6. TESOL Conversation Questions

Restaurants

What is your favorite restaurant near where you live?
What is the best restaurant you have ever eaten at?
What types of foreign food restaurants have you eaten at?
Have you ever eaten at a restaurant abroad? What was it like?
What (besides good food) makes a restaurant great?
Do you prefer to eat at your parents’ house or a restaurant?
What is the worst restaurant you have eaten at?
What is the strangest restaurant you have heard of?
How do you feel about theme restaurants?
Do you prefer darker or brighter interiors for restaurants? Why?

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Seasons

What is your favorite season?
What do you think of when you think of winter?
What are some things your family did when you were a child in spring?
What is the worst season in your country?
Does it snow in your hometown in the winter? Did you use to make
snowmen?
What is your favorite thing to do in summer?
What festivals or celebrations does your country have during the changing
of the seasons?
Do you ever go hiking when the leaves change in fall?
Where is the best place to be in summer? How about winter?
Does your country have a special food for any of the seasons?

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Secrets

Do you like knowing and finding out secrets? Why?
Are you good at keeping secrets? Why or why not?
Should governments keep secrets from their people? Why or why not?
What kinds of secrets do you think your government has?
What is something that lots of people dislike but you secretly love?
Should husbands and wives keep secrets from each other?
Should parents keep secrets from their children? If yes, what kind of secrets?
What is a well-known secret?
Do you know any secrets about celebrities?
What kinds of secrets are dangerous?
Can you tell us any of your secrets?

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Shopping

Where is your favorite place to shop for clothes?

What products do you prefer to shop online for?

What products do you prefer to shop in stores for?

How do you feel about sales people following you and helping you when you
shop?

What makes a pleasant shopping experience?

How do you feel about shopping at department stores or malls?

What is your favorite ecommerce site? Why?

Do you know anyone who is addicted to shopping? Are you addicted to
shopping?

Have you ever bought any counterfeit products like fake designer bags, clothing,
or jewelry?

Do you enjoy shopping for other people?

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Singing

How good are you at singing?
Where do you sing most (e.g. shower, car, while doing housework, etc.)?
How often do you do karaoke?
What song are you best at singing?
What song do you have to sing along with when you hear it?
Whose singing do you hate?
Can you sing your country’s national anthem?
Who is the best singer you personally know? How about the worst?
Can singing be learned or are people born with the ability to sing?
When was the last time you sang in front of someone?

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Single Life

What are some of the differences between married life and single life? Are the
differences the same for men and women?

What are the pros and cons of single life?

Are you single or in a relationship? Do you wish you had a different relationship
status?

Why do some people choose to remain single?

Who are some famous people who are single?

Are there more single people in the city or the countryside?

Are most of your friends married or single?

Do you ever try to set your single friends up on dates?

How do your habits change when you are single versus when you are in a
relationship?
Do you have any friends who love being single or who can’t stand being single?

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Smoking

Does smoking make you look cool? Why or why not?
How many friends do you have who smoke? Do you smoke?
Should people be allowed to smoke in public? If so, where?
Is raising the price on cigarettes a good way to get people to quit?
What do you think about electric cigarettes?
What are some bad things about smoking?
Are there any benefits of smoking?
Should smoking cigarettes be illegal?
How popular is smoking in your country?
Should smoking be banned in movies? Why or why not?

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Space

Would you like to travel into space? Why or why not?
What do you think about space tourism?
How important is learning about space?
Will humans ever travel to different solar systems?
What is the most interesting thing you know about space?
What is your favorite space movie or TV show? How realistic is it?
Would you agree to help colonize a planet if you knew you couldn’t come back to
earth?
What is the most interesting planet (besides Earth) in our solar system?
What is the most important thing for astronomers to research?
What characteristics make a good astronaut?
What do you think of your country’s involvement in space?

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Sports

What are some sports you like watching? Why?
What are some sports you dislike watching? Why?
Do you play any sports? If so, which ones?
Would you like to learn how to play a sport or do an activity? What would
you like to learn?
Why are sports so popular?
Do you know of any interesting or strange sports or activities?
What two sports would you like to mix?
Do you prefer to watch sports or play them? Why
What do you think is the most dangerous sport?
What do you think of athletes making so much money? Is it a good thing or
a bad thing?

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Stories

What are the best kinds of stories? (i.e funny stories, ghost stories,
amazing stories)

Who told you stories when you were a child? What kind of stories did they
tell?

What are some famous Korean stories? Do they teach the listener/reader
something?

There are many ways to experience a story. For example: book, movie, TV
show, spoken, radio, podcast, video game. What is your favorite way to
experience a story?

What is your favorite story?

Tell your group a scary story.

Tell your group a true story that happened to you.

Tell your group a funny story.

Tell your group a story that you heard when you were a child.

Tell your group an unbelievable story.

Tell your group a story with moral lesson in it.

Tell you group a story from history.

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Success and Failure

Success
Describe a successful person.
Is your idea of success the same as your parents’ idea of success?
Do you think people focus too much on appearing to be successful?
Why is money the most common way of judging success?

Can money buy happiness?
How much pressure do your parents put on you to be successful?
How much pressure will you put on your children to be successful?
Failure
Have there been any failures that made your life better?
Is there a right time to give up and stop trying? Or should you never give
up?
Can you think of any famous people who failed spectacularly at
something?
Talk about a time you failed at something you tried. Don’t talk about
anything that will make you uncomfortable or embarrassed.
Can you think of any famous quotes or idioms about success or failure?

