IELTS Speaking Part 1

Comics: 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. Here are 5 questions about comics written by BandLadder in the examiner's style, each with a Band 8 sample answer. Aim for two or three sentences each: answer, reason, one detail.
  • 5 questions
  • 5 Band 8 answers
  • 4 to 5 minutes

5 answers

Sample answers

1

Do you often read comics or graphic novels?

Not very often these days, to be honest. I used to be really into them, but now I usually just flick through webcomics on my phone during my morning commute. I still appreciate the artwork, though, especially serialised mysteries with vibrant illustrations.

2

Did you read comics when you were a child?

Absolutely, yes. I grew up reading weekly comic magazines that my parents bought from the local newsagent. My brother and I would eagerly wait for the latest issues and spend hours copying the characters into our sketchbooks. It was a massive part of my childhood.

3

What kind of comics are most popular in your country?

Superhero stories and imported manga are definitely the biggest hits, especially among teenagers. You see a lot of young people queuing outside bookshops whenever a new translated volume comes out. Having said that, digital comic strips about everyday life are also catching on quite quickly.

4

Do you prefer reading paper comics or reading them on a screen?

I definitely lean towards physical copies. There is something really satisfying about the texture of the paper and turning the pages. Plus, intricate panel layouts and colour spreads just look far crisper in print than they do on a tiny mobile phone display.

5

Would you ever consider creating your own comic strip?

I would love to, but I do not really have the artistic flair for it! I can come up with amusing storylines or quirky dialogue easily enough, but drawing the actual panels would be a struggle. Perhaps I could collaborate with a talented illustrator one day.

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

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.

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7 words

Useful vocabulary

  • flick through

    quickly look through pages or screens

  • serialised

    published in regular, sequential instalments

  • newsagent

    a shop that sells newspapers and magazines

  • manga

    a distinctive style of Japanese comic

  • catching on

    becoming increasingly popular

  • panel

    a single framed drawing in a comic

  • artistic flair

    natural creative talent for visual art

  • →If you rarely read comics, be honest and mention digital webcomics or childhood memories instead.
  • →Use specific terms such as 'illustrator', 'panel', or 'graphic novel' to demonstrate topical vocabulary.
  • →Discuss both the visual artwork and the storyline when explaining your personal preferences.

Keep practising

More Part 1 topics

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