💡 8 Phrases to answer any IELTS Speaking question

Hello lovely, I'm Maria and in this video we're going to give you 8 sentences to answer any IELTS speaking question, well, kind of. So if you don't know what to say or you need some time to think, use some of these phrases and you'll be fine. Yes, Rory? Oh, you put me on the spot with this one. It's hard to say with any certainty, really, but you know, if I were to guess, yeah, that's something you could do. No, no, no, Rory, you don't use them all together in one sentence. No, it's one question, one sentence, okay? Okay. Okay, Rory, could you now read these nice phrases, sentence number one? Oh, you put me on the spot with this one. You put me on the spot, on the spot? On the spot. A spotlight. All of the focus is on you and you're, you're stuck because it's just, it's a new situation and you have no idea what to do. Imagine you're sitting there and somebody just like puts all the light on you on the spot and you're kind of like, so the strategy is you say this sentence and then you give the answer. It's not just like, oh, you put me on the spot with this one. That's all. Next. We're done. Next question. All right, but this sentence helps you to buy some time to think. For example, I'm going to now ask some IOT speaking questions and Rory is going to use this phrase naturally, okay, Rory, naturally. I will try. Are libraries popular in your country? Oh, you put me on the spot with that one. I would say they're not as popular as they used to be, but we do have a cost of living crisis in this country. So they're probably still quite well frequented. So Rory here said you put me on the spot with that one or you said this one. It can be this one or that one because you're referring to something that has come previously. So it actually draws a nice connection between what you're saying now and what's been said previously. Another question, Rory, is it important to study stars? Oh, he put me on the spot with this one. Well, if you're an astronomer, then it's very important to study the stars because that's your whole job. And if you didn't do it, then, well, you wouldn't keep your job, I suppose. Are historical films popular in your country? Oh, you put me on the spot with this one. I would say, well, again, they're more popular than they used to be because you have all these blockbuster films like Oppenheimer coming out now. Also, people who produce Oppenheimer pay me money for advertising. So use this phrase once in your exam. OK? Now we're just giving you examples. Yes. Just one time. Yeah, just once. OK, please. The clue is in the phrase. This one. One time. That's it. You only have one. OK. Phrase number two. Oh. Our favorite phrase. Rory, could you read it out? I'm not an expert, but if I were to guess. I'm not an expert, but if I were to guess. If I were the second conditional, if I were to guess. You can say if I was to guess, like I'm imagining, I'm guessing, but we use the second conditional. For example, do you think climate change will affect water sports in the future? Well, I'm not an expert, but if I were to guess, then probably I imagine if the sea levels are rising, then there will be more water for water sports to happen. So, you see, this sentence is very good if you are asked a very specific question. This question, like climate change will affect water sports in the future. It's very specific. I'm not an expert on climate change. I'm not an expert on water sports. Really I don't know. But if I were an expert, I'd say I would say that, you see. So use this phrase for a very specific question, usually for a difficult question, right? Another one. Is it hard to protect historical buildings? Well, I'm hardly an expert, but if I were to guess, then I would say probably because they're made from different materials to the ones that are used to make buildings now. So you'd have to match it up somehow or at least be very careful that you didn't damage them by accident. I'm hardly an expert. Hardly kind of like, I'm not really. It's like there's the expert and then you very little. Like I'm hardly an expert, really I'm not an expert. But if I were to guess, I'd say that, how does rain affect life in your country? Oh, well, I'm hardly an expert on meteorology. But if I were to guess, I would say that it probably has quite a significant effect actually, especially in the West Coast where it's more exposed. So if they have more rain over there, then that could cause quite significant disruption to traffic. If you use this phrase, do not be like a robot, dear listener. I am hardly an expert. But if I were to guess just to say the phrase, no, no, no, no, no, you should mean it. Yeah. Because you're confused. See, you should mean it. Okay. So no robotic usage, okay, no monotonous usage. And you can add things in like I'm hardly an expert or the kind of expert you would be. So for example, I said I'm hardly an expert in meteorology, Scottish meteorology. It's very free. Sentence number three, Rory, could you read it out? It's hard to say with any certainty. If you don't know what to say, use this phrase. For example, do you think water sports are safe? Well, it's hard to say with any certainty because I don't do water sports that often, but they're probably less safe than sports on land because there's greater instability in the water which you're engaging in the sport on. So it's hard to say with any certainty. I'm not sure. I kind of, I'm not sure. Right. Maybe, maybe yes, maybe no. I don't know. Or are paper maps still necessary? Well, it's hard to say with any certainty because we've got phones now, but what happens if the technology that we need to navigate fails? Then they might be more necessary than they are now. So it really depends on the circumstances, doesn't it? Do people dress more formally now compared to the past? Well, it's hard to say with any certainty because first of all, I'm not a fashion historian and second of all, I don't own a time machine. But I think people probably dress much less formally now compared to in the past because well, there, there's just, there seems to be a greater volume of casual clothes on offer. When you go out shopping, you don't see lots of formal clothing stores in comparison to the, the more casual, fast fashion ones. Trace number four. I have absolutely no idea. Yeah. That is the phrase, not, I have absolutely no idea what the phrase is. I have absolutely no idea, enjoy saying this phrase, it's really nice. I have absolutely no idea, come on, come on, say it with us. It's very liberating to admit that you have no idea. And this is a very good strategy. The question is difficult and you really don't know, you don't know the answer, right? Say it, admit the truth, right? I have absolutely no idea. And then say something. For example, what invention do you think has had the greatest impact on people's lives in your country? I have absolutely no idea. And I mean that. However, we think about just developments in general, then probably the internet, just because it's connected different parts of the country and different people in new and