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IELTS Speaking Questions & Tips for Nepalese Students
The IELTS speaking test checks how clearly you can communicate in everyday and academic situations. For many Nepalese test-takers, this section feels difficult because you must think, respond, and organize ideas in English in real time.
Many students face this challenge because spoken English is not used regularly in daily life, classrooms, or workplaces in Nepal. You may understand English grammar and vocabulary well, but hesitation, short answers, unclear explanations, or nervous pauses can still lower your speaking score during the test.
This guide focuses on two things: the types of questions you are likely to face and practical tips to improve your responses. It explains common IELTS speaking tasks and how you can improve fluency, clarity, and confidence through focused practice.
| IELTS Speaking Part | Interaction Style | Common Question Focus | Speaking Skills Assessed |
| Part 1 | Short personal interaction | Daily routine, studies, hometown, food, weather | Clear answers, basic fluency, pronunciation control |
| Part 2 | Individual long turn | Person, place, event, object, experience | Idea organization, vocabulary range, sustained speech |
| Part 3 | Two-way discussion | Education, society, technology, environment | Opinion development, logical structure, grammatical accuracy |
IELTS Speaking Part 1 Question Types
IELTS Speaking Part 1 is the introductory section of the speaking test that lasts for 4 to 5 minutes. It begins with short questions about familiar topics related to your life and daily experiences. The examiner uses this section to help you feel comfortable and to assess how naturally you can communicate in English.
The questions are simple, personal, and predictable, but many Nepalese students lose marks because they hesitate, give very short answers, or struggle to explain ideas clearly. Part 1 focuses on everyday communication, not opinions or complex discussions.
Below are the common IELTS Speaking Part 1 question types you should expect.
- Daily routine: These questions focus on what you usually do in a normal day and how your routine is organised. For example, “What do you usually do in the morning?” or “How do you spend your weekends?”
- Study or work: You may be asked whether you study or work, followed by questions related to your subjects, job, or schedule. For example, “Do you study or work?”, “What are you studying?”, or “What do you like about your job?”
- Hometown: These questions relate to where you come from and your connection to that place. For example, “Where is your hometown?” or “What do you like most about your hometown?”
- Home and accommodation: The examiner asks about where you live now and your living conditions. For example, “Do you live in a house or an apartment?” or “Who do you live with?”
- Family: Family-related questions focus on family size, relationships, and time spent together. For example, “How many people are there in your family?” or “Do you spend much time with your family?”
- Free time: These questions focus on how you relax when you are not studying or working. For example, “What do you do in your free time?” or “How do you usually spend your holidays?”
- Hobbies: Hobby-related questions are used to see how comfortably you talk about personal interests. For example, “Do you have any hobbies?”, “How often do you do this activity?”, or “Did you have different hobbies in the past?”
- Friends: You may be asked about your friends and social activities. For example, “Do you have many friends?”, “How often do you meet your friends?”, or “What do you usually do together?”
- Food: Food questions relate to preferences and daily eating habits. For example, “What kind of food do you like?” or “Do you enjoy traditional Nepali food?”
- Weather: Weather questions focus on preferences and daily impact. For example, “What is the weather like in your hometown?” or “Which season do you like most?”
IELTS Speaking Part 1 Tips
In IELTS Speaking Part 1, examiners assess your performance based on fluency & coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range & accuracy, and pronunciation. You do not need advanced ideas or long answers here. Instead, you need clear, natural responses that show you can communicate comfortably about familiar topics.
Speaking Part 1 Tips:
- Answer in full sentences, not single words or short phrases.
- Keep your answers direct and relevant to the question asked.
- Extend your answer slightly by adding one extra detail, but stop before going off-topic.
- Use simple, common vocabulary that you already know instead of trying to sound advanced.
- Avoid repeating the same words. Try small variations where possible.
- Control basic tense usage, especially the present and past simple.
- Pay attention to subject–verb agreement, such as “he works” or “they live.”
- Speak at a steady pace instead of rushing your answers.
- Finish word endings clearly, especially plurals and past tense forms.
- Pause naturally to think, but avoid long silent gaps.
- Do not memorise answers. Memorised responses sound unnatural and affect fluency.
