IELTS Practice Speaking Questions & Sample Answers 05-01
Practice Part 1 questions, a Part 2 cue card, and Part 3 discussion questions, with sample answers on one page.
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Introduction and Interview
Answer familiar questions naturally and directly.
Where is your hometown?
My hometown is a medium-sized city in eastern China. It’s busy in the center, but the neighborhoods are quite calm, and I still have a lot of family there.
What do you like most about your hometown?
What I like most is the food. There are several local dishes I grew up eating, and they’re difficult to find with the same taste in other cities.
Has your hometown changed much in recent years?
Yes, quite a lot. There are more apartment buildings, shopping centers and metro lines now. Some older streets have disappeared, so parts of the city feel completely different.
Do you often buy transport tickets or passes?
Yes, fairly often, because I use public transport to get to work. I usually buy a monthly metro pass, so I don’t need to purchase a ticket every day.
Do you prefer using cash or a card for transport?
I prefer using a card or my phone because it’s faster. I rarely carry much cash now, and contactless payment makes getting through stations much easier.
Do you think public transport should be cheaper?
Yes, especially for people who commute every day. Cheaper fares could encourage more people to leave their cars at home, although the transport system still needs enough money for maintenance.
Do you write emails often?
Yes, mainly for work. I probably send or reply to several emails on a normal weekday, but I use instant messages much more often for personal communication.
What kinds of emails do you usually write?
Most of my emails are work-related, such as confirming information, sending documents or following up on a task. I occasionally write emails for bookings or customer service as well.
Do you prefer email or instant messages for communication?
For quick conversations, I definitely prefer instant messages because they’re faster and more casual. Email is better when I need to explain something clearly or keep a formal record.
Long Turn
Speak continuously and develop the cue card as one natural response.
Describe a time you used your phone for an emergency
- What the emergency was
- Where you were
- How your phone helped
- What the result was
A time I used my phone in an emergency was about a year ago when I saw a cyclist fall on a wet road near my apartment. It happened in the evening after some heavy rain. The cyclist had slipped while turning and landed quite hard. He was conscious, but he seemed confused and had hurt his arm, so I didn’t think it was a good idea for him to stand up immediately. I used my phone to call the emergency services and explained our location as clearly as I could. I also opened the map because I wasn’t sure of the exact street name. While we waited, I stayed with him and called one of his family members using the number he gave me. The ambulance arrived after around ten minutes, and the medical staff checked him before taking him to hospital. Later that evening, his brother sent me a message saying that he had a fractured arm but was otherwise fine. What stayed with me was how useful the phone was for several different things at once: making the call, finding the location and contacting his family. I’d always thought of my phone mainly as something for work and entertainment, but that experience showed me how important it can be in a real emergency.
Is this experience still important to you now?
Yes, because it changed the way I think about keeping my phone charged. I now try not to leave home with almost no battery.
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Discussion
Develop your ideas with reasons, examples, comparisons or qualifications where they fit.
Should children be allowed to carry phones for safety reasons?
Yes, I think they should, especially when they start travelling to school or activities without their parents. A phone can let a child contact family quickly if plans change or something goes wrong. However, it doesn’t need to be an expensive smartphone with unrestricted internet access. Parents can set limits and teach children when it is appropriate to use it.
Do you think people depend too much on their phones nowadays?
Yes, probably. Phones have become maps, cameras, payment tools, work devices and communication systems all in one, so many people feel uncomfortable without them. That dependence is understandable, but it can become a problem if someone cannot concentrate, navigate or spend time with others without checking a screen. I think the issue is not using phones heavily, but losing the ability to function without them.
Why is being prepared important in daily life?
Being prepared can reduce both risk and stress. Simple things like carrying necessary medicine, knowing emergency numbers or checking the weather before a trip can prevent small problems from becoming serious. Of course, nobody can prepare for every possible situation, but basic planning gives people more options when something unexpected happens and helps them make calmer decisions.
How might technology improve emergency response in the future?
Technology could make emergency response faster by sharing accurate locations and important information automatically. For example, phones and cars can already detect some accidents, and future systems may send medical details or live location data directly to emergency teams. Artificial intelligence could also help prioritize calls. The main challenge will be protecting privacy while still giving responders the information they genuinely need.
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