0 IELTS SPEAKING TESTS with band 7.0 sample answers

10 IELTS SPEAKING TESTSwith band 7.0 sample answers

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10 IELTS SPEAKING

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10 IELTS SPEAKING SAMPLE ............................................................................................ 1

IELTS Speaking Test 1 ......................................................................................................... 4

IELTS Speaking Test 2 ......................................................................................................... 7

IELTS Speaking Test 3 ....................................................................................................... 10







IELTS Speaking Test 10 ..................................................................................................... 40



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IELTS Speaking Test 1

Good afternoon, my name is Andy. Could you tell me your name please?

Michael Galovic is my name.

Thank you Michael. I’d like you to tell me about your home-town or city please.

It is Belgrade, ah capital of former Yugoslavia, now Serbia. Uh.. One and a half million inhabitants

placed at uhhh the congregation of two big rivers .

Can you tell me about the most interesting things in Belgrade?

Um probably its past – uh.. a colourful past I would say. And then physically, the configuration and

dynamics of the place.

And could you describe places of special interest I could visit near where you live?

Oh yes, there are ah many ah wonderful, ah natural interest places so to say, and places of historical

interest. But mostly the famous monasteries – medieval monasteries from say 13th century on.

Hmm and what would be the best way for me to get to those places?

I guess the best would be to simply umm look up the travel agency that deals with err inter-Serbia

tours, especially the monastery tours. And they are well guided, and you will be well taken care of.

Hmm should I go there at any special time of year?

Uhh certainly, as in whole Europe, I think the best time is sometime in Spring or Autumn.

Hmm … Springtime or Autumn?

Yes, say April, May uh; and then perhaps September, early October.

Oh I see, Ok, thank you for that. I’d like to ask you a few questions about food and diet now.

What do you usually eat for breakfast?

Umm well I’m not much of a breakfast eater…but so I tend to have a light breakfast. But say, people

tend to eat a lot for breakfast, and uh it’s also things I guess that are meat-based and milk - hot milk,

and hot tea is accompanying all that.

Mmhmm and what is the most important meal of the day, in your opinion Michael?

Uhh well in my opinion, as I am told it should be the breakfast. But for me personally I love early

dinners – that’s my preference. I am not saying it is the most important; it’s the one that I like the

most.

Mmhmm mmhmm and what should we eat to stay healthy?

Um I would say certainly not err heavy food that takes a lot to digest, so I would recommend a lot of



vegetables and fruit, and err fish and chicken rather than red meat although I wouldn’t discard red

meat just like that at all.

Mmhmm will peoples diet change in the future?

I have impression, because we are witnessing the obesity daily in many countries. So it’s all around

us and it’s uh becoming a very serious problem. And I have impression that everybody starts focusing

on that, so I have impression that we’ll get err more attention to diets that will make us feel light and

agile and err being able to perform. So I guess the clever combination of our food intake is more

important than only what we eat. Err it is not just about what we shouldn’t eat I think, it’s more about

how we eat it and when. So we should maybe start our meals with easily digestible things such as

fruit and finish with heavier stuff, rather the other way round.

Thank you...thank you. Speak one-to two minutes on topic, with one minute to plan answer.

Topic: Describe a celebration you recently participated in.

Um By the end of um January, precisely on 27th of January last, I was at a friend’s place on Central

Coast. As err err a guest to his family feast, and he was celebrated- celebrating sorry- his family was

celebrating, their family patron Saint day, which is a very important feast for the Serbs in the orthodox

tradition. So it was interesting to see how that particular feast is being celebrated.

Umm originated centuries ago, it is still very strong, going strong. And very few things have changed I

was amazed to witness. But the main thing was that err um over there in Europe err, given the time of

the year, these feasts are usually celebrated in November, December, January – it is cold, so the

food, accompanying food is corresponding, it’s heavy, and all that you need to eat during that time.

Whereas here we were sweating in the hot January and yet we had the same type of food that we

would be eating in January in Europe. So that was interesting. But the most important thing about that

type of feast and celebration is that the host, both my friend and his wife, were standing on their feet

all the time-the whole day, absolutely um err being impeccable hosts to every whim or need that we

ah guests would have, some 20 of us. So um it was really a special day and all of us, 20 people there,

felt very, very special.

Thank you Michael. Michael, are there many similar celebrations where you come from?

Yes, but this is the most important one I think.

Thank you. Now let’s talk more about traditions and celebrations. What role do traditional

ceremonies play in the social life of people in your country?

Umm they have always played an important role. But I have impression that it is err more so the case

these days, when even the youth is embracing them – simply feeling need to go back to their roots.

And what traditions were important for your grandparents, say 50 years ago?

Apart from- Apart from that Slava, or family patron saint day, all other major and secondary orthodox

Christian festivities or err festive days are important, or were important as well. Such as Christmas or

Easter for instance, or that keeps being the major focus of my tradition and people.



Mmmhmm. And which traditions are we likely to continue to celebrate in the future?

Umm..But, I will say precisely those that we mentioned before. I have a feeling that they are simply

going strong, that they err are not fading. Simply because in this time and era people are

overwhelmed by-by the velocity, by the speed, so at the same time they feel need to go back to their

own beginnings and traditions, so it is simply err reviving what we already have.

How would you describe young people’s attitudes towards tradition?

Um I would say that at the beginning many of young people would maybe not embrace fully the idea

of going through every painstaking detail of preparations and err behaviour codes for all these

celebrations and feasts. But then uh, gradually it will become a part of their lives, and um that would

be their connection with their families and extended families, so they would kind of grow more and

more into it, and trying to adhere to every rule that tradition was brought to them by their parents and

grandparents. So at the beginning maybe the youth would take it lightly on the surface only, but then

later um I think the traditions will be embraced fully.

And do you think customs and traditions are changing these days?

Um, I would say so inevitably because of the adjustment to urban- to the urban living if you wish, and

to the fast times that we live in. So definitely there are concessions to what err used to be done

before. But the core, which is much more important, is always preserved. At least has been the case

so far.

Do you think traditions and customs are affected by advertising?

I never actually gave it a thought. Uh there might be, but again in my personal experience I haven’t

seen any kind of uh direct influence that would uh change or alter, take people from their original

directions whatever the advertisement is about.

Do some countries celebrate traditions more than others?

Um I wouldn’t say so, I have impression that all countries celebrate traditions, or rather the people

who live in these countries. Even in some new countries, a conglomerate of different people, and all

these people would stick to their old traditions. That’s how I see it. So, people who wouldn’t follow the

traditions would do it in all sorts of countries, or in any country.

Thank you Michael, that’s the end of the speaking test.




Good afternoon, my name is Anna. Could you tell me your full name please?

Roberto Rossi.

What should I call you?

Robert.

Thank you. Do you work, or are you a student?

I’m a student.

Can you tell me about your studies?

Um well, uh my studies are in relation to cultures in the world. Uh When I was- when I was young, my

father used to travel a lot and used to come back home, giving me a picture of a very vast world

where people used to live and think and behave in different ways. So in comparison to what I used to

study in geography, the world seemed to be a lot more interesting to go and- and explore. So as soon

as I got rid of all that and I finished school I decided to uh go and experience uh first-hand what it

really means to live in direct contact with a different culture. So I ended up looking for the most

traditional and isolated cultures in the world at that time a few years ago, and uh I decided to go and

live as one of the local people; which I did for a period of time. So that experience really changed my

life and made me understand also, a lot better, what I wanted to study umm at University.

What is your favourite subject?

Anthropology, and social anthropology in particular. So in reality what I do, is I go back to one of these

places where I’ve been in the past and I- and I see in what way the society changes as the rest of the

world changes, and uh in what way it is affected by the outside world. So I ended up learning the

language and I and I ended up understanding probably a lot more what really goes on in uh- in uh the

inside of a person who lives in a little dot in the middle of the ocean, and all he or she knows is that

and that is the universe- in comparison to us, um being sort of constantly bombarded by- by a lot

more information.

What is your study plan?

I’m starting to and- I’m thinking of furthering my studies by doing a Masters and perhaps a PhD. I’m

very interested in following umm what I started already. And err, and err, again, not only from my

professional point of view, but also for a personal point of view I think it is very important to do things

combined together, and what we learn and understand in life can really be of help to other people if

we- umm if we develop it to a certain extent.

Thank you. Do you have any hobbies or interests?

