education topic ielts speaking part 1

Describe your Education: IELTS Speaking Part 1 Sample Answer

Updated On Jan 05, 2024

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Speaking part 1.

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In IELTS Speaking Part 1, to answer IELTS examiner’s questions in a natural and fluent way, you should focus on one idea only and then expand that idea into a long meaningful sentence using grammar patterns and vocabulary, which can help you get Band 8.0+ for IELTS Speaking.

Let’s practice it with some easy questions about a popular topic: Education.

Here is the sample for “Describe your Education” topic:

1 What is the difference between the role of a teacher and a parent in the education of children?

I think the role of teachers is to impart knowledge and inspire students to learn. Parents, on the other hand, need to teach children how to behave properly and set an example for them to follow. If children encounter problems they should be able to consult both parents and teachers. In my country, from primary school to high school, each class is assigned a “head teacher” who would know the students very well and students can turn to this teacher for advice.

2 What suggestions would you give to teachers to improve education?

I think each teacher has a different style of teaching which may not work well for all students. Frankly a perfect teacher doesn’t exist. However, there are two things that all teachers should aim to achieve, which are knowledge and inspiration . Teachers should be able to provide accurate knowledge and inspire students to study. The latter is sometimes very difficult but they should at least try.

3 What is the best way to educate children in your opinion?

Children must go to school and also take part in extracurricular activities to become well-rounded people. Knowledge is important as it shapes your thinking and builds your ability to work. But interpersonal communication is just as important, so activities where children spend time together are also necessary. Hobbies are good to have too, as they keep children from being lonely.

4 How can we help children realize their talents?

Children need to be exposed to a variety of school subjects and activities before they can know what they’re really interested in. What’s important is that when they realise they have a certain talent, they should be allowed to nurture this talent and have a career using it.

5 Does the government provide enough support to education in your view?

There isn’t enough support yet, especially in remote areas where children don’t go to school or often drop out after a few years because the family can’t provide for them and they have to work when they reach a certain age.

Here are the vocabularies for “Describe your Education” with examples:

Impart: to give, convey, or grant from or as if from a store her experience Eg: The teacher is imparting wisdom and knowledge
Encounter: unexpectedly be faced with or experience (something hostile or difficult). Eg: She had an encounter with the toughest competitor of Sea High.
Consult: seek information or advice from (someone, especially an expert or professional). Eg: Consult the doctor before taking any medicine
turn to: approach Eg: She turned to her mother for advice
Inspiration: the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative. Eg: She is an inspiration to her sister
Extracurricular: (of an activity at a school or college) pursued in addition to the normal course of study. Eg: Her extra curricular activities include painting.
Well-rounded: (of a person) plump or curvaceous. Eg: She has a well-rounded body
Be exposed to: make (something) visible by uncovering it Eg: Don’t be exposed to sunlight
Nurture: care for and protect (someone or something) while they are growing. Eg: Nurture your hair often
drop out: stop participating or being involved in something. Eg: She dropped out of college

Related Cue Cards:

Describe an Interesting Story That you Heard or Read
Describe a Quiet Place
Describe An Interesting Animal You Have Seen
Describe a Program on Computer/A Mobile App on the Phone That You Use

Also check :

IELTS Speaking tips
IELTS Speaking Part 1
IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics
Linking words for IELTS Speaking
IELTS Speaking recent actual test
Sports Vocabulary IELTS
Work Vocabulary IELTS
Idioms for IELTS Speaking
IELTS Pronunciation Guide
Common English words in IELTS Speaking

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Courtney is one of our star content writers as she plays multiple roles. She is a phenomenal researcher and provides extensive articles to students. She is also an IELTS Trainer and an extremely good content writer. Courtney completed her English Masters at Kings College London, and has been a part of our team for more than 3 years. She has worked with the British Council and knows the tricks and tips of IELTS.

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IELTS Speaking Part 1 Sample Band 9 – Topic: Education

1. Describe your education

I graduated from High School for the Gifted and got into an International University because I think 2-year study at this university would prepare me well, especially my critical thinking skills before I finish another 2 years abroad at the University of Nottingham.

Describe a time that you had to change your plan/ you changed your mind

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IELTS Speaking practice: Education

Travel & Holidays Friends Technology Sport Food Education Weather Environment Music Books & Films Health

This is a full IELTS Speaking sample with questions related to Education topic .

See IELTS Speaking vocabulary for Education topic >

You probably know what do such phrases as " bookworm " or " bachelor's degree " mean. However, it's not enough to simply know the meaning! In IELTS Speaking test you are assessed for your fluency and coherence , and thus you have to accurately use your advanced vocabulary while speaking. In this IELTS Speaking sample we collected various questions + model answers on Education Topic that you may encounter on the speaking test.

Our special formatting styles:

Useful linking phrases are in blue IELTS speaking vocabulary is in bold (put your mouse over such text to see explanations).

Do you work or are you a student?

At the moment I'm studying. I’m doing a graduate degree in molecular biology in the Vanderbilt University.

Why did you choose that subject?

I've always loved life sciences, particularly biology... And when I received my bachelor's degree An undergraduate course which usually lasts 3 or 4 years. I took a research internship in a laboratory where I studied interactions between proteins... And then I understood that I want to pursue my career in To continue career path in. biochemistry or molecular biology.

Can you describe yourself as a good student?

Well , overall I think I am a good student. ... I am not an eager beaver A very enthusiastic and hard-working person. , nor the teacher's pet Student whom teachers like the most. ... but I'm good at scientific subjects and, most importantly , I like studying.

Do you study English now?

Did you enjoy/Do you enjoy studying at school?

I've never really liked school... I'm not a bookworm A term to describe someone who really likes to read and spends a lot of time on it. and a lot of humanities subjects seemed too boring to me. However , the workload An amount of work one should do in a specific time period. was not too big... The other good thing about school is being able to see your friends. And fortunately , I had wonderful classmates.

Now, have a look at the card and prepare a monologue.

When it was
Why was it hard
What you were doing at that time

I would like to talk about my last school year. It was really diffucult due to enormous amounts Very big amounts. of homework I had to do and all the exams I had to prepare for... Em, so I studied hard, having no time to goof around Spend time doing nothing important. ... Moreover , I forgot a lot of things from the school curriculum, that's why I had to do a lot of revision... But despite the tough preparation, I managed to set aside some time To take some time. to rest and interact with my friends and family... After all , my efforts were not in vain Without result. ... I passed all the exams well and was admitted to the university of my dream.

What are some essential qualities every teacher should have?

As for me , every teacher should be able to catch student's attention To interest someone. . It is very important to make your subject interesting to the others... Also , teacher should be a subject specialist A person who is very talented in one specific field. and a kind, helpful person. .

What are some pros of studying on a distance learning course?

To be honest , I think it's very advantageous to study in such way... It gives you more time flexibility, especially if you have a job... Not to mention that it is fairly cheap Not very expensive. , compared to face-to-face classes A traditional way of studying: in a classroom with a teacher. ...

Does everybody get equal opportunities to study?

Definitely not . I think it really depends on a country you live in... Moreover , it depends on your financial capabilities An ability to pay for something. ... Some schools and universities are just too expensive... Only a small fraction Small part. of people can afford to study there.

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IELTS Topic: Education

Posted by David S. Wills | Jun 23, 2020 | IELTS Tips | 0

In this article, I am going to tell you all about education and IELTS. As you know (if you follow this website), the best way to learn new vocabulary is to study in terms of topics . There are many IELTS topics , such as environment , space , sports , health , and crime. We have talked about education many times in the past but today I will devote a whole article to it.

I intend to look at this topic in a structured way. We will explore it as such:

Reading & Listening

You can either study the whole lesson or else skip to the part that is most interesting for you.

Education Vocabulary

If we look at the topic of education and IELTS , we can quickly see that there is a huge amount of vocabulary to learn. In fact, this is a vast topic. I will assume that you already know the basic words like “school” and “teacher” (or else you are probably not reading this right now). Instead, I will look at some more advanced vocabulary for IELTS education.

First of all, let’s look at some school subjects.

