IELTS Speaking Part 3: Two-way Discussion | Complete Guide

Speaking Part 3 at a Glance

Part 3 is where the IELTS Speaking test really decides your band. Part 1 is a warm-up. Part 2 is your prepared turn. Part 3 is the unpredictable, abstract, opinion-driven conversation that separates a band 6 from a band 7+.

The good news: there is a method. The Marvel IELTS Companion lays it out clearly.

What Is IELTS Speaking Part 3?

After your Part 2 monologue ends, the examiner takes the broad theme of your cue card and goes deeper.

If your Part 2 was about a gift you gave, Part 3 might ask:

• “Why is giving gifts important in your culture?”
• “Do you think people give too many gifts these days?”
• “How has gift-giving changed in the last 20 years?”

If your Part 2 was about a famous person you admire, Part 3 might ask:

• “What kind of people become famous in your country?”
• “Do you think the media has too much influence over public opinion?”
• “Is it harder to be famous now than in the past?”

The questions usually go from concrete to abstract:

1. First question - close to the Part 2 topic, fairly easy
2. Middle questions - opinions on society, comparisons (now vs past)
3. Final questions - future predictions, complex hypotheticals

Marvel’s Tips for Speaking Part 3

These come straight from the Marvel IELTS Companion. They are the structural rules for every Part 3 answer.

In Speaking Part 3, you should try to develop your answers as much as possible.

• Answer the question directly in your first sentence
• Then move on to do one or more of the following:
  • Give reasons for your answer
  • Add more information / develop your answer
  • Give examples of what you mean

That is the band 7+ formula in one box: Answer + Reason + Example + Extension.

Marvel’s Opinion-Introducing Phrases

In order to introduce your personal opinion, you can use:

• In my opinion, people felt safer in the past.
• From my point of view, tourism has really changed this place.
• As far as I’m concerned, it was the holiday of a lifetime.

Note: The phrase “According to…” can be used to introduce another person’s opinion. We do not use it to introduce our own opinion. (e.g. “According to the government, the new law will reduce crime.”)

Marvel’s That-Clause Phrases

Phrases which introduce a that-clause:

• I think that the internet has changed the world we live in.
• It seems to me that people need to care about the environment more.
• I tend to think that parents are usually to blame.
• My personal opinion is that education is the key to solving the problem.

Master 4-5 of these and rotate them across your Part 3 answers. You will sound natural and varied at the same time.

What Examiners Are Really Listening For

The 4-Part Answer Formula

Use this skeleton on every Part 3 question. After three rounds of practice it becomes automatic.

Demo on a Real Question

Question: “Do you think people watch too much television these days?”

Step 1 (Answer): “Yes, I tend to think that people, especially young people, watch far too much television these days.

Step 2 (Reason): The main reason is that streaming platforms like Netflix and Prime Video make it very easy to binge-watch entire seasons in one weekend.

Step 3 (Example): For example, in my own family, my younger brother often watches five or six hours of shows on a Sunday. When I was his age, we mostly played outside or read books.

Step 4 (Extend): That said, I think television can be useful if you choose the right content. Educational documentaries, for instance, can teach you a lot. So the problem is not television itself, but how people use it.”

That answer is roughly 90 seconds and band 7-8 material.

Sample Part 3 Questions (Linked to Marvel Cue Cards)

The Marvel Companion shows the link between Part 2 and Part 3 themes. Here are typical Part 3 questions for the most common Part 2 topics.

After Cue Card: Present / Gift

• Why do people give gifts?
• Has the type of gift people give changed over the years?
• Do you think children should be given gifts when they do well at school?
• Is it better to give expensive or thoughtful gifts?

After Cue Card: Place You Enjoy Visiting

• How has tourism affected your country?
• Do you think people travel more now than in the past? Why?
• What kinds of places do young people prefer to visit?
• Is international travel good or bad for local cultures?

After Cue Card: Old Person You Know

• Do young people respect older people in your country?
• What can young people learn from the elderly?
• Has the role of older people in society changed?
• Should governments do more for the elderly?

