Speaking Part 1
Speaking Part 1
The IELTS Speaking Test is the final part of the exam. Your test will usually be at
some time between 1.30pm and 5.00pm. You can take only your ID document
into the exam room.
Preparation is the key to a good score in IELTS Speaking. Different skills are
tested in each part, so you need to know exactly what to do.
We can predict the kinds of questions that the examiner will ask. We will
prepare ideas, possible answers and good vocabulary for each part of the test.
Do the 3 parts of the speaking test carry equal weighting when your score is
calculated, or is one part more important?
The simple answer is that the 3 parts are not scored separately; the examiner
rates the student's performance as a whole. In this sense, neither part is more
important. However, it's useful to think about the 3 parts like this:
What should you do if you don't understand a question in the speaking test?
Here are my tips:
Part 1
In part 1, the examiner is not allowed to help you, but he/she can repeat the
question. Just say: "Sorry, can you repeat the question please?" If you still
don't understand the second time, try to say something related to the topic or
any of the words that you heard. Try your best, then focus on the next
question.
Part 2
You are given a task card with the question written on it, so you shouldn't have
any problems in this part. If there is a word that you don't understand on the
task card, don't ask the examiner - he/she is not allowed to help.
Part 3
In this part of the test, the examiner is allowed to rephrase the question. If you
don't understand, just say something like: "Sorry, can you explain that question
in a different way please?"
Many people agree that the secret of success in the Speaking test is being
confident and creative person. Does it mean that others will fail? Not at all!
This test is PREDICTABLE. Use the following tips to prepare yourself to what’s
coming and the confidence will come.
Speak without long pauses (when you are trying to think of something to
say)
Understand what the examiner asks you and confirm that by answering
accordingly.
Demonstrate how many "smart" words you know.
Use all the tenses when you speak - past, present, future – and use them
correctly.
Pronounce the words correctly. For example the word “culture” should
sound like “kolcher”, not “kultur”.
Important! Accent has nothing to do with pronunciation, so it will not
affect your score.
Keep it simple!
This tip refers to the whole Speaking test. Don’t start long and complicated
sentences if you don’t know how to finish them! Keep your sentences simple,
and words - understandable. If you make grammatical error – it’s ok to correct
yourself, but don’t overdo it, you must sound fluent.
When you hear a question, your mind automatically draws an image with the
answer. You can describe this image in your own language, but when you start
to describe it in English, suddenly you don’t have enough words in your
vocabulary. So try to think of what part of that image you can describe, do it
and stop there. Don’t let yourself show what words you don’t know by saying
incomplete sentences.
The first part of the Speaking test is the Interview. You enter the room, see the
examiner, say “Good morning!” and smile. He or she asks to see your passport
and to sit down. If he/she offers to shake your hand – do it, otherwise – don’t.
Your body language is important here, it must show that you are relaxed and
confident. When you are talking, try to make eye contact with the examiner as
much as you can. During the interview the examiner asks you questions about
yourself, your work, studies, parents, brothers/sisters, pets, etc. Your answer
to each question should consist of one or two sentences; try not to answer
with just “Yes” or “No”. After all it’s your English they want to hear.
This is an easy task to prepare for. Read carefully the following questions and
answers, and you will get a very clear picture of what will happen.
Possible questions and answers
The first part of the IELTS Speaking Test lasts around 4 to 5 minutes. The
examiner asks about 10 questions related to you, your daily life and your
interests. Common topics are hobbies, family, friends, food, music etc.
Part 1 questions are supposed to be easy, and the examiner must get through
all of the questions in 5 minutes or less. That's only about 30 seconds per
question. If you try to give long answers, the examiner will interrupt you. My
advice is to keep Part 1 answers very simple:
I prefer home-cooked food because I think it's healthier and you know
exactly what you're eating. I also enjoy cooking for family and friends.
You don't need to say any more than this. Just answer the question with a full
sentence, give a reason, and maybe add one extra piece of information. Then
stop speaking. Stop with confidence and look at the examiner, ready for the
next question.
Example answers:
Note: Don't ask the examiner: "Do you mean in my country or here in
England?" - it doesn't matter. Don't worry if you have a job and study at the
same time - you can mention both.
Have a look at the answers below. It is a good example of how to do IELTS
Speaking Part 1.
How do you answer questions about a topic that you are not interested in? For
example, many people have no interest in dancing, so what should they say?
The best advice: just tell the truth. It's fine to say you don't like something.
Read the examples below:
No, I don't like dancing. I'm not a big music fan, and dancing just makes me feel
uncomfortable and self-conscious.
No, I've never been interested in learning to dance, so I've never taken any
lessons or asked anyone to show me how to do it.
5 Simple Rules
Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking test is supposed to be easy. You don't need to give
'difficult' answers, and you should try to avoid making mistakes.
