2023 New IELTS Essay Topics with Useful Ideas 

Below are predicted topics for IELTS Speaking Part 1 in 2023. The majority of the topics are recycled from topics that have been previously used. New topics are often related in some way to well known main topics. Even though part 1 is the easiest part of the IELTS  speaking test, make sure you start on the right foot by preparing comprehensively.

IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics 2023

Below is a list of likely topics that will appear during 2023. While you should be preparing all these topics, please do not ignore the common topics which are also likely to appear (there’s a link at the bottom of this post). During part 1, you will be given about 3 topics with a total of around 12 questions. This part lasts for 4-5 mins. See further down the page for typical questions for part 1, common topics, tips and useful links.

1. Appearance: hair styles & cuts, sloppy or tidy appearance, first impressions, importance of appearance
2. Animals: pets & wild animals, zoos
3. Art: museums, galleries, photos, paintings, drawing
4. Books & Reading: magazines, newspapers, articles, internet, children’s stories, novels
5. Celebrations & Festivals
6. Clothes & Fashion: casual/comfortable/formal/work/traditional clothes, accessories (bags, sunglasses, shoes, jewelry), particular articles of clothing such as trousers, shirts
7. Colours
8. Dancing
9. Family & Friends
10. Food & Cooking: meals, family meals, snacks, desserts & sweets, fast food, restaurants, cooking skills, cooking in schools
11. Happiness & Laughing
12. Health
13. Home – this is a main topic and frequently asked
14. Hometown – this is a main topic and frequently asked
15. Housework
16. Internet: website, surfing, shopping, socialising, apps (learning, useful, fun, maps, calendars, photos)
17. Music: songs, concerts, singers
18. Name: your name meaning, choosing names
19. Nature: parks, gardens, flowers, trees, environment
20. Noise: types of noise in everyday life, noise pollution, noise avoidance, silence, peace, mental health
21. Planning & Organising
22. Remembering: diaries, schedules, calendars, remembering numbers, concentration, phone apps for planning and remembering
23. Security: passwords, keys, alarms
24. Shops & Shopping: local shops, things to buy, first purchases, online shopping
25. Sky or Space: sci-fi films, space travel, planets , school learning about space, star gazing, night sky, clouds, weather signs, seasons
26. Sport & Exercise: team games, individual games, keeping fit, places for exercise
27. Study or Work – this is a main topic and frequently asked
28. Taking photos: types of photos, equipment, apps, family photos, holiday photos
29. Travel & Holidays
30. Teachers, School & Subjects: your childhood teachers, memorable teacher, lessons, art, drawing, science, calculations (maths), languages, sport, school rules
31. Weekends & Free Time
32. Work or Study – this is a main topic and frequently asked

What about the Questions?

All the topics above will most likely include the following question types: your favourite, your childhood memories, your childhood likes/dislikes, key past memories, first times, recent events in your life, your abilities, your opinions, your country, popular choices in your country, your future hopes, descriptions, how often you do something, how long you’ve been doing something, how something could be improved.

Lets see an example of applying those question types to a predicted topic: Appearance (Hair)

• Do you have a favourite hair style?
• What kind of hair style did you have as a child?
• Did you like that hair style?
• Is there a hair style you have had that you particularly remember?
• Have you recently changed your hair style?
• When did you last have your hair cut?
• Can you cut your own hair or do you go to a hairdresser or barber?
• Do you think it’s important to have a fashionable hair style?
• What kinds of hair styles are popular for women or men in your country?
• Do you plan to change your hair style?
• How often do you get your hair cut?
• How long have you had your current hair style?
• If you could change anything about your appearance, what would it be?

As you can see, it is possible to easily predict the questions you will be asked by following the list I’ve given you. So, for each topic listed above, prepare all those possibilities. Remember this isn’t about your knowledge of a topic, it’s about your life and your country in part 1.

