IELTS Speaking Part 1

Sadness: 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 sadness 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

What kinds of things make you feel sad?

I think seeing people I care about go through a rough patch always gets to me. Aside from that, hearing about bad news in the world, like natural disasters, can really dampen my mood, especially when I see families losing their homes.

2

What do you usually do to cheer yourself up when you are feeling down?

Honestly, I tend to go for a long walk in the nearby park to clear my head. Getting some fresh air and listening to an uplifting podcast usually does the trick and helps me snap out of a negative mindset.

3

Do you prefer to be alone or with other people when you feel unhappy?

I'd say I usually prefer a bit of solitude at first. I like to process my thoughts in peace in my flat. Once I've gathered my thoughts, though, I might ring a close friend for a chat over coffee.

4

Do you ever watch sad films or listen to melancholy music?

Yes, quite often actually. Sometimes having a good cry during a moving film feels surprisingly therapeutic. I recently watched an emotional drama about an elderly couple, and it was genuinely touching rather than just depressing.

5

Did you express sadness differently when you were a child?

Definitely. As a child, I used to throw tantrums or burst into tears straight away if I didn't get my way. Nowadays, I'm much better at keeping my composure and talking things through rather than reacting emotionally on the spot.

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

  • go through a rough patch

    experience a difficult or challenging period

  • dampen my mood

    make someone feel less cheerful

  • clear my head

    become calm and think more clearly

  • snap out of

    quickly stop being in an unhappy state

  • therapeutic

    helping someone to feel relaxed or better

  • burst into tears

    suddenly start crying

  • keep my composure

    stay calm and control one's emotions

  • →Avoid giving overly dark or tragic examples; keep your answers light and conversational.
  • →Use a range of emotional idioms and adjectives rather than repeating the word 'sad'.
  • →Reflect on how your coping mechanisms have matured when answering questions about childhood.

Keep practising

More Part 1 topics

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