Test section – Speaking Part 2

Improving lexical resource

Activities
1. Communicative crossword
2. Describing objects
3. Defining words (paraphrase and synonyms)
Aims
• to help students develop their ability to describe (often a part of the Part 2 task)
• to help students develop their ability to fill in for vocabulary gaps they have while
speaking

Learning outcomes

• Students will have practised defining and describing things.

• Students will have practised paraphrasing and using synonyms.

Information about this section of IELTS

Part 2 tests the ability to talk about a topic, develop ideas about a topic, and the use of
relevant vocabulary and grammar. The examiner will give the test taker a 'task card'
with written prompts and will ask them to talk about the topic for one to two minutes
including the bullet points on the card. The test taker will have one minute to prepare
for the talk and will be given a piece of paper and a pencil to make notes. These notes
can be referred to during the talk. The examiner will tell the test taker when to begin
speaking and when to stop. At the end of the talk, the examiner will ask one or two very
brief follow-up questions. This part lasts 3-4 minutes.

Time 45-55 minutes

Level B1-B2
Class Suitable for groups / large classes,
F2F / Online
Interaction Pair or group work
Materials Worksheets x3 attached

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Activity 1: Communicative crossword
Material: Worksheet 1, dictionaries
Time: 15-20 minutes
Procedure:

• introduce the focus of the lesson: Speaking Part 2.

• photocopy Worksheet 1 double-sided.
• explain that if candidates do not know / remember the word they need while
speaking, they should try to explain what they mean by a definition,
paraphrasing, or a description. This exercise practises defining.
• write the following stems on the board:

It’s stuff for / to / that you . . .

It’s a thing for / to / that you . . .
It’s a place where . . .
It’s a person who . . .
It’s a thing which . . .
It’s a way of .... ing
It’s a word that means . . .
• explain that students can use these stems to define words.
• put students into small groups of all As and all Bs.
• give out the worksheet, making sure that the A groups look at crossword A, and
B groups only look at crossword B.
• students work together to formulate definitions of the words in their grid.
• explain that they should not write the definitions down, but should practise them
orally.
• students may use dictionaries if they don’t know a word.
• put the students into A and B pairs.
• students should take turns in asking for and giving definitions e.g.
Student A: what is 1 down?
Student B: it is a place where you can park your car at home
Student A: is it ‘garage’?
Student B: Yes
• students continue until they have completed the crossword.

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 • go through the crossword with the whole class, nominating students to give their
definitions.

Activity 2: Describing objects

Material: Worksheet 2
Time: 15 minutes
Procedure:
• go through the criteria that can be used for describing objects. You may wish to
explain that the suffix –ish is used informally with colours, e.g. reddish, age e.g.
thirtyish, and time e.g. sevenish, and means ‘fairly’ or ‘approximately’.
• students work in pairs or small groups.
• tell students to take turns to describe an object without saying what it is. The
other students guess the object.
• when students have finished, nominate some to give their descriptions to the
whole class.
• this activity can be extended by asking students to think of their own objects to
describe.

Activity 3: Developing vocabulary: paraphrasing and explaining

Material: Worksheet 3
Time: 15-20 minutes
Procedure:
• photocopy and cut up enough copies of worksheet 3 for each group of 5-6
students you have in your class.
• give a pack of word cards, face down to one person in each group.
• ask a student in each group to be the timer.
• students divide the words cards between them, still face down.
• tell students they have 60 seconds each to explain as many of the words on
their cards as they can to their group.
• explain that they must not say the word on the card, nor any word in the same
word family, for example, if they are explaining ‘equality’ they cannot use the
word ‘equal’.
• emphasise that they must use English.
• students keep a pile of words that they have successfully explained.

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 • the student(s) in each group who have the most cards are the winners.
• you may wish to elicit the definitions / explanations from the class.

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 Speaking Part 2 Worksheet 1

Communicative crossword A
1 Work in your group. Look at all the words going across in your crossword. Together,
think of definitions of these words and practise saying them.

1 2 3 4 5
G L U E C O M P A C T

6 7
R A I N Y P I C N I C
8

9
G R O W T H
10
A C U T E
11 12
S M E A R
13 14 15
P I N C H M

16 17
D I A R Y A B B E Y

18 19
C E L E R Y F E V E R

2 Work in pairs. Ask your partner for definitions of the down words.
For example: What is 1 down please?
Speaking Part partner’s
Listen to your 2 Worksheet
definition 1
and guess the word. If you guess the word, write it in the
crossword grid.

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 Speaking Part 2 Worksheet 1

Communicative crossword B
1 Work in your group. Look at all the words going down in your crossword. Together,
think of definitions of these words and practise saying them.

1 2 3 4 5
G U M C

A N A L
6 7
R I I I
8
A F S N M
9
G O H T A
10
E R A A T
11 12
S M E R I E
13 14 15
A S P N C M

D C L A A
16 17
D A Y B Y

L P L O
18 19
E E E R
2 Work in pairs. Ask your partner for definitions of the across words.
For example: What is 1 across please?
Listen to your partner’s definition and guess the word. If you guess the word, write it in
the crossword grid.

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 Speaking Part 2 Worksheet 2

Describing objects

Colour: red, blue etc. reddish

Shape: rectangular, circular etc.
Materials:It’s made of wood / metal / plastic etc.
Size: It’s the same size as . . .
It’s bigger / smaller than . . .
Use: It’s used for (cooking).
It’s used in (the kitchen).
It’s used to (mix food).
Qualities It is portable.
waterproof.
edible.
recyclable.
Comparisons It looks like a . . .
It’s similar to . . .
It’s a bit like . . .

Work in pairs. Choose a picture of an object and describe it to your partner in as much
detail as possible.

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 Speaking Part 2 Worksheet 3

graduate literacy qualifications journalists website workaholic

cultural
resign disease strikes childcare events cliff

economic life pedestrian high-rise private

crisis surgeon expectancy precinct apartment enterprise

shopping
democracy tourism blogs centre demolish management

referendum emigrate allergy ballet equality famine

household
fossil fuel lawyer vitamins biography chores epidemic

global classical
warming discrimination adolescent inner-city estuary music

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British Council is a proud co-owner of IELTS. takeielts.org