Food: 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 10 questions about food 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
What sorts of food do you like eating most?
I am a massive fan of authentic Italian cuisine, particularly wood-fired pizzas with fresh toppings. There is something incredibly satisfying about the combination of melted mozzarella and a crispy base that I find hard to resist after a long day at work.
Who normally does the cooking in your home?
My partner usually takes charge in the kitchen because she is genuinely passionate about experimenting with different spices. I tend to focus more on the preparation and washing up, which keeps the domestic harmony intact while she whips up something delicious.
Do you watch cookery programmes on TV?
Actually, I am quite addicted to competitive baking shows where amateur chefs face intense time constraints. Watching them construct elaborate desserts is surprisingly relaxing, and I have picked up several useful techniques that I occasionally try to replicate in my own kitchen.
In general, do you prefer eating out or eating at home?
Most of the time, I opt for the comfort of my own dining table rather than heading to a restaurant. It is far more cost-effective, and I appreciate the ability to control exactly what goes into my meals without any hidden additives.
What kinds of food do you like most?
Spicy Asian dishes are definitely my top preference, especially Thai green curry with plenty of fresh herbs. The complex balance of heat, sweetness, and acidity creates a flavour profile that I find far more exciting than most Western alternatives.
Do you usually prefer home-cooked food or restaurant meals?
I lean towards home-cooked food since it feels much healthier and personal. While dining out is a fantastic way to socialise and experience professional culinary artistry, nothing beats the wholesomeness of a meal prepared in your own familiar surroundings.
Details are invented. Use the shape, not the sentences: examiners mark memorised answers down.
More food questions to practise
- Has your taste in food changed over time?
- What kinds of food do you usually enjoy?
- Do you prefer eating at home or eating out?
- Have your eating habits changed over the years?
Useful vocabulary
- wood-fired
- Cooked using the heat from a real wood fire.
- domestic harmony
- A peaceful and happy atmosphere within a household.
- replicate
- To make an exact copy of something or someone.
- cost-effective
- Producing good results without being too expensive to maintain.
- flavour profile
- The combination of different tastes in a specific dish.
- culinary artistry
- The creative and high-level skill of preparing fine food.
- Provide a direct answer immediately before adding extra details to support your personal opinion.
- Use varied vocabulary to describe your tastes rather than just repeating simple words like good.
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 examinerOn your phone? Get the BandLadder app.