135 typical IELTS Speaking Part One questions

The statements below are very approximately in order by the most likely topic and the most likely questions within each topic. That will mean that topics low in the list and questions low in each list are fairly unlikely, but they are given anyway to give some idea of the potential variability of IELTS questions. As the IELTS questions changed all the time and are no longer published, there will certainly be questions in the exam that are not in the list below, as well as some that are similar but stated differently and maybe some topics that are not here.

 
Admin questions
1. Can I see your (photo) ID please?/ Can I have your scorecard please?/ Please show me your passport/ Can I see some identification first?

Name
2. Can I just check your name? / Your name is _______________/ So you are_______________. Is that right?
3. Could you tell me your (full) name please?
4. Can I check out how to pronounce/ spell your name?
5. What would you like me to call you?/ What should I call you?
6. Which part is your first name?
7. So, it says here that your name is ________________ Did I pronounce that okay?
8. Would you prefer me to use your first name or your family name?
9. Is it okay if I use your first name?
10. Should I call you _____________ or ______________?
11. Do you prefer Mrs, Miss or Ms?

Work and studies
12. Are you working or are you a student?
13. What do you do?
14. Do you enjoy your studies/ work? (What makes you say that/ Why?)/ What is the most interesting aspect/ part of your studies/ work?
15. Is there anything you dislike about your work/ studies?
16. What job would you like to do in the future? / What job do you hope to be doing in ten years’ time?
17. Do you want to study anything in the future? / Is there anything you’d like to study in the future?
18. Why did you choose this subject/ job?
19. Is it a difficult job/ subject?
20. What was your favourite subject at school? What did you like about that?
21. Are you studying anything at the moment?
22. What are/ were the best things about your job/ studies?
23. What do you do for a living?
24. Who was your favourite teacher at school? (Why?)
25. Are you working at the moment? (Have you had a job before?)
26. Is there anything you want to study in the future?
27. What is your typical day like at work/ at school/ in college?

Hometown
28. Are you from (Seoul)? / Are you from round here?
29. How long have you been in (Seoul)? (Is Seoul the only place you have lived in?)
30. Where were you born?
31. Where did you grow up? / Where did you live when you were a child?
32. What kind of place is your hometown? / Tell me a little about where you come from. (Would you rather live here or there/ in __________ or in _____________? Why?)
33. Where are you from?
34. Are you from the country or the city?
35. What’s the most interesting part of your town/ village?
36. What kind of jobs do people in your town/ village do?
37. Would you say your hometown a good place to live? (Why?)
38. Can you tell me something about your hometown?
39. Do you think _________ is a good place to live in?
40. How is your hometown changing?
41. What changes would you like to make to your hometown?
42. Would you like to live in your hometown when you retire/ get older?
43. When are you next going back to your hometown?
44. Do you often visit your hometown?
45. Where is your family from?
46. How often do you go back to your hometown?
47. Is your hometown famous for anything?
48. What is the name of your hometown?
49. What kind of transport do people usually use in your hometown?

Hobbies and free time
50. What do you like doing in your free time?
51. What are your hobbies? / Do you have any hobbies? / Have you got any interests or hobbies?
52. Are there any new leisure activities you would like to take up?
53. Do you prefer to go out or stay at home in the evenings? (Why?)
54. How do you usually spend your weekends/ days off?
55. What do you usually do in the evening?
56. Do you prefer going out or staying at home? Why?
57. What did you do last weekend?
58. How much free time do you have?
59. Do you enjoy playing sports? (What sports do you like?)
60. What type of music do you enjoy most?
61. What type of films do you like?
62. When was the last time you went out? What did you do?
63. What do you do when you meet your friends? Do you prefer going out with a large or small group of friends? Why?
64. What are your leisure time activities?
65. Do you play any musical instruments? Did you learn to play as a child?

Family and friends
66. Do you have a large family?
67. How many brothers and sisters do you have? What do they like doing in their free time?
68. Can you tell me about your family?
69. Did you get on well with your parents/ brothers or sisters when you were a child?
70. Do you get on well with your family? How/ Why?
71. Which of your parents do you most resemble/ take after? Why do you say that?
72. What do your parents do?
73. Do you have many friends? (How about close friends?)
74. When was the last time you met your extended family? What was the occasion?
75. Would you like to have a large family?
76. Do you live with your family?

Language studies and IELTS
77. Do you speak any other languages? / How many languages do you speak?
78. Why are you taking the IELTS exam?
79. Do you have any plans for after you take the IELTS exam?
80. What will you do if you pass the IELTS exam?
81. How long have you been studying English?
82. Why is it important for you to learn English?
83. Did you enjoy English at school?
84. Do you enjoy studying English?
85. What do you find most difficult about learning English?
86. What activities do you find most useful for learning English? / What do you think the best way to study a language is?
87. How much time do you spend studying English every week?

Festivals and celebrations
88. How do you usually celebrate your birthday?
89. How did you celebrate your last birthday?
90. How do you think you will celebrate your next birthday?
91. What is the most important day of the year for you? (Why?)
92. What is the next big celebration in your family? (What are you going to do?)
93. What is the most important festival in your hometown/ country?
94. Are there any festivals you would like to go to?
95. When did you last go to a festival?
96. Does your hometown have any famous festivals?

Accommodation
97. Do you live in a house or a flat? / What sort of home do you live in? What kind of accommodation do you live in?
98. Where do you live now? How long have you been living there?
99. Where are you living now?
100. Do you live near here?
101. What do you like about your home? Is there anything you would like to change/ improve about your home?
102. What would your dream house be like?
103. Can you tell me about the kind of accommodation you live in? What do you like about living there?
104. What is your local area like?
105. What sort of accommodation would you most like to live in?
106. Do you still live in your family home?
107. Can you tell me about where you are living at the moment?
108. Would you like to move house? Why/ why not?
109. What is your favourite room in your house? Why?
110. How long do you think you will continue living in your present accommodation?
111. Who do you live with? / Do you live on your own?

Future plans
112. What are your plans for your next holiday? / Do you have any plans for your next holiday?
113. What are you going to do at the weekend/ on your next days off?
114. What do you think you will be doing in ten years’ time?
115. Do you have any plans or ambitions for the future?
116. Do you have any plans to travel or live abroad?

Transport and travel
117. Have you visited many foreign countries? What was your favourite place? Why?
118. What countries would you like to visit (in the future)?
119. Would you like you live abroad? Why/ Why not?
120. What things would you recommend a foreign tourist to do in your country?
121. Have you ever had any problems while you were travelling?
122. When do you think you will next travel abroad? (Where would you like to go?)
123. Have you been to any English speaking countries? (What do you think about it/ them?)
124. Have you travelled much?
125. Have you visited any foreign countries?
126. What part of the world would you most like to travel in?
127. If you could live in any country/ travel anywhere, where would you choose?

Food and drink
128. Can you cook?
129. Who does the cooking in your family/ house?
130. What is the most famous dish from your country? Can you describe it?
131. What is your favourite dish?
132. What kind of food do you like?
133. What is your main meal of the day?
134. Do you prefer eating at home or in a restaurant?
135. On what occasions do you eat special meals?