Yes, I like parks because they are great places to relax. If you live in a city, a
park is often the only place where you can escape from the noise and the
traffic.
Common Part 1 Topics
'Neighbors' topic
I know my neighbours quite well. They're really nice people, and I always
stop to talk whenever I see them. I think it's important to get on well
with the people who live next door.
I think the most common problem is probably noise. It's difficult to live
next to people who have a dog that barks at night, or who play loud
music or have too many parties.
I don't really have a favourite room. But if I had to choose, I'd say the
living room because that's where I go to sit and relax.
3. Would you change anything about your home? Why / why not?
Yes, I'd definitely move again at some point if I could afford to. I'd like to
live in the countryside, or maybe in a different city or country.
‘Numbers’ Topic
Yes, my favourite number is... because it's the day I was born on, and it's
my lucky number.
Yes, certain ages are special. For example, your 18th birthday is
important because it's when you are considered to become an adult.
No, I'm not very good at remembering numbers. I don't think it's
necessary to learn them by heart; I just save them on my phone.
‘Hometown’ Topics
For the moment I'm happy living here, but at some point I'd like to live in
a country with a warmer climate, and I'd like to live near a beach!
4. Do you think your home town is a good place for young people? (Why?)
Yes, Manchester has lots of things for young people, such as sports facilities,
music and cinemas.
‘Friends’ Topic
3. The last time you saw your friends, what did you do together?
It was one of my friends' birthday last weekend. Six of us went out for a
meal to celebrate.
I think it's important to have friends that you can talk to and share
experiences with. My friends make me laugh, but I know I can also rely
on them whenever I need help or support.
‘Reading’ Topics
Yes, I like reading a lot. I read all sorts of things, including novels,
newspapers, magazines, and online articles.
3. What was your favourite book or story when you were a child?
The first book that I remember really enjoying was '..........'. It only took
me a few days to read because I liked it so much that I couldn't put it
down.
‘Study’ Topics
Yes, I like studying because it's the best way to gain a deeper insight into
any subject. I like reading, learning from others, and trying to
understand difficult concepts.
4. How do you feel if someone disturbs you when you are studying?
‘Walking’ Topics
I'm not one for going on really long walks in the countryside, but I don't
mind walking when I'm in a town or city, for example when I'm
sightseeing in a new place.
2. Do you think walking is important?
Yes, I think it's important to be active, and walking is the most basic
physical activity that we can do.
3. Do you think walking in the countryside is better than walking in the city?
Personally, no. As I said before, I like walking in the city, especially if it's
somewhere with a lot of history like London or Paris.
I suppose the main issues are space and safety. Pavements need to be
wide enough to accommodate lots of pedestrians, and we need safe
places to cross the street.
‘Parks’ Topics
Yes, I like parks because they're great places to relax or go for a walk. I
think every city needs some green space where people can escape from
the crowds.
Parks are like an oasis where people get away from the hustle and bustle
of city life. They are where people go to have lunch, to take some
exercise, or to forget about work for a while.
The parks in big cities are already really good in my opinion. If I think
about the famous parks in London, Paris or New York, I can't imagine
what I would do to improve them.
‘Maps’ Topics
I imagine that some people use a map every day if they travel to
different places for work. Others might only use a map when they're on
holiday.
I still prefer paper maps for a long journey; I like being able to open the
map out on a table and see the full journey ahead.
Only if I'm really lost. Whenever I ask for directions, I find it difficult to
remember what the person said. So I prefer to find my own way.
‘Games’ Topics
Not regularly these days. I play the occasional game of tennis with my
brother-in-law, and I recently played a bowling game on the Nintendo
Wii with my nephew. I wasn't very good at it.
Yes, it's really important, especially for children. I think research has
shown that play can improve brain development, intelligence, creativity,
and the ability to cooperate with others.
‘Travel’ Topics
I prefer to travel by car because it means that I have my own space. Also,
the buses and trains in my city are usually overcrowded; my car is much
more comfortable.
I probably spend about an hour and a half travelling to and from work. I
travel during the rush hours, so there is quite a lot of traffic.
I usually listen to the radio or a CD. In the morning I like to listen to the
news to find out what is happening in the world.
Yes, as I said, I get stuck in traffic on my way to and from work. I used to
get annoyed by traffic jams, but now I'm used to them.
‘Work’ topic
I’m a qualified doctor, but at the moment I’m studying English so that I
can work in this country.
Yes, I really enjoy my job. Ever since I was a child I have always wanted
to be a doctor; I’ve always wanted to be able to help people.
3. What's the best thing about your job?
The best thing about my job is that I can make a difference in people’s
lives. It’s a great feeling to see someone recover after an illness because
my colleagues and I were able to help.
