Lately I’ve been working with my students on an IELTS topic, and I thought I’d share with you some of the questions that came up. The topic was “happiness” and I’ve collected some of the questions into a sample IELTS speaking test.

Part One

What do you like to do when you are happy?

What kinds of things make you happy?

When do you feel the happiest?

What kinds of things people in your country feel happy about?

Part Two

Describe a time when you felt really happy.

You should talk about:

• What the event was
• When it occurred
• Why it was a memorable and happy event for you

And give any details of the event.

Part Three

Do you think there’s any relationship between a person’s age and their level of happiness?

Do you think people were happier in the past than they are now?

What contributes to making a happy family?

What kind of people do you think are most likely to be happy?

Are talented people happier than other people?

Some people say that they happiest days of your life are when you are in school. Do you agree?