The speaking test of IELTS is an interview which assesses how well a candidate can communicate in spoken English. It is a general speaking skill and is broadly the same for all candidates.
In the Speaking Module, each candidate has a face-to-face interview with an examiner. The interview consists of three parts and takes between 11-14 minutes. The examiner records the interview for remarking, if necessary.
Below is a list of most important topics and questions that the examiner can ask you in IELTS speaking test. You should prepare ideas for these topics but not memorise whole answers.
Your answers should be natural when you speak in the test.
| S.No. | Question/Topic | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Can you tell me your name? | Warm-up |
| 2 | What’s your name? | Warm-up |
| 3 | Where do you come from? | Warm-up |
| 4 | Tell me something about your family. | Warm-up |
| 5 | Tell me something about your parents. | Warm-up |
| 6 | What is your full name? | Warm-up |
| 7 | What do people usually call you? | Warm-up |
| 8 | Where are you from? | Warm-up |
| 9 | What is your favorite animal? Why? | Animal |
| 10 | Do you like the same animal you liked when you were younger? | Animal |
| 11 | What can you learn about people from the animals they like? | Animal |
| 12 | Which animals are popular as pets in your country? | Animal |
| 13 | Tell me about the use of bicycles in your country. | Bicycle |
| 14 | How popular are bicycles in your country? | Bicycle |
| 15 | Are they used more now than in the past? Why? | Bicycle |
| 16 | What do bicycles mean to you? | Bicycle |
| 17 | What kinds of things do you enjoy reading in English? | Book |
| 18 | Are you someone who can read anywhere, or do you have a favorite place? | Book |
| 19 | Do you need peace and quiet place to be able to read, or can you concentrate even in noisy situations? | Book |
| 20 | How did you first learn to read? | Book |
| 21 | What did you prefer reading as a child? | Book |
| 22 | Has your reading habit changed since you were a child? | Book |
| 23 | What is your favorite color? Why? | Color |
| 24 | Do you like the same colors now as you did when you were younger? Why? | Color |
| 25 | What can you learn about people from the colors they like? | Color |
| 26 | Do colors have special meaning in your culture? | Color |
| 27 | When did you first use a computer? | Computer |
| 28 | Do you think computers are bad for your health? | Computer |
| 29 | Which computer software do you use more? | Computer |
| 30 | What purpose did you use your computer for? | Computer |
| 31 | How important are clothes and fashion to you? | Clothing |
| 32 | What kind of clothes do you dislike? Why? | Clothing |
| 33 | How different are the clothes you wear now from those you wore 10 years ago? | Clothing |
| 34 | What do you think the clothes we wear say about us? | Clothing |
| 35 | How do you feel about shopping for clothes? | Clothing |
| 36 | Would you prefer to have a lot of clothes or only a few, better quality ones? | Clothing |
| 37 | Which town or city do you come from? | City |
| 38 | What’s the best thing about living there? | City |
| 39 | Is there anything you don’t like? | City |
| 40 | Which places would you recommend a tourist to visit? | City |
| 41 | What would you like to change in your daily routine? | Daily Routine |
| 42 | Are all your days the same? | Daily Routine |
| 43 | Tell me about your typical weekday and your typical weekend. | Daily Routine |
| 44 | What is the balance of work/ study and free time in your normal days? | Daily Routine |
| 45 | Do you enjoy dancing? Why? | Dance |
| 46 | Has anyone ever taught you to dance? | Dance |
| 47 | Tell me about any traditional dancing in your country. | Dance |
| 48 | Do you think that traditional dancing will be popular in the future? | Dance |
| 49 | How often do you have dreams? | Dream |
| 50 | What do you dream about? | Dream |
| 51 | Why do some people have nightmares? | Dream |
| 52 | Is dreaming important to our well-being and health? Why? | Dream |
| 53 | What are your most/ least favorite foods? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 54 | If you invite a friend round for a meal, what are you likely to offer him? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 55 | Do you prefer eating at home or in a restaurant? Why? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 56 | What special dish from your country would you recommend to a visitor? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 57 | What sorts of food do you enjoy eating more? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 58 | Do you spend much time shopping for food? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 59 | Which one do you prefer, eating at home or eating out? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 60 | Do you think people should be careful about what they eat? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 61 | Who prepares the meals you eat? Do you ever cook? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 62 | What do you think makes cooking easy, and what makes it difficult? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 63 | What is your opinion of time-saving kitchen equipment, such as a dishwasher or food processor? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 64 | What types of kitchen appliances and gadgets do you think will be useful in the future? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 65 | What kind of food do you like? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 66 | What do you know about Genetically Modified (GM) food? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 67 | What are the purposes of GM food? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 68 | Do you think there are any potential dangers of GM food? What are they? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 69 | What are your favorite foods? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 70 | Is there anything you never eat? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 71 | Where do you normally eat? Why? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 72 | In what ways are people’s eating habits changing these days? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 73 | What kinds of foods do you like to eat? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 74 | What kind of new food would you like to try? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 75 | What was the last meal you cooked? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 76 | Do you prefer home-made food or food from restaurants? Why? | Eating Habit/Food |
| 77 | Do you prefer to have one particular friend or a group of friends? | Friend |
| 78 | What do you like doing most with your friends? | Friend |
| 79 | Do you think it’s important to keep in touch with childhood friends? | Friend |
| 80 | What makes a good friend? | Friend |
| 81 | Tell me about your best friend. | Friend |
| 82 | Are you friends mostly your age or different ages? | Friend |
| 83 | Do you usually see your friends during the week or at weekends? | Friend |
| 84 | The last time you saw your friends, what did you do together? | Friend |
| 85 | In what ways are your friends important to you? | Friend |
| 86 | Who do you live with? | Family |
| 87 | Do you spend much time with your family? | Family |
| 88 | Is your family small or quite large? | Family |
| 89 | What do you do when you are all together? | Family |
| 90 | Do you have a large or small family? | Family |
| 91 | What sort of things do you do with your family members? | Family |
| 92 | Do you get on well with your family? Why? | Family |
| 93 | Are you loyal to any brands, i.e. do you always try to buy that particular brand? | Favorite/Shop |
| 94 | Do you want other people to know you buy a particular brand? | Favorite/Shop |
| 95 | Do you buy any products without considering the brand name? | Favorite/Shop |
| 96 | How do you feel about going shopping? | Favorite/Shop |
| 97 | Do you like buying clothes or goods on the Internet? Why? | Favorite/Shop |
| 98 | What don’t you like about shopping? | Favorite/Shop |
| 99 | Can you describe one of the main festivals celebrated in your country? | Festival |
| 100 | Tell me something about the most important festival in your country? | Festival |
| 101 | What special food and activities are connected with this festival? | Festival |
| 102 | What do you most enjoy about it? | Festival |
| 103 | Do you think festivals are important for a country? Why? | Festival |
| 104 | Are film stars paid too much money, in your opinion? | Film/Movie |
| 105 | Do you think there is too much violence in modern movies? | Film/Movie |
| 106 | What do you think about film censorship? Is it necessary? | Film/Movie |
| 107 | What was the last film you saw? Did you enjoy it? | Film/Movie |
| 108 | Which actor do you like the most? | Film/Movie |
| 109 | What do you know about Hollywood? | Film/Movie |
| 110 | Can you tell me about the job you are doing? | Job |
| 111 | What do you like or dislike about it? | Job |
| 112 | What plans do you have for your career in the future? | Job |
| 113 | How serious is unemployment in your country? | Job |
| 114 | Is English important in your chosen career? | Job |
| 115 | What do you hope to do in future? | Job |
| 116 | Have you ever given up anything you used to do in free time? if so, what? | Job |
| 117 | Which other hobbies or sports would you like to do? | Job |
| 118 | Do you share similar interests with your friends? | Job |
| 119 | How serious is unemployment in your country? | Job |
| 120 | What kind of exercise do you do regularly? | Health/Keeping Fit |
| 121 | What kind of exercise do you enjoy least? | Health/Keeping Fit |
| 122 | Why is exercise good for health? | Health/Keeping Fit |
| 123 | What kind of exercise would you suggest to someone who is very unfit? | Health/Keeping Fit |
| 124 | What are the best ways to get fit and stay healthy? | Health/Keeping Fit |
| 125 | Can attempts to improve fitness and health be dangerous? | Health/Keeping Fit |
| 126 | What are the biggest dangers to our health these days? | Health/Keeping Fit |
| 127 | What are the most significant recent breakthroughs in medicine? | Health/Keeping Fit |
