IELTS Speaking Practice Test 2026: Personal Qualities & The News (Band 9 Answers)
To achieve a Band 9 in the IELTS Speaking test, you must go beyond simple answers and demonstrate a mastery of idiomatic language, complex sentence structures, and abstract thinking.
In this complete practice test, we tackle a challenging set of topics: describing your personal qualities, analyzing a complex news story, and evaluating the impact of modern media. Study these Band 9 model answers to understand how to structure your thoughts and elevate your vocabulary for the examiner.
Part 1: Personal Qualities
1. What do you think your best personal qualities are? [Why?]
I’d say my greatest strengths are my emotional resilience and my capacity for empathy. I’m quite adept at bouncing back from setbacks without letting them derail my focus, which is incredibly useful in both academic and professional settings. Furthermore, being empathetic allows me to genuinely connect with people from all walks of life, making it easier to collaborate and resolve conflicts.
2. Do you have the same personal qualities as your parents? [Why/Why not?]
“To a large extent, yes. I believe I’ve inherited a blend of their defining traits. I definitely get my strong work ethic and meticulous attention to detail from my father, who is incredibly disciplined. However, my patience and my more extroverted, communicative side are traits I’ve definitely picked up from my mother. Of course, I have my own quirks, but the foundational qualities are quite similar.”
3. What personal qualities are important to you in a friend? [Why?]
For me, loyalty and absolute honesty are non-negotiable. I need to know that a friend will stand by me during turbulent times and tell me the hard truth, even when it’s uncomfortable to hear. Beyond that, a shared sense of humor is vital; being able to laugh together at the absurdities of life is the best way to decompress and maintain a strong bond.
4. Do you think you have the personal qualities to be a good/successful leader? [Why/Why not?]
I’d like to think so. I possess a strong degree of decisiveness and I’m not afraid to take responsibility for difficult choices. More importantly, I believe modern leadership requires high emotional intelligence—the ability to actively listen to your team, recognize their individual strengths, and foster a collaborative environment rather than just dictating orders. I actively try to cultivate those skills.
Part 2: Cue Card (A Discussion About a News Story)
The Cue Card:
Describe a time when you had a long discussion about a news story. You should say:
- what the news story was about
- who you discussed this news story with
- what people’s opinions were
- and explain why you had such a long discussion about this news story.
Band 9 Model Answer:
A few months ago, I had an incredibly gripping, hours-long discussion regarding a major news story about the rapid integration of advanced Artificial Intelligence into the white-collar workforce. The article specifically highlighted a major tech firm that had replaced a significant portion of its copywriting and data analysis departments with AI algorithms.
I discussed this over dinner with three of my closest university friends, all of whom are currently navigating the early stages of their corporate careers.
Our opinions were sharply divided, which made the conversation utterly fascinating. One of my friends, who works in software engineering, was highly optimistic. He viewed it as a necessary paradigm shift that would eliminate mundane tasks and free up humans to focus on higher-level, creative problem-solving. Conversely, my other friend, who is a junior financial analyst, was deeply apprehensive. She argued that the legislation surrounding AI is woefully inadequate and expressed genuine anxiety about massive, unmitigated job displacement across various sectors.
The reason the discussion stretched late into the night was because it wasn’t just a distant political issue; it felt incredibly personal and immediate. We found ourselves dissecting not just the economic implications, but the profound ethical questions as well. We debated universal basic income, the future of the education system, and what it fundamentally means to have a ‘career’ in the 21st century. It was a complex, multifaceted issue with no easy answers, which naturally fueled a marathon debate.
Part 3: The News and Discussion Programs
1. How do most people find out about the news in your country?
There has been a massive digital shift over the last decade. While older generations might still tune in to the evening television broadcasts or read physical broadsheets, the vast majority of the population now consumes news through social media algorithms and dedicated news aggregator apps on their smartphones. It’s highly instantaneous, though often heavily filtered by personal preferences.
2. Are people more interested in local news than national news?
It’s a bit of a mixed bag. I think people are naturally drawn to local news because it has a tangible, immediate impact on their daily lives—things like local infrastructure projects, school board decisions, or community safety. However, during times of economic instability or national elections, the pendulum swings heavily towards national news, as those macroeconomic factors ultimately dictate the direction of the country.
3. How important is it to know about international news?
In today’s hyper-connected, globalized world, it is absolutely paramount. Geopolitical events, international trade agreements, and global climate initiatives have a ripple effect that eventually reaches our local doorsteps. Being ignorant of international affairs leaves a person incredibly vulnerable to misinformation and ill-equipped to understand the broader economic forces shaping their own country.
4. Why are discussion programmes involving members of the public popular on TV and radio?
I believe their appeal lies in their sheer relatability. Traditional news broadcasting can feel very sterile and detached, delivered by polished anchors in a top-down manner. Discussion programs democratize the narrative. They give a voice to the common person, allowing audiences to hear raw, unfiltered opinions that often mirror their own frustrations or hopes. Plus, the inherent conflict and debate make for highly engaging entertainment.
5. What kinds of people want to take part in discussion programmes?
Generally, you see two distinct archetypes. First, there are the highly opinionated, passionate citizens who feel a profound sense of injustice or urgency about a specific societal issue and want a platform to be heard. Second, you often have local politicians, community leaders, or aspiring pundits who are strategically using the platform to raise their public profile and sway public opinion.
6. Do discussion programmes influence people in a good or bad way?
They are a classic double-edged sword. On the positive side, they foster civic engagement, expose viewers to diverse perspectives, and hold authority figures accountable in a public forum. However, on the darker side, producers often prioritize sensationalism over nuance to boost ratings. By pitting extreme views against one another, these programs can severely exacerbate societal polarization and create toxic echo chambers rather than fostering genuine understanding.
📚 Essential Band 9 Vocabulary (Part 2 & 3)
Lexical Resource with these advanced terms utilized in the model answers above:
| Word / Phrase | Meaning | Example Sentence |
| Resilience (n.) | The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. | Her emotional resilience allowed her to thrive despite the high-pressure environment. |
| Paradigm shift (n.) | A fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions. | The invention of the internet caused a paradigm shift in global communication. |
| Displacement (n.) | The moving of something from its place or position; often used for job loss. | The new factory automation led to the massive displacement of blue-collar workers. |
| Paramount (adj.) | More important than anything else; supreme. | Safety is paramount when undertaking any high-altitude trekking. |
| Broadsheet (n.) | A newspaper with a large format, regarded as more serious and less sensationalist. | My grandfather still prefers reading a Sunday broadsheet over checking news apps. |
| Democratize (v.) | Make (something) accessible to everyone. | The internet has largely democratized access to higher education resources. |
| Sensationalism (n.) | The use of exciting or shocking stories or language at the expense of accuracy. | The tabloid’s coverage of the trial was purely driven by sensationalism. |
| Echo chamber (n.) | An environment where a person only encounters information or opinions that reflect and reinforce their own. | Social media algorithms often trap users in an intellectual echo chamber. |