Shadowing Practice: 5 Methods to Develop Answers in IELTS Part 3 - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Part 3 of the IELTS test is more like a discussion.
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Part 3 of the IELTS test is more like a discussion.
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The examiner asks you questions to find out your opinions and then they ask you follow-up questions based on what you've said.
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I want to give you five methods you can use to give smarter, clearer and higher scoring answers
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and at the end I'll be teaching you the two most useful English words for the IELTS test.
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Method 1.
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The REE method.
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The REE method stands for respond, elaborate, example.
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Here's what you do.
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First you respond.
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You directly respond to the question with your opinion.
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This can be short, even just one or two words like yes, no, I agree, sometimes.
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Then you elaborate.
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Elaborate by explaining your thinking in more detail.
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And finally, support your answer with an example.
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Doing this helps you to give a coherent, logical answer which will boost your score for fluency and coherence.
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Let's see it in action.
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Do you think technology has improved communication between people?
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Yes, I do actually.
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It allows people to stay connected instantly no matter where in the world they are, which wasn't possible in the past.
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For instance, family members living abroad can use apps like WhatsApp and Zoom to keep in touch with each other.
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Do you think people today have enough leisure time?
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Honestly, no. I feel that due to advances in technology and globalization, there is less job security than there used to be,
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And this is causing people to work harder and do more for their employers than ever before.
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For example, I have a friend who works in marketing and she told me she regularly responds to work messages
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at 10 or 11 at night, even at weekends.
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She feels that if she doesn't get back to her manager, she'll just be fired or replaced by AI.
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Why do you think some people prefer to live in cities rather than in the countryside?
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I think it comes down to opportunities.
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Cities offer so much more in terms of career options, education, healthcare, entertainment, social connection, and for a lot of people,
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especially young people, these things are actually incredibly important.
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For example, if you're a young person living in the countryside, chances are it's going to be more difficult to find like-minded people to be friends with
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or a range of different jobs that you can try.
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A little note on examples.
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In part three, you want to avoid talking about yourself too much.
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So when it comes to giving reasons or examples, try to talk about other people.
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Maybe people in your country, friends, acquaintances, even family members.
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rather than talking about yourself too much.
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Method two, hedging.
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Hedging is something that high-level students tend to do naturally.
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Hedging means softening your language so that you don't sound too absolute or overconfident.
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Instead of saying, this is true, you say, this tends to be true.
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Instead of everyone thinks that, you say many people think that.
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Why does this matter?
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Well, because in part three, questions are usually about complex social issues.
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There are rarely simple answers.
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When you hedge, you sound more academic, more thoughtful, and more fluent,
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and that pushes you towards band 7 and above.
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The four main ways to hedge your language are number one using a hedging verb like tend to, seem to, appear to.
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Number two using a modal verb like may, might or could.
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Number three, using certain introductory phrases like I believe many people think.
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Number four, using certain quantifiers and adverbs like many and often rather than all and always.
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So for example, instead of saying elderly people enjoy going for walks in their free time,
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we could say elderly people tend to enjoy going for walks in their free time,
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or elderly people may enjoy going for walks in their free time,
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or many people believe that elderly people prefer going for walks in their free time,
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or even many elderly people often enjoy going for walks in their free time,
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you can learn more about hedging in the pdf below this lesson.
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Let's see it in action.
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Is it better to work alone or in a team?
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I'd say it really depends on the situation, but people often tend to benefit more from working in a team.
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It seems that teamwork allows individuals to share ideas and solve problems more effectively,
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although some people might find it difficult if there are disagreements.
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Personally, I think working alone can be more productive for tasks that require deep concentration,
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but in general teams are likely to achieve better results overall.
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Do you think social media has had a negative impact on society?
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Well, I'd say it's had a mixed impact, to be honest.
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But while it can be useful for staying in contact with friends and family, Many people also mention how they can feel addicted to social media
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and waste hours away doing something that doesn't usually feel productive.
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Probably the most important thing is how you tend to use social media.
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Do you have control over social media or does it have control over you?
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Do you think governments should control what people eat?
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Hmm I'd say that's a rather controversial area.
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On the one hand, it might be reasonable to suggest that governments have some responsibility for public health,
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and that could potentially justify things like sugar taxes or restrictions on advertising unhealthy food to children.
