C1 Advanced Speaking Part 1 Sample Answer

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These are high-scoring sample answers for the C1 Advanced Speaking Part 1 question: Where do you live? There are three versions of the answer, each using a method from ‘C1 Speaking Part 1: How to vary Your Answers‘. Read them to understand what you need to talk about and the kind of answers you need to start your C1 advanced speaking test well. For practice questions and other tips, go here and here.

3 Sample Answers for the Question

Is There Anything You Dislike About Travelling?

1/ Compare to the past

Yes, there is. It’s different now. When I was younger, I disliked travelling because I would get travel sick or I would get incredibly bored. But these days, the only thing I really dislike about travelling is when I get stuck with somebody, maybe on a plane or a train, on a long journey, sitting next to someone who wants to talk to me all the time about something I don’t like.

2/ Speculation

No, there isn’t anything really I don’t like about it. But I imagine that you hear horror stories of people getting stuck in airports for incredibly long times, and I imagine that I would really, really hate that. I also guess that I would hate turbulence in an aeroplane, which is another thing I’ve never really experienced.

3/ Giving an Example

There isn’t really at all, to be quite honest with you. But there would be one example. There is one example I would like to give, which is, you know, if I’m in another country on, on a road, on a bus or a car or a taxi or something, and it’s absolutely pouring with rain, the roads are really wet and slippery and so on, and the driver has to keep to his schedule. And so, it starts to feel a bit scary and really unsafe. I really, really hate that.

Speaking Analysis

This is my opinion of the above answers. The answer was given as in a test, with minimal preparation time.

Answer 1 – Good. I answer the question then compare how I used to feel with how I feel now.

Answer 2 – Good. I answer the question, then speculate about what I haven’t experienced.

Answer 3 – Good. I answer the question and give an example.

Less Common and Idiomatic Vocabulary

travel sick – to feel ill because of the movement of the car or vehicle you are travelling in.
horror stories – an account of an unsettling or unfortunate occurrence
turbulence – violent or unsteady movement of air or water
to be quite honest with you – this is the truth as far as I know
pouring with rain – very heavy rain
slippery – difficult to hold firmly or stand on because it is smooth, wet, or slimy
scary – something that makes you afraid

Let me know if you think the sample answer is useful or not in the comments below. Good luck with your IELTS Speaking test!