IELTS Speaking Topics with Practice Questions

IELTS speaking topics fall into three groups that match the three parts of the Speaking test: familiar subjects such as home, work and hobbies in Part 1, a single cue card topic in Part 2, and an abstract discussion linked to that card in Part 3. The test is a recorded face-to-face interview with an examiner and lasts 11 to 14 minutes, so one subject area often needs a personal answer, a two-minute talk and a reasoned opinion.

Examiners score fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation, so preparation tends to go further when it builds flexible ideas and word families for each area. Nine areas follow, each with practice questions written for self-study, together with a method for building vocabulary by topic and a weekly routine that covers every part.

How do topics work across the three parts of the Speaking test?

Each part treats a topic differently: Part 1 uses familiar subjects, Part 2 gives one cue card, and Part 3 moves to abstract issues broadly linked to that card. Part 1 lasts 4 to 5 minutes and begins with the examiner introducing themselves and checking your identity, then asks general questions on home, family, work, studies or interests. Part 2 lasts 3 to 4 minutes including preparation, and Part 3 lasts 4 to 5 minutes.

In Part 2 the examiner gives you a task card that lists points to include and asks you to explain one aspect of the topic. You have one minute to prepare, with pencil and paper for notes, and then speak for about two minutes until the examiner stops you. The examiner may ask one or two follow-up questions on the same topic before Part 3 begins.

Part 3 tests your ability to explain opinions and to analyse, discuss and speculate, so a card about a place you like could lead to questions about how cities change or why people travel. Because the link runs from the personal to the general, ideas gathered for a Part 2 topic can often be reused in Part 3 once they are widened.

What do Part 1 questions on home, work and hobbies look like?

Part 1 questions ask for short, personal information and opinions on everyday topics, so two or three connected sentences usually make a complete answer. A useful pattern is a direct answer, a reason and a brief example drawn from your own life. The practice questions below cover all nine topic areas, and each can be answered in under half a minute.

Vary the way your answers begin so that they do not sound identical from one question to the next, and keep the examples specific to you. Record yourself on six or seven questions in a row, then listen for long pauses, repeated words and sounds that are hard to follow. Adding a reason becomes easier once you have rehearsed it as a habit.

• Home and work: Do you live in a house or a flat, and what do you like about it?
• Home and work: What do you enjoy most about your job or studies?
• Hobbies: What do you do in your free time?
• Hobbies: Have you ever taken up a new hobby, and why?
• Technology: Which apps or devices do you use every day?
• Technology: Do you prefer calling or messaging your friends?
• Travel: Do you prefer short trips or long holidays?
• Travel: How do you usually get around your town?
• People: Who in your family do you spend the most time with?
• People: Do you have many close friends or a few very close ones?
• Places: What is your hometown known for?
• Places: Is there a place near you where you go to relax?
• Events: How do people in your country celebrate birthdays?
• Events: Which festival do you enjoy most?
• Objects: What is an object you use every day?
• Objects: Do you keep things for a long time or replace them often?
• Environment: Is your area green or built up?
• Environment: What do you do at home to reduce waste?

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How does a Part 2 cue card work, and what can candidates practise with?

A Part 2 cue card names one topic, lists points to include and asks you to explain one aspect of it, giving you one minute to plan and about two minutes to speak. The task is described as simulating a presentation, so the minute is best used to jot key words for each prompt in a beginning, middle and end order, with one detail held back that you can extend if time remains.

Practise by choosing a card at random, planning for exactly one minute and speaking for two, then checking whether you covered every point on the card. The cards below are written for practice and cover the nine topic areas.

