Free question library

IELTS Speaking topics and questions

This page lists every topic in the SpeakingIELTS practice library: 44 Part 1 interview themes, 42 Part 2 cue cards, and the Part 3 discussion questions linked to each card—489 speaking prompts in total. Read them here, then answer them aloud under timed conditions in the free mock test.

Jump to: How to use these topics Part 1 topics Part 2 cue cards Common themes FAQ

How to use these IELTS Speaking topics

The IELTS Speaking test is a face-to-face conversation of 11 to 14 minutes in three parts. Every candidate meets the same structure, but the subjects vary, so the most reliable preparation is broad, regular speaking practice across many themes rather than memorised answers. Examiners are trained to notice rehearsed speech, and a memorised answer that does not quite fit the question can hurt fluency and coherence.

Pick one topic. Work through all of its questions in one sitting.
Answer aloud, without writing a script. Aim for two to four sentences in Part 1, the full two minutes in Part 2, and developed opinions with reasons in Part 3.
Record and listen once. Use the self-evaluation checklist to choose one thing to improve.
Repeat the topic later. A second attempt a day or two later shows whether the change is sticking.

Practise these questions in a timed mock

IELTS Speaking Part 1 topics and questions

Popular topics also have their own page with sample answers—see Part 1 questions and answers by topic.

Part 1 lasts four to five minutes. After checking your identity, the examiner asks about familiar subjects. Keep answers natural and extend each one with a reason, a detail, or an example. Every session begins with an introduction like this:

What is your full name?
And what should I call you?

Work

Let's talk about what you do. Do you work or are you a student?
What is your job?
Why did you choose this job?
What do you like most about your work?
Is there anything you would like to change about your job?
Would you like to do a different job in the future?

Practise work questions aloud with a timer → · Sample answers and phrases

Studies

Let's talk about your studies. What subject are you studying?
Why did you choose this subject?
What do you enjoy most about your studies?
Is your subject popular in your country?
What would you like to do after you finish your studies?
Do you prefer studying alone or with other people?

Practise studies questions aloud with a timer → · Sample answers and phrases

Hometown

I’d just like to ask you some questions about your hometown. Where is your hometown?
What was it like growing up there?
Has it changed much since you were a child?
What do you like most about living there?
What kinds of things can visitors to your hometown go and see?
Do you think you will live there when you are older?

Practise hometown questions aloud with a timer → · Sample answers and phrases

Home

I’d like to ask you some questions about your home. Do you live in an apartment or a house?
Is it a large accommodation?
Who do you live there with?
What is your favourite room in your accommodation?
Is it a quiet or noisy place to live?
What can you see from the windows in your dwelling?
If you could change anything about your house, what would you change?

Practise home questions aloud with a timer → · Sample answers and phrases

Freetime

I’d like to move on and ask you some questions about your free time. What type of activities do you like to do in your free time?
How long have you been interested in these activities?
Do you like to do theses activities alone or with other people?
Why?
Do you think people have enough free time?

Practise freetime questions aloud with a timer → · Sample answers and phrases

Family

I’d like to move on and ask you some questions about your family. How many people are there in your family?
Do you all live in the same house?
What things do you like doing together?
Who is your favourite family member?

Practise family questions aloud with a timer → · Sample answers and phrases

Timing

Let’s move on and talk about being on time for appointments. Is being late acceptable in your culture?
Are you ever late for appointments?
What type of excuses do you think are alright for lateness?
How do you feel when someone is late for an appointment with you?

Practise timing questions aloud with a timer →

Neighbours

Let’s change the topic and talk about your neighbours. Do you know the people who live next door to you?
How often do you see each other?
What kind of relationship do you have?
How can neighbours be helpful?
What kind of problems can people have with their neighbours in a big city?

Practise neighbours questions aloud with a timer →

Food

Moving to a new topic, I’d like to discuss cooking and meals with you. Do you enjoy cooking?
What type of things can you cook?
What kinds of food are popular in your country?
Is it an important part of your culture to have dinner parties?
Do you prefer to eat with other people or on your own?

Practise food questions aloud with a timer → · Sample answers and phrases

Dreams

I’d now like to discuss your night time dreams with you. Do you dream much at night?
Do you often remember your dreams?
Do you think we can learn anything from dreams?
Do people in your country talk about their dreams?
Do you think that dreams can come true?

Practise dreams questions aloud with a timer →

Magazines

Okay, let’s move to a different topic and discuss magazines and newspapers. Which do you prefer reading, newspapers or magazines?
What type of stories do you like to read about?
Do you think reading a magazine or a newspaper can help you learn a language?
Why do you think some people prefer magazines to newspapers?

