IELTS Speaking Questions and Practice

IELTS speaking question bank

The speaking test runs 11 to 14 minutes in three parts: an introduction and familiar topics, a one to two minute long turn from a task card, and a discussion of more abstract ideas linked to that topic.

Part 1: familiar topics, 4 to 5 minutes

Short questions about you. Answer in two to four sentences, always with a reason.

• Do you work or are you a student?
• What do you like most about where you live?
• How do you usually travel to work?
• Do you prefer mornings or evenings?
• How often do you use English outside work?
• Has your neighbourhood changed since you moved there?
• Do you enjoy cooking?
• What kind of weather do you prefer?

Part 2: the long turn, 3 to 4 minutes

One minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes without interruption.

• Describe a decision you took that changed things for you.
• Describe a person who taught you something useful.
• Describe a place you go to when you want to concentrate.
• Describe a time you had to explain something difficult.
• Describe a skill you would like to learn and why.
• Describe a piece of technology you rely on.

Part 3: discussion, 4 to 5 minutes

Abstract questions linked to your Part 2 topic. This is where band 7 and above is won or lost.

• Do people make better decisions alone or in groups?
• Should schools teach practical skills rather than academic ones?
• How has the way people learn changed in the last twenty years?
• Is it always better to plan than to improvise?
• Do you think cities will look very different in fifty years?

Say them out loud. Reading a question bank is comfortable and does very little, which is the honest limit of a page like this one. The written half at least can be explained on paper, and how Task 2 is marked is where most of the writing band is won or lost. Closer to booking, fees, centres and dates for IELTS in Dubai are on their own page, including the one skill retake.

All questions, answers and explanations

8 questions · every answer explained

The full set is below, so you can read it without taking the quiz.

• Part 1: 'Do you enjoy your job?' Which answer scores higher?

  • AYes, I enjoy it.
  • BYes. I work in logistics, and what I like most is that no two days are the same. Last week I handled a shipment that arrived three days early, which sounds simple but meant rerouting everything. correct
  • CYes, I enjoy my job very much because it is a very good job and I like it a lot.
  • DJob is good.

  Why: Part 1 answers should be two to four sentences with a reason and a concrete detail. Option B extends naturally. Option C is padding with no content, which examiners recognise immediately.

• How long should a Part 2 long turn last?

  • AAbout 30 seconds
  • B1 to 2 minutes correct
  • C3 to 4 minutes
  • DAs long as you like

  Why: You get one minute to prepare and then speak for one to two minutes. Stopping at 40 seconds costs you marks because the examiner cannot assess enough language.

• You cannot think of a real example in Part 2. What is the best move?

  • ASay you have nothing to say
  • BStay silent until the examiner moves on
  • CInvent a plausible example and speak fluently about it correct
  • DAsk to change the topic

  Why: IELTS speaking assesses language, not truthfulness. A fluent invented answer scores well. Silence scores nothing, and nobody verifies your story.

• Which best shows a range of grammar in Part 3?

  • AI think it is good. It helps people. It is important.
  • BI think it is beneficial, and it helps people, and it is important.
  • CWhile it clearly benefits most commuters, I would argue the real gain is environmental, which is something planners often underestimate. correct
  • DIt is a very very important and beneficial thing for all the people.

  Why: Option C uses a subordinate clause, a hedge and a relative clause in one sentence. Grammatical range means varied structures, not longer words.

• The examiner asks a Part 3 question you did not understand. What should you do?

  • AAnswer something else and hope
  • BSay nothing
  • CAsk the examiner to rephrase it correct
  • DRepeat the question back word for word

  Why: Asking for a rephrase is allowed in Part 3 and costs you nothing. Answering the wrong question does cost you, because it reads as failure to understand.

• Which fluency habit lowers your band most?

  • AOccasional self correction
  • BPausing to think before a complex idea
  • CLong pauses while searching for basic vocabulary correct
  • DUsing a filler like 'well' before answering

  Why: Hesitating over common words signals a limited lexical resource. Pausing before a complex idea is normal and is not penalised.

• 'Describe a skill you would like to learn.' Which opening is strongest?

  • AI would like to learn driving.
  • BThe skill I would like to learn is driving, because in the UAE not driving limits you more than people expect, especially if you live outside the metro line. correct
  • CDriving.
  • DI want to learn many skills such as driving, swimming, cooking and coding.

  Why: A strong opening names the topic and gives a reason in one breath. Listing four skills wastes the long turn and develops none of them.

• Which is true about accent in IELTS speaking?

  • AA British accent scores higher
  • BA non native accent lowers your band
  • CAccent is not assessed, only whether you are understood correct
  • DYou must sound American

  Why: Pronunciation is assessed on intelligibility, stress and intonation, not on which accent you have. A clear Indian, Filipino or Arabic accented English can reach band 8.

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