IELTS Speaking Part 3: 'advice' topic

Here are some recent questions from part 3 of the speaking test:

1. Is it better to get advice from a friend or from a family member?
2. What would you say are the characteristics of a good adviser?
3. Should people make their own work and career decisions, or is it a good idea to ask for advice about this?

Try answering these questions using the 'paragraph' method in this lesson.

Comments

[Aria]

1. Is it better to get advice from a friend or from a family member?

Based on the nature of the problem, I think both friend and family member can be useful. Personally I usually try to get advice from those who are generally successful in their life and are kin on that kind of problem or at least in their life have had encounter with that. For instance if I want to buy a car I will ask from my friend or family member whoever is better buying a good cars.

2. What would you say are the characteristics of a good adviser?

A part of your question I believe I answered it earlier. First thing is that your advisor be a successful person, because most of the time the way of thinking for most successful people is the same. Secondly, this person should be honest enough that his or her advice be helpful. I remember once I took an advice about an issue and that person for a reason intentionally tried to lead me towards more problems rather than solving that. Another trait of a good advisor is that to be knowledgeable about it. It is very important that your consultant be kin on that particular problem and knows ways for its solution. You cannot take advice about your health from your brother or lawyer, unless they are doctors too.

3. Should people make their own work and career decisions, or is it a good idea to ask for advice about this?

I believe consultation is always a good strategy, because always there are more brains involved to solve the problem. This can be definitely true when your career or work is concerned. In my opinion we definitely should consult an expert when choosing a career path and this consultation should be based on our will, interests and abilities on one side and that person’s knowledge on other side. I think that is the reason that numerous public and private organization in many countries do career consultation and this practice is very successful.

Is there any way to know if it took enough time or I need to talk more. In general is there any way to fit our speaking within one or two minutes that are considered.

[washington]

1. Yes , I think it is . Whether friends or family members are the person who realize you actually . So they know what kind of mistake you will make . They will offer a correct point to you.
2. This's hardly to say , I think a good adviser should be a quickly think person , they realize you ,and of course , they can communicate with you well and smooth .
3. Yes , I even think it's necessary .In China ,there is a classic proverb that "The onlookers see most clearly". This sentence has give us the sense that it make yourself awake if to ask others for some suggestions or ideas.

[Kate]

1. It depends on what kind of problems I have got, both of them are the suitable advisors. For example, if the issues are relevant to my work, I'll ask for my friends at work, who have more experience than me. While the problems arise from my own family, I'll ask my Mom because she always listens to me and gives me a good advise.

2. As far as I'm concerned, there are 2 points for good advisers. First, they are good listeners. They listen to your problems patiently and are willing spend time talk to you. Second, they are the person you trust. I don't want tell my trouble to a talkative person. I trust them as a person can keep secrect if I need.

3. I think people should decide by their own for career and for work. First, when you grow up, you should have your own choice. It is because you have to work for most of your lifetime. Second, you are the person who understand you most. In another words, You should work on the aspects you are good at and are interested in.

[ttrung]

1. Oh, it depends on what kinds of problems that I have got, and I think that both my friend and family member who I could hear some good advices from them. For example, I still remembered a problem when I was working in a big design company, I was accepted to become a lecturer in a university, and I asked my mother who I always admire in many things, she told that I should become a teacher because it is a good career and after that I decided to move to work in a university.
2. Well, there a many characteristics of a good adviser that I could need to hope that they could give me a good advice. Firstly, it is a successful person, he had many experience in life. Secondly, he has to a honest person. For example, if I want to buy a car but I didn’t have experience before, I could ask my friend, because he had bought a beautiful car and has many experiences to choose a good car.Well, there a many characteristics of a good adviser that I could need to hope that they could give me a good advice. Firstly, it is a successful person, he had many experience in life. Secondly, he has to a honest person. For example, if I want to buy a car but I didn’t have experience before, I could ask my friend, because he had bought a beautiful car and has many experiences to choose a good car.
3. Oh, I believe that everyone before choosing a good job, they often ask someone to can choose correctly this career or another that it is suitable to develop and work in a long time.

[Tolga]

Hi simon, I have 2 questions to you

1. Is it good or bad for you, adding distinct to my introductions. Here is examples:

The line graph compares the percentage of people aged 65 or more in three countries over a period of 100 years.

OR

The line graph compares the percentage of people aged 65 or more in three DISTINCT countries over a period of 100 years.

Which one is better?

2. 2. In some map charts, there is no “North” on the map. In my opinion, we can not mention about " the east, the west, the South", because we do not know where the True North is. Here is an example

http://www.233.com/ielts/Files/lq/0606/10822604.jpg

[Simon]

I don't recommend using "distinct" in this kind of introduction Tolga. I only use it when describing a process diagram e.g. "there are four distinct stages in the process".

If you know where north is, you also know where south, east and west are. All maps work in that way, so you can mention the other directions.

[tolga]

Thanks simon.

