Sample Answers for Travel and Transport in Speaking Part 1

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Below are sample answers for the the topics of travel and transport for part 1 of the IELTS speaking test.

Travel

Q. Do you often travel abroad?

A. Not much, to be honest. I don’t get many days off in a year but when I do have time off, I mainly spend that time with my family in my hometown.

Q. When is the best season to travel in your country?

A. I guess it would be spring. That’s when the weather starts warming up and all the flowers start blossoming. It’s a really beautiful season and most places are at their best at that time. Unfortunately, it’s a busy time for tourists as well but that still doesn’t diminish the beauty of the countryside.

Q. Where would you recommend a foreign to visit in your country?

A. Without doubt, London. Not only is it our capital, but it also has some of the most iconic buildings in our country. I don’t think any visit to England is complete without seeing the Tower of London, London Bridge or Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. They really are very impressive pieces of architectural work and can’t be missed.

Transport

Q. How did you get here today?

A. I came by bike because the roads are pretty congested at this time and a bike is quicker. It only took me about 15 minutes to get here.

Q. Do you often use public transport?

A. Yes, I do. I use the bus almost everyday. It’s the cheapest way to get around even though it’s really overcrowded and not particularly punctual.

Q. How could the transportation system be improved in your country?

A. Well, I think the first step to improvement would be to widen the roads and build to overpasses and underpasses to help traffic flow more freely which would reduce the congestion in the city center. Also, it would help if the bus service was improved to make it run more frequently which would help with the overcrowding in rush hour. I think those are the two main changes that need to happen.

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IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topic: Travel & Transport

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It is common to get the topic of travel or transport in IELTS speaking part 1. These topics can actually be divided into subtopics which are all be asked in part 1, see the list below:

  • Holidays
    • Weekend Breaks
    • Hotels
    • Traveling Abroad & Culture
    • Public Holidays (Celebrations and Festivals)
    • Days off work
    • Trips
    • Journeys
  • Tourist Attractions
    • Historical Attractions
    • Museums and Galleries
    • Statues and Monuments
  • Private & Public Transport
    • Bicycles
    • Cars
    • Driving
    • Buses
    • Trains
    • Planes
    • Walking
  • Getting Around
  • Roads
  • Traffic

As you can see above, there are a number of subtopics for the topics of travel and transport. Make sure you prepare a range of ideas and vocabulary for all topics and subtopics.

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Tourism and The Local Community: IELTS Topic

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Tourism is a common topic in IELTS. Both in Writing Task 2 and the Speaking Test. Below are some ideas for the advantages and disadvantages which tourism brings to a community. These ideas can be used both for speaking part 3 and your IELTS essay. Make sure you learn the ideas, learn the language, but write it your own way in your test.

Essay Question

Over the last few decades, there has been an increase in international tourism. Some people think that tourism is beneficial for local communities and should be encouraged.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Speaking Part 3 Questions

  1. Do you think tourism is a good thing?
  2. Why do you think some people  believe tourism to be bad for local communities?
  3. Do you think local communities change as an effect of tourism?
  4. Do you think there are more advantages than disadvantages of tourism for local communities?

Don’t forget we are looking at the effects of tourism as an industry rather than a tourist as a person. Don’t confuse the two.

Ideas For Tourism Topic

Advantages of Tourism

  1. Tourism boosts revenue and supports the local economy.
  2. Tourism opens up new employment opportunities for local people.
  3. It stimulates local entrepreneurship.
  4. Tourism brings with it fresh perspectives on life and culture. 
  5. It fosters cross-cultural understanding.
  6. Locals usually need to learn English to talk to tourists which can have beneficial long-term effects.
  7. To boost tourism, money is often invested in improvements in local infrastructure and facilities which has lasting positive effects on the whole community.
  8. It can lead to the preservation and restoration of places of historic importance and natural beauty.

Disadvantages of Tourism

  1. Tourism can create economic dependency which can be detrimental to the community if it is not sustainable.
  2. It can cause economic strain for some individuals because employment is often seasonal.
  3. Tourism can have a negative impact on the local environment in terms of pollution.
    • noise pollution from tourist entertainment
    • air pollution from increased transportation
  4. Tourism can cause friction between locals and tourists, if local culture is not respected.
  5. Local culture can be affected by the influx of foreigners leading to cultural erosion over time.
  6. The bulk of the money brought in by tourism rarely finds its way into local hands and instead lines the pockets of the middleman (tour operators).
  7. Locals might struggle as tourism often results in a rise in housing costs and living prices in the area.

Please note that the ideas above require adapting depending on the question you are given in Writing Task 2 or Speaking Part 3. If you found this page useful, you might also be interested in my Ideas for Essay Topics E-book which covers over 150 common essay topics: IDEAS E-BOOK

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IELTS Speaking Part 2: Will I get a low score if I speak for less than 2 mins?

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Are you marked down in IELTS Speaking part 2 for speaking less than 2 minutes? In speaking part 2, you will be given a topic, 1 min to prepare and then you will need to speak for between 1-2 mins. The examiner will not move on to part 3 until 1 minute has passed of your talk and the examiner will stop you at exactly 2 minutes to prevent you speaking further. So, this means you have between 1 and 2 minutes available to you for your talk.

