IELTS Speaking Part 1

Gyms: 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 gyms 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 go to the gym?

Yes, I try to go about three times a week. It is brilliant for blowing off steam after a long day at work. I usually head to a leisure centre near my flat straight after my shift and do some light cardio on the treadmill.

2

What do you usually do when you work out?

Well, to be honest, I am not really into heavy weightlifting, so I tend to stick to bodyweight exercises and rowing machines. Occasionally, I will join an indoor cycling class with a colleague if I need an extra bit of motivation.

3

Did you go to the gym when you were younger?

Not really, no. When I was a teenager, I preferred playing football in the local park with my mates rather than being stuck indoors. Going to a proper gym only became part of my routine once I started university.

4

Do you prefer exercising alone or with other people?

I would definitely say on my own. When I am by myself, I can just pop my headphones in, listen to an upbeat playlist, and go at my own pace without feeling self-conscious or having to wait around for anyone.

5

Do you think you will use gyms more often in the future?

I suppose so, especially during the winter months when the weather is dreadful. However, if I ever move somewhere with a bigger garden, I would probably set up a small outdoor workout space instead of paying for a monthly membership.

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

Answer out loud and get a band

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8 words

Useful vocabulary

  • blowing off steam

    releasing stress or tension through physical activity

  • cardio

    exercise that raises heart rate and improves circulation

  • weightlifting

    the activity of lifting heavy weights for fitness

  • indoor cycling

    a high-intensity workout on a stationary bicycle

  • mates

    informal British word for friends

  • go at my own pace

    do something at a speed comfortable for oneself

  • self-conscious

    feeling excessively aware of one's appearance or actions

  • membership

    the status of belonging to a club by paying fees

  • →If you rarely go to gyms, simply explain why and mention alternative activities like walking or team sports.
  • →Incorporate natural fitness collocations like 'work out', 'bodyweight exercises', and 'monthly membership'.
  • →Keep your descriptions grounded in your everyday routine rather than giving general lectures on physical health.

Keep practising

More Part 1 topics

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