IELTS Speaking Part 1: Music
Tests preference language, frequency, and an opinion question at the end. Specific genres and situations score better than "all kinds of music".
Questions and sample answers
1. What kind of music do you like to listen to?
Mostly indie and acoustic music, things with a good melody and lyrics I can actually hear.
2. When during the day do you usually listen to music?
On my commute, nearly every day. It makes a forty-minute bus ride go much faster.
3. Did you learn a musical instrument at school?
I did, actually. I learned the recorder at primary school, though I can’t say I’ve touched one since.
4. Do you think musical tastes change as people get older?
I think so. Teenagers often listen to whatever their friends like, but as people get older they tend to go back to the music they grew up with.
Each sample is two to four sentences: the answer, a reason or example, then stop. Use them to hear the shape, not to memorise. Examiners are trained to spot a rehearsed answer, and it costs fluency marks.
Language this topic rewards
- I’m really into …: An informal preference phrase.
- catchy / upbeat / mellow: Adjectives that describe music precisely.
- it makes the time fly: An idiom for the "when do you listen" question.
- I can’t say I’ve … since: A natural present perfect.
- tastes evolve: For the opinion question.
The trap on this topic
Answering "What kind of music do you like?" with "All kinds of music." It closes the conversation and gives the examiner no vocabulary to mark. Name one or two genres.
Answer these out loud and get marked
The Part 1 practice runs the interview the way the examiner does: your work or studies first, then two topic sets. It records you, transcribes what you said and marks it on the four official criteria.
Start Part 1 practiceMore Part 1 topics
Ready for the long turn? Browse the Part 2 cue cards.