School Subjects

There many be some regional differences in the words used for these subjects (for example, mathematics is known as “maths” in British English and “math” in American English.

Subject	Description	Alternate Forms
English	The study of the English language and/or literature	English lit. (short for “literature”)
Mathematics	The study of numbers	Maths (UK), Math (US)
Physical Education	A class in which people do or study exercise and sport	PE, gym
Home economics	Lessons about activities at home, such as cooking, cleaning, etc.	Domestic science, home science, home ec’ (pronounced “eck”)
Art	Drawing, painting, and the study of art
History	The study of history
Geography	The study of natural things, including land, weather, etc.	(This is distinct from another related subject: Geology.)
Languages	Where people learn how to speak a second (or third) language	Usually just referred to be the name of the language – ie “French.”
Religious studies	People learn about religions in this class.	It is often called “RS” for short, or also “RE” (religious education).

Depending on where you study, most people learn a subject called “science” when they are young and later this becomes several subjects, including chemistry, biology, and physics. We also have “social sciences.” This includes many areas of study. You can read about it here .

British English vs American English

I actually wrote in depth about the differences between British and American English last year . For now, though, I will focus on the differences in language when it comes to education. Here are a few ways in which we talk about these differences.


Kindergarten	Nursery
Elementary school	Primary school
Middle school	Secondary school
High school	Secondary school*
Technical college	College
College	University
Notebook	Jotter
Eraser	Rubber
Modules	Courses
Principal	Head teacher/ Headmaster
Math	Maths
Recess	Break

*The British and American school systems are quite different and what is known as “secondary school” in the UK lasts for up to six years. As such, this overlaps the American version. Anyway, those final years in the UK would more likely be called “fifth/sixth form” or “fifth/sixth year,” depending on which part of the country you come from. In England, it is usually “sixth form” and in Scotland it is “sixth year.”

british vs american vocabulary for education (schools and school supplies)

Some other differences

American people talk about their school years in this way:

Freshmen (1 st year)
Sophomore (2 nd year)
Junior (3 rd year)
Senior (4 th year)

In the UK, we do not commonly use these terms but in the last few decades it has become normal to talk about “freshers” as people in their first year of university. For example, they often talk about “freshers’ week” as the first week in the university year because this is when the new students arrive.

Reading and Listening

Because education is something that affects pretty much everyone in the world, it is a topic that is really common in IELTS. It could appear in any part of the test , including the reading and listening sections.

When it does occur, you should be prepared. This means that you ought to know lots of vocabulary about this topic and also have some life experience and opinions on the matter. You can achieve that by including this topic in your regular reading.

There are many ways to achieve this. You can go on Google News (or any news service that you enjoy) and subscribe to their education feed.

Let’s take an article for an example and do a little practice. We will look first at a piece called “ With no students, small college town worries over its future .” Let’s look at the first two paragraphs:

What happens to a college town when the students disappear? Ithaca, a small upstate New York city nearby gorges and vineyards, is finding out. Most of the 24,000 students at Cornell University and 6,200 more from Ithaca College effectively vanished in March when the coronavirus pandemic struck, leaving behind struggling restaurants and shops. Locals still reeling from the outbreak and resulting exodus are wondering when — or if — things will get back to normal.

It is an interesting text that deals with a familiar situation: the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic.

In this excerpt, you can see the word “exodus.” What do you think this means? Let’s isolate that sentence:

Locals still reeling from the outbreak and resulting exodus are wondering when — or if — things will get back to normal.

We can learn from the words around it. “Resulting” tells us that this thing happened because of the virus outbreak. We also know from the previous sentence that thousands of students are not coming to this place.

We can guess then, that “exodus” means “a mass departure of people.” This sort of skill is really important when it comes to IELTS reading. You need to be able to figure out the meaning of a word from context. Here is a video that shows you how to work out the meaning of difficult vocabulary:

I have covered the topic of education here many times, including this TED video lesson about making education better by introducing creativity to curriculums. (By the way, this is one of two possible ways to pluralise “curriculum”! The other is “curricula.”)

Here is another interesting video about education. This time it is about gender and education. Remember that sometimes IELTS topics overlap like this.

IELTS Speaking Topic: Education

The topic of education is really common in IELTS speaking. In fact, it is probably one of the most common topics that there is. As such, you need to be ready to answer these sorts of questions.

As you probably know, the first part of the IELTS speaking test is comprised of relatively simple questions that you should answer with one, two, or three sentences. You don’t need to develop your answers very much here.

Here are a few sample questions:

Do you work or are you a student?
Why did you choose that subject?
Did you enjoy/Do you enjoy studying at school?
Do you study English now?
What kind of school did you go to as a child?
Where do you study / Where did you study?
What do you study/did you study in university?
What was your favourite subject as a child?
Who was your favourite teacher?
Do you enjoy studying alone or with friends?

You don’t need to have dazzling grammar or vocabulary skills to answer these questions. You can just give pretty basic answers. For example:

Q: Do you work or are you a student?

A: I’m studying at the moment but I also have a part-time job.

Q: Where do you study?

A: I’m studying at Shanghai Jiaotong University . The word “jiaotong” literally means “traffic” but the common translation for the name is “Shanghai Communications University.”

Q: What are you studying there?

A: I’m studying English literature at the moment but I will move onto a business course next semester and continue studying English on the side. Literature was interesting for me but I don’t think it will help my career much.

Notice that there was very little specialist vocabulary here. The only word that I used that might require explanation is “semester.” A school year is made up of two semesters. (The word “term” can also be used but different countries have different systems. In some countries, an academic year is four terms, which means that two terms make up a semester. But this is not the same everywhere.)

There are countless possible education cue cards for IELTS speaking. You might be asked to describe one of the following:

an important memory
the actual school you attended

The list is extremely long, but let’s look at a few possible education cue cards in more detail.

Describe a Subject

You may well be asked to describe a subject that you studied in school or that you wish you had studied. Remember that it could be your favourite subject or a subject you hated. It is always important that you read the whole cue card and do not jump to conclusions.

Here is an example:

Describe a subject you enjoyed studying at school. You should say: – when and where you started studying it – what the lessons were like – what made the subject different from other subjects and explain why you enjoyed the subject

Describe a Lesson or Project

Describing a subject presents many possibilities. You can talk about many different aspects of your chosen subject, including the classes, the books, and the teachers. However, the cue card might present you with a more specific topic, like this one:

Describe a project that you did in school with your classmates or friends. You should say: – what the project was – what it was about – how you completed it and whether you enjoyed the project or not.

Describe a Period of Time

It can be harder to answer a cue card when the thing you must talk about is a memory or period of time. These can be a real challenge because thinking of the right vocabulary and grammar is quite difficult. When you are presented with this sort of question, you might have to be a little creative with your answers. Here is another example cue card:

Describe a period of time from your studies that was the most difficult for you so far. You should say: – when it was – why was it hard – what you were doing at that time and whether you felt you were successful in overcoming the difficulties.

Describe a Teacher

Finally, we come to the obvious IELTS speaking cue card: describe a teacher . This is definitely a common cue card and also quite an easy one. I think that most people who sit IELTS should be comfortable describing people like teachers. If you are not, you should look at my other lessons on how to describe people. You may also find this article about the good qualities teachers possess to be helpful.

There are lots of different ways that this could be phrases. It could be a teacher who influenced you, a teacher you liked, a teacher who helped you, your favourite teacher… and so on. There are numerous possibilities. But here is one example:

Describe a teacher from the past whom you remember. You should say: – what subject the teacher taught you – how old you were then – what were some special characteristics of this teacher and explain why you remember this teacher.

Of course, there are also lots of possible questions about education for part three of the speaking exam. In this section, you will most likely be asked questions like “are men and women equally capable of teaching?” and “should boys and girls be forced to take the same lessons?” The issues of gender , age, and other social issues will often intersect with the main topic.

Here are a few examples:

What are some essential qualities every teacher should have?
How are education priorities today different from those in the past?
How well do you think schools should prepare young people for working life?