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On the other hand, many people would argue that personal freedom should be prioritized
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and that it's not really the government's place to dictate lifestyle choices.
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So I tend to think that there's a middle ground, like regulation rather than outright control.
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Method three, the multiple perspectives method.
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This method is fantastic for questions that ask why do people or how do different groups feel about.
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The idea is simple.
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You consider the topic from two or three different viewpoints before giving your own conclusion.
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This shows the examiner that you can think critically.
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It's very much a band 7 plus skill and it's also great
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if you ask to give your opinion on something you've generally not considered or thought about before.
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Do you think working from home is a good idea?
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I think it depends on the person and their situation.
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From an employee's perspective, working from home can be very convenient
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because it saves time on commuting and allows for a better work-life balance.
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However, from an employer's point of view, it might be more difficult to manage staff and ensure productivity.
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Also, if we consider younger workers,
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they may prefer going into the office as it gives them more opportunities to socialize and learn from colleagues.
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What is more important, job satisfaction or salary?
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I think this really depends on the person's background and circumstances.
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From one perspective, for someone who grew up in financial hardship, earning money isn't just a preference, it's a survival priority.
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For them, job satisfaction might feel like a luxury they just can't afford.
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However, there are also other people who feel that job satisfaction is more important.
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For these people they might be willing to accept lower pay in order to do something that fulfills them.
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For me personally, I've had moments in my life where salary feels more important
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and and other moments where satisfaction feels more important.
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How do older generations and younger generations differ in their attitude towards the environment?
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That's a really interesting comparison.
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Generally speaking, younger generations tend to have a much stronger sense of urgency around environmental issues,
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partly because they've grown up hearing about climate change and partly because they'll live with the consequences for longer.
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Older generations on the other hand sometimes view environmental concerns through a more economic lens,
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worrying that aggressive green policies could cost jobs or raise living costs.
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Of course this isn't universal, there are plenty of older people who are deeply passionate about conservation.
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But broadly speaking there does seem to be a generational divide in terms of how immediate the threat feels.
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Method four, the rule of two.
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The rule of two is a very practical technique.
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What I found is that
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when answering IELTS questions it's usually pretty easy to think of two reasons
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or two examples but it gets much more difficult to give three or more reasons or examples.
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So what you can do is say things like there are basically two reasons why I believe that firstly,
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secondly, or I'd say there are two ways,
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firstly, in addition, when you do this you're showing that you can structure your answer in a logical way which
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boosts your score for fluency and coherence.
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Let's see it in action.
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Why do people choose to live in cities?
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I think there are two main reasons why people choose to live in cities.
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Firstly, cities tend to offer more job opportunities,
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especially in specialized fields, which makes it easier for young people to build their career.
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Secondly, urban areas have better facilities such as public transport, health care, and entertainment options.
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Because of these advantages many people feel that city life is more convenient and provides a higher quality of life.
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Why do you think tourism has increased so much in recent decades?
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Well I'd say there are two main reasons for this.
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Firstly the cost of international travel has dropped dramatically.
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Budget airlines have made it possible for ordinary people to fly to destinations
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that would have been completely out of reach just 30 years ago.
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And secondly, the rise of social media has created a kind of global inspiration engine.
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People see photos of beautiful locations online and immediately want to visit them.
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So it's really a combination of accessibility and aspiration that has meant that tourism has increased so much.
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What are the advantages of working from home?
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Well I can think of two significant downsides.
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The first is the blurring of boundaries between work and personal life.
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When your office is your living room it becomes very difficult
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to mentally switch off at the end of the day which can lead to burnout.
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The second disadvantage is the loss of spontaneous collaboration,
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those informal conversations by the coffee machine or in the corridor where people
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where people are often get to meet and ideas are often born.
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Remote work can make a team feel quite disconnected and that can actually slow down creativity and innovation.
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Method five, two amazing words.
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Before you go to do the quizzes below this lesson I want to tell you the two most important words in IELTS.
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I wonder if you can guess what I'm about to say.
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The two most important words are It depends.
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It depends is so useful because it allows you to naturally expand on your answer.
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The key is that you mustn't say it depends and stop there.
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You have to follow it up by explaining what it depends on and then exploring those conditions.
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That's where the marks are.
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Here are some powerful ways to use it depends.
