IELTS Speaking Part 3: how to answer the discussion questions

Part 3 is the last part of the Speaking test, and the one where the questions stop being about you. This guide covers what IELTS says about Part 3, how it differs from Part 1, an answer shape for explaining and speculating, and four practice sets from the ScoreFluent bank.

ScoreFluent is not affiliated with IELTS, or with the British Council, IDP IELTS or Cambridge University Press & Assessment, who jointly own it. Every rule below links to its primary source.

What is IELTS Speaking Part 3?

IELTS says that in Part 3 you and the examiner discuss issues related to the topic in Part 2 in a more general and abstract way and, where appropriate, in greater depth. The part tests your ability to explain your opinions and to analyse, discuss and speculate about issues.

• Time: 4–5 minutes, inside an 11–14 minute Speaking test.
• Format: a face-to-face discussion with the examiner. The test is recorded.
• Link to Part 2: the questions follow your cue card topic. (Our bank sets below are standalone topic sets, so they are practice for the skill and not a copy of the real link.)
• Versions: the same on Academic and General Training.

Checked 15 and 16 October 2026 against IELTS: Academic Speaking format and IELTS: General Training sample test questions.

How is Part 3 marked?

Certificated IELTS examiners assess your speaking throughout the test on four criteria: fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation. IELTS says each carries equal weighting and the average gives your Speaking score (IELTS: scoring in detail). The public descriptors add that a candidate is rated on their average performance across all parts of the test, so Part 3 has no score of its own.

Part 3 is where range shows. At Band 7, the grammar descriptor says "both simple and complex sentences are used effectively despite some errors", and the vocabulary descriptor mentions "some ability to use less common and idiomatic items". Read them in the IELTS speaking band descriptors (PDF).

For how the criteria become one band, see IELTS scoring. For the other parts of the test, see IELTS Speaking.

How is Part 3 different from Part 1?

	Part 1	Part 3
Topics (IELTS)	Familiar topics such as home, family, work, studies or interests	Issues related to the Part 2 topic, more general and abstract
Tests (IELTS)	Giving opinions and information on everyday topics and common experiences	Explaining opinions, and analysing, discussing and speculating about issues
Typical question (bank)	"Do you like receiving presents on your birthday?"	"Why is it important to have a good relationship with neighbours?"
Answer shape (ours)	Answer, reason, detail	Position, reason, example or contrast, consequence

The practical difference is that your own life stops being the evidence. You give a general view and support it. A Part 1 answer to a Part 3 question sounds like a personal story that never reaches a point.

What shape should a Part 3 answer take?

IELTS publishes no length for a Part 3 answer. We suggest three to five sentences with four moves. This is our technique, not an IELTS rule.

1. Position. Answer the question in the first sentence.
2. Reason. Say why, in a general sense.
3. Example or contrast. A brief example from your experience or what you have seen, or the other side of the issue.
4. Consequence. What follows, or what could happen.

Here is that shape in a model answer from our bank to "Do people in cities know their neighbours as well as people in villages?":

"Usually not. In villages, people have lived near each other for years and meet often. City dwellers move more often and work long hours, so they seldom have time to chat."

The position is "usually not". The reason is the contrast between villages and cities. The consequence is "they seldom have time".

How do you explain, analyse and speculate?

IELTS names four things Part 3 tests: explaining opinions, analysing, discussing and speculating. The question stem tells you which one the examiner wants.

• "Why do you think...?" Explain. Give two connected reasons.
• "How has X changed Y?" Analyse. Compare before and after, or one effect and another.
• "Should...?" or "Is it acceptable...?" Discuss. Weigh two sides, then give your view.
• "Do you think X will...?" Speculate. Use "might", "would probably" and "if... then".

Useful, flexible phrases are "It depends on...", "On the other hand...", "That is partly because..." and "In the long run...". Use them where they fit and avoid stacking them. You are rated on accuracy and range, and forced phrases cost accuracy.

What if you know little about the topic?

You do not need facts or statistics. The four published criteria assess your language, and none rewards statistics. If the topic is unfamiliar:

• Fall back on a general principle, such as cost, convenience, safety or tradition.
• Compare two groups, such as old and young, or cities and villages.
• Use what you have seen yourself as the example.
• Say that you are not sure, then reason it through: "I have not thought about it much, but I would guess..."

