IELTS Tips: Speaking Part 1 - More Practice!
Last week, we looked at the first set of questions for Speaking Part 1. Today we’ll continue with the second set of questions and sample responses along with explanations and tips!
To recap, The IELTS Speaking test consists of 3 parts and takes between 11 and 14 minutes. Part 1 of the Speaking test is 4-5 minutes and starts with a short introduction during which you’ll meet the examiner and present your passport. Then the examiner will ask you about four questions from the first topic, followed by four questions from the second topic.
The second topic which is about “your accommodation” has four questions. Try to come up with answers of 3-4 sentences per question, and then scroll down to see the sample responses along with explanations and tips below.
Tell me about the kind of accommodation you live in?
“I live on the third floor of a 4-storey building on a quiet street in Vancouver. My apartment faces east so there’s a lot of natural light, but in the summer it can get really hot and too bright in the morning. There are two bedrooms and one bathroom and the living room is really spacious.”
Adjectives are an effective and natural way to describe more details.
If you feel stuck, try to visualize what you are talking about and describe what you’re seeing in your mind’s eye.
How long have you lived there?
I moved to my current place just over a year ago because the rent in my previous apartment was too high. Even though I’ve been living there for a year, I still haven’t really explored my new neighbourhood. I tend to go shopping and out to eat in my old area but this summer I want to try some new places near my home.”
This may seem like a simple question and answer but you’ll need to elaborate!
Describe time in more than one way. For example, “I’ve been living here for 5 years,” “I moved here in 2019,” “I moved here just under 5 years ago,” or “It’s been almost 5 years since I’ve lived here.”
What do you like about living there?
“I really like the size of the living room and bedroom because they are spacious and comfortable. There is more than enough space for my couches, dining table, and book shelves, and I can use all the extra space to exercise. One thing I don’t like is that the bathroom is a little small and I wish it had more counterspace, otherwise everything’s fine.”
This question asks you to express your opinion, specifically what you like. You can also talk about the opposite or what you don’t like.
Rather than giving a list of things you like, such as “I like the rent, the area, the size, the building,” choose one or two points and expand on them.
What sort of accommodation would you most like to live in?
“I would love to live in a beach house in Hawaii! It’s my dream to live near the ocean one day in the future. I wouldn’t need a big house, just a simple and cozy house with big windows to take in the ocean view and a big kitchen where I could cook and bake. Plus, I would be spending more time outdoors, so it would be nice to have a patio where I could relax and read.”
The key word in this question is “would” because it asks you to consider a wish or goal for the present or the future. Make sure to use modal verbs like “would” and “could” in your response. For these types of questions, you can also answer in the conditional, for example, “If I had more money, I would like in a penthouse suite.”