80 questions to practice speaking English, with model answers

The best questions to practise speaking English are the ones you will really be asked: about you, your day, your opinions, your plans and your past. Here are 80, in 8 sets that go from easy warm-ups to C1 discussion. Each set has a model answer, follow-up questions to keep talking, and phrases to use, plus a simple formula for answering any question in four sentences.

By The YoFluent teamUpdated 14 min read

The YoFluent cat chatting next to the title: Questions to practise speaking English
On this page
  1. How to answer any question: the 4-sentence formula
  2. 1. Warm-up questions about you (A2–B1)
  3. 2. Daily life and habits (A2–B1)
  4. 3. Everyday opinion questions (B1)
  5. 4. “What would you do?” questions (B1–B2)
  6. 5. Describe and explain (B1–B2)
  7. 6. Stories and past experiences (B1–B2)
  8. 7. Work and study questions (B1–B2)
  9. 8. Deeper discussion questions (B2–C1)
  10. How to practise with these questions on your own (10 minutes)
  11. Questions for speaking tests and interviews
  12. FAQ
  13. Sources

How to answer any question: the 4-sentence formula

Short answers end conversations; long, unplanned answers get lost. A simple structure gives you 20–40 seconds of clear speaking for almost any question:

  1. Answer the question directly: “For me, a mix of both is best.”
  2. Give a reason: “At home I can focus on long tasks.”
  3. Add an example or detail: “I save an hour of travel every day.”
  4. Wrap up or add a twist: “So two or three days at home is ideal.”

Here is the same question answered at three levels. Notice that the higher answers are not about rare words: they add a reason, an example and a link.

LevelAnswer to “Do you like cooking?”
A2Yes, I like cooking. I cook pasta. It is easy.
B1Yes, I really enjoy it, especially at the weekend, because I have more time. My speciality is a chicken curry my mother taught me.
B2I do, although I don’t have much time for it during the week. At the weekend, though, I like trying new recipes; last Sunday I made fresh pasta for the first time, and it was much easier than I expected.

1. Warm-up questions about you (A2–B1)

Every conversation and every speaking test starts here. Answer these well and you start with confidence.

1.The 10 questions

Level A2–B1. Answer each in 3–5 sentences.

  1. Where are you from, and what is it like there?
  2. What do you do: do you work or study?
  3. How do you usually spend your weekends?
  4. What is something you are good at?
  5. Who do you live with?
  6. What kind of music do you listen to?
  7. What is your favourite time of the year? Why?
  8. Do you prefer mornings or evenings?
  9. What was the last thing that made you laugh?
  10. Why are you learning English?

Follow-up questions: What is the hardest part for you? · How long have you been learning? · What do you do to practise?

Useful phrases: Mainly for… · The main reason is… · To be honest,… · My goal is to…

2. Daily life and habits (A2–B1)

These practise the present simple and frequency words (usually, sometimes, hardly ever), which most learners overuse or misplace.

2.The 10 questions

Level A2–B1. Answer each in 3–5 sentences.

  1. What does a normal weekday look like for you?
  2. How do you get to work or school, and how long does it take?
  3. What do you usually have for lunch?
  4. How much time do you spend on your phone each day?
  5. Do you cook? What is your best dish?
  6. What do you do to relax after a long day?
  7. How often do you exercise?
  8. What is one habit you would like to change?
  9. Where do you usually go shopping?
  10. What is the first thing you do when you wake up?

Follow-up questions: Why do you think it is hard to change? · Have you tried before? · What habit are you proud of?

Useful phrases: I usually… · I tend to… · Most days,… · I’ve started…

3. Everyday opinion questions (B1)

Giving an opinion with a reason is the core skill of intermediate speaking, and the B1 step most learners need to make.

3.The 10 questions

Level B1. Answer each in 3–5 sentences.

  1. Is it better to live in a city or in the countryside?
  2. Should children have smartphones? From what age?
  3. Is it better to work from home or in an office?
  4. Are online friends real friends?
  5. Is it important to learn to cook?
  6. Do you think people spend too much time on social media?
  7. Is it better to travel alone or with friends?
  8. Should public transport be free?
  9. Do you prefer films at the cinema or at home?
  10. Is it rude to use your phone during a meal?

Follow-up questions: What would your boss say? · Does it depend on the job? · How has this changed in the last few years?

Useful phrases: For me,… · On the one hand,… on the other hand,… · It depends on… · So overall, I’d say…

4. “What would you do?” questions (B1–B2)

Hypothetical questions train the second conditional (If I had…, I would…), which learners often avoid in conversation.

4.The 10 questions

Level B1–B2. Answer each in 3–5 sentences.

  1. If you could live in any country for a year, where would you go?
  2. What would you do with an extra free day every week?
  3. If you could learn any skill instantly, what would it be?
  4. What would you do if you found a wallet in the street?
  5. If you could change one thing about your town, what would it be?
  6. What job would you do if money didn’t matter?
  7. If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be?
  8. What would you take to a desert island?
  9. If you could speak perfect English tomorrow, what would you do first?
  10. What would you do if you lost your phone on holiday?

Follow-up questions: Why haven’t you done it yet? · What would your family say? · Would you get bored?

Useful phrases: I think I’d… · If I had…, I’d… · Realistically,… · I’d probably…

5. Describe and explain (B1–B2)

Describing a place, a person or a process builds vocabulary and teaches you to organise a longer answer, as in IELTS Part 2.