Oh yes, a number of them. I like to umm read a lot, and I also like to play soccer. Um But err, I can

say that lately, unfortunately, I don’t much time to do either of them.



What hobbies are popular with young boys and girls in your country?

Well, young boys and girls mm like to interact and meet and have a good time together. So, we start

generally since we very young by meeting at the end of the day when we get out of school at the local

bar or corn- corner in the area where we live in the square and in the same area with lots of other

people, older and younger than us. And uh hobbies generally for the young boys umm are sport and

socialising and dancing. And same for the girls, except that the girls are certainly a lot more into

fashion and umm dancing.

Do people usually continue their hobbies when they get older?

When they can, they do. Generally that depends on what kind of commitments they are involved to

and uh with, and if they can afford, only also in terms of time uh in what they like to do.

Thank you. Now I’d like to ask you to speak one-to two minutes on a topic. You have one

minute to plan your answer.

Topic: Describe a movie, which made a strong impression on you.

Well um, the name of the film is [inaudible]. It is actually a very famous movie. It won the Oscar in

1989. And um…it’s a movie about the story of a kid who grows up in a small village in Sicily. And we

can see very clearly through the film uh in what way the community influence him, and uh also his first

love story with a local girl and how much they affect his life. So it’s actually a movie in retrospective

because it goes back, and uh he tries to get in touch with the same girl. And by doing that, you

basically revisit the most important part or his life. Parts. And uh, it is really showing us in what ways

all these things really affect all us. How much we keep on dreaming, and how much we keep on

hoping in our lives; especially when we can’t leave- err what we really wish and desire to leave,

especially when it comes to emotional things.

And uh it’s a film that ah is also based on a true story, and um I think um the public can really feel

that. So it’s also shot in a very, very good way and we can see Sicily through 50 years of life. And

from the end of the Second World War to today, which is also more or less perhaps, you know, the

period of time of my life, of my father’s life. Anyway, the main actors in the film are [unknown] and the

famous actor who I don’t remember.

Thank you. Do you go to the movies often?

Yes, yes, most often as I can. I really like films, especially the European movies - French, Italian, and

English. I really like the way they represent the- the European culture.

Thank you. Now I’d like to ask you a few more questions about films and movies. Are films

popular where you come from?

Yes, they are very popular. Actually, cinema and movies is a big industry in Italy. And uh it has been

the second major industry in the world in terms of films uh in the 50’s, so you have probably seen

yourself a number of Italian movies. But uh, actually, it is a particular kind of way of making films and

uh they still remain very popular. Yes.



Do you think people are going to the cinema more these days compared with 25 years ago?

Umm…No, I don’t think so. I think that today TV and videos and DVDs actually have replaced often

what people used to go only going to the theatre. A few years ago when I was younger, I remember,

there were a lot of people going to the cinemas and it was packed, and the same movie was left there

for weeks and weeks and weeks where now normally, a show in the same cinema for a lot less.

What films are popular with young people these days?

We have in Italy a very strong American influence and as well, so a lot of American movies, and a lot

of high-tech movies with special effects. And uh but at the same time we also keep maintaining a kind

of our own genre and some Italian movies they never get to the overseas market, they also remain-

become very popular in Italy.

Do peoples taste in films change as they get older?

I think so; I think so- I think movies also a little mirror of how we change in life, what interests us and

what we see in them. And um ah, as you know, in our 20s we are perhaps a little more romantic and

we like certain kinds of movies, and then perhaps we like to think a bit more about our life… and we

see different kinds of films.

Has technology made a difference in the quality of modern films?

I think so, yes, a big difference. Um the effects now seem to really suck you in when you see a movie.

And the way the film edited, they also keep your attention a lot better than in the past. You can see

the way that they are put together, and also the sound quality is a lot better, and umm I think there’s

been certainly, technologically speaking, a big improvement there.

How will technology be used to improve films in the future?

Well, ah I am not an expert but I think that if we will ever get 3-D movies, ah or movies in 3-D, ah we

will uh find ourselves even more immersed in what uh for only at the moment only our eyes and our

ears can see in two dimensions.

Why have the forms of popular entertainment changed over the years?

Because the society has changed a lot. And now uh we seem to be rushing all the time, and we want

to consume everything a lot faster. So I think every form- form of entertainment is also reflecting that

kind of very fast, quick way of ah wanting something different, and wanting something very quickly

and ah…yes.

Will people still go to the cinema in the future?

I hope so. I don’t know, but I think there will be people that, like today, like to see not only the new

movie but also the old movie because it represents what they have seen what they were younger and

what they and also what they were dreaming at that time and I think that remains within us all our life.




Good afternoon, my name is Renee. Could you tell me your full name please?

My full name is ah Jahan Verki.

Can I check your identification?

Sure.

Thank you. Do you work, or are you a student?

At the moment I’m working.

Could you describe what kind of work you do?

Uh…At the moment I’m a manager of the um Persian T.V. This is essentially a 24-hour station that’s

going to operate in Sydney. This station is going to be for the Persian people. And at the moment we

are trying to televise some program from America but we are trying to build our studio in Sydney as

well. The plan is I’m going to operate and organise for this studio to be able to produce some program

from Sydney as well. So at the moment I’m doing everything, like to do- to organise for everything like

subscription, studio, anything – equipment, but a little bit later I’m going just to focus and stay just in

the studio for producing and directing the program, which is going to happen later.

What do you like about your job?

I have to confess, this job is my passion from long time ago. Umm just, I start from drama I study

drama in my country and then when I move to Australia I continued in different course which was T.V.

and film production and because all the time when I act, I really- finally I wanted just to make my film. I

made some children program in my country for T.V. Here I start to expand my experience and then I

got lots of new experience: I made some film- short film, documentary and I find, okay, I’m in the right

pathway so I wanted to continue. So now I think I- I catch it, now I need a little bit more time just to do

this job.

What kind of job do you hope to do in 10 years time?

That’s a good question. My dream is finally- without having any problem, like life and the other

problem that comes to the anybody- my dream is just to direct my film. That’s the thing that I’m going

to do. I have, in my past, I’ve had lots of experience- life experience, lots of things that I want to talk to

the people. So, for me, film is a tool to talk to the people.

Do you play any sports?

Yes.

What are the most popular sports in your country?

Good question. In my country is just the people are mainly- I come from Iran- in my country people

mainly play soccer. Anywhere – in the street, at home, anywhere you can see- people play soccer.



Is it better to play sport or to watch it?

Okay, um you know it’s it’s very um, it depends. To me, sometimes when you are in the right mood or

the right time you are better just to play. But sometimes, particularly when it is- when it is a

professional sport, you would like to watch it. That depends to the situation, to you, and many, many

things.

Can sport be dangerous?

Ah I think it could be dangerous, or it’s not going to be dangerous. Its depend. I think even if you’re

walking in the street it could be dangerous for you, so I cannot say. But I can say – if you’re not

playing a sport it’s going to be dangerous, because it’s just affecting your health. But- But playing-

Accident could be anywhere – this is my opinion.

Do men and women play different sports in Iran?

Of course. I mean, as you know during the last 24 years. Because of the Government and the things

that happen in my country, so women couldn’t do the same sport that men do. Even, they couldn’t go

to the stadium like watch the soccer. However, recently, there has been a movement for the women,

they have a chance. There is not enough facility for them just to do lots of sport.

Thank you very much. Now I’m going to give you a topic and I’d like you to speak on it for one

or two minutes.

Topic: Describe a vacation you have really enjoyed.

Alright, um we went to the [unknown] actually, we went to the [unknown] with my wife and kids, just

mainly to visit my wife’s family. I liked [unknown] because when I went to the [unknown], which is

about five hours far from Sydney, the road, the nature – uh it was very similar to the scene that I had

in my country and it remembered me the nature and the road that we had over there. I liked

[unknown], I liked everything over there, I can tell you.

The smoke, the fog, I liked the environment, I liked the friendship that was there. I loved the food, I

loved everything over there- the stars at night. I love the moon, I loved morning, and when it was

morning it remembered the morning that I had in my country- it was very similar because nature are

similar anywhere. So, I spent lots of time over there and it helped me to remember the things that I

had before. It gives security, it’s very mysterious feeling to me. So I loved them because it helped me

more and more back to the memory that I had from my country. Animals, horse, you know farm –

everything, it really attract me- see the people who work in the farm. That was a nice thing- I like

these things and I think this is my nature and I love to be in this nature and that nature was very

similar to the things that I had before, and I liked just to be there. That was something that I had over

there.

