IELTS Forecast General Training Speaking Test 01 (Online Test)

Part 1 · Question 2

What other sorts of lists do you make?

Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.

Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.

Pick up and paraphrase: sorts, lists

• What springs to mind is …
• …, and that is fairly typical where I am from.
• If I had to pick one, it would be …

Part 1 · Question 3

Where do you keep them?

Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.

Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.

• It depends, but generally …
• …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
• A good example of that would be …

Part 1 · Question 4

Do you tick things off as you go?

Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.

Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.

• I would say so, yes, mainly because …
• …, at least that has been my experience.
• On the other hand, some people would argue …

Part 2 · Question 5

Describe a place you have never been to but would like to visit.

Aim for 180–220 words — the full two-minute long turn.

Use the one minute of preparation to jot a word per bullet. Take the bullets in the order they are printed, spend the most time on the last one, and close by answering the final line of the card. Keep talking until the examiner stops you.

Pick up and paraphrase: visit, heard, you'd

• Not particularly, no — the thing is …
• …, which makes a real difference day to day.
• That said, I can see why others might …

Part 3 · Question 6

Where do most people get their ideas about foreign countries from?

Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.

Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.

Pick up and paraphrase: ideas, foreign, countries

• To be honest, …
• …, which is something I have always found useful.
• The main reason for that is …

Part 3 · Question 7

How accurate is the picture of a place that social media gives us?

Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.

Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.

Pick up and paraphrase: accurate, picture, social

• What springs to mind is …
• …, and that is fairly typical where I am from.
• If I had to pick one, it would be …

Part 3 · Question 8

What's lost when somewhere becomes famous for a single photograph?

Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.

Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.

Pick up and paraphrase: what's, somewhere, becomes

• It depends, but generally …
• …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
• A good example of that would be …

Part 3 · Question 9

Should countries advertise themselves to tourists, or let word of mouth do the work?

Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.

Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.

Pick up and paraphrase: countries, advertise, themselves

• I would say so, yes, mainly because …
• …, at least that has been my experience.
• On the other hand, some people would argue …

Part 3 · Question 10

In what ways does travelling change a person's opinions?

Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.

Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.

Pick up and paraphrase: travelling, change, person's

• Not particularly, no — the thing is …
• …, which makes a real difference day to day.
• That said, I can see why others might …

Part 3 · Question 11

Will virtual travel ever replace actually going somewhere?

Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.

Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.

Pick up and paraphrase: virtual, travel, replace

• To be honest, …
• …, which is something I have always found useful.
• The main reason for that is …