Society & everyday life: IELTS Speaking Part 1 questions

1. Answer→
2. Detail→
3. Feeling

It depends on what I'm shopping for. Browsing a bookshop or a food market is a real pleasure, but buying everyday things like toiletries or a new phone charger feels like a chore. I'm quite impatient, so crowded shopping centres on a Saturday are something I avoid at all costs.

It depends on

the answer changes according to

feels like a chore

seems boring, like a duty you must do

avoid at all costs

try very hard never to do

50 words · about 22 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Reason→
3. Example

Online for anything routine, but I still like going into a shop for clothes and shoes. Sizes are so inconsistent between brands that I'd rather try things on than deal with returns. Last year I had to order three different pairs of trainers online before one actually fitted, and sending the others back was a real hassle.

I'd rather try things on

I prefer to wear clothes in the shop before buying

deal with returns

handle sending items back to the seller

a real hassle

annoying and troublesome

57 words · about 25 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Reason→
3. Detail

Not very often, maybe three or four times a year. I tend to wear things until they're properly worn out, so I only shop when something actually needs replacing. I usually go at the start of a new season and buy a few good basics in one trip, rather than picking things up here and there.

properly worn out

completely old and damaged from use

a few good basics

some simple, quality clothes you wear often

picking things up here and there

buying items now and then, without a plan

56 words · about 24 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Reason→
3. Example

Alone, nearly always. I go in knowing exactly what I want, so I can be in and out in twenty minutes. My sister, on the other hand, loves to wander around every shop twice, and whenever we go together I end up waiting outside changing rooms for hours.

be in and out

arrive and leave again very quickly

on the other hand

used to introduce a contrast

I end up waiting

finally, and without wanting to, I wait

48 words · about 21 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Reason→
3. Detail

Quite a bit, mainly because I've become more careful about what I buy. I started noticing how much stuff I was ordering on impulse late at night, and most of it I barely used. Now I wait a few days before buying anything non-essential, and I've started looking in second-hand shops first.

become more careful about

started thinking harder before doing something

on impulse

suddenly, without thinking or planning

anything non-essential

things you don't really need

52 words · about 23 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Detail→
3. Feeling

Mostly simple, casual things, like jeans, plain T-shirts and a decent pair of trainers. I stick to neutral colours like navy, grey and olive, so everything goes with everything and getting dressed takes about two minutes. If I'm honest, I'd live in a hoodie if I could get away with it.

a decent pair of trainers

good-quality sports shoes

everything goes with everything

all the clothes look fine together

get away with it

do something without problems or criticism

51 words · about 22 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Reason→
3. Example

Comfort wins most of the time, but I don't think you always have to choose. These days you can find clothes that look smart and still feel like pyjamas, such as stretchy chinos or a soft knitted blazer. I wore exactly that to a job interview last spring, and I felt relaxed enough to actually be myself.

look smart

appear neat and well dressed

feel like pyjamas

are extremely comfortable to wear

actually be myself

behave naturally, without pretending

57 words · about 25 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Reason→
3. Detail

Not really, at least not in any serious way. Trends seem to come and go every few months now, and I can't afford to keep up even if I wanted to. I do notice what people around me are wearing, though, and occasionally pick up an idea, like the wider trousers everyone's switched to.

come and go

appear and then disappear quickly

can't afford to keep up

don't have the money to stay up to date

pick up an idea

get an idea from what others do

54 words · about 23 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Detail→
3. Feeling

Very much so, and I actually enjoy making the effort now and then. For family weddings I wear a cream embroidered kurta, which is a world away from my usual jeans and T-shirt. Getting properly dressed up makes the day feel like an event, and it's a way of showing respect to the hosts.

making the effort

trying harder than usual

a world away from

completely different from

Getting properly dressed up

wearing your smartest, most formal clothes

54 words · about 23 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Detail→
3. Feeling

They've changed massively since I was a teenager. Back then I wanted everything bright and covered in big logos, because I thought brands said something about who you were. Now I'd much rather have a few well-made pieces that last, and I cringe a little when I see old photos of myself.