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Super Heroes

Who is your favorite super hero? Why?
What super power would you like to have?
If you had super powers would you be a super hero or a super villain?
Do you prefer dark super heroes like Batman or purely good super heroes like
Superman? Why?
Does a person’s favorite super hero tell you anything about their personality?
What does your favorite super hero say about your personality?
Are there any real super heroes?
What is your favorite super hero movie?
Why have super hero movies become so popular?
Do you think comic books are good or bad for children?
How have super heroes changed over the years?

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Technology

Talk about how technology has changed in your lifetime.

What do you think has been the most important new invention in the last
100 years?

Are there any new gadgets that you really want to get?

What do you think will be the next biggest technological advance?

How can countries help to create more inventors?

What is your favorite piece of technology you own?

How will computers change in the future?

Do you think that there will be more or less new innovation in the future?
Is there a piece of technology that you really want that doesn’t exist? (i.e.
flying cars, teleportation, etc.)

Give some examples of technology that have made the world worse.

What do you think is the most important thing that humans have created?

Do you think that people will travel outside of our solar system? How will
they get there?

Do you like new gadgets or do you prefer to use technology you are
comfortable with?

What are the possibilities of technology in clothing?

What is the future of transportation?

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Television

About how many hours of TV do you watch every day?
What are some of your favorite shows?
Do you like any foreign TV shows?
What is the funniest show on television?
Do you think people watch too much television?
Are TV shows getting better or worse?
Would you like to be on TV?
Do you have a favorite channel?
Do you have cable, satellite television, or neither?
Can you recommend a TV show to your classmates?
What is the best drama on TV now?

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The Five Senses

What is your favorite sense? Give some examples why it is so good.
If you had to lose one sense, which would it be?
Do you think we have any other senses? (i.e. when you can feel that
someone is staring at you even if you can’t see them or ESP)
Which sense would you like to improve if possible?
What is the most beautiful thing to see?
What is the most wonderful smell?
What is the best taste?
What is the greatest sound?
What is the most wonderful thing to touch?
Which of your senses is the most sensitive?
Which of your senses is the least sensitive?

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The Internet

How much time do you spend on the Internet?
What are some of the benefits of the Internet?
What are some of the dangers of the Internet?
How much time should children spend on the Internet?
How has the Internet changed the world?
What will the Internet be like in 10 years?
Are you part of any social networks like Facebook or Google+?
When did you get your first email address?
What is your favorite website?
Should the Internet be regulated or censored?
Tell your partner/group about one website you really like.

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The Media

Where do most people in your country get their news?
Does the media in your country report the whole truth, mostly truth, or mostly
lies?
How has the internet changed the news in your country?
Who has the most control over the media in your country?
How does the media help create a healthy society?
Should the media just report the facts or should the media interpret the facts?
Can you think of a politician who used the media in a successful way? How about
a politician who was destroyed by the media?
Should the media show graphic violence? Why or why not?
How has the media changed in your country during the last 20 years?
What is the most fair and balanced media outlet in your country?

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The Past

Who used to be your hero when you were young?

Did you use to have a pet?

Who were some of your favorite sports stars in the past?

What did they play?

Why were they your favorite?
Name some of your country’s famous sports stars of the past.

Why were they famous?

What was your best memory from when you were a child?

What is your earliest memory?

Which was better for you: elementary school, junior high school or high
school? Why?

What was your country like when you were a child?

Do you think the past was better than the present? Why or why not?

What were some of the benefits of living in the past?

Talk about your country’s past (100 years ago), how was the past different
from the present:

Food

Weddings

Clothing

School

Work

Recreation (free time activities)

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The Supernatural

What supernatural things do you believe in (ghosts, ESP, fortune tellers, etc.)?
Do you think science will ever prove any supernatural beliefs?
What supernatural beliefs are unique to your culture?
What are some of the scariest supernatural movies?
What supernatural thing do you fear?
Why do so many people believe in supernatural things that can’t be proven?
What are some supernatural holiday beliefs in your country?
Where are supernatural occurrences most often reported?
Do you think some people have supernatural abilities?

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Tourism

How important is tourism in your country?

What is the biggest tourist destination in your country?

What are the benefits of international tourism? Are there any drawbacks?

Do you prefer tourism package tours or do you prefer to plan your own
vacations? Why?

Is it better to go to popular tourist destinations or lesser known tourist
destinations? Why?

Should a government try to improve domestic tourism or try to attract
international tourists instead? Why?
What’s the best way to travel when you visit a country? Train, car, bicycle, bus,
some other way? Why?

If you could create a tourism slogan for your country, what would it be?
What’s the best way for a country to bring in more tourists?

How do you feel about tourists who visit your country?

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Transitions

What was your best memory from when you were a child?

What is your earliest memory?

Which was better for you: elementary school, junior high school or high
school? Why?

Did you study hard in high school?

How would you change your life if you could?

Starting university was a big transition. What are some of the good things
about starting university? What are some of the bad things?

One of the biggest transitions for people is marriage. What are some of the
good and bad things about marriage?

How will your life change after you have children?
What do you think are the biggest transitions in a person’s life? Which is
the most important?

What kinds of problems did you have when you went from elementary
school to junior high?

