Ielts Speaking Part 1: sport

1. What sports or physical activities do you regularly do?

2. Which sport or game would you like to be good at?

3. Do you prefer watching or playing sports?

4. Do you think children should be encouraged to do more sport?

Elts Speaking Part 2: describe a toy

Describe a toy that was special to you when you were a child. You should say:

- when you got it

- what it looked like

- who gave it to you

- and how you used it or played with it.

One special toy that I remember getting was a Lego car. It was a birthday present from my parents. I can't remember exactly how old I was, but I was probably about 10 or 11.

The special thing about this car was that I had to build it myself out of hundreds of pieces of Lego. The pieces came in a box with a picture of the finished car on the front, and I had to follow step-by-step instructions to put all the pieces together in the correct way. This wasn't an easy task because the car even had an engine, movable seats and gears. It took me a day or two to make, and required a lot of concentration. When the car was finished it looked great, and I felt a sense of accomplishment. I seem to remember that I didn't play with the car very much; the fun part had been the process of building it.

Don't just read this description once. Spend some time analysing it:

Is the description well-organised and easy to follow?

Can you find any good 'band 7' words or phrases?

Could you write a similar description for a different toy?

Ielts Speaking Part 3: children's toys

1. Do you think it's important for boys to play with "boys' toys" and for girls to only play with "girls' toys"?

I think boys naturally seem to prefer playing with "boys' toys" and girls with "girls' toys". When I was young I had toy cars, trucks, guns and things like that, whereas my sister always wanted to play with dolls. I don't suppose it really matters if a boy plays with a doll or a girl plays with a toy car, but children learn quickly what toys are supposed to be for boys and for girls.

2. Do you think it's good if parents only buy "educational" toys for their children?

No, I don't agree with only giving children educational toys. In my opinion, children learn by playing with whatever interests them. Children invent their own games, even if they don't have any toys at all. It's important for children just to have fun; there will be plenty of time for parents to worry about education when their children get older.

Ielts Speaking Part 1: short, simple answers

Do you prefer home-cooked food or food from restaurants?

I prefer home-cooked food because I think it's healthier and you know exactly what you're eating. I also enjoy cooking for family and friends.

You don't need to say any more than this. Just answer the question with a full sentence, give a reason, and maybe add one extra piece of information. Then stop speaking. Stop with confidence and look at the examiner, ready for the next question.

Ielts Speaking Part 2: describe an object

In IELTS speaking part 2, you might be asked to describe an object. For example:

Describe something you bought recently.

Describe a gift you gave or received.

Describe something you own which is important to you.

choose something easy, like a mobile phone:

I'm going to describe my mobile phone. I bought it online / in a mobile phone shop / it was a present from...

I use the phone to keep in touch with friends and family, for communication by voice, text and email. It has various features like video, MP3 player, wireless Internet, digital camera and games. It's easy to share photos and music. I use it for almost everything, it even has a calendar that reminds me about appointments.

My phone is an essential part of my life. It holds my contacts, my photos, my music collection. I've got instant access to my favourite websites. It's like having my whole life in my pocket. I couldn't live without it.