IELTS Speaking topics and questions (2026)
All three parts of the Speaking test on one page — the questions you will be asked, model answers, and how each part works.
The IELTS Speaking test is an 11-to-14-minute conversation with an examiner, in three parts. The topics are everyday ones — the challenge is answering at length, naturally and without rehearsed-sounding answers. Everything below is original practice material in the real exam format, and it works the same way for CD IELTS and paper candidates.
The three parts of the Speaking test
Part 1 topics
24 topics, 168 questions with answersThe opening questions
Daily life
Free time
People and technology
Part 2 cue cards: September 2026 to January 2027
All 82 cue cards- Describe an older person you enjoy talking to.
- Describe a quiet place you like to go to when you need a break.
- Describe something you own that you have kept for a long time.
- Describe a time when you had to wait for something important.
- Describe a physical activity you do to stay healthy.
- Describe a subject you enjoyed studying at school.
- Describe a dish you would choose to cook for guests.
- Describe a radio programme or podcast you listen to regularly.
- Describe a time when you helped someone learn something new.
- Describe a place you visited that you would like to visit again.
- Describe a piece of advice that helped you make a good decision.
- Describe an app or website you use almost every day.
- Describe a person you know who is very good at their job.
- Describe a tradition your family keeps.
- Describe a goal you are currently working towards.
- Describe a time you received good news.
- Describe a film or series that made you think.
- Describe something you bought that turned out to be well worth the money.
- Describe a natural place you like to spend time in.
- Describe a time you solved a problem in a clever or unusual way.
- Describe a language or accent you find interesting.
- Describe a situation in which you had to be very patient.
- Describe an item of clothing that is special to you.
- Describe a teacher who expected more from you than you expected from yourself.
- Describe a neighbour who is always willing to help others.
- Describe a child you know who is very curious about the world.
- Describe a person who is well known in your local area.
- Describe a member of your family you would like to be more like.
- Describe a stranger who helped you when you needed it.
- Describe someone who keeps a group of people together.
- Describe a friendship that has survived a big change in your lives.
- Describe a relative you have become closer to as an adult.
- Describe a city abroad that you know mainly through someone who lives there.
- Describe a building in your town or city that has been given a new use.
- Describe a little-known historic place that you think deserves more visitors.
- Describe a crowded place where you unexpectedly enjoyed yourself.
- Describe a place where you used to study that you remember well.
- Describe a long journey where the travelling itself was the best part.
- Describe a holiday when you stayed somewhere unusual.
- Describe a park or garden in your city that you think is well designed.
- Describe a shopping area where you like to spend time.
- Describe a waterside place in a town or city that changes a lot during the day.
- Describe a gift you chose carefully for someone.
- Describe a toy or game you loved as a child.
- Describe an advertisement that caught your attention.
- Describe a news story that you followed with interest.
- Describe an online video or tutorial that taught you something useful.
- Describe a work of art that you remember seeing.
- Describe a piece of technology you found hard to get used to.
- Describe a letter or message you received that meant a lot to you.
- Describe something you had repaired instead of replacing it.
- Describe a book you read recently about a subject that was new to you.
- Describe an achievement outside school or work that you are proud of.
- Describe an occasion when you arrived late and it mattered.
- Describe a decision that was difficult because both choices had something to offer.
- Describe a sporting event you watched that you found exciting.
- Describe a surprise you planned for someone else.
- Describe something you did for the first time as an adult.
- Describe a mistake you made that you learned something from.
- Describe a team project in which the members disagreed.
- Describe something you taught yourself to do.
- Describe a time you had to speak in front of a group of people.
Part 3 discussion themes
258 questions with model answers- People and relationshipsHow much contact do young and old people have in your country?30 questions
- PlacesWhat makes a neighbourhood a pleasant place to live?36 questions
- Objects and possessionsHow often do people take photographs in your country?30 questions
- Events and experiencesWhat kinds of outdoor events are popular in your country?48 questions
- Activities and habitsWhat kinds of skills do people usually find hardest to learn?48 questions
- Media, technology and cultureWhat kinds of radio programmes are popular in your country?36 questions
- Abstract and idea-led promptsWhat kinds of rules do people have to follow at work?30 questions
Practise speaking, not reading about it.
Record timed answers to real-format prompts and get a band for all four criteria.
Common questions
What topics come up in the IELTS Speaking test?
Part 1 always opens with your work or studies, your hometown or your home, then moves to everyday topics such as hobbies, food, music, transport or technology. Part 2 gives you one cue card — a person, place, object, event or activity to describe. Part 3 discusses that same theme in broader terms: society, education, work and the future.
Is the Speaking test different in CD IELTS?
No. In computer-delivered IELTS you take Listening, Reading and Writing on a computer, but Speaking is still a conversation with a trained examiner, using the same three parts, timing, topics and marking criteria as the paper test.
Can I find out my Speaking topics in advance?
No. Nobody outside the test maker sees real questions before the test, so be wary of any site claiming to have them. What does repeat is the kind of topic and the shape of the questions, which is why practising a wide set of original topics in the real format is the reliable way to prepare.
How often do IELTS Speaking topics change?
The Part 2 cue-card pool is refreshed gradually, with new cards commonly appearing in January, May and September — which is why candidates talk about the May to August or September to December cycle. Part 1 frames such as work, hometown and hobbies stay in use year round.
How is IELTS Speaking marked?
Four criteria carry equal weight: fluency and coherence, lexical resource (vocabulary), grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation. Your ideas are not marked — only how well you express them — so a simple opinion explained clearly scores better than a clever one expressed badly.
CD IELTS Prep is an independent practice platform, not affiliated with IELTS, IDP, the British Council or Cambridge. All questions and answers here are original practice material.