IELTS Speaking Practice

Emma -


The list of questions below are intended to be representative of speaking part 1. However, these are questions that you can generally practice for any part of the speaking exam, as there are a mixture of easier and more difficult questions. When practising, try to extend your responses so you get into the habit of speaking with fluency. It is better to have more to say than less to say. First, are some tips for each part of the speaking exam.

How long should my answer be?

Speaking part 1 advice

  • You don’t need to limit your answers to two sentences
  • Try speaking with fluency
  • If you have more information to give, then give it
  • Try to avoid hesitation as this will obstruct the time in which you can answer and therefore gain scores
  • If you go over and the examiner stops you, this isn’t a problem- it's just part of the test!

Speaking part 2 advice

  • The prompts on the cards are just prompts, not questions
  • To meet the criteria for part 2, you need to go beyond the prompts and extend your response
  • Give lots of description and information to showcase your fluency

Speaking part 3 advice

  • Try to give examples in part 3
  • You need to be detailed in your response
  • This is an opportunity to show your range of English
  • Speak more than you need to give

Talking Cards Topics

Social media

  • Who is your favourite person you follow on social media?
  • What sort of content do they post?
  • Why do you follow them?
  • Do you think you benefit from following this person?
  • Do you aspire to be like them in any way? If so, in what way?
  • What role do you think social media plays in our lives?
  • Do you think its possible for society to live without social media?
  • What are the benefits and drawbacks of social media?

Family

  • Do you spend much time with your family?
  • What do you like to do together as a family?
  • Who are you closest to in your family?
  • Are people in your country generally close to your family?
  • Do you have a large or smaller sized family?
  • How do you think your family members would describe you?
  • In our modern society, do you think family values are as strong as they have been?

Internet

  • How often do you go online?
  • What’s the main reason you use the internet?
  • What’s your favourite website?
  • Education around the internet has increased in schools, what’s your opinion of this?
  • Do you think children should have unsupervised access to the internet?
  • What has been a positive experience you have had online?
  • What are some of the positive and negative aspects of the internet?

Daily routine

  • What is your daily routine?
  • Do you ever change your routine?
  • How has your routine changed over the years?
  • Do you think it’s important to have a routine?
  • Do you imitate anyone else's routine to improve your own?
  • What is your typical routine in the morning?
  • What may be some of the health benefits of having routines in one's life?

Food

  • What’s your favourite food?
  • Has your taste in food changed over the years?
  • Is there a food or dish you dislike?
  • What is something you like to cook?
  • Is cooking an activity you like to do, or is this something you may want to get better at?
  • If you had to pick your favourite meal, from starter to desert, what would this be?
  • Do you consider yourself to have a healthy diet?
  • Is there a particular restaurant you like to eat at?

Hobbies

  • Do you have a particular hobby?
  • Do you think hobbies are best enjoyed alone or shared with someone?
  • Did you have a hobby as a child?
  • Why do you think people have hobbies?
  • Is there a hobby you would like to pursue?
  • Have you tried a hobby and it didn't work out as you thought?
  • What do you think are the benefits of pursuing hobbies?

Music

  • Do you like music?
  • What is your favourite genre of music?
  • Do you play any instruments?
  • If you could learn a musical instrument, what would it be and why?
  • Do you think music is important?
  • Have your music tastes changed over the years?
  • Do you see much live music?
  • Is there a band that you always listen to? What is their appeal for you?
  • What is your favourite thing about music?

Reading

  • Do you read often?
  • What has been one of your favourite books to read?
  • What does it feel like to read a book that you love?
  • Do you have a favourite writer?
  • Do you read newspapers or other forms of non-fiction?
  • What books did you read as a child?
  • Do you think it’s important to encourage children to read?

Shopping

  • Do you like shopping?
  • What kinds of shops do you have where you live?
  • Do you prefer to buy items online?
  • How are we influenced to buy things, as consumers?
  • What environmental problems do you think shopping has on our planet?
  • How do you think social media and shopping are related?
  • Do you think there are issues around perceptions on gender and shopping?

Transport

  • What is your mode of transport day to day?
  • How do you get to your place of work or study?
  • What is the transport system like where you live?
  • Do you like the transport system in your country?
  • Have you visited somewhere where you thought their transport was better? Or worse?
  • If you could remove one mode of transport, what would it be and why?
  • Is a bicycle a good means of travel?
  • Do you think cities should be more accommodating to bicycles?

Weather

  • What is your favourite type of weather?
  • How would you describe the weather in your country?
  • Is the weather the same in all parts of your country?
  • Does the weather affect the way you feel?
  • Does rain or snow ever effect transport in your hometown?
  • Is there a memory you have that stands out associated with weather?

TV

  • Do you regularly watch TV?
  • How popular is watching TV in your home country?
  • What sorts of TV do you watch?
  • What is your favourite TV program?
  • Did you watch much TV when you were a child?
  • Do you think parents should have control over what a child watches?
  • Do you think TV dramas are an accurate depiction of real life?
  • Why do you think there is a big following for reality TV?

Sport

  • Do you like sports?
  • What is your favourite sport?
  • Do you play any sports?
  • Do you watch sports on TV?
  • Is there a popular sport in your country?
  • Why do you think sport fans are so passionate?
  • What types of sports are popular in your home country?
  • What benefits do international sporting bring?
  • Do you think athletes have a responsibility to be role models?