A possible question in Part 1 of your IELTS Speaking test is, “What do you like to talk about?”
Here, you can read some tips on how to answer this question, including 10 good examples (go straight to the answers here).
What You Can Say
Think about something you often talk about with your friends.
This might be any area of your life, any topic of interest, or any hobby you have. Just say the first thing that comes into your head.
Here are some examples of things you might like talking about:
- Work
- Parenting
- Travel
- Your studies (if you’re a student)
- Friends
- The news
- Celebrity gossip
- Hobbies
- Sports
- Computer games
- Card games
- Fashion
- Dating
- Problems
- Business
- The weather
- Anything else that comes to mind
When you think of something to say, you need to add another sentence or two. You could say:
- Why you like talking about that thing
- Who you like talking about it with
- How often you talk about it
- How and where you communicate (in person, online, at the pub, on Line, Whatsapp, or Wechat, at school, at home…)
- How long you’ve been interested in that thing
- Anything else you can think to add
Focus on Fluency
In part one, try to speak as fluently as you can. This means speaking without hesitation.
So it’s best to just say the first thing that comes to your mind, so you can answer quickly.
You could talk about more than one topic you like talking about. But your answer might become too long. So just focusing on one thing is probably better, and easier.
Remember that part one is only to warm you up. You don’t need to use very clever vocabulary or grammar in part one. You can do that more easily in parts two and three, later on.
Use the Three-Step YES Method
Practice using the three-step YES Method for your part-one answers. Just say:
- Your answer (say something you like talking about)
- Explain your answer (say why you like talking about it) or add more details
- Stop talking (let the examiner know you’re ready for the next question)
Example Answers
Read the following 10 example answers and try to take some ideas for your own answer to this question.
Travel
1. I am crazy about travel, so I love talking about travel with my friends. We’re always talking about places we’ve visited and experiences we’ve had.
Work
2. My favorite conversation topic is work. I’m an engineer and I enjoy my job very much. I like talking about various jobs and tasks with my coworkers.
The News
3. I like to keep up-to-date on the news. So I enjoy talking about current events with my friends and colleagues.
Basketball
4. I’m a big fan of basketball. I often talk about my favorite team and players. My friends and I chat about basketball online and when we meet to play a game.
Dating
5. To be honest, I think I most like to talk about dating. I’m currently looking for a boyfriend, so I often ask my friends for tips and advice.
My Children
6. I most like talking about my children. I have two lovely daughters. They’re twins and they’re only three years old. I meet up with other parents and talk about parenting all the time.
Business
7. These days, I’m only really interested in talking about business and how to make money. Most of my friends are interested in the same thing.
My Major
8. I’m a college student, and history of art is my major. I love the topic so much and I could talk about it all day long.
Gossip
9. I know it’s not a particularly good thing, but I really love gossiping about the people in my office. It’s so much fun to learn about what other people are doing in their lives.
Problems
10. I come from a culture where it’s traditional to talk about our problems all day long. It’s a little bit negative, but I quite enjoy it because a problem seems less serious when someone gives me advice. As they say, a problem shared is a problem halved.
Your Turn To Answer
Now give this question a go yourself.
It’s best to record yourself, so set up the voice recorder on your phone and ask aloud, “What do you like to talk about?”
When you’ve finished, listen carefully to your answer.
It’s even a good idea to write down what you said. That way you can see clearly any mistakes you made.
Repeat this process a few times, trying to improve a little each time.
With this process, you can prepare yourself well for a band-seven score in part one of your IELTS Speaking test.
