IELTS Speaking Part 1

Baking: questions and Band 8 answers

The examiner asks three to five short questions on two or three everyday topics in the first four to five minutes. These are the 7 questions about baking in the BandLadder test bank, with sample answers for the most frequent ones. Aim for two or three sentences each: answer, reason, one detail.

Sample answers

Do you like to bake?

I absolutely love spending time in the kitchen creating sweet treats. It is incredibly therapeutic for me after a long day at the office to focus on measuring ingredients and waiting for the delicious aromas to fill the house.

What do you like to make?

My go-to choice is usually a classic lemon drizzle cake because it is simple yet always impressive. I occasionally experiment with sourdough bread, although mastering the fermentation process takes quite a bit of patience and practice.

How often do you bake?

Generally, I try to dedicate my Sunday afternoons to baking a fresh batch of cookies or muffins for the week ahead. It has become a bit of a weekend ritual that helps me prepare for the busy days following.

What do you enjoy most about baking?

The most rewarding part is definitely sharing the final results with my friends and colleagues. Seeing their genuine appreciation when they take the first bite makes all the effort of whisking and kneading worthwhile for me.

Do you think baking is a healthy method of cooking?

It really depends on what you are preparing, as some recipes involve high amounts of sugar and butter. However, compared to deep-frying, baking is certainly a much lighter alternative that allows you to control the quality of ingredients.

Is baking popular in your country?

There has been a massive resurgence in home baking lately, largely driven by popular television cooking competitions. Many people are now keen to develop their culinary skills, and you can see this trend reflected in the well-stocked baking aisles of our local supermarkets.

Details are invented. Use the shape, not the sentences: examiners mark memorised answers down.

Useful vocabulary

therapeutic: having a healing or relaxing effect on the mind
aromas: pleasant and distinct smells from food or cooking
go-to: a reliable choice for a particular purpose or situation
fermentation: the chemical breakdown of a substance by bacteria
resurgence: an increase or revival after a period of decline
culinary: concerning the practice or skill of cooking food

Focus on describing your personal habits rather than giving general facts about baking.
Use a range of adjectives to describe tastes, smells, and your personal feelings toward baking.

Answer out loud and get a band

The AI examiner asks Part 1 questions like these, listens, and scores fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, with the words that cost you.

Practise Part 1 with the AI examiner

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