IELTS Speaking Questions: Dreams and ambitions
Dreams and ambitions questions in Part 1 can mean both the dreams you have in your sleep and the hopes you have for your life, so be ready for either meaning. Answer directly, add one real detail, and keep the future questions concrete by naming a place, a job or a step you are actually taking.
Part 3 asks why ambition matters, how it differs between generations, how much pressure society puts on young people, and why some people give up on their goals. Prepare one clear opinion on the value of setting goals, with an example from someone you know, rather than a memorised answer.
Part 1 questions
Short, personal, present-tense. Answer the question directly first, then add the one detail the tip suggests — the extension is what separates a one-line answer from a Band 7 one.
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Do you often remember your dreams when you wake up?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then give one example.
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Do you ever have the same dream more than once?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then describe it briefly.
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Do you think dreams have any meaning?
How to extend itGive a view, then one reason for it.
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What ambitions did you have when you were younger?
How to extend itName one ambition, then say what inspired it.
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Have any of your childhood ambitions come true?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then explain what changed.
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What is your main ambition at the moment?
How to extend itName it, then say why it matters to you.
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Do you have any goals for the next five years?
How to extend itName one goal, then one step towards it.
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Who encourages you to follow your ambitions?
How to extend itName a person, then say how they help.
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Do you tell other people about your dreams for the future?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then explain who and why.
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Is there anything that stops you from achieving your ambitions?
How to extend itName one obstacle, then say how you deal with it.
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Do you prefer to plan carefully or take opportunities as they come?
How to extend itPick one, then give a reason from experience.
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Where do you hope to be in ten years?
How to extend itDescribe a place or role, then say why.
Part 3 questions
The same topic, pitched at the abstract level the examiner moves to after your cue card. These want reasoning — a position, a cause, an example, a concession — not a description of your own life.
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Why are ambitions important for young people?
How to structure itGive one reason, then support it with an example.
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Are people today more ambitious than previous generations?
How to structure itCompare the two generations, then suggest a reason.
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Can ambition ever be a bad thing?
How to structure itTake a position, then give a plausible example.
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Should parents encourage children to follow their dreams or to be realistic?
How to structure itTake a position, then concede one counterpoint.
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How do the ambitions of young and older people differ?
How to structure itCompare the two groups, then suggest a reason for the gap.
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What role do schools play in helping students reach their goals?
How to structure itName one role, then give a brief example.
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Does society put too much pressure on young people to succeed?
How to structure itTake a side, then weigh one benefit against one drawback.
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How does a person's background affect what they aim for?
How to structure itName one effect, then support it with an example.
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Why do some people give up on their dreams?
How to structure itGive one likely reason, then suggest a remedy.
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Do people who set clear goals tend to be happier?
How to structure itState a view, then qualify it with a counterpoint.
Say the answers out loud, then sit the whole test
Reading a question and answering it are different skills. Work through the list above aloud, then put the topic inside a full timed test where you cannot stop to think.
- Describe a goal you want to achieve in the future Part 2 cue card, with the one-minute prep timer
- Describe a job you would like to do in the future Part 2 cue card, with the one-minute prep timer
Part 1, a cue card, then Part 3 — timed, in your browser, about 13 minutes.
One cue card a day on Telegram
A new Part 2 card every morning, a vocabulary topic on Sundays.
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