By English Test Coach · Updated
Speaking · Part 1
IELTS Speaking Part 1: topics, questions and sample answers
Short answer: Part 1 is a 4 to 5 minute conversation in which the examiner asks short questions about you and familiar topics such as your work or studies, your home, and everyday things like food, technology or free time. Answer each question directly, add one reason or example, and stop. Natural, relevant answers do more for you than long, memorised ones.
We make English Test Coach, whose speaking practice tools are mentioned below. All questions and sample answers are original. The way speaking is assessed is summarised in our own words from the public band descriptors.
What happens in Part 1
The Speaking test has three parts and takes 11 to 14 minutes. It is the same for Academic and General Training, it is face to face with an examiner, and it is recorded.
- Part 1 (4 to 5 minutes): the examiner introduces themselves, checks your identity, then asks short questions about you and familiar topics. The questions come from a set script, usually two or three topics with a few questions each.
- Part 2 (3 to 4 minutes): a task card, one minute to prepare and up to two minutes speaking alone.
- Part 3 (4 to 5 minutes): a discussion of wider questions linked to the Part 2 topic.
Part 1 is the warm-up, but it is not a free practice round: everything you say is evidence for your band. The good news is that the topics are about your own life, so you never need special knowledge. See the Speaking test format on ielts.org, and our speaking course for all three parts.
Common Part 1 topics with practice questions
You cannot predict the exact questions, but the kinds of topic are predictable. Practise a few questions from each group out loud, and change the details to fit your own life.
Work or studies
- Do you work or are you a student?
- What do you like most about your job or course?
- Is there anything you would change about it?
- Do you plan to keep doing the same kind of work in the future?
Your home and area
- Where do you like to spend time near your home?
- Do you prefer quiet places or lively ones? Why?
- How do you usually travel around your neighbourhood?
- What would make your local area more enjoyable?
Daily routine and free time
- What is one small task you enjoy doing yourself?
- When do you usually have time to learn something new?
- Do you prefer a planned routine or a flexible day? Why?
- How has the way you spend your free time changed?
Technology
- Which piece of technology do you use most often during a normal day?
- Is there an app or device you deliberately avoid using? Why?
- How confident are you when learning to use new technology?
- Do you prefer taking notes on paper or on a screen?
Food and meals
- Is there a meal that your family or friends often share?
- Do you like cooking? Why or why not?
- Did you eat different food when you were a child?
- Do you prefer eating at home or eating out?
Travel and transport
- Which type of transport do you find most comfortable?
- Do you enjoy planning a journey in detail? Why or why not?
- Is there a nearby place you would like to visit more often?
- How do most people get to work where you live?
Weather and the outdoors
- What kind of weather makes you want to go outside?
- How much time do you usually spend outdoors during the week?
- Did you often visit natural places when you were a child?
- Do you prefer exercising indoors or outdoors? Why?
Reading, music and films
- Do you read more now than when you were younger?
- What kind of music do you listen to when you want to relax?
- Do you prefer watching films at home or at the cinema?
- Is there a book or film you would recommend to a friend?
Friends and family
- Who do you spend most of your free time with?
- Do you prefer meeting friends in small or large groups?
- How do you usually keep in touch with friends who live far away?
- Is there a family occasion you look forward to every year?
The first topic is nearly always your work or studies, or where you live. Have a clear, true answer ready for both, but do not script it word for word.
Sample answers with notes
These are original answers written to show the method, not scripts to learn. Each is two to four sentences long. Read the note to see why it works, then answer the same question about your own life.
Do you work or are you a student?
“I'm a student at the moment. I'm in my second year of a nursing course, so most weeks are split between lectures and placements at a local hospital. It's tiring, but the placements make the theory feel much more real.”
Why it works: Answers the question in the first three words, then adds one specific detail (the placements) and a short opinion. No speech, no memorised opening.
Do you prefer quiet places or lively ones? Why?
“It depends on what I'm doing, really. If I need to concentrate, I go somewhere quiet, like the reading room at our library. But at weekends I'd rather be somewhere lively, a market or a busy café, because I like the background noise when I'm with friends.”
Why it works: “It depends” is fine when you then say what it depends on. The contrast (“But at weekends”) shows a clear choice in each situation.
Which piece of technology do you use most often during a normal day?
“Probably my phone, if I'm honest. I use it for almost everything: my bus ticket, my bank, even my alarm. I've started leaving it in another room in the evening, though, because otherwise I just keep checking it.”
Why it works: A natural hedge (“Probably”, “if I'm honest”), a short list of real uses, then a personal change. The example is specific, not general facts about phones.
Do you like cooking? Why or why not?
“Not really, to be honest. I can make a few simple things, like rice and eggs, but I find following a recipe quite stressful when I'm hungry. My flatmate is a much better cook, so we usually share: she cooks and I wash up.”
Why it works: A negative answer is as good as a positive one. The candidate explains why and adds a small story, which shows range without forcing advanced words.
