The monologue, or long answer in Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking test can seem very scary! And, it is! Speaking for two minutes on a topic can be very difficult. That’s why it is extremely important to strategize.
How?
The questions for Part 2 are always similar in structure. When you practice giving answers, your responses should also be similar in structure. Let’s look at some sample questions to better understand how to answer effectively.
1.
Describe your favourite gadget. You should say:
What is it?
When did you get it?
How often do you use it?
And, say why is it so important to you.
2.
Describe your favourite weather. You should say:
What is the weather is like?
Why do you like it?
Where you can experience such weather conditions?
Notice any similarities?
The questions have a very similar structure. They ask you to talk about a general thing, and then give some sample questions. The questions almost always start with one of the 6 English question words.
- Who
- What
- When
- Where
- Why
- How
Your responses should always include the answers to the questions given on the cue card, but your responses should also answer the other English question words. Confusing right? Let’s look at some specific examples to make it more clear. The first cue card I gave you asks,
- What is it?
- When did you get it?
- How often do you use it?
- Why is it so important to you?
You should definitely answer these questions. But, you might have extra time to speak more and therefore get more points! So, you could also answer these questions,
- Who gave it to you?
- Where did you buy it from?
- What do you use it for?
- Where do you use it?
The questions above are not given on the cue cards, but providing these kinds of answers will help make your response sound more complete. It’s also a good way to give more information and show your English skills to gain more points. Let me show you by giving you to sample responses that I have written. On the left is a sample response that only gives the answers to the questions asked on the cue card. On the right is a sample response that includes more information based on the other English question words. I will writing responses to question number two above.
| My favorite weather is hot weather. I love the summer. The weather is very hot, with sunny days with the sun shinning bright. I like it because I like feeling warm. I like the activities you can do in the summer like hiking and biking. You can experience this weather in many places but, my favorite place to experience it is in my hometown, Miami. It is almost always very warm there. | My favorite weather is hot weather. I love the summer. The weather is very hot with sunny days with the sun shining bright. I like it because I like feeling warm. I do not like feeling cold. The cold weather makes me sad, and the warm weather makes me happy! I like the activities you can do in the summer like hiking and biking. My friends also agree with me. We like doing summer activities together. You can experience this weather in many places during the summer time. But, My favorite place to experience it is in my hometown, Miami. It is almost always very warm there. In July and August it’s nice to go to the beach because it is very hot. In the Spring you can do activities like biking and walking around the city. In the fall, it’s nice to go for hikes. It’s important to be prepared for this kind of weather so you can enjoy it better. You can be prepared by bringing extra water with you, wearing sunscreen, and having sunglasses and a hat. This way you can protect yourself and enjoy the hot weather! |
By answering more than just the questions provided you can speak more on the topic and get more points. Therefore, I recommend trying to think of answers to all of the English question words. This takes practice so start practicing!
Any questions? Leave them below! I will respond! 🙂
Teach english/Learn English 