IELTS Speaking Part 1

Revision: 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 revision 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 usually revise before an exam or a test?

Yes, definitely. I couldn't imagine walking into an exam without going over my notes first. Even if it's just for a quick refresher, doing some revision helps calm my nerves, especially with subjects like history where there are loads of specific dates to remember.

2

How do you prefer to revise?

I tend to make flashcards or colour-coded mind maps rather than just reading through thick textbooks. I'm quite a visual learner, so breaking down complicated topics into bullet points and little diagrams really helps the information stick in my head.

3

Where do you usually go when you need to revise?

I generally head to the local public library because my flat can get a bit noisy with my flatmates around. The quiet atmosphere there keeps me focused, and having a clutter-free desk makes it much easier to concentrate for a couple of hours.

4

Did you have good revision habits when you were younger?

To be honest, not really. Back in secondary school, I used to leave everything until the eleventh hour and pull all-nighters right before tests. It was terribly stressful, and I usually ended up exhausted rather than properly prepared.

5

Do you think your way of revising will change in the future?

I suppose so, yeah. I reckon I'll rely more on digital audio notes and recorded lectures rather than handwriting paper summaries, mainly to save time. As my schedule gets more demanding, I'll definitely need to become more efficient.

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

  • calm my nerves

    reduce anxiety or worry before a stressful event

  • visual learner

    someone who understands information better through pictures or diagrams

  • stick in my head

    to be easily remembered for a long time

  • clutter-free

    neat, tidy, and without unnecessary objects around

  • the eleventh hour

    the latest possible moment before a deadline

  • pull all-nighters

    stay awake all night to study or work

  • demanding

    requiring a lot of time, energy, or attention

  • →Contrast your past study habits with how you study today to demonstrate a range of tenses.
  • →Focus on your own specific study methods rather than giving general advice about how people should revise.
  • →Incorporate natural study-related phrases like 'cramming' or 'flashcards' to show topic-specific vocabulary.

Keep practising

More Part 1 topics

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