IELTS speaking questions: Part 1 and Part 3

Ready to practise out loud? The free IELTS speaking mock test asks you these questions with a computer examiner's voice, records your answers on your device, and gives you fluency feedback.

How IELTS Speaking works

You're scored on four criteria, each worth 25%: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource (vocabulary), Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation. Read our IELTS speaking guide for what each band needs.

How to answer Part 1 questions

• Answer directly, then extend. "Yes, I do. I work as a pharmacy assistant, which I really enjoy because I like helping people."
• Use the right tense. "Did you…?" needs the past; "Have you ever…?" needs the present perfect; "Would you like to…?" needs would.
• Don't memorise answers. Examiners are trained to spot rehearsed speeches, and it can lower your score.
• It's fine to give an opinion you don't really hold. IELTS tests your English, not your honesty about your hobbies.

IELTS Speaking Part 1 questions by topic

These 24 topics cover the subjects that come up most often in Part 1: work or study, your hometown, home and accommodation, daily routine, food and cooking, weather, music, reading, sport and exercise, shopping, transport, friends, holidays, mobile phones, films, weekends, hobbies, clothes, birthdays, social media, sleep, plants and gardens, noise, learning languages.

Work or study

1. Do you work or are you a student?
2. What do you like most about your job or your studies?
3. Is there anything you would like to change about it?
4. Do you think you will do the same kind of work in five years' time?

Your hometown

1. Where is your hometown?
2. What do you like about it?
3. Has your hometown changed much since you were a child?
4. Would you like to live there in the future?

Home and accommodation

1. Do you live in a house or an apartment?
2. Which room do you spend the most time in?
3. What would you change about your home?
4. Do you plan to live there for a long time?

Daily routine

1. What is your daily routine like?
2. Which part of the day do you enjoy most?
3. Do you prefer to plan your day or be spontaneous?
4. Has your routine changed in recent years?

Food and cooking

1. What kind of food do you like?
2. Do you enjoy cooking?
3. Do you prefer eating at home or eating out?
4. Is there any food you didn't like as a child but enjoy now?

Weather

1. What's the weather usually like where you live?
2. What's your favourite kind of weather?
3. Does the weather affect your mood?
4. Do you check the weather forecast every day?

Music

1. What kind of music do you like?
2. When do you usually listen to music?
3. Did you learn to play an instrument as a child?
4. Do you prefer live music or recorded music?

Reading

1. Do you enjoy reading?
2. What kinds of things do you read?
3. Do you prefer paper books or e-books?
4. Did you read a lot when you were younger?

Sport and exercise

1. Do you play any sports?
2. How do you usually stay fit?
3. Which sports are popular in your country?
4. Did you do much sport at school?

Shopping

1. Do you enjoy shopping?
2. Do you prefer shopping online or in stores?
3. What was the last thing you bought?
4. Do you ever buy things you don't need?

Transport

1. How do you usually travel around your city?
2. Do you think public transport is good where you live?
3. Do you enjoy driving?
4. How could transport in your city be improved?

Friends

1. How often do you see your friends?
2. What do you usually do together?
3. Do you prefer having a few close friends or many friends?
4. Have you kept in touch with your school friends?

Holidays

1. Where did you go on your last holiday?
2. Do you prefer relaxing holidays or active holidays?
3. Do you like to travel alone or with others?
4. Where would you like to go next?

Mobile phones

1. How often do you use your phone?
2. What do you use it for most?
3. Could you live without your phone for a week?
4. Do you think people use their phones too much?

Films

1. Do you like watching films?
2. What kind of films do you enjoy?
3. Do you prefer watching films at home or at the cinema?
4. Is there a film you have watched more than once?

Weekends

1. What do you usually do at the weekend?
2. Do you prefer busy or quiet weekends?
3. What did you do last weekend?
4. Are weekends different now from when you were a child?

Hobbies

1. Do you have a hobby?
2. How did you start it?
3. How much time do you spend on it?
4. Is there a hobby you'd like to try in the future?

Clothes

1. What kind of clothes do you usually wear?
2. Do you care about fashion?
3. Do you wear different clothes at work and at home?
4. Where do you usually buy clothes?

Birthdays

1. How do you usually celebrate your birthday?
2. Do you think birthdays are important?
3. What was your best birthday?
4. Do you like giving birthday presents?

Social media

1. Which social media apps do you use?
2. How much time do you spend on social media each day?
3. Do you post photos online?
4. Do you think social media is good for friendships?

Sleep

1. How many hours do you usually sleep?
2. Do you ever have a nap during the day?
3. What do you do if you can't sleep?
4. Do you sleep differently at weekends?

Plants and gardens

1. Do you have any plants at home?
2. Did you grow plants when you were a child?
3. Do you like visiting gardens or parks?
4. Do you think every home should have plants?

Noise

1. Is the area where you live noisy or quiet?
2. What kinds of noise do you find annoying?
3. Do you prefer studying in silence or with some noise?
4. Do you think cities are getting noisier?

Learning languages

1. How many languages can you speak?
2. How did you learn English?
3. What's the most difficult thing about learning English?
4. Would you like to learn another language?

How to answer Part 3 questions

Part 3 is where higher bands are won. The examiner wants to hear you discuss ideas, not just describe your own life.

1. Give your view: "I'd say that…", "In my opinion…"
2. Explain why: "The main reason is that…"
3. Add an example: "For instance, in my country…"
4. Show the other side: "Having said that, some people argue…"

Use general language (people, society, governments, young people) and speculate about the future (it's likely that…, I imagine…).

