Part 1 Topics and Questions
For The IELTS Speaking Tests, May to August, 2018
Notes
The pages PAST_PART_ONE_TOPIC_INDEX.htm is also useful as a guide to when different topics were used in the past. That page is connected to PREVIOUS_PART_1_QUESTIONS.htm.
I don't always keep those four pages up-to-date so you might also need to specifically look at Part 1 pages that have not yet been added to the Past Part One Topic Index or the "All Part 1 Questions" pages. See "Older Materials" for that. This applies just to the past couple of years.
Your Home (or accommodation)
Do you work or are you a student?
WORK
What work (or job) do you do?
Do you enjoy that work?
Why did you choose to do that type of work?
Is that what you wanted to do when you were a child?
Do you work part-time, or full-time?
What do you do in that job? (= What are your responsibilities in that job?)
How long have you been working?
What did you do to get your first job? *
Did you enjoy your first day at work?
(Similar to above) How did you feel on your first day at work?
Are you friends with the people you work with with?
(Similar) Have you made many (or any) friends at work?
What time of the day do you work the best?
(Similar to above) Do you work better in the morning, or in the afternoon?
Did you have any training for this job?
Would you like to have some (or, more) training in the future?
Will you always do this job? ( = Will you continue to do this job / this type of work?)
STUDY
What subject are you studying?
Why did you choose to study that?
Do you like it (your subject)?
Do you think it will be helpful for you in the future?
Is that a popular choice among your friends?
What's your favourite subject? (for high school stds)
(Similar to above) What classes do you like the most?
Do you plan to (or, will you) continue your studies in the future?
Do you plan to (or, will you) continue studying this subject?
Where do you usually study? See Note 1
What school/university do (or, did) you study at?
Why did you choose to study at that school/university?
Have you made many (or any) friends at school/university?
Do you live in an apartment, or a house?
What’s your favourite room?
Is your home far from here (the test centre)?
Do you like where you are living now?
Can you describe your neighbourhood?
Are you planning to move house in the future?
Would you like to buy a house in the future?
Where would you like to live in the future?
Where is your hometown?
Are there any interesting places near (or, in) your hometown?
Is your hometown famous for anything?
Please describe your hometown.
How many years did you live there?
If you have finished high school, the questions will be about your high school. If you are still a high school student now, the questions will be about your primary school.
What part of high school did (do) you like the most (or, the best)? See Note 71
Are there any things you dislike(d) about those days?
Can you remember what your first day at high school was like?
How did you feel on your first day at high school?
Are you still in contact with (or, still in touch with) your friends from high school?
Which teacher was most important to you in high school?
(Similar to above) Which teacher did you like the most in high school?
Would you like to be a high school / primary school teacher?
Other Similar Questions
What's the happiest of your high school memories?
What was your favourite subject in high school?
Is (or, was) there any subject you didn't like?
Which subject did you find the most difficult?
Who helped you the most in high school?
Do you think secondary education is important?
Do you do regular (physical) exercise?
What exercise (or sports) activities did you do at school?
What sports facilities do (or, did) you have at school?
Do you think young people in your country do (or, get) enough exercise?
Will to do more exercise (or sport) in the future?
Do you like animals?
What wild animals do you like?
Main Questions
What kind of transportation did you use to come to (= get to) the test centre today??
How do you usually go to school / work?
How much time do you spend each day travelling to school / work? (How long does it take to travel to school / work?)
What do you do while you are travelling (= commuting) to school / work?
Do you prefer to travel
(commute)
by bus, or the metro (= the subway = 'the underground')?
The following questions have also been reported
What forms of public transport do you have in your hometown?
Is driving to work common in your country?
How do you think the government could encourage more people to use public transport?
Do you like holidays?
How often do you have a holiday?
Do you prefer to take long, or short holidays?
How much time do you think is appropriate for a good holiday?
(If you are working now) Do you prefer your holidays from work, or the holidays you took from school?
What do you usually do during holidays (or, on a holiday)?
Do you prefer to stay at home, or to travel during holidays?
Do you usually spend your holidays alone, or with other people?
Do you like to plan your holidays in advance?
Would you say holidays are important?
The word, "present" might be used instead of "gift".
Do you often give gifts to people?
Do you prefer giving gifts, or receiving them?
Do you find it difficult to choose a gift?
On what occasions do people give gifts to others in your country?
Do you think that parents should give gifts to their children as a reward?
Do you ever give a gift that you made yourself?
Do people care whether you give them an expensive or cheap gift?
(Similar to above) Do you prefer to choose expensive rather than cheap things when you are buy a gift?
Do you have many friends?
What do you and your friends usually do together?
Do you prefer to do things in a large group, or a small group of friends?
Will you spend more time with your friends in the future?
Do you think colleagues who work together can become good friends?
How does the internet affect your communication with (your) friends?
Did you make many friends at school/university?
Do you and your friends study together?
How often do you go out with your friends?
When did you last go out with your friends?
Do you prefer to spend time with friends, or with your parents?
Do you like to make (like making) friends?
Does it rain much in your hometown?
Would you prefer to live in a place that has a lot of rain (= a wet place), or a dry place?
Do you prefer to wear a raincoat, or use an umbrella when it's raining?
Have you ever been outside in the rain without a raincoat or umbrella?
Do you think
Do you like to travel when it’s raining?
Do you like to go out when it’s raining?
Did you ever change your plans because of rain?
Does rain have any effect on your mood?
