Here are some questions from a recent IELTS speaking test in London, in the UK, with sample answers.
My name is Christina Antonescu
Yes, here you are
I’m from Bucharest, in Romania.
I’m studying at the moment, here at university.
I’m doing a master's degree in International Business. It's a two-year course which follows on from my previous degree in Business Administration. It basically covers all the usual business areas but with an international and global focus on how business is organized and financed, and affected by cross-border and cross-cultural issues in a business context.
Yes, I really like it because it’s very interesting. I also enjoy it because although there is some theoretical work involved, the majority of the course is very practical oriented; regarding the application of strategies in the real international world of businss, so it's very easy to see how appicable a lot of the study subjects are to today's business environment, so there is a high degree of relevance.
We stayed in touch with each other though, we called and texted each other and talked a couple of times each week by video so we always knew what each other was doing. She stayed in London for almost three years and worked in several different jobs there. She was a barista, she worked in a courier company and also as a waitress in a restaurant while she stayed with her uncle. Her English became very good while she was living there, she could almost speak as well as an English person and certainly understood everything people said to her.
Like I said, I went to university, in Bucharest, and studied for three years to get my degree in business. After I graduated, I decided to go to London to see Camelia in the summer before beginning my masters degree in international business at LSE, in London.
I met Camelia in the summer, a couple of months before my course began. I visited her at her uncle’s home and we chatted for hours and hours. We talked about everything that had happened since we had last seen each other, which was about three years. And we spent nearly every day together for a week… it was just like old times when we were at school together.
Personally, it’s nice for me because Camelia is one of my favorite people. We have a lot of shared experiences and memories. She’s almost like a sister to me. It makes me feel good to spend time with her because she really understands me and I understand here…. we’re very close. In general, it’s good for people to have some stability in their lives by maintaining long-standing friendships.
I suppose that might happen when people leave and go and live in another place and then lose touch. I used to have some friends at school but after school finished we didn’t see so much of each other and eventually we stopped calling and talking.
If I saw someone from school again now, I’d say hi and probably catch up with what they’ve been doing, but we’re not still close… we’re old friends, not actually good friends at the moment. I guess people grow apart naturally, unless they are very close as friends.
Yes, I’m a very social person and love seeing my friends and meeting new people. It’s interesting, because you never know when you meet someone new if they are going to be someone special or not.
But it’s also fascinating to listen to what other people have done or are doing. You can sometimes learn a lot from other people and get some good ideas for yourself too.
It could be because if you don’t see your friends and meet new people life can become quite boring and routine, if everything is always the same and you only see the same people all the time.
It doesn’t sound very interesting, does it? It’s important to meet new people, try new things and learn new things also… it’s what keeps everything fresh and stimulating.
Yes, if we had one. It’s not a normal tradition in my country, but if there was one I would go to it, sure. It would be great to see everyone again and hear all about what they have been doing since we were at school together all those years ago.
Apart from being a nice social event, it can be useful to keep in contact with people you knew, or liked, when you were at school. It might be useful for your career, for example, if someone you once knew at school is now working in the same sector as you and maybe knows some interesting people that you don’t. But mainly, I think it’s just a nice idea to get together again and catch up.
I suppose if they have friends in many different countries then nowadays it’s a lot easier to keep in touch with them. It’s also easier to travel and see their friends as well as chat with them using technology that is available. I guess in the past, writing letters must have been quite tiresome.
I do, and it’s great! It’s much more interesting because you have different things to talk about. When all your friends come from the same country or the same city it’s not the same. When you are friends with people from different places and countries the conversations you have are more interesting and you can learn more about different parts of the world and how things are done there.
IELTS Speaking Test Part 1
What is your full name?
My name is Christina Antonescu
Can I see your ID?
Yes, here you are
Where are you from?
I’m from Bucharest, in Romania.
Do you work or study?
I’m studying at the moment, here at university.
What subject are you studying?
I’m doing a master's degree in International Business. It's a two-year course which follows on from my previous degree in Business Administration. It basically covers all the usual business areas but with an international and global focus on how business is organized and financed, and affected by cross-border and cross-cultural issues in a business context.
Do you really enjoy this course?
