IELTS Needs Analysis & Speaking Part One Review

IELTS needs analysis and Speaking Part One question review

Interview each other about your needs for English and IELTS and make brief notes about your partner in the boxes below.

Name:
Job
Present	Past	Future
Education
Present	Past	Future
Studies of English
Present	Past	Future
Use of English
Present	Past	Future
IELTS and other English language exams
Present	Past	Future

Ask any questions on the next page which you haven’t already and write more above.

Job

• What do you do (for a living)?/ What’s your job?/ Are you working at the moment (or are you a student)?
• What was your first job?/ Is this your first job?/ How long have you been working there?/ What did you do before that?
• What would you like to do in the future?/ What is your ambition?/ Are you planning to change jobs?

 

Education

• Are you a student (or are you working)?/ Are you studying anything at the moment?
• What did you study at university?/ What was your favourite subject at school?/ Did you enjoy foreign languages at school?/ What was your major at university?
• Is there anything you’d like to study (full time) in the future?

 

Studies of English

• Are you studying English at the moment?/ How often do you study English?/ How long do you spend studying English every week?/ Do you do any English language self study?
• How long have you been studying English?/ Did you like your English lessons at school?/ When did you start studying English?/ When did you last study English?
• Are you planning to study English in the future?/ Would you like to study English abroad?

 

Use of English

• Do you use English in your work/ studies?/ How often do you use English (in your work/ studies/ free time)?/ Do you have any foreign friends?
• When did you last use English (outside the classroom)?
• Do you think you will need English more in the future? (Why/ Why not?)

 

English language exams

• Why are you taking the IELTS?/ What is your motivation for taking the IELTS?
• Have you ever taken any English language exams?
• When are you taking the IELTS?/ What are you going to do if you get the mark you need in IELTS?

Ask about any questions above that you weren’t sure how to answer, weren’t sure the difference between, etc.

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Without looking back at the last page, fill in the correct tenses in these questions from your memory or grammar knowledge. Sometimes more than one tense is possible. If no wh- question word is given, it is a Yes/ No question without a wh- word.  

What _____________________________________________ (you do) for a living?

____________________________________________ (you work) at the moment?

How long ____________________________________________ (you work) there?

What ________________________________ (you do) before you started that job?

What ___________________________________________ (you do) in the future?

____________________________________ (you study) anything at the moment?

What _________________________________________ (you study) at university?

Is there anything ________________________________ (you study) in the future?

How often _________________________________________ (you study) English?

How long _________________________ (you spend) studying English every week?

How long ___________________________________________ (you study) English?

When _________________________ (you last use) English outside the classroom?

Do you think _____________ (you need) English more in the future? (Why/ Why not?)

_______________________________ (you ever take) any English language exams?

When _____________________________________________ (you take) the IELTS?

What ______________________ (you do) if you get the mark you need in the IELTS?

Check your answers on the previous page. Other tenses might be possible, so check with your teacher if you wrote something different.

What are the differences between the different future tenses that are used above? 

Which of those future tenses are you most likely to use in your answers to IELTS Speaking Part One personal questions?

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Brainstorm similar (present, past and future) questions for these other typical IELTS Speaking Part One topics:

Hometown

 

 

 

 

 

Hobbies and free time

 

 

 

 

 

Family and friends

 

 

 

 

 

Festivals and celebrations

 

 

 

 

 

Accommodation

 

 

 

 

 

Transport and travel

 

 

 

 

 

 

Compare with the questions on the next page, brainstorm more, then compare your extra questions as a class.

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Hometown

Present

• Are you from (Tokyo)? / Are you from round here?/ Where are you from?
• What kind of place is your hometown? / Tell me a little about where you come from./ Can you tell me something about your hometown?
• Would you rather live in your hometown or in ___________? (Why?)
• Are you from the country or the city?
• What’s the most interesting part of your town/ village?
• What kind of jobs do people in your town/ village do?
• Would you say your hometown a good place to live? (Why?)
• Do you often visit your hometown?/ How often do you go back to your hometown?
• Is your hometown famous for anything?

Past

• How long have you been in (Tokyo)? (Is Tokyo the only place you have lived in?)
• Where were you born?
• Where did you grow up? / Where did you live when you were a child?
• How is your hometown changing?
• What changes would you like to make to your hometown?

Future

• Would you like to live in your hometown when you retire/ get older?
• How do you think your hometown will change in the future?
• When are you next going back to your hometown?

 

Hobbies and free time

Present

• What do you like doing in your free time?
• What are your hobbies? / Do you have/ Have you got any hobbies or interests?
• Do you prefer to go out or stay at home in the evenings? (Why?)
• How do you usually spend your weekends/ days off?
• What do you usually do in the evening?
• How much free time do you have?/ Do you have much free time?
• What do you usually do when you meet up with your friends?
• Do you prefer going out with a large or small group of friends? (Why?)

Past

• What did you do last weekend?
• When was the last time you went out? What did you do?

Future

• Are there any new leisure activities you would like to take up?
• Do you have any plans for this evening/ this weekend?

Family and friends

Present

• Do you have a large family?/ How many brothers and sisters do you have?
• Would you say that you get on well with your family?
• Which of your parents do you most resemble/ take after? (Why do you say that?)
• What do your parents do?
• Do you have many friends?

Past

• Did you get on well with your parents/ brothers or sisters when you were a child?
• When was the last time you met your extended family? (What was the occasion?)

Future

• When will you next meet up with your family/ extended family?

 

Festivals and celebrations

Present

• How do you usually celebrate your birthday?
• What is the most important day of the year for you? (Why?)
• What is the most important festival in your hometown/ country?
• Does your hometown have any festivals?

Past

• How did you celebrate your last birthday?
• When did you last go to a festival?

Future

• How do you think you will celebrate your birthday?
• What is the next big celebration in your family? (What are you going to do?)
• Are there any festivals you would like to go to?

 

Accommodation

Present

• Do you live in a house or flat? / What sort of home/ accommodation do you live in?
• Where do you live now? (How long have you been living there?)
• Do you live near here?
• What do you like about your home? (Is there anything you would like to change?)
• What is your local area like?
• Do you still live with your family? (What are the advantages and disadvantages?)
• Can you tell me about where you are living at the moment?
• What is your favourite room in your house? (Why?)
• Who do you live with? / Do you live on your own?

Past

• When did you move into your present accommodation?/ How long have you been living where you do now?

Future

• What sort of accommodation would you most like to live in?
• How long do you think you will continue living in your present accommodation?/ Would you like to move house? (Why/ why not?)

 

Transport and travel

Present

• What things would you recommend a foreign tourist to do in your country?

Past

• Have you visited many foreign countries?/ Have you travelled much? (What was your favourite place? Why?)
• Have you ever had any problems while you were travelling?
• Have you been to any English-speaking countries? (What do you think about it/ them?)

Future

• Would you like you live abroad? Why/ Why not?
• When do you think you will next travel abroad? (Where would you like to go?)/ What countries would you like to visit (in the future)?
• If you could live in any country/ travel anywhere, where would you choose?

Ask each other questions on those topics in exam style, with an easy present question followed by one or two more difficult past and/ or future questions on each topic, then changing topic at least once. Start with: 

“Come in and take a seat. Good morning/ afternoon. Can I see your ID?”

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“Thank you. My name’s __________________. Can you tell me your full name, please?”

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“So, what would you like me to call you?”

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“Okay (name), in the first part of the test, I’d like to ask you a few questions about yourself, if that’s okay.”

*

“Let’s start with (the name of a Speaking Part One topic)”