IELTS Speaking Part 3: Technology & Communication (Band 9 Sample)

Q: How has technology changed the way people communicate?

It's transformed it almost beyond recognition. A generation ago, staying in touch with someone abroad meant an expensive phone call or a letter that took weeks; now I can video-call a friend on the other side of the world for free, instantly. What strikes me most, though, is the shift from occasional, deliberate contact to this constant, low-level connection — we're always reachable now, for better or worse.

Q: Do you think face-to-face communication will become less common?

I doubt it'll disappear, but I do think its role is changing. For routine things — quick updates, arranging to meet — people will increasingly default to a message. But for anything that really matters, like a difficult conversation or celebrating with family, nothing replaces being in the same room. There's a warmth and a nuance to face-to-face contact that a screen simply can't carry.

Q: What are the downsides of relying on technology to communicate?

The most obvious one is that a lot gets lost in translation. Tone doesn't come across in a text, so misunderstandings are far more common than people realise. Beyond that, I'd argue it can make us strangely lonelier — we mistake being constantly connected for being genuinely close, when actually scrolling through other people's lives can leave you feeling more isolated, not less.

Q: Should there be limits on how much children use social media?

I think some limits are sensible, yes, though I'd be wary of banning it outright. Children's brains are still developing, and the addictive design of these platforms isn't something a ten-year-old can reasonably push back against. That said, the answer isn't just restriction — it's teaching them to use it critically, because these tools clearly aren't going away.