IELTS Speaking Questions: Street markets
Street market questions in Part 1 stay personal and practical: whether you go, what you look for, who goes with you, and how a market compares with a supermarket. Keep answers to a direct reply plus one concrete detail, such as a sound, a smell or a particular stall you remember.
Part 3 widens the theme to the role of markets in community life, the pressure from large shops and online buying, and what cities lose or keep when old market areas change. Prepare one real market you know well and one clear opinion on whether traditional markets still matter, 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 ever go to street markets?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then name one you know.
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What kinds of things are sold at markets near you?
How to extend itName two or three items, then say which interests you.
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How often do you visit a street market?
How to extend itGive a rough frequency, then say what usually brings you there.
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Do you prefer street markets or supermarkets?
How to extend itPick one, then give one practical reason for it.
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Who do you usually go to the market with?
How to extend itName a person, then say what you do together.
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What do you like about the atmosphere of a market?
How to extend itDescribe one sound or sight, then say how it feels.
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Do you like chatting with the people who sell things?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then give a short example.
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Did you visit markets when you were a child?
How to extend itContrast childhood visits with now in one extra sentence.
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Is there a market in your area that tourists enjoy?
How to extend itName it, then say what visitors usually look for.
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What is the best time of day to visit a market?
How to extend itName a time, then explain why it suits you.
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Do you prefer markets that are indoors or outdoors?
How to extend itPick one, then give a reason about weather or comfort.
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Would you like to visit a famous market in another country?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then name a place or 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.
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Why do street markets stay popular when there are so many large shops?
How to structure itGive one reason, then support it with an example.
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How are traditional markets different from modern shopping centres?
How to structure itCompare the two, then say which people value more.
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Do street markets help local communities?
How to structure itTake a position, then name one concrete benefit.
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Do you think street markets will disappear in the future?
How to structure itPredict an outcome, then explain what drives it.
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How do markets add to a city's character for visitors?
How to structure itName one contribution, then give a brief example.
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Should local councils protect old market areas from redevelopment?
How to structure itTake a position, then concede one practical concern.
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of shopping at outdoor markets?
How to structure itCover both sides, then say which matters more.
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Do people of different ages use markets in different ways?
How to structure itCompare two groups, then suggest a reason for the gap.
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How has online shopping affected small traders?
How to structure itName the main effect, then one likely consequence.
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Is fresh food from markets better for health than packaged food?
How to structure itState a view, then weigh one benefit against one doubt.
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 place you visited that you would recommend to others 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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