Back then

at that time in the past

well-made pieces that last

good-quality clothes that stay in good condition

cringe a little

feel slightly embarrassed

52 words · about 23 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Detail→
3. Example

It would have to be Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan. After a month of fasting from dawn to dusk, the mood on the day is incredibly joyful. The cities actually empty out beforehand, because millions of people travel back to their home villages to be with family.

It would have to be

if I must choose, it's definitely this one

from dawn to dusk

from sunrise until sunset

empty out

become almost deserted as people leave

50 words · about 22 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Detail→
3. Example

The day starts with special prayers in the morning, usually at a large outdoor prayer ground or a mosque. After that, it's all about visiting relatives, wearing new clothes and eating far too much. Children go from house to house collecting crisp new banknotes from their elders, which was always my favourite part when I was little.

it's all about

the main focus is

eating far too much

eating much more than you should

from house to house

visiting one home after another

57 words · about 25 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Example→
3. Feeling

I love it, mainly because it's the one time of year my whole extended family is under one roof. My cousins fly in from abroad, and we stay up until two in the morning swapping stories. The only thing I dread is getting to my grandparents' village, because the buses and trains are absolutely packed.

under one roof

together in the same house

swapping stories

telling each other about things that happened

absolutely packed

extremely crowded

55 words · about 24 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Detail→
3. Example

The classic Eid dish is shemai, which is vermicelli cooked slowly in sweetened milk with cardamom. Every household serves it to guests, so by the evening you've usually lost count of how many bowls you've had. There's plenty of biryani too, and my aunt makes a chicken korma people talk about all year.

cooked slowly in sweetened milk

heated gently for a long time in sugary milk

lost count of

had so many you no longer know the number

people talk about all year

so memorable that people keep mentioning it

53 words · about 23 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Detail→
3. Feeling

In some ways, yes, mostly because of technology. A lot of greetings happen over video calls now, and some relatives even send Eid money by mobile transfer rather than in person. It's convenient, but I do miss the excitement of queuing up in front of my uncles for a brand-new note.

In some ways

partly, but not completely

rather than in person

instead of face to face

I do miss

I really feel sad something is gone

51 words · about 22 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Example

I love it, especially when I manage to find something the person wasn't expecting. Last year I tracked down an old edition of my best friend's favourite childhood book, and the look on her face when she unwrapped it was priceless.

tracked down

found after searching hard

the look on her face

her expression, showing how she reacted

was priceless

was wonderful, worth more than money

41 words · about 18 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Detail→
3. Reason

I try to listen out for little things people mention in passing. If a friend says their headphones are falling apart or they've always wanted to try pottery, I make a note on my phone straight away. That way, when a birthday comes round, I'm not panicking at the last minute in a shopping centre.

mention in passing

say briefly, without making it important

falling apart

breaking because it is old or worn

at the last minute

at the latest possible moment

55 words · about 24 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Reason→
3. Feeling

Giving, without question. Receiving a present actually makes me feel a bit awkward, because I never know quite how to react when everyone's watching. Giving is far more rewarding, especially when you can tell you've got it exactly right.

without question

certainly, with no doubt at all

far more rewarding

much more satisfying

got it exactly right

chosen or done something perfectly

39 words · about 17 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Detail→
3. Example

Mainly at birthdays and weddings, and during the big religious festivals. At weddings, guests usually give cash in an envelope, since it's more useful to a couple setting up home. During festivals, people tend to buy new clothes for close family, and my mum still insists on doing it for all of us.

setting up home

starting to live together in a new house

insists on doing it

refuses to stop doing it

53 words · about 23 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Reason→
3. Example

For close friends it's fairly easy, but my dad is a different story. He claims he doesn't need anything, and whenever he wants something, he just buys it himself. So lately I've been giving him experiences instead, like tickets to a cricket match, which go down much better than yet another shirt.

a different story

a completely different situation

go down much better

are received more positively

yet another shirt

one more shirt, after many before

52 words · about 23 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Detail→
3. Example

