Ielts speaking questions

                    IELTS  Speaking Questions    Your HCPI IELTS Specialist                    SPEAKING SET 1  Page of 35     Part 1  ● ● ● ● Are your friends mostly your age or different ages? Do you usually see your friends during the week or at weekends? The last time you saw your friends, what did you together? In what ways are your friends important to you?       Part 2    Describe an interesting historic place.  You should say:  What it is  Where it is located  What you can see there now  and explain why this place is interesting.        Part 3  ● How people in your country feel about protecting historic  buildings? ● Do you think an area can benefit from having an interesting historic  place locally? In what way? ● What you think will happen to historic places or buildings in the  future? Why? ● How were you taught history when you were at school? ● Are there other ways people can learn about history, apart from at  school? How? ● Do you think history will still be a school subject in the future? Why?                               SPEAKING SET 2    Page of 35       Part 1    ● ● ● ● ● What kinds of food you like to eat? What kind of new food would you like to try? Do you like cooking? What was the last meal you cooked? Do you prefer home-cooked food or food from restaurants?     Part 2    Describe an interest or hobby that you enjoy.  You should say:  How you became interested in it  How long you have been doing it  Why you enjoy it   and explain what benefits you get from this interest or hobby.      Part 3    ● Do you think having a hobby is good for people’s social life? In what  way? ● Are there any negative effects of a person spending too much time on  their hobby? What are they? ● Why you think people need to have an interest or hobby? ● In your country, how much time people spend on work and how  much time on leisure? Is this a good balance, you think? ● Would you say the amount of free time has changed much in the last  fifty years? ● Do you think people will have more or less free time in the future?  Why?                           SPEAKING SET 3  Page of 35       Part 1  ● ● ● ● ● Do you have any hobbies or interests?  How did you become interest in (whatever hobby/interest the  candidate mentions)? What is there to in your free time in your hometown? How you usually spend your holidays? Is there anywhere you would particularly like to visit? Why?   Part 2    Describe a river, lake or sea which you like.  You should say:  What the river, lake or sea is called  Where it is  What the land near it is like   and explain why you like this river, lake or sea.      Part 3  ● What people enjoy doing when they visit rivers, lakes or the sea?  Why you think these activities are popular? ● What benefits you think people get from the activities they enjoy in  the water? ● What are the different advantages of going to the sea or to a  swimming pool to enjoy yourself? What you think the  disadvantages are? ● How does water transport, like boats and ships, compare with other  kinds? Are there any advantages/disadvantages of water transport? ● How important is it for a town or city to be located near a river or the  sea? Why? ● Have there been any changes in the number of jobs available in  fishing and water transport industries, you think? Why you think  this is?                         Page of 35 SPEAKING SET 4          Part 1  ● ● ● ● ● What place you most like to visit? How often you visit this place? Why you like it so much? Is it popular with many other people? Has it changed very much since you first went there?        Part 2    Describe a useful website you have visited.  You should say:  What the website was  How you found the address for this website  What the website contained   and explain why it was useful to you.        Part 3  ● What effect has the internet had on the way people generally  communicate with each other? ● Why you think the internet is being used more and more for  communication? ● How reliable you think information from the internet is? Why? What  about the news on the internet? ● Why you think some people use the internet for shopping? Why  doesn’t everyone use it in this way? ● What kinds of things are easy to buy and sell online? Can you give me  some examples? ● Do you think shopping on the internet will be more or less popular in  the future? Why?                     Page of 35 SPEAKING SET 5        Part 1  ● ● ● ● ● Do you have a large family or small family? Can you tell me something about them? How much time you manage to spend with members of your  family? What sorts of things you like to together? Did/Do you get on well with your family?     Part 2    Describe a teacher who has influenced you in your education.  You should say:  Where you met them  What subject they taught  What was special about them   and explain why this person influenced you so much.        Part 3  ● How has education changed in your country in the last 10 years? ● What changes you foresee in the next 50 years? ● How the expectations of today’s school leavers compare with  those of the previous generation? ● What role you think extracurricular activities play in education? ● What method of learning works best for you? ● How beneficial you think it is to group students according to their  level of ability?                             Speaking Set 6    Page of 35       Part 1  ● ● ● ● Tell me about the most important festival in your country What special food and activities are connected with this festival? What you most enjoy about it? Do you think festivals are important for a country?     