IELTS Speaking Questions: Teachers
Teacher questions in Part 1 ask about people you remember: a favourite teacher, how you got on with them, and what they taught you beyond the subject. A short story with one detail, such as something a teacher said to you, makes the answer personal without needing long preparation.
Part 3 asks what makes teaching effective, how the role has changed, whether technology could replace teachers, and how teachers are treated in society. Prepare one clear opinion on what a good teacher does, with an example from your own schooling, 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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Who was your favourite teacher at school?
How to extend itName the teacher, then say what made them special.
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What qualities do you think a good teacher needs?
How to extend itName one quality, then give a short reason.
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Did you get on well with your teachers when you were young?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then give one example.
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Was there a teacher who influenced your choice of subject?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then explain how it happened.
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Do you prefer teachers who are strict or friendly?
How to extend itPick one, then give a reason from experience.
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What is the relationship between students and teachers like in your country?
How to extend itDescribe the relationship briefly, then add one specific example.
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Do you still keep in touch with any of your teachers?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then add one detail.
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Do you learn better from a teacher or by yourself?
How to extend itPick one, then give a reason about your habits.
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Is there anything you would change about the way you were taught?
How to extend itName one change you would make, then explain why.
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Have you ever taught something to someone else?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then describe what and to whom.
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Have you ever wanted to become a teacher?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then give one reason.
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Would you like to be taught by a teacher from another country?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then give one 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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What makes a teacher effective?
How to structure itName one quality, then support it with an example.
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Is the role of teachers more important today than in the past?
How to structure itState a view, then one likely cause.
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Do teachers receive enough respect in society?
How to structure itTake a position, then support it with one specific example.
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Could technology ever replace teachers?
How to structure itTake a side, then concede one counterpoint.
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Should teachers be trained for longer before they start working?
How to structure itTake a position, then name one practical concern.
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of strict classrooms?
How to structure itCover both sides, then say which matters more.
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How do teaching methods differ between primary and secondary schools?
How to structure itCompare the two, then suggest a reason for the gap.
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Should students be allowed to give feedback on their teachers?
How to structure itTake a position, then concede one practical concern.
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Why do some people choose not to become teachers?
How to structure itGive one likely reason, then suggest a remedy.
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How might teaching change over the next twenty years?
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 time you taught someone something Part 2 cue card, with the one-minute prep timer
- Describe a subject you enjoyed at school Part 2 cue card, with the one-minute prep timer
- Describe a person who has inspired you Part 2 cue card, with the one-minute prep timer
- Education and studying 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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