IELTS Speaking Test | Friends & Friendship
Do you have a lot of friends?
Alternative Wording: Do you have many friends?No, I don't. I have a few friends and one person who is my best friend.
When did you last see your friend?
It was about a month ago, we went for a coffee together and to catch up with what’s been happening. We'd both been very busy recently so getting together was a bit of a problem. Normally, we see each other at least once a week.
How important are friends to you?
Friends are very important to me. They support me through life's ups and downs, giving advice, laughter, and companionship. My friends have enriched my social life and helped me grow personally, encouraging me to be better. Having close friends like them has made life's journey, so far, more meaningful and fun.
What is the importance of friends?
Well, speaking generally, having friends is good because you can share things with them, not just activities and events, but you can share your thoughts and feelings with them. Sometimes you can help each other in a bad situation or simply just be there to support them in whatever they are doing. Nobody likes feeling alone so having friends is very important for most people.
What do you like to talk about with your friends?
I enjoy talking about different topics with my friends. We often chat about our interests, hobbies, funny stories, and daily lives.
Sometimes, we have deep talks about life, relationships, and current events. It's nice to share thoughts and opinions, especially with open-minded and non-judgmental friends.
Our conversations are always interesting and make our friendship even stronger.
How important is it for children to have lots of friends at school?
In my opinion, having lots of friends at school is very important for children. Firstly, friends provide emotional support. When children face problems, they can share them with friends and feel better.
Secondly, having many friends helps children learn social skills. They learn how to communicate, cooperate, and sometimes, negotiate. These skills are useful throughout life.
Personally, I had a good number of friends back in school, and it made my school days enjoyable. We played games, studied together, and celebrated birthdays.
While it's true that some children may have fewer friends and still be happy, having more friends usually means more fun and varied experiences. So, I believe that having lots of friends at school greatly enriches a child's life.
Would you like to have a few very good friends or a lot of friends?
Actually, I don’t have a lot of friends – but I do have a few really good, close friends that I spend time with and talk to all the time. We are almost like family. I’ve always preferred to make really good long term friendships with people rather than try and be friends with everyone.
If you had a problem, would you go to your friends or family? Why?
First, I’d go to my friends, because they are closer to me and they know me better. They would be most likely to be able to help me or give me advice rather than my family because they would understand me and the problem better.
Can you give me an example of such situation?
Yes, not long ago I was in a relationship and I wasn’t convinced it was a good thing in the long run, and I mentioned my doubts to two of my friends who know me extremely well and they know what I think is important in terms of relationships.
They also know me very well as a person and can tell me when I’m just being stupid about something or when it’s really not the best thing for me, so I trust their judgement on such things.
Anyway, after discussing it with them separately, they both made some comments which were a little different but basically similar and it helped me to get some things straight in my own mind about what I should do about the problem.
Do you think it is always better to talk to your friends about such a problem?
It probably depends, I know someone who is closer to her mother than any of her friends and when she has problems like that she always talks to her mother first to see what she thinks about it.
When it’s a personal problem you need to talk with people who really know you and understand you and know how you think – that could be your family or your friends – it depends on the type of family and friends you have.
For many young people, I think they prefer their friends to talk to about such things, but some people do have a really close relationship with their families or a member of their family, so it would make sense for them to talk to that person first I suppose.
What do you think makes people have a long friendship?
I believe that mutual respect and understanding are two key ingredients for a long-lasting friendship. Perhaps accepting and appreciating each other's differences, while being able to compromise and communicate effectively, are also important.
I also think that trust and loyalty might play an essential role in maintaining a strong bond between friends. And it could be that making an effort to stay connected and creating new memories together helps sustain a friendship over a long time.
Anyway, it takes effort from both parties to nurture and maintain a lasting friendship. Overall, having deep connections built on trust, respect, and shared experiences can potentially make friendships last for many years to come.
How would you answer these IELTS speaking test questions about Friends and Friendship?
- Which factors make for a long-lasting friendship?
- Do you think it's necessary to always like the same things as your friends?
- Is it easier or more difficult for a man and a woman to be good friends?