Frequently Asked Questions & Topics for IELTS Speaking Test

Speaking is the fourth section of the IELTS exam. This module assesses the speaking skills of an individual, like how fluent one is speaking, what type of vocabulary one uses, etc. The total time to complete the test is 15 minutes, consisting of an introduction section plus three parts. The speaking module is the same for the test's Academic and General Training versions. The linguistic challenge of the test increases with each part.

There are various questions asked at the time of the interview. First, students have to give their introduction for about 30 seconds, in which they have to give their name, nationality, and ID check. Then the first part of the test starts.

It is a short face-to-face interview in which about 7 to 8 questions are asked related to 2 or 3 topics. Some of the common topics asked in this part are related to study, work, hometown, childhood, hobbies, music, books, etc. Tips to answer the commonly asked questions in Part 1 are mentioned below.

'Do You' Questions

• Do you love your residence area?

• How often do you listen to music?

• How often do you meet your friends weekly?

Questions like these can be answered in simple language and in a few words.

• Yes, I like my residence area since it is surrounded by greenery and natural beauty. Also, the distance to grocery shops, dairy, and gardens is easily reachable.

• 'Generally, I only listen to music while at home– for instance, when I exercise since music distracts me and keeps me motivated to work out.'

• I meet my friends 2 to 3 times a week. Generally, on weekends when I am free from my work.

'Have You' Questions

• Have you enjoyed your school time?

• Have you ever tried a solo trip?

• Has your taste in music changed over the years?'

These questions check students' skills at using time-related phrases and switching between past and present tenses.

• Actually, I enjoyed my school time since I am an extrovert and have many friends. I also used to take part in various school activities and sports.

• No, I haven't tried a solo trip yet, but it is on my bucket list. I would like to take a solo mountain trip at least once.

• Yes, quite a lot. I mostly listened to pop music in the past, but over time I have grown to love classical music, especially composers like Beethoven and Brahms.

'Would You' Questions

• Would you like to adopt a dog?

• Would you like to meet your role model?

• Is there a musical instrument that you would like to learn to play?

The interviewer is less likely to ask these questions in Part 1. The purpose of these questions is to test your ability to form conditional statements.

• To be honest, adopting a dog comes with its responsibility, and with my work schedule, I would not consider adopting a dog. But in the future, when I'll have a little better work schedule, then I might consider adopting a dog.

• I think meeting my role model would be an amazing experience. If I meet them, I would like to take some life suggestions from them. 

• If I ever have enough money, I would love to buy a guitar, one of those huge black ones you see in symphony halls. But a small electronic keyboard would also be nice.

After completing part 2, the examiner will introduce you to the next test phase, called 'the Long Turn'. To answer the question in this section, you must speak for 1–2 minutes about a single topic. This part includes questions about your hobby, role model, past incidences, life learnings, vacations, language, book, favourite destination, etc. Below you can explore some of the commonly asked questions.

Family/ People

• Describe a well-known person you like or admire.

• Describe a film actor/actress from your country who is very popular.

• Describe your relationship with your favourite person.

• Describe a person who has influenced you.

Books

• Describe your favourite book.

• Describe the books by your favourite author.

Past Events

• Describe your school life.

• Describe the incidence that is very close to your heart.

• Describe an important choice you had to make in your life.

• Describe the childhood incident that shaped you into who you are now.

Hobby

• Describe an activity that you do daily.

• Describe an interest or hobby that you enjoy.

In the final part, the students will have to answer a few more abstract questions. They frequently call on you to draw comparisons, discuss patterns, and discuss causes and effects. In this, you'll be asked the question related to the question in part 2 but not necessarily. Your questions can vary from topics of political or religious interest or anything in general.

For example: Do you think knowing different languages is a skill set and would help you get a job?

You can attempt to answer this question while drawing attention towards how languages constitute a major part of the diversity in a country and could also relate it to strong communication skills.

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