CONTENTS
Sample questions and answers from speaking part 1, 2 and 3
Words and terms frequently used when talking about work
Learn how to use wide variety of parts of speech, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives
Find out groups of words that usually used together by native speakers
References to teaching and authentic materials related to this topic: IELTS blogs, podcasts, videos and articles
Download this article in PDF.
Books: Sample questions and answers for IELTS speaking exam
Part 1
- Do you like reading books?
-Absolutely. I love reading books especially the fantasy ones such as Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings and A Game of thrones.
- What kind of books do you like to read? [Why?]
-I’m into fantasy books because I think they are creatively made and the authors have a great deal of imagination.
- Where do you like to read? [Why?]
-I usually read books at home because it is the coziest place for me. I’d like to be at the most comfortable corner of my house which is my bed.
- Do others in your family read books too?
-Well, I think my youngest brother is the only person who read books aside from me. He is presently a high school student and should study his lessons by reading the academic books they use in school.
Part 2
Describe a book that you have read which you would like to read again:
-
- What is it about?
- What genre of book is it?
- Is this your favorite genre of book?
and explain why you would like to read it again.
I’d like to talk about a cookbook that was given to me by my best friend several years ago.
The title of the book is ”Filipino Cuisine” and what’s inside is a compilation of Philippine’s mouth-watering dishes such as the Adobo and Kare-Kare. Adobo’s main ingredient is pork or chicken stewed in vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, bay leaves, and peppercorns while Kare-Kare is an oxtail stew and is always best to eat with steamed rice and shrimp paste. They’re actually a perfect pair.
Cookbooks or recipe books belong to non-fiction category since it consists of factual information and a step-by-step guide in cooking. It also includes the name of the author and a short introduction about its content.
Actually, I’m not so fond of non-fiction type of books, however, once in my life, I got interested in cooking and I have always told my bestfriend about it. We both know that I’m a terrible cook that time and so that must be the reason why she bought me that book.
When I started reading it, I realized that cooking is not really that complicated as it seemed to me before. Through it, I’ve learned to prepare different Filipino dishes from main course to deserts.Each time I was able to cook a recipe perfectly, I always felt a sense of achievement. This recipe books is very useful for me because firstly, it taught me the do’s and dont’s in the kitchen. Another one is, it helped me develop another essential life skill which is cooking and now finally, I can prepare scrumptiuous and healthy meals for my family. I probably would like to read it over and over again because I haven’t memorized yet some of the recipes and reading it again will refresh my memory once more.
Part 3
- Do children need to learn how to read while they are still young?
(Answer) In my opinion, children has to learn how to read in as early as three to six years of age. (Explain) In the first six years, a child’s brain is like a sponge which can easily absorb information and make them easier to teach. (Example) For example, I have been teaching reading classes to graders and after talking the parents, I figured out that the students who can effortlessly remember what I teach are those who started reading at a very young age.
- Do you think there is a difference between reading habits in the past and in the present day?
(Answer) Yes. There is a huge difference in the way people read before and now. (Explain) In the past, people tend to read paper books to gather information or to kill time. However, these days, people prefer reading articles, books, and other written material using electronic devices such as smartphones, computers, and tablets. They say that it’s more convenient to read using these gadgets since it is handy and pocket-friendly. (Example) For instance, if I want to read before sleeping, I don’t have to switch on the light in the bedroom to be able to read. All I have to do is adjust the brightness of my smartphone screen to read well.
- What is the impact of e-books on reading habits?
(Answer) In my opinion, the most significant impact of digital books in our reading habit is that, it makes our every reading experience hassle-free. (Explain) As we all know, e-books can be accessed conveniently. We can actually read whenever and wherever we please. Therefore, more and more people have the opportunity to gather information and learn. (Example) For example, in the past, people need to buy books or borrow from the library in order to do their homework or to study but now, they can study without bothering to go to other places because all they need is their smartphone or tablet.
Key vocabulary: Definitions and examples
WORD
DEFINITION
EXAMPLE
GENRE / TYPES OF BOOKS
science fiction
a book with imaginative concept about advanced science and technology, time travel, and extraterrestrial life
I, Robot is one of the science fiction book that has a film adaptation.
adventure book
a story of adventure, such as travel, difficult quests and discoveries
Huck Finn is the protagonist in the adventure book entitled “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”.
romance novel / romantic novel
a story of a romantic relationship between two people
Martha Cecilia is one of the famous authors of romance novels in the Philippines.
comic book / comic/ comic magazine
a magazine or a book that contains pictures with less writing
When I was young, I used to have a lot of comic books and most of them are stories of my favorite superheroes.
self-help book / self-improvement book
a book with the intention of helping readers solve personal problems
My friend who used to be a chain-smoker was able to eventually quit smoking because of reading self-help books.
ebook
an electronic version of a printed book that can be read on a computer or handheld device designed specifically for this purpose
E-books can be accessed conveniently.