Two fluently, Bengali and English, plus a fair bit of Hindi. I never formally studied Hindi, though. I just picked it up from watching Bollywood films and cartoons as a kid. On a trip to Delhi last year I managed to haggle with taxi drivers quite happily, although my grammar was all over the place.

a fair bit of

quite a lot of

picked it up

learned it naturally, without studying

all over the place

disorganised and full of mistakes

55 words · about 24 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Detail→
3. Example

I started at about six, when it became a subject at primary school. Lessons back then were mostly grammar rules and vocabulary lists, so I could write fairly well but barely hold a conversation. It was only at university, when some of my lecturers taught entirely in English, that I really started to speak with confidence.

barely hold a conversation

hardly manage to talk with someone

It was only at university

not until I was at university

speak with confidence

talk without feeling nervous

56 words · about 24 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Detail→
3. Example

Parts of it, yes, though not the parts people usually expect. Grammar rules have never really bothered me, but phrasal verbs and idioms are a constant headache, because there's no logic you can rely on. For ages I couldn't understand why 'put up with' means to tolerate something, and I still mix up similar ones occasionally.

a constant headache

a problem that keeps causing trouble

For ages

for a very long time

mix up similar ones

confuse things that look alike

56 words · about 24 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Detail→
3. Example

Mostly at work, since I deal with overseas clients on video calls almost every day. Outside work, I listen to podcasts on my commute and try to shadow the speakers under my breath. I've also joined a weekly conversation club online, which has been great for the kind of small talk textbooks never teach you.

on my commute

while travelling to and from work

under my breath

very quietly, so others can't hear

small talk

light, polite conversation about everyday things

55 words · about 24 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Reason→
3. Detail

I'd love to learn Spanish at some point. I've always dreamt of backpacking around South America, and I'd get so much more out of it if I could actually talk to people. I've downloaded an app and done a few lessons, but I really need to sign up for a proper class to keep myself motivated.

at some point

at some time in the future

get so much more out of it

enjoy and benefit from it much more

keep myself motivated

stay keen and keep making an effort

56 words · about 24 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Reason→
3. Example

Yes, it's green, particularly the deep shade you see in pine forests. It reminds me of being outdoors, and it feels calm without being dull. When I repainted my bedroom last year, I did one wall in forest green, and it's made the whole room feel more peaceful.

reminds me of

makes me think of

calm without being dull

peaceful but still interesting

48 words · about 21 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Reason→
3. Example

I'm not a fan of neon colours, especially that bright highlighter yellow. They're so loud that they seem to shout at you, and I find them tiring to look at for long. A café near my office painted its walls in it recently, and I've started getting my coffee to take away.

not a fan of

don't like something much

seem to shout at you

attract your attention too strongly

to take away

to carry out rather than drink there

52 words · about 23 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Example→
3. Detail

I think they do, even if I don't always notice it at the time. On a grey winter morning, putting on something brighter genuinely lifts my spirits a little. Our office was recently redecorated in shades of beige, and everyone agrees it feels flat and a bit lifeless now.

at the time

when it is actually happening

lifts my spirits

makes me feel happier

a bit lifeless

dull and without energy

49 words · about 21 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Reason→
3. Detail

Funnily enough, it's navy rather than green. It looks smart without trying too hard, and it goes with almost everything else I own. I'd say about half my shirts and jumpers are some shade of blue, which my sister teases me about constantly.

Funnily enough

surprisingly, used before something unexpected

without trying too hard

with little effort, not looking forced

teases me about

makes friendly jokes about me

43 words · about 19 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Detail→
3. Feeling

Yes, very. As a child I was completely obsessed with bright red. I had a red bike and a red school bag, and I'd throw a tantrum if my mum tried to dress me in any other colour. I suppose my taste has calmed down a lot since then, rather like me.

completely obsessed with

thinking about or wanting something all the time

throw a tantrum

behave angrily, like a small child

calmed down a lot

become much quieter and less extreme

52 words · about 23 seconds spoken