IELTS Speaking Part 1

Taxis: 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 taxis 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 take taxis?

Not very often, to be honest. I usually rely on the underground or the bus because cabs can be quite pricey in my city. I only really hail one if I'm running terribly late for an appointment or if the weather turns awful suddenly.

2

When was the last time you travelled by taxi?

I think it was just last weekend, actually. I went out for dinner with a few close friends, and by the time we finished, the night buses had stopped running. We decided to split the fare on a cab back to my flat.

3

Do you prefer taking a taxi or using public transport?

Generally, I'd say public transport, mainly to save money and avoid getting stuck in heavy traffic during rush hour. That said, taxis are definitely much more convenient when I'm carrying heavy luggage, like on the way home from the railway station.

4

Is it easy to catch a taxi in your hometown?

Yes, pretty straightforward. In the city centre, you can easily flag one down on the street, but most people around my age just use a ride-hailing app on their mobile phone. A driver usually turns up within four or five minutes.

5

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

I doubt it, really. As long as public transit remains reliable and affordable, I'll stick with that. Plus, I'm trying to cut down on unnecessary spending, so splashing out on cabs wouldn't make much sense unless it's an absolute emergency.

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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7 words

Useful vocabulary

  • pricey

    fairly expensive

  • hail

    signal to a driver to stop and pick you up

  • split the fare

    share the cost of a journey between passengers

  • rush hour

    busy times of day when road traffic is heaviest

  • flag one down

    wave your hand to signal a vehicle to stop

  • ride-hailing app

    a smartphone programme used to book private car rides

  • splashing out

    spending a lot of money on something relatively non-essential

  • →Use natural transport collocations like 'split the fare' or 'flag down' instead of overly formal vocabulary.
  • →Contrast factors like cost and convenience to give balanced, well-reasoned answers.
  • →Mention specific situations, such as late-night travel or bad weather, to provide concrete examples.

Keep practising

More Part 1 topics

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