When does a child become an adult?

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Travel

Where do you like to go on vacation?
Where would you like to go on vacation?
Tell your partner about your best travel story.
What are some things you always take with you on a trip?
Do you prefer package tours or making your own trip?
Where did you spend your last vacation? What did you do?
What are some of the benefits of traveling alone?
What are some of the benefits of traveling with a group?
What is the longest journey you have ever made?
What’s the best way to travel? (By plane, ship, train, car, etc.)
Where is the most amazing place you have been?
Where are the best places for:
Adventure vacations?
Historical vacations?
Shopping vacations?
Party vacations?
Relaxing vacations?
What is the best and worst thing about traveling to a new country?
Where do you prefer to stay when you go on vacation? (Hotel, hostel, Airbnb
house / room, etc.)
What are your best travel tips?
What is the strangest food you’ve seen or eaten while on vacation?

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What do you like to do while you are traveling? (i.e. relax, shop, sight see,
experience local culture…)
How often do you travel?
What souvenirs have you brought back from traveling?
Where are you going for your next trip?
Where are the best places to go on vacation in your country?
Who in your family travels the most?
What popular travel destination do you want to avoid?
How adventurous are you when you travel?
Do you try to learn some of the local language before you travel to a new
country? What phrases do you try to learn?
What is the longest trip you’ve taken?
How much vacation time do you get a year?
What do you usually forget to bring when you go on vacation?
What do you miss most when you are traveling?
What was the worst flight that you have taken?
What is the ideal length for a vacation?
What is the most interesting tourist attraction you’ve traveled to in your own
country?

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Water

How much water do you drink every day?

How many glasses of water should people drink every day?

How long can a person live without drinking any water? How long have you
gone without drinking anything?

Can you swim? How often do you go swimming?

Where is a good place to go swimming near here?

Try to name 10 water sports.

Not being able to get clean drinking water is a big problem in many places.
What are some ways we can help people get clean drinking water?

Think of the biggest river in your country. How polluted is it? Would you
swim in it?

Where does the biggest city in your country get its clean water from?

The world’s population is increasing rapidly. Getting clean water for
everyone might become difficult in the future. Think of three ways we can
avoid this problem.

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Wishes

If you could have three wishes that would come true, what would they be?
(No, you can’t wish for more wishes)

What do you wish you could change about the world?

Many cultures throw things into water (like a fountain) and make a wish.
Why do people do that?

What do you wish you could do after this class?

What do you wish you could eat right now?

What do you wish would happen today?

When do people make wishes in your culture? (for example, when you see
a shooting star)

Have any of your wishes ever come true?

Do you ever wish you could travel back in time?

What do you wish you had right now?

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1. Desserts/ Cakes (Jan-May 2020)

 Do you like dessert?
 Do you like eating cake?
 How often do you eat cakes?
 Have you ever made a cake?
 Do you like sweet food?
 Is there a good variety of sweet foods in your country?

2. Laughter (Jan-May 2020)

 Do you usually make your friends laugh?
 Are you the kind of person who makes people laugh?
 When was the last time you laughed?
 In what situations do people laugh?
 Do you like to make people laugh?
 Do you like watching funny TV shows?
 Do you think it’s important for friends to have the same sense of humour?

3. Pens and Pencils (Jan-May 2020)

 Do you usually use a pen or a pencil?
 Which do you prefer, a pen or pencils?
 When was the last time you bought a pen or pencil?
 How would you feel if someone gave you a pen as a gift?

4. Beautiful Scenery (Jan-May 2020)

 Does your hometown have beautiful views?
 Do you like to stay in places with beautiful views when you are travelling?
 How would you feel living in a house with beautiful scenery?
 Do you like taking photos of beautiful scenery on your smartphone?
 Can you discuss why some people use their mobile phone to take pictures of

beautiful views?

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5. Museums and Art Galleries (Jan-May 2020)

 Do you like going to museums?
 Have you ever been to an art gallery?
 Are there any paintings on the wall in your bedroom?

6. Numbers (Jan-May 2020)

 Do you often use numbers to do something?
 Are you good at memorizing numbers?
 Which is your favourite number?
 Are you good at numbers?
 Would you like to have a job dealing with numbers?

7. History (Jan-May 2020)

 When you were a child, did you enjoy learning history?
 Have you ever been to a museum to learn about history?
 Have you ever watched movies related to history?
 When was the last time you read a book about history?
 Do you think history is important?

8. Running (Jan-May 2020)

 Do you like running?
 Where do you usually go (for) running?
 Have you ever run a long-distance?

9. Science Class (Jan-May 2020)

 Do you like science?
 Did you enjoy learning science in primary or high school?
 Do you think it’s important to study science?
 What kind of science did you do at school?

10. Spending time alone

 Do you like to spend time by yourself?
 Do you usually spend time alone?
 What do you usually do when you spend time with yourself?
 What did you do last time when you were alone?

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11. Water Sports

 Do you like water sports?
 Have you done water sports?
 Would you like to do a water sport?
 Are water sports popular in your country?

12. Breaks

 How often do you take a break?
 What do you usually do during a break?
 Why do you need to take a break?
 Do you prefer a long break or several short breaks?

13. Trust

 Who do you trust most?
 What kind of people do you trust?
 Have you ever lost trust in somebody?
 Do you trust artificial intelligence?

