IELTS Speaking Questions: Outer space and stars
Part 1 questions on outer space and stars are light and personal: whether you look at the night sky, what you learned at school, and whether you would like to travel into space. Short, honest answers with one specific detail, such as a clear night or a film you remember, work better than technical facts.
Part 3 turns the theme into a discussion about curiosity, international cooperation and priorities, asking whether space exploration is worth supporting and what it might bring. Prepare one benefit of space research, one reason to doubt it and a comparison with problems on Earth, and practise giving a position with a balanced concession.
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 ever look at the stars at night?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then describe when or where.
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Can you see many stars from the place where you live?
How to extend itGive a short answer, then one reason for it.
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Are you interested in outer space?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then name one thing that draws you.
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Did you learn about space and planets at school?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then recall one fact or lesson.
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What do you know about the moon?
How to extend itShare one fact or memory, then say why it stuck.
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Have you ever watched a film or programme about space?
How to extend itName one, then say what you thought of it.
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Would you like to travel into space one day?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then give one honest reason.
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Do you think children are curious about the sky?
How to extend itState a view, then give an example from childhood.
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Is there a story or legend about the stars in your country?
How to extend itName one, then summarise it in a sentence.
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Do you prefer looking at the sky by day or by night?
How to extend itPick one, then describe what you notice.
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Have you ever visited a planetarium or an observatory?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then describe the experience or wish.
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Would you like to know more about the universe?
How to extend itSay yes or no, then name one question.
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 people so fascinated by space?
How to structure itGive one reason, then link it to human nature.
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Should governments support space exploration?
How to structure itTake a position, then concede one practical concern.
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What benefits can space research bring to ordinary life on Earth?
How to structure itName one benefit, then give a concrete example.
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Do you think ordinary people will be able to travel to space in the future?
How to structure itPredict an outcome, then explain what stands in the way.
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Is it more important to solve problems on Earth than to explore space?
How to structure itTake a side, then weigh the opposing view.
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How has the way people study the stars changed over time?
How to structure itCompare past and present, then name the main cause.
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Do you think there is life on other planets?
How to structure itState a view, then give your reasoning.
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What risks come with sending people into space?
How to structure itName one risk, then say how it might be reduced.
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Should countries work together on space projects rather than compete?
How to structure itTake a position, then support it with one advantage.
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How might space exploration change the way people see our planet?
How to structure itPredict one change, then explain why it could happen.
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 subject you enjoyed at school Part 2 cue card, with the one-minute prep timer
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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