IELTS Speaking exams Part 1 questions Home (Your Accommodation) What kind of housing/accommodation do you live in? Do you live in a house or a flat? (If you answer you haven t lived there long) What s the difference between where you are living now and where you have lived in the past? Can you describe the place where you live? Which room does your family spend most of the time in? How long have you lived there? What do you usually do in your house/flat/room? Do you plan to live there for a long time? Are the transport facilities to your home very good? Please describe the room you live in.? Do you prefer living in a house or a flat? What part of your home do you like the most? Teachers Do you have a favorite teacher? Do you want to be a teacher in the future? What kinds of teachers do you like? Do you think teachers should be angry at students or not? Can you describe your high school teacher?
What s the different between young and old teachers? Foreign food Have you ever tried foreign food? Do you like to try new food? What kinds of new food have you tried recently? What kinds of foreign food are popular in your country? Do you like any food from the countries near China? Study time What time do you like to study? What s the best time for you to study? Do you like to study alone or with your friends? Who do you usually study with? Watch How often do you wear a watch? What was your first watch like? What kinds of watches do you like to wear? Do people still wear watches in your country? Celebrity Who is your favorite celebrity in China? Would you want to be a celebrity in the future? In general, how do people become famous?
What kinds of people become famous? Do you think, to be famous, a person needs to have some special talent (or ability)? Sports Do you like to watch sports on TV? Do you play any sports? Do you have a favorite sports star? What kinds of sports are popular in China? What kinds of sports would you like to try in the future? Letters Do you write many letters? Do you prefer to write letters by hand or to use a computer? What do you usually write about? Who do you usually write to? Is it hard to think of what to write? How do you feel when you receive a letter? Do you think people will still write letters in the future? Friends Do you remember your friends in primary school? why? What do you do with friends? How do you make friends? Do you have many friends?
Do you like chatting with friends online? Dictionary How often do you use your dictionary? Do you like paper dictionary or electronic dictionary? What kinds of dictionaries have you used before? How will dictionaries change in the future? Being bored What will you do when you feel bored? When you were young, what would you do if you felt bored? What kinds of things are boring to you? Do you think young people are more likely to get bored? App What kinds of apps do you often use? What kinds of apps would you like to have in the future? What s the most popular app in your country? What was the first app you used? Do old people in your country like to use apps? Travel (space travel) Do you want to travel in the outer space? What would you do if you had that opportunity? Do you think it s necessary to see other planets?
When was the last time you went travelling? Do you like to travel by air? Transportation What s the most popular means of transportation in your hometown? Can you compare the advantages of planes and trains? How often do you take buses? Is driving to work popular in your country? Would you ride bikes to work in the future? Do you prefer public transportation or private transportation? Do you think people will drive more in the future? What will become the most popular means of transportation in China? Punctuality How do you remind yourself to be on time? Why are some people always late? Do you think it is important to be punctual? What will you do if you are waiting for someone? Do you think people these days are as punctual as they were in the past? Physical exercise What kinds of exercises do you do? Do you think children should play sports regularly? What was your favorite sport when you were young? Do you like extreme sports?
What kinds of exercises are popular in your country? High school Do you like your high school? Which subject you like most? and dislike? Do you still contact with your friends in high school? What is your high school like? What happened on your first day of high school? Dream job What was the dream job for you when you were young? Have you changed your mind on your dream job? What do you plan to do in the future? What kinds of jobs are popular in China? Have you had full-time or part-time job before? Plants Do you keep plants at home? What plant did you grow when you were young? Do you know anything about growing a plant? Do Chinese people send plants as gifts? Animal Why do some people keep pets at home? What kinds of animals do you like?
