IELTS Speaking Topics for Part 1, 2, & 3 with Sample QnA

What is IELTS Speaking Format?

The IELTS speaking section consists of 3 parts. The IELTS speaking part 1 questions are about your introduction and talking on a basic topic. 2nd part is a long run where you are given a cue card to read and prepare for a minute. Then you have to speak on the speaking IELTS topics you've got. The 3rd part is all about the follow-up questions from the topic you got on the cue card from the last round. Thus, in this round, you will engage in a discussion with the examiner.

The IELTS speaking parts are:

1. Introduction and Interview (4 to 5 minutes)
2. Long Run - Cue Card (3 to 4 minutes)
3. Discussion Round (4 to 5 minutes)

Here is an image to show you how exactly the IELTS speaking part 1, 2 & 3 will be conducted in chronological order:

Now, that you know all about the IELTS speaking section format, let us move on. The next section will talk about each of the IELTS speaking parts in detail with samples.

IELTS Speaking Part 1

The IELTS speaking part 1 questions are where you show your ID cards and get them verified by the examiner. They do this to verify that the test taker is the same person who applied for the test. Then, you will shift to an interview on basic topics. There are several topics that the interviewer can ask you about:

Also Read: IELTS Exam Dates in India (Month Wise)

Latest IELTS Speaking Topics

Below are the IELTS speaking topics which can help you understand this part better:

A. Hometown

1. Where is your hometown?
2. What was it like growing up there?
3. What do you like most about living there?
4. What are the popular things around there that you would recommend visitors to visit or do?

B. Work

1. Are you working?
2. Where do you work? / What are your duties?
3. What do you do when you finish work?
4. Do you plan to work somewhere else in the future?

C. Neighbors

1. How well do you know the person who lives next door?
2. How often do you see each other?
3. How Can Neighbors be Helpful?
4. What kind of problems can neighbors have with each other while living in a big city?

D. Hobbies and Interests

1. Do you have any specific hobbies?
2. Do you pursue it professionally?
3. Is there any equipment you need for it?
4. Do you have more than one hobby?
5. When do you pursue your hobby in daily life?

E. Friends

1. Do you prefer a huge friends circle or a small one?
2. Do you have a childhood friend?
3. How much time do you spend with your friends?
4. What type of people do you prefer as friends?
5. Where did you meet your friends?

These are some of the most common categories that the interviewer can ask questions on. A sample conversation of the same kind for IELTS speaking part 1 questions is given below:

Sample Question and Answer

This sample question will be on the topic "chocolate".

Q1. Do you like chocolate?

I love having chocolate after every meal as dessert. It has always been my destressing companion.

Q2. Is chocolate your favorite flavor?

Yes, indeed! I have always chosen chocolate in almost everything over all other flavors. I am fond of dark chocolate more than milk and white chocolate. This was not the case until I was addicted to the sugar in milk chocolate and realized how this much sugar can be harmful. Moreover, it was never sugar that amused me but the aroma of cocoa. I tried quality dark chocolates and instantly became a fan upon reading about their health benefits.

Q3. Is chocolate popular in your country?

Chocolate is now a delicacy offered at important events in my country. For instance, as sweets during a ceremony or festival or as presents and gifts during occasions like Valentine's day.

Q4. Is chocolate good for our health?

Scientifically speaking, sugar does a lot of harm to the body. However, dark chocolate that has more than 75% cacao has been proven to have several health benefits. In addition, this chocolate is more on the bitter side, hence, I am fond of it.

Q5. Do you have a sweet tooth?

I am very fond of sweets and often consume them more than I should. However, I have worked hard and stopped the cravings completely. Moreover, I have shifted towards healthier options now.

This was all about the IELTS speaking part 1. Now, let us talk about the IELTS speaking part 2 questions. The next section will also give you samples to learn from.

IELTS Speaking Part 2

The second part of the IELTS speaking section is about cue cards. There are several IELTS speaking topics on the same. This part lasts for 3 to 4 minutes. You get to see a cue card on a topic and then get a minute to think before responding. Furthermore, you then get to speak on the topic. Here are examples of 5 cue cards and their topics:

Latest IELTS Speaking Topics

Below are the IELTS speaking topics which can help you understand this part better:

A. Describe an unusual holiday you had.

You should say:

1. What holiday it was?
2. Who you were with?
3. What did you do?
4. And explain why it was unusual.

B. Describe something that you picked up that you found was thrown by

You should say:

1. Where was it?
2. When was it picked up?
3. What did you do after picking it up?
4. How did you feel?

C. Describe a person who is good at making people feel welcome in their

You should say:

1. Who is this person?
2. How do you know him or her?
3. How does he or she make you feel welcomed?
4. And explain how you feel about this personality.

