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Latest IELTS Speaking questions from the UAE – April 2025

A very kind IELTS trainer from the UAE (thank you, AL!) shared the Speaking questions his student recently had in his IELTS exam, below:

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– Where do you live?
– What do you like about your hometown?
– Do you work or are you a student?
– Why do you enjoy your work or studies?
– Do you like meeting new people?
– Who is someone you met recently?
– Do you like to challenge yourself?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe a time when you faced a difficult challenge. You should say:

– what the challenge was
– when it happened
– how you dealt with it

and explain how you felt about overcoming (or facing) this challenge

Part 3 (Discussion)

– What are the benefits of children facing challenges?
– How can challenges help people grow or improve?
– Do you think schools should create more challenging situations for students?
– What kinds of challenges are common in the workplace?
– Is it important for adults to keep challenging themselves? Why or why not?
– Can facing challenges sometimes have negative effects on people?

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New IELTS questions from Canada – April 2025 (Academic Module)

Thanks to our subscriber, today we are sharing the writing tasks from her recent IELTS exam in Canada.

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a report)

The table below describes the percentages of water used for 3 different purposes in 6 countries in 2005.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

* Note: this is not the original table given in the test, it was recreated for the purpose of demonstration.

Writing task 2 (an essay)

Nowadays there is less social contact between the older and the younger generation.

Why is this happening? What steps could be taken to encourage more contact between them?

The post New IELTS questions from Canada – April 2025 (Academic Module) first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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Latest IELTS Speaking questions from the UK – April 2025

The questions below were asked in IELTS in the UK very recently. We are grateful to our student VK for sharing them.

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– Do you work or are you a student?
– What kind of tasks do you usually do at work?
– How do you manage your time at work or during study?
– Who do you usually ask for help when you have a problem at work?
– Do you enjoy taking pictures?
– What kind of photos do you like to take?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe something in your home that broke and how you dealt with it. You should say:

– what it was
– who broke it
– what happened to it

and explain how you felt when you successfully fixed it.

Follow-up question: Do you fix things at home often?

Part 3 (Discussion)

– Do you think it is important to have practical skills in life?
– What are the advantages and disadvantages of relying heavily on computers?
– How does the overuse of computers affect society?
– Do you think products today last longer than in the past?
– Why do some people believe that manufacturers purposely make products less durable?
– How can consumers protect themselves from buying low-quality products?

The post Latest IELTS Speaking questions from the UK – April 2025 first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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Latest IELTS Speaking questions from Japan – April 2025

The Speaking questions below appeared in IELTS in Japan very recently, according to our student TY (thanks for sharing!):

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– Do you work or are you a student?
– What do you like most about your work or studies?
– Do you often see advertisements on TV?
– What types of ads do you notice most often?
– Do you think advertisements affect adults?
– Have you ever bought something because of an advertisement?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe an effective method you have used to learn a language. You should say:

– what the method is
– how you used it
– who you used it with (if anyone)

and explain why you found it effective.

Part 3 (Discussion)

– Is it more important to speak several languages now than in the past?
– What are the advantages of learning a foreign language?
– Do you think knowing more than one language can change the way we think?
– How does language learning influence cultural understanding?
– What challenges do adults face when learning a new language?
– Should schools teach foreign languages from an early age?

The post Latest IELTS Speaking questions from Japan – April 2025 first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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Latest IELTS Speaking questions from Taiwan – April 2025

These Speaking questions appeared in a recent IELTS exam in Taiwan, according to our subscriber GC. Here is what he remembered:

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– Where do you live?
– Can you describe your hometown?
– What do you like most about your hometown?
– Have you ever had any interesting dreams?
– Do you remember your dreams often?
– Do you think dreams have any meaning?
– Would you like to learn more about the science of dreaming?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe a long walk that you took. You should say:

– where and when you went
– who you walked with
– what you saw

and explain how you felt on the walk.

Part 3 (Discussion)

– What outdoor activities are popular in your country?
– Why do people enjoy spending time outdoors?
– Do you think children spend enough time playing outside these days?
– What leisure activities do people usually spend money on?
– How can people manage their spending when it comes to leisure activities?
– Should governments promote affordable outdoor leisure options for the public?

The post Latest IELTS Speaking questions from Taiwan – April 2025 first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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Latest IELTS Speaking questions from Canada – April 2025

Our kind friend SL remembered and shared these Speaking questions after her recent IELTS test in Canada:

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– Where do you live?
– Do you prefer living in a big city or a small town? Why?
– What do you like about the place where you live?
– What is your usual morning routine?
– Has your morning routine changed over time?
– What kind of transport is commonly used in your city?
– Do you prefer to use public transport or your own car?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe an interesting building you have seen. You should say:

– where it is
– what it looks like
– what function it has

and explain why you think it is interesting.

Part 3 (Discussion)

– Why do people like to visit historical sites and old buildings?
– Is it more important for a building to look good on the outside or on the inside?
– Is it worth spending a lot of money on a building’s appearance?
– What types of buildings are popular in your country today?
– How does modern architecture differ from traditional architecture in your country?
– Should governments invest in preserving old buildings or focus on building new ones?

