Free IELTS Speaking Simulator with Lots of Questions!
This page contains a collection of sample questions for the part 1, 2, and 3 of the IELTS speaking test. The questions are from past and current IELTS speaking tests, and we have included the most common question topics to help you prepare.
You can choose a question randomly and practice the sections at your own pace, or you can simulate a real exam.
🎤Use your smartphone to record your answers.
IELTS Speaking Questions for Part 1
(Please click on the above image to move to the next part 1 speaking question – different questions will randomly appear and there are lots of questions)
IELTS Speaking Questions for Part 2/Part 3
How do I prepare for the IELTS Speaking test using this simulator?
We recommend 2 styles of approach in your preparation using this simulator.
1️⃣The first one is to practice new things you are learning in English. For example, maybe you are learning new grammatical structures, vocabulary, discource markers (learn about these further on this page), or just trying to practice improving your fluency and pronunciation.
In this case, just take your time and practice in your own way building your bank of ideas and vocabulary.
🎙️Record yourself and listen to your recording.
Ask yourself:
How is my fluency and flow? Do I have a lot of hesitation? If yes, is it because a lack of ideas, or grammar, or something else? What topics are causing me problems? What is the accuracy of my grammar like? Can I improve my vocabulary for this topic? What is my pronunciation like? Am I using a lot of ‘ummm’s’ and ‘ahhh’ sounds?
👂Listen carefully to yourself. Keep your records of your audio and then try again after making improvements in your weak areas. Come back and record and listen again.
2️⃣The second approach is to use this page and the past speaking questions to practice live speaking just like the exam. Try to use exactly the same conditions as the exam, and again, record yourself and assess yourself. With practice and focus on improving your weaker areas of English, you will improve.
ℹ️Info for part 1
After you have shown your identication to the examiner, the exam will begin with the examiner asking you questions about yourself, your life, or your country.
There are around 9 to 12 questions in the part 1, and the first questions are usually always the same. They will ask you if you work, study, or do something else, and then ask you questions relating to that.
The remaining topics they ask you are chosen at random from a pool of questions by the examiner.
⏲️Part 1 lasts for 4-5 minutes and you will usually speak on 3 different topics with work or study being the 1st topic.
How long should my part 1 answers be?
This really depends on the type of question you get. Normally, for most part 1 questions you should try to speak for 2 or 3 sentences, but sometimes you might get a question where it seems natural just to give a 1 sentence answer, or perhaps you have a lot to say and speak for 4 sentences.
Just answer in a natural way.
Tips for part 1 🚀
Many students think that because the IELTS speaking test is an exam that it has to be approached as a formal exam. This is not true.
The speaking test is an informal exam and the examiners are examining your natural way of speaking and how well you can express yourself.
The keyword here is natural speaking. When you give your answers (to all parts in the speaking exam), always just speak as if you were speaking to a friend, in other words, always speak naturally and normally.
💡When you practice for the part 1 on your own, it is good to think about lots of ideas for the different questions that you will be asked. However, the danger is that you do not want to sound robotic or give fully memorised sentences.
😔Unfortunately, examiners will likely be able to tell if you are just ‘speaking from a script in your mind’ and giving memorised answers. Of course, this is not how people normally speak in English, or any language!
Therefore, always answer naturally as if you are just speaking normally to anyone you know personally. It is also good to be enthusiastic and interested in what you are talking about.
ℹ️Info for part 2
The examiner will move onto part 2 of the speaking test and and they will give you a cue card which has a question on it. It will look like this:
Describe a friend who you admire.
You should say:
▪️ How would you describe your friends personality
▪️What are your first memories of your friend
▪️ How often do you see your friend
and explain why you admire your friend.
⏲️You will have 1 minute to think about your ideas.
⏲️Then you will have 2 minutes to speak on your own.
(After this 2 minutes there is usually 1 extra question related to the topic)
Tips for part 2 🚀
There has been some confusion in the IELTS teaching world because many IELTS teachers teach that you should answer each extra question on the cue card one after the other, like a list.
This seems logical, but there is a problem with this method. The problem is many students quickly run out of things to say when they get to the last question on the list. 🙁
This could happen after 1 minute and students wonder what to say, or just stop speaking.
The IELTS examination board (British Council/IDP) understand this problem, and therefore it is totally acceptable to speak generally about the speaking topic.
For example, in the above question on describing a friend, as long as you are talking about your friend and why you admire them, this is fine and you are answering the question well.
💡You do not need to answer all the extra prompt questions on the cue card. They are there just as an optional guide.
However, during your 1 minute of preparation, look at the extra prompt questions as they are very likely to give you some ideas.
