IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics & Questions and Valuable Preparation Tips

Get ready to master IELTS Speaking Part 1 with this article!

We’ll delve into what to expect in IELTS Speaking Part 1, provide valuable preparation tips, and present a comprehensive list of common topics and questions to help you approach your exam with confidence and flair.

Take this guide to make a memorable impression!

What is IELTS Speaking Part 1?

IELTS Speaking Part 1 is a face-to-face interview with an examiner that lasts 4–5 minutes. It consists of 12 questions based on 3 topics, typically related to you, your life, and your country.

Preparation Tips:

• Think about:
  • Daily life
  • Recent memories
  • Childhood experiences
  • Opinions
  • Popular things in your country
• Focus on being natural and conversational; avoid memorizing answers.

In the following sections, we will firstly provide a list of common topics for IELTS Speaking Part 1, along with essential insights and example questions to enhance your preparation. By understanding the types of questions—descriptive, opinion-based, experience-related, hypothetical, and evaluative— you can effectively tailor your responses to a variety of subjects. Practicing answering those questions will ultimately build your confidence and improve your fluency, making your IELTS Speaking experience more successful.

Remember, practice makes perfect!

Common Topics for IELTS Speaking Part 1:

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

Example of Most Common IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics:

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?
• Would you change your job if given the chance?
• Do you plan to continue with your job in the future?

Study:

• What do you study?
• Where do you study?
• 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 classmates?
• What was your first day like?
• What are the main aspects of your subject?
• Would you change your subject if given the chance?
• Do you plan to work in the same field as your subject?

Note: Be honest if you don’t work or study; the examiner will ask about your home or hometown instead.

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 can a foreigner do or see in your hometown?
• How could your hometown be improved?
• Has your hometown changed much since your childhood?
• Is there good public transportation in your hometown?
• Is your hometown a good place to raise children?

Home:

• Where is your home?
• Do you live in a house or a flat?
• Who do you live with?
• How many rooms are 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 near your home?
• What is your neighbourhood like?
• Do most people in your country live in houses?

Art:

• Are you good at art?
• Did you learn art at school?
• 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 benefit from visiting art galleries?

Bicycles:

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

Patterns Found in Common Questions

From the examples above, we can identify several patterns in the types of questions asked in IELTS Speaking Part 1. Recognizing these patterns can help you prepare effectively and adapt to other topics not explicitly covered. Here are the common patterns:

Question Type	Descriptions	Example Questions
Descriptive Questions	Ask about specific facts or details of your life.	What is your job?
		Where is your hometown?
		What kind of art do you like?
Opinion-Based Questions	Require you to share your thoughts or preferences.	Do you like your job?
		Is art popular in your country?
		Do you think children benefit from visiting art galleries?
Experience-Based Questions	Focus on your past experiences and memories.	What was your first day like?
		How did you celebrate your last birthday?
		How old were you when you learned to ride a bike?
Hypothetical or Future-Oriented Questions	Encourage you to speculate or discuss future plans.	Would you change your job if given the chance?
		Do you plan to live there in the future?
		Do you plan to work in the same field as your subject?
Suggestions or Improvements	Ask for your ideas on changes or recommendations.	How could your hometown be improved?
		Should bicycles be encouraged?
Comparative or Evaluative Questions	Prompt you to analyze or assess.	Is your hometown a good place to raise children?
		Is it a popular job in your country?

How to Generalize to Other Topics

You can generalize to other topics not explicitly listed. For instance:

Topic	Question Type	Example Questions
Technology	Descriptive Questions	What kind of technology do you use?
	Opinion-Based Questions	Do you think technology has improved our lives?
	Experience-Based Questions	When did you first use a smartphone?
Travel	Hypothetical Questions	Would you like to travel abroad in the future?
	Comparative Questions	Is traveling by train better than flying?
	Suggestions	How could public sports facilities be improved?
Sports	Hypothetical Questions	Would you like to try a new sport?
	Comparative Questions	Which is more popular in your country, football or basketball?
	Suggestions	How could sports education be improved in schools?