I mean "right, left, north and south" have different meanings. If there is no North on the map we can not align ourselves. In my humble opinion, we should use "right" rather then "the east" in this kind of situation because we can not predict where the north is.

Thank you again you did such a extraordinary blog. I love your blog.

[Eyad]

Dear Mr. Simon,
I would like to thank you for such an invaluable information that you provide on your website.

Based on your strategies,I got 7.5 in reading and listening sections of the ielts exam and 6.5 in the remaining sections.Therefore, I was wondering if you could help me in the writing and speaking sections as Iam in an urgent need of band 7 in each of them.

Iam looking forward to your answer please.
Thank you
Eyad

[Umut]

Hello Tolga,

Are you from Turkey? When will you take IELTS examination, and where?

good luck

[tolga]

Yes umut kardesim from Turkey . 16th august.

If you use skype we can chat

[email protected]

[Thư Võ]

Question 1:
I personally think it depends. Parents are those who know your personality the most, thus they can advise you to do or not to do some thing. However, sometimes parents would have no ideas about your situation or they don't really understand your decisions, so friends will be a good advisers at that time.

Question 2:
Well, I consider a good adviser as a good listener. Because if you want to give such a good advice for one person, you have to know exactly the problems they are dealing with. Moreover,a good adviser is also someone who can put himself into the person's situation and think, therefore he or she can give another a good advice.

Question 3:
Uhm, let me think. Well, it depends. Work and career are such important things that need to be consider carefully. That person must need to understand himself, for example he need to know what does he like, what does he want to do for living then decide. However, if he is in a delemma situation, asking friends and family, who know that person the most, is a good way to make the right decision.

[desi_don]

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[plz help]

plz,help me!send me ielts practice material if possible except cambridge 1 to 9.my email id is- [email protected] thank you!

[nima bhatta]

1. obviously yes, it is good to get advice from your family whose experience will help you to make wiser decision and again good friend who has soft corner for you will advise for your betterment.
2. well i think knowledgeable and experienced person has patience to listen and understand the situation deeply to give you a good advice.
3. of course, making decision by ownself is good but as i believe that two minds can think twice much than one, so it is better to get advice before making final decision.

plz help me with speaking as my test is on 2nd aug

[Rose]

1.As for me according to the problem I should take advise if it is related to work I should take advice from my friends at work .if it is family problem I should take advise from my family members .And advice is good for all the time when we are in confused movement. 2.yes it is good to get advise from the expert they really know the the situations which we are facing as we explain to them they go to I to the problem and give solution for example if I have some family problem I should go to lawyer not to doctor .if it is health issue I should get help form health adviser. So adviser are important according to the needs.3.yes we all should need carrier adviser at present there are many approaching carriers are there around us so many people are there unable to take up according to their ability .And some people are there need some stimulation to carry our their carriers so need some adviser in the life.

[Daisy]

Sometimes this is better to get advice from a friend more than a family member. It is because family member’s advice usually included lots of personal expectation to you which is difficult to provide an objective opinion. For example, recently I am searching for continuous my studying in oversea and I rare discuss this to my parent because I know they will prefer I stay in my home country because they will miss me so much if I study in oversea.

Well, when we are talking the characteristics of a good adviser. Firstly, I think a good advisor must be a good listener which they are willing to understand your situation first before give any suggestion. Secondly, a person who is rich knowledge about your current issue is also important. Finally, trustiness is essential in any interpersonal relationship so it is better to find someone you feel comfortable to sharing your problem to them.

I believe professional does help looking for future career plan in certain ways. Like organization psychologist is the expert on helping people find their own career base on their personally and strengthen. For example, one of the careers helping test is related to find out what kind of characters required for some kind of jobs

[Saalim]

1: well,in my point of view, it is really depend on the type of issue we are facing so if the problem is about work or it is a special issue for us. for example love,where to work in a bank or a telecomunication company .it would be the best to get advice from a best friend who has adequate experience about that specific problem we have,in contrast,if it is a family issue we should talk about it with one of our family members, for instance, Mom is the best adviser all the time.
2: the way that i see this is,there are many characteristics that an excellent adviser should have,but the most vital points are,he or she should be honest and fulfill of knowledge at the subject.moreover,specific problems need specific adviser such as a health problem should be asked from a doctor not from psychologist and so on.
3: actually,we all are needy for advice in our live in as much as we are human being and we are not free of mistakes, so it is better to get advice from those we trust to them about choosing a career for a life but the one who we should get advice must have the capacities which i mentioned before.meanwhile,we are suppose to get advice from many experts but we must choose the one which ourselvies prefer.for example,when i have been getting advice for choosing my career.I got some advice from my family members and my friends while some of them advised me to become a doctor ,but i did not like medical so I have decided to study engineering which is my love.as a result I am really cheerful right now because of the right decision that i had gotten.

[Saalim]

Sorry for spelling mistakes which were
telecommunication and ourselves .

[Nasir]

Hi simon!
What is the best way to make your vocabulary???? I don't have enough capability to express words in proper manner, so what is the best way?
Please advise