14. Island

 Have you ever been on an island?
 Is there any island in your country?
 Do you want to live on an island if you have a chance?
 What would you like to do if you were on an island?

15.Makeup

 Do you wear makeup often?
 What does wearing makeup mean to you?
 Do you give makeup as a gift?
 What do you think when you see a man wearing makeup?

16. Eating

 Do you eat out a lot?
 Do you eat healthy food?
 How often do you eat with your family?
 Do you prefer eating at home or at a restaurant?

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17. Forest 290

 When was the last time you went to a forest?
 Would you like to go to the forest if you are free?

18. Amusement Park

 Do you like amusement parks?
 How often do you go to an amusement park?
 What do you usually do at an amusement park?

19. Sunshine

 Do you like sunshine?
 What do you usually do on sunny days?
 Do you often use sunscreen?

20. Tiredness

 What kinds of things make you tired?
 What do you do when you feel tired?
 Who do you usually talk to when you feel mentally tired?
 Do you like to talk to strangers when you feel mentally tired?

New topics (Sep-Dec 2019)

1. Trust

 Who do you trust most?
 What kind of people do you trust?
 Have you ever lost trust in somebody?
 Do you trust artificial intelligence?

2. Island

 Have you ever been to an island?
 Is there any island in your country?
 Do you want to live on an island if you have a chance?
 What do you like to do when you are on an island?

3. Makeup

 Do you wear makeup often?
 What does wearing makeup mean to you?

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 Do you give makeup as a gift?
 What do you think when you see a man wearing makeup?

1. Eating

 Do you eat out a lot?
 Do you eat healthy food?
 How often do you eat with your family?
 Do you prefer eating at home or at a restaurant?

5. Forest

 When was the last time you went to a forest?
 Would you like to go to the forest if you are free?

6. Amusement Park

 Do you like amusement parks?
 How often do you go to an amusement park?
 What do you usually do at an amusement park?

7. Sunshine

 Do you like sunshine?
 What do you usually do on sunny days?
 Do you often use sunscreen?

8. Tiredness

 What kinds of things make you tired?
 What do you do when you feel tired?
 Who do you usually talk to when you feel mentally tired?
 Do you like to talk to strangers when you feel mentally tired?

Old topics (Sep-Dec 2019)

1. Social Media

 Do you use social media websites?
 Do you like to use Facebook?
 Do you prefer an information app or a chat app?
 How did you first find out about social media websites?
 Is social media very popular in your country?
 Do you think social media will become more popular in the future?
 Do you feel social media is more a positive thing, or more negative thing?

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2. Perfume

 Do you like perfume?
 Do you wear perfume?
 How much money do you spend on perfume?
 Have you ever given perfume as a gift?
 Would you ever give perfume as a gift?

3. Borrowing

 Do you like to lend things to others?
 Would you lend money to someone else?
 Have you ever borrowed money from someone else?
 Have you ever lent a book to others?
 How do you feel about others borrowing things from you?

4. Supermarket/ Street Market

 Do you like visiting street markets?
 Do you often go to the supermarket?
 Are street markets very common in your country?
 Would you be interested if you saw a street market in a foreign country?
 Do people in your country prefer to shop at a street market, or in a shopping

mall?
 Are there many shopping malls in your living area?

5. Visiting Relatives & Friends

 Do you often visit your relatives? (Why?)
 What do you do when you visit them?
 When was the last time you visited them? what did you do?
 Do you (ever or often) go to your friends’ homes to visit them?

6. Families Activities

 Do you often stay together with your family?
 Do you prefer to stay with your family or friends?

7. Smile

 Do you smile a lot? 292
 When was the last time you laughed?
 In what situations do people smile?
 Do you smile when you are having your picture taken?
 Can you sense if someone’s smile is fake?

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8. Time management/ Plan

 Do you make plans every day?
 Would you say you manage your time well?
 What’s the biggest difficulty you have when managing time?
 What’s the latest plan you made?

9. Garbage

 What do you do when you see rubbish on the street?
 Do you think it’s important to protect the environment?
 How do you feel when you see someone throw litter on the ground?
 Do you think plastic bags are a serious environmental problem?
 Do you do anything to protect the environment?

10. Places to Play

 Where did you play when you were a child?
 Did you play at your friend’s home?
 Did you prefer to play outside or inside when you were young?
 Do you think it’s important for children to play outside?

11. Weather

 What’s the weather like in your city?
 Do you have a favourite type of weather?
 Would you move to another city because of the weather?

12. Travel

 Do you travel often?
 What’s the most beautiful place you’ve been to?
 Where would you like to travel for a vacation? (Why?)
 Who do you often spend the holiday with?
 Do you prefer travelling alone or in a group?
 How much travelling have you done?
 What kind of places have you visited in your life?
 When you visit new places, what do you like to do?
 In which seasons do you prefer to travel?
 What is the best season to travel in your country?

13. Transport

 What kind of transport do you most often use? 293
 How do you usually go to school/work?

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 How long does it take to travel to school/work?
 How did you go to school when you were a child?
 Do you prefer to use public, or private transportation?
 Do you think you’ll use public transport more in the future?

14. Cities

 What cities have you travelled to?
 Which city do you like to travel to?
 Would you ever move to another city for work?
 In what ways do you think a city can be designed to best suit the needs of

pedestrians?
 Who would you say uses public transport more, young people or old people?

