You’ve just successfully completed your 2-minute talk in Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking test. You’re feeling relieved. But the test is not over. The examiner now looks at you and says, “Now, let’s discuss this topic in a bit more detail…”
Welcome to IELTS Speaking Part 3.
This final section, which lasts for about 4-5 minutes, is a two-way discussion with the examiner. The questions will be thematically linked to your Part 2 topic, but they will be much more broad, abstract, and challenging.
This is the part of the test that truly separates the good speakers from the great speakers. It is your single best opportunity to demonstrate the full range of your English ability and to achieve a high band score like a 7, 8, or 9. While Part 1 is about you and Part 2 is about a personal story, Part 3 is about your ability to discuss big ideas.
Many students fear this section. The questions are unpredictable, and they require you to think critically and express complex opinions. This guide will demystify Part 3. We will show you the different types of questions the examiner will ask, provide you with a powerful formula for structuring your answers, and give you the strategies you need to turn this challenge into your strongest performance.
First, Understand the Purpose of Part 3
The examiner’s goal in this section is to push you to the limit of your English ability. They want to see if you can:
- Express and justify your opinions.
- Analyze, discuss, and speculate on issues.
- Handle abstract and complex ideas.
- Use a wide range of high-level vocabulary and complex grammatical structures.
If your Part 2 was about “a memorable holiday,” Part 3 will be about tourism in general. If your Part 2 was about “an older person you admire,” Part 3 will be about the role of the elderly in society. The questions move from the personal to the general.
The 6 Types of Questions You Will Face in Part 3
The questions in Part 3 are not random. They are designed to test specific thinking skills. If you can learn to recognize the type of question you are being asked, you can give a much more relevant and well-structured answer.
1. The “Opinion” Question:
- What it is: Asks for your personal view on an issue.
- Example: “Do you think that tourism is generally a positive or negative development?”
- How to answer: Start with a clear opinion phrase like “In my view…” or “I firmly believe that…”
2. The “Compare and Contrast” Question:
- What it is: Asks you to discuss the differences and/or similarities between two things.
- Example: “What are the main differences between travelling in your home country and travelling abroad?”
- How to answer: Use comparative language like “The main difference is…”, “Whereas X is…”, “Y, on the other hand, is…”
3. The “Future Prediction” Question:
- What it is: Asks you to speculate about what might happen in the future.
- Example: “How do you think international travel will change in the next 20 years?”
- How to answer: Use future tenses and speculative language like “I predict that…”, “It’s likely that…”, “In the future, we will probably see…”
4. The “Cause and Effect” Question:
- What it is: Asks you to discuss the reasons for a trend or the effects of a situation.
- Example: “What are the main effects of tourism on local communities?”
- How to answer: Use cause and effect language like “One of the primary causes is…”, “This leads to…”, “As a result,…”
5. The “Hypothetical” Question:
- What it is: Asks you to imagine a situation that is not real.
- Example: “If you could choose any country in the world to live in, where would you choose and why?”
- How to answer: Use the second conditional (“If I could…, I would…”).
6. The “Advantages and Disadvantages” Question:
- What it is: Asks you to discuss the good and bad points of a particular trend.
- Example: “What are the advantages and disadvantages of budget airlines?”
- How to answer: Dedicate some time to the pros and some time to the cons. Use linking words like “On the one hand, a major advantage is…” and “However, a significant drawback is…”
The A.R.E.A. Method: Your Formula for a Perfect Part 3 Answer
The biggest mistake students make in Part 3 is giving answers that are too short and underdeveloped. A simple, one-sentence opinion is not enough to get a high score. You must develop your answers in detail.
The A.R.E.A. method is a simple but incredibly powerful formula for structuring a complete and high-scoring Part 3 answer.
A – Answer: Give a direct and clear answer to the examiner’s question.
R – Reason: Explain why you have this opinion. Give your main reason.
E – Example: Provide a specific, real-world example to support your reason.
A – Alternative: Briefly discuss an alternative or opposing viewpoint.
Let’s see this in action.
Question: “Do you think that tourism is generally a positive or negative development?”
A Band 9 Answer using the A.R.E.A. Method:
(A – Answer)
“In my opinion, I firmly believe that tourism is, for the most part, a very positive development for most countries.”
(R – Reason)
“The primary reason I say this is because of the significant economic benefits it brings. When tourists visit a country, they spend money in hotels, restaurants, and shops, which creates a huge number of jobs for local people, from tour guides to hotel managers.”
(E – Example)
“A clear example of this can be seen in many coastal towns in my country. Thirty years ago, many of these were poor fishing villages, but thanks to the development of the tourism industry, they have been transformed into thriving communities with low unemployment and a high standard of living.”
(A – Alternative)
“Of course, it’s true that tourism can have a negative side. It can lead to environmental damage if it’s not managed properly. However, I believe that these problems can be controlled with good government regulation, and they are outweighed by the powerful economic advantages.”
Analysis:
This is a perfect Part 3 answer. It is well-structured, fully developed, and directly answers the question. It uses high-level vocabulary (“significant economic benefits,” “thriving communities,” “government regulation”) and complex grammatical structures. This is exactly what the examiner is looking for.
How to Boost Your Score in IELTS Speaking Part 3?
- Don’t be Afraid to Take a Moment to Think: If the examiner asks you a difficult question, it is perfectly fine to take a few seconds to think before you answer. You can use a filler phrase to do this naturally: “That’s a very interesting question. Let me think about that for a moment…”
- It’s a Discussion, Not a Monologue: Pay attention to the examiner. They might interrupt you to ask a follow-up question. This is a good sign! It means they are engaged and you are having a real discussion.
- Don’t Worry if You Don’t Know Much About the Topic: You are not being tested on your knowledge. You are being tested on your English. If you don’t know much about a topic, you can say so and then speculate. For example: “I’m not an expert on this topic, but I would imagine that one of the main reasons is…”
Part 3 is your final and best chance to prove that you are a high-level English speaker. By understanding the question types and using the A.R.E.A. method to develop your answers, you can turn this challenge into a confident and high-scoring performance.
Ready to practice your discussion skills?
👉 Take a full, computer-based IELTS Speaking Mock Test to experience the full range of Part 3 questions.