Wono IELTS
IELTS Speaking · Part 1

Part 1: Introduction & interview

Part 1 is the warm-up. The examiner introduces themselves, checks your ID, then asks about two or three familiar topics. The questions are simple, but this is where the examiner forms a first impression of your fluency and vocabulary.

Length
4–5 minutes
Questions
About 10–12
Answer length
2–4 sentences

How it runs

  1. 1The examiner gives their name, asks for yours and checks your ID.
  2. 2The first topic is almost always your work, studies or where you live.
  3. 3Then one or two general topics follow, with 3–4 questions each.
  4. 4The examiner reads from a script, so they will not react to your answers.

Common topics

  • Work or studies
  • Home and hometown
  • Hobbies and free time
  • Food and cooking
  • Weather and seasons
  • Everyday technology
  • Music, films and books
  • Transport

Sample questions

  • Do you work or are you a student?
  • What do you like most about your hometown?
  • How often do you use public transport?
  • Did you enjoy reading when you were a child?
  • Would you like to learn to cook more dishes in the future?

Answer structure

  1. 01

    Direct answer

    Answer the question in your first sentence.

  2. 02

    Reason

    Add why, with because, since or mainly.

  3. 03

    Quick example

    One real detail or experience to bring the answer to life.

Sample answer

Question

Do you enjoy cooking?

Answer

Yes, I do, although I'm not a great cook yet. I usually cook on weekends because that's when I actually have time to try new recipes. Last Sunday, for example, I made fried rice for my family, and it turned out better than I expected.

Why this works

It answers directly, gives a reason, then adds a specific example in the past tense. The length is right for Part 1.

Tips

  • Treat it like a relaxed chat, but still use full sentences.
  • Mix tenses: present for habits, past for experiences, future for plans.
  • You can ask for a repeat: “Sorry, could you repeat the question?” It does not lower your score.
  • If the honest answer is boring, it is fine to embellish. Your English is what gets scored.

Common mistakes

  • Answering only “Yes” or “No” with nothing after it.
  • Using memorised answers. Examiners are trained to spot them, and they sound unnatural.
  • Repeating the exact words of the question instead of paraphrasing.
  • Answers so long the examiner has to cut you off.

Other parts