15. Maths

 Do you like maths?
 Do you often use a calculator?
 When did you start to use a calculator?
 (Similar to above) How often do you use a calculator?
 Do you think maths is important?
 Do you think females (girls) are good at maths?
 Some people think that maths isn’t needed in our life. What do you think?

16. Going out

 Who do you usually want to go out with?
 How often do you go out with your friends?
 Where do you like to go to when you are out with your friends?
 Do you like to go out with a big group or just with some friends?

17. Reading

 Do you like reading?
 What kinds of books do you like to read?
 Do you like E-books?
 Do you ever read professional books?
 Have you ever lent or borrowed a book?

18. Accommodation

 Where are you living at the moment? 294
 Who do you live with?
 How long have you been living there?
 Are you planning to move to another area to live?

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 What do you like about the area around where you live?
 Do you know many people living nearby?
 What changes have you seen in this area since you have been living there?
 What changes would you like to see in this area?

Study/Work:

19. Study 295

 What’s your major?
 Do you like it?
 Will you change it if you have a chance?
 Which major will you change it to?
 Is it different from what you had in mind?

 Why did you choose that major?

20. Work

 Do you work or are you a student?
 What do you do?
 What did you do on the first day of your job?
 What specific things do you do in your job?
 What do you like most about your job?
 Why did you choose that job?
 Would you recommend that job to others?
 Do you think this job has a bright future?
 What are the most interesting and difficult part of your job?

1. Smile

 Do you like to smile?
 How often do you smile?
 Do you smile when you are having your picture taken?
 When do people smile to others?
 Can you sense (or feel, or tell) if someone’s smile is fake?

2. Reading

 Do you like reading?
 How often do you read?
 Do you usually read for leisure or for work purposes?
 What kinds of books do you like to read?
 What was your favourite book or story when you were a child?

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 Do you like E-books?
 Do you ever read professional books?

3. Apps

 What apps do you often use?
 Which do you prefer, an information app or a chat app?
 Do you want to develop an app yourself?
 Do you often use apps on mobile phones?
 What kinds of apps do you expect in the future?

4. Perfume

 Do you like perfume?
 Do you use perfume?
 Would you ever give perfume as a gift?

5. Sport

 Do you like sports?
 Do you often watch sports on TV?
 How often do you play sports?
 Do you prefer watching or playing sports?
 What’s the most common sport in your country?
 Do you think it is difficult to learn a new sport?
 Are there many celebrity athletes in your country?
 Did you prefer team sports or individual sports when you were young?

6. Travel

 Do you like travelling?
 Do you like to travel by air?
 What do you think about travelling to the outer space?
 Where would you like to travel for a vacation? (Why?)
 What would you prepare on a trip to the outer space?
 Who do you often spend the holiday with?
 Do you prefer travelling alone or in a group?
 How much travelling have you done?
 What kind of places have you visited in your life?
 When you visit new places, what do you like to do?
 In which seasons do you prefer to travel?
 What is the best season to travel in your country?

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7. Time Management

 How do you organize your time?
 Do you make plans every day?
 Would you say you manage your time well?
 Are you ever late for anything?
 Do you think young people organize their time in the same way?
 What’s the biggest difficulty you have when managing time?

8. Litter/ Rubbish

 Do you think it’s important to keep the city clean?
 What do you do when you see rubbish on the street?
 Can you suggest why some people throw their litter on the ground?
 Do you think plastic bags are a serious environmental problem?

9. Children’s Ideas

 When do you think children start to have their own ideas?
 Should parents follow their children’s ideas or should they say “No” to them?
 Can children say no?

10. Places to Play

 Where did you play when you were a child?
 Did you play at your friend’s home?
 Did you prefer to play outside or inside when you were young?
 Do you think it’s important for children to play outside?

11. Cities

 Do you like the city you are living in now?
 Which city have you been to recently?
 Do you prefer the city or the countryside?
 What kinds of city do you like?
 Which city do you want to go to?

12. Pets

 Have you ever had a pet?
 Do many people in your country have a pet?
 Is there any animal you would like to have as a pet?
 What animal(s) would you not like to have as a pet?

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13. The Sky

 Do you often look at the sky?
 Do you know much about the stars and planets?
 Can you see the moon and stars at night where you live?
 Is there a good place to look at the sky where you live?
 Do you prefer to look at the sky in the daytime, or at night?
 Do school students learn much about planets and the stars (at school) in your

country?

14. Weather/ Season

 Which season do you like best? /Do you have a favourite type of weather?
 What’s the weather like in your city?
 Are there four different seasons in your hometown?
 Would you move to another city because of the weather?
 Do you do different things in different weather (or different seasons)?
 Would you prefer to live in a place that has the same weather all year, or a

place that has four seasons?
 Does the weather in your country change often?
 Do you like it when it’s raining?
 Do you feel the climate is changing?
 Do you think the weather is more important to people who play sports?

==> Sample Answer

15. Sleep

 How many hours do you sleep every day (or, every night)?
 Do you think it’s good to have a nap during the day?
 Did you sleep more in the past than you do now?
 Do you think old people need more sleep than young people?
 Have your sleeping habits changed since you were younger?
 Do you think it’s important to have enough sleep (each day/night)?

16. Films/ Movies

 Do you like to watch movies? (Why?) 298
 What types of films do you like to watch?
 Do you often watch a movie (a film)?
 Do you like going to the cinema?
 Do you prefer to (or usually) watch a film alone or with others?
 How often do you go to the cinema?

