9 Description Questions. Part question Type 1: Basic Description Questions

Question Type 5: “Wh- / How Often” Questions. IELTS SPEAKING TEST PART 1

27. 
    Question Type 5: “Wh- / How Often” Questions
    
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    This question type is very common in Part One. Look at the following examples:
    
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1. 
   How often do you go to the cinema?
   
2. 
   At what time of day do you usually read?
   
3. 
   Where do you usually buy your clothes?
   
4. 
   Who do you spend your weekends with?
   
5. 
   When do you listen to music?
   

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   The problem with these questions is that many candidates give very direct "information-focused" responses. It is quite common for candidates to respond to these questions in the following way:
   
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1. 
   Maybe once a week.
   
2. 
   In the evenings before I sleep.
   
3. 
   In New World Department store.
   
4. 
   My parents or my friends.
   
5. 
   At weekends and in the evenings.
   

6. 
   As we have discovered, it is almost impossible to achieve a high score with this style of answer. The key to these questions is to answer the question with two or three different responses. Example:
   
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   “How often do you go to the cinema?"
   
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    "Well to be honest, I think I would have to say that it really depends. Like for instance, if I have the money, then it‘s quite possible that I will watch a movie in the cinema, two or three times a month. You know cinema tickets are pretty pricey in China. Whereas in contrast, if I’m broke, it‘s more likely that I watch movies at home on DVD: you probably know that DVDs are quite cheap here, especially compared to the price of a cinema ticket."
    
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    The key to the answer is the structure "it depends". If you use this, you can produce a "situational contrast" which allows you to use contrast language (linking words).
    
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