IELTS Speaking Part 1: Spare time
4 common Part 1 questions on spare time, each with a sample answer at the length Part 1 actually wants.
What do you usually do in your spare time?
In my spare time, I enjoy a mix of relaxing and productive activities. I love reading, watching films and catching up with friends, but I also try to exercise and pursue my hobbies. Essentially, I like to strike a balance between unwinding and doing something meaningful.
Do you have enough spare time?
Honestly, not as much as I'd like. Between work, studies and daily responsibilities, my free time can be quite limited during the week. I do my best to make the most of the little time I have, especially at weekends, but I could always use more.
Did you have more spare time when you were younger?
Yes, definitely — I had far more free time as a child than I do now. Back then, my only real responsibility was school, so I could spend hours playing and doing whatever I liked. As I've grown older and taken on more responsibilities, my free time has shrunk considerably.
How do your friends spend their spare time?
My friends spend their spare time in various ways, depending on their interests. Some are really into sports and going to the gym, while others prefer relaxing activities like gaming, watching series or meeting up for coffee. Whenever we can, though, we love to get together and socialise.
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.