IELTS Speaking Questions: Old buildings
Old buildings questions in Part 1 are about what you see and feel around you: whether there are old buildings nearby, whether you like them and whether you would live in one. Answer directly, then add one visual detail, such as a doorway, a wall or a square, to make the answer concrete.
Part 3 turns to heritage, asking why old buildings should be protected, who should look after them and how a city can grow without losing its past. Prepare one clear view on restoring versus rebuilding, one example of an old building used in a new way, and practise stating a position before conceding a practical difficulty.
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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Are there any old buildings in the area where you live?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then describe one.
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Do you like old buildings?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then give one reason.
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Have you ever visited an old building or monument?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then describe one visit.
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What do you notice about old buildings when you walk past them?
How to extend itName one feature, then say why it stands out.
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Would you like to live in an old building?
How to extend itPick a side, then give a practical reason.
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Do you prefer old buildings or modern ones?
How to extend itPick one, then give one reason.
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What is the oldest building you know of?
How to extend itName it, then say what you know about it.
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Do people in your town look after old buildings well?
How to extend itGive a short view, then one example.
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Did you often visit old buildings when you were a child?
How to extend itContrast then with now in one extra sentence.
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Do you take photographs of old buildings?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then name one you photographed.
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Are old buildings popular with visitors to your town?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then give one example.
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Would you like to learn more about the history of a building near you?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then name which building.
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 should old buildings be protected?
How to structure itGive one cultural reason and one practical reason.
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Is it better to restore an old building or to build a new one in its place?
How to structure itPick one, then weigh the other option.
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Who should be responsible for looking after historic buildings?
How to structure itTake a position, then concede one practical concern.
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How can old buildings be used in new ways?
How to structure itSuggest one use, then explain its benefit.
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Do old buildings help attract visitors to a city?
How to structure itState a view, then give one concrete example.
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in an old building?
How to structure itCover both sides, then say which matters more.
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How do old buildings affect the character of a neighbourhood?
How to structure itName one effect, then give an example.
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Should owners of old buildings be allowed to change them?
How to structure itTake a stance, then name one reasonable limit.
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Do young people care as much about old buildings as older people do?
How to structure itCompare the two groups, then suggest a reason.
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How might cities balance new development with protecting the past?
How to structure itPropose one approach, then explain why it could work.
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 building or structure you find impressive Part 2 cue card, with the one-minute prep timer
- Describe a historical place you have visited Part 2 cue card, with the one-minute prep timer
- Cities and transport vocabulary 30 band-graded phrases and a self-test
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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