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IELTS Academic · Speaking · S1

IELTS Academic Speaking Part 1: Introduction and Interview

IELTS Speaking Part 1 is a 4–5 minute interview. The examiner introduces themselves, checks your identity, then asks short questions on familiar topics such as your home, work or studies, and everyday subjects like food or free time. You answer in a few natural sentences, giving a reason or example.

Length
About 4–5 minutes
Content
Introduction, then questions on two or three familiar topics
Preparation time
None
Assessed on
Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, Pronunciation

How it works

  1. 1The examiner introduces themselves and confirms your identity.
  2. 2They ask questions on a first familiar topic, such as where you live.
  3. 3They move to one or two more topics, each with a few short questions.
  4. 4Part 1 ends and the examiner introduces the Part 2 task.

Sample task

Original sample · not from an official test

Let's talk about mornings. 1. Are you usually busy in the mornings? 2. What is the first thing you do after you wake up? 3. Did you have the same morning routine when you were a child? 4. Would you like to change anything about your mornings?

Show a strong response

Outline: Q3 outline: a direct answer ('No, quite different'), a past-tense contrast ('when I was at primary school, my mother woke me at seven and we walked to school together'), then a link to the present ('now I cycle to work, so I leave much earlier'). Around three or four sentences.

The answer responds directly, extends with one specific detail and uses the tense the question asks for (past, then present). It is long enough to show range but short enough to sound like conversation, not a speech.

Tips that work

  • Answer, then extend with one reason or example. Two to four sentences is usually right.
  • Listen for the tense in the question. 'Did you...' needs the past; 'Would you like...' needs a conditional or future answer.
  • If you do not know much about a topic, say so naturally and talk about what you do know.
  • Practise speaking about familiar topics aloud; knowing your ideas is different from saying them fluently.

Common mistakes

  • One-word answers such as 'Yes' or 'Sometimes'.
  • Reciting memorised answers, which sound unnatural and may not match the question.

Questions candidates ask

How many questions are in Speaking Part 1?

There is no fixed number. It depends on how long your answers are within the 4–5 minutes. Questions come from two or three familiar topics, and the examiner moves on when the time for each topic is used.

Is Speaking the same for Academic and General Training?

Yes. Both versions take the same Speaking test, so Part 1 works the same way whichever version you take. The topics are everyday ones, not academic, in both cases.

Can I practise Part 1 and get feedback?

Yes. You record answers to examiner questions and receive AI feedback on fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. It is an independent practice estimate, not an official IELTS band.

Other IELTS Academic Speaking tasks

IELTS Academic overviewIELTS Academic Speaking: all partsIELTS Academic full mock testsIELTS Academic articles on the blog