Have you ever had a pet before? Do you like to see animals in the zoo? What is the most popular animal in China? Gift How often do you buy others gifts? Do you like to send expensive gifts? What kinds of gifts are popular in your country? Why do people send gifts? Names Do you like your name? Does your name have any special meaning? What kinds of names are popular in China? Are there many Chinese people who have the same name as you? Is there any tradition about naming babies? Advertisements Are there many advertisements in your country Why do you think there are so many advertisements now? How do you feel about advertisements? What are the various places where we see advertisements? Family How often do you meet with your family?
How do you spend the time with your family? Do you want to live with your family in the future? Are you close to all of your family members? How has your family influenced you? Hometown What s (the name of) your hometown (again)? Is that a big city or a small place? How long have you been living there? Do you like your hometown? Is there anything you dislike about it? What do you like (most) about your hometown? (Possibly) Do you like living there? Please describe your hometown a little. Do you think you will continue living there for a long time? Music When do you listen to music? How much time do you spend listening to music every day? What kinds of music do you like to listen to? What s your favorite kind of music? Have you ever been to a concert before? Work or study Why did you choose to do that type of work (or, that job)?
(Possibly)? Do you miss being a student? Is it very interesting? Do you like your job? Why did you choose to study that subject? / Why did you choose to study those subjects? Is it very interesting? What subject(s) are you studying? Do you prefer to study in the mornings or in the afternoons? (Possibly)? Are you looking forward to working? Do you like your subject? (Why?/Why not?) Sleep How many hours are you asleep for every day? Is it necessary to take a nap every day? Do old people sleep a lot? Why? What time do you usually go to bed? Do you always have a good sleep? Outdoor activities What do you do in your spare time? Do you like outdoor activities? What outdoor activities do you (most) like to do? How often do you do that? What outdoor sports do you like? (Why?) How much time do you spend outdoors every week?
How often do you do outdoor activities? News/newspaper Do you often read newspapers? Are you very interested in the news? Why do you want to know the latest news? How important is it to you to get the news every day? What sort of news are you most interested in? Which do you prefer reading, magazines or newspapers? What kinds of (types of) newspapers (or magazines) do you usually read? How old were you when you first started to read newspapers? Do you think it s important to read newspapers? (Why?/Why not?) Why do (you think) people read newspapers? What different types of newspaper are there in China? Do you care about the news? Spare time What do you usually do when you are free? Do you like to spend time with your family? What do you and your family like to do in spare time? Do you think you will spend more time with your family? Save money Did you save money when you were young?
Have you ever given money to other children? Do you think parents should teach children to save money? Do parents give children pocket money in China? Rainy days Does it rain much in China? (Where? When?) Is there any part of China where it doesn t rain much? When (in what month/season) does it rain most in your hometown? In which season does it rain most in other parts of China? Can you remember any time when it rained particularly heavily in your hometown? Map Do you often use maps? Who taught you how to use a map? Do you prefer electronic map or paper maps? Boat Have you ever travelled by boat? Do you like boats? Would you like to have your own boat? Is boat trip popular in your country?
Part 2 Cue card and Describe a country or city where you want to live or work in the future Where the country or city is. Why you want to live or work there Who you like to live or work with What you do to achieve your dreams follow up questions: Do you like to live alone or share a room with others? What are the advantages and the disadvantages of living alone? What are the advantages of working abroad? What are the disadvantages of living in a foreign country? Would you like to live in a developed city with high salary, but with polluted air? Describe an interesting job that you want to have in the future What it is How you can find this job What qualities it requires And explain why it is an interesting job Is it hard to find an interesting job in China? What kinds of preparation should people do for a job interview? Why do some people keep changing their jobs?
