Many students think that the IELTS Speaking Part 1 Questions are the easiest and simplest of the three parts, but it is a great time to show off what you can do. In real life, people take three seconds to find out if they like someone or not when they get that first impression. This is a great chance for you to give your examiner a good first impression before you move on to a great IELTS Speaking Part 2

About You

These questions are all about you, your work or studies and your life, so you know the answers. This is a wonderful opportunity to show what you can do, rather than just answer the questions mechanically.

12 Questions

Part 1 consists of 12 twelve questions on three topics. These topics vary from work or study to hometown or home to anything to do with your life, such as mornings, housework or the weather, to name a few of the most recently used ones.

Vary Your Answers

If you are not careful, you will answer each of the 12 questions by saying xxxx because yyyy. You have 12 questions, so try to vary your answers and show what you can do rather than just repeating the same old structures.

Below, there are some questions with different ways to answer them

How to Answer IELTS Speaking Part 1 Questions:

1/ Try not to repeat the question.

One point in your Lexical Range marking scale is about paraphrasing (saying something in your own words). If you repeat the question, then it is the same as raising your hand and shouting at the examiner. LOOK AT ME, I CAN’T PARAPHRASE! Saying that, though, there are often more important things to worry about, so do your best!

For example

What electronic devices have you bought recently?

OK – The electronic devices I have bought recently are a mobile phone and a Kindle. …..

Better – I bought a mobile phone from Amazon and a Kindle from Ebay. …..

Another example

Do you want to learn how to cook well?

OK – Yes, I do want to learn to cook well. …….

Better – Yes, I do. I think learning cooking is something everyone should do. …..

2/ If you can, use the grammar tense of the question.

For example, if the question starts ‘Do you …….’ answer ‘Yes I do’ or ‘No I don’t’, and then add one or two sentences to extend your answer. When you add these sentences, there is a good chance you will change the grammar tense.

For example

Are clothes important to you?

Yes, they are. I absolutely love wearing the latest fashions when I have the chance. I have been into fashion for as long as I can remember.

Do not, however, TRY to change the tense, it will just make your answer sound poor. Let it happen, and it will sound much more natural.

Do not just say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ or use any other one-word answer. There is no grammar in these words, so you can’t show any grammar RANGE.

Another example

Do you prefer hot or cold weather?

I like hot weather much more actually. I’m one of these people who feel really relaxed if it’s really hot and sunny, not like my mum. She much prefers it when it’s cold and wet for some reason.

Remember, when you paraphrase, you don’t need to change every word and can change the form of the word instead of using a synonym.

3/ Some of the questions can be very personal.

So, decide when you practice what information you can tell the examiner, and when you might tell a white lie.

For instance, if the examiner asks where you come from, do you talk about where you were born, where you moved to when you were six years old, or where you lived after your parents split up?

If you decide before your speaking test, it will be much much easier and stop you hesitating while you decide during it.

4/ It’s an English test.

It’s not a general knowledge test, so there are two important points you need to remember.

a)It’s ok not to tell the truth. However, if you do lie, try to remember what you said because it sounds TERRIBLE if you contradict yourself a few minutes later. If you do this, the examiner will know something is wrong.
b)You can’t know about everything, so don’t try and pretend you do. If you don’t know, say so. If you admit you don’t know, then it will make it easier for you to talk about it.

For example

Do you like geography?

Poor – Yes, I do. And I used to love geography at school and really wanted to do it at university. My teacher helped me a lot and I thought it was good.

Good – No, I don’t. In fact, I never managed to get into my head what the subject was about at school. I thought it was about maps and stuff like that, but then they started on about populations and things. I hate it.

Better – To be honest, I have no idea about geography at all. From what I remember, it was a subject at school but not one I ever took. I was more into music and dance as opposed to any of that stuff.

c)If you really have no idea, then say so and then guess. It’s a speaking test, so you need to speak!

For example

What’s the most popular social media in your country?

