Here are some of the questions asked in a recent IELTS speaking test in the USA with sample answers to give you ideas about how you can answer such questions.
IELTS Speaking Part 1
Do you work or study?
I study. I’m a third-year Economics student at the moment.
Are you a morning or an afternoon person?
Definitely a morning person. I like to get up early and get things done while I feel fresh and energized. I tend to feel a little lazy in the afternoons, so I try to do all the most important things I have to do in the morning and the less urgent things later in the day.
What is your favorite wild animal? Why?
It would probably be the lion because I like its majestic manner, and it’s considered the king of the jungle. I love the way lions move when they run. Also, the male lion looks very impressive with its mane of hair and always looks so proud when it’s standing there.
Do you like watching animals in zoos?
Sometimes, yes. It can be quite interesting but really I prefer to watch wild animals on the TV or internet. Some of the wildlife channels are excellent and feature superb photography and videos showing wild animals up close in their natural habitat. For me, that’s more interesting than seeing animals in the zoo.
What kind of music do you like to listen to?
What I call happy music… what I mean is that if the music makes me feel happy, I like it. I don’t really care who sings it or plays it or what kind of music it is. If I feel happy when I hear it, then I like it - super simple! It also means that I have favorite songs more than a favorite singer or band. Sometimes I only like one or two songs from a particular artist but none of their other songs, it all depends on how the music makes me feel.
Have your music preferences changed over the years? Why?
No, not really. I mainly listen to popular music on the radio or sometimes on YouTube. I’m not really a big music fan, I just listen to whatever is popular at the time and that’s what I’ve always done. I have a friend who’s really into music in a big way but I’m not like that. I don’t have a particular style of music or artist that I like better than any other. Maybe in the future, I’ll be more choosy about what I listen to but at the moment it isn’t really important to me.
Describe a time of the day you like
Answer:
I really enjoy early mornings, when the air is still cool and fresh. Everything feels new and possible at that time of day, and I like to take advantage of that feeling by getting things done. There's something about the start of a new day that just makes me feel motivated and ready to tackle whatever comes my way.
Do you like the morning or evening?
Answer:
I like the morning. It's a time when I can start the day afresh and get things done. The evening is a time when I can relax and wind down from the day. Another reason I like mornings is that the air is usually fresher and there's a lot less traffic.