| 128 | What do you do in your spare time? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 129 | How long have you been interested in this activity? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 130 | Do you do this alone or with other people? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 131 | How much time do you spend doing this activity? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 132 | Where do you do it? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 133 | Do you need any special equipment to do it? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 134 | What is it about this particular activity that suits your personality? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 135 | Why is it generally beneficial for people to have hobbies? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 136 | How do you benefit from yours? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 137 | Is it an expensive hobby? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 138 | What are the disadvantages of your hobby? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 139 | What hobbies are popular in your country? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 140 | Which hobbies or interest you enjoy? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 141 | Which hobbies or interest you had when you were a child? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 142 | Do you think parents should encourage their children to have a hobby or interest? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 143 | Talk about your hobbies. | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 144 | Do you prefer to be indoors or outdoors? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 145 | How do you keep fit? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 146 | What do you do to relax in the evenings? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 147 | Do you like to relax with others or by yourself? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 148 | How do you spend your free times? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 149 | How often do you do this activity or hobby? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 150 | Do you do it on your own or with other people? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 151 | Do you belong to a club related to this hobby/ activity? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 152 | How did you learn about how to do this hobby/ activity? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 153 | Do you need special equipment for it? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 154 | What do you like most about it? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 155 | What kind of things do you do in your free time? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 156 | How long have you been doing them? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 157 | What is it about them that you enjoy particularly? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 158 | What you do in your spare time? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 159 | Do you have any hobbies or interest? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 160 | How did you first become interested in that? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 161 | Do you have any hobbies or interests? Why? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 162 | How did you become interested in (whatever hobbies the candidate mentions)? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 163 | What is there in your country/ hometown to do in your free times? | Hobby/Leisure Activity |
| 164 | Describe a place where you were born? | Hometown/Birthplace |
| 165 | Tell me about the main types of buildings there. | Hometown/Birthplace |
| 166 | How have buildings in your hometown changed since you were a child? | Hometown/Birthplace |
| 167 | Can you describe your hometown for me? | Hometown/Birthplace |
| 168 | Which part of your country do most people live? | Hometown/Birthplace |
| 169 | Tell me about the main industries in your city. | Hometown/Birthplace |
| 170 | Tell me about your hometown. | Hometown/Birthplace |
| 171 | Can you describe your hometown? | Hometown/Birthplace |
| 172 | Where is your hometown? | Hometown/Birthplace |
| 173 | Where were you born? | Hometown/Birthplace |
| 174 | What part of the city do you live in? | Hometown/Birthplace |
| 175 | What are the main tourist attractions in your country? | Hometown/Birthplace |
| 176 | Which museums have you visited recently? | Museum |
| 177 | What did you enjoy seeing there? | Museum |
| 178 | Which famous museum would you like to visit? | Museum |
| 179 | Which collections would you particularly like to see there? | Museum |
| 180 | Which instruments do you like listening to most? Why? | Music |
| 181 | Have you ever learned to play a musical instrument at school? Why? | Music |
| 182 | Do you think children should learn to play a musical instrument at school? | Music |
| 183 | How easy would it be to learn to play an instrument without a teacher? | Music |
| 184 | What is the national music of your country? What instruments are used? | Music |
| 185 | How important is music in your culture and traditions? | Music |
| 186 | On what occasions does music play an important role in your country? | Music |
| 187 | How important is music in your life? | Music |
| 188 | Where do you normally get news from? | News |
| 189 | How do you think news reporting in your country differs from the abroad? | News |
| 190 | Tell me about an interesting news items you’ve read or heard recently? | News |
| 191 | Is photography becoming more popular these days, in your experience? | Photograph |
| 192 | Would you agree with the saying: “Camera never lies”? | Photograph |
