Do you like listening to music?
Yes, a lot. I've usually got something playing in the background, whether I'm working, cooking or on the bus. I'd honestly find it hard to get through a day without it, because it has such a big effect on my mood.
IELTS Speaking Part 1: Music questions and answers
This frame tests how well you describe taste and habit: the kind of music you like, when you listen to it and how your preferences have changed.
All Part 1 topics
The questions
Answer each one aloud before you read the model — two to four sentences, then stop.
- Do you like listening to music?
- What kind of music do you enjoy most?
- When do you usually listen to music?
- Did you learn to play a musical instrument when you were a child?
- Have your tastes in music changed since you were younger?
- Do you prefer live music or recorded music?
- Would you like to learn an instrument in the future?
Model answers
Written to be spoken, at about band 8. Useful phrases are in bold. Borrow the structure and the phrases — never the whole answer.
What kind of music do you enjoy most?
I'm mostly drawn to acoustic music, singer-songwriters with just a guitar and a good voice. I like being able to actually hear the lyrics. That said, when I'm at the gym, I'll switch to something with a heavy beat to keep me going.
When do you usually listen to music?
Mainly on my commute. It's a fairly long bus ride, so I'll put my headphones on and either listen to a playlist or catch up on new releases. I also have music on while I'm tidying up, as it makes the chores go faster.
Did you learn to play a musical instrument when you were a child?
I had piano lessons for a few years, but I wasn't very dedicated. I hated practising scales, and in the end my parents stopped the lessons because I clearly wasn't enjoying them. I can still play a few simple tunes by ear, though.
Have your tastes in music changed since you were younger?
Quite a bit, actually. As a teenager I mainly listened to whatever was in the charts, because that's what my friends were into. These days my taste is much broader, and I'm more likely to go looking for music myself than just follow trends.
Do you prefer live music or recorded music?
Recorded music is more practical day to day, but nothing beats a live gig. There's an energy in the room that you just can't get through headphones. I don't go to concerts as often as I'd like, mainly because tickets have become so expensive.
Would you like to learn an instrument in the future?
Yes, I'd like to have another go, but with the guitar this time. It's more portable and more sociable than the piano, and since I mostly listen to acoustic music, it'd be nice to be able to play some of it myself.
Useful vocabulary for music
- in the background
- Playing while you do something else, without your full attention.
- drawn to
- Naturally attracted to or interested in something.
- keep me going
- To give you the energy to continue, especially when you're tired.
- catch up on
- To do or listen to something you haven't had time for yet.
- by ear
- Playing music by listening to it, without reading notes.
- nothing beats
- A natural way to say something is the best of its kind.
- have another go
- To try something again after an earlier attempt.
Now answer them with the clock running.
Timed Part 1 practice with an AI band for each criterion.