Part 1 Topics and Questions
For The IELTS Speaking Tests, September to December, 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)
See important information here and click the link for "student" or "work" at the bottom of that page. The grammar points apply both to students and people working, of course.
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?)
Where do you work?
What does that company do?
Would you say that's a good place to work?
How (do you think) the place where you work could be changed
or improved?
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?
Do you think it's important to be friends with the people you work with?
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?
Do you like your school / university?
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?
Are
there any other people living near you?
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?
What's your hometown? See Note 5
Where is that? (If you didn't say that in your answer to the first question.)
Would you say it's a good
place to live?
Are there any interesting places near (or, in) your hometown?
Is your hometown famous for anything? See Note 6
Please describe your hometown.
How many years did you live there?
See also these Sep-Dec 2011 Part 1 questions
Main Questions
Do you know how to drive?
Do you think everyone should get a drivers' licence?
Do you have a car?
How often do you hire a taxi?
When was the last time you travelled by taxi?
The following questions might also be asked
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')?
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?
Where would you like to go (or, what would you like to do) on your next holiday?
Do you like to plan your holidays in advance?
Would you say holidays are important?
The word, "present" might be used instead of "gift". That is pronounced differently to the verb, "to present".
Do you often give gifts to people?
Do you like giving presents to people?
What type of presents do you like to give?
Do you prefer giving gifts, or receiving them?
How do you choose what gifts to give?
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?
Does it rain much in your hometown?
Do you like rainy days?
(Similar to above) Do you like rain?
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 rain influences what people do (or, people's behaviour)?
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 were 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?
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)?
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) How did you learn to use (or read) a map?
Do you prefer to use electronic, or paper maps?
Do you ever ask other people (or, strangers) for directions?
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?
What colour do you like the most?
(Similar to above) Do you have a favourite colour?
Do you usually wear clothes in your favourite colour?
Are there any colours you dislike?
What colour are the walls of your room?
(Different to above) What colours would you (like to) paint your walls?
What colour clothes did you wear when you were a child?
Did you have bright-colored clothes when you were young?
Does the colour of things influence you when you are shopping?
Are there any colours that have a special meaning in your country?
Do you think different types of people like different colours?
Do you prefer to eat at home or in restaurants?
(Similar to above) Do you usually eat at home or do you usually eat out? See Note 8
Do you prefer home-cooked food, or street food?
Do you know how to cook?
(If "No" for the question above) Would you like to learn how to cook?
How often do you cook?
Do you like cooking?
Can you explain why many people enjoy cooking?
This topic seems to be asking both about a) pictures that other have created, and b) pictures that you create yourself.
The word, "picture" can also mean, a photograph.
Are you interested in pictures (or paintings and drawings)?
What kinds of pictures do you like?
Do you like to have pictures in your home?
Are you interested in painting and drawing? See Note 7
What kinds of pictures (or paintings/drawings) do you like to do?
Did you ever learn how to draw (or paint)?
What (kinds of things) do you like to draw (or sketch, or paint)?
If someone wanted to draw (or sketch, or paint) a picture of you, would you agree?
Do you often go to a park or a public garden?
When was the last time you went to a public garden?
Can you suggest how parks in your city could be improved?
Do you prefer a park with open space or entertainment facilities?
Do you like taking photos?
How often do you take a photo?
Do you prefer to take pictures by yourself, or to have others take them for you?
In what situations do you take photos?
Do you like to take pictures of your hometown?
How do you keep your photos?
How often do you buy shoes?
Do you ever to buy shoes online?
How many (pairs of) shoes do you have?
Do you know anyone who likes to buy a lot of shoes?
Do you prefer (to buy / wear) comfortable shoes, or fashionable shoes?
Do (or did) you have a favourite teacher?
Do you think teachers should be strict? See Note 9
Would you like to be a teacher? See Note 2
Do you usually wear a watch?
What kind of watch do you wear?
Do most people in your country (still) wear a watch nowadays?
Do you prefer a hot, or a cold climate?
Would you say most people prefer a warm climate?
Do you like it when it's raining?