Education and IELTS Writing

When it comes to task 2 of the IELTS writing test, education is also a really common topic. Again, there are countless possible questions you could be given, so rather than prepare for any single question, it is better to build your skill in dealing with this topic.

You should be familiar with the vocabulary given at the start of this lesson and also with ideas about education on a global scale. It is ok to have different opinions from other people, but you should be aware of all sides of these issues.

Keep in mind that education does not just mean “school” or “university.” It involves much more: teaching, learning, childhood, adulthood, books, reading, etc. It could be about community colleges or distance learning. Do not be surprised by these questions and do not think that you can handle this topic just because you are comfortable talking about high school. There is much more to it than that.

Here, I will give you four sample band 9 answers to typical IELTS writing questions. Two are from task 2 and two are from task 1, both general and academic tests.

Question #1

Many businesses think that the new employees who have just graduated from schools lack interpersonal skills, such as working with colleagues as a team.

What has caused this and what are the solutions to this problem?

Sample Band 9 Answer

It is claimed by some business owners and recruiters that graduates nowadays tend to lack interpersonal skills. This essay will first explore why this is the case, before then suggesting how it may be remedied.

If it is true that graduates now lack the interpersonal skills necessary to succeed in the modern workplace, then that surely can be blamed on the exceptionally high level of theoretical knowledge necessary to achieve a good degree. As universities have become more competitive, the requirements for achieving a degree have gotten much more stringent, and students are required to spend all their time reading books and preparing for difficult assessments. It seems likely that this hinders their opportunities to socialize or work with others on productive tasks.

Solving this problem should not be terribly difficult. In fact, university faculties should pay attention to these complaints and implement solutions into their courses. Perhaps the most obvious suggestion is that students must be required to participate in more group activities throughout their education. For example, rather than studying all day and night to write an essay or sit an exam, students could be asked to prepare a group presentation together with their peers. Ideally, these groups should be picked at random to ensure that students develop the necessary skills to work with others whom they would not have previously chosen to work.

In conclusion, it appears that universities are failing students by not educating them in how to develop their interpersonal skills, and as a result they are struggling in the workplace. These universities should thus require students to develop their communicative abilities through specific group-based tasks.

Question #2

Some people think that a sense of competition in children should be encouraged. Others believe that children who are taught to co-operate rather than compete become more useful adults.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

People disagree over how to raise their kids, with many parents and teachers suggesting that competition is detrimental to their development. They think that children should be taught cooperation instead. This essay will look at both views, before deciding that these need not be mutually exclusive.

The argument against competition in children essentially revolves around the idea that it is unhealthy for children to be pitted against one another. Rather than teaching them to compete, these people argue, we should teach them to work together. Natural selection dictates that some children will invariably be winners while others will be losers, and in the modern era, this seems like an out-dated concept. All children should be winners.

On the other hand, competition is a part of life and therefore children should be exposed to it from the beginning. It needn’t be unfair, of course. When children are taught healthy attitudes towards competition – such as sportsmanship – then it is actually tremendously beneficial for them. They can learn how to participate in natural activities and then deal healthily with the result, whether that is victory or loss.

However, it seems to me that there is no real distinction between competition and cooperation. Team sports, after all, involve both these elements. If children play football, basketball, or rugby, then they will work with their teammates to compete against another team. In the end, both aspects are learned.

In conclusion, there is no need to separate competition from cooperation, and neither should be removed from a child’s education or environment. Both are important for child development.

Question #3

You recently did a short cookery course. The cookery school has asked for your feedback on this course.

Write a letter to the course director at the cookery school. In your letter

describe what you enjoyed about the course
say how much cooking you have done since the course
suggest another cookery course you’d like the school to offer

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing in response to your request for feedback on the cookery course I recently attended. I am happy to give you some of my thoughts on the course.

First of all, I really enjoyed it. I had wanted to study French cooking techniques for several years and so I was really excited to see that this course became available. It certainly did not disappoint me, and I was delighted by the processes that I learned during that amazing week.

Since the course, I have been cooking and baking for my friends and family at every opportunity. They have been really impressed with my newfound skills, and I will continue to practice what I have learned.

As for suggestions, I do think that it would be worth adding some other sorts of cuisine to the courses on offer. I would love to learn how to cook Thai food, for example.

David S. Wills

Question #4.

There is a bar chart and a pie chart containing information taken from a survey on adult education. The bar chart describes why adults go into education and the pie chart shows who the respondents think should pay for it. People mostly go into education out of interest, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, it is believed that they should pay for it themselves.

According to the data, forty percent of adults go into education due to some sort of interest in a particular subject, while thirty-eight percent do it to gain qualifications. These are far and away the most common reasons, as the next most frequently cited reason was almost half this value. Several reasons were picked by about twenty percent of people, including the fact that it may help them earn a promotion at work. The least frequently stated answer was that adult education is a good way to meet new people.

The survey results showed forty percent of people believe the individual should pay the costs of a course. This matches quite well with the previous data, as the same percentage of people did these courses purely out of interest.

About The Author

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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IELTS Speaking Part 1 Model Answer: Talking about School

by Dave | Model Answers | 2 Comments

There’s a really great chance that the topic of school or education will come up in the IELTS speaking test – here’s my model answer on it!

If you want to get my best materials and support me, please sign up for my exclusive ielts ebooks here on patreon., a couple of key tips for your speaking:, 1. if you don’t understand the question, you can ask for clarification of specific words but you can’t ask ‘can you explain that’ the examiner will just repeat the question and then move on if you don’t understand., 2. there’s no task achievement for speaking so if you are not 100% sure about the question you can try answering it anyway as long as you get the topic., 3. don’t talk forever or too little aim for about 10 – 30 seconds per answer and 2 – 4 sentences., you can read some more tips here and about exactly what will happen on your test here ., i have also written some model answers for speaking about friends and free time and phones ., ielts speaking part 1 model answer: talking about school by dave, watch more like it on my youtube channel ..

Practice Activities!

Listen and fill in the gaps:, what did you enjoy the most about your school in the past, well, if you _______________ – if you’re talking about my primary school – the _______________ i liked were my teachers. i don’t know if it was just because i was a kid at the time but they were really warm and friendly – and it was some of my teachers _______________ – that inspired me to have a life-long passion for reading. i remember in particular one teacher – i can’t remember her name – it was mrs. riley or something – and she would always encourage me to read books, _______________ me books, talk about books with me. and that really got me _______________ books at a time when i was really _______________ ..

What did you enjoy the most about your school in the past? Well, if you put me on the spot – if you’re talking about my primary school – the number one thing I liked were my teachers. I don’t know if it was just because I was a kid at the time but they were really warm and friendly – and it was some of my teachers back then – that inspired me to have a life-long passion for reading. I remember in particular one teacher – I can’t remember her name – it was Mrs. Riley or something – and she would always encourage me to read books, loan me books, talk about books with me. And that really got me into books at a time when I was really impressionable.

Listen and correct the mistakes:

Do you stay in touch with school classmates, not really, i’ve got one better friend back in the united states, but we don’t actually walk all that much anymore. he recently got married and we used to be best buddies, we would hang out as school, we’d go buy pizza together, we’d ride around together, we chatted about girls and about school and about our future – all this stuff – but since i’ve moved to vietnam we’ve kind of known apart and we’re not really as closely as we used to been..

Do you stay in touch with school classmates? Not really, I’ve got one best friend back in the States, but we don’t actually talk all that much anymore. He recently got married and we used to be best buds, we would hang out after school, we’d go get pizza together, we’d drive around together, we chatted about girls and about school and about out future – all that stuff – but since I’ve moved to Vietnam we’ve kind of grown apart and we’re not really as close as we used to be.

Listen and add in the grammar:

What were your best subjects when you were in school, i – (donot have) that many good subjects at all but i – (is) really good in literature because i – (read) a lot so it just – (come) naturally to me. i – (is) also good in history. i never – (study) but i – (listen) in class and i – (have) like a, like a brilliant memory, almost like a photographic memory but not quite. and i – (can) just – (remember) dates and names and everything – simple so i never – (have) to study but i always – (get) top marks in history. and besides that i – (is) good in gym because i – (is) very athletic but even if – (you are) not athletic – (it is) easy to get good marks when – (you are) in gym. i – (is not) good at math or the sciences or anything like that – things where you actually – (have) to – (put) in real work, i – (is) bad at those things..

