Shadowing Practice: IELTS Ep 2 - Talking about travel in British English - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Hello and welcome back to the British English podcast.
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I'm Charlie and today we're talking about travel.
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Yeah, travel, a popular topic in the IELTS speaking exam.
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But instead of focusing on part one or part two, today's episode is all about part three,
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where you'll need to express opinions,
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discuss broader ideas and analyse different aspects of a topic.
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And if you're preparing for IELTS or just wanting to expand your ability to talk about travel in English,
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this is going to be a great episode for you.
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So let's get started, shall we?
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Almond Joy is made with almonds and joy All right,
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in the IELTS Speaking Part 3, the examiner asks you follow-up questions related to the topic from Part 2,
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but with a focus on analysis, comparison and speculation.
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Your answers should be well developed and supported by examples or reasoning.
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So let's look at some common part three travel related questions and I'll provide you with some model answers for each one.
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So the first question might be, how has travel changed over the past few decades?
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That is, how has travel changed over the past few decades?
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And a good response might be something like this.
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Hmm.
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Well, I think travel has changed drastically in the past few decades,
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mainly due to advances in technology and lower costs.
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In the past, international travel was seen as a luxury and only a small percentage of people could afford to go abroad.
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Flights were expensive and information about destinations was limited to guidebooks.
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However, nowadays, budget airlines, online booking platforms
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and travel blogs have made it far easier for people to explore different parts of the world.
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Additionally, the rise of remote work has allowed more people to travel for extended periods.
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That said, mass tourism has also led to issues like over tourism and environmental damage,
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which is definitely something to consider.
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Okay, so I think that was a good response and would be given a good mark.
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Probably, you know, could be a nine, could be a nine.
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Definitely an eight, definitely an eight in my opinion. So why is that?
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Well, it was well structured and the answer moves from past to present, showing clear organization.
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It showed varied vocabulary, phrases like budget airlines, mass tourism and over tourism as well.
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And then the grammar as well, like the use of present perfect.
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For example, travel has changed drastically and conditional structures,
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which, yeah, both of those improve the grammatical complexity of the answer.
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Let's go on to question two now, which was what are the advantages and disadvantages of international tourism?
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I'll say that again.
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of international tourism?
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And I might look them in the eye and say,
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there are definitely positives and negatives when it comes to international tourism.
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On the one hand, tourism boosts local economies, creates jobs and fosters cultural exchange.
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Many countries, particularly those that rely heavily on tourism,
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benefit greatly from visitors spending money on accommodation, food and activities.
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On the other hand, tourism can also have negative consequences.
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Overtourism can strain local infrastructure.
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It could increase pollution and sometimes lead to the exploitation of local cultures.
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For instance, cities like Venice or Barcelona have struggled with excessive crowds,
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making daily life more difficult for residents.
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So while tourism is important, sustainable travel practices are crucial to minimizing its negative impact.
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OK, so that was the second answer to the second question.
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So why was it good?
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Well, it had a balanced discussion.
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The response presented both advantages and disadvantages, showing critical thinking.
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um it gave real world examples mentioning Venice and Barcelona
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which adds authenticity and depth
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and then I'd say the usage of phrases like on the one hand
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and on the other hand help in regards to cohesiveness
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because it just glues the pros and cons together to make a very clear argument and the examiner likes to see cohesiveness.
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So yeah, it's good.
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It's good.
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All right.
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The third question is, do you think people will travel more or less in the future?
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I'll repeat that again, of course.
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Do you think people will travel more or less in the future?
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Again, I'd be sitting across the table and looking deep into the examiner's eyes and say,
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that's an interesting question.
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That is an interesting question.
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Don't repeat that.
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Don't say it twice.
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Just say it once.
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That's an interesting question.
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You could try and say it a bit slower and more dramatically if you wanted a bit of time to think.
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But yeah, that's an interesting question.
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I think it really depends on different factors.
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In the short term, global events like economic downturns or pandemics can reduce travel.
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However, in the long term,
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I believe people will continue to travel more and more due to globalization and the increasing ease of transportation. But
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that being said,
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climate change might force us to rethink how we travel as people are becoming more aware of their carbon footprint.
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So we might see a shift towards eco-friendly travel options such as train travel instead of short haul flights.
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governments may also introduce stricter regulations on tourism to protect the environment
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so while I think travel will remain popular the way we travel might change significantly
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okay again why why was that good well or why did I think
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that was good that's uh let's say it like that
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so i used some phrases
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that uh we would class as like hedging language um this is like it really depends
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and we might see these phrases help you um demonstrate the ability to discuss uncertainty
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so instead of saying oh don't know you're using sort of academic
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or intellectual language to show that there's uncertainty in the answer.
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There's no certainty.
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We don't know.
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We don't know.
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But here's a way that we can describe our options of what the possibilities are going to look like.
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It was, I would say it was also a strong answer because of the way that there was
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future speculation the response effectively speculates on future travel habits
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which yeah is directly answering the question you know do you think people travel more
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or less in the future so I'm answering the question basically and then there were smooth transitions between different ideas,
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making it easy to follow, and that scores highly in coherence for the examiner.