Important Tips for Speaking Part 1

Tip 1: DO NOT memorise your answers when you prepare topics and questions. Just refresh your memory relating to each topic based on the possible questions and prepare key vocabulary that you think will help you answer. In the actual test, your answers must come naturally. Tip 2: Always answer directly. Don’t dance around the question, just be direct. Then add a bit more detail to explain. These are short answer questions which means the answer ought to be between 2-3 sentences long. Some answers might be slightly shorter and some longer. Tip 3: The examiner might interrupt your answer. This is normal. Let the examiner decide when it’s time to move on to the next question. Be prepared for that and just focus on the next question. Tip 4: You can ask for the question to be repeated. It won’t affect your score and could give you a bit of thinking time. Tip 5: Be natural, be open, be chatty in your speaking test. It is an informal chat with the examiner covering a range of topics. Tip 6: You can’t ask for the topic to be changed. Even if you don’t like the topic or don’t have much knowledge, you can still answer questions about your first memories, your opinions, your childhood, popular opinions etc. IELTS is not a test of knowledge. Each question is just a chance to chat and show your English. Tip 7: Also prepare from the list of common topics for speaking part 1. Click here:  COMMON SPEAKING PART 1 TOPICS

Useful Links:

Click below to open the useful pages for IELTS Speaking Part 1 exam preparation:

• IELTS Speaking Part 2 Topics
• IELTS Speaking Part 3 Topics
• How long should my answer be?
• All IELTS Speaking Tips & Model Answers

Good luck in your test. Let me know how it goes.

All the best, Liz

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IELTS Speaking Topics such as Parks, Gardens and Flowers are possible in all parts of the speaking test. In fact, one of the topics below will appear in the Speaking Test each year. These topics can be particularly difficult if you don’t prepare fully. They are certainly used by examiners each year with only slight variations on wording. Below you will find plenty of topics, questions and cue cards for you to prepare at home.

IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics

Below you will find a list of questions for the topics: parks, gardens, green spaces, trees & plants, and flowers. All these topics can appear in part 1 IELTS speaking.

Parks

• Do you like parks?
• How often do you go to a park?
• Did you often go as a child?
• Are parks popular places in your country?
• Why do people like parks?
• What do people do in parks?
• Do you think parks are important?

Gardens

• Do you have a garden or outdoor space in your house or flat?
• Did you have a garden growing up?
• Do you think it’s important for children to have access to a garden?
• What do people enjoy doing in their gardens?
• Why do some people prefer their own garden to a public park?
• Do you know anyone who likes growing plants?

Green Spaces

• Are there many green spaces in your neighbourhood?
• Did you often use green spaces to play when you were young?
• Did your hometown have many green spaces where you could play?
• Do you think neighbourhoods look better with green spaces and trees?
• Why do you think green spaces are important in a city?

Plants and Trees

• Do you like trees and plants?
• What’s your favourite plant?
• Have you ever grown a plant?
• Have you ever planted a tree?
• Did you learn about trees and plants as a child?
• Did you ever climb a tree when you were young?
• Do you think children benefit from nature?
• Do you think trees and plants are important?

Flowers

• Do you like flowers?
• What’s your favourite flower?
• Have you ever received flowers from someone?
• Did you ever give someone flowers?
• Are there any special occasions in your country when it’s suitable to give flowers?
• Are flowers important in your culture?

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Cards: Gardens, Parks, Trees etc

You will see below that the list of part 2 topics is very similar to those of part 1. If you prepare fully for all the above part 1 questions and topics, you will have an easy time in part 2 because you’ll be able to adapt your answers to fit the cue card.

Someone you know who likes planting trees

• who that person is
• how that person is connected to you
• why they planted trees
• what you think about their actions

Someone you know who likes gardening

• who the person is
• what they do in the garden
• why it is important to them
• what you think about it

A place with trees

• where it is
• when you first went there
• what you do there
• why you remember it

A green space or park you like (2024 currently in use)

• where it is
• how often you go there
• what you do there
• why you like it

All the ideas and vocabulary for the above topics can be adapted for the following cue cards: a peaceful place, a quiet place, an interesting person, an elderly person, a healthy hobby, a quiet hobby, a cheap hobby, something to do in your leisure time, a picnic etc. You can easily use the language from these topics in many other topics for part 2.

Please remember, the examiner is not testing your knowledge of trees or flowers. Even if you don’t know the name of the flower you like, you can still talk about your memories of it and describe it. See the model below.

If your topic is about a park or garden, you can expand your talk by talking about activities people do in the park/garden, descriptions, comparisons with other places, your opinion of their importance, your memories as a child, your future hopes etc etc.

Model Answer for Speaking Part 2 Plants & Gardens

This is another example of a cue card for these topics.

