IELTS Practice Speaking Questions & Sample Answers 09-02
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.
Do you live in a house or an apartment?
I live in an apartment with my cousin. It has two bedrooms and a small living room, and the best thing about it is that it’s only a short walk from a metro station.
What’s your favorite room in your home?
My favorite room is the living room because it gets the most natural light. I usually sit there to read, watch movies, or talk with my cousin in the evening.
Would you like to move to a different place in the future?
Yes, eventually. I’d like somewhere a little quieter with a larger kitchen, but I’d still want to stay close to public transport because I don’t drive.
What do you like sharing on social media?
I mostly share photos from short trips, meals I’ve cooked, or places I find interesting. I don’t usually post very personal information about work or family.
Do you post often?
Not really. I might post once or twice a month, and sometimes I go much longer without posting anything. I use social media more for browsing than sharing.
Do you think people share too much online?
Yes, some people do. They post their location, daily routines, family details, and sometimes private problems. I think people can forget how many strangers may eventually see that information.
Are you concerned about internet safety?
Yes, especially because I do banking, shopping, and a lot of communication online. I’m not constantly worried, but I try to be careful about suspicious links and unfamiliar websites.
What do you do to stay safe online?
I use different passwords for important accounts, turn on two-factor authentication when it’s available, and avoid entering payment details on websites I don’t recognize or trust.
Should children be taught about internet safety?
Definitely. Children start using phones and online games quite young, so they should learn about strong passwords, scams, privacy, and why they shouldn’t share personal information with strangers.
Long Turn
Speak continuously and develop the cue card as one natural response.
Describe a time you took part in a competition
- What the competition was
- Why you joined
- How you prepared
- What the result was and how you felt
A competition I took part in was a small photography contest organized by a local community center about two years ago. The theme was everyday life in the city, and anyone could submit three photos. I joined because I had recently started taking photos with my phone and wanted a reason to pay more attention to ordinary places around me. For about two weeks, I took pictures on my way to work and during weekend walks. I focused on simple scenes like an old shop opening in the morning, people waiting for a bus in the rain, and a street market near sunset. After that, I selected my best three pictures and did some basic editing, mainly adjusting brightness and cropping them. I didn’t expect to win, because some participants clearly had much better cameras and more experience. In the end, one of my photos received a small judges’ mention, although I didn’t place in the top three. I was genuinely pleased because it was my first time entering anything creative. The result mattered less than I expected. The competition made me observe my surroundings more carefully, and it gave me confidence to share my work instead of keeping every photo on my phone.
Is this experience still important to you now?
Yes, because it made me more confident about trying creative activities even when I’m not highly skilled or sure that I’ll win.
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Discussion
Develop your ideas with reasons, examples, comparisons or qualifications where they fit.
Can too much competition have negative effects on society?
Yes, too much competition can create pressure and make people treat every activity as a contest. In schools or workplaces, that may encourage people to hide information, compare themselves constantly, or focus only on results. Some competition can motivate improvement, but if rewards go only to a small number of winners, cooperation may suffer. A healthy system should recognize achievement without making people feel that someone else’s success automatically means their own failure.
Why do many people enjoy taking part in competitions?
Competitions give people a clear goal and a way to measure their progress. Preparing for one can make practice feel more meaningful because there is a deadline and a specific challenge. Some people also enjoy the excitement and social side, especially when they meet others with the same interest. Winning feels good, of course, but many participants also value testing themselves and seeing how they perform under pressure.
How can failure in competition help personal growth?
Failure can be useful because it gives people specific information about what needs to improve. Someone might discover that their preparation was weak, their strategy was wrong, or they became too nervous under pressure. If they review the experience calmly, they can adjust next time. It can also make success more meaningful later. However, failure only helps growth when people are encouraged to learn from it rather than being humiliated or treated as incapable.
Is winning the most important part of competition?
No, I don’t think so. Winning is one possible goal, but people can gain skills, experience, friendships, and confidence even when they lose. For beginners, simply completing a difficult competition may be a major achievement. At a professional level, results naturally matter more because careers can depend on them. Even there, though, constant improvement is important, and a loss can sometimes teach an athlete or team more than an easy victory.
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