Actually, I have no idea. I imagine it’s either Facebook or Instagram, but to be honest I never use any of them. Staring at my phone endlessly is not my idea of fun.

Try Not To do These in IELTS Speaking Part 1

5/Try not to make your answer too complicated.

In your speaking test, you should try to sound natural and speak normally. Although it is understandable that you want to fill your answers with high scoring vocabulary and grammar, if you add to much, you will sound really unnatural, and the examiner could even understand you.

For example

Do you like your job?

Bad – It is debateable whether I am a fan of my current employment or not, so answering accurately is taxing in the extreme. Characterising my current assignment in a few sentences ……………

Good – No, I don’t. To be honest, I have never liked it and only started working there due to the fact that I couldn’t find anything else with such a good salary. The benefits package is excellent, but my colleagues are …………….

6/ Try not to make your answer too short.

This is a speaking test, if you don’t speak, you don’t get a good score. Only answering ‘yes’ or ‘no’ or only the name of your town is not going to give you a good score. Answer the question and add one or two sentences. That is enough.

For example

How long have you been working there?

Bad – Two years

Good – I’ve been at this company for about two years. Before that, I was at college in another part of the country, so it has taken some time for me to adjust to life here. I love it here now and hope to keep living here for many years.

7/ Try not to give answers unrelated to the question.

Try to answer the question, but if you can’t or don’t know what to say, then say that to the examiner. Again, it is an English test, so if you use English to explain that you don’t know what to say but you give your opinion anyway, then that is a much more accurate method than just saying anything that comes into your head.

For example

Do you like to read at home or in other places?

Bad – I like watching movies on my laptop or going to the cinema with my friends or relatives. I especially like 3D movies and ………….

Good – I much prefer to read at home where I can usually get some peace and quiet. Saying that, though, I’ll read almost anywhere, on the bus, waiting for a class to start ………………

8/ Try not to repeat yourself.

Sometimes, it is very easy to give a circular answer. That means your answer goes round in a circle. A is because of B, so B is because of A. If you find yourself doing that, either a) correct yourself or b) move on.

For example

What are you studying?

Bad – Maths is the subject I am studying currently, so I am studying maths at present.

Good – I’m studying maths. I’ve always loved the subject, so it’s quite easy for me to get high scores. I did really well in my last exams and expect to graduate with a good degree.

9/ Try not to be too formal.

This is similar to A, but rather than making your answer too complicated, you make it too formal. Speaking is more informal than writing, so try not to talk like you write in essays. Use these contractions, phrasal verbs and idioms and that will make you sound more informal.

For example

Do you prefer receiving phone calls or receiving text messages?

Bad – It is my firm belief that receiving SMS text messages is much more pleasurable than responding oraly to calls by telephone. ……………

Good – I much prefer to receive texts. I think texting is less intrusive and gives both people the chance to other things at the same time. Phone calls, on the other hand are often necessary, but you need to stop what you are doing and concentrate on something else briefly. A bit of a pain, usually.

10/ Try not to give zero information.

Make an effort to give an answer to every question and to not waste time by giving answers which mean nothing, using only fillers. These fillers could include, That’s an interesting question, Hmmmmm, Now let me think, It depends on … . Using these expressions is ok, but constructing answers using ONLY them is asking for a low score!

For example

How long have you lived in your town?

Bad – Hmmm, well, that’s a difficult question. So, well, eh, I guess it would be about, eh. Now let me think. Well, it depends on …..

Good – I’ve lived there for around 15 years on and off, if you count going to university and so on. I love it there; all my friends are there, and I know a huge amount of people. I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else to be honest.

Vary Your Answers in IELTS Speaking Part 1

Try to vary your answers so you don’t use ‘because’ in each one. There are 12 questions in IELTS Speaking Part 1, so if you answer them all using the same method, your English will look limited. It’s not always possible but try to use different ways to answer. Below are 5 additional ways to answer Part 1 questions as well as using ‘because’. Practicing will make using these methods much easier, so your English will sound much more versatile.

11/ Reason / Cause

For example: