IELTS Speaking: Part One Sample Questions

Family

1. Do you have a large family or a small family?
2. Can you tell me something about them?
3. How much time do you manage to spend with members of your family?
4. What sorts of things do you like to do together?
5. Did/Do you get on well with your family? [Why?]

Accommodation

1. What kind of accommodation do you live in? What’s it like?
2. Have you always lived there?
3. What are the main advantages of this [accommodation]?
4. What changes would you like to make to improve it?
5. Would it be easy for you to move to another accommodation?

Neighbourhood

1. Which part of town do you live in?
2. What’s it like?
3. What kinds of shops are there in your neighbourhood?
4. Do you get along well with your neighbours?
5. What’s difficult about living there?

Education (students)

1. What do you study?
2. What is special about this subject?
3. Is there anything you find difficult about it?
4. Where do you study…? What’s your university/college like?

Education (graduates)

1. Do you have higher education?
2. What have you studied at university?
3. What did you like about your studies?
4. Was there anything you found difficult?

Job

1. What’s your job?
2. Is it a common job in your country?
3. What are your working hours like?
4. Do you get a lot of vacation and off time?
5. Are you thinking of changing your job?

Cold weather

1. Have you ever been in very cold weather? [When?]
2. How often is the weather cold where you come from?
3. Are some parts of your country colder than others? [Which parts?]
4. Would you prefer to live in a hot place or a cold place? [Why?]

Laughing

1. What kinds of things make you laugh?
2. Do you like making other people laugh? [Why/Why not?]
3. Do you think it’s important for people to laugh? [Why/Why not?]
4. Is laughing the same as feeling happy, do you think? [Why/Why not?]

Keeping in contact with people

1. How do you usually contact your friends? [Why?]
2. Do you prefer to contact different people in different ways? [Why?]
3. Do you find it easy to keep in contact with friends and family? [Why/Why not?]
4. In your country, did people in the past keep in contact in the same ways as they do today? [Why/Why not?]

Daily Routine

1. What would you like to change in your daily routine?
2. Are all your days the same?
3. Tell me about your typical weekday and your typical weekend.
4. What is the balance of work/study and free time in your normal day?

Visitors

1. What would you suggest a visitor should see and do in your country?
2. Are there any traditional arts or music you would recommend?
3. Tell me about the kind of foreign visitors or tourists who go to your country.
4. In what ways has tourism changed your country?

Festivals

1. Tell me about the most important festival in your country.
2. What special food and activities are connected with this festival?
3. What do you most enjoy about it?
4. Do you think festivals are important for a country? [Why?]

Dancing

1. Do you enjoy dancing? [Why/Why not?]
2. Has anyone ever taught you to dance? [Why/Why not?]
3. Tell me about any traditional dancing in your country.
4. Do you think that traditional dancing will be popular in the future? [Why/Why not?]

Musical instruments

1. Which instrument do you like listening to most? [Why?]
2. Have you ever learned to play a musical instrument? [Which one?]
3. Do you think children should learn to play a musical instrument at school? [Why/Why not?]
4. How easy would it be to learn to play an instrument without a teacher? [Why?]

Traffic where you live

1. How do most people travel to work where you live?
2. What traffic problems are there in your area? [Why?]
3. How do traffic problems affect you?
4. How would you reduce the traffic problems in your area?

Your friends

1. Do you prefer to have one particular friend or a group of friends? [Why?]
2. Are your friends mostly your age or different ages? [Why?]
3. What do you like doing most with your friend/s?
4. The last time you saw your friends, what did you do together?
5. What makes a friend into a good friend?
6. Do you think it’s important to keep in contact with friends you knew as a child? [Why/Why not?]

Food and cooking

1. What kinds of food do you like to eat?
2. What kind of new food would you like to try? [Why?]
3. Do you like cooking? [Why/Why not?] What was the last meal you cooked?
4. Do you prefer home-cooked food or food from restaurants? [Why?]