Do you need to speak for 2 mins in IELTS Speaking Part 2?

Speaking part 2 is the only part of the test where you can show the examiner that you can speak at length. Speaking at length is important for people aiming for band score 7 and above. So, part 2 is a great chance to show this skill and impress the examiner with fluency. Speaking at length is actually part of the Fluency marking criterion. Aiming for 2 minutes should be your aim.

However, your talk should also avoid hesitations and pauses. Both of these things can impact your score.

Length of Talk for IELTS Speaking Part 2: Useful Tips

Here are some more points to consider:

  1. It is better to give a strong, fluent talk for 1.5 minutes than a weak, hesitant talk for 2 mins.
    • If you can speak for 1.5 mins without hesitations and pauses, this will be better than speaking for 2 mins with lots of hesitations and pauses.
  2. You can still get a high score if you only speak for 1.5 minutes but only if the quality of your talk is very good. This means natural, fluent speaking with great use of language.
  3. The marking criterion of Fluency accounts for 25% of your marks and is taken from your overall performance in all parts not only in part 2.
    • This means if your talk doesn’t go well, you can still showcase your fluency in part 3.
  4. If you wish to lengthen your talk,  then add more information. The prompts (the points on the topic card) are only guidelines – you can and should expand on each one.
  5. Aiming for 2 minutes is ideal.
  6. You must practice before your test what 2 minutes feels like so that you know how much to add. But don’t worry the examiner will stop you at 2 mins.
    • The examiner controls the time in the speaking test. Don’t worry about timing. The examiner will interrupt you when it’s time for the next part or the next question.
  7. Speaking for 1 minute is not ideal because it doesn’t show the examiner your fluency skills.
  8. Don’t expect the examiner to be smiling and positive. Sometimes the examiners are tired so be ready for different body language and don’t let it affect your performance in your test.

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IELTS Speaking Part 3: Technology Questions and Model Answer

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Technology is a popular topic in speaking part 3. Below are some common questions with a model answer underneath.

  • What modern technological devices are most common in your country?
  • Do you think modern technology is useful?
  • Do you think people rely too much on technology?
  • Do you think men and women view technological devices differently?
  • Why do you think people spend so much money buying the latest devices?

Model Answer

  • Question: Do you think men and women view technological devices differently?
  • Answer: Yes, I do. For starters, men are usually more obsessed with gadgets. They are almost like children with the way they want to play with the latest gizmos and learn all their new functions. They are constantly fiddling around with their new toys. I also think that gadgets are a kind of ego for men. I mean they often compare their new toys with each other to see who has the best one. Women, on the other hand, are more down to earth and see devices more rationally as a means to communicate with others or to perform a particular function. Of course, this is pretty stereotyped but it seems to hold true for most men and women I know.

Useful Expressions

  • fiddling around with something = playing with something
  • down to earth = realistic, practical
  • stereotyped = putting people into a group or categorising them not based on fact

Note:  As you can see this model answer is from a woman’s perspective, if you would like to give a sample answer from a man’s perspective, please post it in the comments box. Feel free to post your answers to other questions as well.

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IELTS Speaking Recent Topic: Sky

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This has been a reported topic in speaking this month. It’s a new topic but of course some of the questions will be similar to the topic of weather. Here are some possible questions for this topic.

The Sky

  • Do you ever look at the sky?
  • What do you think about when you look at the sky?
  • Are there often clouds in the sky in your country?
  • Is the sky often overcast?
  • Is star-gazing popular in your country?
  • Are there often spectacular sunsets or sunrises in your country?

Model Answers

  • Question: Do you ever look at the sky?
  • Answer: To be honest, the only time I really pay any attention to the sky is if there is an amazing sunset or if I need to see what the weather’s like. The weather can be changeable where I live, so I sometimes take a quick look at the sky to see if it there are any dark clouds on the horizon and it might rain.
  • Question: Is star-gazing popular in your country?
  • Answer: I wouldn’t say it was popular but there are quite a few people who enjoy it, I suppose. In summer, we often get really clear night skies when you can see a multitude of stars and they’re all incredibly bright. I must say, even I go out and take a look then.

Vocabulary

Here is a useful vocabulary list for this topic. Below is an audio for the vocabulary.

  • overcast = cloudy, no sun is visible
  • a grey sky = overcast, cloudy
  • sunset = the sky turns different shades of orange, pink and red as the sun goes down
  • dark clouds on the horizon = threatening weather in the distance
  • star-gazing = looking at the stars
  • crystal clear night skies = very clear skies at night with excellent visibility
  • cloudless sky = a blue sky without clouds
  • small fluffy clouds = small clouds that do not threaten rain
  • multitude of stars = many stars
  • foggy = misty, low visibility due to mist
  • partly cloudy = some clouds

 

Audio for Model Answers 

Use the ideas and language for the models and adapt it to the questions you might get in the test.