So I spent time with my wife and I explained the things that had happened to my country and I told her

‘look, Calla, I will show this to you in my country again.’

Would you go there again?

Sure, I love it. If I get any chance, I’m sure I will go over there.



Now I’d like to ask you a few more questions about vacations and holidays away. Are people

taking more holidays and travelling more these days?

I have to say I don’t think so, because the lifestyle is not letting the people to do the things that they

want. They have to work more and more, and even you know when they got some family they have to

work more. To me, in my point of view, I think they haven’t enough time to pay attention to holidays.

Where did people go on holidays in your Grandparent’s time, say, 50 years ago?

I think in that time, you know, to go to another- another city, which was very far – like 5 to 10 hours,

they go to visit their relative somewhere else in their country.

Where do people usually like to go for a holiday away these days?

Uh it’s easy things that people like just to go to a very- very close and easy things. If they can get to

anywhere around themselves you know, even if in Sydney they will go to Harbour or Opera House or

anywhere around as because it’s very cheap and it helps them just to stay sometimes out of the- you

know the routine of their life.

Why do people want to travel, to go away for a holiday?

Life is very hard. All of us need just to go- to go out of this stress during the week. You know- the

technology, the Government, the people, the boss and so on and so on and so you know, just

pushing you shoulders, so that’s a time that you can say that okay, I am human so you can just do

something that you like.

Is tourism having an effect on the environment, do you think?

Sure, I think tourism just definitely effecting the environment because they bring the wave of the

culture and you know, many, many things by themselves and they bring it and show to- to the new

culture. So I’m sure, it’s very effective. Like if you think- like when I’m coming from my country, the

food that I’m having, the think I interests, the way that I treat you know my family and the way that I

love, the way that I dance- all of these things when they come together, it’s giving things like

[unknown]. It’s giving some information about outside to anybody, to the other people.

How important is the tourist dollar for the economy?

I love their dollar. Hahaha. You know, it’s very good. I mean you have to think –you have to think

about this issue and just have some study. You have to prepare yourself for the tourist interest. You

have to put these things in their hand. Not in the country, in their country.

You have to advertise you have to show what things is available here. Because they bring more.

Money. It’s very easy. Lots of countries just depend on the-just the tourism when they put their

money. And you have to think about all the issues. To make the situation ready for them to let them to

be happy to spend their money and when they back- back again. For as it as it as it as it revisit again

to advertise for the other people to come over here.

Will the tourist industry grow in the next 10- 20 years?

I’m sure you know. Because many people are still um the attraction of seeing-

And the tech I think is helping the people just to be more close together and find. If it was in the hands



of a few countries just had the attraction for the tourism. Now, many people from far, they can just

advertise themselves on the Internet. They say look- I’m very far here, I have a nice beach, you don’t

need to pay this money you know - to that company… half the price for you come over here - and

we’re right.

What do you think of tourism designed not to damage the environment?

I think the government and the council - all of them and all and all the policy has to help - has to really

have a close watch to this issue. If they think it is going to affect anywhere they have to put this policy

to not things - you know, to not do anything wrong.

Thank you, that is the end of the speaking test.




Good afternoon. My name is Deborah. Could you tell me your full name please?

My full name is Pilar Montesdeoca.

May I check your identification please?

Will you like to see my passport?

Thank You. Do you work or are you a student?

I’m a student.

And what are you studying at the moment?

At the moment I’m studying theatre studies.

And why did you choose to study theatre studies?

Because I arrived here five years ago and my background is in theatre. In my home country in

Ecuador I was studying theatre and I was also working as an actor and as a director. And then I had

the opportunity to go overseas to England and study theatre there. But once I moved to Australia, I

thought it was going to be a good idea to get into the profession again and to start all over again from

the basics so I thought it would be good to do some drama studies. And that’s why I joined it and I’m

learning so much at the moment, I’m very excited about all these amazing teachers I have and I can

understand now how the business works. And the main things about my theatre studies is that after

that it’s going to lead me to the- a real theatre. I have to see how it works in real life in Australia. And I

thought that was going to be important for me.

Ok. And ah what do you hope to do when you’ve finished your current studies?

I really would like to finish in the area. Because I’m also a teacher so I would like to combine my

teaching skills with my theatre skills. I know it’s hard to get a job as a theatre director or as an actor

anywhere in the world and in Australia as well.

So I’m hoping that of course once I’ve finished to be able to direct plays, and to work on projects to

work for the community and with the community. But I’m also hoping perhaps to get some work as a –

as a teacher where I can combine also my skills in theatre.

Mm. And how do you spend your spare time?

Ooh I love swimming and I love dancing so those are the two activities I mainly do when I have the

opportunity. But then, sometimes when I’m at home I love reading, I love to read novels or poetry or

theatre as well.

And when you go out, do you usually go out alone or with others?

Mm It depends. Australian life is very busy, so ah sometimes I have to go on my own. Usually if I go

swimming I go on my own, if I go to the beach sometimes I go with friends, so it depends. But I don’t

mind being on my own.



And is there a particular time in the week where you prefer to go out?

Mm not really, mainly in the afternoon. Depends on the season. Sometimes in the morning, early

morning, I love walking as well. So sometimes I tend to do that at around 6 o’clock in the afternoon.

Do you think it is important to do regular exercise?

I think it is vital for everyone. I think it is part of life and the good thing about Australia- I wish there

were less cars- but also because I love walking it’s ok, I can do a lot of exercise. We should do that

really. We all should go out and enjoy ourselves and do a bit of exercise because this society is

getting bigger as well. You know the size, people are getting bigger and bigger so I think it is

important to do it- you know jogging or walking or swimming, it’s important.

Why?

Because if you are not happy with your body it’s very hard to be happy with everything else. I think

your body is the base of your life. Mind and body are always connected and if you do not exercise

your body you won’t exercise your mind. And I think once you walk or once you swim, it’s a good

chance to really think who you are and what you want in life and what things can you do.

Thank you.

You’re welcome.

Topic: I’d like you to describe someone you admire very much.

I have a person who I really admire and she’s an ex-teacher from university. Her name is [inaudible].

She’s a wonderful, talented lady. She’s around 60. She’s married and has four kids. What I admire

about her is that she has time to look after her family and at the same time to teach kids at school,

and to teach kids at primary school as well and then she went on and was teaching at university. And

I had the privilege to meet her when I was fifteen and when I was twenty I went to uni and she really

encouraged me to write. She opened a lot of windows for me through the literature and she taught me

how to analyse texts and she made me love literature- that’s something really hard. Because when

you are at the school, you don’t really want to learn a lot about literature, you just want to play around

with your friends. But she was a teacher that really really kept us captivated by all these stories and

all these composers and songwriters, and writers in general. And she played us some music and she

read poems for us, and we watched films and we discussed. And I think it was so important to have

her as a teacher because she really made us see the world in a different way. We were studying

mainly in a catholic school and we couldn’t analyse things but once we had our literature teacher, we

were able to expand our whole world. And I think what she really brought us it’s these differences in

life. Literature and life, in a way they are very similar but in a way are very different. So we interpreted

life in a different way from that point.

Thank You. Is this person admired by others do you think?

Yes definitely. I think she made a huge mark in this group that had the opportunity to have her as a

teacher. We were like fifty of us and she did it for many many years.



What makes a person famous?

Mm I think there are different ways to see what makes a person famous. One is the machinery behind

the publicity and the marketing around the person, but I don’t think that’s a real honest way to be

famous. I think if I have to choose I’d rather be famous for being honest, for being kind, and for trying

to help and solve conflicts or problems in the world instead of being in a magazine, in the cover of a

magazine…so my characteristics for a famous person I would go for honesty and kindness.

What kinds of people were famous in your grandparent’s time?

In my home country we had different, mainly two political parties and the heads of those political

parties were very famous. Especially one guy called [inaudible] and he made a lot of changes in

Ecuador during my grandparent’s time because he gave the vote to women and he also made it

compulsory, the vote for all the citizens in my home country. And he worked for the

Liberal education, not ties with the religious or anything like that but very open to everyone.

In your opinion, is being well known easy to live with?

No I don’t think so. I think well known…. It’s…It can be hard. I think to be famous sometimes you pay

a price for it. So I’d rather be anonymous I think.

What kinds of people will be famous in the future?

