In the minds of ESL exam candidates, e ssay writing is one of the most daunting tasks they are required to complete, regardless of the level of the exam, the administering body or the ease with which they themselves use the language. The same applies to students who are asked to write an essay by their teachers at school. In the previous sample essays posted on the blog, the main point I stress is the need to become acquainted with this form of writing (as opposed to writing a letter, review or report, for instance), to get a feel of what authorial voice is and how to organize and progressively express the arguments you wish to make in a coherent manner. Unfortunately, the best way to prepare for exam writing or learn how to write good essays for school is to read as many essays from as many sources as possible, then write as
This blog post will provide you with a series of questions that could be asked at this stage of the test.
Make sure you've read IELTS Speaking:The Basics so your answers will make it possible for you to score higher.
After the questions, read some tips on how to answer your question for Part 2.
Sample Questions for Part 2 of the IELTS Exam
1) Describe a teacher who has influenced you in your education.
Say:
- where you met them
- what subject they taught
- what was special about them
- why this teacher influenced you so much
2) Describe something you own which is very important to you.
Say:
- where you got it
- how long you have had it
- what you use it for
- why this object is so important to you
3) Describe a memorable event in your life.
Say:
- when it took place
- where it took place
- what happened
- why this event was such a memorable one
4) Describe a film or TV program which has made a strong impression on you.
Say:
- when you saw it
- what kind of film or TV program it is
- what it was about
- why it made such an impression on you
5) Describe a well-known person you like or admire.
Say:
- who this person is
- what this person has done
- why this person is well known
- why you admire them
6) Describe one of your friends.
Say:
- how you met
- how long you have known each other
- how you spend time together
- why you like this person
7) Describe a festival that is important in your country.
Say:
- when the festival occurs
- what is done during it
- what you like or dislike about it
- why this festival is important in your country
8) Describe a song or piece of music you like.
Say:
- what the song or music is
- what kind of song or music it is
- where you first heard it
- why you like it
9) Describe a useful website you have visited.
Say:
- what the website was
- how you found the address for this website
- what the website contained
- why it was useful to you
10) Describe an interesting historic place.
Say:
- what it is
- where it is located
- what you can see there now
- why this place is interesting
11) Describe a river, lake or sea which you like.
Say:
- what the river, lake or sea is called
- where it is
- what the land near it is like
- why you like this river, lake or sea
12) Describe an interest or hobby that you enjoy.
Say:
- how you became interested in it
- how long you have been doing it
- why you enjoy it
- what benefits you get from this interest or hobby
Basic Tips for Part 2 of the IELTS
- organize your answers like you would an essay
- have an introductory sentence which can either
- be a reaction to the question
for example: "Well, finding a famous person I admire is somewhat difficult because ..., but if I had to choose someone it would have to be ...
- or paraphrase the topic of the question
for example: "A famous person I look up to is ...."
- cover each point that needs to be covered moving from one to the other smoothly with the use of linking words and phrases
for example: "First of all, I became interested in this hobby when my father took me to a football match as a five-year-old. ..... Now, as for how long I've been doing this hobby, ......
- conclude your answer with a statement that shows you've come to the end of your response. An easy trick is to simply start the sentence with "So" and then rephrase the question
for example: "So, that's the hobby I enjoy doing the most."
- answer the question as if you're telling a story
- the majority of question types in this part of the exam follow a who-what-where-when format
- remember what your teachers in grade school told you about when writing stories, and use it:
- you should have an introduction which sets the scene (talk about the time, place, people involved, general activity)
- next, you develop the story by giving details
- finally talk about people's feelings, reactions, opinions (other people's and your own)
If you follow these two basic tips, you are guaranteed to be able to fill up the two minutes.
Make sure to practice by timing yourself.
Also don't forget that you still need to think about including more complex vocabulary and grammatical structures to reach an 8.0 and above. Read more about this in the Grammar section of this blog.