IELTS Tips: Speaking Part 2 - More Practice!
Today we’ll look at another sample prompt for Speaking Part 2 along with an example response, tips, and explanations for more practice!
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Part 2 of the Speaking test requires test-takers to speak continuously for up to 2 minutes. You’ll receive a task card with the topic and a few specific questions and you will have 1 minutes to prepare your answer before you start speaking.
Here are some tips that will help with Part 2 of the Speaking test:
Practice speaking about a variety of topics in English as much as you can. Not only will this help you improve your English speaking skills, it will also boost your confidence. Make sure to time yourself so that you can anticipate what it feels like to speak for 2 minutes.
Use the one minute of preparation time to note down key points that will help you structure your answer. This should also include examples of personal experiences that can make your answers more detailed.
Stay on topic and focus on answering the questions on the task card. Speak clearly and at a natural pace. Focus on pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary.
Here is another sample task card with an example response and explanations below!
Describe a book you have recently read.
You should say:
what kind of book it is
what it is about
what sort of people would enjoy it
and explain why you liked it.
“I recently read a book called ‘James’ which just came out last year.”
Make reference to the question and a period of time. It can be when the book was released or when you read it, such as, “…which I read last summer while I was on vacation.”
“I can’t remember the author’s name but he’s a well-known American writer who has previously won some awards for his books.”
Don’t get stuck trying to remember a detail like the author’s name. Instead mention points that you do remember and move on.
“‘James’ is a novel that is set in the southern part of the U.S.A., around the Mississippi River, and it’s actually based on the novel called ‘Huckleberry Finn’ by Mark Twain. Of course, ‘Huckleberry Finn’ is a very famous novel and I heard that a lot of students have to read it in high school. I read it when I was in university because one of my friends recommended it."
Start answering the questions, “what kind of book is it?” and “what is it about?” It’s natural for us to make mental connections and give some background information about what inspired us to read this book.
“Anyway, ‘James’ is written from the point of view of the character James, or Jim as he in known in “Huckleberry Finn,” and tells the story from his perspective.”
But, don’t get stuck on one point! If you catch yourself going off topic, a simple discourse marker like “anyway” can re-direct your thoughts back to the questions.
“It was really interesting how the author used the characters and setting of a really popular book, but then re-imagined it. The character, James, is an enslaved Black man who is looking for freedom for him and his family. Although the original novel, ‘Huckleberry Finn,’ is about the same subject matter, the reader doesn’t have insight into what the character of James is thinking and feeling which is why this book is so crucial.”
Remember that your response does not have to be linear. These few sentences continue explaining what the book was about while also talking about the last point which is explaining why you liked it. Since this is a description and opinion based response, you should be both describing aspects of the book while also sharing your opinions and personal thoughts about it.
“I think the type of people who would enjoy this book are people who have read ‘Huckleberry Finn’ because they already know the main plot, but ‘James’ expands on the original story, and we learn more about all of the adventures that James experiences while he is separated from Huckleberry. People who are interested in history and especially American history would also like this book because it’s set in the past and references some historical events.”
Another appropriate and effective way to start your sentences is by quoting part of the question, and you can slightly paraphrase as well. For example, the questions says “sort of” but you could say “type of” or “kind of".” This makes your response clear and shows that you understand the questions and are aware that you should stay on topic. Notice that two different explanations are given about what type of people would enjoy this book.
“I really liked this novel because it shows that there are many sides to a story and it’s interesting that authors can find creative ways to give a voice to characters who had a smaller yet significant role in an classic and iconic novel.”
If the timer hasn’t gone off yet, you can add more reasons for why you enjoyed the book. You should be able to expand and elaborate your response while using new vocabulary and avoiding repetition.”