Schwa in IELTS Speaking, Part Three: question stems

Schwa in IELTS Speaking, Part Three: question stems

Find and change the parts on the next page which are not spelt in the usual way.

Try to find a pattern in the parts that you have changed, and use that to help with the others and to start checking your answers.

Check your spellings with the suggested answers or with a class.

Check the patterns in the spelling changes as a class.

Try to find examples of schwa in the correct spellings version.

Use the wrong spellings version to try to pronounce the question stems in that way.

Test each other on the pronunciation and spelling of the words below:

• Say one of the words as it is written below and see if your partner can spell it
• Spell one of the words that you changed below and see if your partner can pronounce it in the way that it is spelt below
• Choose one of the words below, say it in the way that it is spelt below and in a way that is closer to the normal spelling, and see if your partner can say which is which

Take turns asking personal questions made from question stems below, not looking below when it’s your turn to answer. The person asking should try to say them quickly enough that they sound like the natural pronunciations on the first page, but you can ask for the questions to be repeated more slowly and/ or be rephrased before you answer them if you like.

Ask about any question stems you couldn’t make questions out of, you are not sure you answered well, etc, working together to make suitable questions and answers each time.

 

IELTS Speaking Part Three questions with schwa to check the spelling of

Reasons/ Cause and effect

• How has technolergy erffected ther kinds erf… populer with…?
• How much influernce do… have on what people…?
• Modern socierty is oftern called… Why do you think this is?
• What are ther main reaserns why people… in your country?

Generalising

• Do you agree thert most… are er waste erf money?
• How do you think people in your country feel erbout prertecting…?
• How does ther medier in your country treat…?

Advice/ recommendations

• Are there any erccasions when… is er useful skill ter have?
• Can you serggest how people cern make sure…?
• What are ther most importernt qualerties that er good… needs?

How + adjective

• How posserble is it to avoid…?
• How strong er trerdition is it terday in your country to…?
• How enjoyerble do you think it would be to…?

Agreeing and disagreeing

• Do you ergree that people nowerdays are under pressure to…?
• Do you think… are importernt fer er neighberhood?
• Do you think… have a responserbility ter help…?

Comparing/ contrasting

• Are all… of equerl importernce?
• Does… in your country pay more erttention to… or…?
• What is more differcult,… or…?

Predictions

• Do you think that… will become more frequernt in ther futer?
• How may globalisation erffect… eround ther world?
• What do you think will happern to… in ther futer?

Advantages and disadvantages/ Looking at both sides

• Do you think… is a posertive or negertive development?
• What are benerfits ter inderviduals of…?
• What are some posserble diserdvantages of…?

Trends/ Changes

• Have attertudes to… changed in recernt years?
• How do the experctations of terday’s… cermpare with those erf ther previers generation?
• How have… changed frerm ther time when you wer er child?

Correct spellings version

Use this to check your spellings.

Reasons/ Cause and effect

• How has technology affected the kinds of… popular with…?
• How much influence do… have on what people…?
• Modern society is often called… Why do you think this is?
• What are the main reasons why people… in your country?

Generalising

• Do you agree that most… are a waste of money?
• How do you think people in your country feel about protecting…?
• How does the media in your country treat…?

Advice/ recommendations

• Are there any occasions when… is a useful skill to have?
• Can you suggest how people can make sure…?
• What are the most important qualities that a good… needs?

How + adjective

• How possible is it to avoid…?
• How strong a tradition is it today in your country to…?
• How enjoyable do you think it would be to…?

Agreeing and disagreeing

• Do you agree that people nowadays are under pressure to…?
• Do you think… are important for a neighbourhood?
• Do you think… have a responsibility to help…?

Comparing/ contrasting

• Are all… of equal importance?
• Does… in your country pay more attention to… or…?
• What is more difficult,… or…?

Predictions

• Do you think that… will become more frequent in the future?
• How may globalisation affect… around the world?
• What do you think will happen to… in the future?

Advantages and disadvantages/ Looking at both sides

• Do you think… is a positive or negative development?
• What are benefits to individuals of…?
• What are some possible disadvantages of…?

Trends/ Changes

• Have attitudes to… changed in recent years?
• How do the expectations of today’s… compare with those of the previous generation?
• How have… changed from the time when you were a child?

Without looking at the previous page, find as many places as you can with schwa above, and use that to pronounce the questions naturally. Some places not marked on the first page are also possible.

Compare with the previous page, then use the wrong spellings version there to try to pronounce the question stems in that way.