Here are a few good ways to answer the question, “Do you like swimming?” in part one of your IELTS Speaking test.
Below, you can also see 10 good example answers to borrow ideas from (go straight to the answers here).
If You Do Like Swimming
If you like swimming, simply say that you do, and then explain why. You could say:
- Because it’s the healthiest exercise
- You love the feeling of being in the water
- It builds your cardiovascular fitness
- It helps you build muscle or lose weight
- It’s an important skill to have, in case you fall into a river one day
- You live by the sea and love swimming at the beach
- How often you go swimming
- If you’ve been swimming recently
- Who you go swimming with
- How long you’ve liked swimming for
- If you liked swimming when you were younger
- How you learned to swim
- Any other reason you like swimming
If You Don’t Like Swimming
If you don’t like it, you could say:
- You don’t like getting wet
- Getting changed and drying off afterward is too much hassle
- You prefer other exercises
- You don’t like exercise at all
- You don’t have a swimming pool near your home, so it’s inconvenient
- You can’t swim
- You’re scared of water
- You don’t like the chemicals (chlorine) they use in swimming pools
- If you used to like swimming when you were younger, and say why you stopped
- If you’d like to get into swimming in future
- Any other reason you don’t like swimming
Focus on Fluency
For a part-one question like this, you should answer quickly, without hesitation.
This means focusing on fluency.
It’s nice if you can use some good vocabulary related to swimming, or some complex grammar (present perfect tense, etc). But all that isn’t very important in part one.
Part one of the test is for warming you up. It’s supposed to be easy, so just answer smoothly and quickly, using simple sentences.
Focus your attention on fluency, and not making mistakes. That will make the examiner happy.
You can show off your amazing vocabulary and grammar in parts two and three of the test.
The Three-Step YES Method
Here is an easy system for answering all your Part 1 questions. It’s called the YES Method. Just say:
- Your answer (‘yes, I do’ or ‘no, I don’t’)
- Explain your answer (say why you do or don’t like it) or add more details
- Stop talking (wait patiently for the next question)
A big mistake many students make in part one is when they get nervous and keep talking and talking and talking.
This might annoy the examiner, who has to ask you 10-12 questions in just four to five minutes.
Also, the more you talk, the more likely you are to make a grammatical mistake. So keep it short and sweet.
Here are some example answers to this question.
‘Yes, I Do’ Answers
1. Yes, I like swimming because it’s the healthiest kind of exercise. I know that jogging can hurt your knees over time, but swimming doesn’t have that problem.
2. Yes, I love swimming because it’s really relaxing and it brings back good memories. When I was a child, on vacation I’d often go on summer camps where I’d swim every day and play games in the pool.
3. I do enjoy swimming, yes. I try to go swimming at least once a week. I love the feeling of diving into the water, and while I’m doing my laps I just focus on my breathing. It really clears my mind.
4. Yes, I like swimming a lot, especially in the sea. I visited the beach a few weeks ago and went swimming in the sea. The water was fresh and cold and I felt really energized afterward.
5. Yes, I do. When I was younger, my parents took me to swimming classes after school, which I really enjoyed. I’ve been swimming regularly ever since.
‘No, I Don’t’ Answers
6. No, I don’t like swimming because it’s such a big hassle to get changed and then dry off afterward. I’d rather just go to the gym and use the machines there.
7. I don’t really like swimming because the pools are always so crowded and the chemicals in the water sting my eyes. I’d rather do another sport.
8. No, to be honest, I can’t swim so the water is quite dangerous for me. I’d like to learn in future, I suppose. Because swimming is a useful skill to have.
‘Sometimes’ Answers
9. I suppose I do. I sometimes go for a swim, but not often. If I’m on holiday, staying at a hotel, then I’ll go for a dip in the pool. But apart from that, I don’t swim often.
10. I haven’t been swimming for years. But I used to really enjoy it. Now that I think about it, I’d like to go swimming again sometime soon.
Now, It’s Your Turn!
Turn on the recording device on your phone and ask yourself out loud, “Do you like swimming?”
Try to answer quickly and fluently, using the YES Method.
Listen to your recording, and think of ways you might improve your answer.
Then do it again!
Keep repeating this process and you’ll soon be ready to give a great band-seven answer in part one of your IELTS Speaking test.
