What is your favourite movie?
Resist the urge to retell the plot. The examiner doesn't need to know what happens; they need to hear you explain why you like something and describe how it made you feel.
Name it, give it one line ("it's a drama about…"), then spend the rest on your reason: a character, a scene, when you watched it or who with.
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.
My favourite movie is Titanic. It is a love story about Jack and Rose on the ship. The ship sinks and Jack dies. I like it because it is very sad and romantic.
Why it scores Band 5.5: Most of the answer is plot. "Very sad and romantic" is the only reason, and the vocabulary stays basic.
I'd probably say Spirited Away, the Japanese animated film. I first saw it when I was about ten and found it quite scary, but I've watched it again every couple of years since, and each time I notice something new. It's one of those films that seems to grow up with you.
Why it scores Band 7: A one-line description, then a personal history with the film and a thoughtful final point. Good present perfect use and natural phrasing.
I find it hard to pick one, but the film I've rewatched most is Paddington 2, which I realise sounds like a joke. It's beautifully made, very funny, and underneath it all it's about being kind to strangers, which feels more relevant every year. It's my go-to film whenever I've had a bad week.
Why it scores Band 8: A self-aware, surprising choice defended with three clear reasons and a natural closing line. "My go-to film" and "underneath it all" are precise and idiomatic.
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 watching films at home or at the cinema?
- At home, most of the time, because I can pause it and nobody is eating crisps loudly next to me. But for big action films the cinema is worth it, the sound alone makes a huge difference.
- What kinds of films do you dislike?
- Horror films. I know they're not real, but I still can't sleep properly afterwards, so it feels like paying money to have a bad night.
- Do you like watching films in English?
- Yes, it's one of the ways I practise. I started with subtitles in my language, then English subtitles, and now I can watch most things without them, unless people mumble.
- Are films from your country popular?
- They're becoming more popular, especially with the streaming platforms. A few years ago most people watched Hollywood films, but now some local series have huge audiences.
Words that lift this answer
- a must-see / my go-to film
- A film everyone should watch / the one you always choose.
- gripping / moving / predictable
- More precise than "interesting" or "boring".
- it's set in…
- Where and when the story happens.
- the plot / the ending / the soundtrack
- Parts of a film you can comment on.
- binge-watch
- Watch many episodes in one go.
- it stays with you
- You keep thinking about it after it ends.
Mistakes that cost marks here
- Retelling the whole plot. One sentence of story, the rest is your opinion.
- "It is a very interesting film". Say what about it was interesting.
- Mixing "movie" and "film" is fine. Both are correct, so don't worry about it.
Reading answers won't move your band. Saying them will.
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