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IELTS Speaking Test: Object Description Guide

The document outlines the structure and expectations for Part 2 of the IELTS speaking test, which involves describing an object or email. It includes tips for preparation, examples of cue cards, and exercises for vocabulary and pronunciation. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of fluency, coherence, and appropriate language use during the exam.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
21 views6 pages

IELTS Speaking Test: Object Description Guide

The document outlines the structure and expectations for Part 2 of the IELTS speaking test, which involves describing an object or email. It includes tips for preparation, examples of cue cards, and exercises for vocabulary and pronunciation. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of fluency, coherence, and appropriate language use during the exam.
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

SPEAKING 102: DESCRIBING AN OBJECT

PART 2 OF THE TEST

Exam information
Part 2
● The IELTS examiner will give you a topic card. You have exactly one
minute to prepare your talk.
● You are expected to speak, without interruption from the examiner, for up to
two minutes.

❶ LISTENING
1.1. [2.01] Listen and complete the table with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS. The
recording is going to be played ONCE only.

When received an email - (1) …. ago

Who sent the email? - The Head of the (2) …….

The email was important because it - (3) ….. her place on the course
- offered a full scholarship

The email also mentioned - starting dates


- (4) …..

1
1.2. Follow-up questions:

Work alone. Read the following cue card for the speaking part above. Then answer the
questions 1-3.

Describe an important email you have received.


You should say:
when you received the email
who sent you that email
what it was about
and explain the reasons why it is important.

1 How many questions does she have to answer?


2 Did she answer all the questions she was asked about?
3 What tenses did she use to talk about her email?

Tip 1:
You should use the prompts not only as a guide for what to talk about but as a
safety net. That is, only use the prompts when you have run out of things to say
from your story.

❷ EXAMINING A CUE CARD


2.1. Work alone and read the following cue card.

Describe an invention you know and like. You should say


what it is and why you have it
what its purpose is
evaluate it
and why it is important and how you feel about it.

Then, share with your partner about how you are going to prepare for the talk.
2.2. Work in pairs and list several phrases that you can include in your opening
sentences.

2
❸ PLAN YOUR TALK
3.1. Question 1: “what it is and why you have it.”

Tip 2:
Use the correct adjective order to describe the appearance of an object.

Task 1: Use the words in the boxes to complete the table. The first word is done as an example.

ancient golden cardboard rainbow-coloured


compact Western Japanese old-fashioned
cotton handy American multi-coloured
square antique rectangular round
useful useless tiny life-size

Opinion Size Age Shape Colour Origin Material


blue

Task 2: Work in teams and add more words to the table.


Task 3: Work alone and reorder the words to make complete phrases. Share the
answers with your partners.
1 statue / golden / life-size / a
2 lighter / a/ silver / antique / handy
3 dress / silk / black / an / elegant
4 a / dictionary / mass-produced / boring / grey
5 sculpture / spherical / modern / a / glass

3
3.2. Question 2: “what its purpose is”

Tip 3:
You should use expressions for uses to explain how your object is used and why it
is useful.

Here are several useful expressions that you could use in your talk.
… can help (people) + (to) verb …provide(s) (people with) …
… is/are used + to verb/for verb-ing … is/are valued/important for …
… is/are useful/great + for V_ing

Task: Work in pairs. Take turns and make your own sentences, using the above
expressions, to talk about how important/useful your mobile devices are.

3.3. Question 3: “evaluate it”

Tip 4: You should use adjectives for evaluation.


There are several categories that you can use to evaluate, such as: age,
appearance, value, quality, use, importance, size/weight, fun, speed.

Task: Work alone. Choose a word that does not belong to the group. State the
categories which that word and the others belong to. Then share the answers with your
partners.
1. A. state-of-the-art B. cutting-edge C. brand-new D. charming
2. A. striking B. eye-catching C. costly D. appealing
3. A. educative B. overpriced C. economical D. reasonable
4. A. well-made B. informative C. high-quality D. poorly-made
5. A. essential B. vital C. indispensable D. speedy
6. A. enjoyable B. delightful C. bulky D. pleasant

4
3.4. Question 4: “why it is important and how you feel about it.”