Part 2    Describe a film or a TV programme which has made a strong impression on you.  You should say:  What kind of film or TV programme is was  When you saw the film or TV programme  What the film or TV programme was about   and explain why this film or TV programme made such an impression on you.        Part 3  ● Do you think the cinema has increased or decreased in popularity in  recent years? ● In your opinion, will this trend continue into the future? ● What are the advantages and disadvantages of making films of  real-life events? ● How important you think it is for a film-maker to remain true to the  original story? ● Should films and television be censored or should we be free to  choose what we see? ● How you think censorship laws will change in the next 20 years?                           SPEAKING SET 7      Page of 35   Part 1  ● ● ● ● What would you suggest a visitor should see and in your country? Are there any traditional arts or music you would recommend? Tell me about the kind of foreign visitors or tourists who go to your  country In what ways has tourism changed your country?       Part 2    Describe a memorable event in your life.  You should say:  When the event took place  Where the event took place  What happened exactly  And explain why this event was memorable for you.        Part 3  ● How important are ceremonies in our lives? ● Do you see the role of private and public ceremonies changing in the  future? ● Have attitudes to marriage changed in recent years? ● In what ways men and women feel differently about marriage, in  your opinion? ● What sort of national events make headlines in your country? ● Do the media in your country pay more attention to global or national  events?                           SPEAKING SET 8        Page of 35 Part 1  ● ● ● ● What would you like to change in your daily routine? Are all your days the same? Tell me about your typical weekday and your typical weekend What is the balance of work/study and free time in your normal day?       Part 2    Describe something you own which is very important to you.  You should say:  Where you got it from  How long you have had it  What you use it for  And explain why it is so important to you.          Part 3  ● What kinds of possessions show status in your country? ● Do you think it was different for your grandparents? ● Modern society is often called “materialistic.” Why you think this is? ● Do you think consumerism is positive or a negative development? ● What is the role of advertising? ● How you think the Internet will affect buying patterns in the future?                                   SPEAKING SET 9        Page of 35 Part 1  ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Which part of your country are you from? Can you describe your hometown for me? Who you live with? Do you spend much time with your family? What you like to on the weekend? Why are you studying English? How long have you been studying English?     Part 2    Describe a famous person that has/had great influence on the people of your  country.  You should say:  Who that person was  What the person did  How you feel about that person  … and consider whether or not that person will continue to be an influence in the  future.      Part 3  ● Famous people often become role models for teenagers How  significant is this? ● Do actors and models get too much attention in the media? ● Should people lose the right to privacy just because they are famous? ● If you could meet anyone famous (dead or alive) who would it be and  why? ● In your opinion, certain personality types handle fame or attention  better than others? ● Do you feel that there should be restrictions placed on actors  according to their age or sex?                         Speaking Set 10      Page 10 of 35   Part 1  ● ● ● ● What kind of place is your home town or village? What’s the most interesting part of your town/ village? What kind of jobs the people in your town/village do? Would you say it is a good place to live? Why?       Part 2    Describe something you own which is very important to you.  You should say:  ● where you got it from ● how long you have had it ● what you use it for and explain why it is important to you.        Part 3  ● Is it valuable in terms of money? ● Would it be easy to replace? ● What kind of things, give status to people in your country? ● Have things changed since your parents’ time? ● Do you think advertising influences what people buy?                                         Speaking Set 21    Page 21 of 35     Part 1    ● ● ● ● ● ● Who is your best friend? Why you call this person your best friend? What makes this friend closer than your other friends? Do you think it is better to have a large group of friends or a few close  friends? Describe what you and your friends like to Have you remained friends with people from your childhood? Why or  why not? How people choose their friends? ●       Part 2    Describe a relative who you are like.  You should say:  ● who the relative is and how close you are to them ● what makes you and your relative alike ● why you think you and your relative have these shared qualities     Part 3    ● Do you enjoy spending time with relatives? Why or why not? ● Which of your relatives you spend the most time with? ● Who you spend the least amount of time with? ● When you and your extended family gather? ● What types of traditions you and your relatives have? ● Do you think family members are more important than friends? ● Is there anyone in your life who is not related but is considered part of  the family anyway?                     