Part 1 explained: everyday questions

Part 1 is the warm-up. The examiner asks simple questions about you and your daily life. There are no tricky questions here. But Part 1 sets the tone for the whole test. A confident, natural start makes the rest easier. A nervous, one-word start makes it harder.

Why this matters

Part 1 lasts 4 to 5 minutes and is marked on the same four criteria as the other parts. It's your chance to show you can speak naturally and fluently about familiar things. Many students lose marks here by giving answers that are too short or too long.

How Part 1 works

The examiner introduces themselves and checks your name and ID.
They usually ask about one of these first: your work or studies, your hometown, or your home.
Then they ask questions on two or three everyday topics.

Common everyday topics include: food, music, weather, sleep, shopping, transport, hobbies, friends, social media, birthdays, reading, sport, holidays, and the internet.

How long should answers be?

About 2 to 4 sentences, or around 15 to 25 seconds. Long enough to show your English, short enough to stay natural.

Too short	Just right	Too long
"Yes, I do."	"Yes, I really do. I usually cook on weekends, mostly simple Bangladeshi dishes like dal and rice, because it helps me relax after a busy week."	A 90-second speech about the history of cooking in your family

Example questions and natural answers

Q: Do you work or are you a student?

"I'm a student. I'm in my final year of a BBA at a private university in Dhaka, and I'm hoping to do a Master's abroad after I graduate."

Q: Do you like rainy days?

"Honestly, it depends. I love the sound of rain when I'm at home with a cup of tea, but in Dhaka heavy rain usually means flooded roads and terrible traffic, so I'm not a big fan when I have to go out."

Q: How often do you use social media?

"Probably too often, to be honest. I check it every few hours, mostly to keep in touch with friends and to watch short videos. I'm trying to cut down a bit, though."

Notice the tenses

Part 1 questions use different tenses. Answer in the same tense.

Do you...? → present simple
Did you... when you were a child? → past simple
Would you like to...? → would
Have you ever...? → present perfect

The examiner may interrupt you

If you talk for a long time, the examiner might stop you and move on. That's normal. It's not a bad sign. They have a fixed time for Part 1.

Try it yourself

Answer these out loud, in 2 to 4 sentences each:

What do you usually do on weekends?
Did you enjoy school when you were younger?
Would you like to learn a musical instrument?

Honest note

Part 1 questions come from a large bank of topics. You can't prepare an answer for every question, and you shouldn't try. Prepare by talking about many everyday topics, not by memorising answers.

Your task today

Pick five everyday topics from the list above. Record yourself answering one question on each. Check: are your answers 2 to 4 sentences?