113 IELTS Speaking Questions & How To Answer Them

Are you looking for a guide to help you answer IELTS speaking questions?  You’ve found it!

In this blog post, you’ll learn more about the format of the IELTS Speaking Test and the types of IELTS speaking topics and questions you can expect in Parts 1, 2, and 3. 

You’ll also learn how to answer IELTS speaking questions, so you can get walk into the exam room with the right confidence.

Let’s go!

What Is The IELTS Speaking Test?

The IELTS Speaking Test is a face-to-face interview that lasts about 15 minutes.

You’ll be sitting in front of an examiner (yes, a real person –not an AI) who will guide the conversation and ask you questions to evaluate different aspects of your spoken English. 

The examiner will pay special attention to your fluency, coherence, lexical resources, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation. 

In short…

Fluency and coherence

Can you develop your ideas and thoughts fluently without confusion? Here are some tips on how to speak English fluently.

Lexical resource

Can you use a wide range of vocabulary to express your ideas with precision?

Grammatical range and accuracy 

Do you have enough grammar and can you use it correctly to express your thoughts?

Pronunciation

Can you use English sounds to make yourself understood when you speak?

The examiner will listen for these things during the test, which is divided into 3 parts:

• Part 1: Introduction and Interview
• Part 2: Individual Long Run
• Part 3: Two-way Discussion

Let’s have a look at each part and the types of IELTS speaking questions the examiner might ask you.

Part 1 IELTS Speaking Questions (Introduction And Interview)

Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking Test is like a warm-up designed to help you settle in and test your ability to talk about familiar topics. Some typical Part 1 topics include:

• Family & Friends
• Work
• Birthdays
• Daily routine
• Home
• Computers
• Evenings
• Leisure time
• Shopping
• Clothes
• Pets
• Reading
• Music
• Internet
• Neighbours & Neighbourhood
• Going Out
• Flowers
• Newspapers
• Food
• Bicycles
• Childhood
• Study
• Dictionaries
• Art
• Happiness
• Hobbies
• Hometown

You won’t have to answer challenging questions, so relax, do your best, and see the conversation as a friendly chat with a stranger. Here are some possible questions the examiner might ask you.

Family & Friends

• How often do you spend time with your family?
• What activities do you enjoy doing with your friends?
• Do you think family is more important than friends?
• Do you prefer to have a small or a big circle of friends?
• Do you prefer spending time with one close friend or a group of friends?

Work

• What job would you like to have?
• Do you think you can do any type of job?
• What do you enjoy the most about your job?
• Do you think your job is difficult? 
• Would you like to change your job in the future?

Daily Routine

• What is a typical day like for you?
• Do you usually have the same routine every day?
• Is there any part of your day that you particularly enjoy?
• What would you like to change about your daily routine?
• What do you normally do at weekends?

Hobbies

• What hobbies do you have?
• How often do you spend time on your hobbies?
• What hobbies did you use to have when you were a kid?
• Do you prefer to do your hobbies alone or with others?
• Are there any hobbies you would like to try in the future?

Music

• What type of music do you enjoy?
• How often do you listen to music?
• Can you play any musical instruments?
• Has the kind of music you like changed over time?
• Do you like live music?

Hometown

• Where is your hometown?
• What is the most interesting place in your hometown?
• Has your hometown changed much in recent years?
• Would you say it’s a good place for young people to live?
• Do you think you will live in your hometown in the future?

Leisure Time

• How do you usually spend your free time?
• Do you have enough free time during the week?
• What would you do if you had more free time?
• Are there any free time activities you’d like to do? 
• How has the way you spend your leisure time changed in recent years?

Food

• What is your favourite type of food?
• Do you prefer to eat at home or at a restaurant?
• Can you cook?
• Is there any kind of food you dislike?
• Do you think your diet will change in the future?

