IELTS speaking Part 1 topics and questions

IELTS speaking part 1 at a glance.

IELTS speaking has three sections or parts. Part 1, part 2, and part 3. Part 1 is the easiest of all which gives the candidate an opportunity to speak with confidence and impress the examiner.

There is a fixed set or frame in IELTS speaking part 1 where the examiner asks the candidates some 4 to 8 questions on different topics. These topics are of general interest. 

Before starting the test, the examiner collects information about the candidates by asking familiar questions about himself, study, work, family, or hometown. After that, the examiner will ask certain questions by choosing a particular topic.

IELTS speaking part 1 common sample topics  

  1. Introduction
  2. Home town
  3. Family
  4. Goal
  5. Leisure time activities
  6. Friends
  7. Newspapers
  8. Tourism and travelling
  9. Game and sports
  10. Movies
  11. Festivals 
  12. Food and cooking
  13. School 
  14. Television 
  15. Neighbors
  16. Flowers 
  17. Gifts 
  18. Traffic where you live 
  19. Favorite place 
  20. Songs  
  21. Clothes
  22. Visitors 
  23. Countries 
  24. Musical instruments 
  25. Keeping in contact 
  26. Laughing 
  27.  Cold weather
  28. Traveling to work 
  29. Telephone 
  30. Bicycle
  31. Buildings
  32. Entertainment
  33. Names
  34. Photographs
  35. Writing
  36. Shopping
  37. Work
  38. Color
  39. Television
  40. Music
  41. Study
  42. Food
  43. Names
  44. Art
  45. Age 

How to prepare for IELTS speaking part 1.

In the IELTS exam a candidate can be asked anything. There is nothing like certain topics are more frequent than others. And suppose, we believe that certain topics are more frequent than others, the students who want to get higher band score should not rely on fewer speaking topics. You have to be prepared for as many topics as possible.

To get higher band score the students need to understand how the speaking is evaluated. IELTS speaking is mainly taken by two main exam body. one is British council and other is IDP . Both the exam body have mentioned in their official page about the parameters or criteria of  how students are evaluated in IELTS speaking. 

Below are the parameters How are the students evaluated in IELTS speaking part 1.

  1. Fluency and coherence
  2. Vocabulary or lexical resources
  3. Grammatical accuracy
  4. Pronunciation, tone, and accent.

Click here to get detailed information on evaluation of IELTS speaking part 1 as well as part 2 and 3.

Any student who want to get higher band score should strengthen above mentioned criteria. 

Now, I am providing sample questions of speaking part 1 topics together with the link where the answers of those questions are given. Keep in mind that these are only the sample examples.They are not for cramming.

You should follow below mentioned rules for each speaking part 1 topic

  • See only the questions of a particular topic and try to make answers yourself.
  • Then see the answers of them.
  • Search other websites too for more ideas.
  • Try to practice with your partner or a person who has a good command of English.
  • Focus on your fluency

IELTS speaking part 1 Sample questions of various topics

 

Introduction 

  • What would you like me to call you? Or what is your name?
  • Does your name have any special meaning?
  • How do people choose a name of a baby in your country?
  • What kind of person are you? Or what qualities do you possess?
  • What is your strength?
  • What are your weaknesses?
  • Do you like the company of other people? Why /why not?   

Hometown 

  • Where do you live? Or tell me something about your hometown.
  • What is so special about your hometown?
  • What do you like about your hometown?
  • Any dislikes?
  • Can you compare your home town with any other city or town?
  • Have you ever thought of moving from your home town? Why/ Why not?
  • Does your home town possess the basic facilities?
  • Are the people of your hometown friendly with outsides or foreigners?
  • Are there any famous places in your hometown?

Family 

  • How many members are there in your family?
  • Do your grandparents live with you?
  • Do your family members get along with each other?
  • Do you think family’s support is important for getting ahead in life?
  • Who is the closest to you among your family members?
  • Do you think living in a joint family is better than living in a nuclear family? Why/ why not?
  • What are the advantages as well as the disadvantages of living in a joint family?
  • What are the advantages as well as the disadvantages of living in a nuclear family?
  • Do you think families in the past were closer than nowadays?  Why/Why not?
  • Why do you think people live in nuclear families nowadays?

Goal 

  • What is your Goal in life?
  • Do you think goal is important in life to go ahead?
  • How have you planned to achieve your goal?
  • What is the difference between short term goals and long term goals?
  • What is the influence of family on achieving goals?
  • What is the influence of friends on achieving goals?
  • Do you think dreams and goals are different?
  • What are educational goal?
  • What are your financial goals?
  • Do you think people have fewer goals as they get older? 

Daily activities 

  • What do you do in your leisure/spare time?
  • How do people spend evening time in your hometown?
  • Is there any difference between how men spend their time as to women?
  • Do you have recreational clubs in your home town?
  • How do people spend their evening time in your hometown?
  • How do you spend a typical day?
  • Are all your days the same?
  • Do you have a hectic schedule in weekdays?
  • What would you like to change in your daily routine?
  • Do your activities remain same in weekdays and weekends?
  • Are you able to balance your work/study and leisure in your daily routine? Why/Why not?
  • Do sometimes people get bored with the same routine life?
  • How can we get refreshments in this?
  • How do you usually spend your weekends?
  • Do you enjoy your weekends? Why?
  • Which is your favorite part of weekend?
  • Are your weekdays and weekends are same?
  • Do you think your weekends are long enough?
  • How important you think is to have free time at the weekends?
  • How do you compare time of your weekend with your parents?

Friends 

  • Who is your best friend? Why?
  • What qualities of a person makes him good/best friend?
  • How often do you go out with your friends?
  • What do you normally do when you go out?
  • How friendly are you with your neighbors?
  • Which is more important to you, friends or family?
  • Are most of your friends of your age or different age?
  • Does age make difference in making friends? 
  • What activities do you do when you are together?
  • How often do you meet your friends?
  • Can people from different age group be friends?
  • In what ways the friends are important to you?
  • What did you do when you last saw each other?
  • What is the difference when a child makes friends and any adult make friends?
  • Are social media friends real friends? Why/ why not?

Newspapers 

  • Do you read any newspaper? Why?
  • Do you prefer to read newspaper in your mother tongue? Why /why not?
  • Which newspaper is your favorite?
  • Are you interested in particularly articles or sections?
  • Do you read a news paper in foreign languages too? Why? Why not?
  • Do you think reading a newspaper is good way to learn the language?
  • What other benefits do we get?
  • What is the difference between newspapers and magazines?
  • What are the famous newspapers and magazines of your country?

Travelling 

  • Do you like travelling? Why/ Why not?
  • Have you done much travelling?
  • Which is your favorite holiday spot?
  • Do you like travelling alone or with other people?
  • What do you think are the benefits of travelling alone?
  • What about travelling in a group?
  • Do you like the same places now which you liked as a child?
  • Where would you like to go in future?
  • Do you like to travel with your friends or family? Why?