Mm. Ah it’s hard to say, but I guess the famous people are the ones that people create. And you know

the media has so much impact on that, and it has so much influence on who is famous or who is not

famous, who is good or who is bad. The media made us see- makes us see the world and the people

in different ways. So I guess, yeh, if you have machinery behind, you will be famous.

What responsibility to society do famous people have?

They have a huge responsibility because people really look up on them. You know they look upon

and they want to copy models. I think we are a very sensitive society and we would like just to copy.

And if someone is famous they should have- they should use this power to give things back to the

community. Like you know, like for example, the Tsunami Disaster or things like that… you to use this

power to call for people to stop children detention, things like that you know, they should use that in

order to make people aware of what’s going on. Not just to be part of entertainment, but I think they

should have a political voice in the community.

Do you think that the children of famous people have an easy time?

No, I don’t think so. It must be very very hard. Ah…you know, to live in, in my home country I know a

lot of famous people, and they always have to have bodyguards, or they have to live behind bars, you

know or behind big walls.

And children are always protected and they don’t have the freedom, it’s a big price to pay, I don’t

know why.

W-Would you like to be famous?

No, not really no.



Would- would being famous change you?

Yeah I’m sure it will. But I like to be popular, but I don’t like to be famous. And I think that’s good. You

know, I can be popular with my students, with my actors, you know, that’s what I’m like, and I’m happy

with that.

And should the media be able to invade the privacy of famous people?

No, I think there should be a very strong and tough code that they shouldn’t allowed to interfere in

other people’s lives, even if they are famous.




Good Afternoon. My name is Darrell. Could you tell me your full name please?

My name is Shi-in Lee.

And what should I call you?

You can call me Shi-in please.

Thank you. Do you work or are you a student?

I work. I do interpreting and translation.

Oh. Can you tell me about your job?

Well, there are different types of um interpreting. There is medical interpreting, and there’s legal

interpreting, business interpreting, and conference interpreting etc. And they are all very different and

you get to meet different types of people. Um, it’s very rewarding because you are helping people

who doesn’t have much English and you get paid for you job as well. So you get to learn a lot about

current issues, and at the same time, you get a lot of headaches too, because you get to hear a lot of

problems from your clients. So it’s a very interesting job, and I’m enjoying it still, after seventeen

years.

And err, when is the busiest time in your job?

I can’t say that um…my busiest you know at a certain time of the year, it’s very hard to predict so I

really can’t say - say around, well Summer is the busiest time of the year, or winter is the busiest or, I

really can’t say that a certain time of the year is the busiest.

And if you could change your job, what would you prefer to do?

Sometimes umm, although I’m working and I’m helping people and without an interpreter I guess

nothing much can happen, because there won’t be any communication, proper communication

between you know, two parties. But then again, interpreters are not supposed to give an opinion. So

you are left with the feeling that you are not contributing at all towards the result of the session. So if I

changed my job I think I would pick something which is completely different from interpreting and

where I can actually contribute towards the result of the discussion. So that’s what I might do in the

future, you never know.

What kind of music do you enjoy listening to?

Well actually, I like all sorts of music. My husband says I have Catholic tastes in music. So I like

classical music, of course, because I played piano when I was a little girl. Actually, not just as a little

girl, I still play. So I like classical music, and I like jazz, blues, you know, even heavy metal. Whatever

is good I can appreciate it.

Do you play a musical instrument?

Yes I play piano and I play a little bit of violin as well.



And what musical instruments do most people play in your home country?

Um in Korea, I think most girls from a proper family would play at least one musical instrument and

which is normally piano. So, a lot of girls would you know, start playing piano when they are five or

say seven. And I started playing piano when I was six I think.

If you can play a musical instrument, does this help you to enjoy music more?

Yes and no. In some ways it makes you, I guess take more interest in music and when you listen to

the music you know how to appreciate it properly.

But then again if you get to hear certain pieces of music on the radio which you’ve played before,

straight away you find yourself sort of analysing the performer. So you really can’t relax, so it’s sort of-

it’s not maybe enjoyable as much. It suddenly, it becomes a chore; your mind is at work, analysing

and assessing the performance. So I guess yes and no.

Thank you. Now I’d like you to speak for one or two minutes on a topic. You have one minute

to plan your answer. Here is a pencil and paper to make notes. Here is your topic: I’d like you

to describe your favourite teacher.

Thank you. Can you start speaking now please? You have one to two minutes. I will tell you

when the time is up.

My favourite teacher, um, his name is Kwan Sing Pak. He was my English teacher when I was in High

school in Korea. You know in Korea, all the English teachers are basically Korean. Umm..he was my

teacher um, for two years, um Year eleven and Year twelve. You know the girls of that age um they

normally like teachers, you know good looking, with the looks, with good sense of humour and- and

all. But this specific teacher was not physically attractive at all. He was rather, not terribly good

looking. (I’m sorry to be saying this). But I really adored this teacher because um, I guess to start with

I loved studying languages and he was teaching English and I really loved learning English from him.

And he was very passionate about his job, teaching, and he was actually enjoying it, and I could tell

he was enjoying it. He had good teaching skills. He encouraged and nearly coerced, you know,

contribution from the students.

And you could actually be quite sure sitting in his class that when you give answers, how silly they

might sound, you would never be laughed at or anything. So you were feeling quite free to have a

conversational discussion with the teacher or other students in the class. And what was also quite

special about him was that he had good sense of humour, much so much so that you only remember

his jokes when actually you have the test paper in front of you and you look at all the questions and

you couldn’t remember the answers but his jokes only!

Thank you. And did other students also like this teacher?

Oh yes. Yep. Most of the students just loved this teacher. He was very popular.

So we’ve been talking about teaching. I’d like to ask you some questions about teaching and

education. What are the qualities of a good teacher?

I should say a good teacher is one who always is well prepared for the class. And I guess if the

person has a good sense of humour that would help because, you know, boring, ah, session, nobody

would sit in the class, you know, hours after hours.



And what differences in teaching styles have you experienced with different teachers?

Some teachers can be very knowledgeable. I could tell that the person had a lot of knowledge and

experience and everything. But the person just didn’t have the skills to convey all that to the students.

And so the rendering was really boring and everybody was just falling asleep, whereas some teachers

they knew how to pass that down to the teachers somehow and the session was completely

enjoyable.

Should teachers use discipline in the classroom?

Coming from where I, um, am, I think yes, teachers should discipline students. In Korea, students

would respect the teachers. My mum’s generation was more so, and my mum had to say one day,

she thought teachers don’t eat, don’t go to the toilet, they are demi-Gods and wouldn’t even step on

the shadow of the teacher, because you respect the teacher so much. But I don’t think same kind of

respect is here and students sometimes misbehave during class hours and I just find it hard to

understand. There is not enough respect for the teachers and also for the learning itself.

And can students learn from computers?

I guess yes and no. I see my children, they’re sitting in front of the computer sometimes writing their

essays and getting information through the net. In that case, I guess comps can be educational and

helpful. But sometimes I see my son sitting in front of the computer hours after hours doing you know,

video games. I don’t think in that case computers are educational or healthy.

Can you describe the education system in your home country?

In some ways it is quite similar to the Australian education system. The only difference I can tell

straightaway is that Kindergarten is not part of the primary school education in Korea whereas here,

we start from kindergarten. And three years we call it junior high. And then three years high school,

and then four years, normally four years, we call it university education, tertiary education. So I don’t

think there is big difference between two systems.

When should children start formal schooling?

Formal schooling, I guess it starts in Australia from the age of five whereas in Korea, from six? I don’t

know, sometimes when I see little K students looking a little bit tired, makes me wonder whether

they’re a bit too young to be starting schooling at that age. But, I really have no idea.

Has education changed since your parents’ day? You know, in the last twenty-five years?

I think it’s changed a lot, although I can’t say that I understand what education was like when my mum

and dad, when they were in school. But definitely, well I’m talking about the Korean situation, in

Korea, you have to study many many more subjects than your father or your mother would have, you

know, in the past. And you use like different equipment, like computer and things, all these audio-

visual teaching material. I guess in that way education has changed a lot.

Ok thank you. That is the end of the speaking test.




Good afternoon. Can I have your full name, please?

Hasan Can Yuksel.

All right, and can I see your passport, please?

Yeah, sure.

