In Part I of the Speaking exam, you’ll be asked to speak on five different topics, with four questions per topic. Here is a list of 88 possible everyday topics that you might be faced with. These questions are simply and properly formulated. If you spent a few hours preparing an ideal response to each of the questions, that would be a judicious use of time.
As many test-takers know, one of the best things you can do is study excellent example responses and build your own response with an example answer (or model text) as a guide.
Speaking Part I — 88 Topics
Introductory Topics — Work / Student and Home / Apartment
Other Topics — Advertisements, Anger, Animals, Art, Beauty, Being Bored, Bicycles, Birthdays, Books, Borrowing & Lending, Building, Celebrities, Clothes, Cold Weather, Concentration, Daily Routine, Dictionaries, Dreams, +Driving, Electronics, Exercise, Foreign Food, Giving Gifts, Growing Vegetables, Going to the Dentist, Hairstyles, Holidays, Hometown, Keeping in Touch with People, Films, Food & Cooking, Future, Friends, Family & Relatives, Festivals & Special Days, Flowers, Fruit & Vegetables, Healthy Eating, Home Décor, Importance of Reputation, +Interests & Hobbies, Jeans, Languages, Laughing, Learning, Letters, Maps, Managing Other People, Meals, Music, Names, Neighbors, Newspapers & Magazines, Patience, Perfume, Pets, Picnics, Photography, Plants, Public Transit, Punctuality, Saving Money, School Days, Seasons, Shopping, Sleeping, Space Travel, Street Markets, Smiling, Rain, Robots, Recycling, Social Networking Sites, Tea & Coffee, Teachers, Telephoning, Team Sports, Television, The Ocean, The Importance of Reputation, Time Management, Travel, Travelling to Work or School, Trees, Walking, Weather, Wild Animals, Writing.
1 — Introductory Topic – Work / Student
Do you work or are you a student?
What job do you do? / What do you study?
What do you like about your work / your studies?
Are you good at your job / school?
2 — Introductory Topic – House / Apartment
Get IELTS Band 9 speaking practice with precise lexical resource and complex grammatical range on this topic at Discussion Questions #2 YOUR HOME OR APARTMENT
What is your favorite room in your home?
What would you like to change about your home?
Will you move soon?
3 — Advertisements
What advertisements are common in your country?
Do you like advertising?
Are online ads effective?
Should the government limit advertisements?
4 — Anger
What situations make people angry?
What might an angry person say or do?
Do you often get angry?
What do you do when other people feel angry?
5 — Animals
What animals are there in your country?
Do you have a favorite animal?
Are animals dangerous?
Why do some people feel afraid of animals?
6 — Art
Did you learn art when you were a child?
Do you have art in your home?
What kind of art is popular in your country?
Should children receive classes or lessons in art?
7 — Beauty
When you hear the word ‘Beauty’ what comes to mind?
Is Nature beautiful?
What music or art do people in your country think is beautiful?
Who is a beautiful person you know?
8 — Being Bored
Are you often bored?
When might children feel bored?
What do you do when you feel bored?
What are jobs might be boring?
9 — Bicycles
Did you learn to ride a bicycle as a child?
Are bicycles popular in your country?
How safe are bicycles?
What equipment do you need to ride a bicycle?
10 — Birthdays
Are birthday parties common in your country?
What did you do on your last birthday?
Are birthday celebrations important?
What gifts are suitable for birthdays?
11 — Books
Do you often read books?
What books did you like as a child?
Do you prefer to buy paper books or e-books?
Will books disappear in the future?
12 — Borrowing & Lending
Do you often borrow things?
Is it common for people to borrow things from friends or family, in your country?
What things would you not lend?
What problems might happen when we lend things to others?
13 — Buildings
Get IELTS Band 9 speaking practice with precise lexical resource and complex grammatical range on this topic at Discussion Questions #5 NEIGHBOURHOOD
Are there any famous building in your town?
What types of buildings do people in your town live in?
Should buildings be attractive to look at?
Should older buildings be destroyed, or repaired and updated?
14 — Celebrities
What celebrities are popular these days in your country?
Do you have a favorite celebrity?
Are sports stars and famous actors well paid in your country?
Should journalists take photos of celebrities in their home and on vacation?
