IELTS Speaking Part 1

IELTS Speaking Part 1: Scissors 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. Here are 5 questions about scissors written by BandLadder in the examiner's style, each with a Band 8 sample answer and useful vocabulary. Aim for two or three sentences each: answer, reason, one detail.
  • 5 questions
  • 5 Band 8 answers
  • 4 to 5 minutes

5 answers

Scissors questions with sample answers

1

How often do you use scissors?

Probably several times a week, to be honest. I keep a sturdy pair in the kitchen drawer, and I seem to reach for them constantly, whether that's for opening stubborn parcel packaging or trimming the stems of fresh flowers for a vase.

2

What do you usually use scissors for?

Mainly for everyday practical jobs around the flat. I use them quite a bit for cutting up cardboard boxes for recycling, snipping loose threads off clothes, and slicing open food packets instead of struggling to tear them by hand.

3

Did you ever use scissors for crafts when you were a child?

Oh, definitely. In primary school, we had those small plastic ones with rounded tips for safety. We used to make paper collages and paper snowflakes all the time in art class, which was always a bit messy but really enjoyable.

4

Have you ever accidentally cut yourself with a pair of scissors?

Yes, once or twice when I was rushing. I remember trying to pry open some heavy-duty plastic packaging a couple of years ago, and the blade slipped and nicked my thumb. It wasn't serious, but it certainly stung for a few days.

5

Do you think you will buy a new pair of scissors in the near future?

I don't think so, really. The kitchen scissors I have right now are made of stainless steel and still remarkably sharp. Unless I somehow manage to lose them, I expect they'll last me for quite a few more years.

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

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7 words

Useful vocabulary and tips

  • sturdy

    Strongly made and not easily broken or damaged.

  • reach for

    To stretch out your hand to take hold of something.

  • snipping

    Cutting something with short, quick strokes of scissors.

  • rounded tips

    Curved ends designed without sharp points to prevent injury.

  • heavy-duty

    Designed to be tough and withstand rough use.

  • nicked

    Made a small, shallow cut in something.

  • remarkably sharp

    Surprisingly effective and precise at cutting.

  • →Use precise action verbs like 'trim', 'snip', or 'pry open' instead of just repeating 'cut'.
  • →Link everyday objects to specific areas of your home, like the kitchen or home office, to give concrete detail.
  • →When answering about safety or accidents, briefly describe what happened and how you felt to sound natural.

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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