IELTS Speaking Samples and Answers
IELTS Speaking Test Sample # 103
- Details
- Written by IELTS Mentor
IELTS Speaking Test # 103
Part 1 Topic: "Friends".
Part 2 Topic: "Describe a writer you would like to meet".
Part 3 Topic: "Reading and children" & "Reading for different purposes".
Part One - Introduction:
[This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself and checking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview. In the interview, the examiner asks the candidate about his/her home, work or studies and other familiar topics.]
Topic - Friends:
Q. How often do you go out with friends? [Why/Why not?]
Answer: I go out with my friends almost two or three times a week. During my university years, it was more frequent, but, these days, I cannot hang out with friends or see them that much as I have got busy with my job and other responsibilities.
Alternative Answer: I go out with friends quite often - usually thrice or more a week. Whether it’s grabbing a bite to eat, watching a movie, or just hanging out at someone’s place, I find it really refreshing. Spending time with friends helps me relax and take a break from studies or routine responsibilities. It’s something I genuinely look forward to.
Q. Tell me about your best friend at school.
Answer: Well, my best friend in my school days was John, and in fact, he is still my best buddy. He is a compassionate, talented and honest individual. We had our ups and downs in our school days, but he had always been there for me. He is now an architect and works for a large company in our city. He is married to Maria, a girl from our college, and they are happily married. I value our friendship and so does he.
Alternative Answer: My best friend at school was Elina. She was kind, funny, and incredibly supportive. We sat next to each other in most classes, helped each other with homework, and shared a lot of the same interests. What I liked most about her was how easy it was to talk to her as she always listened without judgment. We’re still in touch, even though we go to different universities now.
Q. How friendly are you with your neighbours? [Why/Why not?]
Answer: Except for a particular rude neighbour, I have a good relationship with almost all our next-door neighbours. We live in our area as if we are close relatives. There were times they extended their helping hands to me when I most needed them. On every major occasion, they invite my family and so do we. Despite our cultural, religious and other differences, we are all good friends and I am lucky to be in such a great neighbourhood.
Alternative Answer: I’m very friendly with my neighbours. We often chat when we bump into each other, and sometimes we even visit each other’s homes during festivals or special occasions. I think having a good relationship with neighbours creates a safer and more positive environment. It also makes daily life more pleasant, especially when people are considerate and supportive.
Q. Which is more important to you, friends or family? [Why?]
Answer: This is a tough question to answer! I value my family over my friends. However, this does not mean that my friends do not have a special place in my heart. Family comes first and they are the individuals I feel most connected with. Everyone has a responsibility to look after his/her family and support them unconditionally. This is true for friends as well but the responsibility and bond between family members are acuter, I believe. Some of our friends are quite important while some are not. This is not the case for the family members as all of them are extremely important to me.
Alternative Answer: Both are important to me in different ways, but I believe family should come first for most of us. Family is usually there through every stage of life, offering unconditional love and support. Friends are also essential - they bring joy and companionship and help us grow socially. But, the bond with family tends to be deeper and more lasting. Ideally, it’s best to have a strong connection with both.
Part 2 - Cue Card / Candidate Task Card:
[The topic for your talk will be written on a card which the examiner will hand you. Read it carefully and then make some brief notes.]
Describe a writer you would like to meet.
You should say:
- who the writer is
- what you already know about this writer
- what you would like to find out about him/her
and explain why you would like to meet this writer.
[ You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]
[Examiner: All right? Remember you have one to two minutes for this, so don't worry if I stop you. I'll tell you when the time is up. Can you start speaking now, please?]
Click here for the answer to this Cue Card/Candidate task card Topic:
Part 3 - Detailed Discussion/ Two-way Discussion:
Discussion topics: Reading and children.
Q. What kinds of books are most popular with children in your country? Why do you think that is?
Answer: Well, from my experience and observation I can say that comics, detective books, rhyme collections, fairy tales, and fiction are more popular among children in my country. Young children prefer comics and books that have nice illustrations while teenagers like to read detective books and fiction. Among girls, fairy tales are more endured. In my childhood, I had been a great fan of detective books and mystery books.
Alternative Answer: In my country, illustrated storybooks, fantasy novels, and adventure series tend to be the most popular among children. Books like Harry Potter, The Magic Tree House, and local folk tales in colourful formats attract younger readers because they spark the imagination and offer an escape from reality. Children are naturally drawn to stories with vivid characters, magical elements, or humour, and these genres cater perfectly to those interests. Also, many schools include such books in their reading lists, further boosting their popularity.