5.The 10 questions

Level B1–B2. Answer each in 3–5 sentences.

  1. Describe your favourite place in your town.
  2. Describe a person who has influenced you.
  3. Explain how to make a dish from your country.
  4. Describe the best gift you have ever received.
  5. Describe a typical celebration in your culture.
  6. Explain how to get from the airport to your home.
  7. Describe an app you use every day and why.
  8. Describe your ideal home.
  9. Explain the rules of a game or sport you know.
  10. Describe a photo on your phone that you like.

Follow-up questions: Are you still in contact? · What did you learn from her? · What makes a good manager?

Useful phrases: I’d like to talk about… · What I remember most is… · The reason is that… · Today I…

6. Stories and past experiences (B1–B2)

Telling a short story trains past tenses and linking words (first, then, in the end), the skills you need for small talk and interviews.

6.The 10 questions

Level B1–B2. Answer each in 3–5 sentences.

  1. Tell me about a trip you will never forget.
  2. What is the best decision you have ever made?
  3. Tell me about a time you got lost.
  4. What was your first job like?
  5. Tell me about a time you were really nervous.
  6. What is a mistake you learned from?
  7. Describe a day that didn’t go as planned.
  8. Tell me about a time you helped someone.
  9. What is your best childhood memory?
  10. Tell me about something you achieved that you are proud of.

Follow-up questions: What did you learn from it? · Would you do anything differently? · Do you still get nervous?

Useful phrases: It was about… ago. · At first,… then… · In the end,… · Looking back,…

7. Work and study questions (B1–B2)

These are the questions you hear in job interviews, networking and the first meeting with a new team.

7.The 10 questions

Level B1–B2. Answer each in 3–5 sentences.

  1. What do you enjoy most about your job or studies?
  2. What does a good day at work look like for you?
  3. What skills do you want to improve this year?
  4. How do you deal with stress at work?
  5. Do you prefer working alone or in a team?
  6. What was the most useful thing you learned at school?
  7. Where do you see yourself in five years?
  8. How do you organise your time?
  9. Tell me about a project you worked on recently.
  10. What would make your job better?

Follow-up questions: Can you give an example? · What causes most of your stress? · What would you advise a new colleague?

Useful phrases: The first thing I do is… · Usually,… · Instead of…, I… · For example,…

8. Deeper discussion questions (B2–C1)

Abstract questions push you to compare, speculate and give balanced views, which is what B2 and C1 speaking (and IELTS Part 3) asks for.

8.The 10 questions

Level B2–C1. Answer each in 3–5 sentences.

  1. Will AI make learning languages unnecessary?
  2. Is success more about talent or hard work?
  3. How has technology changed friendship?
  4. Should university be free for everyone?
  5. What makes a city a good place to live?
  6. Is it ever right to break a rule?
  7. Why do some traditions disappear while others survive?
  8. Do people today have more free time than their grandparents?
  9. What is the biggest challenge for young people today?
  10. How will work change in the next 20 years?

Follow-up questions: What could change your mind? · How is it different for children? · What do people in your country think?

Useful phrases: I don’t think so, at least not… · It’s likely that… · That said,… · rather than…

How to practise with these questions on your own (10 minutes)

  1. Minute 0–1: read one question and think, without writing full sentences. Just note 2–3 key words.
  2. Minute 1–2: answer out loud with the 4-sentence formula. Record it on your phone.
  3. Minute 2–4: listen back. Note one mistake, one word you were missing and one place you paused too long.
  4. Minute 4–5: answer the same question again. It is always better the second time, and that is the point.
  5. Minute 5–10: answer two follow-up questions the same way.

Practising alone has one limit: nobody asks you a question you did not expect. Once a week, ask a friend, a language partner or an AI tutor to pick questions from this page at random and to ask follow-ups. That is much closer to a real conversation or a speaking test.

Questions for speaking tests and interviews

Frequently asked questions

What questions can I use to practice speaking English?

Use questions you will really be asked: about you and your daily life (A2), opinion and “what would you do” questions (B1–B2), and abstract discussion questions (B2–C1). Answer out loud in 3–5 sentences, then answer a follow-up question.

How can I practice speaking English by myself?

Pick one question a day, answer it out loud with the formula answer, reason, example, wrap-up, record yourself, listen for one mistake, and answer again. Ten minutes a day is enough to make steady progress.

How long should my answer to a speaking question be?

In conversation and in IELTS Part 1, about 3 to 5 sentences, or 20 to 40 seconds. For a “describe” question like IELTS Part 2, speak for 1 to 2 minutes.

What are good questions for intermediate English learners?

Opinion questions (Is it better to work from home or in an office?), hypothetical questions (What would you do with an extra free day?) and story questions (Tell me about a time you were nervous). They make you give reasons and use different tenses.

How do I keep a conversation going after I answer?

Add a detail the other person can ask about, then ask a question back: “And you? Do you work from home?” Follow-up questions such as “Why?” and “What happened next?” keep a conversation going.

Get asked questions you didn’t prepare

Have a voice conversation with an AI tutor who asks questions and follow-ups, then get scores for pronunciation, fluency, grammar and vocabulary. Free for 3 days on the yearly plan.

Start your free trial

Sources

  1. Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR): global scale, Council of Europe
  2. IELTS Speaking test format, IELTS