A plant, tree or flower you like

• what it is
• where it grows
• why you like it

I’d like to talk about a tree that I’ve always loved. I don’t remember the name of the tree, even in my own language, but it’s a very large tree that can reach around 30 meters high and has a really wide diameter. It spreads really far offering a lot of shade in summer which is really great. The weird thing about the tree is that its roots come from the branches and grow towards the earth to eventually form part of the tree trunk. It’s just so unique. There’s no other tree like it.

I remember the first time I saw this tree in China. I couldn’t believe it. There was a whole street lined with these trees and it felt almost like another planet. I’ll never forget driving down that street. Since then, I’ve always noticed these trees wherever they are. I also saw quite a lot of them in Vietnam when I lived there.

I don’t know precisely where the tree grows worldwide, but I’ve seen them in a number of different Asian countries, but not in Europe or the UK. In Vietnam, I would see these trees in parks and other green areas. In fact, while I was there, I loved how many trees in general lined the streets and how many parks there were. Considering that the capital city, Hanoi, is full of hustle and bustle, the trees give such a calming presence.

I think it’s pretty hard to describe why I like this particular tree. The only thing I can say is that it feels magical. It’s such a huge tree, taller than most, and definitely one of the widest trees in the park. It’s appearance is really striking. If you compare it with other trees, it looks majestic. I also really like the flame trees that they have in Vietnam. Those trees burst into flame late spring each year with bright red little flowers. That was also a sight to remember.

I think people underestimate the effect nature has on tourists and locals. We need trees and green spaces to improve our quality of life and bring beauty into our lives. Hopefully, I’ll get back to China and Vietnam one day and enjoy their gorgeous parks again.

Feedback on Model Answer

1. Great vocabulary – diameter, roots, branches, tree trunk, hustle and bustle, shade, scorching hot, magical
2. Strong grammar – different tenses including present, past tense and a future form. Also complex sentences, comparatives, superlative
3. Good descriptive language. It doesn’t make any difference to the score that the speaker doesn’t know the name of the tree. The descriptions are very strong.
4. Technique – there is quite a lot of information given that goes beyond the prompts on the cue card. This is a good thing. More detail, more memories, more description and more chat.
5. The final part of the talk is about another tree with more description, the importance of parks and future hopes. This provides a good range of extra language.

IELTS Speaking Part 3: parks, flowers, trees etc

• Do you think parks play an important role in a city?
• Do you think parks affect the quality of air in urban areas?
• Which do you think is more important: housing or green spaces?
• Why are trees important?
• Do you think green spaces and parks help people’s mental health?
• What do you think of deforestation?
• Do you think we should protect trees?
• What can the government do to protect natural beauty spots more in your country?
• Are plants important to the economy of your country?
• Does your country have a symbolic plant or flower?
• Are there any traditional celebrations where plants or flowers play a role?
• Why do so many people want their own garden?
• Do you think people should be encouraged to grow their own food?
• Do you think children should be taught to grow their own food?
• Do you think children should learn to plant trees?
• Why do so many old people enjoy parks and gardens?
• Do you think all houses and flats should have their own gardens?

VOCABULARY FOR THIS TOPIC: Word List for Plant/Tree/ Flower Topic in IELTS Speaking

For more Speaking Topics, click here: IELTS Speaking Main Page (Topics, Tips & Model Answers)

All the best

Liz 🙂

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It is common to get topics related to using a mobile phone in IELTS Speaking part 2. Below you will see some typical cue cards for this topic that are also in use at the moment.

On this page, you will find:

1. sample cue cards for the topic of mobile phones
2. useful language
3. a sample answer for a current IELTS cue card
4. examples of IELTS speaking part 3 questions for this topic

1) Mobile Phone Topics for IELTS Cue Cards

A time you were not allowed to use a mobile phone

You should say:

• when it happened
• where you were
• why you couldn’t use your phone
• how you felt about it

A time when you received an important text message

You should say:

• when it was
• who you were talking to
• what the message was about
• why you remember it so well

Other Mobile Phone Topics

An app you use on your mobile phone

You should say:

• when you first started using the app
• how often you use it
• what it is used for
• why you find it useful

A time when a smart phone was very helpful

You should say:

• when it was
• what happened
• how the smart phone helped you

Your favourite smart phone

You should say:

• when you bought it
• what did it look like
• what was so special about it

Your first smart phone

You should say:

• when you got it
• why you bought it
• what you liked or didn’t like about it

A place where you couldn’t use your phone

You should say:

• when it happened
• where the place was
• what prevented you using your phone
• how you felt about it

A time when you made an important call on your phone

You should say:

• when it was
• who you were calling
• what the call was about
• why it was important to you

A useful device you use frequently

You should say:

• what the device is
• why you use it so often
• what you use it for
• why it is important for you

2) Useful Language for Mobile Phones

The lists below are not just for vocabulary, they are also for ideas of what you can talk about in your IELTS Speaking Part 1, 2 or 3 in relation to mobile phones. Having a good list of things to introduce into your answer will help with both fluency and vocabulary scores.