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So yeah, there we go.
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Those three questions and answers.
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Let's go over some tips though that will help you in part three of the IELTS speaking exam.
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My first tip would be to expand your answers.
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Avoid giving short responses.
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So instead, explain your reasoning and provide examples to support your points.
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You know how I brought up Venice and Barcelona.
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That's providing an example to support my point.
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The next tip I would say is to use a variety of tenses.
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It's easier said than done or it's easier thought than said.
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Can I say that?
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Notice how I used past, present and future tenses in my answers.
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So, yeah, showing a good range of grammar structures will boost your score.
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Another tip might be to express opinions really,
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really clearly and use phrases to support this or just show how you're clearly showing your opinion.
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So like, in my opinion, or I strongly believe that blah, blah, blah.
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Or the other one that I mentioned on the one hand
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and then on the other hand so yeah using these phrases to express your opinions clearly
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all right another tip i could say is to um compare
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and contrast so examiners love when you discuss different perspectives
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so use comparative structures like um compared to the past travel is much more accessible today
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and then another one was while some people prefer adventure travel
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and then another one could be uh while some people like this others like that So while some people prefer adventure travel,
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others enjoy relaxing beach holidays.
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So while some people like this, others like that.
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Yeah, so compare and contrast.
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All right, my final tip before I get onto the challenge for you today is to speculate about the future.
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Because questions often require predictions.
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So use phrases like, I imagine that in the future, blah, blah, blah.
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Or it's likely that we will see, blah, blah, blah.
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It's likely that we will see an increase in travel over the years.
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Or I imagine that in the future, we will be restricted by our governments as to how we travel.
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Hopefully not.
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Hopefully not.
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i don't know is that good is
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that bad let me know let me know all right let's go on to the challenge
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so it's time for you to practice try answering one of
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the questions i discussed today take your time to expand on your ideas
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and use some of the phrases we covered so the questions were how has travel changed over the years?
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What are the benefits and drawbacks of tourism?
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And do you think people will travel more or less in the future?
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I changed the wording a little bit just to give you
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a little bit of extra language to see how the questions could change slightly.
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If you want the original, I'll say them now.
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How has travel changed over the past few decades?
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The second one was, what are the advantages and disadvantages of international tourism?
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And then the third one was, do you think people will travel more or less in the future?
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Okay, so maybe pause this episode here,
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record yourself answering one of these questions on your phone using voice memos or whatever app you like to record yourself.
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and if you can play it back and listen to your response
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and try to compare it to my response and then also
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if you can put on your examiner hat
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and try to mark your answer think about what was good
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and some areas that you might need to develop a little further all right that's all for today's episode.
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I hope you found the model answers and tips helpful.
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IELTS Speaking Part 3 can be challenging, but with practice, you'll gain confidence and improve your fluency.
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Before you go, though, I have a free ebook to help you improve your IELTS Speaking score.
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It includes a transcript and an audiobook version so you can read and listen at the same time.
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I would encourage you to download it now to learn how
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to use idiomatic expressions naturally in the IELTS speaking exam to increase your score.
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So check out the show notes or visit thebritishenglishpodcast.com slash freebies.
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That's F-R-E-E-B-I-E-S.
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And you'll be able to see all of my free stuff.
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There's quite a lot there now.
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But the one that you're looking for is how to use idioms in IELTS.
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OK, thanks for listening.
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I've been your host, Charlie, and I'll see you in the next episode of the British English Podcast.
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Bye for now.
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Mastering Travel Talk: Insights from a British English IELTS Video
If you’re looking to learn English with videos while prepping for the IELTS exam, the "IELTS Ep 2 - Talking about travel in British English" video is a goldmine. Hosted by Charlie, it dives into Part 3 of the speaking test, where analyzing and expressing opinions on travel is key—perfect for english speaking practice.
5 Must-Know Phrases for Travel Conversations
- "Changed drastically": Use this to describe big shifts, like "Travel has changed drastically due to technology."
- "Advances in technology": A common phrase to explain trends, e.g., "Advances in technology have made booking trips easier."
- "Lower costs": Ideal for discussing accessibility, such as "Lower costs mean more people can travel internationally."
- "Well developed": Describe detailed answers: "IELTS Part 3 requires well-developed responses with examples."
- "Broader ideas": Refer to big-picture topics, like "Part 3 asks you to discuss broader ideas about travel."
Shadowing Guide: Practice Like a Pro
Shadowing—repeating speech aloud in real time—is a powerful tool, and this video is great for a shadowing site workout. Here’s how: Step 1: Watch the video once to grasp the topic (travel changes, IELTS tips). Step 2: Play short clips (5-10 seconds) of Charlie’s model answers. Pause, then repeat, mimicking his tone and pace. Step 3: Focus on linking words like "mainly due to" and "drastically"—these make your speech flow. Step 4: Record yourself and compare to the video. Notice gaps in fluency or pronunciation. This shadow speak method builds confidence for IELTS and real-world conversations.
Whether you’re prepping for the exam or just want to talk about travel like a pro, this video and shadowing practice will take your skills to the next level.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is brought · were charged · is made |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has changed · have made · has allowed |
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.