IELTS Speaking: Food

Answers and an explanation for each question appear once you add this activity to your own library.

Target: 4.0-4.5

How to use this lesson

For teacher: Guide students through the word review for 10 minutes, then monitor their speaking recordings. Listen to AI feedback with learners and help them repeat tricky sentences.

For learner: First, finish the word check and review the sentence patterns. Next, answer the 8 speaking questions out loud and check the model answers.

Let's review useful words about food and cooking before we speak.

Part A: Word Review

Choose the best word to complete each sentence.

1. We need to buy more tomatoes because they are an important ___ for the soup.

____ kitchen ____ ingredient ____ sauce

2. Please use a sharp knife to ___ the onions into small pieces.

____ chop ____ boil ____ recipe

3. I love this apple pie because it is ___ by my mother, not bought from a shop.

____ fresh ____ fry ____ homemade

4. Put the eggs in hot water and ___ them for eight minutes.

____ recipe ____ boil ____ fresh

5. These strawberries taste great because they are sweet and very ___.

____ delicious ____ sauce ____ kitchen

Part B: Match Food Words Together

Match each common phrase to its plain meaning.

Phrase

Cooking instructions

Not old or frozen

Oil in a pan

Sweet or salty liquid

fresh ingredients

____Cooking instructions ____Not old or frozen ____Oil in a pan ____Sweet or salty liquid

follow a recipe

____Cooking instructions ____Not old or frozen ____Oil in a pan ____Sweet or salty liquid

tomato sauce

____Cooking instructions ____Not old or frozen ____Oil in a pan ____Sweet or salty liquid

deep fry

____Cooking instructions ____Not old or frozen ____Oil in a pan ____Sweet or salty liquid

Part C: Useful Sentence Patterns

Look at these 3 simple ways to speak about your food.

Pattern 1

It tastes a bit + adjective

"The soup tastes a bit sour."

Why this works: You say this when food has a small amount of a taste.

Pattern 2

It looks ... but it smells ...

"It looks strange, but it smells wonderful."

Why this works: You connect what your eyes see with what your nose smells.

Pattern 3

I usually have ... with ...

"I usually have fried rice with extra vegetables."

Why this works: You tell the listener your normal habit and what you add to your plate.

Answer each question by speaking clearly into your microphone.

1. What food do you like?

[Bài tập luyện nói]

View model answer

"Well, I'm a big fan of noodle soup. It has fresh herbs, and it tastes a bit salty. Um, I usually eat it for breakfast at the weekend."

I'm a big fan of: you really like something.
fresh herbs: green plant leaves added to meals for taste.
at the weekend: on Saturday or Sunday.

2. Do you cook at home?

[Bài tập luyện nói]

View model answer

"Yes, I do. To be honest, I only know simple dishes like fried eggs or rice. I like to chop some onions and make dinner after work."

To be honest: telling the real truth in a friendly way.
simple dishes: meals that are fast and easy to cook.
chop some onions: cutting onions into small pieces.

3. Who cooks in your family?

[Bài tập luyện nói]

View model answer

"My mother usually does most of the cooking. She has a secret recipe for pork soup. Sometimes, well, my sister and I give her a hand."

most of the cooking: preparing nearly all daily meals.
secret recipe: special cooking steps known only to her.
give her a hand: help someone with a task.

4. What is your favourite dish?

[Bài tập luyện nói]

View model answer

"My absolute favourite is homemade pizza. It looks simple, but it smells amazing. It has lots of cheese and tastes delicious, so I eat it once a week."

homemade pizza: pizza made fresh in your own kitchen.
tastes delicious: tastes very good.
once a week: happening one time every seven days.

5. Do you like spicy food?

[Bài tập luyện nói]

View model answer

"Actually, not really. When food has too much chili, it burns my tongue. I prefer mild food, but, um, a little bit of pepper is okay."

not really: a soft and polite way to say no.
it burns my tongue: it feels too hot and painful to eat.
little bit of pepper: a tiny amount of black pepper.

6. What did you eat yesterday?

[Bài tập luyện nói]

View model answer

"Well, yesterday I had bread for breakfast. Then for lunch, I ate fried fish with rice. In the evening, I just grabbed a quick snack because I was tired."

for lunch: as the midday meal.
grabbed a quick snack: got small food to eat fast.

7. Do you prefer eating at home or in a restaurant?

[Bài tập luyện nói]

View model answer

"I definitely prefer eating at home. It saves money, and home food is always healthy. Um, eating out is nice, but I only go to restaurants on special days."

It saves money: you spend less cash.
go to restaurants: eating food away from home.
on special days: during celebrations like birthdays.

8. Do you like food from other countries?

[Bài tập luyện nói]

View model answer

"Yes, I love trying new things. I really enjoy Japanese sushi because the fish is very fresh. Well, it is fun to taste different dishes from around the world."

I love trying new things: excited to eat food never eaten before.
taste different dishes: sample meals from various places.

How to use this lesson

Part A: Word Review

Part B: Match Food Words Together

Part C: Useful Sentence Patterns

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