Leisure

1. Do you have any hobbies or interests? [What are they?]
2. How did you become interested in (whatever hobby/interest the candidate mentions)?
3. What is there to do in your free time in (candidate’s hometown/village)?
4. How do you usually spend your holidays?
5. Is there anywhere you would particularly like to visit? [Why?]

Your favourite place

1. What place do you most like to visit?
2. How often do you visit this place? Why do you like it so much?
3. Is it popular with many other people?
4. Has it changed very much since you first went there? [In what way?]

Your country

1. Which part of your country do most people live in?
2. Tell me about the main industries there.
3. How easy is it to travel around your country?
4. Has your country changed much since you were a child?

Colour

1. What’s your favourite colour? [Why?]
2. Do you like the same colours now as you did when you were younger? [Why/Why not?]
3. What can you learn about a person from the colours they like?
4. Do any colours have a special meaning in your culture?

Entertainment

1. Do you prefer relaxing at home or going out in the evening? [Why?]
2. When you go out for an evening, what do you like to do?
3. How popular is this with other people in your country?
4. Is there any kind of entertainment you do not like? [Why/Why not?]

Clothes

1. How important are clothes and fashion to you? [Why/Why not?]
2. What kind of clothes do you dislike? [Why?]
3. How different are the clothes you wear now from those you wore 10 years ago?
4. What do you think the clothes we wear say about us?

Fruits

1. Do you eat fruits?
2. How often do you eat fruits?
3. Where do you buy your fruits from?
4. Do you think it’s important for people to eat fruits? [Why/Why not?]

Books

1. Do you like reading books?
2. What kind of books do you like to read? [Why?]
3. Where do you like to read? [Why?]
4. Do others in your family read books too?
5. Do you usually buy your books from a special place? [Where?]

Telephone calls

1. How often are you on the phone?
2. Do you like calling friends or family more often? [Why?]
3. Did you call your friends a lot when you were a child?
4. Do you think children should have to pay their own telephone bills? [Why/Why not?]

Technology at home/office

1. How often do you use electric appliances at home/office?
2. How do you think they help you with your chores?
3. Are there any other advantages?
4. Are there any drawbacks to using these appliances?
5. Do you think pe0ople should use electric appliances more often or less often than they do now? [Why/Why not?]

Recent Speaking Part 1 Questions

Topic: CLOTHING

1. Do you like wearing special costumes?
2. Did you try any special costumes when you were young?
3. When was the last time to wear special costumes?
4. Do you ever buy special costumes?

Topic: SPORTS

1. Do you ever do extreme sports?
2. Do you like extreme sports?
3. Why do some people enjoy extreme sports?
4. Are extreme sports dangerous?
5. What kind of precautions should be taken while doing such sports?

Topic: SCENERY

1. What scenery can you see from the window of your home?
2. Is it essential for you to have a good view from your window?
3. Do you like to sit by the window when you take an airplane?
4. What sort of view would you like your house to have in the future?

Topic: FARMING

1. Have you ever visited a farm?
2. What kind of farm do you like?
3. Do you think farming is important?
4. Did you do farm work when you were young?
5. Does your country still use many traditional farming methods?

Topic: NEW YEAR

1. How do you celebrate New Year?
2. How did you celebrate the last New Year?
3. What was your best New Year’s party so far?
4. Do you have any ceremonies to celebrate the New Year in your country?
5. How do most people celebrate New Year in your country?
6. Why do people think New Year is a new beginning?
7. How important is celebrating New Year in your country?
8. What is your opinion on having to work on New Year’s Day?

Topic: SINGING,VOICE

1. Do you like singing?
2. When do you sing?
3. Do you have a favorite song you like to sing?
4. Would you like to take some singing lessons?
5. Did you enjoy singing when you were young?
6. Do you like listen to other people sing?
7. Do people in your country like singing for entertainment?

Topic: READING

1. Do you like reading?
2. Do you like to read at home or in other places?
3. Do you like to read by yourself or with other people?
4. Do you usually read for leisure or work purposes?
5. Have you had family members with reading habits?
6. What was your favorite book or story when you were a child?
7. Do you think it is important that children read regularly?

