Expert tips and strategies for this part of the IELTS Speaking test. Includes sample responses and key vocabulary for Band 7+.
Originally published August 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
This post will look at how to extend your part 1 answers.
In part 1 the examiner will ask you about familiar topics, like your home, hometown, hobbies and work. The answers you give should be honest and show the examiner your ability to use English well.
When giving your answers, try to make sure that they are not too short – for example, if the examiner asks you ‘What is your favourite TV show?’, saying ‘I really like Peaky Blinders’ is too short.
You can expand your answer by adding more detail of what it is about, and why you like it so much for example; ‘I really like the BBC drama Peaky Blinders, it has an excellent cast and the writing keeps me interested in the story. There is lots of action, as the story is centred on a ganster family in 1920’s Birmingham, who are up to no good!’.
The answers in part 1 should not be too long either, talking for 2 minutes or more is far too long, parts 2 and 3 will allow you to speak for a longer time and go into more detail.
You should aim to use more than one clause when you give your answers, for example;
Q: Do you work or study?
A: I work at the moment but I continue my studies at the same time. I continue to learn through courses and gain new qualifications every year, this means my knowledge is always up to date.
Take a look at the ways that you can extend your answers below, in the aim of getting you a higher score! >>
Be Honest
When answering the questions, try to be as honest as possible, telling the examiner your thoughts, feeling and opinions, for example;
Q: Do you think vacations are becoming more and more important?
A: Yes, I think that many people are working longer hours and have more stress than ever placed upon them. taking a break is necessary to unwind and recharge so that they can let go of the stress and focus on their own well-being.
Give Details (Contrast)
You can extend your answers by giving contrasting details, using words like – but, however, although, even though, while, whereas.. etc. For example;
Q: Do you use the Internet for your studies?
A: Yes, I do research online, reading articles from trusted resources. However, there is a lot of information out there, so you need to be able to separate the good from the bad.
You can also add more details into your answer by using the words with, and, another, also, next – for example;
Q: Do you enjoy your work?
A: Yes I do, it is always exciting to meet new students and to help them on their learning journey. Writing is also a fun way to let my imagination free and to research topics that interest me, like interior design, architecture and fine art.
You may also be asked to contrast an opinion or opinions of others where these words – but, however, although, even though, while, whereas.. etc. would also be appropriate to use. For example;
Q: What do you like/dislike about your job?
A: The thing I like most about my job is being able to help people achieve their goals. I also like the flexibility, as I am responsible for my own schedule. However, I don’t like the number of hours I sometimes work, but it can be necessary.
Compare
You can make comparisons thinking about things you used to enjoy or used to do but now enjoy/do something different. You can use words like – similarly, likewise, also, like, same as, similar to… For example;
Q: What sports do you like? (Why?)
A: I used to enjoy classes like Zumba and body combat but now really enjoy swimming and running. Swimming and running are great ways to stay fit as they allow me to experience nature, as well as exercise.
Give a reason why
Expand your answers with reasons…..why you do or do not like something etc (depending on what you are being asked). You can use words like – for, because, since, as. For example;
Q: Why are vacations important to you?
A: Because they are much needed during certain times of the year, for example when the weather becomes too hot to bear or I feel as though I need a break from work. They help me to relax and de-stress from everything.
Q: What’s your favourite weather? (Why?)
A: I prefer warm days at around 24/25 degrees with clear blue skies and the sun, since this is good for walking my dog and to enjoy the outdoors without being too uncomfortable.
Think about the future
When the examiner asks you a question, think about the future – using the future tense and what you would like to do in the future. You can use will be/going to or in a hypothetical situation you can use would or could. For example;
Q: What will you do in the future? (work related)
A: In the future, I would like to be able to expand my teaching responsibilities and to have more student groups. I also want to write a book, a fiction novel or two!
Q: If you could take a vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why? (travel)
A: I would like to visit a pretty place with snow, lots and lots of snow, somewhere like Canada or maybe even in the mountains in Greece during the winter months. In the future, I would like to go skiing, try snowboarding and stay in a well-decorated log cabin, with a large real fireplace.
