My IELTS Classroom Podcast · Shelly Cornick and Nick Lone

The best approach to IELTS Speaking Part 3!

·58 min·5 clips

Shelley takes a week off to recharge, then reveals a rare rerun on IELTS Speaking Part 3 from ex-examiners.

This episode provides a detailed guide to IELTS Speaking Part 3 from the perspective of two former examiners. Hosts Shelley Cornick and Nick Long leverage their professional examiner experience to break down this section of the test. They originally recorded this lesson for their Patreon supporters but are releasing it widely due to listener demand for speaking advice. The hosts explain the structure and purpose of the Speaking Part 3, which follows the individual long turn in Part 2. They outline the specific skills and strategies test-takers need to demonstrate to achieve a high band score. Shelley and Nick detail the types of abstract questions examiners ask and the common topics that arise. A key focus is moving beyond simple personal answers to more analytical, societal-level discussions. The hosts emphasize the importance of providing extended, coherent responses with clear reasoning. They contrast effective and ineffective answer structures to illustrate their points. Shelley and Nick share insights into the examiner's mindset and what they are listening for during this part of the test. They offer practical techniques for organizing thoughts quickly under pressure. The lesson includes examples of how to develop answers with depth and complexity. The tone is instructional and supportive, directly applying professional expertise to learner needs. The style is conversational yet densely informative, with hosts building on each other's points. This episode is essential for IELTS students seeking to understand examiner expectations for the discussion section. Listeners wanting general English conversation or narrative storytelling might find it too narrowly focused on test strategy.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from My IELTS Classroom Podcast