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Free Spirit English / May 7, 2020

Topics for IELTS Speaking – Personal Stories (Part 1)

This post looks at some topics for IELTS Speaking. You may wish to prepare these topics before the speaking test.

We all have so many life experiences that can be shared in the IELTS Speaking Test. But sometimes it’s difficult to remember these on the spot when asked by an examiner. 

Some students panic and can’t think of anything to say when asked a question in the exam. That’s why having a large collection of personal stories on the tip of your tongue is a key part of your IELTS Speaking Test preparation. 

By stories, I mean that you should be able to describe in detail the people, places, objects, and experiences that have been meaningful in your life. 

When preparing for the test, take some time to think about, and list, your personal stories.

Step 1: Places

First, let’s list some of the interesting places, both indoors and outdoors, that you have been (or would like to go). Then, write down some quick vocabulary notes to help you describe them. We’ll go into more detail about how to do this in our later posts. 

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Indoor Places

  •             A café/restaurant       
  •             A gym or sports center
  •             A hotel or guesthouse 
  •             A historical building (e.g. castle, church, temple)
  •             Your current and past places of work
  •             Your dream house

Outdoor Places

  •             A garden or a local park 
  •             An art and sculpture park
  •             A lake, river, beach, or canal (a place with water)
  •             A forest or jungle (a place with trees)
  •             A mountain / a cliff
  •             A large city
  •             A small town
  •             Your hometown
  •             A market

Questions about places are extremely common topics in the IELTS Speaking Test. It’s important to think about possible answers in advance so you’re prepared if questions on these topics come up.

Step 2: People, Animals, and Objects

Above, we talked about collecting our personal ‘stories’ or ideas to make sure they spring to mind (are easily remembered) in the IELTS Speaking Exam.

Now, let’s list and make some quick notes on some important or interesting people, animals, and objects that you might like to talk about in the exam.

In a later post, we’ll talk about how to expand these notes so that they are super useful for exam purposes. Here are some ideas to get you started!

People             

People who have inspired you:

  •             A singer
  •             An actor  
  •             A politician
  •             An author
  •             A scientist

People who have helped you:

  •             A teacher / mentor
  •             A parent / grandparent / family member
  •             A friend
  •             A partner or spouse

People that you have helped:

  •             A friend
  •             A coworker
  •             A sibling (brother or sister) or relative

Animals

  •             A pet (domestic animal, e.g. cat, dog, bird) you have cared for
  •             A pet you would like to have in future
  •             A wild animal or zoo animal that impressed you
  •             A wild animal or zoo animal that impressed you scares you

Objects

  •             A book
  •             A musical instrument
  •             A toy
  •             A map
  •             A piece of technology
  •             A useful household object or tool
  •             An object you lost
  •             An item of clothing you love
  •             A bag you own

Step 3: Life Experiences  

Above, we talked about listing our personal ‘stories’ surrounding common topics for the IELTS Speaking Test. Thinking about these topics in advance may make it easier to recall the details quickly if asked about them in the speaking test. So far, you’ve thought about some interesting places, objects, people, and animals.

Now, let’s expand on this a little. I’d like you to consider the experiences that you have had that you might be asked to share with an examiner. It is likely that these experiences will incorporate some of the places, objects, people, and animals that you have already covered, but this section may also spark some new ideas for your collection of stories.

List some experiences you have had that you would be willing to talk about in an exam — these may be positive or negative. For example, you may want to note down some exciting experiences, as well as experiences that were more difficult or challenging for you physically or emotionally.

Exciting or positive experiences

Make notes about a time you:

  •             felt happy/excited
  •             visited a theme park 
  •             went to a local market on vacation
  •             visited an artist’s or craftsperson’s gallery or store
  •             saw a historical or cultural site
  •             spent with a friend or relative
  •             celebrated a birthday
  •             celebrated a cultural festival
  •             attended a music festival or concert
  •             attended a funny event
  •             took a fun journey (e.g. a boat/train ride, an elephant ride)

Emotionally challenging experiences

Make notes about a time you:

  •             felt scared / embarrassed / surprised / sad
  •             had a job interview
  •            failed an exam
  •             argued with a family member or friend
  •             got lost in a strange place
  •             lost a precious object (e.g. a toy, a phone)
  •             solved a problem  
  •             were surprised by a cultural difference (or had culture shock)

Physically challenging experiences

Make notes about a time you:

  •             hiked a difficult trail
  •             climbed a mountain
  •             ran a race or a marathon
  •             took a difficult exercise class
  •             played an intense game of sports
  •             were outside in bad weather (e.g. a storm / a flood)
  •             took a long or unpleasant journey (e.g. a road trip / train ride)

Develop your Topics for IELTS Speaking

Well done! You should have some basic notes on some IELTS Speaking Test topics and a great collection of stories to work from.

In our next few posts, I’ll teach you how to develop your notes based on the ideas you have had so far. 

We hope you’ve enjoyed this post from Free Spirit English. Stay tuned for our next post on how to develop your personal stories for the IELTS Speaking Test!

You can also visit us on Youtube, Facebook, or Instagram for more learning content.

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Filed Under: IELTS Tagged With: IELTS SPEAKING EXAM

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