A New Language – IELTS Speaking Practice Test with Sample Answers

Thea

5 min read

Updated On Aug 14, 2024

Speaking Part 1
Speaking Part 2
Speaking Part 3

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Given below are the A New Language IELTS Speaking test questions with sample answers.

The IELTS Speaking test consists of a short discussion between the examiner and the candidate. IELTS Speaking is the same for both the Academic and General exams. You will be asked a series of questions on common topics. You have to state your opinion or experiences.

For an in-depth discussion on IELTS Speaking, take a look at IELTS Speaking – All about Speaking test, Essential tips.

Before you start, learn how to avoid grammar errors in IELTS Speaking with the guide below!

Check out more IELTS Speaking Practice Tests.

Aiming for a high IELTS Speaking score? Start your studies with the Comprehensive IELTS Speaking Band 8 Preparation Course.

Here is an audio recording of the sample answer for the speaking topic & questions given below.

As you listen to it, you can refer to the transcriptions below for more clarity on the Speaking Test.

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Speaking Part 1

1 Where are you from?

Well as you can probably guess, I come from Ho Chi Minh city. I have lived here all my life although currently am studying in another city, Ha Noi.

2 Can you describe your hometown?

If I have to describe Ho Chi Minh City, I suppose I would say that it’s absolutely enormous, maybe the largest city in Vietnam. In fact, my hometown is so big that even the locals sometime have difficulty finding their way around. Another significant characteristic about Ho Chi Minh City is that it is a melting pot of different cultures. I would say that it is easy for you to experience the cultural diversity in Ho Chi Minh City.

Speaking Part 2

Talk about a person who can use or speak a second language.

You should say:

who this person is?
what language can he/she use?
how often does he/she use it?

Sample Answer 1

Well, let me start off by saying who this person is. Actually, I know quite a lot people who are bilingual, however I’d like to talk about my best friend who is fluent in Japanese. Her name is Nguyen and she is currently working in a Japanese corporate. The thing that makes her unique to me is that despite acquiring Japanese on her own, she managed to become excellent at it with gorgeous intonation like a native speaker. When she was in university, she fell in love with a Japanese person and gradually became addicted to this country’s culture and language. Therefore, she exerted herself and put a lot of effort in Japanese with the first target of being able to communicate with her boyfriend in his mother tongue. Time went by and her passion for this language grew so strong that she committed herself to conquer it, no matter how hard it is when it comes to the matter of self – study. However at the end of the day, she achieved it with flying colors and lots of opportunities came to her after graduation from university. It is my friend who gave me a precious lesson in life: Do the thing you are truly passionate about and you will rock it.

Vocabulary For Cue card

Intonation: the rise and fall of the voice in speaking
Eg: Controlling your intonation is important for communication in spoken English.
Passionate: having, showing, or caused by strong feelings or beliefs.
Eg: The woman’s passionate devotion to her religion is evident in her frequent prayers.
Exerted: the application of a force, influence, or quality; physical or mental effort.
Eg: He exerted pressure on the students

Sample Answer 2

Coming from a country like India means that most people I know are bilingual. Many people here speak three or more languages with ease. The most impressive person I know is my college professor. Other than being fluent in languages like Hindi, Marathi and Bengali, she has great skill and in-depth knowledge of both English and Urdu literature. While most people are only able to converse in a day-to-day capacity, she is able to recite and write her own poetry as well as easily able to understand complex philosophical and literary texts.

This talent of hers was very rewarding for us students as we were able to learn how creative language is used by writers in their mother tongue. When taking a translation course, she would easily switch between both languages and this set an example for us to be comfortable doing it as well. Being multilingual, she is able to use her language training to translate older texts or the works of local poets. In this way, it is able to reach a wider audience. I also hope to follow in her footsteps and use my knowledge to build and share native art with people from different cultures and countries.

Speaking Part 3

1 What are the benefits of learning a new language?

Language has long been considered as one of the main tools for people to exchange information and culture. When a person is fluent in one foreign language, almost every barriers to that country’s culture and business would be taken down. He has a lot of chances in networking, studying or doing business with foreign people without having to use the third language. This is also crucial in giving foreign people a sense of pride in their own country and hence create many more opportunities for him.

2 Is it better to start learning a foreign language as a child or an adult? Why do you think so?

From my personal perspective, it is way easier for a child to pick up a new language than adults due to some reasons. The first point I’d like to give is that children have a perfect instinct for imitation, which is crucial in learning a new language, especially with the new intonation and pronunciation. Adults, on the other hand, are quite slow in eliminating their routines and adopting new rules in speaking. Another factor that needs to be taken into account is that children are on the way of developing mental states, therefore, this is usually considered as the ideal phase for learning everything, not just language. On the contrary, there are too many things that occupy adults like work, family, financial matters and so on, thus, it’s is not easy for them to just concentrate on learning.

3 How can teachers help in learning a new language?

In every aspect of life, no one can deny the essential role of teachers or mentors, and learning a new language is not an exception. Teachers are the ones who guide learners with the right method to take up new language and therefore prevent the waste of time and resources. They also appear as a fantastic source of reference besides books and Internet. However, the thing that really makes teachers truly valuable is the power of inspiration and encouragement that they spread to their students during the course of learning.

Vocabulary For Speaking Part 3

Instinct: an innate, typically fixed pattern of behaviour in animals in response to certain stimuli.
Eg: She was guided by her instincts.
Contrary: opposite in nature, direction, or meaning.
Eg: Ram is a business giant. On the contrary, his sister was not so smart..
Sense of pride: having a feeling of being good and worthy.
Eg: The family has a sense of pride about their status in the society.
Encouragement: the action of giving someone support, confidence, or hope.
Eg: His father always provides encouragement in tough times.