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 Has your taste in movies changed since you were younger?
 Are any foreign movie stars famous in your country?
 Do you have a favourite movie star?
 Have you ever seen a movie star in real life?
 Would you like to be a movie star?

==> Sample Answer

17. Crowded places

 Do you like crowded places?
 How do you feel in crowded places?
 What are the most crowded places in your hometown (or where you are living

now)?
 Do you prefer to go to crowded places or places that have few people?
 When was the last time you were in a crowded place?
 Would you say people with the same interests usually get along with each

other when they are in a crowd?

18. Patience

 Are you a patient person?
 When are you impatient?
 Do you think you are more patient now than when you were younger?
 Do you think you will be more patient in the future?
 Are you patient in your work or study?
 Can you explain why some people are not very patient?
 Do you think people should be patient?
 How do you feel when other people are impatient?
 Would you say young people are more patient than older people?
 Can you give any examples of work that require patience?

==> Sample Answer

19. Tea & Coffee

 Do you prefer to drink tea or coffee?
 When you go out do you most often drink tea, or coffee?
 When was the last time you drank some tea or coffee?
 Which is more popular in your country, drinking tea or drinking coffee?
 Do people in your country ever give tea as a gift?
 When people in your country entertain guests do they usually drink tea, or

coffee?

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20. Public Holidays

 Does your country have many public holidays?
 Do you have a favourite holiday?
 Do you think there should be more public holidays?
 What public holidays do you have in your country?
 Would you say most people in your country know why you have those

holidays?
 What do people in your country do during the holidays?
 Do you think these holidays are important?

21. Sharing

 Do you like to share things with your friends?
 When you were young, did your parents teach you to share with others?
 Is there anything that you would not share with others?
 How do you think parents could encourage their children to share?
 Are you willing to share your favourite possessions?
 Do you think there will be a car-sharing in the future?

22. Letters & Emails

 Do you use email?
 How often do you use email (or, write emails)?
 Do you prefer to use email or text messaging?
 Do you think it’s important to reply to emails immediately (or, quickly) after

you receive them?
 Do you like to receive handwritten letters and cards?
 Would you say your handwriting is easy for others to read?
 Do you prefer to write on a computer or to write using a pen?
 Do you think a person’s handwriting reflects their personality?

23. Drinking water

 Do you like to drink water?
 Do you prefer to drink bottled water or tap water?
 Do you drink much water every day?
 Do you prefer to drink hot water or cool (or cold) water?
 How often do you have a drink of water?
 Is bottled water very expensive in your country?
 Would you say it’s important to drink water?
 Have you ever had an experience of being thirsty, but not having any water

to drink?

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24. Visiting relatives

 Do you often visit your relatives? (Why?)
 What do you do when you visit them?
 When was the last time you visited them? what did you do?
 Do you prefer visiting your relatives, or your friends?
 Do you take anything when you visit your relatives?

25. Study/Work

25.1. Study

 What’s your major?
 Do you like it?
 How do you like your courses?
 (if you do not have a major yet) Which major do you want to choose in

college? Why?
 Will you change it if you have the chance ?
 Which major will you change it to?
 Is it different from what you had in mind?
 Why did you choose that major?

25.2. Work

 Do you work or are you a student?
 What work do you do?
 What specific things do you do on your job?
 Why did you choose that job?
 What do you like most about your job?
 Would you recommend that job to others?
 What did you do on the first day of your job?
 Do you think this job has a bright future?
 What is the most interesting and difficult part of your job?

26. Transport

 What kind of transport do you most often use?
 How do you usually go to school / work?
 How long does it take to travel to school/work?
 How did you go to school when you were a child?
 Do you prefer to use public, or private transportation?
 Do you think you’ll use public transport more in the future?

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27. Your living area

 Where are you living at the moment?
 Do many people live in your neighbourhood?
 Do you have many friends there?
 How long have you been living there?
 What changes would you like to see in this area?
 Who do you live with?
 What do you like about the area around where you live?
 Are you planning to move to another area to live?
 Do you know many people living nearby?
 What changes have you seen in this area since you have been living there?

28. Borrowing and Lending

 Do you like to lend things to others?
 Have you ever lent a book to others?
 Have you ever borrowed money from someone else?
 Have you ever borrowed a book from others?
 Would you lend money to someone else?

29. Maths

 Do you like maths?
 Do you think females are good at maths?
 How often do you use a calculator?
 Do you think maths is important?
 Some people think that maths isn’t needed in our life. What do you think?

30. Street Markets

 Do you like visiting street markets?
 Are street markets very common in your country / where you live?
 Would you be interested if you saw a street market in a foreign country?
 Do people in your country prefer to shop at a street market, or in a shopping

mall?
 Are there many shopping malls in your living area?

31. Social Media

 Do you use social media? 302
 Do you like to use Facebook?
 How did you first find out about social media websites?
 Is social media very popular in your country?

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 Do you think social media will become more popular in the future?
 In the future, do you think you will use social media more than you do now,

or less?

IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics (Jan –

Apr 2019)

1. Work 303

 What do you do?
 Do you like your job?
 What’s the most important part of your work?
 What’s the most interesting part of your work?
 Why did you choose to do that type of work?
 What is your work environment like?
 How much (how many hours) do you work every week?
 Are you satisfied with the place where you work?
 Where do you work?
 Would you say that’s a good place to work?
 Would you like to change the place where you work?
 What work do you plan to do in the future?

