Culture plays a vital role in distinguishing one country from another and serves as a key driving force for human and societal development. That is why the topic Culture IELTS Speaking is both engaging and important in the IELTS test, offering candidates a chance to explore different cultural aspects such as cuisine, people, and traditional events.
In this article, IDP provides you with useful ideas and sample answers for the IELTS Speaking test on the topic of Culture. You can learn vocabulary that helps boost your score and register for the IELTS test with IDP at a time that suits your schedule.
1. Sample Answers for Culture IELTS Speaking Part 1
As the first and essential part of the Speaking test, Culture IELTS Speaking Part 1 focuses on evaluating your ability to communicate and respond naturally to everyday topics. Questions in Part 1 are usually simple and are designed to help both the examiner and the candidate get comfortable before moving on to more complex parts.
Question: Do you think this festival will still be as important in the future?
Answer: Yes I believe that despite how our lives are changing Tet will continue to be an essential traditional festival in my country because it is more like a time for reunions to reflect on what has happened and prepare for new beginnings and most importantly an occasion to enjoy ourselves recharge our batteries and cherish the most valuable things in life.
Useful Vocabulary:
Essential: important
Reunion: gathering
Reflect: to think about
Beginning: start
Recharge one’s batteries: regain energy
Cherish: value and appreciate
Question: Do you think there should be more holidays in your country?
Answer: Since people now lead a fast-paced and stressful lifestyle I suppose more national days off from work would be required. However I am still unable to come up with another legitimate Vietnamese official holiday.
Useful Vocabulary:
Fast-paced: moving quickly
Come up with: to think of
Legitimate: reasonable and acceptable
Question: What are some forms of traditional dancing in your country?
Answer: One of the unique traditional dances in my country is Southern Lion Dance which means “mua lan”. It originated from China. Lion Dance is usually performed during the Mid-Autumn Festival and Lunar New Year. As an art form Southern Lion Dance has its own principles and rules. A performance usually lasts from 20 to 25 minutes and it always includes the Earth God character known as “Ong Dia”. The show is very animated with drums and firecrackers. It is performed to welcome good fortune and remove bad energy.
Useful Vocabulary:
Principles and rules: standards that guide behavior
Drums: percussion instrument
Firecrackers: explosive devices used in festivals
Wipe out bad things: eliminate negativity
2. Sample Answers for Culture IELTS Speaking Part 2
In Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking test on Culture, you will receive a cue card with a topic. You have 1 minute to prepare and then speak for 1–2 minutes. The examiner may also ask follow-up questions to explore your understanding.
Common Part 2 prompts include:
Describe a traditional product in your country
Describe a foreign culture that you are interested in
Describe a foreign culture that you like
You should aim to cover:
What the cultural element is and when it happens
Why this tradition or event is important
Differences between this and other cultures
Why you enjoy or admire this culture
Question: Describe a traditional product in your country
Answer: I would love to talk about rice the most important agricultural plant in my country.
Since I was a child the rice plant has appeared in almost every subject from literature to science and even geography. In real life rice can be seen throughout the countryside in Vietnam.
It never ceases to amaze me how such a simple plant could support an entire nation's economy. Even today millions of families depend on rice cultivation to make ends meet. Vietnam is one of the world's leading rice exporters which proves its significance. Also rice is an essential part of daily meals and most children grow up eating rice while the older generation cannot go a day without it.
Over thousands of years rice has played a key role in Vietnamese traditions and many customs are linked to hopes for a good harvest. These traditions are often admired by foreign visitors. I believe rice is one of the most powerful symbols of Vietnamese spirit and deserves great appreciation.
Useful Vocabulary:
Spot: see or notice
Never ceases to amaze me: always surprises me
Make ends meet: earn a living
Relevance: importance
Indispensable: necessary
Ceremony: a formal event
Abundant crop: rich harvest
3. Sample Answers for Culture IELTS Speaking Part 3
In IELTS Speaking Part 3 Culture, the examiner will ask more in-depth questions related to the topic or expand into related themes. Understanding the IELTS Speaking band descriptors helps you focus on what to emphasize in your answers.