Topic: DECORATION

1. What kind of decoration do you prefer?
2. How is your home decorated?
3. What is your favorite color when decorating your home?
4. Do people in your country like redecorating their homes?
5. What is the new decorating trend for this year?

Topic: CHANGE

1. Do you like the changes? Why?
2. What do you plan to change next year?
3. Are there any changes to your work?
4. Have you changed a lot since your childhood?
5. Are there any positive changes in your country these days?

Topic: CLOTHING

1. Are clothes important to you?
2. What kinds of clothes do you like to wear?
3. What kind of clothes do you never wear?
4. Do you ever wear the traditional clothes of your country?
5. Where do you usually buy your clothes?
6. Have you ever worn a uniform?
7. Do most people in your country follow fashion?
8. Do you wear the same style of clothes on weekdays and weekends?
9. Do you like brands? Why or why not?
10. Can we judge a person’s character by clothing? Why?

Topic: CELEBRITY

1. What kind of people are celebrities in your country?
2. Who is your favorite celebrity in your country?
3. Have you ever seen a celebrity in real life?
4. Why do you want to meet a famous person?
5. How do celebrities influence their fans in your country?
6. Do you like any foreign celebrities?
7. Would you like to be a celebrity?

Topic: HURRY

1. Do you like to be in a hurry?
2. Do you like to finish things quickly?
3. Do you usually go out in a hurry?
4. When was the last time you did something in a hurry?
5. What kind of things would you never do in a hurry?
6. What do you always do in a hurry? Why?
7. Why do people make mistakes more easily when they are in a hurry?

Topic: LIST

1. Do you make a list before going shopping? Why?
2. Why is it important to make a shopping list?
3. Do you think it is a good idea to use lists at home or work?
4. Why don’t some people like making lists?
5. Do you prefer using a piece of paper or making a list on your phone?

Topic: SPORTS

1. Do you like sports?
2. What is your favorite sport?
3. What kind of sports did you play as a child?
4. Do you prefer team sports or individual sports?
5. How do most people in your country keep fit?
6. Would you like to go to the Olympic Games?
7. Are you a fan of any sports teams? Why?
8. What kind of sports is popular in your country?

Topic: RECYCLE,ENVIRONMENT

1. Do you recycle stuff?
2. Did you recycle when you were a kid?
3. What kind of things do you recycle?
4. How do you feel when you see trash lying on the roads?
5. Is it important to have recycled bins?
6. Will you recycle in the future?
7. Do you influence others to use recycle bins?

Topic: TIDY

1. Are you a tidy person?
2. Do you think that it is necessary to be tidy?
3. Do you think people should be tidy all the time?
4. Do you keep your workplace tidy?
5. Are you tidier at work or home?
6. Are your family members tidy?

Topic: HOME

1. Do you like the home where you grew up?
2. What do you like about the home you grew up in?
3. What kind of house do you live in now?
4. Has your home changed recently?
5. Is there any shopping center near your home?
6. What is your dream house?
7. What kind of home would you like to live in when you’re older?

Topic: AGE

1. Are you happy to be the age you are now?
2. When you were a child, did you think a lot about your future?
3. Do you think you have changed as you have got older?
4. When do you think is the best age to learn driving?
5. Should we treat people of different ages equally?

Topic: TRANSPORT

1. Do you often use public transport?
2. Do you travel by public transport?
3. Do you think people prefer public transport?
4. Should people use more public transport? Why?
5. When was the last time you traveled by public transport?

Topic: FRIENDS

1. Are friends important to you?
2. Have you ever made new friends online?
3. How do you socialize with friends?
4. What kinds of people do you like to make friends with?
5. What do you usually talk about with your friends?
6. Do you have any childhood friends?
7. Do you think you are a good friend to others?
8. Do you have any friends who live far away from you?