Which season do you like best?
Are there four different (or, distinct) seasons in your hometown?
Do you feel the climate is changing?
Does the weather change often where you live?
Do you do different things in different weather (or different seasons)?
Would you prefer to live in a place that has the same weather all year, or a place that has four seasons?
Do you think the weather is more important to people who play sports?
See Note 3
Do you wear sunglasses?
Have you ever lost your sunglasses?
Have you ever bought expensive sunglasses?
Where can you buy sunglasses?
Do many people in your country wear sunglasses?
Would you (ever) buy sunglasses as a gift for someone?
What do you usually do in the mornings?
Do you like to get up early in the morning?
Do you think breakfast is important?
What time do you go to bed?
Did you have the same morning routine in the past?
Do you have the same routine every day of the week? See Note 12
Would you like to change your morning routine in the future? See Note 2
Do you like sports?
Do you have a favourite athlete?
What are some popular sports in your country?
Do you prefer individual or team sports?
Is there any sport that you would like to try in the future?
Would you like to attend the Olympic Games?
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?
Would you like to be a teacher?
Most likely this question uses the words, "Would you like" but possibly the question is, "Do you want to be a teacher?" These two are not exactly the same! See HERE for an explanation.
We never say, "A sunglasses" or "a sunglass"; it's always, "a pair of sunglasses".
Here, "take" = "travel by", "travel on", "go by" etc
What's your hometown?
This means, "What's the name of your hometown?" You should say the name and then give a little extra, suitable information, which usually includes where it is, if the examiner might not know where.
Two common errors that people make when answering this are:
i) Saying the province instead of the hometown. For example, "My hometown is Heilongjiang". That's your home province, not your hometown. Of course, you can and probably should include the name of the province when you say where it is. An example of a good answer to the question is: "It's a small city in the north of China called ..... That's about 100 kilometers north of Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning Province."
Note that in English we first say the city, then the province or state. For example, we say, "Harbin, Heilongjiang Province." That's the opposite to the way Chinese people speak.
ii) "It's north of China". That should be, "It's in the north of China. "It's north of China" means it's outside China, for example, in North Korea or Siberia.
Is your hometown famous for anything?
"Famous" more or less means the same as, "well-known". This question means, "Is there some fact that many people in your country (or, in the world) know about your hometown?" The question is not really asking about something famous that the people who live in your hometown know. It is possible to include that in your answer, but you should actually say something like, "... But as for the people who live there, almost everyone in the city knows the famous XYZ market, which ...."
"Painting" and "drawing" are activities (verbal nouns) that people do. These are from the verbs, "to paint" and "to draw". But "a painting" and "a drawing" (paintings and drawings) are nouns, the things that are created by those activities.
"eat out" = eat away from home.
To say, "eat outside" means to eat out of any building, i.e., to eat in the fresh air such as when you have a picnic, eat in your back yard, eat on your veranda or balcony, or eat at a restaurant table that is outside the restaurant, such as on the footpath (sidewalk).
"Strictness" here refers to the teacher strictly controlling the behaviour of the students, including strictly enforcing rules such as rules concerning homework. For example, a teacher not allowing the students to play games on their mobile phones while he or she is teaching is being strict or, strictly enforcing a rule.
A "strict" teacher is not the same as "an expert" teacher who teaches very well. A strict teacher may, or may not necessarily do a good job at teaching (be skilled at teaching) just as a lenient teacher may or may not necessarily do a poor job in teaching.
How often do you hire a taxi?
This might be, "How often do you travel by taxi?" or, ""How often do you take a taxi?"
Do you think everyone should get a drivers' licence?
This question might be worded as, "Do you think everyone should learn how to drive?"
The two questions do not always have exactly the same meaning. Some people say, "Learn to drive!" when they really mean, "Learn to drive properly!" or "Learn to drive correctly!" And some people "get a driver's licence" by paying someone but not sitting for a test! But generally speaking the two different questions represent the same idea.
Do you have the same routine every day of the week?
That might be, Do you have the same morning routine every day of the week?
This question might be,"Would you say that's a good company to work for?"