IELTS Speaking · Part 3

Cities and urban life: IELTS Speaking Part 3 questions

Last updated 21 July 2026

In short

Cities and urban life is a common IELTS Speaking Part 3 discussion theme. After the Part 2 long turn, the examiner explores broader, abstract questions on the topic. This guide groups real practice questions from concrete to abstract, explains how to tackle each question type, and gives the vocabulary and linking language to answer with depth.

Discussion questions

The examiner usually opens the discussion with: "Why do so many people choose to live in cities?" — then works up from concrete to abstract.

Warm-up (concrete)

What are the main advantages and disadvantages of living in a big city?
Evaluation

Development (societal)

How have cities in your country changed over the last few decades?
Comparison
Do you think city life is becoming more stressful?
Opinion
Why do some people prefer the countryside to the city?
Cause & effect
What could make cities better places to live?
Opinion

Depth (abstract & hypothetical)

How do you think cities will change as their populations grow?
Speculation
If most people moved out of cities, what would happen to them?
Hypothesis
Is it possible to design a city that keeps everyone happy?
Evaluation

How to answer each question type

Part 3 mixes several question functions. Recognise which one you're facing and structure your answer to match.

Evaluation questions

Asks you to weigh advantages and disadvantages, or judge how good/important something is.

Acknowledge both sides briefly, then come down on one. Use contrast markers to show you can balance ideas before reaching a judgement.

On the one hand,That said,The main benefit isThe obvious drawback is

Comparison questions

Asks how two things — often past vs. present, or two groups — differ.

Make the two things explicit, then compare on one or two clear dimensions rather than listing everything. Comparative structures show grammatical range.

Compared withWhereasThe biggest difference isBack then, ... whereas now

Opinion questions

Asks what you think about an issue. Tests whether you can state and defend a position.

State your view clearly in the first sentence, give one or two reasons, then support each with a concrete example. Avoid sitting on the fence.

In my view,I'd argue thatPersonally, I believeIf you ask me,

Cause & effect questions

Asks why something happens or what its consequences are.

Name the cause or effect first, then explain the chain of reasoning step by step. Causal linkers signal clear logic to the examiner.

This is largely becauseAs a result,One knock-on effect isThis tends to lead to

Speculation questions

Asks you to predict the future or imagine how things might develop.

Use modal verbs to hedge (might, could, is likely to) and give a reasoned prediction — the grammar of uncertainty is exactly what's being tested here.

It's likely thatI imagineIn the long run,We may well see

Hypothesis questions

Asks you to reason about an unreal or 'what if' situation.

Reach for the conditional (if + past, would). Set up the scenario, then follow the consequence through — this shows control of higher-level structures.

If that happened,SupposingIn that case, I'd expectWere that the case,

Linking language for discussion

Discourse markers used naturally are one of the fastest ways to lift your Fluency & Coherence score.

Adding ideas

What's more,
On top of that,
Not only that, but

Contrasting

Having said that,
Then again,
That's not to say

Giving examples

Take ... for instance,
A good example would be
Say you

Concluding

All things considered,
At the end of the day,
So on balance,

Useful vocabulary for this theme

Band 7+ language for discussing cities and urban life.

the hustle and bustle: the busy, noisy activity of a place; “I love the hustle and bustle of a big city.”
urban sprawl: the uncontrolled outward spread of a city; “Urban sprawl is slowly swallowing up the farmland around us.”
a concrete jungle: an unpleasantly crowded, built-up urban area; “The city centre has become a bit of a concrete jungle.”
public amenities: shared facilities like parks and libraries; “My neighbourhood has excellent public amenities.”
the cost of living: how much everyday necessities cost; “The cost of living in the capital is really high.”

Cue cards that lead into this topic

These Part 2 cue cards flow naturally into this Part 3 discussion.

More Part 3 themes

Explore more IELTS Speaking practice

Frequently asked questions

What kind of questions come up in IELTS Speaking Part 3 about cities and urban life?

Part 3 questions are abstract and opinion-based. You'll be asked to give views, compare past and present, weigh advantages and disadvantages, explain causes and effects, and speculate about the future — rather than talk about yourself.

How long should my Part 3 answers be?

Longer than in Part 1 — aim for three to five sentences. State your point, give a reason, and back it up with an example. Part 3 is where you demonstrate range and depth.

How is Part 3 different from Part 2?

Part 2 is a personal monologue; Part 3 is a two-way discussion of the wider issues linked to that topic, so the language becomes more abstract and analytical.

Next step

Practise Part 3 with an AI examiner

Take a full mock exam with SpeakMetry's AI examiner — it asks Part 3 follow-ups in real time and scores your answers against the official band descriptors.

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