IELTS Speaking - Part 1 (Topics)

Here are some topic questions that you can expect in your Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking Test. Preparing them in advance will certainly help you become more confident.

                                

NAME
Can you tell me your full name please?
Does your name have any special meaning?
Is your name important to you?
Have you ever changed your name? If yes, why and if not, why not?
Do Nepali people like changing their names? If yes, why? If not, why not?
               
STUDY
What are the advantages of studying instead of working?
What do you study? Where do you study? What’s your major?
Why did you choose this subject?
What do you find the most interesting aspect about your subject?
What do you dislike about your subject/study?
What do you hope to do after your graduation?
What are your ambitions for the future?

WORK
Where do you work?
Can you describe your job to me?
How long have you been working there?
What’s your daily routine on a working day?
Can you describe one of your typical working days?
Why did you choose to do that job?
What things do you enjoy about your work? Why?
What do you think is the attraction of your job/work?
Do you want to change your current job? Why or why not?
What are your plans for the future?

YOUR TOWN
Where are you from? Tell me something about your hometown.
Can you describe some important places to visit in your hometown?
What is the name of the street you live in? What kind of street do you live on?   
What do you like about your town? What is the weather like in your town?
Which are the best places to eat out in your hometown.
What kind of jobs do people do in your hometown?
How has your hometown changed over the last five years?
What changes have taken place in your hometown in recent years?

FREE TIME
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
How much time do you have each week for doing these activities? Why do you like doing these activities?
How did you start doing these activities at first? Is there any other hobby or sport you would like to try?

HOLIDAYS
What do you do when you have a holiday?
Who do you usually spend your holiday with?
Where do you like to spend your holidays? Why?
Why are holidays important to you?
What do people usually do during holidays and in your town?

TRANSPORT
How did you come here today?
What is public transport like in your town?
Do you think people should use public transport more? Why (not)?

SHOPPING
Do you enjoy shopping? Why (not)?
How much time do you spend shopping every week?
What is your favourite shop and why do you like it?

YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD
Can you describe the house where you live?                
What is there to do in the area where you live?
What do you like about the area where you live?
Do you think it is better to live in the centre of the town or outside the town?

NEIGHBOURS.
How well do you know the people who live next door to you?
How often do you see them? Why/Why not?
What kinds of problem do people sometimes have with their neighbours?
How do you think neighbours can help each other?

READING
Do you enjoy reading? If yes, why? If not, why not?
What sort of books do you read? Tell me something about your favourite book.
What are the advantages of reading instead of watching television or going to the cinema?

SPORTS AND GAMES
What is your favourite sport? Do you play any sports?
What sports are popular in your country?
Do people like to play sports or watch them on TV?
What are the benefits of playing sports?
Has the kind of sports people like changed over the years?

NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES.
Which magazines and newspapers do you read? Why?
What kinds of article are you most interested in? Why?
Have you ever read a newspaper or magazine in a foreign language? When/Why?
Do you think reading a newspaper or magazine in a foreign language is a good way to learn the     language? Why/Why not?

TELEVISION.
How often do you watch television? Why/Why not?
Which television channel do you usually watch? Why/Why not?
Do you enjoy the advertisements on television? Why/Why not?
Do you think most programs on television are good? Why/Why not?

GAMES
What games are popular in your country? Why?
Do you play any games? Why/Why not?
How do people learn to play games in your country?
Do you think it’s important for people to play games? Why? Why not?

TELEPHONING
How often do you make telephone calls? Why? Why not?
Who do you spend most time talking to on the telephone? Why?
When do you think you’ll next make a telephone call? Why?
Do you sometimes prefer to send a text message instead of telephoning? Why? Why not?

BICYCLES
How popular are bicycles in your home town? Why?
How often do you ride a bicycle? Why? Why not?
Do you think that bicycles are suitable for all ages? Why? Why not?
What are the advantages of a bicycle compared to a car? Why?

GIVING GIFTS
When do people give gifts or presents in your country?
Do you ever take a gift when you visit someone in their home? Why? Why not?
When did you last receive a gift? What was it?
Do you enjoy looking for gifts for people? Why? Why not?

NEIGHBOURS
How well do you know the people who live next door to you?
How often do you see them? Why? Why not?
What kinds of problem do people sometimes have with their neighbours?
How do you think neighbours can help each other?

NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES
Which magazines and newspapers do you read? Why?
What kinds of article are you most interested in? Why?
Have you ever read a newspaper or magazine in a foreign language? When? Why?
Do you think reading a newspaper or magazine in a foreign language is a good way to learn the language? Why? Why not?