Speaking Set 22      Page 22 of 35 Part 1    ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Do you have a job? Do you like it? Why or why not? Why did you choose this job? What kind of education or training did you need to get this job? If you don’t have a job, what kind of job would you like to have? Why would you like this kind of job? How can you prepare yourself to get this kind of job? How people choose jobs?     Part 2    Describe a holiday that you have celebrated recently.  You should say:  ● what the purpose of the holiday is ● who you celebrated with ● why this holiday is important to you and describe some activities that you did as part of the celebration.        Part 3    ● What are some important holidays in your country? ● Why people celebrate holidays? ● Do you think holiday celebrations have changed over the years? Why  or why not? ● Do you think the importance of holiday celebrations has changed  over the years? Why or why not? ● How will holidays be different in the future?                             Speaking Set 23      Page 23 of 35     Part 1    ● ● ● ● ● What kind of food you enjoy eating? What are some kinds of food you never eat? Why? Do you generally prefer to eat at home or at a restaurant? Why? What are some reasons that people eat at restaurants? Describe a popular food in your country Why people like this food?     Part 2    Describe a teacher from your past that you remember.  You should say:  ● what class the teacher taught you and how old you were ● what the teacher’s special qualities and characteristics were ● why you remember this teacher       Part 3    ● What kind of person makes a good teacher? ● Why people choose to become teachers? ● Do you think education will change in the future? How? ● How does technology affect education?                                           Speaking Set 24  Page 24 of 35     Part 1    ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Where you live now? Who you live with? What kind of place you live in? (a house or a flat?) Do you think it’s better to live in a house or an apartment? Describe your neighborhood Do you like it? Why or why not? How people choose their place to live?       Part 2    Describe a gift you have received that was important to you.  You should say:  ● who gave it to you and for what occasion ● what it looks like and how you use it ● why it is important to you       Part 3    ● Do you enjoy giving and receiving gifts? Why or why not? ● Who usually gives you gifts? ● Who you give gifts to? ● In your country when people usually give gifts? ● What kinds of gifts they give? ● Do you think gift-giving customs are different now than they were in  the past? How? ● Do you think they will change in the future? How?                         Speaking Set 25    Page 25 of 35       Part 1  ● ● ● ● ● ● ● What’s your name? Where you live? What family members you with? What are you studying? What you like about your studies? What you like about learning English? How often you use English?       Part 2    Describe a city you have visited which has impressed you.  You should say:  - where it is situated - why you visited it - what you liked about it   Do you like cities generally?  Would you like to live in the city you spoke about?        Part 3    ● What are the advantages of living in a big city? ● What you think are the negative aspects of crowded cities? ● Describe the architectural designs in your country ● Describe the transport system in your country                               Page 26 of 35 Speaking Set 26          Part 1  ● ● ● ● ● ● What’s your name? What nationality are you? What part of your country you come from? Can you describe your home town/village? What you like doing in your free time? Are there any new hobbies that you would like to take up? Why?       Part 2    Describe a competition (or contest) that you have entered.  You should say:  - when the competition took place - what you had to - how well you did it describe how you felt about the competition.    Do you enjoy entering competitions?  Have you entered any other competitions?        Part 3  ● competition at a young age ● competition at school ● value of international competitions ● the psychology of competing ● competitive spirit                           Page 27 of 35 Speaking Set 27        Part 1  ● ● ● ● ● ● What country you come from? Which other countries have you visited? Are there any countries you would like to visit? Why? What you find difficult about traveling? What you enjoy about traveling? What is your preferred method of travel?     Part 2    Describe a job that you have done.  You should say:  - how you got the job - what the job involved - how long the job lasted describe how well you did the job.      Do you value the experience you had in this job  Would you consider doing the same type of job again?      Part 3  ● What are the advantages of young people working? ● Describe the different types of part-time work available in your  country ● How people in your country choose a career? ● How you motivate people to work? ● Which you prefer, job security or having more than one career?                         Speaking Set 28    Page 28 of 35   Part 1  ● ● ● ● ● ● ● What town or city you come from? Can you describe your family home? What does your family usually at the weekend? Do you like going out with your family? Why? Where would you like to take a holiday? Why? Who would you most like to go on holiday with? What was the best holiday you’ve ever had?     