Free IELTS Speaking Exam Questions and Answers

A Part 2 task card reads: 'Describe a person who helps you in your daily life. You should say: who the person is, how you know them, what they do to help you, and explain why their help is important to you.' Four candidates plan their talks as follows. Which plan meets the task most fully?

• AA. Explain in general why people need help from others in modern life, then mention a neighbour in the final sentence.
• BB. Name the person, explain how they met, give examples of the help they offer, then say what would be difficult without that help.
• CC. Spend most of the time describing the person's appearance and character, then finish by briefly saying that the help is useful.
• DD. List the different jobs the person does each day in the order they happen, without mentioning how the two people met.

In Part 2 a candidate described a neighbour who started a community garden. In Part 3 the examiner asks: 'Why do some communities have more shared public spaces than others?' Which response best meets the demands of this part of the test?

• AA. That is a very interesting question and I have many thoughts about it, but it is quite difficult to explain them clearly in English.
• BB. It often depends on land prices and funding, because crowded cities have little spare room and towns can set land aside more easily.
• CC. Shared spaces are good for everybody, and every community ought to have them, because they bring people together and improve daily life.
• DD. In my neighbourhood there was a garden, and I helped there every weekend after my neighbour invited me, so I learned how to grow vegetables.

In Part 2 a candidate described a festival in their home town. In Part 3 the examiner asks: 'What role do festivals play in holding a society together?' Which response is most suitable?

• AA. I think they are important, and I really enjoyed the festival that I described earlier, so I would say they play a big role.
• BB. Festivals take place on different dates in each country, and many of them are linked to the seasons or to religious calendars.
• CC. They give people shared traditions, so neighbours and different generations spend time together and feel part of one community.
• DD. My family celebrates the spring festival every year, and we cook together, and my grandmother tells stories about the past.

In Part 2 a candidate described a piece of clothing that she likes to wear. Which question is the examiner most likely to ask next in Part 3?

• AA. Can you describe what you wore on the last special occasion you attended?
• BB. Why do fashion trends seem to change so quickly in many countries?
• CC. What was the piece of clothing made of, and where did you buy it?
• DD. Do you usually wear formal clothes or casual clothes at the weekend?

The task card reads: 'Describe a neighbour you get on well with. You should say: who the person is, how long you have known them, what you do together, and explain why you get on well.' During the minute of preparation, a candidate begins writing full sentences for each point and runs out of time. Which approach to the notes would be most effective?

• AA. Write the answer to the first prompt in full detail, since a strong start gives the best first impression.
• BB. Write a complete script of the opening and closing sentences, and plan the middle of the talk while speaking.
• CC. Write single words or short phrases for each prompt, such as names, places and adjectives, with a note for the reason.
• DD. Write the full talk in short sentences, then read from the paper to avoid hesitation during the two minutes.

The examiner says: 'Could you tell me your full name, please?' The candidate's passport shows Oluwaseun Adebayo Martins, but friends call him Seun. He answers in four possible ways. Which answer fits the introduction stage best?

• AA. 'My name is Oluwaseun Adebayo Martins, which comes from my family and has a long history I could describe.'
• BB. 'Just call me Seun, it is much easier for everyone to say and remember.'
• CC. 'My name is Seun Martins, but my passport has a longer version that you can read.'
• DD. 'My full name is Oluwaseun Adebayo Martins, and you can call me Seun.'

While a candidate is answering in Part 3, the examiner politely interrupts and moves to the next question. What should the candidate do?

• AA. Continue speaking for another minute to finish the original point before replying
• BB. Stop speaking and apologise, then wait for the examiner to repeat the next question
• CC. Ask whether the answer was incorrect and request permission to start it again
• DD. Accept the interruption calmly and answer the new question as naturally as possible

In Part 3 the examiner asks: 'Why do some people stay in the same job for most of their working lives?' The candidate has not thought about this before and needs a moment. Which response is most suitable?

• AA. 'I have no idea, so could we move on to another question?'
• BB. 'Personally, I'd find that boring, so I'd change jobs quite often.'
• CC. 'Well, they just like their jobs, I think. That's all, really.'
• DD. 'Let me think. I suppose security is one reason, since changing jobs is risky.'

A Part 2 task card reads: 'Describe a teacher who influenced you. You should say: who the teacher was, what subject they taught, what they did that was special, and explain how they influenced you.' The candidate has one minute to make notes. Which notes are most useful?

• AA. Mr Okafor / secondary maths / extra classes, patient / why: chose engineering
• BB. Introduction / Main body / Conclusion / Thank the examiner
• CC. patient, kind, funny, strict, clever, tall, friendly, organised
• DD. 'The teacher I would like to talk about is Mr Okafor, who taught me maths'

In Part 1 the examiner asks: 'Do you like the area where you live?' The candidate replies, 'Yes, it's quite nice.' The examiner follows up: 'What do you like about it?' Which reply best extends the first answer?

• AA. 'Most people like where they live, because home is important.'
• BB. 'Mainly the park near my flat. I go running there most mornings.'
• CC. 'Everything, really. It's a nice area and I like it a lot.'
• DD. 'Well, I like it, but I might move somewhere bigger one day.'