IELTS Speaking Exam Part 1 (A)
Situation: Part 1 of the IELTS speaking test is a question / short answer interview. However, the answers should not be too short! Try to speak in complete sentences, and answer one, two or three sentences to each question.Problem: Students have particular difficulty putting verbs into the correct tenses and also using the verb tenses in the correct form.
Solution: Use the question to make the answer. The questioner will give you the subject to use and the verb tense to go with it. Practise with the following format:Note: Advice on the other sections of the speaking test will be added when time allows. Please note that suggested models can be included and practised in your speaking on a daily basis, but you should not repeat them automatically or keep trying to put them into your answers in an artificial way. Correct pronunciation and intonation are obviously very important too. Sound files will be added later to help with this.
First of all, try to answer the questions that follow below these notes. And, while you are answering, concentrate on doing the following: 1) Use the subject in the question to make your response (though of course "you" will become "I"). 2) Use the verb in the question - in the same tense.
Make a full sentence. And speak out loud! Maybe you can get a friend or classmate to help you practise.
(Note: If the questions don't apply to you, make small changes so that they do.)
Talking about yourself.....
....in the distant past:
1) Where were you brought up? (brought up - raised - what parents do for their children!)
2) What things did you enjoy as a child?
3) What sort of school did you use to go to?
4) When did you leave your home country?
.... more recently:
5) How long have you been in (England)?
6) And how long have you lived in (Oxford)?
7) How long have you been studying in this college?
.... in the present:
8) What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? (spare time - free time)
9) What else are you keen on? (keen on - interested in - enthusiastic about)
10) Do you like studying?
11) Is there anything you would rather be doing? (would rather be doing - would prefer to be doing)
.... in the future:
12) What are you looking forward to doing in the next year?
13) Do you hope to have any (more) children in the long term? (long term - long run - a long way in the future.... maybe ten years?)
14) Are you going to stay in (England) or move elsewhere?
15) Will you be rich when you are an old man (woman)
Now scroll down to read the advice section, then decide if you want to change any of your answers...................
Hints and clues;
Note: if you don't understand the grammar references, you will need to look at "Essential Grammar Terms", which can be found under "General Grammar Exercises".
1) Where were you brought up?
1) The verb is used in the passive (verb"to be" [were] + past participle [brought up]). Answer: "I was ................ in .............. (city) which is in .............. . " (part of country - north, south, etc.)
2) What things did you enjoy as a child?
Use "enjoy" (in the correct tense) + gerund ("-ing" form of the verb) OR you can just use "enjoy" with a noun, for a "thing". But you should try using the gerund..... it'll get you higher marks.
3) What sort of a school did you use to go to?
Use "I used" + full infinitive ("to" + verb). If you don't use the "d", or you miss the "to".... well, that's exactly the sort of mistake the examiner is listening for. So don't miss them out. Also, it will be hard for them to hear the end of the word "used", so make it very strong and clear. As an examiner myself, I can assure you this will make them very happy!
4) When did you leave your home country?
Use the past simple tense - the same as the question does!
***
5) How long have you been in (England)?
Subject + present perfect tense (have/has + past participle) + (any other information) + "since", used with a specific time.
6) How long have you lived in (Oxford)?
Subject + present perfect + (any other information) + "for", used with a period of time.
7) How long have you been studying in the college?
Subject + present perfect continuous (have/has + been + "ing" form of the verb) + any other information + "for" or "since".
***
8) What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?Use "enjoy" + a noun, or (preferably) a gerund. You might relate the answer to sports, music, art, unusual hobbies......?
9) What else are you keen on?
Use "keen on" + noun or (preferably) gerund.
10) Do you like studying?"Like" can be followed by a gerund (usually for more general answers) or an infinitive (usually for more specific answers).
11) Is there anything you would rather be doing?
Use "rather" + "be" + "-ing" form of the verb. (This is actually "rather" + the continuous form of the infinitive of the verb.)
***
12) What are you looking forward to doing next year?
Use "look forward to" + gerund. "Look forward to" can be used in a present tense because it has a future meaning.
13) Do you hope to have any more children in the long term?
Use "hope" + full infinitive. "Hope" can also be used in a present tense because it has a future meaning.
14) Are you going to stay in England or move somewhere else?Use the "going to" future. (subject + present continuous of the verb "to go" + infinitive of the main verb.
15) Will you be rich when you are an old man (woman)?Use "It's possible....." with simple future verb. If you want, you can add "but......"
When you've answered (don't forget - out loud), check further down the page to see if they're in a similar form to the suggested answers..............
Suggested answers:
1) Where were you brought up?
1) I was brought up in Qingdao, a city in in the north east of China, famous for its beaches. Oh - and for its beer!
2) What things did you enjoy as a child?
2) As a child, I enjoyed walking on the beach and swimming in the sea. Anything to do with water, basically.
3) What sort of a school did you use to go to?
3) I used to go to a mixed high school. It was a very big school - much the same as most others in China really.
4) When did you leave your home country?
4) I left my home country for the first time in 2009, as soon as I finished my first year at university.
5) How long have you been in (England)?
5) I've been in England now since the same year, 2009, when I left university in China.
6) How long have you lived in (Oxford)?
6) I've lived in Oxford, let's see, since the end of September, because I spent a month with my cousin in Glasgow before that.
7) How long have you been studying in the college?
7) I've been studying here since July, when I came to do the English preparation course, so I was ready for my degree in shoe design.
8) What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
8) In my spare time I enjoy chatting with my family on the computer. I also enjoy spending time with the friends I've met here. That sort of thing.
9) What else are you keen on?
9) I'm keen on playing football. I play five-a-side with some of the other boys on the course. And there's a girl who plays for us. She's the goalie.
10) Do you like studying?
10) Do I like to study? I suppose I like to study my main course, but I'm afraid I'm not so keen on studying English. It's very hard for me.
11) Is there anything you would rather be doing?
11) I'm sorry - did you mean instead of studying? Well, yes, there are lots of things I'd rather be doing. And one of them is nothing!
12) What are you looking forward to doing next year?
12) I'm looking forward to going on a tour of Scotland. My cousin in Glasgow has planned it and I'm going with him and his brother.
13) Do you hope to have any more children in the long term?
13) Yes - I suppose I'd like to have kids one day. But that's something I haven't really given too much thought to yet.
14) Are you going to stay in England or move somewhere else?
14) I'm probably going to go back to my home town because it's a good place. I like living there.
15) Will you be rich when you are an old man (woman)?
15) It's possible I'll be rich, but I doubt it. I'm training as a shoe designer, so it's unlikely, but who knows?
Photo Album:
A grave stone in our local churchyard. Read the inscription (also printed below the photo) and see if you can find words which mean
1) built or "put up"
2) destroyed ship
3) died (euphemism or softer word)
4) buried (more formal)
Erected to the beloved memory of Denzil Jarvis, who was lost in the wreck of the "Titanic", 15th April 1912, Aged 47. Also of Margaret Heath, the devoted wife of James Wedgewood Heath, who fell asleep May 1st 1934, and is interred in this place.
suggested answers
built - erected
destroyed ship - wreck
died - fell asleep
buried - interred