15 — Clothes
What kind of clothes do you like?
Do you often buy new clothes?
What is important when choosing new clothes?
Are clothes as important to men as they are for women?
16 — Cold Weather
Have you ever been in very cold weather?
How often do you have very cold weather in your country?
Are some parts of your country colder than others?
In your country, did people in the past keep in touch with friends in the same way as now?
17 — Concentration
Are you good at concentrating?
What prevents people from being able to concentrate well?
Which jobs require a good ability to concentrate?
How can children learn to concentrate?
18 — Daily Routine
What time do you wake up?
What is the first thing you do in the morning?
Do you like to have a regular routine?
Is it important to have a daily routine?
19 — Dictionaries
Do you often use a dictionary?
Do you prefer traditional dictionaries or online ones?
Who uses dictionaries more; children or adults?
Are dictionaries useful for learning foreign languages?
20 — Dreams
Do you often remember your dreams?
What did you dream about as a child?
What is the strangest dream you’ve had?
Do you like hearing about other people’s dreams?
20 – Driving
Get IELTS Band 9 speaking practice with precise lexical resource and wide grammatical range on this topic at Discussion Questions #4 CARS
Have you ever driven a car or a motorcycle?
What vehicles do people drive in your country?
Why do people sometimes drive too fast?
Is driving safe?
21 — Electronics
What electronic devices do you have in your home?
Do you like to buy electronics on the internet or in shores?
What was the last electronic device you bought?
Do you have electronics in your home that are connected to the internet?
22 – Exercise
How often do you exercise?
Do like to exercise with other people?
Can exercising be dangerous?
What exercise is suitable for older people?
23 — Foreign Food
Do you like to try foreign foods?
Have eaten any foreign foods recently?
Is there a restaurant near your home that serves foreign foods?
Why do some people not like foreign foods?
24 — Giving Gifts
When do people give gifts in your country?
Do you take a gift when you visit someone in their home?
When did you last receive a gift?
Do you enjoy looking for gifts for other people?
25 — Growing Vegetables
Did your family grow vegetables when you were a child?
What vegetables do people grow in your country?
What might make growing vegetables difficult?
Is growing vegetables a job for many people in your country?
26 — Going to the Dentist
When was the last time you visited a dentist?
Did you like going to the dentist when you were a child?
What problems do people have that make them visit the dentist?
Why do some people not like visiting the dentist?
27 — Hairstyles
Do you like your current hair style?
How often do you like to go to the hair salon?
Have you ever gotten a haircut that you didn’t like?
Would you like to change the color of your hair?
28 — Holidays
When did you last take a holiday?
How many weeks of vacation is usual in your country?
What was the best holiday you’ve taken?
How do people in your country like to spend their holidays?
29 — Hometown
Is your hometown a good place to live?
What sort of jobs do people do in your hometown?
Where did you play in your hometown when you were a child?
Is your hometown a good place for teenagers?
30 — Keeping in Touch with People
How do you keep in contact with people?
Do you contact different people in different ways?
Is it easy to contact your family and friends?
In your country, did people in the past keep in touch with friends in the same way as now?
31 — Films
How often do you go to the cinema?
Do you prefer to watch films at home or at the cinema?
Which film from your childhood do you remember most?
What is your favorite film now?
32 — Food & Cooking
Do you like to cook?
What is your favorite meal?
Did you learn to cook when you were a child?
Should schools teach children how to cook?
33 — Future
What job would you like to have ten years from now?
How useful will English be for your future?
How much travelling will you do in the future?
How might your life change in the future?
34 — Friends
How often do you go out with friends?
Tell me about a best friend from school?
How friendly are you with your neighbours?
Which is important to you now; friends or family?
35 — Family & Relatives
Do you have relatives in the city where you live?
How often do you see your relatives?
Who is your favorite relative?
What can cause difficulties between relatives?
36 — Festivals & Special Days
What are the most popular holidays in your country?
How do people celebrate the New Year in your culture?
Which festival did you enjoy celebrating most when you were a child?
What festival in another city or country would you like to attend?
37 — Flowers
Do you like to have flowers in your home?
Where would you go to buy flowers?
On what occasions would you give someone flowers?
Are flowers important in your culture?
