IELTS Speaking Part 1: Buildings
5 common Part 1 questions on buildings, each with a sample answer at the length Part 1 actually wants.
Do you take photos of buildings?
Occasionally, but only if the architecture is unusual or historically significant. I’m more drawn to details like ornate doorways, stained glass, or weathered brick. A whole skyscraper rarely interests me unless the light hits it in a stunning way.
Is there a building that you would like to visit?
The Sagrada Família in Barcelona – Gaudi’s masterpiece that has been under construction for over a century. I’d love to see how the organic, nature‑inspired columns and hyperboloid structures feel in person. It’s said to be even more breathtaking inside than in photos.
What makes a building beautiful to you? (added)
Harmony between form and function – a building that serves its purpose well while also pleasing the eye. I love natural light, good acoustics, and materials that age gracefully, like stone or wood. Cookie‑cutter apartment blocks feel soulless to me.
Do you prefer modern or traditional buildings? (added)
I appreciate both for different reasons. Traditional buildings have craftsmanship and local character that mass‑produced modern ones often lack. But well‑designed modern buildings with clean lines and sustainable features can be stunning too. The best cities mix old and new.
Have you ever visited a famous building that disappointed you? (added)
Yes, the Leaning Tower of Pisa – it’s smaller and more crowded than I expected. The area around it felt like a tourist trap with souvenir stalls and overpriced food. Still, I’m glad I saw it once; it just didn’t live up to the postcard magic.
Reading a model answer is not the same as saying one. The sample above shows what a strong Part 1 answer sounds like. What it cannot tell you is how yours sounds — whether you hesitate, repeat the question back, or run out of things to say at forty seconds.
You can record an answer to this exact question and get it marked on fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and pronunciation — the same four criteria the examiner uses.
Common questions
How long should Part 1 answers be?
Two or three sentences. Part 1 is a warm-up and one-word answers stall the conversation, but a ninety-second speech on your home town is the wrong length too — the examiner has a list of questions to get through.
How long does Part 1 last?
Four to five minutes, covering three familiar topics. Your identity is checked first, then the questions start.
Can I ask the examiner to repeat a question?
Yes, and it costs you nothing. Asking for a repeat is normal conversational English; guessing at a question you misheard and answering the wrong one is far more damaging.
Model answers written and reviewed by The English All-in-One IELTS team. They are teaching models showing what each band looks like, not real candidate scripts.