The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) speaking test assesses the oratory skill, apt response to specific questions, coherence and vocabulary, etc., of a candidate. This test serves significant importance in the process of international university admission. The IELTS speaking test has three parts, as each part initiates an evaluation of the oral fluency of candidates. However, candidates must prepare hard for the IELTS Speaking Part 1 as it is a demanding section and makes most of the impression.
Overview of the IELTS Speaking Exam
The IELTS involves direct conversation of the candidates with the examiner. This content explains the three sections of the IELTS exam briefly:
- Part 1 includes topics like self-introduction, work experience, family, education and hobbies.
- Part 2 includes an extempore round where a topic card is given to speak about three points out of it in 1 to 2 minutes. Again, candidates will get around a minute to prepare the points.
- Part 3 involves long conversations where all students speak on the given topic for a more extended period. In this round, an examiner will ask relevant questions to check the coherence of the candidate.
As education counsellors’ advice focusing on the IELTS Speaking Part 1, this blog caters to the preparation of this section and possible interview questions that candidates might face.
Plan of Preparation for IELTS Speaking Part 1
As this section is all about speaking about yourself and your daily life situation in a limited period of time, speaking coherently is pivotal. Generally, candidates will be asked questions about work or education, hobbies or hometown, transport or sports, etc. To speak fluently and confidently, candidates must consider practising beforehand. According to the professional IELTS experts, the three steps to nail this part of the IELTS speaking test are:
- Self-recording
- Listening
- Evaluating
Following these steps will help a candidate identify mistakes and work on those only. To help students with the preparation process, here are a few steps to be followed:
Understand the Format
The time duration of IELTS Speaking Part 1 usually lasts 4 to 5 minutes. There are a total of 12 questions (four questions in three sets each). The first set consists of questions from home, educational background and work experience if any. In the second and third set, this exam covers questions on a topic like clothes, lifestyle, weather, hobbies, colour, etc.
Acquiring Sufficient Grammatical Knowledge
This part of the IELTS exam does not require vast or advanced grammatical knowledge or usage of complicated words. However, candidates should keep in mind the use of different tenses like present simple, present perfect, and future and their integration in a sentence.
Using the Right Vocabulary
It is always advisable to use daily usable vocabulary while speaking. In addition to this, vocabulary must match the tonality of the questions asked. Using cryptic or academic words should not be practised as it will not make the sentence sound natural.
Possible Questions Asked in IELTS Speaking Part 1
It is essential for students to prepare some general topics for the IELTS Speaking Part 1. There can be numerous questions that the examiner can ask, which a candidate has to answer with logical reasoning and confidence. To help candidates prepare the topics in advance, here are the following possible questions that they may face in this round:
Hometown
- Where are you from?
- Do you like your neighbourhood?
- How often do you visit your hometown?
- How would you like to describe your hometown?
- What are the oldest places in your hometown?
- Are there any sightseeing places in your hometown?
- What are the positive things about your hometown?
- What would you like to improve about your hometown if you were given a chance?
Education
- What subjects do you study?
- Why did you select these subjects?
- What are the main aspects of these subjects?
- If you are given a chance, would you want to change the subject?
- Do you want to get a job in the same field as your subjects?
Work
- What is the nature of your job?
- What is the name of your organisation?
- Why did you choose this job?
- What are your work responsibilities?
- Describe your relationship with your colleagues.
- What are the factors you like about your job?
- Would you like to change your job?
- Do you plan to continue working in the same place in future?
The topics mentioned above are the most commonly asked, and candidates can expect questions similar to the given samples. However, there are some other topics that an examiner asks at the IELTS speaking Part 1:
Childhood
- Describe your childhood or how was it like?
- What is the first memory of your childhood?
- What are your likeable moments as a child?
- Do you think it is advantageous for a child to grow up in the suburbs or the city?
- How many friends did you have in your childhood?
Clothes
- How much importance do clothes hold to you?
- What types of clothes do you prefer to wear?
- How much do you embrace the traditional attire of your country?
- Do you like to follow fashion trends?
- Are you happy with your current fashion sense?
- Do you wear uniforms?
Daily Routines
- At what time do you get up in the morning?
- What daily routine do you follow?
- How consistent are you with your daily routine?
- Did you follow this same routine when you were a child?
- How important do you think it is to have a daily routine?
There are other possible topics related to the lifestyle that the examiner might ask a question about. Though this IELTS speaking Part 1 is perceived to be the easiest part. However, the performance assessed at this stage plays a considerable role in the examination. Therefore, it is important to understand the questions before framing a concise answer, as the answer quoted must sound genuine and not imitated.