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IELTS Speaking Part 2: Difficult Topics with Tips

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Below are a few topics which many students find difficult. Plan your ideas and answer so that you are ready for a difficult topics in your test. Remember that whatever you choose to talk about, you must be able to talk for up to 2 minutes on that topic. So, be wise and choose something you can talk about easily.

IELTS Speaking Difficult Cue Card with Coping Techniques

Click “Tips” to reveal tips for the topic.

A Good Law

Describe a law which you think is good.

You should say:

  • what kind of law it is
  • when you first heard of the law
  • how the law is upheld
  • and explain why you think it is a good law

Tips

If you don’t know much about laws, choose a simple law such as a the helmet law which requires motorbike riders and cyclists to wear a helmet or go for the compulsory primary and secondary school education which prevents children from skipping lessons and ensures they get a solid, basic education.

A Wrong Decision

Describe a decision which you have made that you feel was wrong.

You should say:

  • what the decision was
  • why you made that decision
  • why you think it was the wrong decision to make
  • and explain how you would alter that decision if you could

Tips

This could be a bad decision about a holiday you chose, a job you did, some advice you gave someone or even something really simple like a bad decision you made while you were cooking.

A Journey that Didn’t Go As Planned

Describe a journey you have taken that didn’t go as you had planned.

You should say:

  • where you were going
  • who you were traveling with
  • how you were travelling
  • what went wrong
  • and explain what you would have done differently.

Tips

This is a tough topic because not only do you need to think of a story but you also need to pay attention to the grammar tenses you use. This topic will require you to use the 3rd conditional which is used when expressing regrets (if I had known ….., I wouldn’t have ……). Try to stick to a simple story about a time when you did a trip but you had bought the wrong tickets or there was an unexpected delay which caused problems.

A Museum You Like

Describe a museum you like.

You should say:

  • what kind of museum it is
  • what kind of people go there
  • when you first went
  • and example why you like it.

Tips

Many students dislike this topic because they are not familiar with museums. In this case, choose to talk about a museum of local culture – that way you can talk about local culture, traditional ways of life and other interesting historical points about where you are from. If you are familiar with museums, make sure you add lots of detail about your first trip there – who you went with, how old you were, your first impression etc.

A Family Business

Describe a family business you know.

You should say:

  • what kind of business it is
  • how you first heard of this business
  • how often you go there
  • and why you think it is a good business

Tips

This sounds like a tough topic but in fact it isn’t. A family business could be a simple as a local shop that is run by a family or a family run restaurant. If you don’t know any family run businesses, then you could start your talk this way “I don’t really know any family run businesses but there is a fantastic shop round the corner from my house which is as friendly as any family run shop….”

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What do you do if you get a difficult IELTS Cue Card

You should speak as closely as you can to the main topic. IELTS Speaking is not about testing your knowledge or ideas. In fact, ideas are NOT marked. So your knowledge of law or museums is not being assessed. Topics are just a chance to talk. So, stick closely to the main topic and then branch into your own feelings, thoughts, experiences, future hopes, other people’s views etc. Expand your talk beyond the bullet points.

Make sure you prepare ideas for as many topics for speaking part 2. This is not an academic talk or a formal talk so if you make your talk personal and friendly, you will do better. The more topics you prepare for, the better you will do.

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Sample Answers for Speaking Topic: Charities

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These model answers are for IELTS speaking part 3, which is the most difficult part lasting 4 to 5 minutes. The topic of charities usually comes under the topic of unpaid work / volunteer work.

Before you read the sample answers, try to answer the questions yourself.

1. Do you think charities are important? Answer

Yes, I do. In some countries, there is no welfare system so the only form of assistance which poor people or disabled people can get is from charities. For example, some of the local charities around here provide food, clothing and even education support for needy people which really helps to get them back on their feet. So, without help from charities, these people would have very serious problems.

2. Do you think children should be made to do volunteer work as part of their school curriculum? Answer

That’s an interesting question. I think it is great for children to take part in charity work as they can learn about helping people and also understand what it means to be part of a community. However, I don’t think it should be obligatory for them. When children are forced to do something, they often become resentful which would result in them possibly not doing that kind of work later in life. If schools could encourage them to do charity work as an out of school activity, which is not compulsory, that would be better and would encourage them to continue helping others when they’re older.

3. Which do you think are more important, local charities or domestic charities? Answer

Well, I think they each have a different role to play so I can’t say that one is more important than the other. For example local charities are better at helping with the day to day needs of local people because they know exactly what it is they lack and what they need. Large international charities, on the other hand, are good at tackling natural disasters or sending aid to the third world as they have the financial means to help on a big scale. So, they are definitely both very important.

4. If you could donate a large amount of money to any charity, what would it be? Answer

I suppose I would go for an international charity that either deals in providing much needed medical care to developing countries or a charity that champions human rights on a global scale such as Amnesty International. These types of charities are able to help so many people around the world and for me it would be rewarding to think that my money has helped so many. Also these charities deal in the fundamental needs of life, which I think everyone is entitled to, so I would certainly choose them.

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