Thank you. That's fine. Uh, now, in the first part of the test, I'd like to ask you some questions

about yourself. Um, let's talk about what you do. Are you a student, or do you have a job?

Yeah, I am a student. I'm a student in English class.

And why did you decide to study English?

Er, before, because I want to study in Masters, at Masters program, er, that's why I have to study

English and I have to get a IELTS score. That's why I study English.

OK. Is it an interesting subject to study?

Yeah. It's, er, IT, my study, er ...

Your Masters?

Yeah, my Masters, yeah.

Oh, OK. And why did you decide to study IT?

Er, because I like technology and, er, you know IT is, er, related about information and management

people. That's why.

OK. Um, now let's go on to the topic of reading magazines. Um, what kinds of magazines are popular

in your country?

Er, gossip, er, magazines popular in my country actually and, er, and also those post magazine.

OK. So why do some people prefer to read magazines rather than books?

Because magazines, er, has a hot topic and eh, eh, er, that's the people interested in this gossip or

sports program." That's why the people prefer to magazines.

OK. And can you learn from magazines? Candidate: Uh, sorry?

Can you learn from magazines? Candidate: No, I ... I prefer to newspaper to read.

Why's that? Why is that? Why do you prefer to read newspapers?

Er, because, er, my first degree is economy. I have to, er, learn to economy news and that's why and I

don't interest gossip and sport activities.



So, do you often read magazines?

No.

OK.

No I don't read often.

OK. Um, now I'd like to talk to you, um, about drinks.

Yeah.

What are some of the most popular drinks in your country?

In my country is mopular, eh, most popular drinks is special Turkish drinks is alcohol, eh, it's, er, we

call draku. It's, er, has, er, high level of alcohol inside.

Uh-huh, OK.

And beer, also.

Right. Are there any drinks that people have at special times?

Um, yes, birthdays or some celebrates, er, New Year celebrates, people prefer to drink.

Mm. Right. OK. Um, are there any hot drinks that you like?

Yeah, we, er, drink a tea but hot. Er, we prefer to hot tea, not iced tea and coffee as well.

Mm. OK. And, um, what do you think are the healthiest drinks? What do you think are the

healthiest drinks?

Er, I like healthiest drinks, especially milk, um, yeah, er, yeah, just milk I think.

OK. All right. Well, now we have the second part of the Speaking Test. I'm going to give you a

card about a topic, and I'd like you to talk about it for one to two minutes. Before you start, you

can have one minute to think about what you are going to say, and if you want to, you can

make some notes.

Mm hm.

Do you understand?

Yeah, I understand.

All right. So here's some paper and a pencil for making notes, and here's your topic.

Thank you.

Describe a house or an apartment you have lived in

and which you liked.

You should say:

when you lived there

how it looked inside

what kind of area it was in



and explain why you like living there.

I'd like you to describe a house or an apartment you have lived in and which you liked.

Er, I wanna ...

All right, so remember, you can talk for one to two minutes, and I'll tell you when the time is

up. Right? Can you start speaking now, please?

OK. I will describe my, er, apartments in my country. Eh, it's, ah, ooh, my apartments has a, er, eight

level, eight floor, and we lived in, er, seventh floor, and I like, I like it because this apartments has, er,

a lot of, er, er, some, er, we have a swimming pool and tennis courts, er, it has a lots of facility, er, for,

er, social life and, er, I used to, er, I used to both of them. And, um, we, er, our apartments is, er, in

Istanbul in Turkey, and, er, it's, er, it has a, er, our home flat, er, has, er, three rooms and, er, has a

huge, really huge kitchen and my mum actually, er, like it, like the huge kitchen and, um, it's, er, very

close to our shop and we can go by walking. It's, er, and, er, this is, er, this house, this apartments, er,

a little, er, suburb, little far to centre in Istanbul, but I like it, it's not crowded. Our area's so quiet and

the people is, er, elite people and, er, our neighbours also is, er, kind peoples and we talking to

neighbours, er, always and, er, we visit each other forgot my neigh ... our neighbours and, er, we

have a good relation in our apartments.

So, is your home similar to most other places in the area?

Er, little different, not similar, little different, a little, er, high quality than the others.

And has that area changed since you first lived there?

Yeah, it's changed because, er, this, er, building, this apartments, er, built, er, several years ago,

maybe, er, seven years ago, and after the finished this apartments, it's changed, this area is changed.

All right, thank you. You've been talking, um, about a house or an apartment you have lived in,

and now I want to discuss a few more general questions connected to this. Um, firstly, let's

look at finding a place to live. Um, how do people usually find a place to live in your country?

Er, the people, er, find a quiet place to live in my country because the centre is so crowded and so

noisy. The people prefer to quiet place.

And what other factors do you think determine where people choose to live?

Others, er, I think main factor is, er, their jobs, the people's jobs because it's, er, really big problem in

the, er, metropol cities, er, the traffic you know, lots of cars and crowded. You must go early every

time and this is other factor for choose their apartments.

Right. All right, and can you compare for me, say, in Istanbul, um, living, what it's like to live in

an apartment compared to living in a house?

Ah yeah. Er, my apartment has, I like my apartments, but, er, I, er, wants to live, er, er, good view,

has a good view apartments and maybe he, er, I ... when I look at the window I can see a ocean or

river or like this or lake.



But, generally, what are the differences between living in an apartment and living in a house,

say, in a city like Istanbul?

Ah, it's too different, it's too different. Er, in Istanbul the people generally live in the apartment, but if

you live in the houses, er, you have, er, not good relationships for their neighbours. Because it's

different in Turkey. Er, if you live apartment you can get easily, er, a friend and yeah it's advantage for

make a good relationships.

OK. Um, let's now look at, um, home ownership. Um, do most people rent their homes or own

their homes where you're from?

In Turkey, eh, most people, eh, buy a home, not rent because this, er, our home prices is not, er,

high. Is quite cheap, and you can get easily a home.

OK.

Because the people prefer to buy, buying a home.

Right. So, what do you think the difference would be? What are the different attitudes between

someone who's renting a home and someone who owns their own home? What's their attitude

towards that home? Do you think there's a difference between a renter and an owner?

Yes, er, there are lots of advantage or disadvantage, er, the rent or owner and if you rent a house,

you can, eh, you must, er, moving, eh, you can be moved other places and always you must be ready

to move, yes. But if you own the house, the, er, one disadvantages own the house, you can, you live,

always you live the same place and you never change in your tirement, and all the same, all the

people the same.

Right.

But if you're a renter you can change and you can get new friends, you can see a new place.

Right. Right, well let's now look at, um, residential areas. Um, why do you think it is that some

areas, some residential areas, are more pleasant to live in than others?

More?

More pleasant to live in.

Er, because the er, residence, residential areas, is er, uh er, it's not, er, really it's not in Turkey, it's

not, er, maybe it's, er, for, er, develop, developed countries, it's not, er, for developing countries,

'cause it's different. Um, actually we have no, er, we have no one centre, and we have no residence

areas. All this you can go and see, you can stay.

Right, but I guess is one area nicer than another area?

Yeah.

So what makes that area nicer?

Ah nicer, er. It's yeah, it's, if it's near the centre, it's in, er, if it's, er, you can, er, get easily, er,



transport, transportation, it's, er, and you can go everywhere. It's the centre like, um, it's the people

prefer the like the safe areas.

So, convenience?

Yeah, convenience.

Right, OK. Well, thank you very much. That's the end of the Speaking Test.

Yeah, thank you.




Part 1

Good afternoon. Could I have your full name please?

Good afternoon. My full name is Luo Xiaojing; that is my Chinese name.

All right. And can I see your passport, please?

OK. Here you are.

Thank you. That's fine. Now, in the first part of the test, I'd like to ask you some questions

about yourself. Ah, let's talk about what you do. Are you a student or do you have a job?

Mm, I'm a student now I have the language course is in Macquarie and then I will going to have the

Master of Commerce.

OK. And, er, why did you decide to do a Masters of Commerce?

Mm. Um, because I think, if I can gain the Master degree maybe I will give a good job in China. And I

will have a more opportunity, uh, to get a good pay job which is more appealing.

All right. Um, later in life do you want to study something else?

Sorry?

Later in life do you want to study something else?

Yes, of course. Cause I think study is, uh, is better to me and, uh, I think, uh, I ... I will continue my

studies throughout my life.

OK. Ah, now let's go on to the topic of reading magazines. Um, what kinds of magazines

are popular in your country?