38 — Fruit & Vegetables
Do you eat a lot of fruit and vegetables?
How do people eat fruit in your country?
Did you like to eat vegetables when you were a child?
Should people buy only fruits and vegetables that grow in their own country?
39 — Healthy Eating
What are some healthy foods that you enjoy?
Do you like to sometimes buy fast food or snack foods that are unhealthy?
How can children be encouraged to eat healthy foods?
Do your friends and family have a healthy diet?
40 — Home Décor
How do you like to decorate your home?
Do have drawings or photographs in your home?
Is it important to you to have an attractive home?
What would you like to change about your home?
41 — Importance of Reputation
Is reputation important?
What gives people a good reputation?
What gives people a bad reputation?
Tell me about someone in your country who has a good reputation.
41 — Interests and Hobbies
Get IELTS Band 9 speaking practice with precise lexical resource and wide grammatical range on this topic at Discussion Questions #3 INTERESTS, PROJECTS AND HOBBIES
Do you have a hobby?
What do you do when you have free time?
How interested are you in sports?
What were your hobbies or interests as a child?
42 — Jeans
Do you like to wear jeans?
Are jeans popular in your country?
When should people not wear jeans?
Would you pay a lot for a popular brand of jeans?
43 — Languages
Did you study a second language as a child?
What languages will be popular in the future?
Is it easy to learn a language as an adult?
Is language learning more connected to talent, or just hard work?
44 — Laughing
What makes you laugh?
Do you like making other people laugh?
Is it important for people to laugh?
Is laughing the same as feeling happy?
45 — Learning
Did you like learning new things when you were a child?
How do you like to learn new things?
What sorts of things do people learn when they start a new jobs?
What skills or subjects might people learn on the internet?
46 — Letters
How often do you write or receive letters?
Is sending letters popular in your country?
Should some information be delivered by letter rather than by email?
Will sending letters by post disappear in the future?
47 — Maps
How often do you use maps?
When did you use a map for the first time?
Did someone teach you to use a map when you were a child?
Why do some people not like using online maps?
48 — Managing Other People
Have you ever been a manager or team leader?
What makes a good leader?
Are female leaders different from male leaders?
Why do some people not like managing others?
49 — Meals
What time do people have lunch in your country?
How many meals do you eat on a usual day?
What do people eat for breakfast in country?
Is it important to have meals with family members?
50 — Music
What types of music do you listen to?
At what times of day do you like to listen to music?
Did you learn to play a musical instrument when you were a child?
Should all children learn to sing or play a musical instrument?
51 — Names
How did your parent choose your name?
Does your name have a special meaning?
In your country, is there a celebration when a child receives his or her name?
If you could change your name, would you?
52 — Neighbors
How well do you know the people who live next to you?
How often do you see them?
What kinds of problems do people sometimes have with neighbours?
How can neighbours help each other?
53 — Newspapers and Magazines
What magazines or newspapers do you read?
What kinds of articles are you most interested in?
Have you ever read a newspaper or magazine in a foreign language?
Do you think reading a newspaper or magazine in a foreign language is a good way to learn a language?
54 — Patience
Are you patient?
What situations require people to be patient?
How do children learn to be patient?
Who is the most patient person you know?
55 — Perfume
Have you ever bought perfume?
Does perfume cause health problems for some people?
Is perfume popular in your country?
When was the last time you or someone you know wore perfume?
56 — Pets
Have you ever had a pet?
Are pets popular in your country?
Are there any disadvantages to having pets?
What pet would you like in the future?
57 — Picnics
When did you last you went on a picnic?
What food do people eat on picnics in your country?
What are good places to have a picnic?
What activities can happen at a picnic?
58 — Photography
Do you like to take photos?
What sorts of things do you take pictures of?
Do you like to look at old photos?
Where do you keep your photos?
59 — Plants
Do you have plants in your home?
Are plants easy to care for?
What plants are common in homes in your country?
Would you give a plant as a gift?
60 — Public Transit
Get IELTS Band 9 speaking practice with precise lexical resource and wide grammatical range on this topic at Discussion Questions #4 CARS
Do you use public transit?
Is public transit expensive in your country?
How popular is public transit?
Is public transit safe?