Part 2    Describe a museum or art gallery that you have visited.  You should say:  - where it is - why you went there - what you particularly remember about the place   Do you like museum/art galleries?  Would you recommend this one to other people?        Part 3    ● Discuss the need for museums and art galleries in your society ● How you make museums more interesting? ● Compare Museum art VS Popular Art ● Graffiti – art or vandalism? ● What you think is the role of public artworks, e.g statues and  buildings in the society?                             Speaking Set 29    Page 29 of 35       Part 1  ● ● ● ● ● ● What part of your country you come from? How long how you lived there? How you like to travel around? What types of restaurants are there in your city/town/village? Which is your favorite? Why? What sort of food your parents like to eat?       Part 2    Describe an enjoyable event that you experienced when you were at school.  You should say:  - when it happened - what was good about it - why you particularly remember this event   Did you enjoy your time at school?  Would you recommend your school to others?        Part 3  ● Single sex VS Co-educational schools ● School uniforms ● The teacher as authority or friend ● The role of the teacher in the language classroom ● Education VS Training                             Speaking Set 30    Page 30 of 35   PART 1    ● How much time you spend with friends? ● What kinds of things you like to with your friends? ● What kinds of work or studies your friends do? ● What does being a good friend mean to you?   PART 2    Describe a party you went to which you enjoyed.  You should say:  Where the party was  Why the party happened  Who was at the party  And explain why you enjoyed the party.      PART 3    ● What kinds of social events are most popular in your country? ● Do  you  think  it  is  a  good  idea  for  colleagues  at  work  to  spend  time  socially together? ● What changes have there been recently in social life in your country? ● Would  you  agree  that  technology  can  have  negative  effects  on  the  way people spend their leisure time?                                         Speaking Set 31    Page 31 of 35     PART 1    ● What subject did you find most interesting when you were at  school? ● Apart from classes, what else did you enjoy at school? ● Do you think that you will stay friends with people from your  school? ● What study or training would you like to in the future?   PART 2    Describe a holiday you would like to go on.  You should say:  What place you would like to go to  How you would like to get there  What you would like to while you were there  And explain why you would like to go on this holiday.      PART 3    ● Which places in your country you think visitors would enjoy  visiting most? ● What are the benefits of going away on holiday? ● What kinds of benefits might a significant increase in tourist  numbers bring to a location? ● What developments affecting international travel might there be  in the future?                           Speaking Set 32        Page 32 of 35 PART 1    ● What sorts of food you enjoy eating most? ● Do you spend much time shopping for food? ● Which you prefer, eating at home or eating in restaurants? ● Do you think people should be careful about what they eat?   PART 2    Describe a town you have enjoyed visiting.  You should say:  Why you went to the town  Why you saw there  What you did there  And explain why you enjoyed visiting the town.      PART 3    ● What are the kinds of things people like to when visiting towns  and cities? ● Why many people prefer to live in cities rather than in the  countryside? ● Can you identify some of the main problems of living in large  cities? ● What measures could be taken to reduce problems of  congestion in cities?                             Speaking Set 33          PART 1  Page 33 of 35   ● When did you start to learn English? ● What you enjoy about learning languages? ● Apart from classes, what are useful ways to practice a language  that you are learning? ● How you plan to use your English in the future?   PART 2    Describe a film you found interesting.  You should say:  When you saw this film  Why you decided to se this film  What happened in the film  And explain why you found this film interesting.      PART 3    ● Which you think is more enjoyable, watching films in the  cinema or watching TV programmes? ● Do you think that cinema films should have an educational  value? ● Is it important for governments to support film-making in their  countries? ● In what ways you think that entertainment media may  develop in the future?                           Speaking Set 34      PART 1    Page 34 of 35 ● ● ● ● What hobbies and interests are popular in your country? Which hobbies or interests you enjoy? Which hobbies or interests did you have when you were a child? Do you think parents should encourage their children to have a  hobby or interest?     PART 2    Describe the job you most like to have.  You should say:  What this job would be  Where you would work  Which qualification you would need  And explain why you would like to have this job most.      PART 3    ● Which jobs are most respected in your country? ● Do  you  think  schools  provide  enough  advice  and support about  future careers? ● What  changes  have  there  been  in  recent  years  in  employment  in your country? ● Do  you  agree  that  pay  for  a  job  should  reflect  the  level  of  contribution to community the job makes? Page 35 of 35