What were your best subjects when you were in school? I didn’t have that many good subjects at all but I was really good in literature because I read a lot so it just came naturally to me. I was also good in history. I never studied but I listened in class and I had – like a – like a brilliant memory – almost like a photographic memory but not quite. And I could just remember dates and names and everything – simple! So I never had to study but I always got top marks in history. And besides that I was good in gym because I was very athletic but even if you’re not athletic it’s easy to get good marks when you’re in gym. I wasn’t good at math or the sciences or anything like that – things where you actually had to put in real work – I was bad at those things.

Choose the correct options:

What do most students in your nation do after school ends, it’s a big country/county so i can’t really answer for everyone but the school i used to go to – most kids would play sport/sports after school. so girls used to/usually played soccer and depending on the season/reason guys would play basketball or soccer or hockey. if you weren’t doing that, there was like an after-school recreational community ‘club’ where a lot of outcasts in high school could/would go to play computer games or do art or something like that. some kids would just head/lead home – that’s what i did most of the time. i wanted to get home, play computer games – be alone. so i’d just head home if i wasn’t hanging out with a friend or something like this/that . i think there might have also been some after-school classes but they’re actually not that commonplace/common in america. most people when they finish school, they’re done with school and they’re moving on to do something fun/funny after school..

What do most students in your nation do after school ends? It’s a big country so I can’t really answer for everyone but the school I used to go to – most kids would play sport after school. So girls usually played soccer and depending on the season guys would play basketball or soccer or hockey. If you weren’t doing that, there was like an after-school recreational community ‘club’ where a lot of outcasts in High School would go to play computer games or do art or something like that. Some kids would just head home – that’s what I did most of the time. I wanted to get home, play computer games – be alone. So I’d just head home if I wasn’t hanging out with a friend or something like that. I think there might have also been some after-school classes but they’re actually not that common in America. Most people when they finish school, they’re done with school and they’re moving on to do something fun after school.

Key IELTS Speaking Vocabulary:

Put me on the spot – make me say, at the time – back then, back then – then, inspired me – got me into, life-long passion – interest in, in particular – especially, loan me books – let me borrow, impressionable – easily influenced, stay in contact – keep in touch, the states – america, the usa, best buds – best friends, chatted about – talked about, grown apart – drifted apart, came naturally to me – was easy, photographic memory – n/a, not quite – almost, got top marks – straight as, put in real work – work hard, can’t really answer for everyone – can’t speak for everyone, depending on the season – if it was…, outcasts – loners, social outcasts, head home – go home, grammar relative clauses with ‘where’:, ‘there was like an after-school recreational community ‘club’ where a lot of outcasts in high school would go to play computer games’, if you want to get a band 6 and above for grammar you should include at least one relative clause in your ielts speaking., luckily, the rules for relative clauses are simple and you probably use some already., there are two main kinds: defining and non-defining., a defining one is super important for the meaning of the sentence: ‘the place where i met him was really crowded.’, a non-defining one just gives extra information (and uses commas) and is less important – just an extra detail: ‘the club, where my friend also works by the way, was where i met him.’, some words that you can use for relative clauses include: where, who, what, that, and which, write some examples of the places you remember well from your childhood:.

‘There was a library, where people mainly went to use the internet, and I….’

Full Sample Answers

What did you enjoy the most about your school in the past? Well, if you put me on the spot – if you’re talking about my primary school – the number one thing I liked were my teachers. I don’t know if it was just because I was a kid at the time but they were really warm and friendly – and it was some of my teachers back then – that inspired me to have a life-long passion for reading. I remember in particular one teacher – I can’t remember her name – it was Mrs. Riley or something – and she would always encourage me to read books, loan me books, talk about books with me. And that really got me into books at a time when I was really impressionable. Do you stay in touch with old school classmates? Not really, I’ve got one best friend back in the States, but we don’t actually talk all that much anymore. He recently got married and we used to be best buds, we would hang out after school, we’d go get pizza together, we’d drive around together, we chatted about girls and about school and about out future – all that stuff – but since I’ve moved to Vietnam we’ve kind of grown apart and we’re not really as close as we used to be. What were your best subjects when you were in school? I didn’t have that many good subjects at all but I was really good in literature because I read a lot so it just came naturally to me. I was also good in history. I never studied but I listened in class and I had – like a – like a brilliant memory – almost like a photographic memory but not quite. And I could just remember dates and names and everything – simple! So I never had to study but I always got top marks in history. And besides that I was good in gym because I was very athletic but even if you’re not athletic it’s easy to get good marks when you’re in gym. I wasn’t good at math or the sciences or anything like that – things where you actually had to put in real work – I was bad at those things. What do most students in your nation do after school ends? It’s a big country so I can’t really answer for everyone but the school I used to go to – most kids would play sport after school. So girls usually played soccer and depending on the season guys would play basketball or soccer or hockey. If you weren’t doing that, there was like an after-school recreational community ‘club’ where a lot of outcasts in High School would go to play computer games or do art or something like that. Some kids would just head home – that’s what I did most of the time. I wanted to get home, play computer games – be alone. So I’d just head home if I wasn’t hanging out with a friend or something like that. I think there might have also been some after-school classes but they’re actually not that common in America. Most people when they finish school, they’re done with school and they’re moving on to do something fun after school.

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IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics & Questions

IELTS speaking part 1 topics and questions. Prepare for your test by developing ideas for topics and practicing answering questions. There is a download link at the bottom of the page for the list of topics. These topics will be used most years and will mostly likely be used at some point in 2024.

What is IELTS speaking part 1?

A face to face interview with the examiner (4-5 minutes) 12 Questions based on 3 Topics Questions about yourself, your life and your country

Speaking Part 1 Common Topics List

Below is a list of topics and questions that the examiner can ask you in part 1 of the IELTS speaking test. You should prepare ideas for these topics but not memorise whole answers. Your answers should be natural when you speak in the test. Prepare your daily life, your recent memories, your childhood memories, your opinions, popular things in your country etc. Remember – part 1 is all about you and your country.

Daily routine
Dictionaries
Family & Friends
Leisure time
Neighbours & Neighbourhood
Shopping Sport

Questions & Topics for IELTS Speaking Part 1

These four topics are the most common in IELTS speaking part 1. You should prepare ideas and practice answering these questions. You are VERY LIKELY to get one of these four for your first topic.

Work What is your job? Where do you work? Why did you choose that job? Is it a popular job in your country? Do you like your job? Do you get on well with your colleagues? What was your first day like? What responsibilities do you have at work? If you had the chance, would you change your job? Do you plan to continue with your job in the future?

Study What do you study? Where do you study that? Why did you choose that subject? Is it a popular subject in your country? Do you like that subject? Do you get on with your colleagues? What was your first day like? What are the main aspects of your subject? If you had the chance, would you change subject? Do you plan to get a job in the same field as your subject?

Note: if you don’t work or study, please say so. When the examiner asks “Do you work or do you study?”, this isn’t a trick question. Just be open and honest. For example, “I don’t work or study at the moment.” or “I’m a housewife.” If you don’t work or study, the examiner will ask about your home or hometown instead.

Note: Your hometown refers to the village, town or city where you spent most of your childhood. It might not be the same place you were born. If you grew up in many different places, choose the place you are most connected to.

Hometown Where is your hometown? Do you like your hometown? Do you often visit your hometown? What is your hometown like? What is the oldest place in your hometown? What is there for a foreigner to do or see in your hometown? How could your hometown be improved? Has your hometown changed much since you were a child? Is there good public transportation in your hometown? Do you think your hometown is a good place to bring up children?

Home Where is your home? Do you live in a house or a flat? Who do you live with? Are there many rooms in your home? What is your favourite room? How are the walls decorated? What would you change about your home? Do you plan to live there in the future? What facilities are there near your home? What is your neighbourhood like? Do most people live in houses in your country?