100 typical IELTS Speaking Part One questions

1 Are there any museums that you would like to go to?

2 Are you working at the moment?

3 Are your friends interested in technology?

4 Can you tell me something about your hometown?

5 Can you cook well?

6 Did you enjoy learning English when you were younger?

7 Do you enjoy going to the cinema? (Why/ Why not?)

8 Do you find it easy to stay in touch with your school friends?

9 Do you have any plans to go abroad?

10 Do you have any subscriptions to publications? (Why those?/ Why not?)

11 Do you have many brothers and sisters?

12 Do you like the area where you live? (Why/ Why not?)

13 Do you often watch TV?

14 Do you prefer to get your news online or by other means?

15 Do you still continue any of your childhood hobbies?

16 Do you usually have music on when you study?

17 Do you want to take up any new sports in the future?

18 Do you celebrate Christmas?

19 Do people often attend public festivals in your culture?

20 Has your taste in music changed much since you were younger?

21 Have you always lived in the same place?

22 Have you ever tried to write a book?

23 How are your movie viewing habits changing?

24 How did you spend your weekends when you were younger?

25 How do changes in technology affect you?

26 How do most people in your country try to stay healthy?

27 How do you think you will spend your next holiday?

28 How do you usually revise before exams?

29 How easy is it to find work near where you live?

30 How important is the Internet to you?

31 How long do you think you will continue studying English?

32 How long have you been living in your present home?

33 How many books do you have?

34 How much time do you spend watching TV every week?

35 How much free time do you have?

36 How often do you download music?

37 How often do people eat out where you come from?

38 How popular is your hometown with tourists?

39 If you could live anywhere which area of your town would you choose?

40 In what ways is exercise important to you?

41 Is there any kind of healthy food which you don’t like?

42 Is there anything you dislike about modern art?

43 Is there any hobby you’d like to try in the future?

44 Is there any festival you particularly want to go to?

45 Is the last place you went on holiday famous for anything?

46 Is celebrating birthdays popular with your people in your country?

47 Tell me a little about your parents.

48 The last time you met up with your friends what did you do together?

49 What is the best thing about public transport in your town?

50 Would you say the most popular newspaper in your country is a good one?

51 What are you going to do at the weekend?

52 What are your plans for the next public holiday?

53 What changes would you like to make to your hometown?

54 What did you do on your last birthday?

55 What do you do when you have time to surf the Internet?

56 What do you find most difficult about using modern technology?

57 What do you like about going to the cinema?

58 What do you like doing with your family?

59 What do you usually do to keep healthy?

60 What do your best friends do?

61 What does your taste in TV say about you?

62 What is the most famous food from your country? (Can you describe it?)

63 What is the most important sport for you? (Why?)

64 What is the most important festival in your hometown?

65 What ways of learning languages are there in your town?

66 What is your favourite means of transport? (Why?)

67 What is your main hobby?

68 What is your typical working day like?

69 What is the area near your home like?

70 What kinds of homes do people in your town usually live in?

71 What kinds of music do you dislike?

72 What kind of art do you like?

73 What kind of books do people your age in your country usually read?

74 What type of magazines do you like?

75 What kinds of things make you motivated to study?

76 What kinds of new leisure activity would you like to try?

77 What was the last concert you went to?

78 What kinds of subjects do you enjoy studying?

79 What was your favourite TV programme when you were a child?

80 What were the best things about the place you grew up in?

81 What would your ideal job be like?

82 What’s the most interesting thing about your favourite website?

83 What level of English do you hope to have in ten years’ time?

84 What kinds of literature do you most like to read?

85 What social problems are there in your neighbourhood?

86 What films would you like see in the future?

87 What part of your lifestyle would you most like to make healthier?

88 When are you next going to take an aeroplane?

89 When did you last buy some new technology? (Why that thing?)

90 When do you think you will next buy a magazine?

91 When was the last time you took a vacation?

92 When you celebrate family birthdays what do you like to do?

93 Where did you first meet your best friend?

94 Where do you exercise?

95 Which foods from your country do most foreign people enjoy?

96 Which part of your home do you like most?

97 Who in your family do you get on well with?

98 Would you like to take up a new hobby?

99 Would you prefer to go to an art gallery or other kind of museum? (Why?)

100 Would you help if a festival was held in your street? (Why/ Why not?)