IELTS Speaking Questions: Social media
Social media questions in Part 1 are about your own habits: whether you use it, what you do there, how much time it takes, and whether it helps you keep in touch. Answer directly and add one real detail, such as the last thing you posted or looked at, and never turn it into a general essay.
Part 3 widens the topic to communication, young people, reliable information and the responsibility of platforms and governments. Prepare one clear opinion on whether social media helps or harms relationships, with an example you have seen, 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.
-
Do you use social media?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then name what you use.
-
How much time do you spend on social media each day?
How to extend itGive a rough figure, then say when you use it.
-
What do you usually do on social media?
How to extend itName one main activity, then one occasional one.
-
Do you post photos or updates yourself?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then give a recent example.
-
Do you use social media to keep in touch with friends?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then explain how it works.
-
Do you follow any public figures online?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then say why you follow them.
-
Did you use social media when you were a teenager?
How to extend itContrast then with now in one extra sentence.
-
Do you trust what you see on social media?
How to extend itGive a view, then one reason for it.
-
Have you ever taken a break from social media?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then describe how it felt.
-
Do you think social media is good for friendships?
How to extend itTake a position, then support it with one specific example.
-
Do you think children should use social media?
How to extend itGive a view, then name one benefit or concern.
-
Do you think you will use social media more or less in the future?
How to extend itSay more or less, then give one clear reason.
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.
-
How has social media changed the way people communicate?
How to structure itName the main change, then one concrete effect.
-
Is it harmful for children to use social media?
How to structure itTake a position, then concede one counterpoint.
-
Should governments control what is posted online?
How to structure itTake a position, then name one practical concern.
-
What are the advantages and disadvantages of sharing personal life online?
How to structure itCover both sides, then say which matters more.
-
Do online personalities have too much influence on young people?
How to structure itTake a side, then support it with an example.
-
Do younger and older people use social media in different ways?
How to structure itCompare the two groups, then suggest a reason.
-
How reliable is news that spreads through social media?
How to structure itState a view, then give one plausible example.
-
Does social media bring people closer or make them more isolated?
How to structure itTake a position, then weigh one benefit against one drawback.
-
Should social media companies be responsible for harmful content?
How to structure itTake a position, then name one practical difficulty.
-
How might social media change in the future?
How to structure itPredict a trend, then explain what is driving it.
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 website or app you use often Part 2 cue card, with the one-minute prep timer
- Describe a photo you like Part 2 cue card, with the one-minute prep timer
- Media and entertainment 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.
Practise this with instant AI feedback
Record your answer in the app and get your grammar, vocabulary, fluency and pronunciation analysed in seconds.
Paid app: what it costs · billing and refunds · support
More topics
Art
Part 1 and Part 3 IELTS Speaking questions on art, from drawing and visiting galleries to the role of art in schools, public spaces, cities and everyday life.
Celebrations and traditions
Part 1 and Part 3 IELTS Speaking questions on celebrations and traditions, from personal habits to their wider role in society, with a tip for every answer.
Outer space and stars
Part 1 and Part 3 IELTS Speaking questions on outer space and stars, from stargazing and curiosity about the universe to space exploration and society.