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
Please note that the following questions can be used by teachers and students or anyone who wants to improve their spoken English. All you have to do is talk about the topic with your speaking partner or tutor.
For those taking the IELTS exam, please read the tips for Part 2 of the oral component of the test here:IELTS Speaking: Part 2 Sample Questions (List 1) & Tips.
You can find more information about the Speaking exam if you also read
IELTS Speaking: The Basics
IELTS Speaking – Part 2
Questions (Cue Card)
1) Describe a comedian from your
country.
Say:
- who he/she is
- where they perform
- what is special about them
- why this comedian is well known in your country
2) Describe a typical street market
you have been to.
Say:
- where it was
- what you can buy there
- what the vendors and visitors were like
- whether you enjoyed visiting it
3) Describe a special childhood
friend.
Say:
- what your friend is like
- when and where you first met
- how you became friends
- why this friend is special to you
4) Describe a person who talks a lot.
Say:
- who the person is
- what this person does for a living
- what this person usually talks about
- whether this habit of theirs annoys you
5) Describe a sport you have seen on
TV and would like to try.
Say:
- what sport it is
- what equipment you need to do this sport
- why you haven’t done it before
- what you would most enjoy about it
6) Describe an animal you like.
Say:
- what kind of animal it is
- what it looks like
- what such an animal usually does during the day
- why you like this animal so much
7) Describe a city/country you would
like to live or work in, in the future.
Say:
- what country/ city it is
- what it is like
- what you think you would like most about being there
- what kinds of difficulties you think you would face there
8) Describe a person you met
recently and would like to meet again.
Say:
- who the person is
- where you met
- what you discussed
- why you would like to meet them again
9) Describe your favorite TV
program.
Say:
- what the program is called
- how often you watch it
- what the focus of the program is
- why it is your favorite program
10) Describe an outing that didn’t
cost much money.
Say:
- where you went
- who you went with
- what you did
- whether you would change something about this outing
11) Describe a recent event that
made you happy.
Say:
- what the event was
- where it occurred
- what happened
- why it made you so happy
12) Describe your favorite story.
Say:
- when you first heard it
- who you heard it from
- what happens in the story
- why this is your favorite story
13) Describe a job you would like to
do.
Say:
- what kind of job it is
- what the job involves
- why you would enjoy it
- what benefits you get from doing this job
14) Describe a nice photo of you
that you like.
Say:
- when the photo was taken
- where you are in this photo
- who the photo was taken by
- who else is in the photo with you
- why you like this photo so much
15) Describe your favorite season.
Say:
- what season it is
- what you usually do during this season
- whether there is anything you dislike about it
- why it is your favorite season