IELTS Speaking Part 1: Sports & Exercise (Band 9 Sample Answers)
This IELTS Speaking Part 1 topic asks about sports and exercise — a familiar area you can speak about naturally. A band-9 answer gives a clear reply and extends it with a reason, a preference or a small personal detail, then stops cleanly. Below are five common questions with band-9 model answers in a relaxed spoken register, plus why they score 9 and the collocations worth stealing.
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01 · Questions & Band 9 answers
Q: Do you do any sports or exercise?
I do, though I'd describe myself as fairly casual about it rather than sporty. I try to go running a few times a week and I play badminton with friends at the weekend. I'm not competitive at all — for me it's much more about clearing my head and staying reasonably fit than winning anything.
answer, then add your attitudeQ: Did you play any sports when you were a child?
Yes, football mostly — I was completely obsessed with it. I'd play every day after school until it got dark, and I even joined the local team for a couple of seasons. I'm nowhere near as active as I was back then, but that early love of sport has definitely stuck with me.
past habit + link to nowQ: Do you prefer team sports or individual sports?
That's a good question — I honestly enjoy both, but for different reasons. Team sports are more sociable and there's a real buzz to playing alongside other people. Individual sports like running, on the other hand, are something I can do whenever it suits me, with no need to organise anyone else. So it really depends on my mood.
weigh two optionsQ: Do you think people today do enough exercise?
Honestly, I don't think most of us do. So many jobs now involve sitting at a desk all day, and it's all too easy to spend your free time in front of a screen as well. I'm certainly guilty of that myself. I think we have to make a conscious effort to build movement into the day, because it no longer happens naturally.
give a view, admit you relateQ: Would you like to try a new sport in the future?
Definitely — I've always fancied learning to rock climb. It looks like a brilliant full-body workout, and there's something about the problem-solving side of it that really appeals to me. I keep meaning to book an introductory session at the climbing gym near me, so hopefully this is the year I finally do.
name a wish, add a reason02 · Why this scores Band 9
Each answer commits to a clear line and develops it with a reason or a small story, then stops. Relaxed signposts ("honestly", "on the other hand", "so it really depends") link ideas naturally, so the delivery never stalls or rambles.
Sport-and-fitness vocabulary is idiomatic and precise — "clearing my head", "a real buzz", "a full-body workout", "make a conscious effort", "build movement into the day" — used casually the way a confident speaker talks.
Structures vary well: a past habit with "would" ("I'd play every day after school"), a comparative ("nowhere near as active as I was"), and a contrast with "on the other hand". All controlled accurately in relaxed speech.
Short, speakable chunks with natural stress on the key words invite the easy, chatty intonation Part 1 rewards, with no tongue-twisting clusters to disrupt the flow.
03 · Useful phrases for this topic
Tap a phrase to see what it means and how to use it. Natural phrases like these lift your Lexical Resource score.
04 · Frequently asked questions
What if I don't play any sports?
That's fine — just say so and extend it. "I'm not really sporty, but I go for a long walk most evenings to unwind" is a perfectly good band-9 answer, because it adds a reason. You don't have to be an athlete.
Can I talk about watching sport instead of playing?
Yes, if the question allows it. You can say you prefer watching to playing, then explain why ("I love the atmosphere of a live match"). Just make sure you actually answer the question that was asked.
How do I extend a short answer about exercise?
Add how often, why, or a preference. "I go running" becomes band-9 as "I go running a few times a week, mainly to clear my head after work." The extension is what earns the marks.
Should I use sports vocabulary I'm unsure of?
No — stick to language you can use confidently. Natural phrases like "stay fit" and "a full-body workout" score better than technical terms you might misuse. Part 1 rewards fluent, accurate everyday speech.
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