What should a good employer do? How would you define an interesting job? Describe a useful skill you learned in a math class from your primary/high school What the skill was How you learned it Who taught you And why it was useful to you Can computers help us in math areas? What is the first subject learned by children in China? What methods can be applied to make math class more interesting? How do you use math in your daily life? Do you think everyone needs to learn math? Describe a time when someone visited your home Who he or she was When it happened What you did How you felt about the visit
Do young people like to visit their friends nowadays? What do Chinese people usually do when hanging out together? Do you think technology has brought us closer or not? What time do you think is suitable for visiting? How do you make new friends? Describe a time that you wore a type of clothes for a special occasion What the occasion was What you wore Where you bought the clothes And what other people at the occasion thought of your clothes Does personality affect how people choose what to wear? When should people wear formal clothes? Do people wear formal clothes more often than before? What clothes do university students wear for their graduation ceremonies? Where can you buy formal clothes in China? Describe a situation when you had to be polite What situation it was Who were there Why you had to be polite
How you showed politeness Follow up questions Are Chinese people becoming much politer or not? In what ways do Chinese people show politeness? What are the uncivilized manners on public transportation? What would you do when this happens? Should people show politeness to friends? Describe someone who is a good parent Who this person is How you know this person What this person does Explain why you think this person is a good parent If you were a parent and you were busy at work, would you take care of your children on your own or hire a babysitter? Do you think it s fair to let mothers take care of children all the time? Some teenagers don t like to be controlled by their parents, what do you think? What are the drawbacks if the children are looked after by their grandparents? In your country, who will take care children? Do you think you ll be a good parent?
Describe a trip that you went on by public transportation Where you went What means of transportation you took Who you were with How you felt about the trip part 3 In what ways can we fix traffic problems? Is fair to limit the use of private cars? Should governments encourage people to use public transportation? What s the most popular means of transportation in your country? Do you prefer public or private transportation? Why? Describe a childhood friend of yours When you met him/her Where you met him/her What you did with your friend How you felt about the friend Follow up questions Is it important to have friends for children? Do you still keep in touch with friends in your childhood? For teenagers, do you think they should have lots of friends or just few good
friends? Are teenagers more influenced by their peer or their parents? How would you maintain friendship with a friend who s richer than you? Describe a website you like to visit When you found it What it is about How often you visit it And explain why you like this website What are the reasons why people use the internet? Some people say that different age groups have different tastes on internet content, what do you think? What influence can (or, does) the internet have on children? And what about teenagers? Do you think parents should control what websites their children visit? What (kinds of) people don t use the internet and what are the disadvantages that these people suffer because they don t use the internet? Describe someone who is talkative Who this person is How you know this person
What this person likes to talk about How you feel about this person What communication skills are important? Are you talkative? Are most Chinese people talkative? What jobs need employees to be talkative? Should children be encouraged to talk more? Describe a good photo of you taken by someone Where it was taken When it was taken Who took it for you Why it was unforgettable for you Do you like taking photos? Why do some people like taking photos, some don t? Would you like taking photos with strangers? What would you say when you see an undesirable picture? What kind of picture would you like to hang in your bedroom? Describe a public place that you think need improvements
Where this public place is What it is like Why you think it needs improvements And how to make it better Are there many public places in China? Do you like to exercise in the public places, such as parks? Do older people or younger people prefer exercising in the public place? What measures should governments and individuals take to keep public places clean? How to keep a balance between public places and private houses? Describe an unusual meal you had Who you were with Where you went When it happened Why it was unusual Do you think having dinner at home is a good idea? Do young people like to spend time with their families or friends? What do you think are the benefits of having dinner together?