Shopping

• Do you enjoy shopping?
• How often do you go shopping for clothes?
• Do you prefer shopping in stores or online? 
• What’s the last thing you bought?
• Is shopping a popular activity in your country?

Pets

• Do you have a pet?
• What kinds of animals do people in your country keep as pets?
• Do you prefer cats or dogs?
• Would you like to have a pet in the future? Why or why not?
• If you could have any pets, which one would you have?

IELTS Speaking Part 1 questions are similar to the ones I included in another blog post about conversational English topics.

You can use those to practise, too! 

Top Tips For Answering IELTS Speaking Questions In Part 1

1. When answering the examiner’s questions in IELTS Speaking Part 1, don't just say “Yes” or “No.” Instead, extend your answer by adding a reason, explanation, or example.

Here’s an example of what NOT you should do.

Examiner: “Do you like reading books?”

You: “Yes, I love it.”

Compare to this:

Examiner: “Do you like reading books?”

You: “Yes. I try to read as many books as I can. I usually read fantasy stories but sometimes I read non-fiction. I love reading. It’s really one my favourite pastimes.”

You don’t have to give an incredibly long answer. In fact, that’s a bad idea! 

The IELTS Speaking Test is timed, so the examiner must get to the end of it within about 15 minutes. If they feel one of your answers is getting too long, they’ll stop you. (Don’t get offended by this!)

2. Make eye contact with your examiner. This is a sign of confidence! 

3. Be friendly and polite. Treat your examiner as a friend rather than someone who’s there to judge you.

4. Speak loudly enough so that the examiner can hear you. Also, this is a sign of confidence. 

4. If you don’t hear what the examiner asks you or if you don’t understand the question, you can ask them to repeat the question. No worries. No panic!

Once Part 1 is over, the examiner will introduce you to IELTS Speaking Part 2. 

And here’s where things start to get interesting.

Part 2 IELTS Speaking Questions (Individual Long Run)

IELTS Speaking Part 2 is more challenging than Part 1. Part 2 tests your ability to give a short talk on a topic. The examiner gives you a task card with your topic and 4 points that give you ideas for what to talk about. 

A Part 2 task card looks like this.

After you get this, the examiner will give you 1 minute to think and plan what to say about the topic.

They will give you a pencil and a piece of paper too, so you can make notes about what you’re going to include in your talk. After 1 minute, you’ll have to speak about the topic for 2 minutes. 

This is your chance to show you have good fluency! 

At the end of the 2 minutes, the examiner usually asks you a short, simple question to round off this part of the test. 

Let’s look at some typical IELTS Speaking Part 2 questions

Describe a memorable holiday you have had.

You should say: 

• where you went
• who you went with
• what you did there

and explain why this holiday was memorable for you.

Talk about a skill you would like to learn.

You should say: 

• what the skill is
• why you want to learn it
• how you plan to learn it

and explain how this skill would be useful to you.

Describe a person who has influenced you.

You should say: 

• who the person is
• how you know this person
• what qualities this person has

and explain how they have influenced you.

Talk about a book you have read recently.

You should say: 

• what the book is called
• who wrote it
• what it is about

and explain why you enjoyed (or did not enjoy) reading this book.

Describe a special event that you attended.

You should say:

• what the event was
• where it was held
• who was there

and explain why this event was special for you.

Talk about a project or piece of work you have done at school or work.

You should say:

• what the project was
• what you had to do
• who you worked with

and explain why it was important to you.

Describe a time when you helped someone.

You should say: 

• who you helped
• why they needed help
• how you helped them

and explain how you felt after helping them.

Talk about an activity you do to stay healthy.

You should say: 

• what the activity is
• how often you do it
• how it helps you stay healthy

and explain why you enjoy doing this activity.

Describe a film you recently watched.

You should say: 

• what the film is called
• what it is about
• who the main characters are

and explain why you liked (or disliked) this film.

Talk about a place you would like to visit in the future.

