IELTS Speaking Part 1: Friends Questions and Answers

Common friends and friendship questions

Here are some useful friends IELTS Speaking questions to practise:

1. Do you have many friends?
2. How often do you see your friends?
3. What do you usually do together?
4. Do you prefer having a few close friends or lots of friends?
5. How did you meet your closest friend?
6. Have you known your friends for a long time?
7. Is it easy for you to make new friends?
8. What qualities do you look for in a friend?
9. Do you still have friends from childhood?
10. Do you prefer spending time with friends or family?
11. How do you keep in touch with your friends?
12. Have your friendships changed as you have got older?
13. Do you ever travel with friends?
14. Are your friends similar to you?
15. Do you think friendship is important?

You will not receive all of these questions. The aim is to practise enough variations that you can discuss friendship naturally without memorising complete answers.

Band 7+ sample answers

These IELTS friends sample answers show how you can develop your ideas naturally. They are examples of strong speaking style rather than scripts to memorise or guarantees of a particular IELTS band score.

Do you have many friends?

I know quite a lot of people, but I’d say I only have a small number of really close friends. I prefer having a few people I know well rather than a huge social circle.

This answer makes a useful distinction between people you know and close friends.

How often do you see your friends?

It varies. I see some of my friends every week, whereas others live quite far away, so I might only see them a few times a year. We still keep in touch online, though.

The answer uses contrast naturally and gives the speaker more language to demonstrate.

What do you usually do together?

Nothing particularly unusual. We normally go out for food, have a drink or just meet at someone’s house and catch up. For me, who I’m with is usually more important than what we actually do.

You do not need an exciting activity to produce an interesting answer.

How did you meet your closest friend?

We met through mutual friends several years ago. We got along almost immediately because we had a similar sense of humour, and we’ve stayed close ever since.

Useful expressions here include mutual friends, get along and stay close.

Is it easy for you to make new friends?

I’d say reasonably easy, although it takes me a while to consider someone a close friend. I’m quite comfortable meeting new people, but building a proper friendship obviously takes more time.

This answer avoids a simple yes/no response and introduces useful qualification.

What qualities do you look for in a friend?

Probably honesty and a good sense of humour. I also really value people who are reliable because I think it’s important to know you can depend on someone when you need them.

Rather than listing six adjectives, the speaker chooses two qualities and explains one.

Have your friendships changed as you have got older?

Definitely. When I was younger, most of my friends were people I saw every day at school or university. Now everyone has different jobs and responsibilities, so maintaining friendships takes a bit more effort.

This is a natural opportunity to compare past and present.

Useful friendship vocabulary

Good friendship vocabulary for IELTS Speaking should help you describe real relationships naturally.

Other useful expressions include:

• make friends
• become friends
• a lifelong friend
• an old friend
• a childhood friend
• a good sense of humour
• someone I can rely on
• spend time together
• hang out
• meet up
• lose touch
• get back in touch
• support each other
• share similar interests
• know someone well

Use these expressions only when they fit your real answer. Natural collocations are much more useful than trying to memorise unusual adjectives.

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Describing people naturally

Questions about friendship often require you to describe someone’s personality.

Instead of simply listing adjectives:

He’s funny, kind, friendly, helpful and intelligent.

Choose one or two characteristics and explain them:

He has a really good sense of humour, which is probably why we get along so well. He’s also very reliable, so I know I can depend on him if I need help.

Talk about personality

Useful patterns include:

He’s the kind of person who...

What I like most about her is...

We get along because...

One thing we have in common is...

I really appreciate the fact that...

For example:

She’s the kind of person who will always make time for you if you need to talk.

Explain similarities

We have quite similar personalities.

We have a lot in common.

We’re both interested in sport.

We have a similar sense of humour.

Explain differences

Friends do not have to be similar.

We’re actually quite different, but I think that’s why we get along.

He’s much more outgoing than I am.

We don’t always agree, but that has never really been a problem.

Talk about how long you have known someone

I’ve known him since school.

We’ve been friends for about ten years.

We met when we were at university.

I’ve known her for as long as I can remember.

Remember:

since + starting point

for + period of time

Common mistakes

Saying make a friend with

Unnatural:

I made a friend with him at university.

Natural:

I became friends with him at university.

Or:

We became friends at university.

You can say:

It’s easy to make friends at university.

Confusing funny and fun

Funny means someone or something makes you laugh:

My friend is really funny.

Fun means enjoyable:

She’s really fun to spend time with.

Both can describe a friend, but they mean different things.

Saying we know each other since...

Incorrect:

We know each other since 2018.

Correct:

We’ve known each other since 2018.

The friendship started in the past and continues now, so the present perfect is appropriate.

Using friend for everyone you know

There is a difference between:

• a friend
• a colleague
• a classmate
• an acquaintance
• someone I know

Using more precise relationship vocabulary can make your answer clearer.

Giving a personality list

Weak:

My best friend is kind, funny, intelligent, friendly, helpful and honest.

Better:

He’s extremely reliable. If I ever have a problem, he’s usually one of the first people I speak to.

Explain qualities rather than simply listing them.

Turning Part 1 into a Part 2 speech

If asked:

How often do you see your friends?

You do not need to spend two minutes describing your best friend’s entire life.

Answer the specific question and add one or two relevant details.

Saying contact with someone as a verb

Incorrect:

I contact with my friends online.

Correct:

I contact my friends online.

More natural in everyday speech:

I keep in touch with my friends online.

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Extra practice questions

Answer these questions aloud rather than preparing complete scripts.

1. Where do you usually meet your friends?
2. Do most of your friends live near you?
3. What do you value most in a friendship?
4. Are you still friends with people from school?
5. Do you find it easier to make friends online or in person?
6. Have you ever lost touch with a good friend?
7. Do you have friends from different countries?
8. Do you prefer meeting one friend or a group of friends?
9. Do you and your friends have similar hobbies?
10. What makes someone easy to get along with?
11. Do you often ask your friends for advice?
12. Have you made any new friends recently?
13. Is it difficult to maintain long-distance friendships?
14. Do you think you will stay close to your current friends?
15. Are friendships different now compared with when you were younger?

Quick practice method

Choose five questions and answer each one aloud.

A simple structure is:

Direct answer + reason + personal detail

For example:

Do you prefer having a few close friends or lots of friends?

Definitely a few close friends. I enjoy meeting new people, but I think proper friendships take time, so I’d rather have a small number of people I can really rely on.

Then listen to your answer and ask:

• Did I answer immediately?
• Did I explain my opinion?
• Did I use friendship vocabulary naturally?
• Did I repeat friend, good or like too often?
• Did I use the correct tense when describing how long I have known someone?
• Did I sound conversational rather than memorised?

For IELTS Speaking Part 1 friends, focus on real relationships and experiences. Be ready to discuss how often you see your friends, what you do together, how you met and the qualities you value. Natural expressions such as get along, keep in touch, catch up, have a lot in common and drift apart can make your answers more precise without making them sound rehearsed.

More IELTS Speaking practice

• Describe a Book You Have Read: Part 2
• IELTS Speaking Part 1 Free Time
• IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topics and Questions

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