In a hospital you have to work as part of a team. I’ve got used to working
with others, and I think you can achieve a lot more as a team than you
would alone.
‘Collecting’ Topics
Some people collect cheap items like stamps, keyrings or toys. Others
collect expensive antiques, watches, jewellery or even cars.
Maybe they like the constant search for a new item, or they want to
remember past experiences. Others might like the feeling of organising
and presenting what they own.
Yes. If I could afford it, I'd love to have a collection of guitars in different
colours, shapes and sizes!
‘Cooking’ Topics
Sometimes, I like preparing a special meal for family or friends who visit,
but everyday cooking is a bit boring; it's something that has to be done,
but it's not really fun.
2. Who did the cooking in your family when you were a child?
My mother almost always did the cooking when I was young. I don't
think she trusted my father to make a nice meal.
I'm not sure whether it's important to cook well, but I do think that
everyone should know the basics. It definitely isn't healthy to rely on
pre-prepared meals or fast food.
Yes, that's probably a good idea. If all children knew how to cook a few
basic, healthy meals, that would surely be a good thing.
‘Laughing’ Topic
I laugh most when I'm with friends talking about funny things that have
happened to us. I also like watching comedians and comedy films.
Yes, it's a nice feeling when you can make someone laugh because you
can see that you've made them happy. It's great to share a funny
moment with someone.
Yes, of course. It's important to see the funny side of things; humour
helps us not to take life too seriously. I think that laughter is good for our
health.
It's not exactly the same because you can be happy without laughing,
and sometimes we laugh when something bad has happened; a sense of
humour can help us to cope with difficult situations.
‘Emails’ topic
Yes, I write a lot of emails as part of my job. I work for a company that
has offices in several countries, so we use email to communicate.
I probably write between 5 and 10 work emails every day, and I send
emails to friends or family a few times a week.
It depends what I’m doing. I prefer the computer for most things
because it’s faster and you can save or copy things, but I still like making
notes or writing ideas down by hand.
No, I think we will always write by hand as well. I think it’s an important
skill, and schools will continue to teach children to write by hand before
they learn to type.
‘Accommodation’ Topic
I've lived there for about five years. It's the first house that I've owned;
before that I was renting an apartment.
‘Communication’ Topics
I mostly keep in touch with my family by phone, and I've started using
the Internet to make video calls. I also try to visit members of my family
in person as often as I can.
No, I don't write letters by hand because it's so much easier to send an
email that will arrive immediately.
‘Clothes’ Topics
No, clothes and fashions are not really important to me. I tend to wear
clothes that are comfortable and practical rather than fashionable.
Well, I have to dress quite formally for work, so I wear a shirt and
trousers. At home I prefer to wear jeans and a T-shirt, and on special
occasions I might wear a suit.
3. Do you wear different styles of clothes now compared to 10 years ago?
No, not really, because I don't follow fashion. I think I have dressed in a
similar way for the last 10 years.
4. Do you think the clothes we wear say something about who we are?
Yes, they probably do. Some people are really careful about what they
wear because they want to be seen as stylish. Other people wear clothes
that show wealth or status, such as clothes by famous designers.
I took some guitar lessons when I was younger and still have a guitar at
home. I don't play it much nowadays. I wish I had more time to practise.
Yes, I think it's a great skill and it's really enjoyable to be able to play a
musical instrument. All children should be given this opportunity.
‘Telephoning’ Topics
I probably make three or four phone calls every day, usually just to make
arrangements with work colleagues or to speak to family and friends.
‘Toys’ Topics
Yes, of course. I loved playing with toys when I was a child; I think all
children do.
As far as I remember, I mostly played with toy cars, planes and action
figures from films or cartoons. I also liked building things with Lego.
3. In your country, do boys and girls play with the same types of toys?
Not really. I think boys like the kinds of toys that I mentioned before,
whereas girls play with dolls. My niece, for example, doesn't like toy
cars; she prefers dressing dolls in different outfits.
Yes, I do. All toys encourage children to use their imagination and
creativity. Even with simple toys, children imagine situations and invent
games and rules.
‘Shopping’ Topics
I quite like shopping for presents for people's birthdays or for Christmas.
My favourite type of shop would have to be a bookshop.
Yes, it's very popular. Saturday is the busiest shopping day, and lots of
people treat shopping as a kind of leisure activity, rather than something
practical.
I'm not an expert on teenage behaviour, but I guess they like buying
clothes, music, gadgets... that kind of thing.
I'd like to be good at tennis. It must be great to be able to hit the ball as
hard as you can and watch it land exactly where you wanted it to.
I don't watch much sport on TV and I'm not a big sports fan, so I think I
would probably enjoy doing sports more than watching them.
Yes, I think that sport is really important for children. Sports and games
teach children to play together and try their best.