Maybe the magazine about the superstars such as movie star, uh, TV star and, uh, the singer, the

famous singer. Um, a lot of younger people like to see the magazine about it.

Right. Um, why do some people prefer to read magazines rather than books?

Mm. I think one of the reason is that in magazines, um, the people can see a lot of pictures then

colourful and I think it's fantastic.



OK. Can you learn much from magazines?

Oh, something. You can gain some information about the magazine but I think, um, I will ... I will not

spend a lot of time to see the magazine.

OK. Do you often read magazines?

No, not often.

Right, um, now I'd like to talk to you about drinks. Um, what are the most popular drinks in

your country?

Beer, yeah.

Yeah, OK.

And, uh, maybe Coca Cola, but I dislike it. I always drink the orangey water and, uh, just drink the

water.

All right. Um, are there any drinks that people have at special times?

Mm, yeah, uh, I think maybe in the parties such as birthday party or any, uh, celebration kind of party,

the people will drink a lot of such as, uh, beer and any alcohol, alcohol water. Yeah, alcohol drink,

sorry.

Mm hm. All right. Um, are there any hot drinks you like?

No I don't like.

OK and, uh, what do you think are the healthiest drinks?

Mm. In my country a lot of people believe that, um, a little drink is better to your health, but I'm not

sure because I think the men is always drink a lot and they cannot control, so I think drink is lot to

their body.

Part 2

Right. Now we have the second part of the Speaking Test. I'm going to give you a card

about a topic, and I'd like you to talk about it for one to two minutes.. Before you start, you

can have one minute to think about what you are going to say, and if you want to, you can

make some notes. Do you understand?

Yes.



All right. So here is some paper and a pencil for making notes, and here's your topic. I'd

like you to describe a house or an apartment you've lived in and which you liked.

Describe a house or an apartment you have lived in and which you liked.

You should say:

• when you lived there • how it looked inside • what kind of area it was in

and explain why you like living there.

All right? So remember, you can talk for one to two minutes. I'll tell you when the time is

up. Could you start speaking now, please?

Yeah, now I will describe a house to you. Um, once I have been to Sydney I live in a big, very big

house. The house has in Willoughby. You know Willoughby is quite far from the Macquarie and I like

... I like the house very much because it's, it's very beautiful. The house is very big. There are six

bedroom and two toilets, hm, a kitchen, a living room, uh, and a, a very big parking room. I think it's

very big, um, because in, in China my apartment is quite small so I fe ... I always fix stress when I live

in it. Mm, ah, ah, after, after the courses I always go to, go to my house, I prefer to stay in my

bedroom instead of go outside because, uh, I have a little friend and I think, uh, the house is quite

comfortable. Mm, uh, of, of course I have three, three housemate. Most of them come from China. We

always chat but, uh, one of the problem is that we always chat with Chinese. I think that is not good

enough to me. Uh, in a word I like the house and I think it's beautiful, clear, large and, uh, it's very

comfortable, so I think it's better for me.

So is that home similar to other places in the area?

Sorry?

Is that home similar to other places in the area?

Mm, no, maybe not.

OK. All right. Well thank you very much.



Oh, thanks.

Part 3

You've been talking about a house or an apartment you have lived in, and now I want to

discuss a few more general questions connected to this. Firstly, let's look at finding a

place to live. Um, how do people usually find a place to live in your country?

In my country, always go to the, uh, look for the advertisement and to gain some information about

the house. Ah, maybe you, maybe the people can use a computer, um, collect the information from

the Internet or buy some new newspaper, they always have some information about it. Ah, of course

there are agents about just, uh, work for the, the rent, so I think it's quite easy for a person who want

to have, who want to have, who want to have looking for a house.

All right. So what factors do you think determine where people choose to live?

Mm, I think most of, most of the important reason is comfortable and the price and the convenient.

Yeah.

Right. And, um, how would you compare, then, living in an apartment and living in a

house?

Mm, when I in China I live in the apartment, it's quite small, mm, and, ah, I will feel, um, it's not as

comfortable as the house. However, uh, in my, in my a ... , a sorry, apartment, I, I never find any

insect because I live in the fifth floor of the building, the building quite high and, uh, higher world than

when I lived in the house. Uh, sometime they can find the insect climbing to my house. I'm afraid of it.

All right. Well, now let's look at home ownership. Um, do most people in your country rent

their home or do they own their own home?

Mm, if they have house or apartment, uh, most of people prefer to live in his own house because the,

the rent of the house is quite expensive, especially in Shanghai and Beijing and in other big cities.

Mm, I think the people should not put some money to rent a house if he had his own house. That's not

economic.

So what do you think is the difference in attitudes towards a house if you are a renter or

you are an owner of that house? Do you think their attitudes towards their homes are

different?

Towards?



Um, no, do you think an attitude of a renter, um, of a house compared to the attitude of an

owner of the house is different?

Oh, of course it's different. If I have my own house, I lived in it and I feel, oh, that it, that belongs to

me. And I think I have a family, um, but if I live in the house just rent from somebody, I think I'm

always worried maybe I will have to move another house.

Right.

I think that it quite different.

So how does that affect how they treat the house?

Mm, treat?

Um, how, how they, um, how they treat that house. So, do you think that they think of the

house in a better way or a worse way, if they are a renter?

Yeah, uh, I think the people can compare with others. If I have rent a house and I lived it for a, for a

long time, maybe I think, oh, it's OK to me, but when I look, um, with it to my friend, maybe I will find

out that his house is better to me, so I will all think maybe I will have to looking for another house.

OK. Lastly, let's look at residential areas. Um, do you think that it's better to live in the city

or that it's better to live in a suburban area?

Mm. I think the both benefit and, uh, disadvantages to live in the city or the countryside. Uh, in the city

the life will become very convenient and it's, it's very easy for you to go out for shopping and visit your

friend and, uh, check bars to any place, but I think the, maybe the environment is not good enough

and the traffic is bad too. If you want to go out or go to work, go to university, you'll find that the traffic

always block, it will waste a lot of time. Mm. However, if the person live in countryside, uh, and the life

is very leisure, but I think you maybe you will feel lonely. Yeah, nobody can try to reach you, nobody

can tell, can take care of you. You just live by yourself, and maybe you just stay at home and watch

the TV and, uh, call your friend. I think, uh, it's bad for the young people.

OK. Well, thank you very much. That's the end of the Speaking Test.




Part 1

Hello. My name is Katrina Martin. Could you tell me your full name, please?

Hello. My name is Elisabetta Bortolotti.

Thank you. Can you show me your identification, please? ... All right. That's fine. I'd now

like to ask you some questions about yourself. Tell me about where you live.

I live in Venice, the capital city of Italy. It's very famous for being a romantic city, the city of love.

What are the advantages of living there?

It's lively and fun and you never get bored. You can find any kind of entertainment you can imagine,

from pubs and clubs to museums and galleries.

What are the disadvantages of living there?

It's very crowded and quite dirty in Venice. You have to know which areas to avoid too, as some areas

have bad reputations, especially at night.

We're now going to talk about animals, what is your favourite animal?

My favourite animal is the dog. I love dogs because they're a lot of fun, very playful, but also seem to

have bit of character. So, it's always quite amusing to try to play with your dog.

Why do you think some people like keeping pets?

I would suspect it's mainly for the company, so that they don't feel alone when they come home in the

evening and they have someone waiting for them. I don't have any pets, though I used to when I was

a kid.

Are there any animals you are scared of?

I have a phobia of Scorpions. I reckon it's because of the way the creature looks and they can also be

venomous. They're aggressive so if they sting you, you can get very badly hurt. Cockroaches are

another animal I'm terrified of. I am afraid they will crawl on me.

Are zoos popular in your country?



Yes, they are, especially with kids. Kids love discovering new things, including new animals, and a

zoo is the best place to do that. They can observe a wide range of animals in a safe environment.

Let's move on to talk about food. Do you think men or women make the best cooks?

It doesn't depend on the sex of the person but on their enthusiasm. The men in my family are really

good cooks, and they enjoy talking about food as well as cooking and eating it.

Is it important to teach children to cook from a young age?

The younger the better. Of course, you wouldn't give a young child a knife, but they can mix

ingredients together and things like that. The younger they start the better cooks they'll be when they

grow up.

What is a typical dish from your country or region?

