IELTS Speaking Part 3: Mobile phones
7 Part 3 discussion questions on mobile phones, with developed sample answers of the kind Part 3 expects.
Do young and old people use phones in the same way?
No, there are significant differences in usage patterns, though the gap is narrowing. Young people use smartphones as their primary computing device – for social media, entertainment, messaging, and content creation – often with hundreds of apps. Older users tend to use phones more for calls, texts, utilitarian apps (banking, weather, maps), and perhaps a few news or puzzle apps. Young people are more likely to sleep with their phones, check them first thing in the morning, and feel anxious when separated from them. Older users are more likely to have “phone-free” times (e.g., during meals) and to view the phone as a tool rather than an extension of self. In terms of skills, young people are faster at typing and navigating new interfaces, but older users are often more cautious about security and less likely to click on suspicious links. That said, the cohort of people now in their 60s grew up with computers, so the difference with those in their 20s is smaller than with those in their 80s. The trend is toward convergence, not divergence.
What positive and negative effects do mobile phones have on friendship?
Positively, mobile phones keep friendships alive across distances, allowing daily contact through texts, photos, and voice notes. They enable coordination – meeting up spontaneously becomes easier, and group chats maintain a sense of community among friends who rarely see each other in person. They also provide a low-pressure way to reach out, helpful for shy or busy people. Negatively, phones can degrade the quality of in-person time – friends sitting together but scrolling instead of talking. The expectation of instant replies can create anxiety and conflict. Also, “phubbing” (snubbing someone by looking at your phone) damages trust and signals that the virtual world is more important than the present friend. Friendships can become performative, focused on documenting moments for social media rather than experiencing them. Finally, false intimacy can develop – you feel close because you text daily, but you never have deep, vulnerable conversations. The net effect depends on intentionality: phones are great servants but terrible masters of friendship.
Is it a waste of time to take pictures with mobile phones?
Not necessarily – it depends on the intention and the outcome. If taking pictures distracts you from fully experiencing an event (e.g., watching a concert through your screen), then it can be a waste. However, photos can anchor memories, help you notice details you would otherwise miss, and create a visual diary that enriches future reflection. For many people, the act of framing a shot is a creative outlet, not a waste. The problem is excessive, mindless photography – dozens of nearly identical selfies, or filming everything “just in case.” Also, the time spent editing, curating, and seeking validation through likes can become a black hole. A good rule is: take photos for yourself, not for an audience, and put the phone down for at least part of any significant experience. Used mindfully, mobile photography is a wonderful tool; used mindlessly, it is a way to witness your own life rather than live it.
Many people think mobile phones can be annoying at times. Can you give any examples of that?
Certainly – one common annoyance is loud ringtones or notifications in quiet public spaces like libraries, trains, or cinemas. Another is people having personal conversations on speakerphone in shared spaces, forcing everyone around to listen. Even more intrusive is the “ping” of a phone during a face-to-face conversation, breaking the flow and signalling that whoever just texted is more important than the person present. At social gatherings, the phenomenon of everyone at a table looking at their phones instead of talking has become a cliché. For the phone owner, constant notifications – work emails, app alerts, group chat messages – create a sense of being perpetually on call, which is mentally exhausting. Finally, the expectation of immediate response (e.g., “Why didn’t you reply? I saw you read my message”) creates social anxiety. So the annoyance is not the phone itself, but how its use disrupts attention, presence, and consideration for others.
Do you think there should be laws on the use of mobile phones?
Laws already exist for the most dangerous uses – notably, banning texting while driving, which saves lives. There are also reasonable restrictions in sensitive areas (e.g., no phones in secure courtrooms or voting booths). Beyond that, I am cautious about broad laws. Forbidding phone use in restaurants or on public transport would be unenforceable and arguably overbearing. However, some places have successfully implemented “phone-free schools” laws, requiring students to lock away phones during class – research supports this for learning outcomes. Another sensible law would ban the sale of smartphones to very young children (under 13) or mandate parental controls. But I do not support laws that criminalise adult, private nuisance-level behaviour. Social norms and etiquette education are more appropriate for most annoyances. The phone is a tool; the law should address demonstrable harm (distracted driving, cyberstalking, recording without consent) rather than general annoyance.
*How have mobile phones changed family life? (added)
Mobile phones have both connected and disconnected families in complex ways. On one hand, parents can reach children easily for coordination (pickup times, emergencies), and extended families stay in touch across distances. Shared family messaging groups can be a source of support and humour. On the other hand, the “digital dining table” – everyone on their phones during meals – has eroded conversation and presence. Children may feel jealous of their parent’s attention to work emails during family time. There is also the issue of unequal access: parents may limit their own phone use as a model, or hypocritically scroll while forbidding the same to children. Smartphones have also changed parenting itself – location tracking can reduce children’s independence, while parenting advice apps can be helpful or anxiety-inducing. Overall, families that set explicit rules (e.g., no phones at dinner, phone-free bedrooms) report better satisfaction. Those without rules often drift into parallel, isolated phone use, even when sitting in the same room.
*What will mobile phones look like in 10 years? (added)
Predicting a decade ahead is risky, but several trends seem likely. Foldable screens will mature, making phones that unfold into small tablets common. AI integration will be deeper – your phone will anticipate your needs, draft messages, summarise meetings, and translate conversations in real time. Augmented reality overlays through the camera lens could become mainstream, with phones as the “window” to digital information overlaid on the physical world. Biometric authentication (face, voice, fingerprint) will replace passwords entirely. Battery life will improve, possibly with long-range wireless charging. However, there is also speculation that the smartphone form factor may be replaced by smart glasses or even neural interfaces, making the “phone” an object you no longer carry. Privacy will remain a battleground, with on-device AI (processing data locally) versus cloud-based AI. Most likely, the smartphone will evolve but remain a rectangular slab for the next decade, just thinner, faster, and smarter – because the form factor is very hard to beat for pocketability and screen usability.
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.