Speaking Part 1 — Topic Guide
IELTS Speaking: Work or Study
Whether you work or study, what you do, why you chose it, and what you like about it.
6
Part 1 Questions
8
Part 2 Cue Cards
20–30 s
Per Answer
Part 1 Common Questions
The examiner may ask any of these in a real exam. Aim for 20–30 seconds per answer — give a direct response and add one specific example or reason.
- Do you work or are you a student?
- Why did you choose that job or subject?
- Do you enjoy your work or studies?
- What is the most challenging part of your work or studies?
- What are your plans for the future in terms of career or education?
- Would you prefer to work alone or in a team?
Part 1 tip: Don't give one-word answers. Use the question word to structure
your reply — if asked "Do you enjoy…?", answer "Yes, I do, because…" and add a brief example.
Aim for 2–3 sentences.
Part 2 Cue Cards on Work or Study
These Part 2 prompts are linked to the Work or Study topic. You get 1 minute to prepare, then speak for 1–2 minutes.
Describe a successful businessperson you know about
who this person is
how you know about them
Describe an important decision you made
what the decision was
when you made it
Describe a goal you achieved
what the goal was
why you wanted to achieve it
Describe a foreign language you would like to learn
which language
why you want to learn it
Describe something you learned recently
what you learned
where you learned it
Describe a small business you would like to start
what kind of business
who your customers would be
Describe a successful small business you know about
what the business is
who runs it
Describe a person you know who enjoys working in a family business
who the person is
what kind of family business it is