FLUENCY

for
IELTS
SPEAKING
PART-2

BY: Keith O’Hare

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 PART 2

Fluency for Part 2 Questions

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Fluency for Part 2 Questions

Giving a talk about people, places, things, activities and events that may have
happened in the past, present or future.

• Simple Past
• Past Continuous
• Past Perfect
• Relative Clauses
• 3rd Conditional

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UNIT 9
Simple Past
We use the simple past tense to describe completed actions at a point in time in the past

REGULAR VERBS

Subj + verb+ED

• Yesterday, I finished work at 10pm.

NEGATIVE / Subj + DID NOT /DIDN’T + verb

• Last Friday, I didn’t finish work until 8pm.

IRREGULAR VERBS

Subj + verb in past

• I went home after work.

NEGATIVE / Subj + DID NOT /DIDN’T + verb

• I didn’t go home until much later

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Part 2 Questions
We can use this tense to give a list of actions. We sometimes use a pattern of 3, if it is the
same person doing the actions, as it has a nice rhythm.

I did A, did B and then did C

Q: Describe a great meal you once had

A:
We went to the restaurant,
ordered the house specials,
and then asked for some drinks

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Q: Describe a time you got lost

A:
I walked down the street,
turned left
and then realised I was lost

We often use the simple past together with the past continuous

I did A when/whilst I was doing B

Q: Describe an interesting person you have met

A:

I once met an Australian guy

whilst I was travelling on a train through Europe
he had blonde hair
and looked a bit strange…

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UNIT 10

Past Continuous

Subject + was/were + verb+ING

We can use the past continuous

- to describe an activity happening in the past, often overlapping another action

• I was watching TV, when the phone rang

-to describe the setting for a story

• I was living in Spain at that time

-to describe a repeated action or habit in the past

• I was studying every day when I was at university

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Part 2 Questions
We can use this tense effectively to give the setting or background to an event.

Q: Describe a time you had to wake up early

A:
At that time, I was studying for my university exams
And I was getting up early every day (past habit)

Possible substitutes for getting up early:

Burning the midnight oil = working late into the night

Pouring over my books = studying my books a lot

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Q: Describe a time you watched a play

A:
I remember I was visiting London on holiday,
And I decided to go to the theatre
I wanted to watch ‘The Lion King’

Q: Describe a time you got bored

A:

I was living in London at that time,

And I got invited to a party
But it was so tedious

Possible substitutes for tedious:

tiresome / monotonous / mind-numbingly boring

This tense is also commonly used to describe an activity in progress when a second
activity begins

Q: Describe a time you heard someone talking on the phone

A:
I was sitting on the train
on my way to work
when this man started speaking loudly
on his mobile phone

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UNIT 11
Past Perfect

We can use the past perfect to show events that happened before a point in a story.

Subj + had + past participle

• The concert took place on the 6th of January.

• I had bought the tickets two days earlier.

4th Jan 6th Jan Now

I bought concert
tickets happened

When speaking, we can contract the had to ‘d

• The concert took place on the 6th of January.

• I’d bought the tickets two days earlier.

However, in your IELTS Speaking test, I recommend here that you use the full form, to make
it clear you are using the past perfect.

• The concert took place on the 6th of January.

• I had bought the tickets two days earlier.

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Part 2 Questions

This is useful to add details to a story in the past, giving extra information about things
that happened before the main “action” of the story.

Q: Describe a trip you took

A:
I went to Paris last winter.
I had already booked the flight
and had made a hotel reservation two months earlier.

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Q: Describe a time you visited a friend.

A:
I went to see my friend in London last month
I had already phoned him to agree a date to visit.

Q: Describe a time you were late

A:
I remember once,
I went to the cinema with my friend Jack
However, when we got to the cinema
the film had already started,
and the tickets had sold out.

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Unit 12

Relative Clauses

We can use relative clauses

- to make it clear which person or thing we are talking about

This is often called a defining clause because this phrase defines the noun - without it we
don’t know who or what the speaker is talking about.

• The person I want to describe is a girl who/that lives in my neighbourhood.

• I am going to tell you about a book which/that really excites me

- to give extra information about a person, thing or situation

Note: This is often called a non- defining clause because this phrase does not define the
noun and it could be left out.

• I want to tell you about my friend Jack who lives in Canada

• This book, which my sister recommended to me, is really good.

Notice with non-defining relative clauses, we cannot use ‘that’ instead of who or which.

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Part 2 Questions
This is a useful way to introduce and identify (with a defining clause) people, that you are
going to talk about in part 2 questions

Q: Describe a famous person that you would like to meet

A:
The person I want to describe
is a man who is famous in my country.
Boris Johnson

Possible substitutes for is famous:

is respected / is much-loved / has a good reputation (good things)

is notorious / has a bad reputation (negative things)

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Q: You can also use it to give extra information

A:
Boris Johnson, who is the Prime Minister, is almost 60 years old

-------------------

This is also a useful way to introduce and identify (with a defining clause) things that
you are going to talk about in part 2 questions

Q: Describe a toy from your childhood that was special

A:
One toy which was special for me
was my train set

Possible substitutes for was special:

was one of a kind / unique / of sentimental value

You can also use it to give extra information

A:
This toy, which was a present from my father, was my favourite toy.

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Finally, this is a useful way to introduce and identify (with a defining clause) places
that you are going to talk about in part 2 questions

Q: Describe a place where you like to read

A:
One place
which is great for studying
is my local library

Possible substitutes for is great:

is ideal / is perfect / is spot on

You can also use it to give extra information

A:
The library, which is not far from home, is really comfortable.

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UNIT 13
3rd Conditionals

We can use the third conditional to express an imagined situation in the past that didn’t
actually exist or happen.

So, it is often used to express regret.

If + past perfect, would + have + past participle

• If I had planned the trip better, we would have had a better time.
• If I had known you were going, I would have gone too

When speaking, we can make the contraction in both clauses -

where in the first clause had becomes ‘d

and in the second clause would have becomes would’ve

• If I’d planned the trip better, we would’ve had a better time.

Negatives can also be used in either clause.

• If I’d planned the trip better, we wouldn’t’ve had such a bad time.

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Part 2 Questions
We can use this tense to express regrets, especially when things didn’t go as planned or
where the outcome was not good.

Examples could be

• Bad service in a restaurant

• A boring event
• A delay
• Missing a flight/train
• A failed project / business
• A time you were angry / someone lied

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A:
If I had known the service
was going to be so bad,
I would’ve gone
somewhere else

If I had known it was going to be

such a boring party,
I wouldn’t have gone

Possible substitutes for boring:

tedious / tiresome / dull

If I had known the flight

was going to be delayed,
I would’ve gone
by train instead

Possible substitutes for delayed:

postponed / put back / cancelled

If we had left on time,

we would’ve made the flight

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If he had worked harder,
he would’ve been more successful

If she hadn’t forgotten my birthday,

I wouldn’t have got so angry

Possible substitutes for angry:

irritated / annoyed / upset

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 FLUENCY for IELTS SPEAKING
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