Common Questions in Speaking Part 1

Art Are you good at art? Did you learn art at school when you were a child? What kind of art do you like? Is art popular in your country? Have you ever been to an art gallery? Do you think children can benefit from going to art galleries?

Bicycles Do you have a bike? How often do you use it? How old were you when you learned to ride a bike? Do many people in your country using bicycles? Do you think using bicycles should be encouraged?

Birthdays Do you usually celebrate your birthdays? How did you celebrate your last birthday? Which birthdays are the most important ones in your country? Do you think children should celebrate their birthdays with a party?

Childhood Did you enjoy your childhood? What is your first memory of your childhood? Did you have a lot of friends when you were a child? What did you enjoy doing as a child? Do you think it is better for children to grow up in the city or in the countryside?

Clothes Are clothes important to you? What kind of clothes do you usually wear? Do you ever wear the traditional clothes of your country? Where do you usually buy your clothes? Have you ever worn a uniform? Do most people in your country follow fashion?

Computers Do you often use a computer? How do you usually get online? Do you prefer desktops or laptops? What do you use your computer for? Do you think it is important to learn how to use a computer?

Daily Routine When do you usually get up in the morning? Do you usually have the same routine every day? What is your daily routine? Do you ever change your routine? Is your routine the same today as it was when you were a child? Do you think it is important to have a daily routine?

Dictionaries Do you often use a dictionary? What do you use dictionaries for? What kinds of dictionaries do you think are most useful? Do you think dictionaries are useful for learning a language? What kind of information you find in a dictionary? Useful video lesson: Dictionary vocabulary

Dreams Do you often have dreams when you sleep? Do you usually remember your dreams? Do you think dreams are important to remember? Do you ever have daydream? What kind of daydreams do you usually have?

Drinks What is your favourite drink? Is it common for people to drink tea and coffee in your country? Did you prefer different drinks as a child? Do you think it is important to drink lots of water? What is a traditional drink in your country for celebrating?

Evenings What do you often do in the evenings? Do you do the same thing every evening? Do you prefer to spend your evenings with family or friends? Do you ever work or study in the evenings? What is a popular activity for young people in your country in the evenings? Do you do the same thing in the evenings as you did when you were a child?

Family & Friends Do you spend much time with your family? Who are you closest to in your family? Do you prefer spending time with your family or friends? Who is your best friend? Are you still friends with people from your childhood? Is family important in your country?

Flowers Do you like flowers? What’s your favourite flower? When was the last time you gave someone flowers? Do any flowers have a special meaning in your country? Why do you think women like flowers more than men? See similar topics for part 2 and 3: Parks, Gardens, Trees & Flowers

Food What’s your favourite food? Have you always liked the same food? Is there any food you dislike? What is a common meal in your country? Do you have a healthy diet? What do you think of fast food?

Going Out Do you often go out in the evenings? What do you like to do when you go out? Do you prefer going out on your own or with friends? How often do you go out in a week? Where do most young people like to go out in your country?

Happiness Are you a happy person? What usually makes you happy or unhappy? Does the weather ever affect how you feel? What makes you smile? Do you think people in your country are generally happy people?

Hobbies Do you have a hobby? What equipment do you need for it? Do you think hobbies should be shared with other people? Did you have a hobby as a child? What hobbies are popular in your country? Why do you think people have hobbies?

Internet How often do you go online? What do you use the internet for? How do you get online? Do you have your own computer? What’s your favourite website? Do you think children should be allowed unsupervised access to the internet?

Languages How many foreign languages do you speak? When did you start learning your first foreign language? How many foreign languages do children in your country learn at school? Do you think it is important to learn a foreign language?

Leisure Time What is your favourite leisure activity? What did you enjoy doing in your free time as a child? Do you prefer to spend your free time with other people or alone? What is a common leisure activity in your country? Do most people in your country get two days off a week? Do you think leisure time is important?

Music Do you like music? What’s your favourite type of music? Can you sing? Did you learn music at school? If you could learn a musical instrument, what would it be? Do you think music is important?

Neighbours & Neighbourhood Do you like your neighbours? Are neighbours usually close to each other in your country? What is your neighbourhood like? Do you think your neighbourhood is a good place for children? How could your neighbourhood be improved? Do you think it is important to have a good relationship with your neighbours?

Newspapers How do you usually get your news? Do you often read the newspapers? What kind of news do you usually follow? How do most people get the news in your country? Do you think international news is important?

Noise Do you live in a noisy area? What kinds of sounds you you hear on a daily basis? Where do you go to spend time in peace and quiet? Are there any sounds which you think are pleasant? Do you have any noisy friends?

Patience Are you a patient person? Do you ever get impatient? When was the last time you lost your patience? Which person in your family is the most patient?

Pets Do you have a pet? Do you like animals? What’s your favourite animal? What is a popular pet to have in your country? Did you have a pet as a child? Why do people have pets?

Reading Do you often read? What is your favourite kind of book to read? Do you often read newspapers? Do you have any e-books? What books did you read as a child? Do you think it is important to encourage children to read?

Shopping Do you like shopping? What’s your favourite shop? Do you prefer shopping alone or with others? What kinds of shops are there where you live? Have you ever bought anything online? Do you think men and women have different opinions about shopping?

Sport Do you like sport? What’s your favourite sport? Do you often watch sport on TV? Did you play sport as a child? What is the most popular sport in your country? How do most people in your country keep fit?

TV Do you often watch TV? What sorts of things do you watch on TV? What is your favourite TV program? Do you ever watch foreign programs or films? What did you watch on TV when you were a child? Do you think children should watch TV?

Transport How did you get here today? What is your favourite mode of transport? Do you ever use public transport? Do you like the transport system in your country? What is the difference between taking a bus and taking a train?

Weather What’s the weather like today? What’s your favourite weather? Do you like the weather in your country? Is the weather the same in all parts of your country? Does the weather ever affect the way you feel? Does the weather in your country ever affect transportation?

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IELTS Speaking Part 1 – Topics, Questions & Samples

In IELTS Speaking Part 1, you will be asked questions about yourself, such as home, work, studies, job, your particular interest, sport, hobby, past time, future plans and so on, and this part will last about 4-5 minutes.

IELTS Speaking Part 1: Introductory Questions

In the first part of the IELTS Speaking Test, the examiner wants you to feel as relaxed as possible and therefore he or she will ask you general questions about yourself.

The examiner is very likely to ask you if you work or whether you are a student, and then other questions depending on your answer. For example:

School / College: Talk about your studies, your plans and why you are doing IELTS
Job: What do you do? Is it a temporary or part of a career? How long have you been doing it? What are your plans and why are you doing IELTS?
How long have you had this job?

SAMPLE ANSWER

Well, I started working there about eight months ago and I'm hoping to continue with it until I go to university. I want to go and study in Britain which is why I'm taking this exam. I have applied for a course at London University.

Try to give a fuller answer, not just 'I am a security guard in a shop'.
Give an answer using different tenses and verb forms.

IELTS Speaking Part 1: General Questions

After one or two biographical questions the examiner is likely to ask you a general question or two about almost any everyday subject. For example:

What's your favourite place to relax at your home?
Have you ever cooked a meal for a lot of people?
Are you planning to watch any movies in the near future?

SAMPLE ANSWERS

Oh, definitely the balcony in summer because, if it's a warm day, I really enjoy sitting out there in the fresh air reading a book or sunbathing.
Yes, lots of times. I love cooking for other people. Recently I made a big dinner for some of my friends from college. Actually, it was all traditional food and everyone said they really liked it.
Well, let me think! Ah yes! I've heard about a new Christopher Nolan movie coming out soon. I read a great review of it, so I'd really like to see that. I've seen most of his movies already. In fact, I go to the cinema quite a lot.
Don't be surprised if the question is a bit strange and out of context.
Give reasons in your answer. Explain why.

