FREE Speaking Interview
Section: FREE Speaking Interview (A Television Programme)

 

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Speaking

A Television Programme

An IELTS Speaking Interview has 3 parts.  The questions will be similar to the following list: 

Part One

Where are you from?
Where are you living at the moment?
Describe your family.
What qualifications do you have?
What qualifications would you like to obtain in the future?

Part Two       This is the only part of the test you will be able to look at.

Describe a television programme that you enjoyed.
You should say:

  • what the television programme was about
  • where you were when you watched it
  • when you watched it

and explain what you enjoyed about it

Part Three

  • What television programmes are most popular in your country?
  • How has television influenced society?
  • Do you think these influences have been positive or negative?
  • Do you think television programming should be regulated by the government?  Why or why not?
  • How do you think television will change in the next 50 years?

That is the end of the IELTS interview questions.

Now let's look at how to effectively answer the questions above:
 
 

Part 1 questions relate to one or more of the following personal topics:

  • family
  • home
  • hometown
  • country
  • background
  • interests
  • hobbies
  • lifestyle
  • education
  • future plans

3-5 minutes
 
 
Score 9
Transcript

Part One

  • Where are you from?

I am from. . .
I am from the southern part of China. . .
I grew up in a city called Guilin. . .
I was born in Guilin, but when I was twelve my family moved to Beijing.

I am from the southern part of China, from a city called Guilin.  It is a beautiful city and I enjoyed growing up there.  When I was twelve years old, my family moved to Beijing because my father got a new job.  Beijing is a much bigger city and, although my parents still live there now, I consider Guilin to be my hometown because I lived there until I was twelve and have many fond memories of my childhood there.

  • Where are you living at the moment?

At the moment I am living in. . .
I live in. . .
Now I am living in. . .
I recently moved to. . .

At the moment, I am living in Melbourne.  I am living in a flat with two other Chinese students while I study at the university here.  I recently moved to to this flat and it's very nice.  I like having my own space and my own routines again.  When I first arrived in Australia I lived with a homestay family.  It was difficult for me to adjust to their cooking and the noise of four children.  I feel more content with my new situation.  I like my flat and my flatmates have become good friends.

  • Describe your family.

My family is a very close one.
There are three people in my family.
My family consists of my father, my mother and me.

My family is a very close one.  There are three people in my family: my father, my mother and me.  My father is forty-seven years old.  He is a businessman in Beijing.  He plays the piano in his spare time and is a quiet and kind person.  My mother is forty-six years old.  She has never had a job outside our home.  She is a very good cook.  I really miss her cooking.  My parents are very generous and helpful to me.  They have always supported everything I have done and have inspired me to try to do the best I can.  We are very close and I feel very lucky to have them as parents.

  • What qualifications do you have?

I have a. . .
I have a degree in. . . from. . .
I don't have any qualifications yet, but I am studying. . . at. . .

I have a Bachelors Degree in Graphic Design from Beijing University.  It took me four years to complete the degree and I worked hard at university.  I worked as a graphic designer for a computer company for one year in Beijing, but decided to come to Australia to study English because learning English will help me get a better job.  Also, I would like to travel and to be able to speak with people from other countries.

  • What qualifications would you like to obtain in the future?

In the future, I would like to get a degree in. . .
One day I would like to earn a. . .
I hope to get a degree in. . . by the end of next year.

In the future, I would like to earn an MBA.  I still haven't decided where I will study, but I think Australia would be a good place to earn an MBA.  I'm not sure if I'll be able to study for that long or afford an MBA, but it's something I would really like to do so I am currently thinking about how I can achieve my goal.
 
 

In Part 2, the examiner will give you a topic card.  You will have 1 minute to look at the card and make notes (a pencil and paper will be provided).  Then, you will have to speak for 1-2 minutes about the topic.  You can use your notes.  Make sure you talk about all the points on the card - you will lose points if you do not speak about ALL the points in 2 minutes.

Note that this is the only question on the test that you will be able to look at.

