Do you like reading?
A yes/no question, which means the examiner is waiting to see whether you stop at "yes". Say yes or no, then what, when and why. If you don't read much, that's fine, but explain what you do instead.
Reading on your phone counts. News, long articles and comics are all reading, and an honest answer about them sounds better than pretending to love classic novels.
Sample answers at 3 bands
Same question, three answers. Read them out loud and notice what changes: not longer words, but more detail, better linking and a bit of you in it.
Yes, I like reading books. I read novels and sometimes books about history. I read before sleeping, maybe 30 minutes.
Why it scores Band 5.5: Accurate and clear, but short and simple. "Before sleeping" would be more natural as "before bed".
I do, though not as much as I'd like. During term I mostly read for my course, so in the holidays I go for something completely different, usually crime novels. I like the ones where you can guess the ending if you pay attention, though I almost never do.
Why it scores Band 7: A qualified answer, a contrast between term and holidays, and a light, natural ending. Good linking and natural phrasing.
I used to read constantly as a kid, and then sometime in my late teens my phone quietly took over. I'm trying to get the habit back. I've started leaving my phone in another room for half an hour before bed, and it's a bit embarrassing how much more I read now. Mostly non-fiction, popular science especially.
Why it scores Band 8: An honest change over time, "used to" and present perfect used accurately, and a self-aware tone. "Quietly took over" is a natural, vivid choice.
Bands are our estimate against the public IELTS Speaking band descriptors. In the real test your band comes from all three parts, not one answer.
The follow-up questions
Part 1 stays on one topic for three or four questions. These are the ones that usually come next.
- Do you prefer paper books or e-books?
- Paper, for novels. I like seeing how far I've got and I don't get distracted by notifications. For studying, though, e-books are much easier because I can search them.
- What did you read when you were a child?
- Adventure stories, mostly, and anything with maps at the front. I'd read the same few books over and over until the covers fell off.
- Do young people read less than before?
- Fewer books, maybe, but they probably read more words than ever, just on screens. The difference is that it's lots of short pieces rather than one long story.
- Is there a book you would recommend?
- Sapiens, by Yuval Noah Harari. Not everyone agrees with it, but it's very readable and it makes you think about history in a much bigger way.
Words that lift this answer
- a bookworm
- Someone who reads a lot.
- a page-turner
- A book so exciting you can't stop reading.
- fiction / non-fiction
- Invented stories / real information.
- get into a book
- Start to enjoy it and feel involved.
- I can't put it down
- You want to keep reading.
- read up on
- Read to learn about a subject.
Mistakes that cost marks here
- Answering "Yes." and stopping. Add what and why.
- "I like to read books of history". Say "history books".
- Pretending to read classics you can't discuss. Follow-up questions will show it.
Reading answers won't move your band. Saying them will.
Take a full Cambridge Speaking test: the examiner's questions are played out loud, you answer, and you get a band for fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. 10 free corrections a day.