IELTS Speaking Part 3
Part 3 is a four to five minute two-way discussion. The examiner takes the theme of your Part 2 card and moves it away from you personally towards society, change and comparison — what people in general do, why things have changed, what might happen next.
This is where the highest band scores are decided, because abstract questions need more than description.
What Part 3 questions look like
If your Part 2 card asked you to describe a teacher who influenced you, Part 3 will move outward to education in general:
- What qualities do good teachers have?
- How has the role of teachers changed in the last thirty years?
- Do you think technology will replace teachers in the future?
- Is it better for children to be taught in large or small classes?
Notice the shift: no question is about you. Answers that stay personal — in my country, my brother is a teacher and he — do not show the range Part 3 is testing.
How to extend an answer
Part 3 answers should be longer than Part 1 answers — roughly four to six sentences. A structure that works for almost any question:
- Give a direct position on the question.
- Give the reason behind it.
- Illustrate with an example or a comparison — between countries, generations, or past and present.
- Concede the other side briefly, then restate where you stand.
Speculation is welcome
Many Part 3 questions ask what will or might happen. Conditional and modal language — it would probably, that might lead to, if governments were to — is exactly the grammatical range the examiner is listening for.
Common Part 3 mistakes
- Answering in one sentence and waiting. The examiner is not looking for brevity here.
- Repeating the Part 2 story instead of generalising.
- Guessing at facts and statistics. Reasoning is assessed, accuracy of data is not.
- Stacking linking phrases without an argument underneath them.
- Panicking at an unfamiliar topic — it is fair to say you have not thought about it much, then reason aloud.
Practising Part 3 out loud with another candidate is the fastest route to fluency here, because the pressure of a real listener is what makes the difference. TestPilot Speaking Rooms are built for exactly that, with Part 1 to Part 3 question sets and timers.
Frequently asked questions
How long is IELTS Speaking Part 3?
Four to five minutes of two-way discussion, following directly on from your Part 2 long turn.
How long should Part 3 answers be?
Longer than Part 1 — about four to six sentences. Give a position, a reason and an example rather than a single statement.
What if I do not know anything about the topic?
Say so briefly and reason aloud anyway. You are assessed on language, not knowledge, and speculating clearly is better than silence.
Practise discussion questions with real partners in a live speaking room.
See how Speaking practice works