Two questions come up again and again in IELTS Speaking Part 1: “What is the weather like in your country?” and “What is your favourite season?” They look simple, but many candidates give very short answers and miss the chance to show their vocabulary.
Weather is a great topic for descriptive words and for talking about how it affects your mood and plans. Below you will find twelve common weather and season questions with band 7+ sample answers, useful vocabulary and tips.
Part 1 lasts 4 to 5 minutes. The examiner asks short questions about you and familiar topics. Answer in 2 or 3 sentences: a direct answer, then a reason or an example.
Weather and season questions with sample answers
1What is the weather usually like in your country?
It changes a lot through the year. Summers are mild and light, with long evenings, but winters are cold, dark and often snowy.
2What is your favourite season?
I love late spring, especially May. Everything turns green almost overnight, the days get very long, and people suddenly seem happier.
3Is there a season you do not like?
November is my least favourite month. It is grey, wet and dark, and there is not even any snow yet to make it pretty.
4Does the weather affect your mood?
Definitely. On sunny days I have much more energy, while long periods of grey weather make me feel tired and a bit low.
5What do you like to do on rainy days?
I like staying in with a good book or a film and a cup of tea. If I have to go out, I go to a museum or a café.
6Do you prefer hot or cold weather?
I prefer it slightly cool, around twenty degrees. Very hot weather makes it hard for me to sleep or concentrate.
7Do you check the weather forecast?
Every morning, mainly to decide whether to cycle to work or take the bus, and what to wear.
8Has the weather in your country changed in recent years?
Yes, quite noticeably. Winters are milder and have less snow than when I was a child, and summers sometimes have heatwaves, which used to be rare.
9What kind of weather did you enjoy as a child?
Snow, without a doubt. We would spend whole afternoons building snowmen and sledging down the hill behind our school.
10Do you like snow?
I like the first snow of the year, because everything looks clean and bright. But by March I am usually tired of it.
11Is there a type of weather you find dangerous?
Strong storms, especially in summer. A few years ago a storm knocked down trees near my home, and we had no electricity for a day.
12Would you like to live in a country with a different climate?
Maybe somewhere a bit warmer and sunnier in winter, like Portugal. But I think I would miss the seasons.
Useful weather vocabulary for IELTS
Use precise words instead of repeating “good weather”, “bad weather” and “hot”:
| Topic | Words and phrases |
|---|---|
| Warm weather | mild, sunny, scorching, humid, a heatwave, clear skies |
| Cold and wet weather | chilly, freezing, drizzle, a downpour, overcast, grey, sleet |
| Extreme weather | a thunderstorm, a flood, a drought, a blizzard, strong winds |
| Seasons | the change of seasons, long summer evenings, dark winter afternoons, early spring, late autumn |
| Useful phrases | to be under the weather, to brighten up, to pour with rain, to make the most of the sunshine |
How to answer weather questions
- 1
Describe, then react
Say what the weather is like, then how you feel about it or what you do: “It rains a lot, so I always carry an umbrella.”
- 2
Avoid “good” and “bad”
Swap them for precise words like “mild”, “humid” or “overcast”. This is an easy way to show vocabulary range.
- 3
Compare past and present
Questions about climate change are a chance to use “used to” and the present perfect.
- 4
Use your own country
Talk about real months and real places. Specific details make short answers sound natural.
Practise on your own
Ask yourself three or four of the questions above and answer them aloud without looking at the sample answers. Record yourself and check that each answer has a reason or an example. For the next part of the test, see Environment and nature: Part 2 cue cards with sample answers, and for more Part 1 topics, see the IELTS Speaking Part 1 guide.