2. Study

 Do you like to study?
 What’s your favourite subject?
 How much study do you do every week?
 What would you say is the most important part of your studies?
 Where do you usually study?
 Do you like your school/university?
 What do you like most about your school/university?
 Why did you choose to study at that school/university?
 Would you like to change your school/university?

3. Your living area

 Where are you living at the moment?
 How long have you been living there?
 Who do you live with?
 Do you like it?
 Are you planning to move to another area to live?
 What do you like about the area around where you live?

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 Do many people live in your neighbourhood?
 Do you know many people living nearby?
 Do you have many friends there?
 What changes have you seen in this area since you have been living there?
 What changes would you like to see in this area?

4. Noise

 What natural sound(s) do you like (the most)? (Why?)
 What sounds do you dislike? (Why?)
 What sounds remind you of your childhood?
 What (kinds of) music do you like the most?
 Does your school have any quiet places for studying?
 What are some places where there is a lot of noise?
 Do you mind the noises? (Do any noises bother you?)
 What type of noise do you come across in your daily life?

5. Science

 Do you like science?
 What science have you studied?
 How do you study science?
 What’s the most difficult part of studying science?
 How has the science that you have studied helped you?

6. Pollutions

 Is there anything being polluted in your hometown?
 What are the common types of pollutions in the countryside?
 What are the causes of those pollutions?
 Have you ever done anything to help the environment?

7. Dream

 How long can you remember your dream when you wake up?
 Do you like hearing others dream?
 Do you think dream will affect life?
 Do you often have dream at night?
 Have you had a bad dream before?
 What was the strangest dream you have had?
 What do you usually dream about?

8. Alone

 When was the last time you were alone? 304

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 What do you like to do when you are alone?
 Do you wish to have more time alone?
 Is it important to have some time alone?

9. Efficiency

 Do you prefer to study in the morning or in the evening?
 Why do some people find it difficult to focus in the morning?
 What do you do to improve your efficiency?

10. Street markets

 Do you currently live in a house or a flat/ apartment?
 Are street markets common in your country?
 What is usually sold there?
 Do you think people like street markets? Why?

11. Transports

 Do you know how to drive?
 Do you have a car?
 Do you drive your car very often?
 Do you think everyone should get a drivers’ license?
 Do you think driving skills are important?
 How often do you hire a taxi?
 When was the last time you travelled by taxi?

12. Sharing

 Do you like to share things with your friends?
 Do you have anything to share with others recently?
 Did your parents teach you to share with others when you were a child?
 How do you think parents could encourage their children to share?
 What kinds of things do you like to share with others?
 Are you willing to share your favourite possessions?
 Is there anything that you would not share with others?
 Do you think there will be a car-sharing in the future?

13. Colours

 What colour do you like the most? 305
 Do you usually wear clothes in your favourite colour?
 What colour clothes did you wear when you were a child?
 Did you have bright-coloured clothes when you were young?
 Are there any colours you dislike?

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 Does the colour of things influence you when you are shopping?
 Are there any colours that have a special meaning in your country?
 Do you think different types of people like different colours?

14. Cooking / Food

 Do you like cooking?
 How often do you cook?
 Do you usually eat at home or do you usually eat out?
 Do you know how to cook?
 Would you like to learn how to cook?
 Can you explain why many people enjoy cooking?

15. Painting/Drawing

 Are you interested in painting and drawing?
 What do you like to draw?
 Did you ever learn how to draw or paint?
 Do you like to have pictures in your home?
 If someone wanted to draw a picture of you, would you agree

16. Parks/ Gardens

 Do you often go to a park or a public garden?
 When was the last time you went to a park / public garden?
 Can you suggest how parks in your city could be improved?
 Do you prefer a park with open space or recreational facilities?

17. Photos

 Do you like taking photos?
 How often do you take a photo?
 How do you keep your photos?
 Do you prefer to take pictures by yourself, or to have others take them for

you?
 Do you like to take pictures of your hometown?

18. Shoes

 How often do you buy shoes?
 Do you ever to buy shoes online?
 How many shoes do you have?
 Do you prefer comfortable shoes or fashionable shoes?
 Do you know anyone who likes to buy a lot of shoes?

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19. Teachers

 Do you have a favourite teacher?
 What makes a good teacher?
 Do you think teachers should be strict?
 In what ways do you think teachers and parents are different when teaching

young people?
 Would you like to be a teacher?

20. Watches

 Do you usually wear a watch?
 What kind of watch do you wear?
 Do most people in your country (still) wear a watch nowadays?

21. Weather/ Season

 Which season do you like best? / Do you prefer a warm, or a cool climate?
 Are there four different seasons in your hometown?
 Do you do different things in different weather (or different seasons)?
 Would you prefer to live in a place that has the same weather all year, or a

place that has four seasons?
 Does the weather change often where you live?
 Do you like it when it’s raining?
 Do you feel the climate is changing?
 Do you think the weather is more important to people who play sports?

==> Sample Answer

22. Sunglasses 307

 Do you wear sunglasses?
 Have you ever lost your sunglasses?
 Have you ever bought expensive sunglasses?
 Where can you buy sunglasses?
 Do many people in your country wear sunglasses?
 Would you buy sunglasses as a gift for someone?

