IELTS Speaking Test | Sample Questions And Answers

The first part of the IELTS speaking test takes about 4-5 minutes. During this part you will be asked questions about your family, studies, work, friends, hobbies etc.

It doesn’t require a lot of practice to do well in the IELTS speaking test. All that you need to do is to familiarize yourself with the kind of questions that could be asked. While answering, avoid monosyllabic answers like ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Here are some questions that could be asked. Sample answers are also given.

Part 1

Examiner: Can you tell me your full name?

Candidate: Sure. My full name is ………………..

Examiner: Tell me something about the city you live in.

Candidate: I live in Delhi. It is the capital of India. Delhi is an old city with a rich cultural heritage. It is known for its monuments.

Examiner: Tell me something about the apartment you live in. What do you like about it?

Candidate: I live in a rented apartment. It is a nice little place to live in. The one thing that I like most about my apartment is its balcony where I spend my evenings listening to music. I can also host small parties on my balcony.

Examiner: Is there anything you don’t like about your apartment?

Candidate: I like my apartment, but sometimes I feel that I should move into a bigger home. In my apartment, there is hardly enough room for my things and me.

Examiner: Do you have a hobby?

Candidate: Yes. Collecting stamps is my favourite hobby. I think stamps are windows to the world. They tell us a lot of things about the history and civilization of the countries they come from.

Examiner: Do you enjoy watching English films?

Candidate: Oh yes. I like English films because they are the most technologically advanced. I watch them mostly for the special effects, but sometimes I enjoy the storyline too.

Examiner: What do you like about your city?

Candidate: I like several things about my city. For instance, in my city the people are very warm and friendly. They make you feel at home.

Examiner: Is there anything you don’t like about your city?

Candidate: Yes. In my city the traffic system is very congested. It is well connected by roads and rail, but during peak hours you can hardly reach your home or office in time.

Examiner: Do you like your name?

Candidate: Well, not really but there is nothing I can do about it.

Examiner: Have you ever wanted to change your name?

Candidate: Yes, sometimes. But changing a name involves many legal procedures which I am not very comfortable with. That’s why I have decided to stick to the name my parents have given me.

Part 2

Examiner: Now in this part, you should talk about a topic for one minute. You can take a minute to make some notes before you speak. Here is a pencil and some paper for you, and here is the topic card. I would like you to describe a skill you have learned successfully.

Candidate: I’ll talk about driving. I guess that is the most important skill I have learned in my life. I’ve been driving for about six years now. I learned how to drive when I was sixteen. My dad used to have a small car, but he couldn’t drive. So whenever we wanted to go out, we had to get someone to drive the car. Of course, this was not always possible. So I decided to learn driving. I joined a driving school and learned the basics in a few weeks. I got my license when I was eighteen. I bought a car after I moved to Delhi. Till date it is my most expensive possession. Now I drive every day. Driving in Delhi was not easy in the beginning but I soon got used to it. I think it was the formal training I received in the driving school that helped me become a good driver.

Examiner: Could you teach this skill to anyone else?

Candidate: Of course. I have already taught my sisters to drive.

Part 3

Examiner: Now in this part, I will ask you a few more general questions about the topic you have just talked about. In your opinion, what are the most important qualities of a trainer?

Candidate: Well, a good trainer must have a lot of patience. He should be able to explain things in a way that others can understand easily. He must be able to find joy in helping people learn. In my opinion, these are the most important qualities of a good trainer.

Examiner: Organizations now spend a lot of money in training. Why is it that?

Candidate: Well, organizations that want to retain their competitive advantage should invest in training their staff. Technology is developing at such a fast pace. If employees are not provided with the necessary training they will not be able to perform their jobs efficiently. What’s more, employees are also more likely to stay with an organization that helps them hone their skills through training.

Examiner: Do you think schools and colleges prepare young people well for their future employment?

Candidate: Well, I don’t quite think so. Many skills taught at schools and universities do not improve a person’s employability. Students are often taught useless information that won’t be very useful for them in the future. I’m not saying that theoretical knowledge is not important. It probably is, but in my opinion schools and colleges also need to impart vocational training.

Examiner: Thank you. That’s the end of the test.