Sometimes the examiner talks about your home in part one of the IELTS Speaking test. They might ask, “What is your favorite room in your home?”
Let’s look at how to give this question a great band-seven answer. Below you can also read 10 good example answers (go straight to the answers here).
Rooms in a Home
- First, let’s quickly remember all the possible rooms in a home.
- Living room
- Kitchen
- Dining room
- Bathroom
- Bedroom
- Master bedroom
- Nursery (bedroom for babies)
- Guest room (spare bedroom for guests)
- Playroom
- Home office
- Home gym
- Garage
- Basement
- Attic
- Laundry room
- Linen closet
- Walk-in Closet
- Den (small comfy room, like an informal living room)
- Parlor (small living room beside the front door, for visitors, in large houses)
- Pantry (room beside the kitchen full of shelves for food, spices, kitchen utensils, etc.)
- Foyer (entrance hall)
- Balcony (not really a room, but you could still mention it)
- Garden (not a room, but you could still mention it)
If you want to impress the examiner, you could mention one of the less common rooms like ‘home office’ or ‘pantry’ or ‘attic.’
What You Can Say
This question is quite easy to answer. Simply choose a room that you like, then explain why you like it.
For reasons to like a room, you could talk about:
- How comfy it is
- How private it is
- How sociable it is
- Things you like to do there
- Things you and your family or flatmates do there
- The pleasant decor and ambiance of the room
- The great furniture
- The sunlight
- The view
- Good memories connected to that room
- Anything else that comes to mind
Focus on Fluency
For all your part-one answers, always focus on fluency. This means answering as quickly as you can, without hesitation.
It’s important to warm yourself up in part one.
You won’t get a high score from part one. So just try to speak quickly, which will impress the examiner.
In parts two and three you can show off more advanced vocabulary and grammar.
Use the Three-Step YES Method
It’s important not to say too much in your part one answers as well.
After you’ve spoken for 10 or 20 seconds, remember to stop with confidence.
You can use the three-step YES Method to remind you when to stop. Just say:
- Your answer (say your favorite room)
- Explain your answer (say why you like that room)
- Stop talking (wait patiently for the next question)
Example Answers
Here are 10 good example answers to this favorite room question. See if you can borrow an idea or two for your own answer.
Living room
1. I think my favorite room is the living room because that’s where I spend most of my time. I like to chill out there and watch TV with my flatmates.
2. I really love our living room because it has an enormous, super-comfortable sofa. I love sinking into the sofa and putting my feet up when I get home from work.
Bedroom
3. Well, if I had to choose one room, I’d say my favorite room is my bedroom because I love sleeping and lying around in bed.
4. My favorite room is my bedroom because I still live with my parents, and so my bedroom is the only really personal, private place I have in the house.
Kitchen
5. I’m a bit of a foodie and I’m a big fan of cooking so my favorite room has to be the kitchen. I spend a great deal of time there, preparing delicious meals for my husband and kids, and I love it.
6. I really like our kitchen because it’s where my housemates and I hang out most of the time, eating and chatting.
Home Office
7. Out of all the rooms in my home, I most like my home office. It’s quiet and tidy and well-lit, and I can be very productive there.
Home Gym
8. I think my favorite room is my home gym, which is in my garage. I’ve spent a lot of time collecting weights and exercise equipment and now I love to go there for a good workout.
Walk-In Closet
9. My favorite room is my walk-in closet, which is connected to my bedroom. I’m crazy about fashion and I love going into my closet to choose a new outfit for the day.
Balcony
10. I know it’s not really a room, but my favorite place is the balcony outside our master bedroom. It’s about 20 square feet in size, and I love relaxing there, enjoying the birdsong and sunshine.
Your Turn To Try
Give this question a go yourself.
It’s best to record yourself, so you can listen later and identify any mistakes.
So set up the recorder on your phone and ask aloud, “What is your favorite room in your home?”
Answer as fluently as you can, using the three-step YES Method.
When you’re finished, listen, find any mistakes, and answer the question again.
If you keep doing this, you’ll soon be prepared to give excellent answers to all the questions in part one of your IELTS Speaking test.