What kind(s) of music do you prefer?
When do you listen to music?
Do you like to listen to music while you work or study?
Did you like music when you are a child?
Have your preferences in music changed in recent years?
What’s the difference between the music you like now, and what you liked when you were younger (or, a child)?
When did you start listening to music?
Do you think your music preferences will change in the future?
Do you think people’s musical tastes change with age (= as they grow older)?
Do you prefer to download music from the internet, or buy CDs?
Do you think there'll (= there will) be any new forms of music in the future?
What do you like to do in your spare time?
In your free time, do you prefer to stay at home or to go out?
Do you prefer to go out alone, or with other people?
How much time do you spend at home?
What kinds of things did you do at home when you were a child?
Are there any places in your city where children and adults can spend leisure time together?
Do you like to write a letters and cards?
What do you typically (or, usually) write?
Did you like to write when you were a child?
On your birthday, do you prefer to receive a (handwritten) card (or letter), or an email?
Do you prefer to write by hand or to type (on a keyboard, or computer)?
Do you think handwritten letters and cards will be replaced by emails?
Do you think writing is important?
(Possibly the question above is this) Do you think handwriting is important?
Is it important to be punctual in your country?
When other people are not punctual, how do you feel?
Do you like to make people wait for you?
If you had to wait for someone, what would you do (while waiting)?
Do you use a watch in order to be on time?
Is it important to be punctual in university (or, at work)?
For some people, long-distance travel is not a relaxing activity. How do you feel about it?
Do you like travelling long distances?
Do you usually travel alone, or with somebody else?
How often do you do it?
Why do you travel?
Do you often travel by plane?
Is there any particular place you'd like to travel to in the future?
Would you like to travel to (or, in) outer space?
How many hours do you sleep every night (or, every day)?
Do you think you sleep enough (or would you like to sleep more)?
Do you usually do anything to help you have a good night's sleep?
How much sleep do you think people need every day (every night)?
Do you think elderly people and young people need the same amount of sleep?
Do you think babies need more sleep?
Do you (ever) use a map?
When do you use a map?
How often do you use a map?
Who taught you how to use a map?
(Similar to above)
Do you prefer to use electronic, or paper maps?
Do you ever ask other people (or, strangers) for directions?
Are there many advertisements in your country?
Where do you usually see them (advertisements)?
Do you prefer funny (= humourous), or serious advertisements?
Do you like pop-up advertisements on the internet?
How do you feel when advertisements suddenly appear while you're watching a television program?
Do
Do you think advertisements help people?
In your free time, do you prefer to do things indoors, or outdoors?
What sorts of things do you usually do outdoors?
How often do you do something outdoors?
(Not exactly the same as above) How much time do you spend outdoors?
What kinds of things did you do outside (= outdoors) when you were a child?
Are you very interested in the news?
Do you prefer to read the news in newspapers, or on the internet?
Do any of your family members read newspapers?
Did you read newspapers when you were a child?
How old were you when you started to read newspapers?
What pages (or sections) do you usually read in newspapers? See Note 3
Do you prefer (to read about) world (or foreign) news, or news from your country? See Note 2
Would you like to be a news reporter (or, a journalist)?
Do you often use a dictionary? * (If yes, how often and what for? If no, why not? If not very often, say how often and why not very often.)
What do you use dictionaries for? *
Do you prefer to use an electronic dictionary, or a dictionary made of paper?
Do you think dictionaries will change in the future?
If someone gave you a dictionary as a gift, how would you feel?
Do you think it would be interesting to write a dictionary?
Let’s talk about computer technology and mobile phones.
Do you have many apps on your phone?
(Similar to above) Do you often use apps on your phone or computer?
What kind of apps do you use the most?
Do you like to chat with your classmates online?
Do you think computer and mobile phone apps are helpful (or, useful)?
What are some popular apps in your country?
Are there any apps that you would like to have in the future?
Would you like to create (your own) a mobile phone app one day?
Do you like plants?
Do you have any plants at home?
Who takes care of the plants in your home?
Did you grow any plants when you were young?
Would you like to receive a plant as a gift?
Do your often get (or feel) bored?
What makes you feel bored?
What do you do when you’re bored?
Did you easily get bored when you were younger?
Do your get bored more often now than when you were young?
Do you think it’s easier for people to become bored as they grow older?
Do you like foreign food?
How often do you eat foreign food?
Have you eaten any new foreign food recently?
Did you like to eat foreign food when you were a child?
Do parents in your country teach their children how to eat foreign food?
Do you think foreign food will become more and more popular in your country?
Do people in your country give money as a gift to children?
Do parents in your country give pocket money to their children for helping with the housework?
Did you save money when you were a child?
How can parents teach their children to save money?
Where do you usually study?
This question was probably mistakenly reported. It means, "Where do you do such activities as studying your textbooks, writing essays and class assignments etc?" For example, "I usually study at my desk in my bedroom" or, "I usually study in the university library." The inclusion of the word, "usually" indicates that the question has this meaning. It's probably a mistake because many people have reported the question, "Why did you choose to study at that university?"
If the question was simply, "Where do you study?" then it could have two possible meanings, either, a) What educational institute or school do you attend? or, b) Where do you do your private study, such as writing essays?
Instead of "news from your country", the examiner might say, "national news", "domestic news" or, "local news". "Local news" really means news from or about your local area, such as your town or city.
This question might be,
Here, "take" = "travel by", "travel on", "go by" etc