23. Morning Routine

 Do you like to get up early in the morning?
 What do you usually do in the mornings?
 Do you think breakfast is important?
 Did you have the same morning routine in the past?

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 Do you have the same routine every day of the week?
 Would you like to change your morning routine in the future?

24. Sports

 Do you like sports?
 Do you have a favourite athlete?
 What are some popular sports in your country?
 Do you prefer individual or team sports?
 Is there any sport that you would like to try in the future?

25. Sleep

 How many hours do you sleep every day (or, every night)?
 Did you sleep more in the past than you do now?
 Do you think it’s good to have a nap during the day?
 Have your sleeping habits changed since you were younger?
 Do you think old people need more sleep than young people?
 Do you think it’s important to have enough sleep (each day/night)?

26. Pets/ Animals

 Have you ever had a pet?
 Do many people in your country have a pet?
 Is there any animal you would like to have as a pet?
 What animal would you not like to have as a pet?

27. The Sky

 Do you often look at the sky?
 Do you prefer to look at the sky in the daytime, or at night?
 Can you see the moon and stars at night where you live?
 Is there a good place to look at the sky where you live?
 Do school students learn much about planets and the stars (at school) in your

country?

28. Films/ Movies

 Do you like to watch movies? (Why?) 308
 How often do you go to a cinema?
 What types of films do you like to watch?
 Do you have a favourite movie star?
 Are any foreign movie stars famous in your country?
 Have you ever seen a movie star in real life?
 Do you prefer to watch a film alone or with others?

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 Has your taste in movies changed since you were younger?
 Would you like to be a movie star?

29. Crowded place

 Do you like (to go to) crowded places?
 Do you prefer to go to crowded places or places that have few people?
 What are the most crowded places in your hometown (or where you are living

now)?
 When was the last time you were in a crowded place?
 How do you feel when you are in a crowded place?
 Would you say people with the same interests usually get along with each

other when they are in a crowd?

30. Tea & Coffee

 Do you prefer to drink tea, or coffee?
 Which is more popular in your country, drinking tea or drinking coffee?
 When was the last time you drank some tea or coffee?
 When you go out do you most often drink tea, or coffee?
 Do people in your country ever give tea as a gift?
 Do people in your country usually offer tea, or coffee to guests who visit them

at home?

31. Public holidays

 Does your country have many public holidays?
 What public holidays do you have in your country?
 Why do you have those holidays?
 Would you say most people in your country know why you have those

holidays?
 Do you have a favourite holiday?
 What do you usually do during a holiday?
 Do you think these holidays are important?
 Do you think there should be more public holidays?

32. Letters and Emails

 Do you use email?
 How often do you write emails?
 Do you think it’s important to reply to emails immediately after you receive

them?
 Do you prefer to use email or text messaging?
 Do you like to receive handwritten letters and cards?
 Do you prefer to write on a computer or to write using a pen?

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 Would you say your handwriting is easy for others to read?
 Do you think a person’s handwriting reflects their personality?

33. Drinking-Water

 Do you like to drink water?
 How often do you have a drink of water?
 Do you prefer to drink bottled water or tap water?
 Is bottled water very expensive in your country?
 Would you say it’s important to drink water?

34. Bags

 Do you like bags?
 Do males and females generally use the same kinds of bags?

Speaking PART 1 TOPICS (SEPTEMBER

TO DECEMBER 2018)

1. Study

 What’s your major?
 Do you like it?
 How do you like your courses?
 (if you do not have a major yet) Which major do you want to choose in

college? Why?
 Will you change it if you have the chance ?
 Which major will you change it to?
 Is it different from what you had in mind?
 Why did you choose that major?

2. Work /Job

 Do you work or are you a student?
 What work do you do?
 What specific things do you do on your job?
 Why did you choose that job?
 What do you like most about your job?
 Would you recommend that job to others?
 What did you do on the first day of your job?
 Do you think this job has a bright future?
 What are the most interesting and the difficult part of your job?

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3. Rain

 Does it always rain in your city?
 In which season does it rain the most often?
 What do you usually do on rainy days?
 Have you ever forgotten to take the umbrella on a rainy day?

4. Holiday

 What is your favorite type of holiday?
 What do you do on holidays?
 Do you like short holidays or long holidays?

5. Music

 Do you often (like to) listen to music?
 When do you listen to music?
 How much time do you spend listening to music every day?
 What kinds of music do you like to listen to?
 What’s your favorite kind of music?
 Have you ever been to a concert before?
 Do you like to listen to live music?
 When did you start listening to this type of music?
 Where do you listen to it?
 How do you feel when you listen to this music?
 Do you like listening to songs?
 Have you ever been to a musical performance?
 Have you ever learned to play a musical instrument?
 Is music an important subject at school in your country?
 Did you often listen to music when you were a child? (If yes give details.)
 What kinds of music arc (most) popular in your country?

6. Season/Weather

 What’s the best season of the whole year?
 What do people normally do in that season?
 What’s the weather usually like in your country (or, your hometown)?
 How is the weather here different to the weather in your home country?
 Would you say the weather in your hometown is suitable for working (or studying)?
 Would you like to move to a place with different weather?
 What sort of weather do you like the most?
 What season (or weather) do you think is most suitable for work and/or

study?

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