Tip 5
When stating why it is important and how you feel about it, you may
use words and expressions for attachment to objects accurately.
use the second and third conditionals or present perfect for
expressing the importance of objects.

Task: Match the halves in column A with the other in column B.


A B
1 My car is important to me A … because it reminds me of my happy
… childhood in England.

2 My new mobile phone, B … so much independence and freedom.


with all its gadgets, makes
me feel..

3 I’m quite sentimental C …because without it I wouldn’t be able to go


about my teddy bear … to work every day.

4 I like to watch my favourite D … nostalgic because I always think of my


programmes while having childhood.
my …

5 I am intrigued … E … delighted that my life is getting better and


better.
6 Going home makes me F … dinner; it makes me relaxed.
feel

7 I couldn’t bear to part with G … by Picasso’s works of arts.


my mobile phones - it
gives me …

Then, find and underline useful adjectives and expressions for how an object makes
you feel.

2
❹ PRONUNCIATION
4.1. Word stress
Which syllables of these following words are stressed? Work with your partner and put
the mark ‘ before each of the syllables you think is stressed.
E.g.: ad'mit
rectangular golden elegant useful
essential reasonable enjoyable favourite
Then, listen and check your answer.

4.2. Work in pairs. Use the words (or other words within the same categories) in
exercise 4.1. to talk about your possession that you really like. You should talk no more
than 2 minutes. Then take turns.

❺ SPEAKING PRACTICE
Work in pairs. You have to prepare your talk in one minute. Then take turns talking to
your partner about this topic in two minutes.
If possible, change partners and continue to talk to the new ones until you can speak
fluently and confidently.

Describe an important building that you have visited.


You should talk about:
what it is and why you visited it
what it looks like
its inside features and purposes
and why it is important.

Exam advice:
• The examiner only cares about the language you use in your talk, your
pronunciation and your fluency and coherence.
• Don’t make your talk too short or too long. The examiner will stop when
the time is up.

Common questions

Powered by AI

To effectively prepare and deliver a talk based on a cue card in the IELTS speaking test, it is recommended to use the prompts as a guide but not to rely solely on them, ensuring you elaborate on your personal story instead. Also, it's important to structure your talk by addressing the questions on the card, Practice using useful adjectives and expressions to describe items, and use correct adjective order for describing appearance . Preparing well-constructed opening sentences and using expressions for describing purposes and evaluations of objects can help structure the speech logically . Finally, practice speaking fluently without interruptions and adhere to the time limit of two minutes, as the examiner focuses on language use, pronunciation, fluency, and coherence .

Effectively describing an important building visited in a speaking examination requires consideration of several factors: outlining the building's significance, discussing its architectural and historical relevance, and detailing its features. Begin by explaining why the visit was meaningful, such as historical context or personal importance . Describe what the building looks like, using accurate adjectives to convey its size, shape, age, and materials, such as 'a massive, ancient stone cathedral' . Then, delve into its interior features, possibly its layout or unique aspects like stained glass windows or frescoes, and discuss the building's purpose or current use. Incorporating personal reflections or societal impact can add depth, as seen in phrases like 'it symbolizes cultural heritage' or 'it holds sentimental memories.' Additionally, maintaining fluency and coherence with structured points ensures clear communication to the examiner .

Evaluating an object meaningfully during a speaking test involves considering its functionality, subjective value, and cultural significance. Discussing its purpose can include phrases like 'it is used to' or 'it provides,' which directly address how the object fulfills a need or solves a problem . Evaluating its value might use adjectives such as essential, vital, or indispensable, which can convey necessity and importance, or examining quality through terms like well-made or high-quality . Furthermore, personal reflections on emotional or cultural value, expressed with adjectives like nostalgic or delightful, can enrich the evaluation by providing personal and social context . This comprehensive approach allows for a nuanced assessment that goes beyond mere physical description.