After Cue Card: Childhood Event

• Why do people remember some childhood events more than others?
• Are children today happier than children 20 years ago?
• Do you think children spend enough time outdoors these days?
• What can schools do to make childhood more memorable?

After Cue Card: Environmental Problem

• What are the biggest environmental problems facing your country?
• Who is more responsible for the environment - governments or individuals?
• Will environmental problems get better or worse in the next 30 years?
• Are people in your country aware of climate change?

After Cue Card: Person You Admire / Family Member

• Are family relationships as important as they were in the past?
• Do you think the typical family is changing?
• Should children look after their parents in old age?
• Why do some people admire their parents more than others?

After Cue Card: Restaurant

• Why do people like eating in restaurants?
• Are fast food restaurants harmful to society?
• Has the food people eat changed in your country?
• Will home-cooked meals disappear in the future?

After Cue Card: Favourite Hobby

• Are hobbies important for children?
• Do you think hobbies have changed because of technology?
• Should schools allow students more time for hobbies?
• Why do some people not have any hobbies?

After Cue Card: Job / Career

• What kinds of jobs are most popular in your country today?
• Has the workplace changed because of technology?
• Will some jobs disappear in the next 20 years?
• Is salary more important than job satisfaction?

After Cue Card: A Situation When You Were Late

• Why are some people always late?
• Is being late a sign of disrespect?
• Has technology made people more or less punctual?
• Should schools punish students for being late?

After Cue Card: Traditional Dish / Meal

• Are traditional dishes still popular among young people?
• How has food in your country changed in the last 20 years?
• Is fast food replacing traditional cooking?
• Should governments protect traditional food cultures?

After Cue Card: Important Festival

• Do festivals still bring families together?
• How have festivals changed in your country?
• Are festivals becoming too commercial?
• Should schools teach about cultural festivals?

Band 9 Model Answers (from the Marvel Companion)

The Marvel IELTS Companion gives full structured Part 3 model answers under cue-card themes. Here are the most useful, broken down by formula.

Model: Speech About Global Warming (Person you heard speak / News story)

The Marvel Companion uses the global warming topic as a template that works for three different cue cards: a speech you heard, a news story you watched, and a news article you read. The structure repeats. Master it once, use it three ways.

INTRODUCTION: “In my life, I heard many speeches. But here I would like to discuss with you a speech which my principal delivered when I was in 10th class, and it was on the most burning issue nowadays - that is ‘GLOBAL WARMING’.”

BODY (causes): “My school principal is a very famous person in my hometown and is known for his oratorical skills. He talked on the topic of global warming. The whole globe is involved in it. The way he described the causes and effects was very interesting. It was an eye-opener for me. We, humans, are the causes and we humans can lessen it. He also told us how the pollution caused by cutting trees, having more industries, a growing number of cars and other human luxuries is leading to global warming.”

BODY (three effects): “Then he told us about the effects of global warming.

• Firstly is the rise in the sea level. This is because of the melting of mountain peaks.
• The second effect is the changing climate. We all know that summers are getting hotter and winters are getting colder.
• Finally, we are having epidemics of diseases like malaria and dengue. This is because mosquitoes and flies prosper in the heat.”

BODY (solutions): “He also told how to lessen this phenomenon by simple measures like not cutting down trees, planting more trees, using recycled materials, and saying no to plastic bags.”

CONCLUSION: “I felt very enlightened after listening to his spellbinding speech. I try to avoid using plastic bags and also accept recycled material even though the quality is low.”

This is a textbook intro-body-conclusion structure. You can adapt it to almost any “environmental” Part 3 question.

Model: Why Globalisation / Travel Has Changed Cities

“In my opinion, tourism has really changed this place. I would say it has undoubtedly become trendier. They have built a stunning new memorial. The local inhabitants have become more overtly proud of their city too. It has received quite a bit of recognition in recent times, which has really placed Chandigarh well and truly on the cultural map - something the inhabitants are always happy to talk to you about. In fact, that is something else I enjoy about going there: the local people are invariably friendly and helpful.”

Model: Should Government Pay for Cultural Things?

