IELTS Speaking Part 1 - Topics, Questions and Sample Answers

The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam has two versions to it – Academic and General Training version. Moreover, it has four modules to it Writing, Listening, Reading and Speaking. The blog here will discuss the Speaking Module, various parts, specifically Part 1.

Various parts of the IELTS Speaking Module

The IELTS Speaking module consists of the following three parts:

Part 1 - Introduction Based Questions

Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking module comprises basic introductory questions and questions based on three topics. These questions ask about your likes and dislikes. It is important to give valid reasons for your answers as each question might have a ‘Why?’ part to it as well. The examiner might ask 9 to 12 questions based on these three different topics. These topics are general. This part lasts for four to five minutes.

Part 2 – Cue Card Topic

Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking module is based on a Cue Card Topic. This topic is again general and the part does not test specific in-depth knowledge of the candidate about this topic. The examiner will hand over a notebook and pencil to the candidate to write notes on. The examiner will also give one minute of preparation time to the candidate to prepare the topic. Then, the candidate is expected to speak on this cue card topic continuously for about two minutes. Therefore, this part of the speaking module will last for three to four minutes.

Part 3 – Discussion Based Questions

Part 3 of the IELTS speaking module will test your ability to do an in-depth discussion on the Cue Card Topic presented to you in Part 2 of the speaking module. This part will comprise four to five questions which will be based on the Cue Card Topic in Part 2 of the speaking exam. The candidate is expected to answer these questions in-depth. They are expected to discuss their opinions and present valid reasons for their opinions in the answers to these questions. The candidate is also expected to answer these questions at length. Part 3 of the speaking module will last for another four to five minutes.

Also read : how to get 8 band in IELTS speaking

IELTS speaking Part 1 Topics

The blog will now further talk about the general topics on which the questions in this part can be asked. A few of these general topics have been presented below:

• Flowers
• Study
• Work
• Art
• Hometown
• Books
• Job
• Holidays
• House
• Noise
• Politeness
• Celebrities
• Bags
• Chocolates

Also read : IELTS speaking module part 2

IELTS speaking Part 1 Questions

This section of the blog will discuss the various types of questions that can be asked in Part 1 of the Speaking Module. In this section, we will cover questions based on three general topics that have just been discussed above.

Study

Q 1: Do you study or work?
Q 2: What are you studying?
Q 3: What subjects are you studying?
Q 4: Which subjects do you like?
Q 5: Why do you like these subjects?
Q 6: Which major are you studying?
Q 7: Why did you choose this major to study?
Q 8: What do you like about this major of your study? 

Also read : Easy tips to prepare for IELTS speaking module

Bags

Q 1: Do you like bags?
Q 2: What kind of bags do you like?
Q 3: Do you carry a bag with you while going out?
Q 4: Do you carry a different bag for different purposes?
Q 5: What do you usually carry in these bags?
Q 6: What kind of bags do women like to carry?
Q 7: What kind of bags do you usually like to buy?
Q 8: Why do you like to buy bags you usually buy?

Hometown

Q 1: What is the name of your hometown?
Q 2: Where is your hometown located?
Q 3: Is your hometown a big or small city?
Q 4: What does your hometown look like?
Q 5: What special places are there to see in your hometown?
Q 6: Is your hometown a historical place?
Q 7: How long have you been living there?
Q 8: Would you like to change something about your hometown?

Also read : IELTS speaking questions

IELTS speaking Part 1 Sample Answers to questions

This section of the blog will try to give sample answers to the above questions on the three topics that have been written.