You should say: 

• where the place is
• what you know about it
• how you plan to get there

and explain why you would like to visit this place.

Top Tips For Answering IELTS Speaking Questions In Part 2

1. Use your planning time wisely. Don’t waste a single second!  

2. Make useful, practical notes about the topic. You don’t have time to write full sentences, so don’t even try to do that. You’ll waste a lot of time! Instead, write down keywords and expressions and generate a few ideas to include in your talk.

3. Don’t feel you have to generate dozens of ideas. Come up with a few and develop those in the best way you can.

4. Familiarise yourself with some notetaking techniques. There are plenty (spidergram, bullet lists, etc.) Experiment with these before the exam and see which notetaking system works best for you.

3. You can glance at your notes during your talk, so make sure they’re clear and well-visible.

4. Structure your talk. You can use signposting expressions for this. Here are some examples of signposting expressions:

• “I'm going to talk about …”
• OK, first, let me tell you about…
• Why do I like it? Well…
• As for the location, the ______is in the middle of…

5. Practise talking about topics for two minutes using a timer. Two minutes may seem like a short time, but I know of candidates who ran out of things to say after 50 seconds! Practise, practise, practise before the exam! 

Finally, let’s look at what happens in IELTS Speaking Part 3.

Part 3 IELTS Speaking Questions (Two-Way Discussion)

IELTS Speaking Part 3 is a discussion with the examiner, and it’s the most challenging part of all because you’ll have to answer more general and abstract questions. These questions are linked to the topic you talked about in Part 2.

For example, if in Part 2 you talked about a time when you helped someone, in Part 3 the examiner might ask you the following questions:

• Do you think it’s important to help other people?
• Why might some people decide not to help someone? 
• In your opinion, what’s the best way to be helpful?

Can you see how these are more challenging IELTS speaking questions than those from Part 1? In Part 3 of the IELTS Speaking test, you have the chance to show that you can discuss ideas in English in more detail.

The questions you are asked might require you to: 

• give an explanation
• make a suggestion
• compare two things
• make predictions
• think about why something is the way it is
• agree or disagree with something  

Let’s look at some questions you may be asked. 

(Because the questions in Part 3 are linked to those in Part 2, I’m giving you Part 3 questions that are linked to the topics above.)

Tourism

• Why do people enjoy travelling to different countries?
• How has tourism changed compared to the past?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of taking vacations in different seasons?
• Do you think it is better to travel alone or with others? Why?
• How can tourism benefit local communities?

Learning New Skills

• Do you think learning new skills is important in today’s world?
• How can learning a skill benefit someone’s career?
• What challenges do adults face when trying to learn something new?
• Is it more important to learn new skills or develop the ones you already have? Why?
• How has technology changed the way people learn skills?

Influential People

• Why do people need role models?
• How does someone become an influential person in society?
• Do you think family members are more influential than friends? Why?
• How can influential people have both positive and negative effects on others?
• In what ways do celebrities influence people, especially young people?

Books and Reading

• Why do some people enjoy reading while others don’t?
• How has reading changed with the advent of technology?
• What kinds of books are most popular in your country? Why?
• Do you think children today read less than before? 
• How important is reading for personal development?

Special Events

• Why are special events important in people’s lives?
• How can organizing an event help develop certain skills?
• How do people usually celebrate special occasions in your country?
• How have celebrations changed over the years in your country?
• Do you think special events are more meaningful when shared with family or friends? Why?

Work or School Projects

• How important are teamwork and collaboration for successful projects?
• What are the main challenges people might face when working in a team?
• Do you think students learn more from individual or group projects? Why?
• How can project work help people in their future careers?
• Should schools focus more on practical projects or theoretical learning?

Helping Others

• Why is helping others important in society?
• What are the different ways people can help others in their community?
• Do you think people are less willing to help others nowadays compared to the past? Why?
• How does volunteering benefit both the community and the person volunteering?
• What motivates people to help strangers?