D. Describe an exciting activity which you experienced with someone else.

You should say:

1. What the activity was?
2. Who you were with?
3. When and where it happened?
4. Why you went for it?
5. And explain how you felt about it.

E. Describe someone you know who helps others very often.

You should say:

1. What he or she is like?
2. How do they help others?
3. Why his or her help is beneficial?
4. And explain why you think they help others.

There are several other  IELTS speaking topics that you can face in the IELTS speaking questions.

Now, let us look at an example of an IELTS cue card with sample answers.

Sample Question and Answer

Here is a sample IELTS cue card to help you understand how to answer one.

A. Describe an occasion when you lost your way.

You should say

1. Where you were
2. What happened
3. How you felt
4. And explain how you found your way

I generally don't have a problem with directions. However, I have lost my way quite a few times. I remember this happened recently when my friend was getting engaged and I went to their place to congratulate them. They had recently bought a house after his father's retirement. I had never visited their new home. My plan was to use GPS navigation and reach their place. However, that counts as a mistake now. The newly built suburbs where my friend resides were not updated on the application's data. Thus, the directions lead me to a muddy road in a deserted area of the city. The realization hit me very late as I was trusting this app and the voice navigation blindly.

Furthermore, I kept moving on the same bumpy and muddy road in hope that this might be the correct way. However, it was not too late when I reached the dead end and had to travel all the way back towards the direction I came from. In addition, what stressed me was that I would have to drive over that muddy and rough road again. Before starting this journey I decided to speak to my friend over call and ask him to direct me. His house must be nearby, I assumed.

I discovered that there was no network and started losing hope of being there on time. On top of that, I started fearing what I would do when it got dark. I noticed a few scrap collectors and walked back from the area where I came from. Moreover, they also seemed locals in that area. Thus, I asked them where the newly built suburbs were and which way I needed to go to get out of this predicament. Now, I am not overly reliant on GPS. Moreover, I consider confirming the address before leaving for a place I have never been to.

This was all about the IELTS speaking part 2 questions. You have variations of IELTS speaking questions. Now, let us learn more about IELTS speaking part 3 in the next section.

IELTS Speaking Part 3

The IELTS speaking test also requires you to discuss the above topic with the examiner. This is the part where you will get follow up questions from what you spoke on the topic given in IELTS speaking part 2 questions. Take a look at the type of questions you can get in this part:

Latest IELTS Speaking Topics

Below are the IELTS speaking topics which can help you understand this part better:

A. Family Life

1. Have there been any changes to family life in your country in the past 20 to 30 years?
2. Do you think modern families are the same as traditional families in the past?
3. Do children acquire or inherit personalities that are similar to their parents?
4. Would you say family is important to most people you know?
5. What about you? Is family important to you?

B. Neighbors, Friends, and Community

1. Do you think it is important to have good neighbors?
2. How would you define a good neighbor?
3. What qualities make a good community?
4. Do you think it is important to teach children how to have a good relation with neighbor?
5. What facilities, in your opinion, can bring neighbors close and improve their relations?

C. Event in the History of Your Country

1. Do you think it is important to know about history? /What can we learn from the history?
2. Apart from museums what can bring people towards learning their history?
3. Do people in your country value their heritage?
4. Do you believe that the museums should be free of cost?
5. How do you think the museums of the future might portray the 21st century?

D. Time You Spent with a Child

1. What makes it hard for a parent to raise their child?
2. Can toys help children learn?
3. What does a child need to develop well?
4. Do you think that father and mother have different roles to play while raising a child?
5. What are the perks and demerits of having a sibling or more?

E. Describe A Polite Person

1. Do you see yourself as a polite person?
2. Do you think politeness is important?
3. Can you give me examples of how people in your country show politeness?
4. Do you think some activities in some parts of the world are polite but can be rude in your culture?
5. What activities can help you evaluate or know other cultures well without being impolite?

These are the examples of questions you can get in IELTS speaking part 3 questions. Now, let us understand the same with a sample question answer: 

Sample Question and Answer

A. Describe an Occasion When You Lost Your Way

Follow up questions:

1. Are Young People Better at Orienting Themselves?

Yes, I agree with the statement. I believe that we are overly dependent on technology. In addition to this, many of us don't know how to read a paper map as the requirement to do so has become minimal.

