Speaking Practice · Week 2 (Reading) · Day 4
Speaking Part 1 · Friends, Family & People
Download PDF ↓About today's practice
The last ‘pure’ Part 1 set before we step up to the long turn. People topics are warm and easy to extend with anecdotes — let students tell tiny stories, since that’s exactly the skill Part 2 will demand tomorrow.
Part 1 has no planning time in the real test. Read each question and answer on the spot in two to three full sentences — that on-your-feet fluency is exactly what this builds.
Questions — Friends, Family & People
- Do you have a large family or a small one?
- Who are you closest to in your family?
- Do you have many friends, or a few close ones?
- How did you meet your best friend?
- Do you prefer spending time with family or with friends?
- What makes someone a good friend, in your view?
- Do you keep in touch with friends from childhood?
More questions — build a bank
Family
- How much time do you spend with your family?
- Are you similar to anyone in your family?
- How have families in your country changed over time?
- Do you live near your relatives?
Friends
- How do most people make new friends as adults?
- Is it easy to stay friends with people who move away?
- Do you prefer a few close friends or a large group?
- What do you and your friends usually do together?
People in general
- What qualities do you admire most in people?
- Is it important to get on with your neighbours? Why?
- Do you find it easy to talk to people you’ve just met?
- Who has had the biggest influence on you?
- Do you think people are friendlier in small towns or big cities?
Example answers — short reply grown into a full one Large family or small? Fairly large by today’s standards — I’ve got three siblings and a lot of cousins nearby. It was noisy growing up, but I’m grateful for it; there was always someone to turn to. How did you meet your best friend? We actually met on the first day of secondary school — we were sat next to each other alphabetically, of all things. Fifteen years later we still talk most weeks, so that random seating plan worked out well. What makes a good friend? For me it’s reliability more than anything — someone who shows up when it actually matters, not just when it’s easy. The fun is a bonus; the trust is the real thing.
Pair-work sequence (~30 min)
▸ Interview · 13 min — A asks every question, B answers (~6 min); swap so B asks and A answers (~6 min). The examiner-partner keeps the pace brisk, like the real test, and resists chatting back. No planning — straight in. ▸ Extend & re-run · 13 min — New partner. Run the set again — but now every answer must carry a reason (“because…”) and one example or detail. Faster, more natural delivery. ▸ Feedback · 4 min — Whole-class: read out two answers you overheard that grew from one word into a full, natural reply.
Listen for / feedback: Mark any answer that stops at one word — push that student for a reason and a detail. Praise natural extenders: “Well, actually…”, “I’d say…”, “It depends, but…”. Note tense slips (“I go yesterday”) for a quick thirty-second correction at the end.
Flexibility: Short on time today? Assign the whole set as paired home practice — a quick voice call or an in-person run — and have each student record one answer to bring back. If the room runs ahead of schedule, this slots straight in after the wrap-up.