"I'm an active IELTS instructor with 10+ years experience and currently work in an IELTS Centre. I will help you improve your IELTS speaking band score through online classes using Zoom. I will also provide you with your band as well as suggestions on how to improve your score." — Lester, IELTS teacher from the UK

IELTS Speaking Part 1: Topics, Questions & Samples

Here we have listed some of the most common topics along with the examiner's questions you are likely to encounter in the IELTS Speaking Part 1. The answers that we have provided use lots of useful grammar structures and tenses the examiner is looking for while you speak.

Learning English

I work as a ...
I am learning English because ...
I have been learning English since ... and by the time I left school I had become quite good at it, so ...
I used to find ... the hardest but nowadays ... I find that much easier
It's difficult to say but if I had to choose one thing I'd say ...ing because ...
Actually, I wish I had ...
Well, according to my teacher I have to / need to / should ... which is why we have ...
I also think I ought to ...
And it might be better if I did more ...

Free-time activities

I love being outside, so I enjoy walking
Another thing I like doing in summer is ...
Of course I can't do that in winter, so then ...
However, being a busy person/mother, I'm limited in how much time I have for ...
If I had more time, I would ...
Being a footballer means ...
Not being a sports person means ...
However, I do believe that ...
I usually go to the gym ... , but at the moment I am not doing ...
If one eats well and one has a healthy lifestyle, I don't believe that one needs to ...
I don't mind being on my own, but ...
I love / can't stand being alone, but ...
After being with people all day ...
Having a young child means that ...
I would rather have some company ...
One of the best things about being ...

Travel and holidays

In 2017 I went to ...
I had never been ... before
The ... was really amazing/lovely
What I liked most were the ...
However, there was a downside ...
If I have the chance, I'll go again ...
Being a mother and a wife I obviously ...
However, if I had the time and money ...
I would love to ...
Last year I went ...
I have been planning to ...
The best option for me is ...
There are so many places where I would love to go. If I had to choose one, it would be ... because ...
I have read so much about ... and a friend went there ...

House and home

My house is situated ...
It faces south which means ...
It is very convenient for shopping ...
The thing I most like about the area/house is being near the sea. Having shops nearby is another big plus
It would/wouldn't be very different to ...
It would have ...
It would have to be near ...
Actually, I'm not a great believer in ideal homes
For me, what counts the most is the happiness of ...
I would far rather spend the money on ... than ...
Well, actually I am planning to ... which is why I am doing the exam
It's difficult to imagine having that opportunity but if I did I would ...
It would of course depend on the circumstances
If I could ... then I would be happy to ... but if I had to ...
Now then, let me think. It's half past two. Oh, yes ...
I was ...ing ...
I had been ...ing all morning
I had just stopped for a break and ...
When I was quite young I used to ...
My friends and I would often go ...
Once when we were playing with a ball ... happened
Another thing I remember was ...ing
That's a difficult one!
There have/haven't been many
Perhaps one of the happiest was the day I ...
A time which I remember with a great fondness ...

Future plans

In December I am going to ... which should be great
It's my birthday soon and I am having ...
Actually, there isn't much to look forward to in winter
I'm just longing for summer again
At this time of year, there are only small pleasures, like ...
Well, this time next month I'll be lying on a beach in ...

Useful Phrases for IELTS Speaking Part 1

Here we have listed some phrases that are worthwhile to practice for IELTS speaking. You can use them, for example, if you need more time for thinking or don't understand the examiner's question. If you show you can use this language effectively in your sentences, the examiner will give you more points.

Delaying phrases to give time for thinking

Well, let's see ...
Well, let me think ...
Well, I suppose that the ...
According to my teacher/colleague the ...
Actually, ...
As far as possible I ... although ...
Generally speaking ... ; however, ...
It depends a lot on ...
It depends whether it is summer or winter

Asking for clarification

I beg your pardon, but could you repeat your question, please?
I'm sorry but I didn't catch what you said
Sorry, what do you mean by ' ... '?
By ' ... ' do you mean ' ... '?
By 'place' are you referring to a city or country?
Avoid being silent because you are wasting your limited time.
You are allowed to ask the examiner what he/she means and if you use correctly formed questions like the above, you will get credit for it. So, be sure to learn these ready for use.

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Ielts speaking test - part 1 - question set: 1, topic - friends:, topic - people you study/work with:, topic - names:, topic - flowers and plants:, topic - food and cooking:, topic - photographs:, topic- bicycles:, topic - giving gifts:, topic - games:, topic - telephoning:, topic - your friends:, topic - musical instruments:, topic - summer:, topic - clothes:, next » question set 2.

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IELTS Speaking Topics Part 1

This page gives you common IELTS Speaking topics and sample answers.

You should not memorise answers; if the examiner thinks you have done this, you will lose lots of marks.

Instead, I’ll show you how to use IELTS Speaking topics to practice your skills and give personal answers that will help you score a Band 7, 8 or even 9.

Main IELTS Speaking Topics

Your Job
Studying
Your Hometown
Your Home
The Internet
Your Likes and Dislikes
Sport
The Weather
Family

IELTS Speaking Topic # 1- Work

I graduated a few years ago and am now in full-time employment.
I’m currently an English teacher working for the British Council in Ho Chi Minh City.
I was previously a lawyer and found it to be really stressful and never had any free time, so after quitting that job, I thought teaching might be the complete opposite of being a lawyer, you know, not as stressful and more time off.
Oh yes! There is such a big demand for English as a second language here, and it’s also quite a cheap place to live compared to many other big cities in Asia.
Most of the time. It’s very rewarding to be able to help people every day, and the students here are very hardworking and fun to teach, but you sometimes have lessons that do go so well, and the money could always be better.
Yes, fine. I don’t really see work as part of my social life, so I don’t socialise with them, so I suppose I could be more friendly, but it’s just my nature to be a bit colder with colleagues. I think it’s more professional to be that way.
Many teachers were starting at the same time as me, 10 I think, so we all had a big induction day. The more senior teachers ran workshops with us to familiarise us with their different systems, and then we went for a team dinner in the evening.
All of the teachers’ main responsibility is to plan good lessons and then teach them to the best of their ability. On top of that, we have several admin. tasks to carry out, like marking homework, filling out attendance sheets and writing reports.
Yes, as I said before, I like working alone, so I would like to be my own boss. I’m currently developing my own website, so if it’s successful, I will leave teaching and work on it full-time. This will also give me more time to work on other projects.
I normally have 2 or 3 classes in the evening, and I start the day by doing all the planning at home. This normally takes an hour or two, depending on the lessons. I then take the rest of the day to spend with my family before going to work around 3 to print off my materials, and then I teach all evening.
As with most English teachers, we have to teach what is on the curriculum, and this can mean that you are teaching some things that are quite boring or not very useful for your students, so I would like to have more freedom to teach outside the syllabus.

IELTS Speaking Topic # 2- Study

I’m currently a student at Queen’s University, Belfast.
I study law because it’s a really well thought of degree, and I’m hoping to pursue it as a career in the future.
Very popular; in fact, it’s one of the most sought-after courses. I think there are about 350 people reading law at Queen’s. I think lots of students’ parents want them to study law so they can get a good job after they graduate.
It’s such a huge subject that there will always be parts you like and parts you don’t like. I find Human Rights fascinating because they can really make a difference in people’s lives. On the other hand, modules like Land Law and Equity are really boring.
Yes, they are all really great. Most people like to socialise together in the evenings and this makes us a very tight group. If you know someone socially, it is much easier to work together in class.
I planned to study medicine, but then when I went on work experience I fainted at the first sight of blood, so definitely not that. I’m a real history buff and read books about World War 2 all the time, so I suppose it would have to be Modern History.
Yes, I’ve already started to apply for jobs as a lawyer. We normally have to secure a job a year before we graduate and then work very hard to get a high overall mark. After that, I will probably do a Masters in law to become a specialist in one particular area.
You have to remember lots of legislation and cases and not only remember their names but also how they affect each part of the law and how they interact with each other. Physically it can also be exhausting because we have to read very dense texts for a few hours every day.
As I said before, my favourite type of law is Human Rights, so I would like to do a Master’s in International Human Rights Law. it’s right at the cutting edge of my field and there are also lots of very high-profile cases in the media, so it’s really exciting and something I would like to become an expert in.
Mostly because it is close to my hometown and most of my friends were going there. I kind of regret it now. It’s a great university, but because it’s so close to home, it doesn’t give you much of a chance to experience new things and meet new people. If I were to choose again, I’d study abroad.

