IELTS Speaking Actual Test in the United States – March 2017 with Sample Answers

IELTS Speaking Part 1

– What is your full name?
– Can I see your ID?
– Where are you from?
– Do you work or study?
– What do you do?

For the past few months I’ve been working for The Guardian as a news editor. In fact, this is my first job ever, so I’m working really hard to contribute to the success of this prestigious newspaper.

Vocabulary  

contribute to (doing) something (verb) give (something, especially money) in order to help achieve or provide something.

prestigious (adj) admired and respected by people

– Why did you choose this kind of work?

I guess it’s mainly because of the job flexibility & my passion for journalism. To be more specific, this job offers me alternatives to the typical nine-to-five work schedule, enabling me to find a better balance between work and life. Besides, this job gives me opportunities to pursue my dream to become a journalist down the road.

Vocabulary  

Job flexibility (expression) gives employees flexibility on how long, where and when they work.

Nine-to-five work (phrase) the normal work schedule for most jobs

– Would you like to become a celebrity, if you had a chance? 

Well though I’ve never thought about it, I’m pretty sure that rising to stardom would never be one of my life goals. I appreciate all the efforts that the celebrities, no matter which field they’re working on, are making every single day. However, I find myself not belong to that world, I mean, you never know what’s going on when the curtains close, right? So yeah, I don’t think I want to become a public figure, to be honest.

Vocabulary

No matter (adv): without much worries

To appreciate (v): Recognize the full worth of/To be grateful of Sth

What’s going on when the curtains close (phrase): the secrets lie behind showbiz

To rise to stardom (expression): to become famous

Public figure (np): a well-known and notable person

– How do celebrities influence their fans in your country?

I think the influence of celebrities on fans is extensive. It’s somehow natural to follow our bias and try to be like them. At the first place it could probably be just physical changes like clothing, hairstyle or makeup. However thanks to social network, fans and idols are much closer now, sometimes it’s just a status away. However this mental connection is a two-edged sword, meaning the idols actually need to be more careful about their lifestyle or their manners.

Vocabulary

physical changes (n) changes in appearance

two-edged sword (idiom) pros and cons

Cue Card

Describe a time when you were busy

You should say:

• When was that time
• Why was you busy
• How did you handle it

Sample Answer

Nowadays, with the incredibly fast – paced living, it’s not unusual to see how busy people are in their lives. Honestly speaking, I have found myself like thousands of time up to my neck in work, however the time that is most memorable for me is the one of chasing the deadline to submit my final thesis paper for graduation. The allowed time for me to fulfil this task is 2 months, nevertheless I spent almost three weeks struggling to figure out the topic. In addition, I was under pressure by the job pressure at the company where I was performing as an intern. Between working at the corporates, attending classes and completing the assigned thesis, I was in fact a busy little beaver for almost 2 months. I barely had time remaining for my personal stuff and I was really stressed out that I was falling behind my schedule for my thesis paper submission. It was in deed a complicated one that required me to do tons of research, both from libraries and the Internet. In addition, I had to visit some local companies to collect data for my thesis. Those days were so tough and I had been so busy that sometimes I slept for 3 hours only at night. However, at the end of the day, I completed the thesis with flying colors and had it submitted in due time. Although it was extremely challenging for me at that time, I felt that all of my dedication and effort were truly rewarding. It also gave me some precious experience in time management and dealing with stress in life.

Vocabulary

Fast – paced (adj) including a lot of different things happening quickly

Up to one’s neck in something (idiom) involved in a difficult situation, or with more work to do than you can deal with

Figure out (verb) to be able to understand something or to solve a problem

Under pressure (phrase) be stressed

Busy little beaver (idiom) A very busy, assiduous, or hardworking person

Fall behind (phrasal verb) fail to keep up

At the end of the day (idiom) finally; in the end

With flying colors (phrase) with great success

In due time (phrase) after a certain period

Deal with (verb) to take action to do something, especially to solve a problem

IELTS Speaking Part 3

– Do you think children nowadays are overburdened? Why?
– Do you think children learn more in school or during playtime?
– Do you think workers should be rewarded for working overtime? Why? How should it be done?