Q. Why do you think some children do not read books very often?
Answer: Reading books is a habit and once a child starts feeling the unbound pleasure a book can offer, he/she becomes a book-lover. However, there are some who do not develop this habit either because they were too busy with other activities to dive their noses on a good book or because their parents did not inspire them to try reading books outside of the academic syllabus. Young children mimic their parents and if neither of the parents is a good reader, it is less likely that a child would start reading all by himself/herself.
Alternative Answer: I believe there are several reasons for this. First, the rise of digital entertainment - such as video games, YouTube, and social media - has made reading seem less appealing. It’s much easier to passively consume visual content than to engage with text. Secondly, some children may struggle with reading due to poor literacy skills or a lack of access to age-appropriate books. If a child finds reading difficult or boring, they’re unlikely to do it voluntarily. In some cases, parents also don’t model reading habits at home, which weakens the culture of reading.
Q. How do you think children can be encouraged to read more?
Answer: As I have already said, parents need to be readers and motivate children to read books. They should read books to their children every night and let the young minds search for a world hidden in books. They should also be very prudent while selecting books for the offspring and can take help from the Internet as many websites list down " the most suitable books" based on a child's age. Teachers, on the other hand, can play a great role in school and can motivate young students to read more books by arranging reading sessions.
Alternative Answer: I think one effective way is to make reading fun and interactive. This can be done through storytelling sessions, book clubs for kids, or gamified reading challenges. Schools and libraries can also play a vital role by curating books based on children’s interests and allowing them to choose what they read. Parental involvement is equally important. For example, when parents read aloud to their children or set aside dedicated family reading time, it creates a positive and lasting association with books. The key is to present reading not as a chore, but as a source of enjoyment and discovery.
Discussion topics: Reading for different purposes.
Q. Are there any occasions when reading at speed is a useful skill to have? What are they?
Answer: Well, as far as I can recall, being able to read at a fast speed is quite helpful for everyone, especially for students. Many exams, including IELTS and TOEFL, require a student to skim through the passages and get the gist as quickly as possible to answer the questions. Slow reading would deter a candidate from effectively finishing the exam in time and scoring well.
Besides, some reading competitions arranged in schools demand a student to read very quickly and meticulously. Finally, to finish some assignments given in college, a student has to read many books and chapters. Those who do not have the speed-reading skill, find it very challenging to complete those assignments.
Alternative Answer: In my opinion, speed reading is particularly useful in academic and professional settings where time is limited and a large volume of material must be covered. For instance, students often need to skim through research articles or textbooks to locate relevant information quickly. Likewise, professionals like journalists, editors, or policy analysts frequently scan documents, news reports, or proposals under tight deadlines. The ability to extract key points without reading every word is a valuable efficiency skill in such scenarios.
Q. Are there any jobs where people need to read a lot? What are they?
Answer: Well, I can say that researchers, journalists, teachers, bloggers, business analysts, writers and editors need to read a lot. I am pretty sure there must be many other professions, apart from the ones I have mentioned, where people are required to read every now and then. From my experience, I can say that reading is a must for a researcher and so is it for a journalist. Bloggers have to read a lot to generate ideas and get to know the competitors and this is true for a business analyst and editor as well. Writers, always prefer to read and they are natural readers.
Alternative Answer: Yes, quite a few professions require extensive reading. Lawyers, for instance, must review case files, legal documents, and legislation constantly. Academics and researchers also read a massive amount of scholarly material to stay current in their fields. Additionally, editors, translators, and content writers are expected to read, review, and revise material daily. Even medical professionals often keep up with journals and new research to ensure evidence-based practice.
Q. Do you think that reading novels is more interesting than reading factual books? Why is that?
Answer: This is really a tough question to answer and I am sure the answer will vary from person to person. Personally, I was a die-hard fan of novels in my whole life and found factual books less interesting. But this choice of mine has changed very recently. These days, I prefer factual books more than a novel. I believe this choice has something to do with the reader's taste, experience and age.
Alternative Answer: I think it depends on personal preference, but many people find novels more interesting because they offer emotional engagement, character development, and imaginative storytelling. Fiction allows readers to step into different worlds, experience complex human emotions, and connect with the narrative on a deeper level. Factual books, on the other hand, are more focused on information and analysis. While they are intellectually enriching, they might lack the entertainment value of fiction. For example, reading a historical novel about World War II can be far more engaging than going through a textbook on the same topic.
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