IELTS Speaking Part 1

IELTS Speaking Part 1: Desks 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 desks 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

Desks questions with sample answers

1

Do you often use a desk?

Yes, almost every single day. Because I work remotely from my flat, I spend at least seven or eight hours sitting at my desk doing admin tasks or attending online meetings. To be honest, it's pretty much where I spend half of my waking hours.

2

What kind of desk do you have?

I've got a fairly simple wooden desk with a couple of drawers on the right-hand side. It's an adjustable standing desk that I bought a couple of years ago, which is brilliant because I can easily raise it when my back starts to ache.

3

Do you prefer a tidy desk or a messy desk?

Definitely a tidy one. If my workspace gets cluttered with random mugs, sticky notes, and loose cables, I find it really difficult to concentrate. I usually have a quick tidy-up every evening so that I can start fresh the next morning.

4

What do you usually keep on your desk?

Apart from my laptop and an external monitor, I always have a refillable water bottle, a small desk lamp, and a coaster. I try to keep it fairly minimalist, though you'll usually spot a notebook and pen lying around for quick scribbles.

5

Did you have your own desk when you were a child?

Not initially, no. Growing up, I used to do all my school homework at the dining room table with my sister. It wasn't until I turned twelve that my parents bought me a proper study desk for my bedroom, which felt like a massive milestone.

6

Would you like to buy a new desk in the future?

I suppose so, yes. If I move into a larger flat, I'd love to invest in an L-shaped corner desk made of solid oak. It'd give me plenty of room to spread out my paperwork without feeling cramped.

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

Answer out loud and get a band

The AI examiner asks Part 1 questions like these, listens, and scores fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, with the words that cost you.

Log in to practise this with AI scoring — free →

8 words

Useful vocabulary and tips

  • admin tasks

    routine office or administrative duties

  • adjustable standing desk

    a desk that can be raised or lowered to stand

  • cluttered

    untidy and crowded with too many objects

  • tidy-up

    an act of putting things in order

  • minimalist

    simple and keeping items to a bare minimum

  • scribbles

    quick, informal handwritten notes

  • milestone

    a significant event or turning point

  • cramped

    lacking sufficient room or restricted in space

  • →Avoid giving a dry list of objects when asked about your desk; explain what you use them for instead.
  • →Use descriptive adjectives like 'minimalist', 'cluttered', or 'spacious' to showcase your vocabulary.
  • →When asked about the past, use phrases such as 'growing up' or 'not initially' to contrast with your current habits.

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

© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy

Log in to practise free