Practise magazines questions aloud with a timer →

Humour

Let’s change the topic and talk about comedy and humour. What type of programmes do you find funny on TV?
Which types of programmes are most popular in your country?
What kind of things make you laugh?
Do you like to make people laugh?
Do you think it is important to have a sense of humour?
Why?

Practise humour questions aloud with a timer →

Museums

Let’s move on and talk about museums. Are museums popular in your country?
Did you visit museums when you were a child?
Do you like to visit museums nowadays?
Do you think you should pay to visit museums?

Practise museums questions aloud with a timer →

Mobile

Now lets talk about mobile phones. Do you have a mobile phone?
At what age did you first get a mobile?
What do you most use it for?
Is it a nuisance if people use mobiles in public places such as trains and buses?

Practise mobile questions aloud with a timer →

Television

We'll now talk about television. How many hours a day do you spend watching television?
What type of television programs do you like to watch?
Do you think children in your country watch too much television?
Do you think television is useful for education in schools?

Practise television questions aloud with a timer →

Sea

Now we'll talk about the sea. Do you like to go on holiday by the sea?
Are there many hotels by the sea in your country?
What kind of activities can people do by the sea?
How long do people normal visit the sea for when they go on holiday?

Practise sea questions aloud with a timer →

Flowers

Let's talk about flowers. Have you ever given anybody flowers?
Is it popular to give flowers to people in your country?
On what special occasions do people give flowers in your country?
What kinds of flowers would you like to receive as a present?

Practise flowers questions aloud with a timer →

Weather

Now we'll move on to talk about the weather. What kind of weather do you like the most?
Does the weather affect the way that you feel?
Do people like the weather in your country?
Do the kinds of outside activities people do in your country change when the weather changes?

Practise weather questions aloud with a timer → · Sample answers and phrases

Public Transport

Now we'll move on to talk about public transport. What kinds of public transport do they have in your country?
What kinds of public transport do most people use?
What is your favourite type of public transport?
What do you do when you are travelling on public transport?
How could public transport in your country be improved?

Practise public transport questions aloud with a timer → · Sample answers and phrases

Sport

Now we'll move on to talk about sport. What is the most popular type of sport in your country?
Is there a lot of sport on television in your country?
What sports do children normally do at school?
Do you think people do enough sport these days?

Practise sport questions aloud with a timer → · Sample answers and phrases

Writing

Now we'll talk about writing. Do you enjoy writing?
What age do children normally learn to write in your country?
Did you used to write a lot when you were a child?
Do you ever write letters?
Do you prefer writing letters or sending emails?

Practise writing questions aloud with a timer →

Animals

Now we'll talk about animals. What is your favourite animal?
What types of animals do you have in your country?
What types of animals are kept as pets in your country?
Do you think animals should be kept in zoos?

Practise animals questions aloud with a timer →

Dictionaries

Now let's move on to talk about dictionaries. Do you ever use a dictionary?
Do you prefer paper or electronic dictionaries?
Are dictionaries used a lot in schools in your country?
Do you think dictionaries are useful for learning a language?

Practise dictionaries questions aloud with a timer →

Fashion

Now let's move on to talk about fashion and clothing. Were you interested in fashion when you were a child?
Is fashion important to you now?
What types of clothes are fashionable for young people in your country these days?
Does fashion change for people as they get older?

Practise fashion questions aloud with a timer →

Birthdays

Now let's move on to talk about birthdays. What did you usually do on your birthday when you were a child?
How do you normally celebrate your birthday now?
Is your birthday now still as important to you as when you were a child?
Do you think it's important to give someone a card when it's their birthday?
Do you think the price of a gift is important?

Practise birthdays questions aloud with a timer →

Books

Now let's move on to talk about books. Do you like reading books?
What kinds of books do you like to read?
What is the best book you've ever read?
Is reading books a popular activity in your country?
Do you think that electronic books, or eReaders are better than real books?

Practise books questions aloud with a timer → · Sample answers and phrases

Exercise

We'll now talk about exercise. Do you do much exercise?
Do you do more exercise now than when you were a child?
Do people in your country do a lot of exercise?
What do you think is the best exercise to keep fit?
Have the types of exercise people like to do changed since you were a child?

Practise exercise questions aloud with a timer →

Internet

We'll now talk about The Internet. Do you use The Internet?
Are children allowed to use The Internet at school in your country?
Do you think that The Internet is useful for study?
Have you ever used The Internet to buy something?
Are there any dangers of buying things online?

