NEW IELTS Speaking Questions | Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Here are some examples of new IELTS speaking questions for each test section: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 + sample answers.

Can you answer these IELTS speaking practice test questions?

New IELTS SPEAKING TEST Questions & Sample Anwers

PART 1

Do you work or study?

I’m studying at the moment, in my final year of an International Business Degree.

Why did you choose this subject?

Because I thought it would be interesting and also because there are some extremely interesting career opportunities available for successful graduates.

Where are you living?

I live with my parents, in our family home.

Which room do you like the most?

There are two rooms I really like, my own room because it’s like my personal space, and also the kitchen because it’s where we all spend a lot of time with my mother and also as a family – eating, talking and socializing as well.

Would you like to modify anything in that room?

No, not really. I think it is just fine as it is at the moment.

Did you make any items by hand when you were at school?

Yes, once or twice, as part of school projects. I can remember one of the first things I made was a fruit basket – made from reeds which I had to weave by hand into the shape of a basket.

I also remember making a model airplane from wood; I think I was a little older when I made that. It took me longer because I had to make all the different parts, the wings, the fuselage, the wheels, and the propeller, but it was quite good when it was finished – or so my teacher told me.

Do you have any plans to make handmade items in the future?

No, no plans for that sort of thing at the moment. Maybe much later in the future if I have a family, I’ll make some handmade things with my children one day.

Is it necessary that children should learn how to make handmade things?

I think it’s a good skill to learn because it teaches you coordination and patience, and some children love making things with their hands – it’s one way of discovering what children are good at, so yes I think it’s necessary to at least learn the basics.

PART 2

Describe a time you had to make a difficult decision

You should say:

what the decision was
why it was a difficult decision
how you decided

and say whether you think the decision was correct or not now.
www.ielts.org | Decision making IELTS speaking cue card

IELTS Cue Card Answer - A difficult Decision

Before I entered the final year of my degree course, I made quite a big life decision. I decided that I wanted to go and live and work abroad in Australia.

This was a big decision and it took me quite a long time to finally decide it was what I really wanted to do.

It was difficult for several reasons. Firstly, because it is a huge change – going off to another country and culture and leaving everyone I love behind, and everything that’s familiar.

Secondly, my parents are getting older now and I was worried about who might look after them if I go to live in another country. But I talked about my concerns with my brother and sister and they told me not to worry – that I should take the chance to experience living and working abroad.

Both my brother and sister are older than me and they are also both married and well settled here with their own families, so they are not likely to go and live abroad now – they both seem happy and content here.

And the third reason was that I wasn’t sure if my parents would think it was a good idea or not. I was a little nervous when I told them about my plan – but once they accepted the idea, they were very enthusiastic and happy for me.

I arrived at my final decision after a lot of thought. I wrote down all the things I like about the idea and also all the things I didn’t like about the idea – then I gave each item a score.

The higher the score the more important it was, the lower the score the less important it was – and then I compared the total scores for all the positives and all the negatives I had thought of.

The final result was a higher score to go and live and work abroad. I think it’s a good decision, but only time will really tell if it is – I will have to wait and see if it was the correct decision to make.

PART 3

Follow up discussion questions / Decision Making

What are some of the difference between decisions made by children and those made by adults?

Well, I think that most adults take longer to make decisions because they tend to consider more things before they decide what to do. On the other hand, children tend to be more spontaneous than adults – they either want to do something or don’t want to, their decision-making process seems less complicated.

Are some people naturally good at making decisions, or is decision making a skill that you can learn?

It’s more often a case of some people being able to make decisions quicker than others. That might be because they have more experience making decisions or they simply go about it in a different manner.

You can definitely learn how to make better decisions and I suppose you could even learn how to make quicker decisions. A lot of it comes down to practice and the types of decisions you make, and need to make.

For example, business people make a lot of important decisions every day, but when it comes to personal decisions they probably don’t make any more decisions about their life than other people. However, they might put into practice some of the experience they have learned from work when making their personal life decisions, which makes it seem easier.

How can a person make better decisions?

The answer to this question is not simple, as it depends on the situation and the individual making the decision. However, there are some general tips that can help people make better decisions. Firstly, it is important to consider all the options available and weigh up the pros and cons of each one. Secondly, it can be helpful to consult with trusted advisers who can give an outside perspective on a situation. Lastly, it is crucial to think before you act - taking time to carefully consider consequences of your decisions can ensure that you make more informed choices.

By following these steps and considering the relevant factors for each decision, individuals will be able to confidently make decisions which best suit their needs. Ultimately, making good decisions takes practice and experience so don’t be disheartened if you don’t always get it right straight away.

How can people make sure their decisions are the best for them?

The key to making sure that your decisions are the best for you is to take into account all of the relevant factors. Firstly, it’s important to consider your own feelings and values so that you make a decision which aligns with what is important to you. This might involve writing down a list of pros and cons or considering alternative solutions so that you can weigh up all the options in front of you and determine which one would bring you the most benefits.

It’s also important to remember that everyone has different priorities and values, so it's necessary to think about what matters most to YOU specifically when making your choices. Additionally, researching different potential outcomes can help you to make the best decision for yourself. This means looking into all of the possible outcomes and learning as much as you can about what could happen in each scenario. You might need to talk to other people who have already gone through a similar situation or consult experts in the area so that you are fully informed before committing to a decision.

Finally, it’s important to remember that it is ok to take your time when making a decision – there is no rush! It may be helpful to set yourself mini deadlines so that you feel like you are working towards something but do not put too much pressure on yourself; everyone needs different amounts of time in order to think things through properly.

Do you think it is important for people to become good at decision making? Is it something children should be taught at school maybe?

Absolutely! Decision making is an essential life skill that everyone should learn, and the earlier the better. Children could benefit from instruction in decision making especially as it can be quite a complex process; teachers could introduce different frameworks for decision making such as using what-if scenarios or weighing up pros and cons to help students gain a better understanding of how to approach difficult decisions. This teaching should also be supplemented with real world examples so that children can begin to apply the theories to their own lives. Ultimately, by providing these resources, children will have all of the tools they need to become great at making decisions.

Making Decisions | IELTS Part 3 | Discussion Topics

What would you say in response to these new IELTS speaking questions? Try answering this IELTS practice speaking test.

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