What kind of weather makes you want to go outside?
“Cool, sunny days, definitely. I don't enjoy heat at all, so in summer I tend to stay in until the evening. But a bright morning in autumn makes me want to go for a long walk before work.”
Why it works: Uses comparison and time references (“in summer”, “until the evening”, “in autumn”) naturally, which gives the examiner evidence of grammar range.
Do you read more now than when you were younger?
“Less, sadly. As a teenager I'd read two or three novels a month, but now I mostly read articles on my phone. I'd like to get back into books, so I've joined a reading group that meets once a month.”
Why it works: Compares past and present with “I'd read” (used to) and “now I mostly”, then ends with a plan. Three sentences is enough.
The same question, answered weakly
Question: Do you work or are you a student?
Weak: “Yes. I am student. Student life is very important for everyone in the world because education is the key of success.”
Better: “I'm a student. I'm studying accounting, and I'm in my final year, so I'm busy with exams at the moment.”
The weak answer says “yes” to an either-or question, has a missing article, and turns into a general statement about education. The better one answers, gives two personal details and stops.
How IELTS speaking is assessed
The examiner gives a band for each of four criteria, which carry equal weight, and your Speaking band comes from all four across the whole test. In our own words:
Fluency and coherence
How easily you keep talking without long searches for words, and how clearly your ideas connect. Short thinking pauses are normal; what matters is whether the listener can follow you.
Lexical resource
How well your vocabulary expresses what you mean. Accurate everyday words, and the ability to explain an idea another way when a word is missing, count for more than rare words used loosely.
Grammatical range and accuracy
The variety of sentence forms you use and how accurately you use them. A mix of simple and complex sentences, with suitable tenses for past, present and future, shows range.
Pronunciation
How easy you are to understand: individual sounds, word and sentence stress, and rhythm. An accent is not a problem; unclear key words are.
In Part 1 the easiest wins are fluency (answer without long false starts), accurate everyday vocabulary and clear tenses when you talk about the past or your plans. The full wording is in the public Speaking band descriptors (PDF). Our lessons on fluency and pauses and clear pronunciation go into each one.
Tips for natural Part 1 answers
- Answer the question in your first sentence. It shows the examiner you understood, and it gives you a starting point to build on.
- Add one reason, example or comparison, then stop. Two to four sentences is a good length. Part 1 has many questions, so long speeches cost you time and focus.
- Talk about your real life. True details are easier to say fluently than invented ones, and they sound natural. If a question does not fit you, say so and explain briefly.
- Use natural time words. Questions about childhood, routine and plans invite past, present and future forms. Use them where they fit rather than forcing a structure.
- Paraphrase instead of repeating the question. Starting with the examiner's exact words wastes time. A short direct answer usually sounds better.
- Rehearse out loud, not in your head. Fluency is a speaking skill. Record a few answers, listen once and change one thing next time.
For a short lesson with a knowledge check, see build a natural Part 1 answer.
How to practise Part 1 with English Test Coach
The speaking studio runs IELTS-style practice sets with a timer: four Part 1 questions, then a Part 2 card and Part 3 discussion. You can record your answers, listen back and use a four-criterion self-review that suggests one thing to change in the next round. It is practice, not an examiner or an official test.
A ten-minute routine
- Pick one topic above and answer four questions out loud, with a one-minute limit each.
- Listen back once. Did each answer start with a direct reply?
- Choose one change only, such as fewer false starts or a clearer past tense.
- Answer two new questions on the same topic with that change.
Questions about IELTS Speaking Part 1
How long is IELTS Speaking Part 1?
Part 1 lasts 4 to 5 minutes. The whole Speaking test takes 11 to 14 minutes in three parts, face to face with an examiner, and it is the same for Academic and General Training.
What topics come up in IELTS Speaking Part 1?
Familiar, everyday topics: your work or studies, your home and local area, and everyday subjects such as free time, food, technology, travel, weather and the people around you. The examiner usually covers two or three topics with several short questions on each.
How long should my Part 1 answers be?
Usually two to four sentences: a direct answer, then one reason, example or comparison. There is no fixed length, but if your answer becomes a speech the examiner may stop you and move on.
Can I ask the examiner to repeat a question?
Yes. Asking for a repeat is a normal part of conversation and is better than guessing. Use a natural phrase such as “Sorry, could you say that again?”
Should I memorise answers for Part 1?
No. Rehearsed speeches often fail to answer the exact question and sound unnatural. Practise the method instead: direct answer, one detail, stop. That works for any question.
Is Part 1 scored separately?
No. The examiner gives a band for each of the four criteria based on the whole test, so Part 1 counts as evidence alongside Parts 2 and 3. It is also the easiest place to show relaxed, accurate everyday English.
Practise Part 1 out loud
Open a timed practice set, answer the Part 1 questions as if the examiner were asking them, and review one thing to improve. The speaking studio and the speaking course are free without an account.