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IELTS Speaking practice

Written by Omar Khalid (IELTS)

The Speaking test is a one to one interview of 11 to 14 minutes with an examiner. It is marked on fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation, each worth a quarter.

The three parts

Part 1 answers should be two or three sentences: answer, give a reason, add a short example. One word answers lose marks for fluency.

In Part 2 you can make notes during the minute of preparation. Write keywords, not sentences, and follow the prompts on the card in order. Keep talking until the examiner stops you.

In Part 3 give opinions and explain them. Compare the past with the present, give causes and effects, and say what might happen in the future.

If you do not know a word, describe it in other words. Self correction is natural, but long silences are not. Speak at a normal pace and do not memorise answers, because examiners can tell.

Part 1: topics and questions

Hometown
  1. Where is your hometown?
  2. What do you like most about your hometown?
  3. Has your hometown changed much since you were a child?
  4. Would you like to live there in the future?
  5. What kind of place is it good for visitors?

Sample answer to the first question: I come from Lahore, which is a large city in the east of the country. It is famous for its old buildings, food and friendly people, so I think it is a very lively place to grow up.

Work or study
  1. Do you work or are you a student?
  2. What do you study, and why did you choose it?
  3. What do you find most interesting about your studies?
  4. Is there anything you find difficult?
  5. What would you like to do after you finish your studies?

Sample answer to the first question: I am a second year student of computer science. I chose it because I have always enjoyed solving problems, and I also think there are plenty of job opportunities in the field.

Family
  1. Tell me about your family.
  2. Do you spend a lot of time with your family?
  3. Who are you closest to in your family?
  4. What do you usually do together?
  5. Do you think families spend less time together than in the past?

Sample answer to the first question: There are six of us in my family: my parents, my two brothers and my sister, and me. We live in the same house as my grandmother, so there is always someone to talk to.

Food and cooking
  1. What kinds of food do you enjoy?
  2. Do you like cooking?
  3. Is there a dish from your country that visitors should try?
  4. How often do you eat out?
  5. Have your eating habits changed in recent years?

Sample answer to the first question: I enjoy a lot of different food, but I especially like spicy dishes such as chicken karahi. They remind me of family meals, and I think the flavours are hard to find anywhere else.

Weather and seasons
  1. What is the weather like in your country?
  2. Which season do you like best?
  3. Does the weather affect your mood?
  4. What do you do on very hot days?
  5. Has the weather changed in your area in recent years?

Sample answer to the first question: It depends on the season. Summers are very hot where I live, but winters are mild and pleasant, so I prefer winter, when I can spend more time outdoors.

Free time and hobbies
  1. What do you do in your free time?
  2. Did you have different hobbies as a child?
  3. Do you prefer to spend free time alone or with others?
  4. Is there a hobby you would like to try?
  5. Do you think hobbies are important?

Sample answer to the first question: In my free time I usually play cricket with friends or read. I like cricket because it is social, and reading helps me relax after a busy day.

Technology
  1. How often do you use a computer or a phone?
  2. What do you mainly use your phone for?
  3. Do you think people depend too much on technology?
  4. Which piece of technology could you not live without?
  5. How has technology changed the way people study?

Sample answer to the first question: I use my phone for most of the day, mainly for messages, maps and study notes. I would find it hard to live without it, because so many everyday tasks now depend on it.

Transport
  1. How do you usually travel around your city?
  2. Is public transport good in your area?
  3. Do you prefer to travel by car or by public transport?
  4. How do people travel to work or school where you live?
  5. What would you change about transport in your city?

Sample answer to the first question: I usually travel by motorbike or rickshaw, depending on the distance. Public transport exists, but buses are crowded and not very frequent, so I do not use them often.

Part 2 and Part 3: cue cards

Describe a book you enjoyed

Describe a book that you enjoyed reading.

You should say:

  • what the book was
  • who wrote it
  • what it was about

and explain why you enjoyed it.

Preparation 1:00, then speak for up to 2:00

Sample answer

The book I want to talk about is a novel about a boy who grows up in a small village and later moves to the city to study. I read it about two years ago when I was preparing for my exams, and a friend recommended it to me.

What I liked most was how real the characters felt. The main character makes mistakes, worries about money and misses his family, which is something I could understand because I was also living away from home at the time. The writer also describes everyday life in a very simple way, so the story was easy to follow even when I was tired.

I enjoyed it because it made me feel that my own worries were normal. It also taught me to keep going even when things are difficult, and I have since read two other books by the same writer.

Part 3 questions

  1. Do you think people read less today than in the past? Why?
  2. What kinds of books are most popular in your country?
  3. Should schools make children read books?
  4. How might books change in the future?
  5. Do you prefer paper books or electronic ones?
Describe a person who helped you

Describe a person who has helped you in your life.

You should say:

  • who the person is
  • how you know them
  • how they helped you

and explain how you felt about it.

Preparation 1:00, then speak for up to 2:00

Sample answer

I would like to talk about my uncle, who is a teacher. He lives in the same city as us, so I see him often, and he has helped me in many ways during my studies.

When I was in the final year of school I was finding mathematics very hard. My uncle noticed this, and he offered to work with me twice a week. He never just gave me the answers; instead, he asked questions until I could find the method myself. Over a few months my marks improved a great deal.

