IELTS Speaking Part 1

IELTS Speaking Part 1: Vegetables 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 vegetables 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

Vegetables questions with sample answers

1

Do you eat a lot of vegetables?

Yes, definitely. I try to incorporate them into almost every meal, mainly because I want to maintain a balanced diet. Just yesterday, for instance, I made a quick stir-fry with plenty of broccoli, bell peppers, and baby sweetcorn for dinner.

2

What is your favourite vegetable?

I'd probably say spinach. It's incredibly versatile and cooks down in just a couple of minutes. I usually toss a massive handful into my morning omelette or blend it into a fruit smoothie without altering the flavour too much.

3

Did you enjoy eating vegetables when you were younger?

Not really, to be honest. Like most kids, I was quite a fussy eater and used to dread having boiled carrots or peas on my plate. My parents often had to disguise them in pasta sauces just to get me to eat them.

4

Is it easy to buy fresh vegetables where you live?

Oh, absolutely. There's a brilliant local greengrocer just down the road from my flat, as well as a weekly farmers' market. The produce there is always crisp and locally sourced, so I rarely have to rely on big supermarkets.

5

Would you like to grow your own vegetables in the future?

I'd love to, actually. My grandad used to keep a small vegetable patch where he grew tomatoes and runner beans, and the flavour was amazing. If I ever move somewhere with a decent garden, I'll definitely give it a go.

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

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8 words

Useful vocabulary and tips

  • incorporate

    to include something as part of a larger whole

  • versatile

    able to be used in many different ways

  • fussy eater

    someone who is very selective or difficult about food

  • dread

    to feel very reluctant or fearful about something

  • greengrocer

    a shop or person selling fresh fruit and vegetables

  • locally sourced

    grown or produced in the nearby area

  • vegetable patch

    a small plot of ground used for growing vegetables

  • give it a go

    to try or attempt doing something

  • →Name specific vegetables like spinach or broccoli rather than speaking generally about healthy eating.
  • →Use past-tense structures to contrast what you refused to eat as a child with your habits today.
  • →Keep your answers concise by combining a direct answer with one concrete personal detail.

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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