IELTS Speaking Part 1: Weather and seasons
A safe-looking set that exposes weak vocabulary fast. Examiners listen for weather words beyond "hot" and "cold" and for a reason behind a preference.
Questions and sample answers
1. What is the weather usually like where you live?
Hot and humid for most of the year. We get heavy rain during the monsoon, from around June to September.
2. Which season do you enjoy most, and why?
Winter, without a doubt. It’s only a couple of months long, but it’s cool and dry, which makes it the best time to be outside.
3. Does the weather ever change your plans?
All the time. During the monsoon a sudden downpour can flood the roads, so I often have to cancel plans at the last minute.
4. Do you prefer hot weather or cold weather?
Cold weather, definitely. You can always put on another layer, but there’s not much you can do when it’s forty degrees.
Each sample is two to four sentences: the answer, a reason or example, then stop. Use them to hear the shape, not to memorise. Examiners are trained to spot a rehearsed answer, and it costs fluency marks.
Language this topic rewards
- humid / muggy / mild: Precise weather adjectives.
- a sudden downpour: A strong collocation for heavy rain.
- it puts a damper on …: An idiom for weather spoiling plans.
- put on another layer: A natural phrase for coping with cold.
- without a doubt: Shows a firm preference.
The trap on this topic
Saying "The weather is good" or "The weather is hot." Both are true and score nothing. Use one precise adjective and one consequence.
Answer these out loud and get marked
The Part 1 practice runs the interview the way the examiner does: your work or studies first, then two topic sets. It records you, transcribes what you said and marks it on the four official criteria.
Start Part 1 practiceMore Part 1 topics
Ready for the long turn? Browse the Part 2 cue cards.