IELTS Speaking Questions: Crowded places
Crowded places questions in Part 1 ask how you feel and what you do: whether you like busy places, when you last visited one and how you cope. A direct answer with one concrete moment, such as a market, a station or a match, is better than a general statement.
Part 3 moves from personal feeling to city planning, asking why places become crowded, what problems this causes and how visitor numbers or public transport might be managed. Prepare one view on living in a busy city and one practical idea for easing crowds, and practise showing both sides before you decide.
Part 1 questions
Short, personal, present-tense. Answer the question directly first, then add the one detail the tip suggests — the extension is what separates a one-line answer from a Band 7 one.
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Do you like crowded places?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then give one reason.
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When did you last spend time in a crowded place?
How to extend itName the place, then describe how it felt.
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What kinds of places are crowded in your town?
How to extend itName two, then say when they are busiest.
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How do you feel when you are in a crowd?
How to extend itDescribe the feeling, then give a short example.
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Do you try to avoid busy places at certain times?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then name a time.
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Do you prefer quiet places or lively places?
How to extend itPick one, then give a practical reason.
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Did you often go to crowded places when you were a child?
How to extend itContrast then with now in one extra sentence.
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Are there crowded places you enjoy visiting?
How to extend itName one, then say what you like about it.
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Do you go to busy events such as festivals or matches?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then give one example.
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What do you do to cope when a place is very busy?
How to extend itDescribe one habit, then say why it helps.
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Do most people in your country like crowded places?
How to extend itGive a short view, then one reason.
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Would you ever choose to live in a very busy part of a city?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then explain your reason.
Part 3 questions
The same topic, pitched at the abstract level the examiner moves to after your cue card. These want reasoning — a position, a cause, an example, a concession — not a description of your own life.
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Why are some places more crowded than others?
How to structure itGive one cause, then support it with an example.
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What problems can large crowds cause in cities?
How to structure itName one problem, then suggest a solution.
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Should the number of visitors to popular places be limited?
How to structure itTake a position, then concede one practical concern.
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How can public transport be made less crowded at busy times?
How to structure itSuggest one method, then explain its benefit.
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Do you think people today are less patient in crowds than in the past?
How to structure itState a view, then suggest a likely cause.
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a busy city?
How to structure itCover both sides, then say which matters more.
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Why do some people enjoy being in a crowd while others avoid it?
How to structure itCompare two types of people, then suggest a reason.
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How can large public events be organised safely?
How to structure itName one measure, then explain why it matters.
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Does technology help people to avoid crowded places?
How to structure itTake a stance, then give one concrete example.
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How might cities deal with growing populations in the future?
How to structure itPredict one trend, then explain what drives it.
Say the answers out loud, then sit the whole test
Reading a question and answering it are different skills. Work through the list above aloud, then put the topic inside a full timed test where you cannot stop to think.
- Describe a quiet place where you like to spend time Part 2 cue card, with the one-minute prep timer
- Cities and transport vocabulary 30 band-graded phrases and a self-test
Part 1, a cue card, then Part 3 — timed, in your browser, about 13 minutes.
One cue card a day on Telegram
A new Part 2 card every morning, a vocabulary topic on Sundays.
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