Practicing speaking without interruption in the IELTS test is vital because it reflects the ability to maintain coherence, fluid thought progression, and independence in language use—an essential skill assessed by examiners. Achieving this involves structured preparation, such as organizing thoughts into key points and practicing cue card topics to ensure a grounded speech foundation . Engaging in timed practice sessions that mimic exam conditions helps build confidence in speaking continuously and develops effective time management skills . Additionally, gaining comfort with spontaneous speaking through varied topics can aid in minimizing hesitations, thus fostering a smooth and uninterrupted speech flow that proficiently showcases language abilities .

Using conditionals or the present perfect tense when expressing the significance of objects is important because it helps convey relationships between past experiences or hypothetical situations and current perceptions. Conditionals can express possible outcomes of possessing or not possessing an object, emphasizing its value; for example, 'I couldn't bear to part with my phone; it gives me so much independence' uses conditionals to reflect dependency on the object . The present perfect can show ongoing significance, such as 'it has reminded me of my happy childhood,' indicating sustained emotional value. This grammar use effectively ties past impact to present relevance, enhancing the emotional depth and context of the description .

To effectively describe the appearance of an object, it's essential to consider different descriptive categories such as age, size, and material, using the correct adjective order. For instance, when describing an object's size and shape, you might start with adjectives like 'tiny,' 'compact,' or 'rectangular' . Describing age could involve adjectives like 'ancient' or 'modern,' while material might be referred to with terms like 'golden,' 'cotton,' or 'glass.' By systematically applying these descriptive categories in the correct order—size, age, shape, color, origin, and material—the description becomes clearer and more vivid to the listener, enhancing understanding and visual imagination .

Fluency and coherence are critical components in the evaluation of the IELTS speaking test, as they measure the speaker's ability to maintain a smooth, logical flow of ideas without unnecessary pauses or hesitations. Fluency reflects the speaker's capacity to speak at length, with natural pace and rhythm, conveying confidence and competence in language use. Coherence involves the logical progression of ideas, effective use of cohesive devices (like conjunctions and transition words), and the ability to maintain thematic unity throughout the talk . These elements together form a significant portion of the scoring, as they demonstrate the speaker's proficiency in organizing thoughts systematically and articulating them clearly, hence influencing overall band scores.

Practicing pronunciation and word stress is crucial for effective communication in the IELTS speaking test because it ensures clarity and comprehension. Correct pronunciation of words helps convey the intended meaning, while appropriate word stress can highlight key parts of a sentence and improve listener understanding. For example, practicing where to place stress in a word, like ad'mit or rec'tangular, aids in making speech more understandable to the examiner . Good pronunciation and word stress also contribute to the speaker's overall fluency and coherence, essential components assessed during the test . This practice not only enhances verbal communication but also boosts confidence, leading to a more natural and engaging speech delivery.

Knowing the correct adjective order can enhance the clarity of object descriptions in English by ensuring the descriptive elements are presented in a sequence that native speakers expect, making the descriptions naturally understood. In English, adjectives are typically ordered as follows: quantity, quality, size, age, shape, color, proper adjective (often nationality or place of origin), and purpose. Correct usage helps in quickly conveying the meaning without causing confusion, as seen in phrases like 'a golden, life-size statue' and 'a handy, antique, silver lighter' .

The use of specific adjectives and expressions can significantly impact the emotional depth when describing personal possessions by infusing the description with personal sentiment and subjective experience. Adjectives like 'nostalgic,' 'delightful,' or 'sentimental' can convey the possessive attachment, emotional responses, and the value these objects hold for the speaker . Expressions that incorporate emotional connotations, such as, 'it reminds me of' or 'it gives me a sense of independence,' personalize the object, extending its narrative beyond its physical attributes. This emotive language transforms an ordinary description into one that resonates with deeper connections and personal significance, thereby enriching the listener's engagement and understanding of the object's impact on an individual's life .

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