Health is a vital aspect of our lives and often appears in IELTS Speaking. To excel in this topic, IDP presents essential vocabulary, grammar tips, and sample answers to help you prepare effectively.
1. Sample Answers – Health Topic IELTS Speaking Part 1
Question: How do you keep yourself healthy
To maintain good health, I focus on two key habits: a proper diet and exercising regularly. Specifically, I avoid junk food, increase my consumption of vegetables, and hit the gym three times a week.
Vocabulary highlights:
maintain good health
a proper diet
consumption of vegetables
hit the gym
Question: Do you think you have a balanced diet
To some extent, yes. To keep myself in shape, I avoid junk foods at all costs and consume adequate macronutrients. Balancing protein, fat, and carbohydrates helps my body function properly, while junk food often leads to cardiovascular diseases.
Vocabulary highlights:
in shape
at all costs
adequate
macronutrients
cardiovascular diseases
Question: Do you have any unhealthy habits
I’m sure everyone indulges in unhealthy habits occasionally, and I’m no exception. As a gamer and a night owl, I often pull all-nighters because I find it hard to go to bed early.
Vocabulary highlights:
guilty of
excessively indulging oneself
pull an all-nighter
2. Sample Answers – Health Topic IELTS Speaking Part 2
Cue Card: Describe a piece of advice about health that you find useful
During the COVID‑19 pandemic, the most cost‑efficient and effective advice experts emphasized was simple: wash your hands.
This motto was broadcast widely via social media, TV, radio, and newspapers because it is short, memorable, and practical. The virus spreads through respiratory droplets, and hands are the most exposed part of our body. People tend to touch contaminated surfaces and then touch their face, facilitating transmission.
Doctors recommended washing hands frequently with sanitizer or soap and water to eliminate the virus. At first, few people complied, so infection rates soared. Fortunately, with the supreme efforts of governments and health experts, people understood the seriousness of the virus and adopted the practice.
In the end, hand washing played a vital role in controlling the pandemic.
Vocabulary highlights:
cost‑efficient
contagious
motto
respiratory droplets
exposed parts
get rid of
comply with
proliferation
supreme efforts
vital role
marvelous result
Cue Card: Describe a healthy lifestyle you know
One lifestyle I find easy to follow is eating clean, a trend I discovered on social media in 2018. Eating clean means choosing organic, minimally processed foods—avoiding added sugars, preservatives, artificial colours and flavours. This approach limits calorie intake without starving yourself.
Foods like eggs, broccoli, and berries are nutrient-dense yet low in excess calories. Eating clean helps maintain energy levels and avoid feeling under the weather compared to strict dieting. Importantly, it's a sustainable way of life—not a restrictive diet. It combines healthy eating with a positive mindset and self-love, not pressure.
Fitness experts continually endorse the benefits of cleaning eating, including improved physical and mental health. This approach helps reduce the risk of obesity and supports weight loss while staying energized.
I used to eat clean every day by cooking local ingredients at home, but now with a heavy workload, I do it from time to time. I hope more people adopt this lifestyle for better overall health.
Vocabulary highlights:
eat clean
a way of life
be crazy about
organic
less processed
keep someone away from something
calorie intake
excess calories
strict diet
positive mindset
starve yourself
mental health
cut down on
nutrient‑dense
stay energized
heavy workload
from time to time
adopt a lifestyle
3. Sample Answers – Health Topic IELTS Speaking Part 3
Question: Why do some people continue bad habits even though they know they are harmful
Quitting unhealthy habits requires time and effort. Many lack consistency and determination. Advertising can also tempt people to indulge repeatedly—especially with unhealthy snacks and fast food. Moreover, sugar can be addictive.
Vocabulary highlights:
quit a habit
determination
temptation
drive someone to do something
be addicted to
Question: Do people today become more health‑conscious
Yes, especially after the COVID‑19 pandemic, people have become more aware of health issues. Although average lifespans have increased, many still face serious threats such as pollution-related diseases and mental health issues like depression—now more prevalent than ever. These trends have led to more specialized health publications and resources.
Vocabulary highlights:
longer average lifespans
put someone at risk
underlying reason
poor environmental conditions
serious diseases
mental illnesses
depression
deal with
be specialized in
4. Essential IELTS Vocabulary – Health Topic
Health and Wellness
Vocabulary | Meaning |
|---|---|
health benefits | advantages to physical well‑being |
health education | learning about wellness |
health scare | anxiety triggered by possible illness |
health risk | potential threat to well‑being |
healthy food rationing | limiting food intake for better health |
Symptoms
Vocabulary | Meaning |
|---|---|
toothache | pain in the tooth |
vomiting | forceful expulsion of stomach contents |
dizziness | feeling light‑headed |
shortness of breath | difficulty breathing |
constipation | difficulty passing stool |
skin rash | irritated or broken skin |
sore throat | throat pain |
Diseases and Disorders
Vocabulary | Meaning |
|---|---|
diabetes | blood sugar disorder |
chronic disease | long‑term illness |
heart disease | cardiovascular condition |
Alzheimers disease | neurological memory loss disorder |
multiple sclerosis | degenerative nerve condition |
osteoporosis | bone density loss |
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) | digestive disorder |
GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) | acid reflux disorder |
5. Useful Expressions and Idioms – Health Topic
Common Phrases
catch a cold
a check‑up
make a speedy recovery
to have a filling
addict to something
healthy habits / unhealthy habits
mental well‑being
sedentary lifestyle
fitness tracking apps
do wonders for our health
pose a threat to
break a bad habit
Idioms
frog in one’s throat: unable to speak clearly
dogs are barking: legs hurt or feel sore
back on my feet: recovered after illness
out on one’s feet: extremely tired
clean bill of health: totally healthy
on the mend: recovering well
pull a muscle: strain physical tissue
cast iron stomach: stomach too sensitive
full of beans: energetic and healthy
Ace the Health Topic in IELTS Speaking with IDP
Health is not overly difficult in the IELTS Speaking test, but using precise vocabulary and expressions can boost your score. This guide offers valuable vocabulary, grammar, and sample responses to support your preparation.
IDP provides a wealth of preparation materials—including IELTS events, study courses, and expert tips tailored to individual needs. Once you register for IELTS with IDP, you’ll receive exclusive access to preparation guides, expert videos, and online courses developed by specialists from Macquarie University.
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