IELTS Speaking Part 1

IELTS Speaking Part 1: Classmates questions and answers

IELTS Speaking Part 1 questions are short and personal: the examiner asks three to five on two or three everyday topics in the first four to five minutes. Here are 6 questions about classmates written by BandLadder in the examiner's style, each with a Band 8 sample answer and useful vocabulary. Aim for two or three sentences each: answer, reason, one detail.
  • 6 questions
  • 6 Band 8 answers
  • 4 to 5 minutes

6 answers

Classmates questions with sample answers

1

Do you still keep in touch with any of your former classmates?

Yeah, I do, though only a small handful. I still regularly chat with two close mates from secondary school, and we usually try to grab a coffee together whenever we are both back in our hometown during the holidays.

2

How do you usually stay in contact with them?

Mostly through group chats on a messaging app, to be honest. It is just so convenient for sharing quick life updates, funny videos, or arranging occasional video calls, especially since one of my old school friends moved to another city for university.

3

Did you get on well with your classmates at secondary school?

For the most part, yes. I had a really supportive bunch of peers in my class. We used to help each other out with difficult maths homework and spent our lunch breaks playing football on the school field, which was great fun.

4

Do you prefer studying on your own or with classmates?

I would say I lean towards studying on my own initially, so I can concentrate without any distractions. That said, I find it really helpful to revise with classmates just before big exams because we can test each other on key concepts.

5

Is it easy for you to make friends with new classmates?

Pretty easy, I suppose. I am quite an approachable person, so I usually just break the ice by asking about an assignment or sharing class notes. That generally opens the door to a friendly chat.

6

Do you think you will meet up with your old classmates in the future?

Definitely, yeah. In fact, a few of us are already planning a mini school reunion for next summer. It will be lovely to catch up properly and see where everyone has ended up in life.

Details are invented. Use the shape, not the sentences: examiners mark memorised answers down.

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7 words

Useful vocabulary and tips

  • a small handful

    a very small number of people or things

  • mates

    friends (informal British English)

  • peers

    people of the same age or social status

  • lean towards

    prefer or tend to choose a particular option

  • break the ice

    make people feel more relaxed at first meeting

  • reunion

    a social event bringing together separated people

  • catch up

    talk to someone to find out recent news

  • →Pay attention to verb tenses by using past forms for school memories and present forms for current habits.
  • →Use natural conversational phrases such as 'to be honest' or 'that said' to sound fluent and relaxed.
  • →Give concrete personal details like revising for exams or meeting for coffee to make your answers convincing.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are in IELTS Speaking Part 1?+

Usually about ten to twelve, over four to five minutes: a few on your work, study or home, then three or four short questions on each of two everyday topics.

How long should a Part 1 answer be?+

Two or three sentences, about 15 to 20 seconds: a direct answer, a reason and one detail. One-word answers cost fluency marks, and long speeches eat into the examiner's time.

Keep practising

More Part 1 topics

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