61 — Punctuality
Are you often punctual for appointments?
How important is being on time in your country?
Why is it important to be punctual for appointments?
How can we teach children to be punctual?
62 — Saving Money
How do you save money?
Why is it important to save money?
How do people save money?
What things do people save money for?
63 — School Days
Did you like your secondary school?
What subject was most difficult?
Do you ever need that subject now?
What did you enjoy most about being a student?
64 — Seasons
How many seasons are there in your country?
What is your favorite season?
What season do you like the least?
Have you travelled to countries with different seasons?
65 — Shopping
What kinds of things do you like shopping for?
Where do you go shopping, in your city?
What effect has online shopping had in your country?
What would you recommend tourists buy when they visit your country?
66 — Sleeping
Do you sleep enough?
Why do some people not sleep enough?
Have you ever slept away from home?
Do you sleep more on the weekend?
67 — Space Travel
Would you like to travel to space?
Did you watch movies or read books about space travel when you were young?
Why are people interested in space travel?
What could be learned from travelling to space?
68 — Street Markets
Have you been to a street market?
What street markets are there in your country?
What products are sold at street markets?
Will street markets be popular in the future?
69 — Smiling
What makes you smile?
Does a smile mean the same thing in every country?
Do you smile when pictures are being taken?
When do people usually smile in your country?
70 — Rain
Do you like rain?
What clothes do people wear when it rains?
Does it rain often in your country?
What problems can occur if there is too much rain?
71 — Robots
Do you like robots?
Did you watch movies about robots when you were a child?
Would you like to buy a robot?
Will robots drive cars one day?
72 — Recycling
Are there recycling programs in your country?
What things do people recycle?
Why do some people not recycle?
Do people pay to recycle in your country?
73 — Social Networking Sites
Do you use social networking sites?
What problems can occur on social networking sites?
How often do you use social networking sites?
Why do you people like using these sites?
74 — Tea & Coffee
Do you prefer coffee or tea?
When was the last time you drank coffee or tea?
Where can you buy tea or coffee?
Why do people like to drink tea or coffee?
75 — Teachers
Would you like to be a teacher?
Is teaching a good job?
What makes a good teacher?
Why do people stop being teachers?
76 — Telephoning
When did you first use a telephone?
Who do you usually speak to on the telephone?
Is speaking on the telephone the same as speaking in person?
Will telephoning disappear in the future?
77 — Team Sports
Have you played sports on a team?
What team sports do you like to watch on TV?
Should all children do team sports?
What skills are learned by playing team sports?
78 — Television
Did you watch television when you were a child?
How often did you watch television?
Is television watching a good way to spend time?
Is watching television popular in your country?
79 — The Ocean
Have you been to the ocean?
Why do some people like to visit the ocean?
What sports can people do in the ocean?
Will you go to the ocean in the future?
80 — The Importance of Reputation
Is reputation important?
What creates a good reputation?
What can create a bad reputation?
Is the reputation of products you buy important to you?
81 — Time Management
Are you good at managing your time?
Did you learn to manage time when you were a student?
Why is it important to manage time well?
Do you use any tools or tricks to help you manage your time?
82 — Travel
Have you travelled a lot?
Where would you like to travel to?
Is travelling popular in your country?
How do people travel in your country?
83 — Travelling to Work or School
How do you usually get to work or school?
Did you walk to school when you were a child?
Would you like to travel to work or school in a different way?
Is driving a popular way for people to work or school in your country?
84 — Trees
Are there a lot of trees in your country?
Did you climb trees when you were a child?
Are trees important?
Will there be more or less trees in cities in the future?
85 — Walking
Do you like to walk?
How often do you go for a walk?
Is walking popular in your country?
Why do some people not like to walk?
86 — Weather
What is your favorite kind of weather?
What kind of weather is common in your country?
Do you look at the weather when choosing your clothes?
When was the last time you were driving or walking in bad weather?
87 — Wild Animals
Have you ever seen a wild animal?
What wild animals are common in your country?
Are wild animals dangerous?
Will there be more or fewer wild animals in the future?
88 — Writing
What things do you usually write?
Do you prefer typing on a computer or writing with a pen and paper?
Do you write more often now than you did a few years ago?
Do you like to write poems or stories or articles?