Your dream job, a part-time job, a company you admire, a colleague who works hard: work is a favourite topic in IELTS Speaking Part 2. Even students get these cards, so it helps to have a few ideas ready.
If you do not have much work experience, that is fine. You can talk about a summer job, a family business or the career you are planning. Below you will find four work and job cue cards with band 7+ sample answers, useful vocabulary, and typical Part 1 and Part 3 questions about work.
You get a cue card and 1 minute to make notes. Then you speak for 1 to 2 minutes. Cover every point on the card, add a short example or story, and finish with the “explain” part.
Work and job cue cards with sample answers
Describe your dream job.
You should say:
- what the job is
- what you would do every day
- what qualifications you would need
and explain why it would be your dream job.
Sample Answer:
My dream job would be working as a wildlife photographer for a nature magazine or a documentary team. I have been taking photos of animals and birds as a hobby since I was about fifteen.
A typical day would probably start very early, before sunrise, because that is when animals are most active and the light is best. I would spend hours waiting quietly in one place, and then the evenings would be for sorting and editing pictures. There would also be a lot of travel, sometimes to quite remote places.
You do not need a specific degree, but you need excellent technical skills, a strong portfolio and a lot of patience. It would be my dream job because it combines my two favourite things, nature and photography, and because a good photo can make people care about protecting animals they will never see in real life.
Describe a part-time job you have done.
You should say:
- what the job was
- when and where you did it
- what you had to do
and explain what you learnt from it.
Sample Answer:
When I was at university, I had a part-time job as a waiter in a busy Italian restaurant near the campus. I worked there for about two years, mostly on Friday and Saturday evenings.
My job was to take orders, carry plates, deal with payments and, on very busy nights, help in the kitchen with washing up. Some evenings we served more than two hundred customers, so it was hard, fast work, and I usually got home after midnight.
I learnt a lot from it. Most importantly, I learnt to stay calm when everything is happening at once and to stay polite even with difficult customers. It also taught me to respect people who work in service jobs, because I know how tiring it can be. I still always leave a tip.
Describe a successful small business you know.
You should say:
- what the business is
- who runs it
- how you know about it
and explain why you think it is successful.
Sample Answer:
A successful small business I know well is a bakery in my neighbourhood. It is run by a young couple who opened it about five years ago, after he left his job in an office and she finished a pastry course.
I have been a customer since the first week, because it is on my way to the bus stop. At the beginning it was just a tiny shop selling bread, but now they have a café with ten tables, they deliver to several restaurants and there is usually a queue outside on Saturday mornings.
I think it is successful for three reasons. The quality is consistently high, they use local ingredients and they really know their customers; they remember your name and your usual order. They also use social media well, posting photos of whatever has just come out of the oven, which makes people want to stop by.
Describe a person you know who works very hard.
You should say:
- who this person is
- what job they do
- how hard they work
and explain how you feel about this person.
Sample Answer:
The hardest-working person I know is my older brother, Daniel, who is a doctor in the emergency department of a large hospital.
His shifts are often twelve hours long, and he regularly works nights and weekends. On a busy night he might see dozens of patients, some with very serious injuries, and he has to make important decisions quickly. On top of that, he is studying for further exams to specialise, so on his days off he is usually reading.
I feel a mix of admiration and worry. I admire him because he does a job that genuinely saves lives and he never complains about it. But I also worry that he does not get enough rest, so whenever he has a free evening, I try to make sure he does something completely unrelated to work.
Useful work vocabulary for IELTS
Try to replace basic words like “job”, “work” and “money” with more precise vocabulary:
| Topic | Words and phrases |
|---|---|
| Jobs and careers | a career path, a full-time / part-time job, to be self-employed, a freelancer, to work in a team |
| Getting a job | to apply for a position, a job interview, to be qualified for, work experience, to get promoted |
| Working conditions | a heavy workload, flexible working hours, to work remotely, a competitive salary, job security |
| Feelings about work | job satisfaction, rewarding, demanding, to be under pressure, a good work-life balance |
| Useful phrases | to make a living, to climb the career ladder, to work my way up, to call in sick, to be snowed under |
IELTS Speaking Part 1: questions about work
Part 1 questions are short and personal. Give a direct answer and add one reason or example.
1Do you work or are you a student?
I work full-time as an accountant for a logistics company. I have been there for about three years.
2What do you like about your job?
I like that every month is a little different, and that I work with a friendly team. There is always someone to ask if I am stuck.
3Would you like to change your job in the future?
Maybe not the job itself, but I would like to move into a more senior position, perhaps leading a small team.
4What job did you want to do when you were a child?
I wanted to be a pilot. I loved watching planes at the airport, and I still get excited every time I fly.
IELTS Speaking Part 3: questions about work and careers
New to Part 3? See how to give band 7+ answers in Speaking Part 3, with simple and stronger answers compared.
In Part 3 the examiner asks about work in general. Give longer answers with reasons, examples and both sides of the argument.
1Is it better to have a well-paid job or a job you enjoy?
Ideally you would have both, but if I had to choose, I would say a job you enjoy, as long as it pays enough to live comfortably. We spend a huge part of our lives at work, and doing something you dislike every day can affect your health and relationships. That said, for people supporting a family, a higher salary can be the more responsible choice.
2How has working from home changed people’s lives?
For many office workers it has made a big difference. They save time and money on commuting and can organise their day more flexibly. On the other hand, some people feel isolated and find it hard to switch off, because their home has become their office. I think a mix of home and office working suits most people best.
3Will robots and artificial intelligence replace many jobs?
I think they will certainly replace some tasks, especially repetitive ones in factories, warehouses and offices. However, history shows that new technology also creates new jobs that we cannot imagine yet. The real challenge will be helping people retrain, so that workers whose jobs disappear can move into new ones.
Practise on your own
Choose one of the cue cards above, set a timer for 1 minute to make notes, and then record yourself speaking for 2 minutes. Listen back and check whether you covered every point and used some of the vocabulary from this page. For more topics, see IELTS Speaking Part 2 topics and cue cards with answers.