Give examples
Support your answers with examples from your life or past experiences. It is much better to do this then try to make something up, as you will be more confident giving an example that you have experienced. You can use – for example, for instance, such as, including. For example;
Q: How often do you buy something in a shop?
A: That depends on what it is, for example, I will go the shop every day to buy freshly baked bread. For other groceries, it may be once a week and for other items, such as clothes it will be less often.
Q: Does the weather ever affect what you do?
A: Yes, plans change according to the weather, for instance, if there is a heavy downpour I will not be able to walk my dog or to go shopping in town.
Regularity
You can extend your answers by using words to show how often you do something. Use words like – never, often, sometimes, all the time, usually. For example;
Q: How often do you swim?
A: I usually go swimming every day or at least three times per week. This allows me to do some exercise in the water which is good for my overall health.
Practice
Practice as much as you can with a partner or your teacher, looking at past questions and working on your overall conversation. The best student answers are given naturally, explaining, giving detail and being honest.
Think about the structures you need to use and the words that will help you to connect your information together. Take a look through the practice question and answers in this section to get some ideas.
Don’t overcomplicate it by thinking of ‘complex structures’ and grammar that you need to use when you are answering.
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Expert tips and strategies for this part of the IELTS Speaking test. Includes sample responses and key vocabulary for Band 7+.
Originally published July 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, we will be looking in-depth at English pronunciation.
While you are preparing for your IELTS Speaking Test it is important that you understand the marking criteria. Pronunciation counts for 25% of your speaking score, therefore it is vital that you understand what the examiner wants. Getting individual sounds correct is really important in order to gain a band score of 5 or higher. You will be able to achieve a higher score if you can demonstrate your ability to form individual sounds correctly; word stress, sentence stress, intonation (pitch), pausing and chunking, elision (dropping individual sounds), assimilation (changing individual sounds when you speak quickly) and linking (moving sounds from the end of one word to the beginning of the next).
In the IELTS Speaking Test, any form of pronunciation from British, American, Canadian, Australian etc is accepted.
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is the act or manner of speaking a word. Many words in English are not pronounced the way they are spelt, and some sounds can be represented by more than one combination of letters.
One of the most important aspects of the IELTS Speaking Test is pronunciation. Without clear pronunciation, it is difficult to make yourself understood. Native speakers emphasise the most important words in a sentence by pronouncing them slowly and loudly. Have you ever noticed this?
Word Stress
When you are speaking English the words you stress can change the underlying meaning of a sentence.
For example: look at the following sentence: I don’t think that is a good idea.
This simple sentence can have many levels of meaning based on the word you stress. Consider the meaning of the following sentences with the stressed word in bold. Read each sentence aloud and give a strong stress to the word in bold:
I don’t think that is a good idea. Meaning – other people might think it is a good idea.
I don’t think that is a good idea. Meaning – it’s not true that I think it is a good idea.
I don’t think that is a good idea. Meaning – I’m not sure if it is a good idea.
“There is a great deal of evidence that native speakers rely very much on the stress pattern of words when they are listening. In fact, experiments have demonstrated that often when a native speaker mishears a word, it is because the foreigner has put the stress in the wrong place, not because he or she mispronounced the sound of the word.”— Joanne Kenworthy, Teaching English Pronunciation. Longman, 1987
Punctuation
Use punctuation to help your pronunciation by adding a pause after each period, comma, semicolon or colon. By using punctuation to guide you when you pause, you will begin to speak in a more natural manner.
For example: I’m going to visit my friends in London. They have a beautiful house in Chelsea, so I’m staying with them for one week.
In this example, pause after ‘London’ and ‘Chelsea’. This will help anyone who’s listening to you follow you more easily. On the other hand, if you rush through the sentences, where the periods and commas (and other punctuation marks) would be, your pronunciation will sound unnatural and it will be difficult for listeners to follow your thoughts.
Intonation
Intonation is the act of raising and the lowering of the voice when speaking. In other words, intonation refers to the voice rising and falling. We use the pitch of our voice to change the meaning of what we are saying.
