IELTS Speaking Part 3: Advice, Experts and the Internet (Band 8.0)

We've been talking about a piece of advice you received.

Now I'd like to discuss this topic more generally.

Sure. I'm happy to!

Who do young people usually go to for advice nowadays?

I'd argue it's increasingly the internet, not their parents.

Online, you can get an answer instantly,

and nobody judges you for asking a silly question!

That said, for big decisions, most still turn to family.

Is it a problem that people rely on online advice?

To some extent, yes.

What worries me is that anyone can call themselves an expert.

A friend of mine followed a fitness influencer's diet,

and she ended up feeling exhausted for weeks.

Had she asked a doctor first, she'd have avoided all that.

Why do some people ignore advice from experts?

It's often argued that people simply distrust authority,

but I think it's more about how the advice is delivered.

When doctors use complex terms,

patients tend to switch off,

and the key message gets lost.

The more clearly experts communicate, the more people listen.

Do older people give better advice than younger people?

Not necessarily, although experience certainly counts for something.

My grandmother's advice about relationships is brilliant,

but I'd never ask her about technology!

Younger people, by contrast, understand modern pressures better,

so their advice is valuable too.

Should schools teach students how to judge advice?

Absolutely! It could well be the most useful lesson of all.

If students were taught to check sources,

they'd be far less likely to fall for misinformation.

Unless we start early, bad habits become deeply ingrained.

How might AI change the way people get advice?

Interestingly, many people already ask chatbots for life advice!

AI can be helpful, provided it admits what it doesn't know,

but if people stop talking to each other, we'll lose something.

Thank you. That's the end of the speaking test.

Thank you very much. I really enjoyed it!