Asked whether cities should ban cars from their centres, Pooja from Pune said, “I don’t drive, so I don’t know.” Part 3 wanted her to think beyond herself.

Part 3 moves from your own life to people and society in general. A strong answer gives a clear view, explains why, and supports it with an example or comparison — usually four to six sentences.

Practice question: Why do some people prefer living in big cities?

How Part 3 Differs From Part 1

Part 3 is the last part of the test and lasts four to five minutes. The examiner asks questions linked to your Part 2 topic, and the discussion is more general and abstract than in Part 1.

The official IELTS website says Part 3 tests your ability to explain opinions and to analyse, discuss and speculate. For timings, see our Speaking test format guide.

Feature Part 1 Part 3
Question style Direct and personal General and abstract
Focus Your life, habits and opinions People, society and trends
Suggested length Two to four sentences Four to six sentences
Example question Do you enjoy city life? Should cities ban cars from their centres?

The Four-Step Pattern for Extended Answers

This pattern is our advice, not an IELTS rule:

  1. State your view: Give a direct answer that shows your stance.
  2. Explain the reason: Say why this happens or why you think so.
  3. Add an example or comparison: Use something you have seen, a contrasting group, or an earlier decade.
  4. Conclude briefly: Round off in one sentence if the answer needs it.

Here is the pattern applied to the practice question.

Sample answer (illustrative Band 7)

I think a lot of people prefer big cities mainly because of the career opportunities. In a city like Bengaluru, for example, a young graduate can find specialised jobs in technology or finance that are hard to find in a smaller town. On top of that, cities usually have better hospitals and public transport, which makes everyday life a lot more convenient. Of course, the cost of living is higher, but for many people the benefits seem to outweigh that. So I’d say the main attraction is the combination of work and convenience.

Why it works:

  • Fluency and Coherence: “mainly because”, “for example”, “on top of that” and “So I’d say” link the view, the reasons and the conclusion.
  • Lexical Resource: natural collocations such as “career opportunities”, “specialised jobs” and “public transport”, plus “outweigh” for the contrast.
  • Grammatical Range and Accuracy: a relative clause (“which makes everyday life…”), a “that” clause (“jobs … that are hard to find”) and a contrast with “but”.

For more connecting phrases, see our guide to speculating and comparing in Part 3.

What to Do When a Question Catches You Unprepared

You may be asked about an issue you have never thought about. You don’t need to invent facts or panic: say honestly that you haven’t thought about it much, then reason it out.

If you don’t understand a question, you can ask the examiner to repeat it or put it another way, and IDP IELTS says this is acceptable. A 2017 IELTS research report quotes the examiner instructions as saying that Part 3 wording is less controlled than Parts 1 and 2, so the examiner can adjust a question to suit you.

If you freeze completely, our guide on when your mind goes blank has phrases to use.

Incorrect: “I don’t know anything about this topic because it is not my field.”

Correct: “I haven’t thought about it much, but I’d say people feel strongly about it because it affects their daily lives.”

Incorrect: “Yes, living in cities is good because jobs are there.”

Correct: “Yes, I think so. Cities have more jobs, and a graduate in Hyderabad, for example, can find IT work that smaller towns rarely offer.”

Tip

Practise turning a personal answer into a general one: change “I prefer…” to “Many people prefer…”, then add why.

Try It

Answer this original question using view, reason and example: Should schools teach children how to manage money?

Jot down your view, reason and example in a few words first. In the test itself, there is no preparation time in Part 3, so you answer straight away.

Show sample answer

I think they should, because children need practical life skills before they become adults, and money is one of the first things they will have to manage on their own. Subjects like maths and history are valuable, but many young adults start earning without knowing how to budget, save or deal with debt. For example, a secondary school could run simple workshops on household budgeting, which would help students avoid costly mistakes later in life, although teachers would need proper training.

Key Takeaways

  • Part 3 shifts from personal habits to people and society in general.
  • Use view, reason, example and an optional short conclusion.
  • Examiners assess your English, not whether your opinions are correct.
  • Ask for a repeat if needed; in Part 3 the examiner can adjust the wording.
  • Lead with people in general, and use your own experience as one example.

The bottom line: In Part 3 the question is about people in general, so answer for them first and bring in your own experience as one example.