For example: Look at the questions below and then say them out loud, raising your voice on the last words, this allows the listener to know you are asking them a question:
Raising Your Voice at the End of a Question If the question is a yes / no question, the voice rises at the end of a question. Do you like living in Greece? Have you lived here for a long time? Did you visit any of the Ionian Islands last month?
Falling Voice at the End of a Question If the question is an information question – in other words, if you are asking a question with ‘where’, ‘when’, ‘what’, ‘which’, ‘why’, ‘what / which kind of..’, and questions with ‘how’ – let your voice fall at then end of a question.
Where are you going to stay on holiday this year?
When did you leave your town?
How long have you lived in the UK?
When using a question to clarify some information, let your voice rise to let the listener know that you expect more information.
Jane isn’t going to be at the restaurant, is she?
You understand your position here, don’t you?
We aren’t expected to finish the assignment by Tuesday, are we?
We also use a specific type of intonation when using commas in a list.
For example: John enjoys playing volleyball, swimming, kayaking, and quad biking. In this example, the voice rises after each item on the list. For the final item, let the voice fall. In other words, ‘volleyball’, ‘swimming’, and ‘kayaking’ all rise in intonation. The final activity, ‘quad biking’, falls in intonation.
Practice with a few more examples;
We bought some gluten-free pasta, bananas, orange juice and potatoes.
Maria wants to go to New York, Barcelona, Rome, and Athens.
Expert tips and strategies for this part of the IELTS Speaking test. Includes sample responses and key vocabulary for Band 7+.
Originally published July 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
The IELTS Speaking Test lasts 11-14 minutes.
The test has three parts, where you are interviewed by a trained examiner. You are not allowed to use a dictionary during the test. IELTS Academic and IELTS General students take the same test and it is marked in the same way.
The three parts of the test are as follows;
IELTS Speaking Part 1
Duration: 4-5 minutes
You will be asked questions on familiar topics, like your hobbies, family, where you are from, what your hometown/city is like, etc.
The topics might include;
Your studies/education
Hobbies/sports
Your family
What kind of movies, books, tv shows or music you like
What you like to eat / where you like to eat
Your job
Where you live
IELTS Speaking Part 2
Duration:3-4 minutes
First, the examiner will give you one minute to think about the question and make notes. Next, you will speak for 1-2 minutes uninterrupted. Then the examiner will ask you a further two or three questions about what you have said.
For example: you might be asked a question like this on your cue card >>
“Describe an interesting place you have visited”
You should say;
When you visited?
What you did when you were there?
What activities you could do there?
Would you recommend it to others?
IELTS Speaking Part 3
Duration:4-5 minutes
The examiner will ask you further questions related to the question topic from part 2. This will give you the opportunity to discuss more abstract ideas.
The cue card used as an example above was asking you about a place you had visited. Further questions might include;
Why do you think the tourist industry is growing?
How do people choose a destination for their holiday?
Some people like to take a package holiday, while others prefer to explore and organise the trip themselves, why is this?
IELTS Speaking Criteria
The IELTS Speaking Test is designed for you to be able to talk about, describe and explain your own experiences and opinions.
You will be assessed on the following criteria;
Fluency and Coherence
Lexical Resource
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Pronunciation
It is important that you take the time to read the IELTS Speaking Band Descriptors and familiarise yourself with what is expected for the higher scoring bands. Like other parts of the test, you will be given a band score from 0-9. With the academic students aiming for a band score of 7, the criteria is as follows;
Non-native speakers who can express themselves on most subjects but frequently pause to think of words or ideas, mostly get a band score 5 or 6. Native speakers would be expected to get an 8.5 or 9.
The examiner is looking for your ability to speak English well, expressing your own opinions and feelings. Your score will be lower than a 7 if you make frequent mistakes or the examiner has trouble understanding you and what you are trying to say.
Requirements from universities and immigration agencies vary. Most students will need at least a band score 6 for undergraduate study. For postgraduate study or immigration, a band score 7 is generally required.