Activity to Stay Healthy

• Why do some people find it difficult to exercise regularly?
• How has the concept of staying healthy changed over the years?
• How can governments encourage people to live healthier lives?
• Do you think schools should play a role in teaching students about health and fitness?

Films

• How can movies influence people’s behaviour and attitudes?
• Why do you think certain types of movies are more popular than others?
• In your opinion, what makes a great movie?
• Should films be used as educational tools in schools? Why or why not?
• How do you think cultural differences affect the kinds of films people like?

Travelling

• Do you agree that travelling is a way to broaden your mind?
• How important is it to learn about a place before visiting it?
• How has tourism affected popular travel destinations both positively and negatively?
• Do you think virtual reality can replace the experience of travelling? Why or why not?
• How can travel broaden a person’s perspective on life?

Let’s look at some top tips on how to answer these questions.

Top Tips For Answering IELTS Speaking Questions In Part 3

1.Don’t be afraid to give your opinion on the topic and – very important – say why you have this opinion. The examiner won’t judge you for your opinions. The examiner is there only to evaluate how you express them.

2.Long answers, please! You can extend them by giving explanations, reasons, and examples. Some IELTS teachers suggest using a 4-step answer:

1. Give a direct answer to the question
2. Give a reason
3. Give an example
4. Explain the opposite

How does this work in practice? Here’s an example. 

Examiner: Is it important to help other people?

You: Yes, I believe it is very important to help other people (Direct Answer). Helping others can help us create a sense of community and connection, and it also makes us more compassionate. When we support each other, we can improve everyone’s quality of life, and it also gives us a sense of purpose.(Reasons) For example, my mother volunteers at the local refugee centre, and she always says that this makes her feel she’s doing something for the greater good. (Example) If we didn’t help each other, we wouldn’t feel connected and the world would progress. (Opposite)

Yes, my dear IELTS candidate, your answers to IELTS Speaking Part 3 questions should be quite long! But…did you see how helpful the 4-step answer is? It helps you focus your ideas and talk at length without waffling.

3. Don’t worry if you need to take time to think. Before answering a complex question, you may need to do that, and you can then use phrases to buy yourself some time. Here are some:

• That’s an interesting/tricky question. Let me just think about that for a moment.
• I had never thought about that before. Hmmm…I would say that…
• I’ve never given this much thought. Let me see. I guess that…

4. Keep in mind the IELTS marking criteria. These are the criteria that the examiners will use to assess your English-speaking abilities. You can read what these are on the British Council website. 

Keep also in mind that the examiner won’t use these criteria only in Part 3. They’ll use them during the entire speaking test, so what I’ve just given you here is a more general tip about the IELTS Speaking test.

FAQs About IELTS Speaking Questions

General Tips For Answering IELTS Speaking Questions

Would you like some more general tips for IELTS speaking? I know you would, so here they are:

• If you don’t remember a word, don’t panic. Just use another word or expression instead and then move on. 
• Consider taking an IELTS preparation course. I know students who have great English but didn’t get the score they needed in the Speaking test because they didn’t know the format of the exam. That’s essential!
• Don’t ask the examiner questions like “How do you say X in English”? 
• If you make a mistake, no panic! Keep going! 
• Don’t feel you have to impress the examiner with advanced English vocabulary. Use natural English, which is the English you have at this stage of your English language learning journey.
• Practise (a lot!) before the test. You can use the common IELTS speaking questions I included in this post. You can also record yourself and listen to how you perform.
• Never memorise answers. Examiners are experienced professionals who might have tested hundreds of candidates before you. They can smell memorised answers from miles away! 
• Practise answering questions with a friend. Your friend can act as the examiner and make comments on your performance. 

And finally…don’t go partying the night before the exam!

Good luck! I’m sure you’ll do great!

Olly Richards

Creator of the StoryLearning® Method

Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.

Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.

When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.