Do you think people are less willing to cook meals by themselves these days, compared to the past? Describe a favorite song of yours What this song is about When you listened to this song for the first time How often you listen to this song And explain why you think it is your favorite part 3 What type of songs is the most popular among today s young people in china? Why do you think pop music is so popular? What kinds of songs do elders prefer? Why is square dancing music so loud? Has your preference in music changed over the years? Describe a sport that you have watched (on TV) before and you want to try What it is When you first watched the sport What you like about the sport And explain why you would like to try this sport
Why do old people like to watch sports on TV? Are there many sports programs on TV? How often do you play sports? Should children spend more time playing sports? Do you think group sports are more useful than individual sports? Describe a TV program What the TV program is How you know it What it is like Why you like it Do young people like to watch TV nowadays? What kind of TV programs do young people like? Do you think TV will be replaced by computers? What do you think of TV advertisements? What TV programs are popular in your country? Describe something you own that you want to replace What it is Where it is How you got it And explain why you want to replace it
Follow up What are other things that you want to replace? What kinds of things do young people like to replace? Do old people in China like to hoard things? Who do you think will want new things, children or old people? What s the difference between new things and old things? Describe a party that you joined When it took place Where it was Whose party it was What you did there And how you felt about the party Follow up questions What do children often do in a birthday party? What do adults do at parties? Do Chinese people like to hold parties? Should parents spend a lot of money on their children s birthday parties? Do you think people can make more friends if they often attend parties? Describe an interesting subject that you learned at school
What the subject was What your teacher was like How long you learned this subject And explain it was interesting to you Do you think schools should spend money on subjects such as PE and art, science? What subjects do you think are the most important? What subjects should be taught in high school in the future? In what ages do you think students can make decisions about choosing art or science subjects? Is science more important than art in your school? Describe a competition you want to take part in What the competition is How you knew it What you need to prepare for it And explain why you want to attend it There are many competition programs on TV nowadays, why? Do you think competition is important at work places? What kinds of jobs or work should not involve competition? What kinds of competitions are popular in your hometown?
What do you think of those who lose in a competition? Describe a time that you were shopping in a street market. When it was What you bought How you felt about the shopping experience Where do you like to go shopping? Why do some people prefer street markets over shopping malls? Do you think the goods sold at discount stores do not have good values/qualities? Do you like shopping in big malls? What do some people like to buy expensive goods? Describe an important event that you celebrated What it was Where it happened Why it was important How people felt about it Do you like to plan for an important meeting or activity? Who is the most important person in your life?
In your country, do you think good appearance is important while finding a job? What is the most important thing for being a teenager? What events do Chinese people like to celebrate? Describe a quiet place you found Where it is When you found it How you found it How often you go there What it is like How you felt about the place part 3 Is it hard to find quiet places in cities? Why is it quieter in the countryside? How would you deal with noisy neighbors? Do you think cities are much noisier than before? Compared with young people, do old people tend to live in quiet places? Describe an occasion when you helped a person What the situation was Who you helped How you helped
And explain how you felt after giving help Do you like helping others? In your view should children be taught to help others? How can we encourage children to help others? Do you think people are less willing to help others these days, compared to the past? How can charitable organizations help people? What do you think are the benefits of having unpaid volunteer workers? Describe a subject that you like most What it is Where you study/studied it What you have learned from it And explain why it is your favorite What subjects are less practical in everyday life? What subjects are practical in everyday life? Do you think students should have the right to choose the subject that they want to study in university? Do you think art subjects are less useful than science subjects? What kinds of new subjects would emerge in the future?
Describe a historical period that you are interested in What the historical period is How you know it What happened during that period Why you find it interesting Follow up Do young people like historical stories in your country? Which historical period do you think is important in your country? Do you think history matters in a country s future development? What is the effective way of learning history, by reading books or watching videos? Why should we learn history? Describe a new development (such as new roads, shopping centers) that appeared in your town or city What it was When it was developed Where you saw it And how you felt about it How do old people spend their money?
Do old people choose the same types of transportation as young people? Where do Chinese people like to go on weekends? How do you think of the transportation system in your hometown? What s the best means of transportation? Describe a building you like Where it is What it is used for What it looks like And explain why you like or dislike it How do people in China feel about old buildings? Do old people and young people in China have the same attitudes towards old buildings? Is it important to preserve old buildings? (Why?) What aspect of culture do old buildings reflect? How do old buildings affect the appearance of a place? Describe something important that you lost in the past When this happened Where you lost it What it was
What you did after it was lost And explain why it was important What kinds of people may lose things often? What can we do to prevent losing important things? What would you do if you saw something valuable but didn t belong to you on the street? What kinds of things have you lost so far? What do you usually do to look for lost items? Describe a special day that you went out but didn t spend much money What day it was Where you went What you did Who you were with Follow up questions Do teenagers spend much more money than before? How can people save money as much as possible? Did you ever have bad shopping experience? Why is online shopping so popular these days? Do you think you can buy something from a physical store without money?