Of course, you can still answer the questions one after the other in a list if you like, and then just switch back to speaking in a general way about the topic, or developing one of the questions further.
There are usually one or two questions on the cue card that could have very long answers and could easily be developed.
✅The most important thing is keeping your natural flow and fluency.✅
Knowing that you do not need to feel so restricted by just answering the cue card questions has helped many students to feel more relaxed when they speak in the part 2.
You can just focus on speaking naturally about the actual topic rather than worrying about if you answered each individual question, or feeling tense and anxious about running out of questions and things to say.
Practice and see what works for you. Use our use the pool of past IELTS speaking questions and recorder to build your confidence. When you practice, always try to aim to speak for the full 2 minutes if you can.
How do I know when to stop speaking in the part 2?
If you go beyond the 2 minutes of time, the examiner will stop you and he or she will move onto the part 3, so don’t worry about running out of time.
What usually happens is you can sense this feeling from the examiner that time is coming to an end, and you can naturally conclude what you were saying.
Are there other things that can help me during the 1 minute preparation time?
Some people find it very effective to visualise the situation you are describing. This can help you think of ideas quickly, and will help you sound more natural as the examiners can see you are actually in the present moment and not just being a robot and giving memorised answers.
In addition, during this 1 minute, try to think about useful vocabulary. You can write a few words on the piece of paper if any words come to your mind.
The same applies with grammatical structures. You might think of some contrasts (Even though/Although), conditionals (If ___), tenses, and so on. These could be useful to write on the piece of paper. See what is effective for you.
ℹ️Info for part 3
The examiner will then move on to part 3. Part 3 is an informal discussion that relates to the topic in part 2. If you had the ‘Describe a friend who you admire’ question like the one above, then the part 3 questions could be like this:
▪️ ‘Why do you think friendship is it important for people?’
▪️’Do you think friends on social media are the same as friends in real life?’
▪️What are some ways people can make new friends?
▪️Why do you think people go to school reunions?
▪️What is more important for most people, friends or family?
The part 3 questions ask for your opinion on wider issues, but they are not personal questions. They generally focus on your ability to explain your opinions about things in the world.
⏲️This part of the test takes 4-5 minutes.
How long should I speak for in part 3?
Other important tips to help you prepare for the speaking test
How can I speak more naturally?
When you listen to native speakers of any language speak, they use filler words and phrases (discourse makers) when they are thinking. For example:
Well / To be honest /To tell you the truth / You know / I mean / I suppose / I guess / okay, so…
These are especially useful to fill the space when you are thinking. So instead of having silences or ‘umms’ and ‘ahhhs’, when you are thinking, practice using these. You want to try to avoid ‘ummms’ and ‘ahhhs’ as much as possible in your speaking test – This can be a problem for many students.
At first, when you practice using these filler words and phrases, it might seem unnatural to you. It can feel like a bit of a paradox, as when you try to practice sounding normal and natural like a native English speaker it might feel awkward and unnatural. However, don’t worry, and keep practicing. After a little bit of time they will become a natural part of your speach and they will mix into your personality.
What is an effective method to improve my speaking score?
To improve your speaking score you need to think about ideas for your answers to the common questions that appear in the test. The process of building a bank of ideas is very effective and will help you avoid hesitation when speaking, and improve your fluency score.
In addition, if you are looking for a higher score of 6.5+, you need to show a range of grammatical ability and range of vocabulary. You will find many exercises on this website that can help you in those areas.
How is the IELTS speaking test graded?
The speaking test is graded in these four areas: fluency, vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. Each section is worth 25% of your overall grade. If your grammar is not so strong then this can effect your fluency. When you are speaking in your test, it is good practice to focus on fluency and keeping your natural flow going.
How can I balance fluency and grammatical accuracy when I speak?
This is where your preparation can make a big difference. You want to try to improve your grammatical accuracy and vocabulary as much as possible before your exam. We recommend you practice using the different grammar exercises on our website, in books, exercises and drills. You can then use this page and the pool of past IELTS speaking questions to practice recording yourself and developing your speaking skill and confidence.
On the day of your speaking test, you want to focus on fluency and you do not to be searching for unfamiliar words or grammatical stuctures. The more preparation you do, the more familiar these areas will become.
Can I correct myself if I make a mistake?
Yes. This is what most native English speakers would do. However, try not to do this too much as it will interupt your flow and could easily lower your fluency score if done too often.
How fast should I speak?
You want to maintain a steady pace. If you are a slow speaker, you can practice slightly increasing your speed, but if this slight increase in speed does not feel natural for you then just speak at the speed you would in your own langauge. Just be steady and keep a natural flow going when speaking.