• wireless handheld device
• pocket-sized
• a handy device
• the battery runs out quickly
• a long lasting battery
• a quick / slow charge time
• the battery died
• landlines are still useful / landlines are becoming redundant
• a useful device when you are on the go
• connect to wifi / hotspots
• cellular network
• a weak/strong signal
• a patchy signal
• the reception is poor
• a bad line (the line keeps cutting out / crackling)
• 3G, 4G or 5G network
• 5G hasn’t fully been rolled out in my area yet
• security features
• fingerprint / voice / face recognition
• touch screen
• optical zoom lens
• front and rear camera
• stylus pen for smart phone screen
• apps run without glitches
• emojis
• organise contacts
• unlimited calls
• limited data / unlimited data
• pay as you go
• monthly contract
• a handy device
• slimline
• thick like a brick
• light weight / heavy
• couldn’t live without it
• I would be lost without

Uses of a Mobile Phone

• to call
• to text / to message
• to take photos
• to take selfies
• to email
• to make video calls
• browse online (surf the internet)
• online banking
• weather updates
• photo edit
• create videos
• make recordings
• keep track of appointments

Useful Apps on a Smart Phone

• banking apps
• calendar
• calculator
• camera
• clock
• facebook
• games
• language apps
• messenger
• news
• spotify
• instagram
• whatsapp
• zoom

3) IELTS Mobile Phone Cue Card Sample Answer

A time you were not allowed to use a mobile phone

You should say:

• when it happened
• where you were
• why you couldn’t use your phone
• how you felt about it

Cue Card Sample Answer

Note: I have underlined language which the examiner will note either due to grammar or vocabulary. For grammar, you can note the range of tense used: present tense, future form, past simple, past prefect, past passive and past perfect passive. For vocabulary, you can note high level topic related vocabulary, such as “flick through a list”, “ultra slim”, “click send”, “silent mode”, “muted keypad”. There are also examples of great collocations and other relevant vocabulary.

I’m going to talk about a time last year when I was stopped from using my mobile phone in an urgent situation. It was around February when it happened. I remember because it was just after my birthday and I had been given my phone as a birthday present. I was in the library when I realised I had missed an important appointment. I was in such a panic. So, I took my ultra slim, light weight phone out of my pocket , flicked through my contact list and  then clicked call. Even though my phone was on silent mode, the librarian came over before I could make the call and reminded me that I couldn’t make calls inside. I apologised and then proceeded to type out a text message. But again, before I could finish the message and click send, the librarian asked me to turn my phone off. I was really annoyed. Sending a text message isn’t intrusive to others and the keypad was muted. In the end, I went outside. 

I really believe that smart phones are great pieces of technology allowing us to have instant communication with others no matter where we are. Having a silent mode on the phone means we can use it without disturbing others. While libraries are supposed to be silent, I really didn’t think sending a text would be a problem. However, I believe rules are to be followed so I left the library and made my call outside. Luckily my appointment was rescheduled for the next day. Hopefully, next time I’m in the library, I won’t have anything urgent to deal with.

Note: the above answer is not based on my personal experience or my personal opinion. It is purely fictional.

4) IELTS Speaking Part 3 Questions for Mobile Phones

1. Do young and old people use smart phones the same way?
2. What are the most popular smart phone apps in your country?
3. How has the smart phone changed the way we live?
4. Are there any disadvantages to a smart phone?
5. Do you think text messages are better than phone calls?
6. Should children be allowed their own smart phone?
7. What are the problems allowing children to have their own smart phones?
8. Why do some people get addicted to using their smart phone?
9. How do you think smart phones might develop in the future?

For more IELTS Speaking free lessons, topics and tips, click here: IELTS Speaking Main Page

I hope you found this lesson useful. All the best, Liz 🙂

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