In part one of your IELTS Speaking test, you might talk about your apartment. One possible question is, “How is your apartment decorated?”
Read on to learn how to answer this question really well. Below, you’ll also see 10 good example answers (go straight to the answers here).
What You Can Say
For this question, you can talk about:
- The overall style and design of your apartment using interesting adjectives (bright, airy, stylish, elegant, simple, minimalist, traditional, floral, colorful, woody…)
- The main colors used (blue, white, beige, green, light brown, pastel, cream, pink…)
- Pictures, posters, prints, or paintings on the walls
- Any flowers or plants
- The wallpaper
- The furniture
- The lighting
- How you feel there
- The ambiance (the feeling you get when you’re there)
- Why you love the decoration
- Anything else that comes to mind
Tip: Talking About Colors
When you describe colors, you can use plural ‘s’ if there are a few different shades or types of that color. For example:
‘My apartment is mostly decorated in greens and browns.’
You can also add adjectives to the colors, such as:
- Light blue
- Earthy brown
- Creamy white
- Light pastel green
It’s a great practice for your English to look carefully at the colors used in your own home and find interesting adjectives to describe them.
Answer Quickly, Without Hesitation
In part one, it’s important not to pause for a long time while you think of something to say. Try to answer as fluently as possible, without hesitation.
This might mean using simpler English, and that’s okay. You can use more complex vocabulary and grammar in parts two and three of your test.
Part one is really just to warm you up.
Example Answers
Let’s take a look at various possible answers to this question. There are some nice words here to borrow as well.
Bright and Airy
1. My apartment is decorated in a very bright and airy way. All the colors are white or very light cream. And the windows are huge, which lets in lots of air and sunlight.
Floral Wallpaper
2. I like to be surrounded by colors and flowers so my wallpaper is mostly floral, with very pretty, colorful designs.
Warm and Cozy
3. My home is decorated in a really warm and cozy way. The walls are painted in light woody browns, which matches the furniture.
Prints and Pictures
4. I have lots of beautiful prints and pictures on my walls. The prints are mostly of natural scenery, and there are also some posters from movies I love.
Minimalist
5. I think my apartment has a really clean, minimalist design. I’m not a big fan of colorful, fancy decorations. I prefer bare walls without any decoration.
Plants and Flowers
6. I suppose the most important decoration in my house is all the flowers and plants we have. It’s all very green, with leaves in every room, and we have to water them each day.
Paintings and Mirrors
7. I still live with my parents, and they have some really impressive classical paintings on the walls in the living room, and a few large antique mirrors too.
Tastefully
8. I’d say my apartment is decorated in a very tasteful and elegant way. It’s a very relaxing and pleasant place to live.
Not At All
9. To be honest, I’ve only moved into my apartment recently, so it isn’t decorated yet. I have to go out to buy some decorations soon.
Poorly
10. My apartment is rented, and I still have the wallpaper and decorations from the previous tenants. I don’t really like it, to be frank. I think it’s decorated really poorly.
Now, Your Turn To Try
Set up the voice recorder on your phone and ask yourself, “How is your apartment decorated?”
Answer as fluently as you can, without hesitation.
When you’ve finished, listen to your recording, and then do it again. Try to improve a little each time.
This process will prepare you well for part one of your IELTS Speaking test.