TYPES OF READING
skimming / skim reading / skim-read
reading a text quickly to get the general idea
During reading tests, students usually skim-read to save time.
scanning
a type of reading wherein you only look for specific information such as the name of author, a particular event, telephone number or address
I think the most common type of reading is scanning because we have scanned through different reading materials all our lives.
intensive reading
reading intensively with full comprehension
To be able to arrange events from the story into chronological order, one must have done an intensive reading.
HOW TO DESCRIBE A BOOK
plot twist
an unexpected development in a book, film, television program, etc..
A perfect example of a good twist can be found in the movie The Sixth Sense, a 1999 film starring Bruce Willis.
title
the name of a book, composition, or other artistic work
The full title of the book is Conversation Gambits – real English conversation practices.
author
a writer of a book, article, or report
The original author is unknown.
best-seller
a book or other product that sells in very large numbers
When you see “best-seller” written on the cover of a book that is most likely a market strategy.
cover
athe cover of a book or magazine
Hard cover is intended to be rigid since such design is for making books into collections on the shelf.
hard copy
a printed version of book
Ebooks are greener than hard copy books as they don not use paper.
review
a formal assessment of something with the intention of instituting change if necessary
He contributed book reviews to The Torch, a student magazine.
breathtaking story
astonishing, so as to take one’s breath away, account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment
Middlesex tells the breathtaking story of Calliope Stephanides, and three generations of the Greek-American Stephanides family.
event
an occurrence, a thing that happens
What is a better way to keep track of the plot, timeline, characters, geography and events when reading a book?
tale
a fictional story
I have an interesting tale to tell.
character
a person in a novel, play or film
The central character is a young boy.
chronicle
factual written account of important or historical events in the order of their occurrence
In this vivid chronicle the author recounts 52 bombing missions over enemy territory.
atmospheric
creating a distinctive ambience
A superbly atmospheric book full of menace and secrets.
crime story
the literary genre that fictionalises crimes, their detection, criminals, and their motives
There is a whole book about the crime story which gave birth to the field of Cyber Security.
tension
feelings of excitement or apprehension experienced in response to sth, eg a film or play
Different authors have different ways to creating tension/excitement..
compelling character
character evoking interest, attention, or admiration in a powerfully irresistible way
What makes Batman such a compelling character?
beautifully crafted book
book that made in a skillful manner
It is a beautifully crafted book which encompasses thriller, suspense interspersed with love and emotions.
artwork
illustrations, photos and other non-textual material in a publicationl
There is an art gallery in Los Angeles called “Every Picture Tells a Story” that specializes in original artwork from childrens books.
Word Formation
WORD
PART OF SPEECH
EXAMPLE
to read
verb
I usually read books at home because it is the coziest place for me.
reader/s
noun
Some readers are easily affected emotionally by what they read.
readable
adjective
I think you should work on making your handwriting readable because I barely understood what you just wrote.
fact/s
noun
Science books contains facts about the universe and all living things.
factual
adjective
The media should only provide factual information to the public.
fact-finding
noun
Fact-finding is a crucial part of investigating criminal cases.
fiction
adjective
Scarlett Johansson played the fictional character Black Widow in The Avengers movie.
fictional
adjective
Scarlett Johansson played the fictional character Black Widow in The Avengers movie
fictitious
adjective
She has been a victim of online scams because she can hardly recognize fictitious profiles.
Collocations
fascinating
printed
children’s
picture
adjective+
book
avid
luent
slow
young
voracious
adjective+
reader
famous
influential
aspiring
award-winning
freelance
adjective+
writing
but that’s another…
it’s a long …
somebody’s side of …
phrase+
story
to cut the long story short…
phrase
…
Useful resources
IELTS Websites
- IELTS Speaking practice: Books and Films [ielts-up.com]
- IELTS Speaking Part 3: ‘reading’ topic [ielts-simon.com]
- IELTS Books and Films Vocabulary [ieltsspeaking.co.uk]
Podcasts
-
- Do we read to show off? (mp3, pdf) — 6 Minute English [bbc.co.uk]
- Self-help books (mp3, pdf) — 6 Minute English [bbc.co.uk]
- Ebooks (mp3, pdf) — 6 Minute English [bbc.co.uk]
- Reading the classics (mp3, pdf) — 6 Minute English [bbc.co.uk]
- Reading Books to Learn English [teacherluke.co.uk]
- A Rambling Conversation with Mum (Part 2) + Vocabulary [teacherluke.co.uk]
- It’s Aliiiiiive! This Year, Our Summer Reader Poll Is All About Horror [npr.org]
- Yes, Some Comics Are For Kids — And They’re Big Business [npr.org]
Articles
- What’s your favorite book and author? [quora.com]
- READING LIST [teacherluke.co.uk]
- CapRadio Reads- podcast and written book reviews [npr.org]
Videos
More videos:
Downloads
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