Describe a time that you saved money for something When it was Why you saved money How much you saved How you felt about it Do young Chinese like to save money? Why do some people like to save money? What is the best way of saving money? What are the consequences of not saving money? Do you agree with the idea that the more you save, the better life will be? Describe a good service you received What the service was When you received it Who you were with How you felt about it What kinds of service are not good? How do you deal with impolite waiters? Do you think that all the waiters should be given training classes?
Would you like to work in the service industry in the future? Why do some older people want to be waiters in the big cities? Describe a memorable story told by someone Who told you the story When you heard the story What the story was about Why you found it memorable What kind of stories do children like? Do you think it s important for parents to read bedtime stories for their children? Do you think reading benefits us or not? How to keep reading habits in your busy life? What books would you recommend young people to read? Describe a time that you had to change your plan/ you changed your mind When this happened What made you change the plan What the new plan was And how you felt about the change
part 3 Do old people often change plans? Do young people like to change plans? What are the common reasons when people need to change plans? How would you tell your friends when you must change your plan? What kinds of plans are practical? Describe a popular person Who the person is What kind of person he or she is Why you think this person is popular How this person influences the public What are the qualities of being popular? Do you know any popular star who really likes helping other people? Do you think children should imitate their idols? What influences do popular stars have on teenagers? Do you think popular stars have more freedom or less freedom? Describe a leisure facility(cinema, theater, sports center) you would like to have in your home town What it is Where it is
When you go there And how you feel about it Would people change their way of entertainment as they grow older? What do young people do for fun? Do you think entertainment methods will be home-based in the future? What kinds of leisure facilities are popular in your country? Do you think it s important to take some time off work or study and do some leisure activities? Describe an interesting animal What it looks like When you saw/knew it for the first time Where it lives and explain why it is interesting part 3 Have you seen any TV programs about animals? What should we do to protect endangered animals? Do you support doing experiment on animals? Why do some people refuse to eat animals? What would happen when some species disappear on earth?
Describe something interesting that your friend has done but you haven t What it was Where your friend did it When your friend did it And explain why it was interesting Are people influenced more by their friends or their parents? Are people influenced by famous people? Do you think more and more people become more self-centered? Why are there many self-centered people? What have you learned from your friends? Describe a trip that you plan to go on in the near future Where this place is Who you would like to go with What would you do there and explain why you would like to go there What do you need to consider while making a travel plan? Some people think travel experience depends on how much you spend, do you agree?
Do you prefer to stay at home or go travelling during holidays? Do you like to travel with a group or on your own? Describe a magazine that you like What the magazine is When you started reading this magazine What the content is And explain why you like this magazine What kinds of magazines are the most popular? Do men like to read fashion magazines? Do people read magazines for fun or for learning? Do you like to read news magazines? Do you think journalists are subjective in their reports Describe a famous person/celebrity in your country Who this person is How you know about this person What sort of life they had before they became famous How this person became famous And explain why this person is important.
