobbies / Relationship / My own feeling

Describe one of your neighbors




What is your neighbor like?
Do you like this neighbor?
When do you usually meet his neighbor?

and say if this person is a good neighbor
Describe a young person you admire.
You could say:



who this person is
how long you have known them