The part 1 of IELTS speaking test lasts 4-5 minutes. Its core is a simple interview for test taker's basic information, such as home, town, study, or hobby. Candidates usually talk personal information in a small talk style interview. The talk is controlled by examiner who actually has a script to follow.
The initial questions includes:
- Your full name
- Your identification
- Basic problems about yourself, e.g., your hometown, your family
- If you are working: what your job is, why you chose it, questions about co-worker
- If you are studying: what subjects, why you chose them, if you enjoy them and why
Usually, in part 1 you may be asked two or three other topics, for example, family, travel, food preferences, and national festivals.
Part 1 starts with your basic information, so it the easiest part in speaking test. It's critical important for candidates who are aiming to get mark 4-5. Meanwhile, high score hunters have to use it to impress examiners to challenge advanced questions in Part 3.
To familiarize with common topics is the best way to prepare IELTS speaking, because examiners use a script list to drive the test and the list is updated periodically, e.g., by 3 or 4 months. The recent topics have more chances to be repeated in near future.
We collect recent topics in "Topics and Questions" section of
IELTS Speaking Test. The latest Part 1 topic and its sample questions are presented at its "Hot Topics". We also maintain a list of
IELTS Speaking Questions to show new speaking test materials.
Below are 20 sample questions of part 1.
No: 1 2019-03-08: Part 1
Topic: HOMETOWN - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- Can you describe your hometown?
- Do you like your hometown? Why?t
- Is it nice place?
- What is your hometown known for?
- What did you like about your hometown when you were a child?
- Is there anything you don’t like about your hometown?
Recent Tests:- 2019-03-01
- 2019-02-22
- 2019-02-18
- 2019-02-01
- 2019-01-09
No: 2 2019-03-06: Part 1
Topic: ANIMAL,PET - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- Do you like pets animal?
- In your country which pets animal is popular?
- Did you have a pet when you were a child?
- Which animals are the best pets?
- Which is the pet you hate most?
- Is it good for children to have pets? Why?
- Why does it help with responsibility?
Recent Tests:- 2019-02-13
- 2019-02-11
- 2019-02-07
- 2019-01-20
- 2019-01-12 (Nigeria)
No: 3 2019-03-06: Part 1
Topic: CITY - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- Do you like cities? Why?
- Have you lived for a long time in your current city?
- Why do you live in your current city?
- Do you think this city will change in future?
- What are interesting in this city?
- Which city would you like to visit? Why?
- Do most people live in the big cities in your country? why?
Recent Tests:- 2019-02-26
- 2019-02-23
- 2019-01-19
- 2019-01-14 (Iran)
- 2019-01-12
No: 4 2019-03-02: Part 1
Topic: PUBLIC HOLIDAY - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- Do you like the New Year celebration?
- What is your favorite public holiday?
- What do you usually do during this holiday?
- Are there many public holidays in your country?
- What do people usually do on public holidays?
- Should there be more public holidays?
Recent Tests:- 2019-02-12
- 2019-01-11 (Ethiopia)
No: 5 2019-02-21: Part 1
Topic: RAIN - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- Do you like rain?
- How often it rains in your city?
- Which whether do you like most?
- When does it rain at your place?
- Is it usually hot in the place you live?
- Do you like to go out in rainy days?
- Have you ever changed your plan due to rain?
Recent Tests:- 2018-11-18 (India)
- 2018-09-08 (Canada)
- 2018-09-05 (Pakistan)
- 2018-08-18 (USA)
- 2018-08-11 (England)
No: 6 2019-02-15: Part 1
Topic: FOREIGN FOOD - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- Did you eat foreign food when you were a child?
- What kinds of food are popular in your country?
- What is your favorite fast food?
- Have you tried any new foreign food recently?
- Which food are you eating with your friends in leisure time?
- Do you think youngsters in your country prefer foreign food these days?
- Did you ever try an unusual food?
- Do you think people will eat more international food in the future in your country?
Recent Tests:- 2019-01-19
- 2019-01-14
- 2018-12-07 (Lithuania)
- 2018-12-07 (Bahrain)
- 2018-11-14 (India)
No: 7 2019-02-15: Part 1
Topic: HOLIDAY - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- What is you favorite holiday?
- What is your next holiday plan?
- Do you like to plan your holiday in advance? Why?
- Is it important to have a plan for holiday?
- What is the most important thing when you plan the holidays?
- Did you enjoyed your holidays when you were a child?
Recent Tests:- 2019-01-24
- 2018-12-13 (Colombia)
- 2018-12-01 (Bahrain)
- 2018-11-17 (Philippines)
- 2018-10-27 (Ireland)
No: 8 2019-02-09: Part 1
Topic: CO-WORKER,COLLEAGUE - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- Who is your favourite co-worker?
- Where did you meet her?
- Do you know her for a long time?
- Why do you say that she is your favourite co-worker?
No: 9 2019-02-08: Part 1
Topic: ART,PAINT - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- Do you like drawing or painting?
- Which type of drawings or painting do you like more? Why?
- Would you like to have yourself draw by someone?
- Did you use to draw when you were a child?
- Did you learn to draw something?
- Do you like your room to be decorated with paintings? Why?
Recent Tests:- 2018-12-14 (Brazil)
- 2018-12-01 (Jordan)
- 2018-11-09 (Egypt)
- 2018-10-13 (USA)
- 2018-09-08 (Indonesia)
No: 10 2019-01-28: Part 1
Topic: BORE - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- How often do you get bored?
- Why do people feel bored?
- What activity do you do when you are bored?
- Are you more bored now as compared to when you were young?
- When was the last time you were bored?
- With whom would you like to spend time when you are boring? Why?
- What should parents do other than internet surfing to make their children active?
