Speaking Part 1: practice questions

Part 1 of the Speaking test is an introduction and questions on familiar topics. The official site gives its length as four to five minutes. Here are sixty questions of our own to practise with.

These questions are written by us in the style of Part 1. They are about everyday life, so there are no right answers, only your answers. Aim for two or three sentences each: an answer, a reason, perhaps an example.

How to answer

• Answer the question that was asked, then add a little.
• Use your own life. Real details are easier to talk about than invented ones.
• Do not recite prepared speeches. Examiners recognise them.
• If you did not understand, ask: "Could you repeat the question, please?"

Sample answers

Do you work or are you a student? "I work as an accountant in a small firm in Ludhiana. I've been there for about three years. Before that I was a student of commerce."

What do you do in your free time? "Mostly I play cricket with friends from my neighbourhood, usually on Sunday mornings. When the weather is too hot, I stay in and watch a film instead."

Home

1. Do you live in a house or a flat?
2. Which room do you spend most time in?
3. What can you see from your window?
4. Is there anything you would like to change about your home?
5. How long have you lived there?

Work or study

1. Do you work or are you a student?
2. Why did you choose that job or subject?
3. What do you like most about it?
4. Is there anything difficult about it?
5. What would you like to do in the future?

Home town

1. Where are you from?
2. What is your town known for?
3. Has it changed much since you were a child?
4. Is it a good place for young people?
5. Would you like to live there in the future?

Food

1. What is your favourite food?
2. Do you prefer eating at home or outside?
3. Can you cook?
4. Is there a food you disliked as a child but like now?
5. What do people in your area eat at festivals?

Daily routine

1. What time do you usually get up?
2. What is the busiest part of your day?
3. Is your routine the same at weekends?
4. Would you like to change anything in your routine?
5. Are you a morning person or an evening person?

Transport

1. How do you usually travel to work or college?
2. How long does the journey take?
3. Is public transport good where you live?
4. Do you prefer travelling by bus or by train?
5. What would improve travel in your town?

Weather and seasons

1. What is the weather like today?
2. Which season do you like best?
3. Does the weather affect your mood?
4. What do people do in your area when it rains heavily?
5. Would you like to live in a colder place?

Phones and technology

1. How often do you use your phone?
2. What do you use it for most?
3. When did you get your first phone?
4. Could you manage a day without it?
5. Is there an app you find really useful?

Friends and family

1. Do you have a large family?
2. Who are you closest to?
3. How do you keep in touch with friends?
4. What do you like doing with your friends?
5. Do you prefer a few close friends or many friends?

Music and films

1. What kind of music do you like?
2. Do you play an instrument?
3. How often do you watch films?
4. Do you prefer watching at home or in a cinema?
5. Is there a film you have seen more than once?

Shopping

1. Do you enjoy shopping?
2. Do you prefer local shops or online shopping?
3. What was the last thing you bought?
4. Who do you usually go shopping with?
5. Do you compare prices before you buy?

Holidays and festivals

1. Which festival do you enjoy most?
2. How does your family celebrate it?
3. Where did you go on your last holiday?
4. Do you prefer holidays in the hills or by the sea?
5. Who do you like to travel with?

Next: Part 2 cue cards.

Next

Speaking Part 2: cue cards All speaking pages

Independent practice site. IELTS Practice is not connected with, approved by or endorsed by the British Council, IDP IELTS or Cambridge University Press & Assessment, who jointly own IELTS. The practice tasks and sample answers here are our own; they are not official test questions, and we do not award bands. Facts about the test were read on ielts.org on 12 November 2026. For registration, fees, dates and official sample tests, go to ielts.org.