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IELTS Speaking Part 1

Plants: Part 1 questions and answers

Real Part 1 questions about plants, as candidates reported them. Play each one, answer it out loud, then open a short Band 7 reply to compare.

Today's topicPlants

  • 4–5 minthe whole part
  • ~12questions
  • ~20 seach answer

Answer, add a reason or an example, then stop. The examiner moves on fast, so short and real wins.

Reported in May 2026

Question 1: Do you keep plants at home?

Yes/no questionDon't stop at yes or no. Say why.

Think of yours first, then see a Band 7 replyHide the reply

AnswerProbably yes. WhyI keep a couple of plants at home, mainly because they make my flat look nice and less bare. ExampleI’m not especially skilled, but I’ve managed to keep them alive since I moved in my current place last year.

Why it's a Band 7

  1. keep them alive This is a natural everyday phrase and shows precise plant vocabulary.
  2. look nice Nice is a vague word; attractive or welcoming would be more precise.
  3. moved in my current place A preposition slip: moved into my current place is correct.

About 16 seconds to say. Part 1 answers sit around 10 to 25.

Take it further: Do you have any plants at home? Tell me about one of them.

Question 2: Did you grow any plants when you were young?

About the pastUse the past: I used to, I remember…

Think of yours first, then see a Band 7 replyHide the reply

AnswerYes, I did. WhyI grew a morning-glory plant from seed in a recycled tin when I was about eight, mainly because my grandmother encouraged me. ExampleI remember checking it every afternoon, although I didn't know how much waters it needed.

Why it's a Band 7

  1. grew a morning-glory plant from seed This shows a useful natural phrase for starting a plant yourself.
  2. how much waters it needed A common spoken slip; the correct form is how much water it needed.

About 16 seconds to say. Part 1 answers sit around 10 to 25.

Question 3: Do you know much about growing plants?

Yes/no questionDon't stop at yes or no. Say why.

Think of yours first, then see a Band 7 replyHide the reply

AnswerNot really. WhyI know the basics, but I’m still trying to get the hang of growing them because I often forget about watering. ExampleFor example, my aunt showed me how to loosen the soil last month, and I wrote the steps on my phone.

Why it's a Band 7

  1. get the hang of growing them This natural phrase shows that the speaker is still learning.
  2. I know the basics Basics is general; watering and loosening soil would be more precise.

About 18 seconds to say. Part 1 answers sit around 10 to 25.

Question 4: Do people in your country give plants as gifts?

Yes/no questionDon't stop at yes or no. Say why.

Think of yours first, then see a Band 7 replyHide the reply

AnswerSometimes, yes. WhyPeople may give a plant as a housewarming gift because it feels personal but still practical. ExampleMy colleague brought me two small jasmine plant when I moved flats in March, and I kept them near the kitchen window.

Why it's a Band 7

  1. give a plant as a housewarming gift This is a useful collocation for gifts connected with moving home.
  2. two small jasmine plant A common spoken slip; the correct form is two small jasmine plants.

About 16 seconds to say. Part 1 answers sit around 10 to 25.

Question 5: Do you think it's easy to take care of plants?

Yes/no questionDon't stop at yes or no. Say why.

Think of yours first, then see a Band 7 replyHide the reply

AnswerIt depends. WhyI find them fairly easy to care for when they’re suited to light in my flat, but I sometimes forget to water them at weekends. ExampleLast Sunday, I mean, I noticed my aloe looked bad after I’d been out all day, so I watered it before the dinner.

Why it's a Band 7

  1. care for This phrasal verb is a natural way to mean look after.
  2. I mean This small filler makes the answer sound like natural spoken English.
  3. suited to light A missing article: suited to the light is correct.
  4. looked bad A plain choice; looked droopy would be more precise.
  5. before the dinner An extra article: before dinner is correct.

About 20 seconds to say. Part 1 answers sit around 10 to 25.

Phrases to borrow

keep something alive

/kiːp ˈsʌmθɪŋ əˈlaɪv/

Continue making a plant or animal survive.

She keeps her old aquarium fish alive with careful feeding.

grow something from seed

/ɡrəʊ ˈsʌmθɪŋ frəm siːd/

start a plant from a seed, not a young plant

She grew tomatoes from seed on her balcony.

get the hang of something

/ɡet ðə ˈhæŋ əv ˌsʌmθɪŋ/

Begin to understand how to do something.

I soon got the hang of using the new sewing machine.

give something as a housewarming gift

/ɡɪv ˈsʌmθɪŋ əz ə ˈhaʊsˌwɔːmɪŋ ɡɪft/

Present something to celebrate someone's new home.

I gave my cousin a cookbook as a housewarming gift.

care for something

/ˈkeə fə ˌsʌmθɪŋ/

Look after something carefully.

The volunteers care for injured birds at the centre.

Fill the gap

Which phrase fits?

Phrases from the answers above. Pick the one that belongs in the gap.

Your turn: answer the examiner

Do you think it's easy to take care of plants?

Answer, add a reason or an example, then stop: about 20 seconds. Nothing is uploaded.

Want a band score?Sign in free, answer the examiner's Part 1 questions out loud and get one thing to fix.

Practise Part 1

More Part 1 topics

Each question with a short Band 7 reply.

How the IELTS Speaking test works