IELTS Speaking Topic # 3- Hometown

My hometown is on the southeast coast of Northern Ireland. It’s called Dundrum and it’s about 1 hour south of the capital city.
It’s an area of outstanding natural beauty and, for me, one of the most beautiful places on earth. It has everything; fantastic beaches, rolling mountains, dense forests and picturesque countryside.
It can be a little bit boring because it’s really tiny. There are only a few small shops and a couple of pubs, and that’s it! In the summer, it’s OK because you can enjoy the outdoors, but it would be nice to have a few more indoor facilities for the winter.
Not as much as I should. I only visit about once a year to see my family because I’m really busy with work and it’s quite far away, but I hope to visit more in the future.
There is an old Norman castle that sits on top of the highest hill in the town. It’s a ruin now, but there are some breathtaking views from it, and it’s easy to see why they chose that site for a castle because you can see for miles around.
Thousands of tourists visit every summer. They mostly come from the capital city to get away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy the peace and quiet. More and more international tourists are visiting because many scenes from the TV show ‘Game of Thrones’ were shot just outside the village.
As I said before, the best thing about the town is its rural beauty; you can’t improve that. If I had to say something, it would be to improve the roads, they are in a terrible state and cause a few car accidents every year.
Since I was a child the town has almost doubled in size and population. It used to consist of just one main street, but now there are many new housing developments and apartments next to the water. All these new people moving in, it has changed the town’s character a little bit; people are not as friendly as before.
The public transport system consists of just buses that pass through the town on an hourly basis. One bus goes north to the capital city, which is really convenient if you need to do any shopping and the other bus goes south, where you can switch buses and go across the border to the Republic of Ireland, so you could say we have international transport links which are not bad for a little town like ours.
Yes and no. It is obviously a great place to bring up kids because there are so many things for them to do like swim in the sea, play in the forest and run on the beach. However, the good schools are pretty far away, and I remember having to get up really early every morning to catch a bus to school that was 20 miles away.

IELTS Speaking Topic # 4- Your Home

I live on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, in a district called Tan Phu, about 15 km from the city centre.
I live in a 3 bedroom flat on the 11th floor of a big apartment building.
I live there with my wife and baby son.
It’s pretty big for a flat. It has 3 large bedrooms, one for my wife and me and one for my son when he gets older. It also has a smaller bedroom that I use to study and store things in. The kitchen is small, but it is part of a big open-plan living room, so there is lots of space for the family.
That would have to be my study because it’s the only room in that I can get peace. When I’m in there, my wife knows I’m working, so she leaves me alone, and I can concentrate on my work.
I don’t like lots of over-the-top decoration, so I guess you would describe it as minimalist. The walls are all white, and the furniture is also either white or black. There are very few ornaments or pictures because, again, I like to keep things quite minimal, and I hate clutter.
I would like to have a big balcony. We have a sort of balcony at the moment, but we mainly use it for washing and drying clothes. It would be really nice to have some tables and chairs on a proper balcony, with maybe a few plants, so we could sit there in the evenings and relax.
I really like where I live, but it is really far from where I work in the centre of town. It takes around 45 minutes to drive there by motorbike and in the hot season and wet season it can be really uncomfortable, so we will consider moving closer to the centre in a year or so.
That’s the best part of where we live; we have a huge garden. It takes around 40 minutes to walk around it. It has a few play parks for the kids, several gyms and four small lakes. We are really lucky to have it, and I try to go for a walk around it every day if I have time.
Not really, because it is on the edge of town. If you want to go for a nice meal, use a swimming pool, go shopping or head out for a drink, you really have to drive for about 30 minutes. That’s a major drawback, but if you are organised and buy everything when you are in the centre of town, it’s not so bad.

IELTS Speaking Topic # 5- Fashion

I used to in my younger days, I remember always looking to see what my favourite musicians were wearing and then trying to copy them, but now that I’m older, I don’t really care as long as I look smart.
It depends on what I’m doing, really. If I’m working, I always wear a dress shirt and trousers, but we don’t have to wear ties. Going out will be more casual, like a polo shirt and jeans and if I’m at home, it will be relaxed, just a t-shirt and shorts.
I have no idea. There might be, but I can’t recall ever hearing anyone talking about them or seeing someone wearing them.
I used to go to the trendy shops when I was a student, but now I’m older and have little time, I like to go to a big shopping centre or department store and buy everything there. It’s more convenient that way, so I don’t have to run all over town just for a few clothes.
No, because I don’t trust their clothes to always fit me. I know a few people who order lots of clothes online, order a few different sizes, and then send the ones that don’t fit them back, but I can’t be bothered with all that. It’s much quicker to go into a proper shop and try the clothes on there and make sure they are a proper fit.
More so these days. Our country wouldn’t be very high on the international fashion hot spots list, but I notice people following certain trends more. Last year, there was a red trouser craze, and everywhere you looked, people had red trousers on.
Probably my leather jacket. It cost a fortune and makes me feel confident when I go out in it. I normally get a few compliments also because it is quite slimming.

IELTS Speaking Topic # 6- The Internet

Extremely important. I depend on it for work, research, study, and entertainment, so without it I’d be completely lost.
I use it constantly throughout the day, every day. I check my emails when I get up in the morning, I use it for work all day, and then I watch videos, read books or listen to music through it at night.
I’d say both really. About 50% of my job involves researching and writing on the internet so I would use it for about 4 hours a day. When I get home, I’m normally too tired to go to the gym or play sports, so it is really easy to download a movie or stream some music, and I normally do that until I fall asleep.
For work, my two favourite sites are WordPress and Google. WordPress is a blogging tool that allows you to publish blogs easily and maintain a professional-looking website. Google, of course, allows me to find the information I need quickly and accurately. In my spare time, I use Facebook like everyone else in the world, but my favourite site is The Guardian because it allows me to keep up to date with everything that’s happening.
I’m a bit of an app addict. My favourite app at the moment is one called Stitcher. It allows you to listen to podcasts and helps you discover new podcasts. You can download them and then listen to them whenever you have time.
I think most people do these days. My problem is that there are so many sites and apps that you end up checking them way too often, which wastes lots of time. It can also be a bit anti-social if you check your phone when you are with other people.
I think it will be more on mobile phones than computers. Smartphones are becoming more powerful and more affordable all the time, so I think we will see a shift from people using the internet on desktop computers to mobiles and apps rather than traditional websites.
Being connected all of the time is not a good thing. Before, you had to sit at your computer and log on, which took time, so you didn’t do it so much. Now all people have to do is look at their phones, which is too much for me. I’ve been trying to leave my phone at home when I socialise with friends and family to stop myself from focusing too much on the phone rather than them.

IELTS Speaking Topic # 7- Weather

It’s really lovely today. There were a few showers this morning, and it was a bit chilly, but it has brightened up this afternoon, and I think it will stay that way for the rest of the day.
It depends on what I’m doing, really. If I’m doing something outside, I like the weather to be sunny but not too hot because it gets a bit uncomfortable after a while. If I’m inside, I love listening to the rain beating against the window and the wind howling outside.
I’m from Ireland, so people always complain about the rain. It is right on the edge of Europe, so we get lots of rain rolling in off the Atlantic. However, because we are an island, it means that we don’t get very harsh winters, and it hardly ever snows. I think temperate is the word to describe our climate- not too hot, not too cold.
Yes, very much so. In the winter, it is really grey all the time, and it gets dark very early in the afternoon. The lack of sunlight makes some people a bit depressed, and I imagine that’s why people drink much more wine and whiskey in the winter to cope with how dull everything is.
Absolutely; as soon as the sun starts to shine and it gets warmer, people start to have barbecues, do more outdoor activities and are generally happier. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last very long, but people definitely make the most of it while the weather is good.
I don’t mind when it’s raining or windy, and I don’t mind when it’s cold, but when it’s windy and raining all that at the same time, well, that isn’t very pleasant, especially if you have to work or do something outside. I remember when we were at school, we would have to go outside in horrible weather to do P.E., and I detested every minute of it.
As I said before, it rarely snows, but the transportation system collapses when it does. People are just not used to driving in the snow, and the whole country pretty much grinds to a halt. Buses and trains normally stop running completely until the snow thaws.