The post Latest IELTS Speaking questions from Canada – April 2025 first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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Recent IELTS Speaking questions from the UAE – April 2025

Thanks to MH, we are able to share these Speaking questions from his recent IELTS exam in the UAE. Here is what he remembered:

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– Do you work or study?
– What kind of subjects are you studying?
– Is there anything you dislike about your studies?
– Did you use to draw when you were a child?
– What kind of things did you like to draw?
– Do you enjoy drawing now?
– Have your drawing skills improved since childhood?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe the job one of your grandparents did. You should say:

– what job it was
– when and where your grandparent did the job
– how long he / she did the job

and explain how you feel about this job.

Part 3 (Discussion)

– What types of jobs are considered the most challenging?
– Do you think some jobs should be paid more than others? Why?
– How important is it for companies to provide training to their employees?
– Is salary the most important factor when choosing a job?
– What other factors do people consider when choosing a career?
– Do people today change jobs more often than in the past? Why?

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Recent IELTS Speaking questions from Thailand – April 2025

Today’s questions were shared by AP who took his IELTS test in Thailand:

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– Do you enjoy learning about history?
– Do you think history is an important subject to study?
– Which country’s history would you like to study?
– Do you believe it’s necessary to remember historical facts?
– Do we still need to remember facts even though it’s easy to find them online?
– Why is it important for people to learn facts, even in the age of the internet?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe a song or a poem that you had to learn by heart. You should say:

– what it was
– when and where you learned it
– why you had to memorise it

and explain how you felt about learning it.

Part 3 (Discussion)

– Why do children learn songs more easily than adults?
– Should schools include more music or poetry classes for children?
– Do you think learning songs or poems can distract students from academic subjects?
– How can songs or poems help improve memory?
– What are the benefits of learning things by heart?
– Can songs and poems help children understand culture and language better?

The post Recent IELTS Speaking questions from Thailand – April 2025 first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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IELTS essay, topic: All types of advertising should be banned because they are damaging to society (agree/disagree)

All types of advertising should be banned because they are damaging to society. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Advertising has become an inseparable part of modern life, appearing in virtually every form of media. Some people argue that all advertising should be prohibited because of its harmful impact on society. While there are valid concerns about the negative influence of certain advertisements, I believe that a total ban would be impractical and even detrimental.

On the one hand, critics of advertising point to several ways in which it can be damaging. Firstly, advertising often promotes unrealistic standards of beauty and success, which can lead to low self-esteem, especially among young people. For example, cosmetic companies frequently feature heavily edited images, creating unattainable ideals. Advertising also encourages overconsumption and materialism by constantly pushing people to buy things they may not need. This not only fuels personal debt but also contributes to environmental degradation through increased waste and resource exploitation. Equally concerning is the fact that some advertisements target vulnerable groups, such as children, with unhealthy food or misleading claims.

Banning all types of advertising, however, would have significant drawbacks. For one, advertising is a crucial source of revenue for media outlets, allowing them to offer free content to the public. Without it, newspapers, television, and online platforms might struggle to survive, limiting access to information and entertainment. Additionally, responsible advertising helps consumers make informed choices by bringing new products and services to their attention. For example, advertisements for new technologies or healthcare products can educate the public about these useful innovations.

In conclusion, although advertising can have undesirable effects, especially when it promotes harmful stereotypes or excessive consumerism, a complete ban would be counter-productive. Instead, I believe governments should regulate advertising more strictly to minimise its negative impact while preserving its benefits.

Teacher’s feedback:

This is a strong and well-balanced essay that would comfortably sit at Band 8.

Task Response: Band 8
You’ve done a great job answering the question and showing both sides of the argument. Your position is clear throughout – that banning all ads isn’t practical, but better rules are needed – and you’ve supported it with good examples. If you wanted to go a step further, you could briefly mention some types of advertising that are clearly helpful, like health campaigns, to show a bit more balance.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 8
The structure of your essay works well. Each paragraph has a clear focus, and your ideas flow logically from one to the next. You’ve used linking words effectively, like “on the one hand” and “for example.” To make it even better, you could try adding a slightly smoother transition into the conclusion to tie everything together more naturally.

Lexical Resource: Band 8
Your vocabulary is strong and varied, and you’ve chosen your words carefully. Phrases like “overconsumption and materialism” and “unrealistic standards of beauty” show a good level of control. To push your score higher, try using some less common expressions or more advanced phrases now and then – just to show off your full range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8
You’re using a good mix of sentence types and more complex structures confidently. Everything reads clearly and accurately, which helps your ideas come across smoothly.

Submit your essay for correction and find out how to improve your Writing score.

Click here to see more IELTS essays of Band 8

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Recent IELTS Speaking questions from India – April 2025

Today, thanks to MP, we are sharing the Speaking questions from his recent IELTS exam in India:

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– Do you enjoy spending time with children?
– What were you like as a child?
– What do you remember most about your childhood?
– What is your favourite colour and why?
– Have your colour preferences changed since childhood?
– Do you enjoy driving or traveling by car?
– What kind of car would you like to have in the future?
– What is your daily routine like?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe a quality you learned or inherited from one of your grandparents. You should say:

– what the quality is
– which grandparent you got it from
– whether this quality is helpful

and explain why this quality is important to you.

Part 3 (Discussion)

– What role do grandparents play in a family?
– Do you think children benefit from living with their grandparents?
– How have relationships between grandparents and grandchildren changed over time?
– Should grandparents be involved in making decisions for their grandchildren?
– What are some traditional values that grandparents often teach?
– How can modern life affect the bond between young people and their grandparents?

The post Recent IELTS Speaking questions from India – April 2025 first appeared on IELTS-Blog.

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