Speaking Part 3: Practice Questions
Please note: this is not an exhaustive list of all possible topics or questions that can come up in the exam. Nevertheless, practising with these questions will give you an idea of the exam format and the types of questions and topics that you might have to talk about.
Business
What kinds of businesses are common in your country right now?
Is it important for children to study subjects such as business studies at school?
Why do some people want to start their own business while others prefer to be an employee?
What are the disadvantages of running your own business?
What kind of attributes should a successful business person have?
How can successful business people help the societies they live in?
Clothes
What kinds of clothes are popular in your country right now?
Do you think that clothes are too expensive these days?
Do you think the kinds of clothes we wear will change very much in the future?
Why do some people care a lot about how they dress while others care less?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of having to wear a uniform for a job?
What might it be like to work as a fashion designer?
Environment
What are some of the main environmental issues in your country?
Who do you think cares more about environmental issues, older people or younger people?
In the future, do you think more people or fewer people will care about the environment?
What can parents do to teach their children to care for the environment?
Do you agree that we need to change how we live in order to protect the environment?
What can people do to make sure the streets where they live are clean?
Gifts
When do people normally give and receive gifts in your country?
Do you think that money is a good gift?
Do you think it’s acceptable to refuse a gift?
Have the types of gifts that people buy for each other changed over the years?
What are the best gifts that you could give to a child?
What are the most useful things that a person could donate to charity?
The Internet
What are the most popular social media websites in your country?
How do older generations of people use the internet compared to younger generations?
Are there any disadvantages to having a smartphone?
Do you think that people will continue to use social media in the future?
Do you think the Internet should be free to use for everyone?
Should parents place restrictions on how their children use the internet?
Movies
What are the most popular kinds of movies in your country?
Do you think that parents should allow their children to watch whatever movies they like?
Do you think that people who work in the movie industry earn too much money?
Why do some people prefer reading books instead of watching movies?
In the future, do you think more people or fewer people will watch movies at the cinema?
What things can movies teach us about history?
Music
What kind of music is popular in your country right now?
What are the advantages of learning how to play a musical instrument?
Does people’s taste in music change as they get older?
What might it be like to work as a professional musician?
How has the way people listen to music changed over the last few years?
In what ways can music bring people together?
Organisation
What things can people do to be more organised in their lives?
Why do some people like to plan everything while others prefer to improvise?
Do you agree that older people tend to be more organised than younger people?
Is it important to plan what you are going to do at the weekend?
Are there any disadvantages to being very organised?
Has technology made people more organised or less organised?
Reading
What are popular books in your country?
Do you think that people read more in the past compared to now?
What are the advantages of reading digital books?
What might it be like to work as a professional writer?
Is it important to read fiction books?
How can parents encourage their children to read more?
Relationships
Is it important to be friends with the people you work or study with?
What things can managers do to promote good teamwork at work?
Why do some people like to have lots of friends while others prefer to only have a few?
Do older generations of people make friends in the same way that younger generations do?
Do you think it’s possible for two people to be good friends even if they don’t have much in common?
Is it possible to be good friends with someone if you’ve never met in person?
Restaurants
What are the most important things that a good restaurant should have?
What are the advantages of eating in a restaurant rather than eating at home?
Why do some people prefer to make food at home rather than eat in restaurants?
Do you think that restaurants will be more popular or less popular in the future?
What could restaurants do to reduce the amount of food that gets wasted?
What might it be like to be a restaurant manager?
Shopping
What kinds of things do younger people in your country like buying when they go shopping?
Why do some people enjoy shopping as a hobby?
What can shops do to make sure that they have good customer service?
Is it important for a shop to look nice?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of shopping online?
In the future, do you think that people will buy more things from online sellers from different countries?
Sports
What is the most popular sport in your country?
What are the advantages of teaching children how to play sports?
Do you think that professional athletes deserve to earn a lot of money?
What can professional athletes do to help society?
Do you think being a professional athlete would be a difficult job?
In the future, do you think that esports (online gaming) will be the most popular sports for spectators?
Stress / Relaxation
What things do people normally do to relax in your country?
Is it important to relax in the evenings?
How do younger people like to relax and how do older people like to relax?
Do you think that life is more stressful or less stressful than it was in the past?
Would you accept a job that is very stressful but very well paid?
How can parents help children to avoid feeling stressed?
Technology
What kinds of technological devices are common in people’s homes in your country?
Do you think that children should be taught how to design software, applications, and websites at school?
Who do you think is better at using new technology, older people or younger people?
What new technological devices might become common in the future?
Why do some people spend a lot of money on new technology?
How can technology be used to help society?
Trying new things
Why do some people like trying new things?
Is it important to try new things?
How can teachers encourage children to try new activities?
Is it better for workers to learn to do a wide variety of tasks in their jobs or just to specialise on one thing?
Do you think that businesses like sports clubs or music academies should allow new members to use their services for free before they join?
How can instructors and teachers in places like sports clubs or music academies help beginners feel comfortable?
Weekends
What activities do people in your country do on Friday and Saturday evenings?
Do you agree that it’s important to rest at the weekend?
Has the way that people spend their weekends changed over the last few years?
What are the advantages of staying at home on the weekends rather than going out?
What kinds of things do older people like to do when they go out on the weekends?
Should there be more free activities for young people to do on the weekends?
Work
What are the most common jobs in your country?
Do you think it’s important to work very hard?
What kinds of jobs should receive the best pay?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing an outdoor job?
In the future do you think that most people will be able to work from home?
What can teachers do to help young people find jobs when they finish school?