Study

Q 1: Do you study or work?
A 1: I am currently studying on a full-time basis.
Q 2: What are you studying?
A 2: At the moment, I am studying Bachelor of Science at the local Government College for Girls in Sector 11, Chandigarh.
Q 3: What subjects are you studying?
A 3: In the Bachelor of Science I am currently studying, I have taken up Science subjects like Physics, Chemistry and Zoology.
Q 4: Which subjects do you like?
A 4: I am mostly interested in studying Zoology as a subject.
Q 5: Why do you like these subjects?
A 5: I like studying Zoology because I would like to study animal life, its evolution, classifications, structures etcetera.
Q 6: Which major are you studying?
A 6: I am studying Physics, Chemistry and Zoology subjects as my major subjects as  part of my Bachelor of Science degree.
Q 7: Why did you choose this major to study?
A 7: As I have always been interested in knowing the scientific reasons behind all the phenomena, therefore, I chose to study science subjects for my Bachelor’s qualification.
Q 8: What do you like about this major of your study? Etcetera……
A  8: The best thing about studying my majors is that they help me in investigating all the scientific reasons behind the various natural phenomenon. I also like to study Zoology and the animal world, especially the evolution part of it.

Also read : 5 mistakes to avoid in IELTS speaking

Bags

Q 1: Do you like bags?
A 2: Yes, I like to carry bags for myself.
Q 2: What kind of bags do you like?
A 2: I usually like to carry tanned coloured leather bags for myself.
Q 3: Do you carry a bag with you while going out?
A 3: Yes, I usually carry a bag with me whenever I am going out of the house for any kind of work.
Q 4: Do you carry a different bag for different purposes?
A 4: Yes, I carry a different bag for different occasions. It depends on what occasion I am going for. If I am leaving for the market for shopping, I usually carry a less expensive bag. But if I am going to a wedding, then I usually carry a leather bag with me. 
Q 5: What do you usually carry in these bags?
A 5: I usually carry my personal things like my mobile phone, a diary, my wallet, a pen and a little bit of cash in my bag.
Q 6: What kind of bags do women like to carry?
A 6: Most of the time women like to carry leather bags with them. These leather bags can be branded or non-branded.
Q 7: What kind of bags do you usually like to buy?
A 7: I usually like to buy leather bags that are generally branded. When it comes to colour, I like to buy tanned brown bags.
Q 8: Why do you like to buy the bags you usually buy?
A 8: I am most of the time interested in buying bags that have a long shelf life and run for a longer time. Mostly, I am interested in buying branded leather bags as these can be kept for very long time.

Also read : IELTS speaking part 1 topics & questions

Hometown

Q 1: What is the name of your hometown?
A 1: I come from the town of Patiala, which is located in the Punjab state of India.
Q 2: Where is your hometown located?
A 2: My hometown Patiala is located in the north-western state of Punjab in India. It is located east of the Capital Chandigarh of Punjab.
Q 3: Is your hometown a big or small city?
A 3: My hometown Patiala is a medium-sized town with all the basic facilities like Hospitals, Schools, Shopping Malls and Bazaars etcetera present there.
Q 4: What does your hometown look like?
A 4: My hometown has a royal look to its buildings. As it is also known as the Royal City of Punjab, the majority of the buildings have an architecture that represents the erstwhile Royal State of Patiala. The buildings are in the shape of old Havelis and exhibit exquisite and beautiful looks.
Q 5: What special places are there to see in your hometown?
A 5: You can always visit various special places like the Gurudwara Dukhniwaran Sahib, Sheesh Mahal, Lakshman Jhoola, A.c. Market, Moti Bagh Gurudwara and Moti Bagh Palace etcetera. You can also go to Adalat Bazaar, Qila Mubarak, Leela Bhawan, Juttiyan Wala Bazaar etcetera for shopping.
Q 6: Is your hometown a historical place?
A 6: Yes, my hometown Patiala is a historical place with numerous historical buildings present there.
Q 7: How long have you been living there?
A 7: I have been living in Patiala for a long time now, which is almost 25 to 30 years.
Q 8: Would you like to change something about your hometown?
A 8: Yes, I would like to bring more parking places for vehicles in my hometown as it has a shortage of parking spots owing to an increasing number of vehicles. I would also like to widen the roads of my hometown, especially in the old city as well as update the facilities in Rajindra Hospital.

Also read : IELTS speaking CUE cards