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IELTS Life Skills A2 sample test 6

Answer questions about yourself, talk about a sport or activity you enjoy, listen to two conversations at a hairdresser and a garage, and talk about looking after yourself.

How to use this test. The real test is taken with an examiner and one other candidate, and it lasts up to 20 minutes. Practise with a friend if you can. If you are alone, speak your answers out loud and use the buttons to hear the examiner and your partner. The listening task is marked for you. The speaking tasks are not marked, so compare yourself with the example answers.

Phase 1a

The examiner asks you questions

4 to 5 minutes

The examiner asks you and your partner some questions in turn. Press a button to hear a question, then answer it out loud.

  • What's your name?
  • Where do you come from?
  • What do you do?
  • What do you like about your town?
  • What did you do yesterday evening?
  • What would you like to do next year?
See example answers
What's your name?
My name is Tomasz Nowak.
Where do you come from?
I come from Poland, from a small town near Krakow.
What do you do?
I'm a delivery driver. I drive a van for a supermarket.
What do you like about your town?
I like the river, because I can walk there after work.
What did you do yesterday evening?
I watched a football match on television with my friends.
What would you like to do next year?
I would like to take my family on holiday to Scotland.
Phase 1b

Talk for one minute

6 minutes

You get a topic and one minute to prepare. You then talk for about one minute while your partner listens, and your partner asks you two questions. After that you swap: you listen to your partner and ask two questions.

Your topic

Tell your partner about a sport or activity you enjoy.

You could talk about: what it is, when and where you do it, who you do it with, why you enjoy it.

1:001 minute to prepare. Make notes if you want to
1:00About 1 minute to talk about your topic

Then your partner asks you two questions

A real partner asks about what you said. These are the kind of questions to expect. Answer each one out loud.

  • How far can you swim?
  • Does your daughter like swimming?
See an example answer for your topic

I really enjoy swimming. I go to the swimming pool near my house twice a week, on Tuesday evening and Saturday morning. Usually I go with my brother, and sometimes my daughter comes too. I learned to swim when I was a child, in a lake near my village. Now I swim for about forty minutes each time. I enjoy it because it is good for my back, and after a long day at work it helps me to relax. When I swim, I don't think about my problems. It is also quite cheap, only four pounds.

Now you listen and ask two questions

Your partner tells you about the area where they live. Listen without reading, then ask two questions about what you heard.

See what your partner said and two example questions

I live in a quiet area on the edge of the city. There are lots of houses and a few small shops, like a bakery and a chemist. My favourite place is the big park, which has a lake and a playground for children. The bus to the city centre takes twenty minutes, so it is easy to get to work. The only problem is that there is no supermarket near us, so we drive to one every Saturday. I like my area because my neighbours are friendly.

  • How often do you go to the park?
  • Would you like to live in the city centre?
Phase 2a

Listen to two conversations

4 minutes

You hear two short recordings. First you answer one question about each, choosing from three options. Then you hear both again and answer two questions about one of them. Here you answer the questions on both.

You hear two short conversations in different places.

Listen to both recordings. Where are they? At a hairdresser, at a garage or at a hospital?

Phase 2b

Talk with your partner

4 to 5 minutes

You and your partner talk together. Ask your partner questions and answer theirs. The examiner only helps if the conversation stops.

The examiner says

Talk to each other about looking after yourself: exercise, sleep and relaxing.

4:00About 4 minutes to talk together

If you stop talking, the examiner may ask

  • What do you do to relax? Why?
  • How many hours do you usually sleep?
  • Did you do more sport when you were younger?
  • What would you like to do to be healthier?
See an example conversation
  • YouWhat do you do to relax?
  • PartnerI listen to music, because it helps me forget about work. And you?
  • YouI go for a walk by the river after dinner.
  • PartnerDid you do more sport when you were younger?
  • YouYes, I played basketball at school, but now I don't have time.

Check yourself

You get a pass or a fail, not a band. Ask yourself whether you did these things:

  • I answered every question in a full sentence.
  • I asked my partner questions, and did not only answer.
  • I talked for about one minute on my topic, and gave a reason.
  • I understood what each recording was about, and the details.
  • I asked for the question again when I did not understand.
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