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IELTS General Training · Speaking · S3

IELTS General Speaking Part 3: Discussion

IELTS General Training Speaking Part 3 is a two-way discussion lasting about four to five minutes. The questions move from your Part 2 topic to wider, more abstract issues, asking you to explain, compare, speculate and give reasons. There is no preparation time. The Speaking test is the same for General Training and Academic.

Length
About 4 to 5 minutes
Preparation
None
Questions
Broader issues linked to the Part 2 topic
Skills tested
Explaining, comparing, giving opinions with reasons, speculating
Assessed on
Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, Pronunciation

How it works

  1. 1Part 3 begins straight after the long turn.
  2. 2Questions widen the Part 2 topic to society in general.
  3. 3Answer each at more length than in Part 1, with reasons and examples.
  4. 4The discussion ends the Speaking test.

Sample task

Original sample · not from an official test

Linked to a Part 2 topic about learning something new: 1. Why do some adults find it harder to learn new skills than children? 2. Should employers pay for staff training, or is it the employee's responsibility? 3. How might the skills people need for work change in the next twenty years?

Show a strong response

Outline: Question 2 outline: position (it should be shared); reason one: employers benefit directly from better-trained staff, so they should cover job-specific training; reason two: general skills like languages move with the worker, so a contribution from the employee is fair; example: a company paying for a forklift licence versus an evening English course; brief conclusion restating the balance.

Part 3 rewards extended, reasoned answers. Taking a clear position, explaining it, and giving a concrete example shows the range of language the discussion is designed to draw out.

Tips that work

  • Give a position, a reason and an example for each question.
  • Talk about people in general, not only yourself; Part 3 is about society.
  • Use language for speculating and comparing, such as 'it's likely that' or 'compared with'.
  • If a question is unclear, ask for it to be repeated or rephrased; that is acceptable.

Common mistakes

  • Giving short Part 1 style answers to abstract questions.
  • Repeating the Part 2 story instead of discussing the wider issue.

Questions candidates ask

What if I have no opinion on a Part 3 question?

Say what you think is most likely and why, or discuss two sides briefly. There is no right answer; you are assessed on how you express and support ideas, not on the idea itself.

Is Part 3 harder for General Training candidates?

No. It is the same discussion for everyone, and the topics come from everyday life. Candidates who talk regularly about work, family and community issues are well placed for it.

How long should each Part 3 answer be?

Longer than in Part 1, usually several sentences, but let the discussion flow. The part lasts about four to five minutes in total, so very long answers mean fewer questions and less range shown.

Other IELTS General Training Speaking tasks

IELTS General Training overviewIELTS General Training Speaking: all partsIELTS General Training full mock testsIELTS General Training articles on the blog