Lots of people think we eat beef brains all the time. It's a kind of national stereotype. But actually I've

never eaten them! I would say a more typical dish is Pizza, and it's one of my favourites.

Do people in your country or region eat traditional food or international food?

We eat both. I regard it as very important to keep culinary traditions alive, but I also love Chinese food

and Japanese food and Indian food, and loads of other cuisines. I like having variety in my diet.

Part 2

Now I'm going to give you a topic and I'd like you to talk about it for one to two minutes.

You’ll have one minute to think about what you’re going to say before you begin talking.

You can make some notes if you wish. Here is a pencil and some paper.

I'd like you to describe a personal achievement you are proud of.

All right. Remember, you have one to two minutes to talk on the topic. Don't worry if I stop

you, I'll let you know when the time is up.

Describe a personal achievement you are proud of.

You should say:

• what you achieved • when you achieved it



• what was difficult about achieving it

and explain why you are proud of this achievement.

Please start speaking now.

OK, so you asked me to talk about an achievement I'm particularly proud of, so I could have talked

about when I passed my driver's license test, or when I bought my first car, but in the end, I decided to

talk about the only time I actually won a sports tournament.

Only once did I win my village chess tournament. It was when I was sixteen years old. It was

particularly difficult because, to be honest, I'm not a great chess player and I always played mainly to

have fun and not really to win. But that one year I decided. I made it my goal: I was going to win the

village chess tournament. So I played many games, lots of them against older players, much older

than me, who were members of the club, in their fifties, and it was very difficult. Playing older players

is always tough. They have more experience, they do all these impressive tricks and they definitely

know how to beat their opponent. And on top of that it's very much a matter of pride for them - they

don't want to lose against one of the younger members of the club.

But anyway, I won a few games against older players and then I ended up playing the final against my

best friend. And that was another difficulty. He was my best friend so I didn't want to play it too mean

with him but at the same time I wanted to win. At least the fact that he was my best friend meant that I

knew exactly how to beat him, though, because I had played against him many times before. We had

a very long game and it was nerve-wracking. It wasn't very good game but in the end I won.

I'm very proud of my achievement because I managed to reach the goal I set for myself and it was

something that I know neither the spectators nor the other players would have expected me to

accomplish.

Thank you. Was your family proud that you won the tournament?

Yes, they were. We had a big meal to celebrate, and my dad cooked Pizza. He's a great cook so that

was a real treat for me. We've been talking about achievements.

Part 3

I'd like to discuss with you some more questions related to this topic. First, let's consider

the role of achievements in the world of education.



Do you think that in your country academic success is more valued than other kinds of

achievement, such as achievements in sport?

No, I don't. I think in my country, successful sportspeople are looked up to more in society at large as

well as at school.

Why do you think that is?

Well, I think people who are good students are often thought of as nerds and are teased by their

classmates, whereas being good at sport is considered ‘cool’. Maybe this is due to the role of celebrity

sportspeople, Francesco Totti being the most prominent among them in recent years. They are

chased by the paparazzi, and given lucrative sponsorship deals and so on.

Yes, I see. In your opinion, is it recognition and prizes that motivate students to succeed,

or is it a personal sense of achievement?

I would say they hanker after recognition from their teachers and perhaps envy from other students. I

know that was the case with me, if I'm honest! It may be, though, that if someone is particularly timid,

they would actually shy away from any special recognition of their efforts.

Right. And what do you think makes some students more successful than others?

Although, as I said, most students are motivated by recognition, I do think that those who are the most

successful in the long run are those who have intrinsic motivation. And that is because you don't

always get congratulated publicly for everything you do, so someone who does things only for that

would soon stop making an effort, you know?

Yes, that's a good point. Now, we're going to discuss motivation and achievement in the

workplace.

Some people think that a successful person is someone who earns a lot of money. Do you

agree?

No, I would define it as ‘someone who benefits others’?

Right. Can you explain what you mean?

Yes, I mean that working just for the money could be considered selfish. Most people do it, and I don't

judge people for having that as their primary objective. Nevertheless, those who work to help others

are more inspirational: nurses, for example, who really don't earn much, or youth workers, who often

don't get much appreciation for their hard work, or those who do volunteer work with the homeless or

something like that.



Yes, so you would say that most workers in your country were motivated primarily by

money?

I would, yes. It's only normal. People have families to feed and, given the choice of a low-paid job that

benefitted others and a higher-paid job that benefitted their own family, it's only reasonable that most

would choose the latter. It's possible that those who choose the former kind of job are single or young,

and so don't have that many responsibilities.

OK, And what about how things in the workplace have changed? Do you think people in

your country take the same pride in their work as they used to?

Hmm, that's a tough question; I'm inclined to say ‘no’.

Why do you say that?

Because many people in my country now work for huge companies. They may never even have seen

their managing director and certainly don't know him very well. They don't have any reason to take

pride in doing the job to a high standard because feedback is limited. In the past, companies were not

only smaller but tended to be family run, so everyone had something invested. I mean personally

speaking, in the business, They cared about the success of the business.

Thank you. It's been nice talking to you.

Thank you very much.



IELTS Speaking Sample 9

Test Tip

Part 1: Introduction and interview (4-5 minutes)

1) Give reasons for your answers.

2) Offer extra details.

3) Use your own words when possible.

Good morning. May I have a look at your passport?

Yeah.

Could you tell me your full name please?

My first name is Hanako, which means flower child or something like that. My family name is Hayashi,

which is "woods" in English.

All right Hanako. In this first part I am going to ask you some questions about yourself.

Let’s talk about where you live. What kind of place is it?

I live in the UK, in Canterbury. It’s most famous for its Cathedral. It’s quite a small town with lots of old

buildings and green spaces.

What do you like best about Canterbury?

It’s very peaceful, and you can walk everywhere easily.

What kinds of jobs do people do in Canterbury?

A lot of people work for the university of course, and there are many new IT companies as well.

And would you say Canterbury is a good place to work in?

Yes, it is, because there are plenty of opportunities.

Now, let’s move on to sport. How much time do you spend playing or watching sports?

Not very much, maybe a couple of hours a week.



Which sports are the most popular in the UK?

Football, cricket and rugby. Actually, I’ve read that fishing is the most popular hobby in the UK. I’m not

sure if that’s sport.

Which sports did you do when you were at school?

I played basketball at school, because I was a giraffe at a young age, six feet tall at the age of

thirteen.

Do you think all children should do some sport?

Yes, I think it’s a good idea for children to learn to do some different physical activities. Through

sports, they can learn about team working, achieving something through effort and skill.

Right, now let’s move on to food. Do you like cooking?

No, not much. But I do like food.

How often do you go to restaurants?

Quite often. About twice a week on average.

What kinds of restaurants do you enjoy eating in?

I like restaurants that aren’t too formal. I prefer the cosy kind. But it’s very important to me that the

food is fresh and healthy.

What does a restaurant need to do to be successful?

I think a good restaurant should change its menu fairly frequently, and use food that is in season at

the particular time of the year.

Test Tip

Part 2: Individual long turn (3-4 minutes)

1) You must speak alone for between one and two minutes on a topic the examiner gives you.

2) You have one minute to write some notes before you speak.

3) The examiner tells you when to stop speaking.

Ok Hanako. Now we move on to Part two of the speaking test. Have a look at this. Read it

carefully. You have about one minute to think about your answer. Then approximately one



to two minutes to talk to me about what's on the slip. You can use a pen and paper to

make some notes.

Don't worry if I stop you , I'll let you know when the time is up.

Describe a shop that you enjoy going to.

You should say:

• where it is • what it sells • how often you go there

and explain why you enjoy visiting this shop.

All right. Are you ready?

Yes. I’m going to talk about a shop in Canterbury that I like going to. It’s in the centre of Canterbury

and about ten minutes walk from my house. It’s “Hotel Chocolat”, and as you can imagine, it sells

chocolate. It has a big range of chocolate related products. You can choose from a variety of dark and

milk chocolate flavours, including dark chocolate with espresso, and milk chocolate with cherries,

which are my favourites. The smell is delicious and the chocolate is too. The shop also sells lots of

different teas and tea pots, coffee pots, cups and saucers as well as other nice things for your kitchen.

It also sells a few very expensive and luxurious chocolate gifts. I tend to go there about once a week,

normally on a Saturday and I buy enough chocolate to last me for the next week. I enjoy going there

not just because of the nice chocolate, but also because the lady who works there is very friendly. So

that’s my favourite shop.

