IELTS Speaking Part 1: Reading
Tests reading habits and an opinion about society. Specific genres and a past-to-present comparison score better than a simple yes or no.
Questions and sample answers
1. Do you read much in your free time?
Not as much as I’d like. I read articles on my phone every day, but I only finish a proper book every couple of months.
2. What kind of books or articles do you prefer?
I prefer non-fiction, mostly history and popular science. I like finishing a book knowing something I didn’t know before.
3. Did your parents read to you when you were a child?
My grandmother did, more than my parents. She used to tell us folk tales every night, which is probably why I still love stories.
4. Do you think people read less now than they used to?
People read just as much, but differently. They read short posts and headlines rather than long books, so I’d say attention spans have changed more than reading itself.
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
- a bookworm / an avid reader: Nouns for someone who reads a lot.
- non-fiction / page-turner: Genre vocabulary.
- used to tell us …: "Used to" for past habits, which this set invites.
- attention spans are shorter: A strong point for the opinion question.
- not as much as I’d like: An honest, natural answer to "do you read much".
The trap on this topic
Answering the opinion question with "Yes, because of mobile phones" and stopping. Give the reason AND what it means; one more clause turns a claim into an argument.
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.