I felt very grateful, but also a little embarrassed at first, because I did not want to take up his time. Later I understood that he was happy to help, and that kind of support has made me want to help younger students in the same way.

Part 3 questions

  1. What qualities make a good teacher?
  2. Do you think young people ask for help enough?
  3. Is it better to learn from family or from professionals?
  4. How can people help others in their communities?
  5. Do people help each other less than in the past?
Describe a place you visited

Describe a place that you visited and enjoyed.

You should say:

  • where it is
  • when you went there
  • what you did there

and explain why you enjoyed it.

Preparation 1:00, then speak for up to 2:00

Sample answer

Last winter I visited Hunza in the north of the country with three friends. We travelled by road, which took about two days, and we stayed in a small guest house run by a local family.

During the visit we walked in the valley, saw an old fort and tried local food such as apricot soup and fresh bread. The mountains were covered in snow, and the air was so clean that it felt completely different from my city.

I enjoyed it because it was so peaceful. There were no traffic jams or loud noises, and people had time to talk to us. It also reminded me how important it is to take a break from daily routines. I would like to return in summer to see how different it looks.

Part 3 questions

  1. Why do people like to travel?
  2. Is tourism good for local communities?
  3. What problems can too many tourists cause?
  4. Would you prefer to travel alone or in a group?
  5. How has travel changed in the last fifty years?
Describe a skill you learned

Describe a skill you learned that was useful.

You should say:

  • what the skill is
  • how you learned it
  • how long it took

and explain how it has been useful.

Preparation 1:00, then speak for up to 2:00

Sample answer

A skill that I have found very useful is typing without looking at the keyboard. I learned it at the age of fifteen, using a free online course, and I practised for about twenty minutes every day.

At first it was frustrating, because I was much slower than before and I kept making mistakes. After about two months, however, my speed had doubled, and soon I could type almost as fast as I think.

It has helped me in many ways. I can finish assignments faster, take notes in lectures without missing information and chat with friends quickly. I think it is one of the most practical skills a student can learn, and it only needs patience and regular practice.

Part 3 questions

  1. What skills are important for young people today?
  2. Is it better to learn skills at school or by yourself?
  3. Do you think practical skills are more important than academic knowledge?
  4. How can people stay motivated when learning something new?
  5. Will some skills become unnecessary in the future?
Describe an important day

Describe a day that was important to you.

You should say:

  • what the day was
  • where you were
  • who you were with

and explain why it was important.

Preparation 1:00, then speak for up to 2:00

Sample answer

One of the most important days of my life was the day my exam results were announced two years ago. I was at home with my parents and younger sister, and we were all feeling nervous.

I checked the result online, and I had passed with marks that were higher than I had expected. My mother started crying and my father immediately called my grandparents to tell them. In the evening we went out for dinner, which was a rare treat for us.

That day was important because it showed me that hard work can bring results. I had spent many months studying late at night, and for the first time I felt that it had been worth it. It also made my parents very proud, and that mattered to me most.

Part 3 questions

  1. Why do people celebrate special days?
  2. How do families in your country celebrate important events?
  3. Do you think people spend too much money on celebrations?
  4. Have traditional celebrations changed over time?
  5. Which events are most important for a country to celebrate?
Describe a useful piece of technology

Describe a piece of technology that you use often.

You should say:

  • what it is
  • how often you use it
  • what you use it for

and explain why it is useful to you.

Preparation 1:00, then speak for up to 2:00

Sample answer

The piece of technology that I use most is my smartphone. I use it every day, from the moment I wake up until I go to sleep, and it is probably the most useful thing I own.

I use it to communicate with family and friends, check the map when I travel, read articles and listen to lectures. Before I had a smartphone I had to carry several things, such as a notebook, a dictionary and a camera, and now they are all in one device.

It is useful because it saves me time and gives me access to information at any moment. However, I try not to use it too much before bed, because it can disturb my sleep, and I think it is important to keep a balance.

Part 3 questions

  1. Do you think people spend too much time on their phones?
  2. How has technology changed communication?
  3. What are the dangers of depending on technology?
  4. Should children have phones?
  5. What new technology do you expect to see in the next twenty years?
Describe a teacher who influenced you

Describe a teacher who has influenced you.

You should say:

  • who the teacher was
  • what subject the teacher taught
  • what the teacher did that influenced you

and explain how this influence has affected you.

Preparation 1:00, then speak for up to 2:00

Sample answer

I would like to talk about my mathematics teacher in Class 9, Mr Rahim. He taught us for two years, and he is the main reason that I stopped being afraid of numbers.

What made him different was the way he explained things. Instead of just writing formulas on the board, he started each topic with a real example, such as how a shopkeeper works out a discount. When someone made a mistake he never laughed, and he asked us to explain our own thinking first. After that he showed where the mistake was. This made every student feel safe to ask questions.

His influence on me has been big. I used to guess answers in exams, but now I always check why a method works. I also try to explain things clearly to my younger cousins, and I think that I learned this from him. I have even decided to study a subject with a lot of mathematics at university.

Part 3 questions

  1. Why are some teachers remembered for many years?
  2. Do you think teachers today have a bigger or a smaller influence than in the past?
  3. What qualities make a good teacher?
  4. Should students be allowed to give their opinion of teachers?
  5. How might technology change the role of teachers in the future?