Recent Tests:- 2019-01-14
- 2019-01-05 (Saudi Arabia)
- 2019-01-05 (Singapore)
- 2018-12-14 (Russia)
- 2018-12-13 (Colombia)
No: 11 2019-01-28: Part 1
Topic: FAMILY,LEISURE TIME - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- Who do you spend your leisure time with?
- Do you prefer to go out with friend or relative?
- What do you do with your family at your free time?
- Do you like to spend time with small or big groups at your free time?
- What time of the day you usually spend with your family?
- Do you think you will spend more time with your family and friends in the future?
- Do you spend time with teenagers? What do they do in their leisure time?
Recent Tests:- 2019-01-02
- 2018-12-17 (Turkey)
- 2018-12-13 (Iran)
- 2018-08-01 (India)
- 2018-06-26 (India)
No: 12 2019-01-14: Part 1 (Iran)
Topic: TEACHER - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- Do you remember your primary school teachers?
- Who was your favorite teacher?
- How teachers have changed nowadays from past?
- Do you think current teachers jobs are different from earlier?
- Would you like to be a teacher?
- Is school a best place to get education?
- How education nowadays changed from our parents days?
Recent Tests:- 2019-01-12 (Turkey)
- 2019-01-12 (Australia)
- 2018-12-17 (Turkey)
- 2018-11-10 (England)
- 2018-10-13 (Ukraine)
No: 13 2019-01-12: Part 1 (Australia)
Topic: PLANT - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- Do you like plants?
- Do you have any plant at home? Why?
- Did you ever grow any plants yourself?
- What kind of plant do you like?
- Would you like to receive a plant as a gift? Why?
- Do you like to gift plant to your family and friends?
- Did you have interest in plants in your childhood?
- What do you know about taking care of plants?
- Do you have any knowledge about fertilizers?
Recent Tests:
2018-12-22 (Nepal)2018-12-15 (Italy)2018-12-15 (Vietnam)2018-12-12 (India)2018-12-03 (India)
No: 14 2019-01-05: Part 1 (Singapore)
Topic: MONEY - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- Do you like to save money?
- Did you save money when you were a child?
- Were you helping family in money?
- How will you teach someone to save money?
- How to teach a child to save money?
- Is it good to give money as a gift?
- Have you given money as a gift to someone?
Recent Tests:- 2018-12-13 (Qatar)
- 2018-12-11 (India)
- 2018-11-12 (India)
- 2018-09-25 (Philippines)
- 2018-09-13 (Philippines)
No: 15 2018-12-19: Part 1 (Pakistan)
Topic: MAP - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- How often do you use map?
- When did you learn to use maps?
- Do you prefer using electronic map or paper map?
- What are the differences between them?
- Do you take help from people to know about the directions?
- Do you think maps are helpful? How?
Recent Tests:- 2018-11-24 (Canada)
- 2018-11-12 (India)
- 2018-10-27 (Ireland)
- 2018-10-26 (Saudi Arabia)
- 2018-10-01 (India)
No: 16 2018-12-13: Part 1 (Saudi Arabia)
Topic: PUNCTUALITY,ON TIME - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- Do you wear a watch normally? How often?
- Is there a tradition in your country to be on time?
- Do people in your country care about punctuality? Why?
- Do you usually be on time or do you often late?
- What do you do when you have to wait for someone?
- How do you feel when people are late?
Recent Tests:- 2018-12-07 (Lithuania)
- 2018-12-01 (Australia)
- 2018-11-24 (Canada)
- 2018-11-10 (Hong Kong)
- 2018-10-12 (Saudi Arabia)
No: 17 2018-11-12: Part 1 (India)
Topic: CLOTHES - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- Do you like shopping for clothes?
- How often do you buy clothes?
- What kinds of clothes do you usually buy?
- Do you prefer comfortable clothes, or formal clothes?
- Can we judge a person by clothing? Why?
- Can we judge a person's character by clothing? Why?
Recent Tests:- 2017-12-06 (China)
- 2017-10-25 (Saudi Arabia)
No: 18 2018-11-10: Part 1 (England)
Topic: TEACHER - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- Who is your favourite teacher when you were at elementary school?
- Do you remember something extraordinary you were taught by teacher at school?
- How teachers have changed nowadays from past?
- Do you think current teachers jobs are different from earlier teachers?
- Would you like to be a teacher?
- Is school a best place to get education?
- What improvements do you want to do in your school?
- Do you think teaching methods have changed over the years?
- How education nowadays changed from our parents days?
Recent Tests:- 2018-10-13 (Ukraine)
- 2018-09-25 (Canada)
- 2018-09-12 (India)
- 2018-08-12 (Canada)
- 2018-08-11 (Indonesia)
No: 19 2018-11-04: Part 1 (Iran)
Topic: DAY OUT - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- What do you do in a day out?
- Why do you like going out?
- Do you prefer to go for a day out alone or with your friends?
- Where do you usually plan for a day out?
- Which is the best place you have ever been in a day out?
Recent Tests:- 2018-10-26 (Egypt)
- 2018-09-08 (Argentina)
- 2018-08-11 (England)
- 2018-07-06 (USA)
- 2018-07-04 (Nigeria)
No: 20 2018-11-03: Part 1 (Philippines)
Topic: HOME,LIVE - This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself andchecking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.
- Do you live in a house or flat?
- Why do you live in an apartment?
- Do most people live in apartment?
- Which is your favorite room? Why?
- Do you have any plans to move to a new home in future?
- Do you plan to move to another place in the future?
Recent Tests:- 2018-11-01 (Iran)
- 2018-10-23 (Malaysia)
- 2018-10-13 (India)
- 2018-10-10 (Sri Lanka)
- 2018-10-05 (India)