- Treat the interaction like a casual conversation, not an interview.
Part 1 is your chance to settle into the speaking test and show confidence with everyday English. Small improvements in how you answer can make a noticeable difference.
IELTS Speaking Part 2 Question Types (Cue Card)
The second part of the IELTS Speaking test is the long-turn section. In this part, you receive a cue card with one main topic and a few prompts. You are given one minute to prepare, during which you can write notes on paper. After that, you must speak continuously for 1-2 minutes.
Many Nepalese students find this section challenging because it requires them to organise ideas quickly and continue speaking without interruption. The task does not test your knowledge of facts. It checks how well you can structure ideas, use appropriate vocabulary, and speak clearly for an extended period.
Below are the main IELTS Speaking Part 2 question types you should expect.
- Person-related topics: These cue cards ask you to describe a person you know or admire. The focus is usually on relationships, personality, or experiences you share. For example, you may be asked to describe a family member, an old person you know, or someone you respect.
- Place-related topics: Place-based questions focus on locations that are meaningful to you. These may include a peaceful place, a place you visited recently, or your favourite spot. You must explain where the place is and why it is important to you.
- Event-related topics: These topics ask you to describe something that happened at a specific time. Common examples include a memorable journey, good news, an unexpected event, or a time you felt embarrassed. The goal is to see how clearly you explain what happened and how you felt.
- Object-related topics: These cue cards focus on things that have some value or meaning in your life. These may include a book, a gift, a photograph, a piece of art, a song, or even a useful website. You are expected to describe the object and explain why it matters to you.
- Activity-related topics: These questions focus on actions or activities you do or enjoy. Examples include exercise, hobbies, sports you want to learn, or something you do to relax. The aim is to see how well you can explain processes and personal preferences.
- Experience-related topics: Experience-based cue cards ask you to talk about something you have learned or gone through. This may include learning a language, receiving advice, changing a routine, or handling a difficult situation. These topics often combine events, people, and feelings.
IELTS Speaking Part 2 Tips
In IELTS Speaking Part 2, examiners give you more time to speak, so the focus is on how well you organise ideas and maintain clear, continuous speech. Below is a list of practical tips to help you perform better by addressing common problems faced by Nepalese students and focusing on using your preparation time and speaking time effectively.
- Use the one-minute preparation time to write short notes, not full sentences. Focus only on keywords that remind you of what to say.
- Organise your notes in a simple order, so your talk has a clear beginning, middle, and ending.
- Start speaking confidently as soon as the examiner asks you to begin.
- Aim to speak for the full two minutes to show stronger communication skills and better fluency. It is completely fine if the examiner asks you to stop.
- Keep talking even if you make a small grammatical mistake. Do not stop to correct yourself.
- Use simple linking words to connect ideas and keep your talk organised.
- Paraphrase the words on the cue card instead of repeating them directly.
- Mix short and longer sentences to sound more natural.
- Use the past tense accurately when describing events or experiences.
- Speak at a steady pace and avoid rushing, especially in the final part of your talk.
- If you forget one point, move on smoothly instead of stopping completely.
- Do not memorise answers. Prepared ideas sound natural, memorised speeches do not.
Part 2 is the section where you have the most control. Using the preparation minute wisely and speaking confidently for two minutes can significantly improve how clearly and fluently you present your ideas.
IELTS Speaking Part 3 Question Types
IELTS Speaking Part 3 is the discussion section of the speaking test. It usually lasts 4 to 5 minutes and follows a question–and–answer format. The examiner asks around 5 to 6 questions, all connected to the same theme as Part 2, but explored more deeply.
In this part, the questions move beyond personal experience and focus on real-world issues, social trends, and abstract ideas. You are expected to give detailed answers, explain your opinions, and support them with reasons or examples.
Common themes in Part 3 include art, books, business, internet, fashion, education, food, environment, family, health, media, movies, nature, society, travel, weather, and work. These topics can expand into wider discussions depending on how the examiner develops the conversation.
During Part 3, the examiner may challenge your views, ask you to justify your opinion, or request that you elaborate further. When this happens, you should respond directly to the follow-up question, explain your thinking clearly, and continue developing your ideas instead of giving short answers.
Below are common question areas in IELTS Speaking Part 3 and how they are usually framed:
- Education: Questions focus on education systems, teaching methods, exam pressure, practical skills, or how education should change in the future.
- Technology and the internet: These questions discuss the impact of technology on daily life and society. Topics may include social media, online learning, privacy concerns, digital communication, or dependence on the internet and AI.
- Society and culture: You may be asked about social behaviour, lifestyle, traditions, cultural identity, generational differences, or the influence of media and globalisation.
- Health: Health-related questions focus on lifestyle, mental health, fitness, diet, healthcare systems, or how modern life affects physical and emotional well-being.
- Business and work: These topics include employment, work culture, job satisfaction, entrepreneurship, work–life balance, or how businesses affect society and the economy.
- Travel and environment: Questions may involve tourism, environmental impact, climate issues, pollution, transport choices, or the responsibility of individuals and governments.
- Art, media, and entertainment: You may discuss the role of art, music, films, books, or media in society, government support for artists, or how entertainment influences people.
IELTS Speaking Part 3 Tips
Like the other two sections, IELTS Speaking Part 3 also assesses your performance based on fluency & coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range & accuracy, and pronunciation. This section rewards clear thinking, logical structure, and the ability to explain ideas calmly.
Below is a list of practical tips to help you perform better in Part 3:
- Give longer, developed answers instead of short replies.
- Do not worry about being factually correct when discussing personal subjects. Simply focus on confidence and fluency.
- Address the examiner’s question directly before expanding your idea.
- Explain your opinion clearly, even if you are unsure.
- Support your ideas with one reason or example whenever possible.
- Use linking words to organise ideas and show relationships between points.
- Use more abstract and topic-specific vocabulary where appropriate.
- Avoid informal fillers such as “you know” or “like” during discussion.
- Use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures.
- Use conditional sentences when discussing possibilities or future changes.
- Prioritise accuracy over length if you feel unsure about grammar.
- Stay calm if the examiner challenges your view and respond logically.
- Maintain natural intonation and stress key ideas to sound confident.
Part 3 shows how well you can handle discussion and express ideas clearly under pressure. Developing structured answers and responding confidently to follow-up questions significantly improves your speaking band score.
Practicing IELTS Speaking Using Band Criteria
Instead of practising IELTS Speaking randomly, you should review your speaking performance against the four assessment criteria used in the test:
- Fluency & Coherence
- Lexical Resource
- Grammatical Range & Accuracy
- Pronunciation
Practising to improve each of these criteria helps you understand what examiners listen for and why marks are awarded or lost. Taking this approach helps you prepare with better focus on weak areas to not only improve your speaking test scores but also the overall scores of your IELTS exam. Here is how you can proceed with such preparation:
- Record your answers while practising all three parts. By listening to recordings, you will notice hesitation, repetition, and unclear sentences that you may not realise while speaking.
- Review your fluency and coherence by checking whether you pause too often, stop mid-sentence, or lose track of your ideas. Aim for smooth, connected speech rather than speed.
- Track vocabulary repetition by noting words and phrases you use again and again. Try replacing them with simple synonyms you already know instead of forcing advanced words.
- Identify recurring grammar errors, such as tense confusion or subject–verb agreement mistakes. Focus on correcting repeating errors rather than trying to fix everything at once.
- Listen to pronunciation patterns, including word endings, stress, and intonation. Clear pronunciation matters more than having an accent.
- Practice responding to follow-up questions, especially for Part 3. This helps you feel more comfortable explaining your ideas when the examiner asks for more detail.
Get Support for IELTS Speaking Practice
Practising on your own using the band criteria is important, but self-review may not always be enough. That’s because judging fluency, pronunciation, and idea development is difficult without external feedback. You may practise regularly and still repeat the same mistakes because some issues are easier for others to hear than for you to notice yourself.
If you want clearer direction and faster improvement, professional support can help. IELTS preparation classes are useful for speaking practice because you receive expert feedback and clear advice based on band scores. With expert help, you can learn what is lowering your speaking score and focus on the right areas to improve fluency, accuracy, and confidence.