A reasoned guess beats silence, and Part 3 tests the ability to speculate.

Which mistakes cost marks in Part 3?

• Part 1-sized answers. One sentence cannot explain or analyse anything.
• A position with no reason. "I think it is bad" needs a "because".
• Absolutes. "Everyone", "never" and "always" are rarely true, and they make the next sentence hard. Use "most people" and "often".
• Wandering. After the consequence, stop. The examiner will ask the next question.
• Memorised opinions. A prepared paragraph rarely fits the question, and the descriptors list memorised utterances among the lowest-band features.
• Answering the topic, not the question. "Should" asks for a judgement. A description of the topic is not an answer.
• Forced idioms. One that does not fit costs you more than plain wording.

Practice items from the ScoreFluent bank (not real exam questions)

These four sets come from our practice bank. They are not IELTS exam questions.

Set 1. Community and neighbourly relations.

1. Why is it important to have a good relationship with neighbours?
2. Do people in cities know their neighbours as well as people in villages?
3. What can be done to strengthen community spirit?
4. Has social media changed the relationship between neighbours?

Two model answers from the ScoreFluent bank, to questions 1 and 4. They have not been scored at any band.

• Question 1. "Good neighbours can help in emergencies, keep an eye on your home and make the area feel safe. They also make daily life more pleasant. Conflicts over noise or parking can spoil the atmosphere quickly."
• Question 4. "In some ways, it has improved it, because many neighbourhoods now have online groups where people share news and offer help. On the other hand, people may chat online and still never speak face to face."

Set 2. Reading habits and the future of books.

1. Why do you think some people read much more than others?
2. Do you think books will eventually be replaced by digital devices?
3. How can governments encourage people to read more?
4. Some people say that reading fiction is a waste of time. What is your view?
5. Is it more important for children to read for pleasure or to read for information?

Set 3. Preserving historic buildings.

1. Why do some people care so much about old buildings?
2. Who should pay for the maintenance of historic buildings?
3. Is it ever acceptable to demolish a historic building?
4. How does tourism affect historic sites?
5. Do you think modern buildings will be valued as heritage in the future?

A model answer from the ScoreFluent bank, to question 4. It has not been scored at any band.

• Question 4. "It is a double-edged sword. Visitor income pays for conservation and creates jobs, but large crowds can damage fragile structures and spoil the atmosphere. Limiting numbers and spreading visits throughout the year can protect them."

Set 4. Careers and the changing job market.

1. Why do many people change careers during their working lives?
2. Is a high salary the most important factor when choosing a job?
3. How should schools prepare students for the future job market?
4. Which jobs are likely to disappear because of automation?
5. What role should governments play in helping workers whose jobs are lost to technology?

Try the last question of each set with the four moves. Position, reason, example or contrast, consequence. Then check that you stopped after the consequence.

How does ScoreFluent mark Part 3 practice?

ScoreFluent returns a practice estimate for your spoken answers against the four published criteria. It is a practice estimate, not an official IELTS band or an examiner's mark.

Our IELTS speaking estimate is provisional and uncalibrated. It has not been checked against examiner-scored recordings. Use it to find what to fix, such as answers that stop at one sentence or lack a reason, and not as a prediction of your band.

Reading and listening practice is free. Speaking and writing examiner reports use credits. New accounts start with 40 free credits, credits never expire and there is no subscription. See pricing, then start with 40 free credits →

Where do these facts come from?

Checked 15 and 16 October 2026:

• IELTS: Academic Speaking format: Part 3 timing, content, skills tested, criteria.
• IELTS: General Training sample test questions: Speaking is the same for both versions.
• IELTS: scoring in detail: four criteria, equal weighting.
• IELTS speaking band descriptors (PDF): average across all parts and the quoted Band 7 wording.

The four-move answer shape, question-stem guide and phrase list are our own technique and are labelled as such.

Next: Part 1, the interview and Part 2, the cue card. Back to the IELTS hub or all IELTS task-type guides.