# What is your favourite sport? IELTS Speaking sample answers

Speaking Part 1 - Hobbies

What is your favourite sport?

Source: Sample answers and examiner notes are written by Testmigo.

## Band 6 sample

My favourite sport is football. I play it since I was in primary school, and now I still play every Saturday with my colleagues in a small ground near our office. I am usually defender because I am not very fast but I am strong. Also I like to watch football on TV, my favourite team is Barcelona and I never miss the important matches. I think football is a good sport because it is good for health and you can make many friends. The only bad thing is sometimes people get injury, last year I hurt my ankle and I could not play for two month.

**Examiner notes.** This answer gives plenty of relevant detail, covering playing, watching, benefits and a drawback, so it is well extended for Part 1. The ideas are clear, but "good" is repeated ("a good sport because it is good for health") and some sentences are joined with commas. Errors such as "I play it since", "usually defender", "get injury" and "two month" show weak control of tense, articles and plurals. For Band 7, the speaker would use the present perfect correctly and choose more precise words like "keeps me fit".

## Band 7 sample

I'd have to say badminton. I started playing it seriously in secondary school, when our PE teacher entered a few of us into a regional tournament, and even though we got knocked out in the second round, I was hooked. Nowadays I play twice a week at a sports centre near my house, usually doubles with the same group of friends. What I enjoy about it is that it's much more demanding than it looks; a fast rally leaves you completely out of breath. It's also quite sociable, because we normally grab something to eat after we've finished, so it's a nice way to unwind after work.

**Examiner notes.** This answer has a clear arc from how the speaker started to why they still play. The concession "even though we got knocked out in the second round, I was hooked" is natural, and sport-specific words like "doubles" and "rally" are used accurately. The two reasons are introduced in a fairly standard way ("What I enjoy about it is... It's also"). For Band 8, the speaker would link reasons more organically and show more precise, less common vocabulary throughout.

The Band 8 sample is free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/speaking/topics/what-is-your-favourite-sport).

## More Part 1 questions on this topic

1. Did you play any sports at school?
2. Do you prefer playing sports or watching them?
3. Which sports are popular in your country?
4. Is there a sport you would like to learn in the future?

## Common questions

### How long should an IELTS Speaking Part 2 answer be?

You get one minute to prepare and then speak for up to two minutes; the examiner stops you at two. Aim to keep talking for the full time, which is usually 220 to 300 words.

### Can I use these sample answers in my test?

No. Examiners are trained to spot memorised answers, and a learned script is marked down. Use the samples to see what each band does, then answer in your own words.