"I know nothing about this topic"

"Describe a piece of art you like." "Do you enjoy gardening?" "Talk about a sport you watched on TV." Sometimes the topic is something you've never thought about. Your brain says, "I have nothing to say." So you either freeze, or you say "I don't know" and stop.

Here's the most important thing to remember: IELTS Speaking tests your English, not your knowledge. The examiner doesn't care if you're an art expert. They care whether you can talk about art in clear, natural English.

Why this matters

Stopping or saying very little gives the examiner no language to score. But a student who says "Honestly, I don't know much about art, but..." and then keeps talking is showing exactly the skill the test is looking for.

Five ways to handle an unfamiliar topic

1. Be honest, then explain why

"To be honest, I've never really been into gardening. I grew up in a flat in Dhaka, so we never had a garden. My grandmother in the village grows vegetables, though, and I used to help her sometimes when I visited."

You said "no", but you still gave a full, natural answer.

2. Connect it to something you do know

Don't know much about art? Talk about something nearby: a painting in your home, a mural on a wall near your university, the alpona designs people paint for Pohela Boishakh, or even a phone wallpaper.

3. Talk about other people

"I'm not a big sports fan myself, but my father watches every cricket match. So I end up watching too, mostly because the whole family gets excited."

4. Imagine or guess

You can use phrases like "I imagine...", "I'd guess..." or "If I had the chance, I think I'd...".

"I've never been to a classical music concert, but I imagine it would be quite relaxing. If I had the chance, I'd probably go just for the experience."

5. For Part 2, bend the topic a little

You must talk about the topic on the card. But you can choose an angle you're comfortable with. If the card says "Describe a piece of art you like", you could talk about a simple painting your cousin made, or a nakshi kantha your grandmother stitched. It's still art. It's just art you have something to say about.

Useful phrases

"I don't know much about this, but..."
"It's not something I've thought about much, to be honest."
"I haven't had much experience with that, but I'd guess..."
"I'm not really the right person to ask, but..."

Try it yourself

Answer these out loud for 20 to 30 seconds each, even if you know nothing about the topic.

Do you like going to museums?
What do you think about modern dance?
Do you know anything about astronomy?

Honest note

It's okay to say you don't know much. It's not okay to say only that. Honesty plus explanation always works better than silence.

Your task today

Write down five topics you'd hate to get in the test. Practise 30-second answers to each, using the five methods above.