How do people become famous? What types of people become famous in your country? What qualities do (all or most or many) famous people have in common? Do you think people are famous as a result of some real talent or are they famous for some other reasons? What are the good points about being famous? Describe a place in your city or town that you like to visit with your friends Where this place is When was the last time you went there Who you like to go with And explain why you like to go there Where do Chinese people like to travel? Is there a difference between young people s preference and old people s preference? Do you think interpersonal skills are more important than studying? What kinds of group activities do Chinese people like to participate? What are the advantages and disadvantages of travelling with friends? Describe something you do to keep you concentrated What it is
How often you do it When you started doing it And explain why it helped you concentrate Is it important for children to learn how to concentrate? What can employers do to help employees concentrate? What kinds of jobs require higher concentration at work? Have you ever felt difficult to concentrate? What kinds of distractions are bothering you in your life? Describe a (good) decision someone made Who made it What was the decision When it was made And explain why it was a good decision Should children make decisions on their own? How should parents help their children make decisions? Do parents in your country make decisions for their children? Who will be helpful when making decision in your country? Do you think it is advisable listening to others advice when making decision? When young people are to make a decision, should they listen to some advice?
Describe a popular comic actor/actress in your country Who he/she is How you knew him/her What comedies have he/she performed And explain why he/she is popular Should actors be paid more? What influences do actors or actresses have on young people? Are there many Chinese who want to work as an actor? Can you name another comic actor in your country? Who are more popular in China, TV stars or movie stars? Describe an important river/area of water in your country How long the river is Where it is What it looks like Why it is important Do people like that river in your country? Do you like any activities on water?
Is it necessary for everyone to learn swimming? Do people in your country go to swim in their spare time? Describe a famous athlete you know Who he or she is How you know him or her What he or she has achieved Do teenagers like exercising in your country? Would you like to stay at home or going outside for holiday? Do you think physical education is necessary? Why? How do you think physical classes affect children s development? What kind of exercises do Chinese people like? Describe your favorite season of the year What it is When it is What you do Why you like it Do you think weather has an influence on people s mood?
Do you like to go outside when winter comes? How you feel about the climate in recent years? What can we do to stop greenhouse effect? What are the possible results if temperature continues going up? Describe a piece of technology (not computer-related) you like to use What the technology is When it was invented What it is used for How you feel about it Do you like to use new technology? Does technology deeply affect people s life? Is there any difference between technology in cities and in small towns? Do you agree that men are more obsessed with new technology than women? How to teach older generation to use new technology? Do you think that technology always has positive effects? Describe something you enjoy doing with an old person in your family What it is How often you do it Who you do it with
Why you enjoy doing it with this person How much time should parents spend with their children every day? Do young people like to live with old people in your country? What s the most important thing that young people can learn from old people? Do people nowadays spend less quality time for their family? Do Chinese families like to arrange indoor or outdoor activities? Describe a happy experience you had before Where you were When it happened Who you were with What you did And explain why you felt happy What s the relationship between money and happiness? Do you think money is important? Do most Chinese people think that money is important? What do you do to make yourself happy? Why are children generally happier than adults? Describe a piece of furniture
What it is Where it is What it looks like(or what it is made of) And explain how or why you use it In your country, where do people buy the furniture for their homes? What factors do people need to consider when buying furniture for the home? Why do some people like to buy expensive furniture? Do you think the style is important? What s the difference between furniture in the office and furniture at home? Describe a toy you had in your childhood When you had the toy Who gave you the toy What it was like How you felt about the toy Why do children like to have toys in their life? Do children like to play with toys or computer games nowadays? What can parents do if they can t afford a toy for their kids? Do girls and boys like the same toys? What do you think the advantages and disadvantages of having too many toys at
home? Describe the time when you received your first cellphone When it was Where you were Who gave you the cellphone What it was like How you felt about it For children, what age do you think is suitable to allow them to use cellphones? Is it popular for children to use cellphones in your country? What do teenagers in your country use cellphones for? What are the advantages/disadvantages of using cellphones? Why are many people addicted to apps? Describe a perfect vacation (away from home) you would like to have in the future Where you want to go When you would like to go What you can do for the vacation Who you would like to go with And explain why it would be perfect for you? Do you like short holidays or long holidays?
Do you think modern lifestyles give people enough time for leisure? What s the most popular tourist attraction in China? What s the most important factor for a tourist attraction? Do you think we should have more public holidays? Visit recentieltsexam.com for more Recent exam question