Oxford IELTS Practice Tests Academic Speaking Test 4 (Online Test)

Part 1 · Question 2

How long have you lived there?

Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.

Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.

Pick up and paraphrase: lived

• What springs to mind is …
• …, and that is fairly typical where I am from.
• If I had to pick one, it would be …

Part 1 · Question 3

What do people usually do there at the weekend?

Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.

Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.

Pick up and paraphrase: usually, weekend

• It depends, but generally …
• …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
• A good example of that would be …

Part 1 · Question 4

Is there anything you'd change about your hometown?

Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.

Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.

Pick up and paraphrase: you'd, change, hometown

• I would say so, yes, mainly because …
• …, at least that has been my experience.
• On the other hand, some people would argue …

Part 1 · Question 5

Would you like to live there when you're older?

Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.

Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.

Pick up and paraphrase: you're, older

• Not particularly, no — the thing is …
• …, which makes a real difference day to day.
• That said, I can see why others might …

Part 1 · Question 6

What would you show a visitor who only had one day there?

Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.

Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.

Pick up and paraphrase: visitor

• To be honest, …
• …, which is something I have always found useful.
• The main reason for that is …

Part 1 · Question 7

What job do you do, or what job would you like to do?

Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.

Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.

• What springs to mind is …
• …, and that is fairly typical where I am from.
• If I had to pick one, it would be …

Part 1 · Question 8

How did you choose that kind of work?

Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.

Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.

Pick up and paraphrase: choose

• It depends, but generally …
• …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
• A good example of that would be …

Part 1 · Question 9

What does a typical working day look like for you?

Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.

Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.

Pick up and paraphrase: typical, working

• I would say so, yes, mainly because …
• …, at least that has been my experience.
• On the other hand, some people would argue …

Part 1 · Question 10

Do you prefer working on your own or with other people?

Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.

Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.

Pick up and paraphrase: working

• Not particularly, no — the thing is …
• …, which makes a real difference day to day.
• That said, I can see why others might …

Part 1 · Question 11

Which part of your work do you find most satisfying?

Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.

Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.

Pick up and paraphrase: satisfying

• To be honest, …
• …, which is something I have always found useful.
• The main reason for that is …

Part 1 · Question 12

Is it more important for a job to be enjoyable or well paid?

Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.

Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.

Pick up and paraphrase: important, enjoyable

• What springs to mind is …
• …, and that is fairly typical where I am from.
• If I had to pick one, it would be …

Part 1 · Question 13

What subject are you studying at the moment?

Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.

Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.

Pick up and paraphrase: subject, studying, moment

• It depends, but generally …
• …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
• A good example of that would be …

Part 2 · Question 14

Describe a person you have had to look after.

Aim for 180–220 words — the full two-minute long turn.

Use the one minute of preparation to jot a word per bullet. Take the bullets in the order they are printed, spend the most time on the last one, and close by answering the final line of the card. Keep talking until the examiner stops you.

Pick up and paraphrase: needed

• I would say so, yes, mainly because …
• …, at least that has been my experience.
• On the other hand, some people would argue …

Part 3 · Question 15

Should caring for relatives be treated as a family duty or a public service?

Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.

Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.

Pick up and paraphrase: caring, relatives, treated

• Not particularly, no — the thing is …
• …, which makes a real difference day to day.
• That said, I can see why others might …

Part 3 · Question 16

Why is unpaid care work so often invisible in a country's economic statistics?

Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.

Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.

Pick up and paraphrase: unpaid, invisible, country's

• To be honest, …
• …, which is something I have always found useful.
• The main reason for that is …

Part 3 · Question 17

How well prepared are most nations for a rapidly ageing population?

Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.

Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.

Pick up and paraphrase: prepared, nations, rapidly

• What springs to mind is …
• …, and that is fairly typical where I am from.
• If I had to pick one, it would be …

Part 3 · Question 18

What support do young carers need that they currently do not get?

Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.

Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.

Pick up and paraphrase: support, young, carers

• It depends, but generally …
• …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
• A good example of that would be …

Part 3 · Question 19

Are residential care homes a sensible solution or a last resort?

Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.

Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.

Pick up and paraphrase: residential, homes, sensible

• I would say so, yes, mainly because …
• …, at least that has been my experience.
• On the other hand, some people would argue …

Part 3 · Question 20

Could machines realistically take over parts of daily care work?

Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.

Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.

Pick up and paraphrase: machines, realistically, parts

• Not particularly, no — the thing is …
• …, which makes a real difference day to day.
• That said, I can see why others might …