Do your friends like the shop too?

Yes, they do. It’s a very popular place.

Test Tip

Part 3: Two-way discussion (4-5 minutes)

1) The questions in Part 3 will be connected to the topic of Part 2.

2) Part 3 is a discussion between you and the interviewer.



All right Hanako. We move on to Part three of the test now. We’ve been talking about a

shop that you enjoy going to, and I’d like to discuss with you one or two more general

questions related to this. Let’s consider first of all developments in shopping. Are there

certain kinds of shops that are becoming more popular?

Well, I suppose shops that sell computers and computer games and also those that sell mobile

phones. There seem to be more and more of them opening up. I suppose it’s not surprising. But I find

these shops rather boring personally.

What disadvantages do you think there may be to an increase in consumerism?

For me, one of the main disadvantages is that increased consumerism seems to emphasise the

difference between rich and poor people. Also another disadvantage is that many people already

work too hard and with the increasing consumerism they drive themselves harder and harder just to

make money to buy things they don’t actually need, or have time to enjoy.

In what ways do you think advertising affects people's attitudes?

The more advertising there is, the more people seem to want. And they never satisfied with what

they’ve got. I suppose it’s really depends what you mean by advertising. Some of it could be seen as

socially useful. For example, anti-smoking advertising campaigns.

In what ways do you think shopping may change in the future?

Well, I’m sure there will be an increasing online shopping, because more and more people have

access to home computers. I also think that many small shops in the centre of town will close down,

and bigger and bigger supermarkets will open on the outskirts. In some ways it may be more

convenient, but I don’t know if these changes will really improve our lives.

Thank you Hanako. Your speaking test is over now. You can enjoy the rest of your

weekend.

Thank you. I hope you have a good weekend too.



IELTS Speaking Sample 10

IELTS Tips

In the IELTS Speaking module, you may need a few seconds to think before you speak.

Use phrases like: "Well, let me think about that for a moment" or "That’s an interesting question!" to

give yourself time.

When you answer, give more than just one-word or very short answers. You have to show that you

can communicate in English.

Good morning. May I have a look at your passport?

Yeah.

Could you tell me your full name please?

My first name is Sarah, which means Princess. My family name is Burton.

All right Sarah. In this first part I am going to ask you some questions about yourself.

Let's talk about your work. Where do you work?

I work part-time at a bookstore.

Do you enjoy your work?

Yes, very much.

Why?

It’s an interesting job, because I get to deal with the publics and they are often quite colourful

characters, and I like my boss.

What kinds of tasks do you have to do at work?

Sometimes I have to open the store, I have a set of keys. I have to deal with the public and thousands

of books and sometimes I have to place orders for books that we don’t have.

Have you ever been late for work?

Yes, not often, but I was once very late.



I'd like to move on now to talk about fashion. Tell me about the popular clothes and

fashions in your country?

That’s quite difficult because people have different tastes, but younger people tend to wear a lot of

denim, which you wouldn’t see on somebody who, say, is 60 or 70 years old.

What sort of fashion shops do you have in your country?

Again, quite a variety. Some big chain stores, and there're also smaller and more independent shops.

Have fashions changed very much since you were younger?

I think they have changed quite a lot, but it is interesting to see how some fashions reappear maybe

20 years later.

Is it important for you to be in fashion?

Yes, not desperately so, but I do like to be quite fashionable.

Let's move on to the topic of the internet. How often do you use the internet?

I use it almost every day but mainly just in the evenings.

Does everyone in your family use the internet?

Yes, well, everybody apart from my Dad, he doesn’t like it very much. But we are slowly persuading

him to use it more.

What do you use the internet for?

I use it mainly to check my emails, I’ve got friends all around the world. So I like to keep in touch with

them by email, and I also use the NET to look up information.

When did you last use the internet?

I used it last night, I needed some travel information, I’m thinking about flying to America next year,

and I also have some work to do on my history project.

IELTS Tip



If you don’t know the word for something, you will need to express it in an indirect way. For example,

if you don't know the term brochure, instead of We looked in a travel brochure, you could say We

looked in a magazine with information about all kinds of holidays.

Ok Sarah. I’m going to give you a topic and I’d like you to talk about it for one to two

minutes. Before you talk, you'll have one minute to think about what you're going to say.

You can make some notes if you wish. Here's some paper and a pencil, for making notes,

and here's your topic.

Don't worry if I stop you , I'll let you know when the time is up.

Describe a place that you would like to visit.

You should say:

• where it is • when you would like to go there

• who you would like to go with

and explain why you would like to visit this place.

All right. Can you start speaking now, please?

OK. I’ve always wanted to go to China ever since I was a little girl. I’ve never been and it is a long

way, which might mean it is too expensive. But I’m going to look into it. I think the best time to go

would be before Chinese New Year, with all the celebrations happening, which I believe is at the end

of January. But thinking about it, it might be quite cold at that time of the year. I’ve heard that China

can be very cold in the winter, and very crowded as well, because of people having the same idea. So

actually, maybe I should go in the summer, although it might be too hot then. So maybe the autumn,

yeah, I’d like to go China in the autumn. I really like to take my boyfriend, his family is from China, so

that would be really good. He is always wanted to go as well. And when we get there, I think, it’s be a

shame not to see the Great Wall. That’s something we do really like to do, and also, spend some time

in rural areas in the country side, and try if we can to get talking to some people, because I really like

languages. It would be great if we could learn some Mandarin, perhaps. We both like cycling, and I

believe there are some great places to cycle out there.

Do you think that you’d go to China soon?

I hope so.

IELTS Tip



One way to put emphasis on something in English is by adding do/does/did to affirmative sentences

in the present simple and past simple. Doing this expresses a contrast or a strong feeling.

- I do like visiting big cities but I also don't mind spending some time in rural areas in the country

side. (a contrast)

- I do think it is a great idea to learn something of the language of the country you’re going to.(a strong

feeling)

We've been talking about a place you'd like to visit and I'd like to discuss with you one or

two more general questions related to this.

So, let's consider first of all the idea, as a student, of having a gap year.

How important do you think it is for young people to visit different places before they go

to university or college?

I think it’s really important. I think it’s a really crucial time to get some life experience that is

independence of home and family. Seeing things that your are not familiar with, may seem to be

scary, but in the long run, I think would build your confidence. And also I think it’s always a good thing

to get experience of different cultures.

What sort of challenges do you think you'd have, going on a gap year as a student?

I think there might be language challenges, and financial challenges as well, because obviously as a

student, I don’t have much money. So, I would have to think about whether or not I would work, in

order to fund that study.

Do you think it's useful to work, for other reasons as well, besides money?

Besides money, yes, I think it’s another way of getting beneath the surface of the different countries’

culture. And I think by working, you more likely to coming to contact with people, which will help with

your languages and also your understanding, not only of work ethos, but also the culture in general.

What sort of jobs do you think would be the best sort of jobs to do?

I think it would depend whether there were language barriers. If it was somewhere, where they

needed you native language, you could be quite valuable to them, but if you didn’t speak their

language, then you’d be fairly useless as, say, a translator or interpreter. And you might have to do

more ground level work, like working in a restaurant or a bar.



What sort of preparation should a student make before they go on a gap year, do you

think?

I think it depends where you’re going. If it’s an area, where you might need vaccinations, then you

need to get proper medical preparations, like Malaria tablets or the vaccinations you might need. Also,

if you need to work to fund the travelling, then it would be a good idea to write to potential employers

in advance.

OK. Let's move on to the topic of travelling to less familiar places. What sort of

advantages are there to reading about a country before you visit it?

I think you can make more effective use of your time if you know where to go before you get there

rather than wondering about and wasting time on places that won’t worth it.

Some people choose to have a guide, when they go to a very unfamiliar place. Do you

think that improves the quality of a travel experience?

Yes. I think anybody with local knowledge is going to, quite literally guide you towards some real

“don’t miss these areas” type places. So, if you can afford a guide, I think it would be a good idea.

How can you make sure you get the most from your travels?

I've always thought learning something of the language of the country you’re going to is the best

possible way of benefitting fully from your holiday. That way, the local population aren't so likely to see

you as an outsider, but rather as someone who has made the effort of learning some words and

expressions and so has an interest in their culture.

Thank you Sarah. Your speaking test is over now.

Thank you.

0 IELTS SPEAKING TESTS with band 7.0 sample answers

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