• Home and work: Describe a job you would like to do in the future. You should say what the job is, what skills it needs, what you know about it already, and explain why it appeals to you.
• Hobbies: Describe a hobby you have enjoyed for a long time. You should say what it is, how you started, how often you do it, and explain what you get from it.
• Technology: Describe a piece of technology you would find hard to live without. You should say what it is, how you use it, when you got it, and explain why it matters to you.
• Travel: Describe a trip you remember well. You should say where you went, who you were with, what happened on the way, and explain why you remember it.
• People: Describe a person who has taught you something useful. You should say who the person is, how you know them, what they taught you, and explain how it has helped you.
• Places: Describe a place in your town where you like to spend time. You should say where it is, what it looks like, what you do there, and explain why you like it.
• Events: Describe a celebration you attended that was well organised. You should say what the occasion was, who was there, what happened, and explain what made it successful.
• Objects: Describe an object that you keep with you or somewhere you can easily show it, which has a story behind it. You should say what it is, where it came from, how long you have had it, and explain why you keep it.
• Environment: Describe something you do to look after the environment. You should say what you do, when you began, how easy it is, and explain what difference you think it makes.

What kinds of Part 3 questions follow a Part 2 topic?

Part 3 questions ask you to express and justify opinions on abstract issues broadly linked to your Part 2 topic, usually concerning society, change or comparison. A reliable structure is to state a view, give a reason, add an example from your own country or experience, and then acknowledge another side of the issue before closing the answer.

Part 3 can go into greater depth where appropriate, so practise extending an answer for 30 to 45 seconds without drifting from the question. Each question below pairs with a topic area above and can be practised alone, aloud and recorded.

• Home and work: How have attitudes to working from home changed in your country?
• Hobbies: Why do some people give up their hobbies as they get older?
• Technology: How might technology change the way people learn in the future?
• Travel: What effects can tourism have on a local community?
• People: What qualities make someone a good role model?
• Places: Should governments protect old buildings or build new housing?
• Events: Why do public celebrations matter to communities?
• Objects: Why do people buy things they do not need?
• Environment: Who should take more responsibility for protecting the environment, individuals or companies?

How can learners prepare vocabulary by topic without memorising answers?

Prepare vocabulary by topic by building small sets of related words and phrases for each area, then using them in new sentences every time you practise. Lexical resource is one of the four criteria, so both the range of words you use and how appropriately you use them count. For each topic, list ten items made up of nouns, verbs, adjectives and common word partnerships.

Write two sentences about your own life for each item, then close the page and speak on the topic using as many items as feel natural. The next day, answer a different question on the same topic so the same words appear in a fresh context.

Memorised answers tend to sound different from natural speech and may not fit when the examiner changes the question. Rehearse ideas and short outline points only, and let the wording form as you speak.

What does a weekly practice plan for Speaking look like?

A weekly plan works well when it gives each part its own session and ends every session with a recording that you review. Rotate the nine topic areas across several weeks, taking two or three areas each week, so that each one returns often enough to be remembered. Once a week, ask a friend or teacher to act as examiner for a full run of 11 to 14 minutes.

• Day 1: Part 1 questions on two topic areas, recorded and reviewed.
• Day 2: Two Part 2 cards, each with a one-minute plan and a two-minute talk.
• On Day 3, Part 3 questions linked to the cards from Day 2 are answered at length.
• Vocabulary sets for the week's topics are practised in spoken sentences on Day 4.
• A full timed mock test in three parts takes place on Day 5.
• After listening to the Day 5 recording, note two points to improve on Day 6.
• The week ends on Day 7 with light listening or reading in English on its topics.

How can learners check their practice against the marking criteria?

Check each recording against the four criteria examiners use: fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation. Listen once per criterion instead of trying to judge everything in one pass, and write a single note for each. Comparing notes across a fortnight shows which criterion most needs practice, and the next week's sessions can then be weighted towards it.

• Fluency and coherence: Do ideas follow in a clear order, and do pauses come while you search for ideas or only between them?
• Lexical resource: Do you repeat the same words, and do your topic words fit the context?
• Grammatical range and accuracy: Do you use a mixture of sentence types, and are your verb forms accurate?
• Pronunciation: Is each answer easy to follow, and do stress and intonation help the listener?

Related guides

• What is IELTS? Format, versions and scoring
• IELTS Speaking Part 1 questions
• IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue cards
• IELTS Speaking Part 3 discussion
• IELTS Reading question types
• IELTS Listening test format
• Official IELTS practice tests

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