IELTS Speaking test in Singapore: Questions and answers

The following questions were asked in an IELTS speaking test recently held in Singapore. Sample answers are also given.

Part 1

Examiner: Can you tell me your name, please?

Candidate: My name is…

Examiner: Can you show me your ID, please?

Candidate: Here you are. Thank you.

Examiner: First I would like to ask you a few general questions about yourself. Where are you from?

Candidate: I am from Katong. It is a residential area in the east of Singapore near the seafront. Katong is known for its good food, fashion and cultural heritage. It is also the seat of the local Peranakan culture.

Examiner: Do you work or study?

Candidate: I’m studying business management at the moment, at X university. It’s a three-year degree program and I am in my second year at the moment.

Examiner: Do you like music?

Candidate: Of course I do. I listen to music every day. Actually, I have a huge collection of MP3s.

Examiner: What kind of music do you like to listen to?

Candidate: I like all sorts of music. I have a huge collection of jazz, rock, folk and country music records. I also like classical music and go to live music concerts whenever I can.

Part II

Examiner: Now in this part, you should talk about a topic for one minute. You can take a minute to make some notes before you speak. I would like you to describe the most polite person that you know.

Candidate: Well, I have met quite a few polite people, but the most polite among them is probably my landlady. I have been staying in her house for almost two years now. She is in her sixties and was living alone in a big house when we approached her asking if we could rent the upper floor of that house. She readily agreed. She treats us like her own children but doesn’t interfere in our affairs unnecessarily. She is polite to everybody. She never shouts at her servants or other people who work for her. Besides being a nice woman, she is a well-read person and can engage in intelligent conversations. Actually, that’s the main reason that I enjoy her company.

Part III

Examiner: Now in this part I would like to ask a few general questions about the topic you’ve talked about. Do people in your locality behave politely?

Candidate: Well, during my stay in Singapore, I have come across all sorts of people. Some are polite; some aren’t that polite. That said, I have never had any big issues with anybody in my locality. In my opinion, people are nice to you if you are nice to them.

Examiner: Is it in the culture of your country?

Candidate: I don’t think that it is a culture-specific thing. Every culture respects people who behave politely. What I have learned from my experience is that being polite is essential for success and social acceptance.

Examiner: Is there a difference between your own and other countries in that respect?

Candidate: As I said earlier, I don’t think that this is country-specific or culture specific. I have met and interacted with people from many different parts of the country. I have never felt that people of one country are more polite than people of another country. And I have never met anybody who is rude all the time. People behave rudely when they are angry or upset. The same folks may behave polite in other situations.

Manjusha Nambiar

Hi, I'm Manjusha. This is my blog where I give IELTS preparation tips.

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