IELTS Speaking Part 1

IELTS Speaking Part 1: Festivals 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. These are the 7 questions about festivals in the BandLadder test bank, with Band 8 sample answers for the most frequent ones and useful vocabulary. Aim for two or three sentences each: answer, reason, one detail.
  • 7 questions
  • 6 Band 8 answers
  • 4 to 5 minutes

6 answers

Festivals questions with sample answers

1

What is your favorite festival?

My absolute favorite is Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. I have always been captivated by the way every house is illuminated with thousands of earthen lamps, creating an incredibly warm and festive atmosphere that makes the entire neighbourhood feel magical during the dark autumn nights.

2

How do you celebrate the festival?

Well, the celebrations usually involve a massive family gathering where we exchange homemade sweets and traditional gifts. We also spend the evening setting off fireworks in the garden, which has become a long-standing tradition that everyone in the family looks forward to every single year.

3

With whom do you like to celebrate festivals?

I prefer spending these occasions exclusively with my immediate family and close relatives. There is something deeply comforting about reconnecting with my cousins and grandparents over a shared meal, as it helps us strengthen our bonds and catch up on everything we have missed throughout the year.

4

What is the most popular festival in your country?

Christmas is undoubtedly the most widely celebrated festival across the country. It is a period when the high streets are decorated with colourful lights and most people take time off work to focus entirely on socialising and preparing elaborate feasts for their loved ones.

5

Where do people usually go during festivals?

Most people tend to head back to their hometowns to be with their parents and extended family. It is quite common for public transport to be packed as everyone travels across the country to ensure they are at home for the main celebratory events.

6

Do you like Western festivals?

I am actually quite fond of Halloween because it is such a playful and creative event. I enjoy seeing how people put effort into their elaborate costumes and decorations, as it offers a fun, light-hearted break from the daily grind of our busy professional lives.

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

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1 questions

More festivals questions to practise

  1. 1Do you think western festivals like Christmas are replacing traditional festivals in your country?

6 words

Useful vocabulary and tips

  • Illuminated

    Lit up with bright lights to look very beautiful.

  • Long-standing

    Something that has existed for a very long time.

  • Elaborate

    Detailed and complicated, involving many careful, thoughtful steps.

  • Extended family

    Relatives beyond just parents and siblings, like cousins.

  • Daily grind

    The tedious and exhausting routine of everyday work life.

  • Light-hearted

    Amusing and entertaining, not serious or very heavy.

  • →Use specific personal anecdotes to make your answers sound more authentic and interesting.
  • →Keep your responses concise but ensure you provide a reason for your opinion.

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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