“I think it depends really. If possible, they should be free because if people do have to pay, they are less likely to go and see it. But on the other hand, these things cost money so a small fee may be necessary if it can keep the art gallery going and keep it open. Ideally, though the government should pay for this as I believe this kind of thing is paid for by our taxes.”

Model: Should Everyone Learn to Swim?

“Of course, I think it’s very important. Firstly, you spend much of your life on holiday by the water, for example, when you go to the beach on holiday, so you won’t be able to enjoy yourself with your friends if you can’t swim. Also, for safety reasons, it’s very important. You often hear about sad accidents involving young children, so it’s very important.”

Model: When Is Time Management Most Important?

“I think it is probably when you are at work. When out of work, it’s not really going to affect things too much, or at least only yourself, if you are late to meet friends or for an appointment. But at work, it will cause problems if you don’t manage your time effectively because you could miss deadlines or miss appointments. You could lose your job. So at work is when it is most important to manage your time.”

Vocabulary That Lifts Your Part 3 Band

Part 3 rewards range. Here are the discourse markers, opinion phrases, and speculation verbs used most often in band 7+ answers, taken from the Marvel Companion and standard examiner-listening lists.

Giving Your Opinion

• “In my opinion…”
• “From my point of view…”
• “As far as I’m concerned…”
• “I tend to think that…”
• “It seems to me that…”
• “My personal opinion is that…”
• “If you ask me…”
• “I’d say that…”

Comparing Past and Present

• “These days…” vs “In the past…”
• “Twenty years ago…”
• “It used to be that…”
• “Things have changed quite a lot…”
• “Compared with the past…”
• “Whereas in the past, now…”

Speculating About the Future

• “I think it’s likely that…”
• “It may well be that…”
• “I suspect that…”
• “It wouldn’t surprise me if…”
• “There’s a strong chance that…”
• “In the next 20 years, I expect…”

Contrasting Both Sides

• “On the one hand… on the other hand…”
• “That said…”
• “Having said that…”
• “However…”
• “But you could also argue…”
• “Some people would disagree, of course…”

Giving Reasons

• “The main reason is…”
• “This is because…”
• “Due to…”
• “One factor is…”
• “Another reason is that…”

Giving Examples

• “For example…”
• “For instance…”
• “Take… for example.”
• “A good example of this is…”
• “If you look at…”

Hedging (sounding natural, not over-confident)

• “I would say that…”
• “Generally speaking…”
• “By and large…”
• “More often than not…”
• “It’s hard to generalise, but…”

Common Mistakes in Part 3

The Biggest Single Mistake

IELTS vs LangCert Academic vs PTE Academic

How to Practice Part 3 Properly

What Good Practice Looks Like

A 6-Week Part 3 Plan

Exam Day: Mindset & Recovery Tips

Part 3 is mentally tiring. By minute 10-11, your brain wants to go home. That is when the abstract questions hit hardest.

Before You Answer

• Take half a second before each answer. Examiners do not penalise a short pause.
• Use a thinking phrase: “That’s an interesting question…” / “Let me think for a moment…”
• Pick a side. Even a weak opinion you can defend beats no opinion.

If Something Goes Wrong

Ending Part 3 Well

The examiner will say something like: “Thank you, that is the end of the speaking test.” Smile, say thank you, hand back your ID, and leave calmly. Do not try to add anything. You are done.

The Band 7+ Mindset for Part 3

Three things separate band 6 from band 7+ in Part 3:

1. You commit to an opinion. Even a weak one, defended well, scores higher than “I’m not sure.”
2. You compare time periods. Past vs now vs future shows tense range and depth.
3. You give specific examples. “In my country…” or “My grandfather used to…” beats “people in general…”.

If every Part 3 answer hits those three things, you are in 7+ territory.

Practice IELTS Speaking Part 3 with CD IELTS

The Marvel Edu CD IELTS practice software gives you:

• Realistic examiner-style prompts on the actual CD interface
• Linked Part 2 + Part 3 practice so the topic flows naturally
• 1-minute Cue Card prep timer
• AI pronunciation, fluency, and lexical resource scoring
• Replay + self-review
• Band-9 model answers from the Marvel IELTS Companion

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