In part one of the IELTS Speaking test, you may be asked, “Do you like reading?” or “Do you like reading books?”
Here, we’ll talk about how to give a band-seven score answer, with 20 good examples (go straight to the answers here).
If You Like Reading
First say, “Yes, I do.”
Then, you can add one or two simple sentences talking about one of the following:
- Why you like reading
- What genre (type) of books you like to read
- How often you read
You might also mention:
- If you like fiction (stories, novels) or nonfiction (books about the real world)
- A book you’re reading now
- A book you’ve read recently
- When you started reading
- Your favorite book or author
- Anything else you feel like saying
If You Don’t Like Reading
You can talk about:
- Why you don’t like reading
- If you ever liked reading in the past
- If you still need to read for your work or studies
- What you do instead of reading
- Anything else you can think of
Don’t Say Too Much
Part-one questions are supposed to be easy, so you only need to give short, simple answers.
Many students make the mistake of saying too much in part one, often because they’re nervous.
Remember, in part one the examiner needs to ask you 10-12 questions in under five minutes.
That’s not a lot of time! So practice stopping after 10 or 20 seconds.
Follow the three-step YES Method for Part 1 questions. Just say:
- Your answer (say ‘yes’ or ‘no’)
- Explain your answer, or add more details (say why you like or dislike reading)
- Stop talking (wait patiently for the next question)
Don’t Worry About Vocabulary
You probably know some great vocabulary about reading, and it’s nice if you can use a clever word or two in your answer.
But it’s also okay if you don’t.
In part one, the most important thing is to speak without hesitation, so focus on fluency.
Answer well, with simple sentences, and try not to hesitate or make mistakes.
In parts two and three of the test, you can begin to really show off your great vocabulary, and also use some more complex grammar.
In part one, just take it easy. Warm yourself up and get comfortable.
Here are 20 possible answers to this question about reading.
‘Yes’ Answers
1. Yes, I do. I like reading because books can give me a new perspective on life. I find that reading really helps me grow and it also gives me new ideas and broadens my horizons.
2. Yes, I love novels because they’re so much fun to read. When I read an exciting, creative story I really get lost in a different world. It’s a great way to relax.
3. Yes, I really like reading the news. I read local and national newspapers every morning because it keeps me up-to-date on current affairs.
4. Yes, I think everyone should read because it’s the best way to learn new skills. I enjoy reading nonfiction books, like self help books and ‘how-to’ books.
5. Yes, I often read biographies about the lives of very successful and famous people. I think you can learn a lot from their experiences. I’m currently reading a book about the life of JK Rowling.
6. yes, I’ve loved reading since I was a child. My favorite genres of books are adventure and detective novels. Those stories are so thrilling and hard to put down, they’re real page-turners.
7. I’m not a big fan of books but I do enjoy reading blog posts or articles on social media. They’re usually very interesting and easy to read in one sitting.
8. To be honest, I only like reading comics. I really enjoy Japanese manga comics, which have such entertaining and gripping stories. The artwork is beautiful too.
9. I’m an avid reader of romance novels. I like to read them in bed in the evening. The stories are simple and entertaining, and they help me fall asleep.
10. Yes, I do. I’m a banker so I read the financial news every day. It helps with my job, but I also read it because I find it fascinating.
‘No’ Answers
11. No, to be honest, I rarely read anything. It’s just not my cup of tea. I find books boring, I’d rather watch the news or watch a good TV series.
12. No, I don’t. But I have to do a lot of reading to improve my English. Reading helps me to grow my vocabulary, but it’s not as fun as speaking and really using the language.
13. Well, to be honest, I’ve always hated reading. I didn’t like reading at school, and I don’t like it now. But I suppose I can understand why other people like it.
14. I used to read a lot when I was younger. But these days I don’t read much because I don’t have much free time.
15. To tell you the truth, I don’t like reading at all. I think that’s because I have to read so many course books for my college studies. So in my free time, I prefer to do something else.
16. No, I don’t like reading any kind of books: neither fiction nor nonfiction. I don’t even like reading articles or posts online.
‘Sometimes’ Answers
17. I hardly ever read these days. But when I do read a book, I enjoy it a lot, because I always learn something new. So I think I should try to read more often.
18. I never used to like reading, but recently I’ve started reading more. I’m getting into science fiction novels because my good friend keeps recommending them to me.
19. I suppose I like reading, every now and then. But I rarely have time to read because I’m so busy with work. I’d like to read more books about science.
20. Sometimes I like reading, and sometimes I find it really boring. I think it depends on the book, and also on my mood. I’m just starting a new book now about public speaking, and so far it’s pretty good.
Your Turn To Try
Now you have some ideas of what to say. So give the question a go yourself.
Set up the voice recorder on your phone and ask out loud, “Do you like reading books?”
Afterward, listen to your recorded answer and try to spot any hesitation or mistakes you made.
Then answer the question again. Try to improve a little each time.
If you keep repeating this process, you’ll soon become much better at all part-one questions in your IELTS Speaking test.
