IELTS Speaking Part 1

Gardens: 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 gardens 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 have a garden at your home?

Not a proper one, unfortunately. I live on the third floor of a block of flats, so I only have a small balcony. I've managed to fit a few potted herbs and a tomato plant out there, but it's definitely not the same as having a real lawn.

2

Do you enjoy spending time in gardens or parks?

Yes, I really do. Whenever the weather's decent, I like taking a book to a botanical garden near my flat. It's so peaceful, and being surrounded by greenery helps me unwind after a hectic week at work.

3

What kinds of things do people usually do in gardens?

Well, it depends on the person, really. Some people love getting their hands dirty with planting and weeding, while others just use the space to relax, host a barbecue for friends, or let their children run around in the fresh air.

4

Did you play in a garden when you were a child?

I did, all the time. My grandparents had a lovely, overgrown back garden in the countryside. My cousins and I used to spend hours climbing the old apple tree and playing hide-and-seek out there during the summer holidays.

5

Would you like to have a larger garden in the future?

I'd love that, to be honest. I'm quite keen on growing my own vegetables one day, maybe building a little greenhouse. Obviously, it takes a lot of upkeep, but I think having your own outdoor sanctuary would be completely worth the effort.

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

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8 words

Useful vocabulary

  • potted herbs

    small culinary plants grown in individual containers

  • unwind

    to relax after a period of effort or stress

  • hectic

    very busy and full of rushed activity

  • getting their hands dirty

    doing practical, physical tasks outdoors

  • weeding

    removing unwanted wild plants from soil

  • overgrown

    covered with plants that have spread freely

  • upkeep

    the regular maintenance needed to keep something in good condition

  • sanctuary

    a calm and peaceful private place

  • →If you live in a flat without private outdoor space, talk about balconies, indoor plants, or nearby public parks.
  • →Use topic-specific verbs and nouns like 'weeding', 'greenhouse', or 'flowerbeds' to show a natural vocabulary range.
  • →Contrast your childhood memories with your current home to comfortably display past and present tenses.

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More Part 1 topics

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