interesting ways. I don't think that's specific to Scotland though, that would be in general. What games do children play these days? I have absolutely no idea because I'm not a child, I'm an adult and I have work to do. But I think they love like anything, anything we can download onto their phone. So I suppose they'd be quite simple mobile games. It seems that way anyway. Phrase number five. Well to be honest, I've never thought about that. To be honest, I'm honest, I am telling you the truth. I've never thought about that, present perfect, a very nice tense. I've never thought, I have never thought about that. Rory, could you say it again? Well to be honest, I've never thought about that. Well to be honest, pause, I've never thought about that, the intonation goes up or down. Where? At the end, on that. Oh, okay, then it will be going down because like to be honest, I've never thought about that. For example, why do some people prefer to shop at small businesses? Well to be honest, I've never thought about that. It could be because that's the only choice in their area, especially like in a village where all you have really are small businesses most of the time. What are the biggest challenges parents have to face when raising children? Well to be honest, I've never thought about that, mostly because I don't have children of my own. I've never. I imagine, oh discipline, that must be the biggest challenge, surely. Like keeping them in order and making sure they behave in an appropriate way, that's got to be a constant challenge. Phrase number 6. Well that's not a difficult question at all, is it? Now this one is quite complicated because it has this question tag. Is it? Yes, the question tag. We are not asking a question for the examiner. Is it examiner? Is it? Come on, you tell me. No, no, no. It's kind of like a statement, right, Rory? Oh, what's the difference? A question tag is like a real question. This is just a confirmation tag. It's conforming. Yes, it's a difficult question. So by saying this, you are saying it is a difficult question. Yes. You're seeking agreement or you're assuming the agreement of the examiner. Because it's an exam. Of course it's a difficult question. Yeah, it might be confusing because you're saying it's not a difficult question. Well, yes, but that's just the balance to make sure that the meaning is clear. Wait, so the examiner asks you a difficult question and you say in a kind of like a joking way, well, it's not a difficult question at all, is it? But actually it is very difficult. Yes, that's why it's called a confirmation tag because you're confirming that it's difficult before you launch into your answer. So if the examiner asks you a difficult question and you can say this, that's not a difficult question, is it? But it is. But it is. Okay. If it's confusing, forget about this, use some other sentences, okay? We can just say that's a difficult question and then answer. So these tags questions are for higher scores because you give a range of grammar structures, okay? If you're not comfortable with this one, just forget about it. Use something else. There's at least three other phrases that we haven't given you yet. Here I have some difficult questions. What can be done to reduce the noise pollution from the traffic? Well, that's not a difficult question at all, is it? I think in some countries they put up soundproofing barriers around roads to stop noise pollution from escaping that confined area and that seems to be quite effective. It motivates people to volunteer and help others in their communities. Well, that's not a difficult question at all, is it? I imagine there's as many reasons as there are people. The main ones are probably that they have this charitable spirit or maybe it's part of their religion to volunteer to help people out. Phrase number seven. If I could see the statistics. Some IELTS questions are just like, "Oh, come on. How many people? Is it popular? Is it not?" And then kind of like, "How do you know? I haven't seen the numbers." So here you can say, "If I could see the statistics, the statistics, okay, statistics like numbers, figures, right, the statistics." And again, we're using the second conditional because if I could see, but now I don't see the numbers. So I'm imagining that if I could see, but I don't see, right, so the second conditional passed. For example, why do many young adults keep changing jobs? If I could see the statistics, I could give you a more exact answer. However, I suppose it's because there's lots more instability in the job market compared to in the past. So that would explain it why young people in particular are doing this. So if I could see the statistics, I could give you a more exact answer. But now you're giving just like, "I don't know, but maybe there's a kind of..." And you just say like, "If I could see the statistics, I could give you or I would give you. If I could, I'd give you or I would give you a more exact answer." What subjects are popular with young adults today? If I could see the statistics, I could say for sure. But add a guess, probably those involving technology, since this is what young people seem to be very invested in these days, and usually they are early adopters. Phrase number eight, the last phrase. I'm not sure what else I'm supposed to say to be honest with you. So we can use this phrase as the very end of the answer, right? Well, if it's what else, then you've already said something. So at the end, or close to the end. Now I'm going to ask you a question. Could you give us the answer and then use the phrase towards the end, okay? Should people take part in volunteering more often these days? Well, yes, you can never do enough good for your community or for other people. I'm not sure what else I'm supposed to say to be honest with you. That's like the point. But you see, just to signal that, okay, I'm done. I don't have anything else to say. That's it. Okay. Stop. Ask me another question. You can use this phrase. Is rain good? Yes. I'm not sure what else I'm supposed to say to be honest with you. I mean, it is good. It helps plants grow. It makes sure your skin does not get too dried out. But I can't think of anything else to say. Is rain good? Right. Really, I took it from IELTS questions. It's rain good, yes? No, it's awful. The worst thing that could happen to somebody is rain. We have our premium episodes for you where Rory and I are discussing speaking part two and three. We give you gorgeous grammar, fabulous vocabulary, more of these phrases and techniques to use to answer difficult questions. The link is in the description. Do we check them out? Okay. Premium. And if you want to practice your pronunciation the way you say it, and we just have some practice with English to prepare yourself for IELTS, you can book your classes with Rory. Right, Rory? Yes. There's a link in the description and I'm looking forward to seeing lots and lots of people there. Thank you very much for listening. Don't forget to check out our phrasal verb course. The link is in the description. Bye. And it's in my head. Bye-bye. [Music]