The examiner may ask you one or two follow-up questions about the card topic.

3-5 minutes
 
 
Score 8/9
Transcript

Part Two

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Describe a television programme that you enjoyed.
You should say:

  • what the television programme was about
  • where you were when you watched it
  • when you watched it

and explain what you enjoyed about it

Describe a television programme you enjoyed:
The television programme I most enjoyed recently was. . .
The best television programme I have seen was called. . .
My favourite TV programme is. . .

What was the television programme about?
The programme was about. . .

Where were you when you watched it?
I was at home in China when I watched it. . .
I watched the programme in my flat with my friends. . .
I was at a freind's house when I watched the programme. . .

When did you watch it?
I watched the programme several years ago. . .
I watched the programme last week. . .
I was seven when I watched the programme. . .

Why did you enjoy the programme?
I enjoyed the show because. . .

The television programme I most enjoyed was one I watched recently on Australian television called Sixty Minutes.  I didn't intend to watch it but the TV was on because one of my flatmates had been watching it.  The programme had a story about Asian drivers and how they have many accidents when they go to foreign countries because they are often unfamiliar with the driving rules.  I thought it was very interesting because I know some Asian people in Australia who have had accidents.  I was at home in my flat when I watched the programme and my flatmate and I watched the whole show because we both found it very riveting.  The show was on about three weeks ago and it was a Monday night because I remember I had just come back from the gym, which I go to on Mondays.  I really enjoyed that programme because it was the first story about Asians that I had seen on Australian television and for that reason it appealed to me.
 
 

Part 3 is conversational.  The examiner will ask you some global issue questions related to topic of the Part 2 card.  You should answer these questions as they relate to society, on a national or international level, not just to you personally.

4-5 minutes
 
 
Score not scored
Transcript

Part Three

What television programmes are most popular in your country?

The television programmes that are most popular in my country are. . .

The television programmes that are most popular in my country are news programmes.  Most people watch the news every evening, so they can get information about what is going on in the country and around the world.  It seems to be the same in this country, too; I've noticed that my homestay family watches the six o'clock news every night too. 


How has television influenced society?

Television has influenced society in many ways including. . .

Television has influenced society in many ways.  First of all, TV has made the whole world accessible to everyone.  For example, I can watch British, American, Australian and New Zealand television shows, as well as news reports from around the world, documentaries, travel shows and many, many other types of programmes.  This helps people learn about other countries and other cultures easily.  People can stay home and still travel the world, through their television.


Do you think these influences have been positive or negative?

I think these influences have been both positive and negative.  For example, . . .

I think, for the most part, the influence of television has been positive.  As I mentioned before, TV helps people learn about far away places and might make them more tolerant, understanding, and certainly better educated about the way that other people think and live.  On the other hand, there are also negative influences in society that have been brought on by television.  One example I can think of is that people are getting less healthy, in part because they sit more, while they watch TV and work on computers, instead of walking around, interacting with other people and getting fit.  The evidence of this is that more people are obese than in the past.


Do you think television programming should be regulated by the government?  Why or why not?

I think television programming should be regulated by the government because. . .

I think television programming should be regulated by the government because, well, because some programmes aren't appropriate for children and may also have a negative influence on society.  Violent shows affect people and have been proven to make people more violent.  Personally, I don't like the crime and murder shows that seem to be popular at the moment - I think they make violence seem more commonplace.  They might make people get used to violence and more accepting of it, which can be dangerous, in my opinion.  So I think the government should limit the amount of violence on television.  It might have a positive effect on our society.


How do you think television will change in the next 50 years?

I think television will change in many ways over the next 50 years.  For example, . . .

I think television will change in many ways over the next 50 years.  For example, people might be able to programme the shows they want to view, instead of having to watch one show at only one time slot during the week.  If someone gets home at nine pm and wants to watch their favourite show, they can just choose from a menu, or something like that.  Also, television might get more interactive, like a playstation game.  Viewers might be able to take part in a show, or choose the ending they want.  I think that would make television more interesting.
 

 

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