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Well, I think it really depends on the context.
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Specifically, that's not something I can answer with a simple yes or no, because it varies enormously depending on...
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It depends on who you're talking about.
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For some people
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whereas for others I'd say the answer changes quite significantly depending
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on the country in places like it tends to be the case that but elsewhere.
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Is it better to travel alone or with other people.
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I think it depends on the person and the purpose of the trip.
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If someone wants freedom and independence, traveling alone can be a better option because they can make their own decisions and follow their own schedule.
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However, if the goal is to relax and enjoy shared experiences,
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traveling with others might be more enjoyable as it allows people to create memories together.
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Overall both options have their advantages depending on what the traveller is looking for.
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Do you think it's better for children to grow up in the city or the countryside?
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Honestly I think it depends entirely on what you prioritise for your child's development.
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If you believe that academic opportunity,
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access to resources and social diversity are the most important things then the city is probably the better environment,
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but if you think that space, freedom, safety and a connection to nature are more important, then the countryside has enormous advantages.
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Personally, I'd say the ideal is somewhere in between a smaller city or a larger town, but I don't think there's a universal right answer here.
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It genuinely depends on the family and the child.
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Should university education be free for everyone?
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I think it genuinely depends on the country we're talking about.
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In a wealthy, high-tax nation with strong public finances, somewhere like Norway or Denmark,
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free university education is absolutely viable and I think highly desirable because it removes financial barriers and creates a more equal society.
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But in lower income countries with more pressing spending priorities, things like healthcare, infrastructure, primary education,
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making university completely free might not be the most responsible use of limited public funds.
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So rather than saying yes or no outright, I'd say the right answer depends on the economic reality of the specific country
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and what its population needs most at that particular moment in time.
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All right, let's bring it all together.
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Today you've learned five methods for IELTS speaking part three.
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Number one, the REE method, respond, elaborate, example.
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Number two, hedging, softening your language to sound more academic and thoughtful.
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Three, the multiple perspectives method, which is looking at issues from two or three angles before giving your own conclusion.
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Number four, the rule of two, giving two reasons or two examples or two consequences,
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and five, the importance of it depends for giving clear, clever, considered answers.
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Thank you so much for studying with me and good luck with the quizzes below this lesson.
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Ciao!
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will explore effective methods to structure your answers for IELTS Speaking Part 3. This section of the IELTS test focuses on a discussion where the examiner asks you to express your opinions on various topics. You'll learn five distinct methods that will enable you to provide smarter, clearer, and more coherent responses. Moreover, you'll acquire useful vocabulary and phrases that can elevate your English speaking practice and ultimately enhance your overall performance in the IELTS test. Students aiming to learn English with YouTube will find this approach particularly beneficial in improving their speaking skills.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- REE Method: An approach that stands for respond, elaborate, and example.
- Hedging: Softening language to avoid absolute statements.
- Example: Providing real-life scenarios or illustrations to support your viewpoint.
- Opinion: A personal belief or judgment.
- Coherent: Logical and consistent in thoughts or ideas.
- Complex social issues: Multifaceted topics that require thoughtful discussion.
- Modal verbs: Verbs that indicate possibility (e.g., may, might, could).
- Introductory phrases: Phrases that can introduce an opinion (e.g., I believe, many people think).
Practice Tips
To make the most of your IELTS Speaking practice, consider shadowing the techniques demonstrated in the video. First, pay attention to the speed and tone of the speaker. They use a clear and confident voice, which helps convey their ideas effectively. Here are some specific tips:
- Shadow Speak: Listen to the video multiple times and try to repeat exactly what is said, mimicking the speed and intonation. This will help you improve your English pronunciation.
- Record Yourself: As you practice responding using the REE method or by hedging, record your answers. Listening back will allow you to assess your fluency and coherence, which are crucial for IELTS.
- Use Strategic Pauses: During your practice, incorporate pauses when elaborating on your points. This not only gives you time to think but also mimics natural speaking patterns, enhancing your English speaking practice.
- Engage with the Material: Ask a friend or study partner to test you on Part 3 questions. This interaction offers a realistic practice environment, mirroring the actual IELTS setting.
By utilizing these methods and tips, you'll be well on your way to achieving higher scores in your IELTS exam while simultaneously refining your English speaking skills.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.
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