IELTS Speaking Part 3 questions by topic

Each set below follows one of our Part 2 cue cards, just as in the real test.

A person who has inspired you

• What qualities make someone a good role model?
• Do famous people have a responsibility to set a good example?
• Are role models more important for children or adults?
• How has social media changed who young people look up to?

A place you would like to visit in the future

• Why do people enjoy travelling to other countries?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of tourism for local people?
• How has travel changed in the last twenty years?
• Should famous places limit the number of visitors?

A book that you enjoyed reading

• Do people read less than they used to?
• What are the benefits of reading for children?
• Will printed books disappear in the future?
• Should schools let students choose what they read?

A memorable journey you have made

• What are the most popular ways to travel in your country?
• Is it better to travel by car or by public transport?
• How might travel change in the future?
• Why do some people dislike travelling?

A skill you learned that is useful to you

• What skills do young people need to find a good job?
• Should schools teach practical skills like cooking and managing money?
• Is it easier to learn new skills as a child or as an adult?
• How has technology changed the way people learn skills?

A time when you helped someone

• Why do some people volunteer without being paid?
• Are people less helpful to strangers than in the past?
• Should schools require students to do community service?
• Who should help elderly people: families or the government?

A gift you gave to someone

• Why do people give gifts?
• Is it better to give money or a present?
• Do people spend too much money on gifts nowadays?
• How are gift-giving customs changing?

An important decision you made

• Who should young people ask for advice about important decisions?
• Do people make better decisions as they get older?
• Should parents make decisions for their teenage children?
• Why do some people find it hard to make decisions?

A piece of technology you find useful

• How has technology changed the way people communicate?
• Do older people find it difficult to use new technology?
• Are we too dependent on technology?
• What new technology do you think will be important in the future?

A festival or celebration that is important in your country

• Why are traditional festivals important?
• Have festivals become too commercial?
• Should children learn about festivals from other cultures?
• How do people celebrate differently now compared with the past?

A time when you were late for something

• Is being on time more important in some cultures than others?
• Is it ever acceptable to be late for work?
• How can people manage their time better?
• Has technology made people more or less punctual?

A restaurant or café you like

• Why do people eat out more than they used to?
• Is fast food a problem in your country?
• Should restaurants show calorie information on menus?
• How have people's eating habits changed in recent years?

A teacher who influenced you

• What makes a good teacher?
• Will online learning replace teachers?
• Should teachers be paid more?
• Is it better to study in small classes or large ones?

A goal you would like to achieve

• Is it important for young people to set goals?
• Do people give up on their goals too easily?
• Should companies set goals for their employees?
• Are personal goals more important than career goals?

A time when you changed your mind

• Why do people sometimes refuse to change their opinions?
• Is changing your mind a sign of weakness or strength?
• How do advertisements try to change people's minds?
• Should politicians change their minds when public opinion changes?

A building you like

• Should old buildings be protected or replaced with modern ones?
• What makes a city attractive to live in?
• Who should decide what new buildings look like?
• How might homes be different in the future?

A family member you spend a lot of time with

• How have families changed in your country in recent years?
• Should grandparents help to raise children?
• Do children spend enough time with their parents nowadays?
• Is it better to live near your family?

An outdoor activity you enjoy

• Do children spend less time outdoors than in the past?
• Why are outdoor activities good for people's health?
• Should cities provide more parks and open spaces?
• Are dangerous outdoor sports worth the risk?

A piece of good advice you received

• Who do young people usually ask for advice?
• Is advice from family better than advice from professionals?
• Do people trust advice they find online?
• Why do some people ignore good advice?

A time when you got lost

• Do people rely too much on GPS and map apps?
• What should tourists do to avoid getting lost?
• Are cities in your country easy to find your way around?
• How have maps changed over time?

A film that made an impression on you

• Why are films from some countries popular around the world?
• Should governments support their local film industries?
• Will people still go to cinemas in the future?
• Do films influence how people behave?

A historic place you have visited

• Why is it important to learn about history?
• Should historic sites charge entry fees?
• How can museums attract more young people?
• Is history taught well in schools?

Something you did that made you proud

• Should parents praise their children often?
• Do people feel proud of different things at different ages?
• Is it important to win in competitions?
• How can teachers motivate students?

A park or garden you like to visit

• Why are parks important in cities?
• Should more land be used for parks or for housing?
• Who should pay to maintain public parks?
• Do people value nature more than in the past?

A time when you had to wait for a long time

• Are people less patient than they used to be?
• How can businesses reduce waiting times for customers?
• Is it acceptable to jump a queue in an emergency?
• Has technology made people more impatient?

A hobby you enjoy

• Why do people need hobbies?
• Are hobbies more expensive than they used to be?
• Can a hobby become a career?
• Do men and women have different hobbies?

A news story you found interesting

• How do most people get their news today?
• Can people trust the news they see on social media?
• Should children watch the news?
• Is there too much bad news in the media?

Something you bought recently that you are happy with

• Do people buy too many things they don't need?
• Is online shopping better than shopping in stores?
• How do advertisements influence what people buy?
• Should products be designed to last longer?

A website or app you use often

• How has the internet changed the way people learn?
• Should children's use of the internet be limited?
• What are the risks of sharing personal information online?
• Will the internet replace libraries?

A time when you learned something new from a friend

• Is it easier to learn from friends or from teachers?
• What can older people learn from younger people?
• Why is it important to keep learning as an adult?
• Should employers pay for staff training?

Practise these questions now

• IELTS speaking mock test: a full Part 1–3 test with an examiner voice
• IELTS speaking practice sets with timers and a recorder
• Pronunciation by first language