2. What Should People Do When They Get Lost?

Firstly, before looking for a way out of the situation, it is vital to stop panicking. To let your brain function well, you must consider breathing. Next, you should try to contact someone you know. In addition, it would be better if the person you call lives the nearest. If you can't do that, you should take safety measures and wait for an opportunity or seek one depending on the kind of place.

3. Do You Think It is Important to be Able to Read a Map?

Yes, I think it is a vital life skill to be able to read maps of different kinds. There are several public spaces that are huge and are built like a maze. Therefore, more than a GPS, the map on the wall somewhere will be of more help.

4. Why Do Some People Get Lost More Easily Than Others?

Some people are poor with directions. Moreover, many have a condition too where it is a difficult task to remember ways. However, being able to read the maps correctly can be of great help to such people.

5. Some People Deliberately Walk on Unknown Paths without Navigation. Is That a Problem?

I think it is not a problem to explore different regions and travel on paths that are unknown to oneself. However, it can be dangerous to ignore factors like safety and precautions while doing so.

This was all about the three parts of the IELTS speaking section. Now, let us discover how the IELTS speaking section is scored.

How is the IELTS Speaking Section Scored?

The IELTS speaking section is calculated on the basis of the following four points:

• Fluency and Coherence (FC)
• Lexical Resource (LR)
• Pronunciation (P)
• Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA)

These factors are explained below:

Fluency and Coherence (FC)

This carries 7.5 marks. Your speech must be clear and well structured. What can increase your score keeping this factor in mind is:

• Use words and sign points to connect sentences.
• Speak without fillers and pauses as much as you can.
• Pause when there is a need to and use punctuation.

Lexical Resources (LR)

This carries 7.0 marks. This counts as vocabulary that you use while giving the answers. You can improve at that by:

• Using appropriate words.
• Speaking formally.
• Idioms for IELTS speaking also work.

Pronunciation (P)

This carries 7.0 marks. Try not to fake an accent and stick to one accent. It can also be an Indian accent. However, it must be clear. Thus, you should:

• Work on words that seem hard to you.
• Use correct intonations and voice modulation.
• Try to stress keywords more.
• Practice Tongue Twisters to improve your Pronunciation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy (GRA)

This carries 7.5 marks. Make sure you use correct grammar while speaking fluently. Consider:

• Avoiding grammatical errors.
• Keep track of the tenses used in every answer.
• Use passive and active voice wisely.

The total score for IELTS speaking will be 7.5+7.0+7.0+7.5 / 4

This will be equal to 7.25. The round off of the same will be 7.25.

This is the way your IELTS speaking scores are evaluated. Now, let us know some tips to make it easy for you to score well in the IELTS speaking section.

Read more: IELTS Speaking Band Descriptions

Tips to Clear the IELTS Speaking Section

1. Firstly, try to enhance your fluency and confidence. Practicing more speaking topics for IELTS can help.
2. Take a lot of IELTS speaking mock tests in the same environment as the IELTS exam. This will boost your confidence and make you familiar with the place.
3. Thirdly, try to create a comfortable atmosphere by being friendly.
4. Fourthly, maintain natural speech speed which is not too slow or fast.
5. Lastly, use good vocabulary but only when you are sure of the meaning and usage.

These are some of the most vital advice you will ever get on the IELTS speaking section.

To sum up, the best IELTS speaking topics to practice are the most common things and activities around you. Moreover, you should also practice speaking about them and different matters in English. This will eventually make it easy for you to score well on the IELTS speaking test. Gradding.com has several study plans for different types of learners. Moreover, you can also take their pre IELTS test to know where you stand currently. In addition to this, answers to various speaking topics for IELTS are also some of the many resources you can find on their website.

FAQs

Q1. How to Score 8 Bands in the IELTS Exam?

For this, you will have to focus and practice every section of the IELTS exam well. Moreover, you cannot choose to ignore any of them. Thus, you must practice with a lot of sample papers, mock tests, and IELTS coaching as well if required.

Q2. Can I Take IELTS Classes From Home?

Yes, you can take online IELTS coaching from anywhere with a good internet connection and a laptop or even a smartphone. They can also help you with various IELTS speaking topics to help you get better at it.

Q3. What Should I Avoid While Taking IELTS Speaking?

You should not do the following:

• Try to memorize answers
• Overusing transition words
• Saying you don't know
• Giving too short answers