IELTS Speaking Part 1 topic

IELTS Speaking Part 1: Travel

Travel questions combine past experiences with future wishes, so they are great for showing a range of tenses. Use one concrete trip as your example.

Practise travel questions now

Travel questions

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?

Sample answers

What is your dream travel destination?

My dream destination is New Zealand. I've seen so many photographs of its mountains and lakes, and I'd love to spend a month driving around both islands, hiking and camping.

Do you prefer adventurous trips or relaxing vacations?

I prefer a mix, but if I had to choose, I'd go for adventurous trips. Lying on a beach for a week bores me after two days. I'd rather explore a new city on foot or go trekking, even if I come back more tired than when I left.

Original examples written for SpeakingIELTS. Notice the pattern—a direct answer, then a reason or detail—and use your own true information. Do not memorise them.

Useful words and phrases

my dream destination
I'd love to spend
if I had to choose
I'd rather
off the beaten track
a once-in-a-lifetime trip

Common mistakes

Saying "I have been in Paris last year". Use the past simple with a finished time: "I went to Paris last year".
Answering about dreams without the conditional ("I will go" instead of "I'd love to go").
Using "travel" as a countable noun: say "a trip" or "a journey", not "a travel".

Practise it now

Answer each question above aloud in 20–30 seconds, or start a timed session that begins with travel and adds two other random topics, just like the real test. Record yourself, listen once, and check your answers with the self-evaluation checklist.

Start a timed Part 1 session