IELTS Speaking Part 1: Social media
4 common Part 1 questions on social media, each with a sample answer at the length Part 1 actually wants.
Do you think you spend too much time on social media?
Yes, if I'm honest, I probably do spend a bit too much time on social media. It's incredibly easy to open an app for a quick check and then find that half an hour has disappeared. I've been trying to set limits recently, but it's a hard habit to break.
What do people often do on social media?
People do all sorts of things on social media these days. Most commonly, they share updates and photos of their lives, chat with friends, and follow news, trends and their favourite celebrities. Many also use it for entertainment, watching endless short videos, or even for shopping and running businesses.
Which social media apps are popular in your country?
In my country, platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp and TikTok are extremely popular, especially among younger people. Instagram is the go-to app for sharing photos, while WhatsApp is used by almost everyone for messaging. TikTok has exploded in popularity recently thanks to its addictive short videos.
Do you prefer talking to friends online or in person?
I definitely prefer talking to friends in person whenever I can. Face-to-face conversations feel far more genuine and enjoyable, as you can pick up on body language and share real experiences together. That said, online chatting is very convenient for staying in touch with friends who live far away.
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.