IELTS Speaking Questions: Transport and Cities
Transport and cities questions in Part 1 stay personal: how you get around, whether traffic bothers you, and where you would rather live. A direct answer plus one concrete detail is enough for this part.
Part 3 turns the same theme abstract, asking about congestion, government investment in transport, and how cities might change as populations grow. Prepare two or three real details about how you travel day to day, plus one clear opinion on urban transport more broadly, 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.
-
How do you usually travel around your city?
How to extend itName a method, then why it suits you best.
-
Do you prefer public transport or driving?
How to extend itPick one, then give a practical reason.
-
How long does it take you to get to work or study?
How to extend itGive a rough time, then how you spend it.
-
Is traffic a problem where you live?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then give a specific example.
-
Did you use public transport as a child?
How to extend itContrast childhood habits with now, briefly.
-
Do you enjoy travelling by train?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then give one reason why.
-
What is transport like in your hometown?
How to extend itDescribe it briefly, then one specific detail.
-
Have you ever been late because of transport problems?
How to extend itGive a specific recent occasion, briefly.
-
Would you like to live in a big city or a small town?
How to extend itPick one, then give a practical reason.
-
Do you think your city is easy to get around?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then give a specific example.
-
Do you ever walk or cycle instead of taking transport?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then when and why.
-
What do you dislike most about travelling in your city?
How to extend itName one thing, then a brief example.
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 can cities reduce traffic congestion?
How to structure itGive one solution, then a likely effect.
-
Should governments invest more in public transport than roads?
How to structure itTake a position, then concede one counterpoint.
-
How has transport in cities changed over the past few decades?
How to structure itCompare past and present, then give one cause.
-
Do you think cities will rely less on private cars in the future?
How to structure itPredict a trend, then explain what drives it.
-
What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a big city?
How to structure itCover both sides, then say which matters more.
-
Is it the government's responsibility to make public transport affordable?
How to structure itState a stance, then one supporting reason.
-
How does poor transport infrastructure affect a country's economy?
How to structure itName one effect, then a supporting example.
-
Should city centres be closed to private cars?
How to structure itTake a position, then concede one practical limit.
-
Do people in cities and rural areas have different attitudes to transport?
How to structure itCompare the two groups, then suggest a reason.
-
How might new technology change the way people travel within cities?
How to structure itPredict a development, then say what enables 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 were late for something Part 2 cue card, with the one-minute prep timer
- Describe a city you would like to live in 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.
Practise this with instant AI feedback
Record your answer in the app and get your grammar, vocabulary, fluency and pronunciation analysed in seconds.
More topics
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.
Technology and phones
Part 1 and Part 3 IELTS Speaking questions on technology and phones, from daily habits to technology's wider effect on society, with a tip for every answer.
The environment
Part 1 and Part 3 IELTS Speaking questions on the environment, from personal habits to environmental policy and responsibility, with a tip for every answer.