Yes, I really like it because it’s very interesting. I also enjoy it because although there is some theoretical work involved, the majority of the course is very practical oriented; regarding the application of strategies in the real international world of businss, so it's very easy to see how appicable a lot of the study subjects are to today's business environment, so there is a high degree of relevance.
IELTS Speaking Test Part 2
IELTS Speaking Test Part 2 Cue Card Topic Question
Talk about an old friend that you met after not having seen each other for a long time.
You should say:- who your friend is
- describe your friendship with him/her
- how long it had been since you last saw him/her
- what the two of you talked about?
IELTS Cue Card | An old friend that you met
I’d like to tell you about my friend Camelia. We were best friends when we were at school and used to spend a lot of time together. We’d always be in each other’s house or out someplace together doing something. We used to go shopping together, we’d go to parties together and we even went on vacation together. After school finished, we both did different things though. Camelia wanted to travel to see her uncle, who was living in London, and I wanted to start university immediately.We stayed in touch with each other though, we called and texted each other and talked a couple of times each week by video so we always knew what each other was doing. She stayed in London for almost three years and worked in several different jobs there. She was a barista, she worked in a courier company and also as a waitress in a restaurant while she stayed with her uncle. Her English became very good while she was living there, she could almost speak as well as an English person and certainly understood everything people said to her.
Like I said, I went to university, in Bucharest, and studied for three years to get my degree in business. After I graduated, I decided to go to London to see Camelia in the summer before beginning my masters degree in international business at LSE, in London.
I met Camelia in the summer, a couple of months before my course began. I visited her at her uncle’s home and we chatted for hours and hours. We talked about everything that had happened since we had last seen each other, which was about three years. And we spent nearly every day together for a week… it was just like old times when we were at school together.
IELTS Speaking Test Part 3
Why is maintaining friendships good?
Personally, it’s nice for me because Camelia is one of my favorite people. We have a lot of shared experiences and memories. She’s almost like a sister to me. It makes me feel good to spend time with her because she really understands me and I understand here…. we’re very close. In general, it’s good for people to have some stability in their lives by maintaining long-standing friendships.
Why do friendships come to an end sometimes?
I suppose that might happen when people leave and go and live in another place and then lose touch. I used to have some friends at school but after school finished we didn’t see so much of each other and eventually we stopped calling and talking.
If I saw someone from school again now, I’d say hi and probably catch up with what they’ve been doing, but we’re not still close… we’re old friends, not actually good friends at the moment. I guess people grow apart naturally, unless they are very close as friends.
Do you enjoy meeting friends and new people?
Yes, I’m a very social person and love seeing my friends and meeting new people. It’s interesting, because you never know when you meet someone new if they are going to be someone special or not.
But it’s also fascinating to listen to what other people have done or are doing. You can sometimes learn a lot from other people and get some good ideas for yourself too.
Why is it so important?
It could be because if you don’t see your friends and meet new people life can become quite boring and routine, if everything is always the same and you only see the same people all the time.
It doesn’t sound very interesting, does it? It’s important to meet new people, try new things and learn new things also… it’s what keeps everything fresh and stimulating.
Would you go to your classmates’ reunion after 10 years? Why?
Yes, if we had one. It’s not a normal tradition in my country, but if there was one I would go to it, sure. It would be great to see everyone again and hear all about what they have been doing since we were at school together all those years ago.
Is there a benefit to reunions?
Apart from being a nice social event, it can be useful to keep in contact with people you knew, or liked, when you were at school. It might be useful for your career, for example, if someone you once knew at school is now working in the same sector as you and maybe knows some interesting people that you don’t. But mainly, I think it’s just a nice idea to get together again and catch up.
How can globalization help people with their friendships?
I suppose if they have friends in many different countries then nowadays it’s a lot easier to keep in touch with them. It’s also easier to travel and see their friends as well as chat with them using technology that is available. I guess in the past, writing letters must have been quite tiresome.
Would you like to have friends in different parts of the world?
I do, and it’s great! It’s much more interesting because you have different things to talk about. When all your friends come from the same country or the same city it’s not the same. When you are friends with people from different places and countries the conversations you have are more interesting and you can learn more about different parts of the world and how things are done there.