Search
Close this search box.

IELTS Speaking Lesson about Books

👇 Take this lesson with you! 👇

In the IELTS Speaking test, you may asked about books in Part 1 for example, whether you like reading and what kind of books you read, or in Part 2 for example, a book you recently read and liked.

In this IELTS Speaking lesson on the topic of books, you will learn how to describe books, and discuss a book you recently read.  

Table of Contents

IELTS vocabulary: Books

It is essential to build your vocabulary and also to start activating it. 

That means you should try making some phrases with the vocabulary below. 

Remember to always learn the collocations of new words. 

Literature (n.) = written works (books)

Literacy (n.)  = the ability to read and write 

Literate (adj.) = able to read and write 

Examples:

I am really into English literature 

I think it’s really important for young children to become literate 

Types of books

Fictional or non-fictional BOOKS

Fictional novels- think of the different genres – 

  • Crime novels
  • Romance
  • Thriller – suspense
  • Comedy 
  • Action
  • Sci-fi 

You could also think of books that have been made into a film 

Examples:

I am a big fan of crime novels 

I don’t like action films too much, I find them too unrealistic 

IELTS Speaking Crime novel

Non-Fictional BOOKS

  • Biographies
  • Autobiographies 
  • Hobbies 
  • Historical (adj.)
  • Personal development = self help 
  • Books related to your field of work 
  • Recipe book
  • Travel guide

Examples:

I enjoy reading a good auto-biography 

I read personal development books now and again

Describing the story

  • Plot = storyline
  • Setting = background (where – when) 
  • Characters = people in the story
  • Protagonist (main character / hero)

Examples:

This book has a gripping plot

It is set in the middle ages in England

The protagonist is a magician called Merlin 

Phrases to describe how we read books

  • To skim through books in the bookstore
  • To flip through a book
  • To leaf through a book

All of these above mean to glance at quickly, not to read in depth.

  • A voracious reader 
  • An avid reader 
  • A bookworm 

All of these mean someone who reads a lot

Describing a book in IELTS Speaking

A heavy read (n) = that book is difficult to read

It’s a good read 

This book is easy reading

This book makes easy reading 

I could’t put it down 

It had me spellbound 

It was a gripping novel 

I read it from cover to cover 

It’s a captivating/great read

It had an intriguing plot

Good read - book

Idiomatic expressions about books

  • To turn over a new leaf = to start anew / start something fresh  
  • I want to get in my boss’s good books = I want to do something to win his/her favour
  • She threw the book at me = she told me off very strongly / scolded me for doing something wrong
  • Take a leaf out of Mary’s book = learn from Mary (suggesting she is better than you)

Useful vocabulary tools

https://relatedwords.org

Great for finding words related to any topic you are studying. Great for expanding your vocabulary on a certain topic.

https://fraze.it

You put in a word and it gives you real life examples so you can see how to use that word

https://skell.sketchengine.co.uk/run.cgi/skell

You put in a word and it gives you all the words that collocate with it, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs and so on. Priceless tool, once you get to used to using it. 

More IELTS Speaking Free Lessons

If you liked this lesson, leave a comment below!

There are more lessons you can follow in the links below too.

ART in IELTS Speaking. How to describe different kinds of art, feelings about art, exhibitions and art in education  

CHANGE in IELTS Speaking. Learn to talk about personal, professional and global change, and get some tips for IELTS Speaking Part 3

FOOD in IELTS Speaking. Vocabulary and collocations to talk about food, healthy food and cooking.

Get your pdf now!

Better English

Better Answers

Higher Score

Try my Online Course

IELTS Speaking Success - Get a Band 7+ GOLD