Practise internet questions aloud with a timer → · Sample answers and phrases

Routine

We'll now talk about daily routines. Tell me about your daily routine?
Has your daily routine changed since you were a child?
Is your daily routine different at the weekend to during the week?
What would you like to change about your daily routine?
Do you think it's important to have a daily routine?

Practise routine questions aloud with a timer → · Sample answers and phrases

Instruments

We'll now talk about musical instruments. Do you think it's important for children to learn to play a musical instrument?
Do children have to learn to play a musical instrument at school in your country?
Have you ever learned to play a musical instrument?
What do you think is the best age to start to learn to play a musical instrument?
What do you think would be the most difficult musical instrument to learn to play?

Practise instruments questions aloud with a timer →

Pets

We'll now talk about pets. Do you have a pet?
What types of animals do you think make the best pets?
Why do people have pets?
Should dogs be left in the house alone while their owners are at work?
Is there any types of animals that you think should not be kept as a pet?

Practise pets questions aloud with a timer →

Seasons

We'll now talk about seasons. What is your favourite season?
Tell me about the different seasons in your country.
How do the clothes people wear in your country change with the seasons?
Do any types of jobs people do in your country change with the seasons?
Is tourism popular in a particular season in your country?

Practise seasons questions aloud with a timer →

Photographs

We'll now talk about photographs. Do you enjoy taking photographs?
Do you prefer to take photos with a phone or with a camera?
Do you take many photographs when you travel?
Do you like looking at photographs of yourself?
Have you put any photographs you have taken on the walls in your house?

Practise photographs questions aloud with a timer →

Trees

Now let's talk about trees. Do you like trees?
Are there many trees in your hometown?
Do you think there are enough trees in most cities?
What are the benefits of planting more trees?

Practise trees questions aloud with a timer →

Email

Now let's talk about email. Do you email people often?
Do you chat with friends or family more with email?
Do you think people prefer to receive an email or a letter?
Do you think it's easier to write an email or a letter?
Do you think email will eventually replace letter writing?

Practise email questions aloud with a timer →

Movies

Let's talk about movies. What is your favorite movie genre?
Who is your favorite actor or actress?
Do you prefer watching movies at the cinema or at home?
What is the last movie you watched?
Do you think movies have a significant impact on society?

Practise movies questions aloud with a timer →

Travel

Now let's discuss travel. What is your dream travel destination?
Have you ever traveled abroad? If yes, where did you go?
What is your favorite memory from a trip?
Do you prefer adventurous trips or relaxing vacations?
What is one place you would love to visit in the future?

Practise travel questions aloud with a timer → · Sample answers and phrases

Technology

Let's talk about technology. What is your favorite gadget or device?
How has technology changed your life?
Do you think technology makes people's lives easier or more complicated?
What is one technological advancement you are excited about?
Do you think technology is a double-edged sword?

Practise technology questions aloud with a timer → · Sample answers and phrases

Education

Now let's discuss education. What is your opinion on the current education system?
What is one thing you would change about the education system?
Do you think traditional classrooms will be replaced by online learning in the future?
What was your favorite subject in school?
Do you believe education is the key to success?

Practise education questions aloud with a timer →

Health

Let's talk about health. What do you do to maintain a healthy lifestyle?
Do you think the healthcare system in your country is efficient?
What is one health-related issue that concerns you?
How important do you think mental health is?
Do you believe in alternative medicine?

Practise health questions aloud with a timer →

Fashion

Now let's discuss fashion. What is your favorite fashion trend?
Do you prefer designer brands or affordable fashion?
What is one fashion accessory you can't live without?
How do you express your personal style through fashion?
What is one fashion trend that you dislike?

Practise fashion questions aloud with a timer →

Environment

Now let's discuss the environment. What do you do to reduce your carbon footprint?
How concerned are you about climate change?
What is one environmental issue that you feel strongly about?
Do you think governments and corporations are doing enough to protect the environment?
What are some sustainable practices you incorporate into your daily life?

Practise environment questions aloud with a timer →

Art

Let's talk about art. What is your favorite art form (painting, sculpture, photography, etc.)?
Who is your favorite artist?
Do you think art plays an important role in society?
Have you ever created any form of art? If yes, what was it?
What is your opinion on the commercialization of art?

Practise art questions aloud with a timer →

Practise Part 1 questions with a timer

IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue cards with Part 3 questions

Every card also has its own page with a sample answer—see all IELTS cue cards with sample answers.

In Part 2 you receive a task card, have one minute to prepare notes, and then speak for up to two minutes. Part 3 follows with four to five minutes of more abstract discussion connected to the same theme. Each card below is shown with its linked Part 3 questions so you can practise the whole sequence.