Question: What are the advantages and disadvantages of cultural diversity?
Answer: I think we can look at this from both an individual and a community level. For individuals being in a culturally diverse environment broadens one’s worldview and makes people more open-minded and accepting. However personal identity may be affected since it can be hard to adapt to so many influences. On a societal level diversity makes the world more dynamic and interesting but it can also lead to misunderstandings or even conflict due to differences in beliefs or values. History has shown many conflicts rooted in racial or cultural divisions.
Useful Vocabulary:
Culturally diverse setting
Mindset: way of thinking
Personal identity: sense of self
Cultural racial ethnic: related to culture race and ethnicity
Question: What is the best way to learn a foreign culture?
Answer: I think the best way to learn about another culture is by reading especially the news. People often just read quick travel blogs which give only a surface-level view and can be very stereotypical. But reading news articles helps put culture into context and shows how traditions affect daily life. I think this approach is even better than a short visit to a tourist spot.
Useful Vocabulary:
Travel articles
Fleeting glance: quick overview
Stereotypical: oversimplified
Customs and cultural norms: practices and standards
Question: What social problems are there in your country?
Answer: Currently my country is facing some serious issues. One of the biggest is the economic impact of the Covid 19 pandemic which caused high unemployment and poverty leading to an increase in crime. Many people resorted to theft just to survive. Despite efforts like lockdowns and distancing we are still dealing with the consequences.
Useful Vocabulary:
Pressing problems
Grapple with: struggle to solve
Unprecedented: never happened before
Push someone onto skid row: drive someone into poverty
Surge: sharp increase
4. IELTS Culture Vocabulary
Having a wide cultural vocabulary can boost your performance. Below is a list of useful terms for the Culture topic:
General Culture Vocabulary
Vocabulary | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
Cultural diversity | Variety of cultures | Lack of cultural diversity is a problem |
Cultural assimilation | Blending into a culture | The film showed forced cultural assimilation |
Cultural heritage | Inherited cultural values | Cultural heritage enriches society |
Cultural integration | Blending of cultures | It reflects the trend of cultural integration |
Culture shock | Feeling of disorientation in a new culture | I experienced real culture shock in India |
Belief | Faith or opinion | He has strong Buddhist beliefs |
Minority group | Smaller ethnic community | They are the largest minority group in the city |
Majority group | Dominant cultural group | Policies depend on the majority group in parliament |
Cultural uniqueness | Distinct cultural traits | The dances show their cultural uniqueness |
Culture hearth | Origin of cultural traits | Mecca is the hearth of Islamic culture |
Racism | Discrimination based on race | We must fight against racism |
Melting-pot society | Mixed cultural society | The US is a classic melting-pot society |
Vietnamese Historical Sites Vocabulary
Thirty-six streets of old Hanoi
The Old Quarter
My Son Sanctuary
Notre Dame Cathedral
Reunification Palace
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Hoa Lu Ancient Capital
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long
First call (New Year visitor)
Water puppetry
Fine art handicraft articles
5. Common Culture IELTS Speaking Collocations
Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
Adapt to a new culture | Adjust to a different culture |
Show prejudice against sb or sth | Display biased views |
Retain original characteristics | Preserve traditional features |
Reinforce cultural exchange | Strengthen cultural interaction |
Broaden their horizons | Expand knowledge and understanding |
Strengthen cultural bonds | Build stronger ties between communities |
Distort traditional values | Misrepresent or weaken traditional norms |
Be Confident with the Culture IELTS Speaking Topic
These sample answers and vocabulary lists for Culture IELTS Speaking will help you boost your speaking score. While some terms may seem similar be sure to understand their definitions so you can apply them accurately.
To save time you can choose a test day that includes the Speaking test on the same day as the other skills. You can also register for a free IELTS mock test with IDP to understand the test structure and learn how to manage your time effectively. Check out the IELTS band descriptors to maximize your score or the IELTS remarking process if you are not satisfied with your result.
And when you are ready register for the IELTS test with IDP today!