IELTS Speaking Topic # 8- TV

I don’t get time really to watch TV, and I don’t like the fact that you have no choice about what to watch, so no, I would say I don’t really like watching normal TV; I much prefer streaming something on my iPad and watching it when I like.
I’d say maybe only a few times a month when there is a good football match on. I prefer watching football on TV with other people around because it’s a great atmosphere, but if it’s a normal TV show, I will watch it alone at home on my tablet.
I like dramas and thrillers. I don’t really like anything that is not set in the real world, so I’m not a big fan of sci-fi or fantasy, although I have been getting into the latest season of Game of Thrones. I also like to watch documentaries about military history, especially about the Second World War.
The two most popular genres are soaps and reality TV. Soaps like Coronation Street have always been popular because people get to know the characters really well, and the storylines can be quite gripping. I’ve no idea why reality TV is popular; I can’t stand it, all those C-list celebrities trying to become popular again. I would rather watch paint dry, to be honest.
Yes, most of the programmes I watch are from the United States. Networks like HBO and Netflix have the biggest budgets and, as a result, can make some really high-quality shows. I don’t think Game of Thrones could be made without a huge budget, and America is probably the only country to make a TV show on that scale.
Absolutely, I watch most TV shows on the internet now, rather than a normal TV. There are so many streaming services, like Netflix offering on-demand TV, and it suits me to be able to watch what I want when I want. I also binge-watch a series of TV shows and watch a whole series in a day rather than waiting for the next episode.
There was an American show called Fargo that I really loved. It was an adaptation of a film made about 15 years ago. The plot lines and characters were really interesting, and the dialogue was well-written. Unfortunately, there has only been one season of it so far, so I have to wait another year to see the next season.
I was a bit of a strange child because I didn’t like cartoons like most other kids. But I loved a few shows, like The A-Team, Knight Rider, and Air Wolf. They were so cool and always had great action scenes. I was a bit obsessed with violent action films when I was a kid. When I think about them though, they weren’t really all that violent compared to shows these days, I don’t think one person was ever killed in any of those programmes.

IELTS Speaking Topic # 9- Sport

Not as much as I should. I’m really busy with my job these days, so I don’t get the chance to do as many sports as I would like. I try to play basketball on Saturdays for a couple or hours and I occasionally play golf.
Since I was about 10 years old. I remember playing a computer game about basketball when I was about 10 and it made me obsessed with the sport. From then on I played basketball every day until I went to university and then other things took priority, but I regret not maintaining it because it was something I loved doing.
Football is my favourite sport to watch on TV. I’m terrible at football but I love watching it on TV, especially big games like the Champions League. I follow Liverpool Football Club and so do a few of my friends, so we normally go the pub every weekend and watch whoever Liverpool are playing and a few of the other big games in the Premiership.
In my country, there are two dominant sports Gaelic Football and Hurling. Gaelic is a little like soccer but you are allowed to pick up the ball with your hands and you can kick the ball over the bar for one point or in the goal for 3 points. Hurling is played with sticks and a smaller ball and involves hitting the ball over the bar or in the goal. Both of them are really fast-paced and a bit brutal at times. You can tackle someone much harder than you can in soccer.
We are blessed with beautiful countryside and a nice temperate climate so most people either go running or walking. Lots of young people play field sports, but more and more people are joining gyms. Gyms have really taken off recently as people worry more and more about their appearance. I think it has much more to do with how good people look rather than actually keeping fit.
Definitely. Sport not only keeps them healthy, but it also teaches them discipline and keeps them out of trouble. For instance, in my school, the kids who were dedicated to sport also achieved the highest grades in school and went on to good universities where they continued to work hard.

IELTS Speaking Topic # 10- Food

I would have to say that it’s definitely steak. It’s quite expensive, so it’s a real treat when I get the chance to have steak and I love all the things that come with it like pepper sauce, chips, mushrooms, and onions.
I didn’t really like meat when I was younger. My mum said that I only liked to eat sweet things or breakfast cereal when I was a child. Naturally, Coco Pops were my absolute favourite.
I like most foods, but if I had to pick some I don’t like, it would have to be vegetables, especially green ones like broccoli or cabbage. They either taste of nothing at all or really bitter. Although, I try to force them down when I have to because they are very healthy.
Everything seems to revolve around the potato where I’m from, but there’s much more to Irish cuisine than just one vegetable. If you come to Ireland you have to try a full Irish breakfast. It’s made up of lots of fried meats, plus a range of bread like wheaten, soda and potato bread, of course.
No, not at all. I like all of the things that are unhealthy like sweets, fatty foods, and junk food. I don’t really have a lot of discipline when it comes to my diet, which is probably why I’m a little overweight.

More help with IELTS Speaking:

Quick Guide to IELTS Speaking Part 1

IELTS Speaking Part 1 Sample Answer

IELTS Speaking Study Guide

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Strategy

IELTS Speaking Part 3

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COMMENTS

Describe your Education: IELTS Speaking Part 1 Sample Answer
In IELTS Speaking Part 1, to answer IELTS examiner’s questions in a natural and fluent way, you should focus on one idea only and then expand that idea into a long meaningful sentence using grammar patterns and vocabulary, which can help you get Band 8.0+ for IELTS Speaking.
IELTS Speaking Part 1 Sample Band 9 – Topic: Education
1. Describe your education. I graduated from High School for the Gifted and got into an International University because I think 2-year study at this university would prepare me well, especially my critical thinking skills before I finish another 2 years abroad at the University of Nottingham. Vocabulary.
IELTS Speaking test sample: Education Topic
In this IELTS Speaking sample we collected various questions + model answers on Education Topic that you may encounter on the speaking test. Our special formatting styles: Useful linking phrases are in blue. IELTS speaking vocabulary is in bold (put your mouse over such text to see explanations).
IELTS Topic: Education - TED IELTS
As you probably know, the first part of the IELTS speaking test is comprised of relatively simple questions that you should answer with one, two, or three sentences. You don’t need to develop your answers very much here. Here are a few sample questions: Do you work or are you a student? Why did you choose that subject?
IELTS Speaking Part 1 Model Answer: Talking about School
What did you enjoy the most about your school in the past? Well, if you put me on the spot – if you’re talking about my primary school – the number one thing I liked were my teachers.
[IELTS] Speaking Part 1 - Topic: EDUCATION ... - YouTube
👉 IELTS Speaking - Topic 1: EDUCATION- Speaking Part 1: https://youtu.be/voJIiTMih9E- Speaking Part 2: https://youtu.be/75RwbZ77Nqs (Describe a school that ...
IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics & Questions
Speaking Part 1 Common Topics List. Below is a list of topics and questions that the examiner can ask you in part 1 of the IELTS speaking test. You should prepare ideas for these topics but not memorise whole answers.
IELTS Speaking Part 1 – Topics, Questions & Samples
IELTS Speaking Part 1 – Topics, Questions & Samples. In IELTS Speaking Part 1, you will be asked questions about yourself, such as home, work, studies, job, your particular interest, sport, hobby, past time, future plans and so on, and this part will last about 4-5 minutes.
IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics and Answers - IELTS Mentor
IELTS Speaking Test has three parts part 1, part 2 and part 3. In part 1 of the Speaking test, the examiner will ask 4-6 general questions on familiar topics. It is expected that the examiner will introduce him/herself first and ask your name and then ask you to confirm your identity.
2023 IELTS Speaking Topics Part 1 (Band 9 Samples)
2023 IELTS Speaking Topics Part 1 (Band 9 Samples) This page gives you common IELTS Speaking topics and sample answers. You should not memorise answers; if the examiner thinks you have done this, you will lose lots of marks.