| 193 | Would you say photography is an art? | Photograph |
| 194 | Do you enjoy your time at school? | School |
| 195 | Would you recommend your school to others? | School |
| 196 | What subject did you find most interesting when you were at school? | School |
| 197 | Apart from classes, what else did you enjoy at school? | School |
| 198 | Do you think you will stay friends with people from your school? | School |
| 199 | What study or training would you like to do in the future? | School |
| 200 | What were your favorite subjects at school? | School |
| 201 | Did you learn a language at school? | School |
| 202 | How long have you been studying? | School |
| 203 | What subject did you find the most difficult to study? | School |
| 204 | What do you like/dislike about studying? | School |
| 205 | Do you hope to gain any qualifications? | School |
| 206 | Do hope to do any further studies in the future? | School |
| 207 | What do you remember about your first school, when you were a child? | School |
| 208 | In what ways have life changed since you were a child? | School |
| 209 | What was your favorite subject? Why? | School |
| 210 | What did you study at high school? | School |
| 211 | Which is the most popular sport in your country? | School |
| 212 | How do people spend their weekends in your hometown? | School |
| 213 | Could you tell me why you choose to study at University? | School |
| 214 | Do you live near the sea? | Sea |
| 215 | How do you feel when you are near the sea? | Sea |
| 216 | What do you like/ dislike about the sea? | Sea |
| 217 | Would you like to live on an island? Why? | Sea |
| 218 | What sports do you like? | Sport |
| 219 | What sports are played in your country? | Sport |
| 220 | What are sporting facilities like in your home town? | Sport |
| 221 | What is your favorite sport? | Sport |
| 222 | When did you become interested in it? | Sport |
| 223 | How often do you participate in this sport? | Sport |
| 224 | What equipment do you need for that sport? | Sport |
| 225 | Where do you do this sport? | Sport |
| 226 | What sports are played in your country? | Sport |
| 227 | What are sporting facilities like in your hometown? | Sport |
| 228 | Do you watch a lot of TV? | Television |
| 229 | Tell me about TV in your country. | Television |
| 230 | Do you watch a lot of TV? | Television |
| 231 | What is your favorite TV program? | Television |
| 232 | Is TV more important to you now than in the past? | Television |
| 233 | How often do you watch TV? | Television |
| 234 | What are the benefits of visiting different countries? | Travel/Tourism/Holiday |
| 235 | What are the negative effects of tourism? | Travel/Tourism/Holiday |
| 236 | What do you need to do before you go abroad on holiday? | Travel/Tourism/Holiday |
| 237 | What type of problems can people have on holiday? | Travel/Tourism/Holiday |
| 238 | How should countries encourage tourists to come to their country? | Travel/Tourism/Holiday |
| 239 | How do you think tourism in your country will change in the future? | Travel/Tourism/Holiday |
| 240 | How easy is it to travel around your country? | Travel/Tourism/Holiday |
| 241 | Where would you like to travel in future? | Travel/Tourism/Holiday |
| 242 | What role does tourism play in your country’s economy? | Travel/Tourism/Holiday |
| 243 | Is there anything you don’t like doing on holiday? | Travel/Tourism/Holiday |
| 244 | Do you prefer to spend your holidays alone or with your friends? | Travel/Tourism/Holiday |
| 245 | What is your favorite holiday activity? | Travel/Tourism/Holiday |
| 246 | Do you enjoy traveling? | Travel/Tourism/Holiday |
| 247 | Tell me about the best place you have ever visited. | Travel/Tourism/Holiday |
| 248 | Do you agree with the saying” Travel broadens the mind”? | Travel/Tourism/Holiday |
| 249 | What experience do you have of traveling to other countries? | Travel/Tourism/Holiday |
| 250 | Country would you especially like to visit? Why? | Travel/Tourism/Holiday |
| 251 | What are the main tourist attractions there? | Travel/Tourism/Holiday |
Other Useful Resources –
- The Seven Types of Pronouns and Their Uses
- 200 Essential Questions for Practicing One-Word Prepositions (With Answers)
- Understanding Nouns – The Five Types and Their Uses
- Top 9 Essential Tips To Help You Speak Clearly and Confidently
- Commonly Confused Words – A Guide to Clarifying Misused Terms
- Similar Words with Different Meanings – A Guide to Avoiding Common Confusion
- Learning French Nouns in Foreign Language Training
- How to Understand Basic Spanish – A Beginner’s Guide
- An Idiomatic Approach to Workplace Language – Solve the Exercise
- Mastering Prepositions – Practical Sentence Completion Exercise
- The Seven Types of Pronouns and Their Uses
- 200 Essential Questions for Practicing One-Word Prepositions (With Answers)
- Understanding Nouns – The Five Types and Their Uses
- Top 9 Essential Tips To Help You Speak Clearly and Confidently
- Commonly Confused Words – A Guide to Clarifying Misused Terms
- Similar Words with Different Meanings – A Guide to Avoiding Common Confusion
- Learning French Nouns in Foreign Language Training
- How to Understand Basic Spanish – A Beginner’s Guide
- An Idiomatic Approach to Workplace Language – Solve the Exercise
- Mastering Prepositions – Practical Sentence Completion Exercise
