IELTS Speaking Part 3: Growing plants
5 Part 3 discussion questions on growing plants, with developed sample answers of the kind Part 3 expects.
Do people in your country like to grow plants?
Yes, on the whole gardening is a fairly popular pastime in my country, though it varies a lot depending on where people live. Those in rural areas and small towns almost always have a patch of land where they grow flowers, herbs or vegetables, partly out of tradition and partly for practical reasons. In cities, space is more limited, but many apartment dwellers still keep potted plants on their balconies or windowsills. Older generations in particular tend to be enthusiastic gardeners, seeing it as a relaxing and rewarding hobby. Younger people have also started embracing indoor plants recently, largely because they brighten up a home and are considered fashionable. So while the scale differs, a genuine love of greenery is quite widespread.
What are the advantages of growing plants at home?
Growing plants at home offers a surprising number of benefits. First and foremost, it's wonderful for mental wellbeing, as tending to plants is calming and gives people a satisfying sense of accomplishment when they see something flourish. Plants also improve the indoor environment by purifying the air and adding a touch of natural beauty that makes a home feel more welcoming. On a practical level, growing herbs or vegetables can save money and guarantee fresh, chemical-free produce. Gardening is a gentle form of physical activity too, which is good for one's health. For families, it can be an educational activity that teaches children about nature and patience. All in all, it's a hobby with rewards that go well beyond the plants themselves.
Do people like to grow vegetables in your country?
Yes, growing vegetables is quite a common practice, especially among older people and those living outside the big cities. Many families have a small kitchen garden where they cultivate staples like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and various herbs. This tradition is partly rooted in the past, when growing your own food was a necessity rather than a hobby. Even today, people take real pride in serving dishes made with vegetables they have grown themselves. In urban areas the practice is naturally less common due to the lack of space, but some enthusiasts still manage with pots or community plots. So it remains a meaningful part of everyday life for a good portion of the population.
What are the advantages of growing vegetables at home?
There are several clear advantages to growing your own vegetables. The most obvious is that home-grown produce is fresher and healthier, since you know exactly how it was cultivated and can avoid harmful pesticides and chemicals. It can also cut down on grocery bills, which is no small thing given rising food prices. Beyond the practical side, there's a genuine sense of satisfaction and independence in eating something you've nurtured from a seed. It encourages people to eat more vegetables and adopt a healthier diet overall. Gardening also reduces packaging waste and is better for the environment than relying on transported, shop-bought food. For all these reasons, many see it as a thoroughly worthwhile endeavour.
How do people feel when they eat vegetables that they grew on their own?
People generally feel a deep sense of pride and satisfaction when they eat vegetables they've grown themselves. There's something uniquely rewarding about enjoying the fruits of your own labour, knowing that you invested time and care into the whole process from planting to harvest. Many describe the taste as noticeably better, whether that's genuinely true or simply because the effort makes it more meaningful. It also gives them a comforting sense of self-reliance and a closer connection to nature that store-bought produce can never replicate. For older people especially, it can evoke fond memories of the past. In short, the experience is as much emotional as it is culinary, and that's precisely what makes it so special.
Reading a model answer is not the same as saying one. The sample above shows what a strong Part 3 answer sounds like. What it cannot tell you is how yours sounds — whether you hesitate, repeat the question back, or run out of things to say at forty seconds.
You can record an answer to this exact question and get it marked on fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and pronunciation — the same four criteria the examiner uses.
Common questions
How is Part 3 different from Part 1?
Part 1 is about you; Part 3 is about people in general. The questions move to society, causes and consequences, and the answers are expected to be longer and more developed — an opinion plus a reason plus an example.
What if I have no opinion on the question?
You are not marked on the opinion, so pick one and support it. Saying you have never thought about it and stopping there leaves the examiner nothing to assess.
How long does Part 3 last?
Four to five minutes. The topics develop out of your Part 2 card, so the discussion is usually connected to what you just described.
Model answers written and reviewed by The English All-in-One IELTS team. They are teaching models showing what each band looks like, not real candidate scripts.