Describe a book you enjoyed reading
You should say:
- what the book was about
- when you read it
- why you chose to read it
- and explain why you enjoyed it
Part 3 discussion questions
After your talk, the examiner asks more abstract questions on reading and literature. Practise giving a direct answer, a reason and an example.
- 1Why do some people read more than others?
- 2Do you think young people read less than previous generations?
- 3What are the advantages of reading fiction compared with watching films?
- 4Should public libraries still receive funding in the digital age?
- 5How might reading habits change as technology develops?
How to plan your answer in one minute
- Note one or two words for each bullet point; you can glance at them while you speak.
- Open with the main idea, then take the bullets in order so the examiner can follow you.
- Keep the last bullet (the "explain" part) for detail: this is where you show range.
- Keep talking until the examiner stops you; two full minutes shows fluency.
Notes for your minute of preparation
- What it was about: Wonder by R. J. Palacio; Auggie, a boy whose face looks different, starts at a real school.
- When: the summer holidays after Class 8.
- Why I chose it: a friend kept recommending it, and the film was coming out.
- Why I enjoyed it: different narrators, the message about kindness, easy to read but moving; it changed how I treat people.
Model talk
248 words · about 2 minutes spoken
The book I’d like to talk about is Wonder by R. J. Palacio. It’s about a ten-year-old boy called Auggie, who was born with a condition that affects the shape of his face. He has been taught at home all his life, and the story follows his first year at a real school, where he has to deal with stares, unkind comments and the question of who his true friends are.
I read it in the summer holidays after Class 8. I chose it because a friend kept telling me about it, and I’d also heard that a film version was coming out, so I wanted to read the book first.
What I enjoyed most was the way it’s written. The story isn’t only told by Auggie. Different parts are narrated by his sister, his friends and other children, so you see the same events from several points of view. That made me realise that people who behave badly are sometimes dealing with problems of their own. I also loved the message. One of the teachers tells the class that when you have to choose between being right and being kind, you should choose kind. It sounds simple, but it really stayed with me.
The language was quite easy, so I finished it in about three days, but some chapters were genuinely moving. It’s one of the few books that actually changed how I behave towards people, which is why I still recommend it to my younger cousins.
Written by Acedmi to show what a high-band talk sounds like. It is not an official IELTS sample, and your own ideas can be different.
Useful vocabulary
- the story follows
- The story is about what happens to someone.
- “The story follows his first year at school.”
- narrated by
- Told by.
- “Each part is narrated by a different character.”
- point of view
- The way one person sees events.
- “You see the same events from several points of view.”
- moving
- Making you feel strong emotions, often sadness.
- “Some chapters were genuinely moving.”
- stay with someone
- Be remembered for a long time.
- “The message really stayed with me.”
- recommend
- Suggest that someone tries something.
- “I still recommend it to my cousins.”
- page-turner
- A book so exciting you want to keep reading.
- “It was a real page-turner.”
- plot / character
- What happens in a story / a person in it.
- “The plot is simple, but the characters are real.”
Common mistakes
- Retelling the whole plot. Summarise it in two sentences, then spend your time on why you enjoyed it.
- Avoiding book words. Use "author", "plot", "character" and "chapter" naturally.
- Saying "it was interesting" with no reason. Give a specific reason, such as the different narrators.