FLOWERS
Do you like to have flowers in your home? Why? Why not?
Where would you go to buy flowers? Why?
On what occasions would you give someone flowers?
Are flowers important in your culture? Why? Why not?

TELEVISION
How often do you watch television? Why? Why not?
Which television channel do you usually watch? Why?
Do you enjoy the advertisements on television? Why/Why not?
Do you think most programmes on television are good? Why/Why not?

KEEPING IN CONTACT WITH PEOPLE
How do you usually contact your friends? Why?
Do you prefer to contact different people in different ways? Why?
Do you find it easy to keep in contact with friends and family? Why/Why not?
In your country, did people in the past keep in contact in the same ways as they do today? Why/Why not?

LAUGHING
What kinds of thing make you laugh?
Do you like making other people laugh? Why/Why not?
Do you think it’s important for people to laugh? Why/Why not?
Is laughing the same as feeling happy, do you think? Why/Why not?

COLD WEATHER
Have you ever been in very cold weather? When?
How often is the weather cold where you come from?
Are some parts of your country colder than others? Why?
Would you prefer to live in a hot place or a cold place? Why?

TRAVELLING TO WORK OR COLLEGE
How do you usually travel to work or college? Why?
Have you always travelled to work/college in the same way? Why/Why not?
What do you like about travelling to work/college this way?
What changes would improve the way you travel to work/college? Why?

DANCING
Do you enjoy dancing? Why/Why not?
Has anyone ever taught you to dance? Why/Why not?
Tell me about any traditional dancing in your country.
Do you think that traditional dancing will be popular in the future? Why/Why not?

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Which instruments do you like listening to most? Why?
Why you ever learned to play a musical instrument? Which one?
Do you think children should learn to play a musical instrument at school? Why/Why not?
How easy would it be to learn to play an instrument without a teacher? Why?

TRAFFIC WHERE YOU LIVE
How do most people travel to work where you live?
What traffic problems are there in your area? Why?
How do traffic problems affect you?
How would you reduce the traffic problems in your area?

YOUR FRIENDS
Do you prefer to have one particular friend or a group of friends? Why?
What do you like doing most with your friends?
Do you think it’s important to keep in contact with friends you knew as a child? Why/Why not?
What makes a friend into a good friend?

YOUR COUNTRY
Which part of your country do most people live in?
Tell me about the main industries there?
How easy is it to travel around your country?
Has your country changed much since you were a child?

COLOUR
What’s your favourite colour? Why?
Do you like the same colours now as you did when you were younger? Why/Why not?
What can you learn about a person from the colours they like?
Do any colours have a special meaning in your culture?

ENTERTAINMENT
Do you prefer relaxing at home or going out in the evening? Why?
When you go out for an evening, what do you like to do?
How popular is this with other people in your country?
Is there any kind of entertainment you do not like? Why/ Why not?

CLOTHES
How important are clothes and fashion to you? Why/Why not?
What kind of clothes do you dislike? Why?
How different are the clothes you wear now from those you wore 10 years ago?
What do you think the clothes we wear say about us?

FRIENDS
Are your friends mostly your age or different ages? Why?
Do you usually see your friends during the week or at weekends? Why?
The last time you saw your friends, what did you do together?
In what ways are your friends important to you?

FOOD AND COOKING
What kinds of food do you like to eat?
What kind of new food would you like to try? Why?
Do you like cooking? Why/Why not?
What was the last meal you cooked?
Do you prefer home-cooked food or food from restaurants? Why?

LEISURE
Do you have any hobbies or interests? What are they?
How did you become interested in (whatever hobby/interest the candidate mentions)?
What is there to do in your free time in (candidate’s home town/village)?
How do you usually spend your holidays?
Is there anywhere you would particularly like to visit? Why?

YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE
What place do you most like to visit? How often do you visit this place?
Why do you like it so much? Is it popular with many other people?
Has it changed very much since you first went there? In what way?

FAMILY
Do you have a large family or a small family? Can you tell me something about them?
How much time do you mange to spend with members of your family?
What sorts of thing do you like to do together? Did/Do you get on well with your family? Why?

FESTIVALS
Tell me about the most important festival in your country?
What special food and activities are connected with this festival? What do you most enjoy about it?
Do you think festivals are important for a country? Why?

VISITORS
What would you suggest a visitor should see and do in your country?
Are there any traditional arts or music you would recommend?
Tell me about the kind of foreign visitors or tourists who go to your country.
In what ways has tourism changed your country?

DAILY ROUTINE
What would you like to change in your daily routine?
Are all your days the same?
Tell me about your typical weekday and your typical weekend.
What is the balance of work/study and free time in your normal day?