IELTS Speaking Part 1: Politeness
3 common Part 1 questions on politeness, each with a sample answer at the length Part 1 actually wants.
Who taught you to be polite?
Mostly my parents, to be honest, since they were quite strict about manners when I was growing up. Teachers at school also reinforced it, particularly things like saying please and thank you. It's one of those things you absorb gradually rather than learning all at once.
How do people in your country show politeness?
There are quite a few customs, like greeting people properly, using respectful language with elders, and not interrupting when someone else is speaking. Small gestures, like holding the door open or offering your seat, are also seen as polite. A lot of it comes down to showing consideration for other people.
What rules of politeness have changed in your country since 10 or 20 years ago?
I'd say things have become a bit more relaxed overall, especially among younger people. Formal titles and strict hierarchies aren't followed quite as rigidly as they used to be. That said, the core values, like respect and kindness, haven't really changed, just the way they're expressed.
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.