IELTS Speaking Part 1: Family Questions & Band 9 Answers (2026)

Family is one of the "Big 3" topics (along with work and study). You will definitely get questions about your parents, siblings, or childhood. The examiner wants to hear natural, emotional language. To score Band 9, you need to go beyond "I love my family." You need to discuss the real dynamics—like the generation gap, cultural expectations, or how you deal with homesickness.

How to Use These Sample Answers

Below are the latest 2026 questions for "Family."

Important: These answers are written specifically for a student who grew up in a huge house with parents, grandparents, aunts, and cousins, but who left home to live alone in a big city. However, if you grew up with just your parents (and no siblings or grandparents), or if you still live in your childhood home, these answers are not for you and will not fit your life.

So, here is the plan:

1. Read these samples to understand the Band 9 structure.

2. Use the IELTS Speaking Lab App to get personalized answers. It gives you perfect vocabulary that fits your real life—whether you have ten siblings or none.

Part 1: Questions & Model Answers about Family

1. Do you have a large family or a small family?
I come from a massive family. Back in my hometown, there are three generations living under one roof: my grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts, and all my cousins. It is incredibly chaotic, but there is never a dull moment.

2. Who are you closest to in your family?

Definitely my younger cousin, Rina. We are roughly the same age, so we are more like partners in crime than cousins. She is my main source of gossip; she keeps me updated on all the family drama while I am away studying in the city.

3. Do you spend much time with your family?

Sadly, no. Since I left for university, I only see them during major festivals. Now, our relationship exists entirely through pixelated video calls. It’s hard, and I often suffer from bouts of homesickness, but we try to talk every single night.

4. Do you get along well with your family?

We love each other deeply, but there is a significant generation gap. My parents and grandparents are quite conservative and traditional, whereas I have become more modern since moving to the city. This often leads to clashes over my lifestyle.

5. Are your parents strict?

My father was a strict disciplinarian when I was growing up. He imposed a strict rule that I had to be home by sunset every day. He placed immense pressure on academic excellence, which was stressful, but I know he just wanted me to have a secure future.

6. What do you like to do together as a family?

Food is the center of our world. When I visit, my mother prepares elaborate homemade delicacies, like spicy biryani. We sit on the floor in a circle, eating with our hands and sharing stories. It’s a very communal and bonding experience that I miss terribly.

7. Who does the housework in your family?

In my ancestral home, traditional rules are still quite strong. My mother and aunts handle all the cooking and cleaning, while the men handle the finances. I personally disagree with this disparity, so when I visit, I make a point to help clear the table.

8. Do you prefer spending time with family or friends?

Right now, I prefer my friends. My friends in the city give me a sense of autonomy and freedom that I don't get at home. With my family, I always feel the weight of expectations and judgement, whereas my friends accept me exactly as I am.

9. Are you more like your mother or your father?

I have my mother's patience but my father's temperament. Like him, I can be quite stubborn. My relatives often say I am the spitting image of him when I get angry, which is not always a compliment!

10. How has your family influenced you?

They taught me to share. Growing up in a house with 15 people means you have zero privacy, so you learn to share everything from food to secrets. It made me a very adaptable person, ready to handle any social situation at work.

11. Do you want to have a family of your own in the future?

Yes, but I want a small family—just me, my spouse, and our kids. I don't think I could manage the stress of a huge family again. I want a quiet, modern home equipped with smart technology, where I can raise my children with more freedom.

12. What is your best memory with your family?

It was actually the day I left for the city. My entire family gathered at the train station to say goodbye. My grandmother gave me a blessing and pressed some money into my hand. It was a very bittersweet moment—I was excited for my new life but heartbroken to leave my safety net.

Key Vocabulary for IELTS Topic: Family

Here is the complete glossary of every bolded word and phrase used in the answers above.

• Academic excellence: Performing extremely well in school/university.

• Adaptable: Able to adjust to new conditions easily.

• Ancestral home: The house that has belonged to your family for many generations.

• Autonomy: Independence or freedom.

• Bittersweet: A mixture of sadness and happiness (e.g., leaving home).

• Blessing: A prayer asking for God's protection, or a formal wish for happiness.

• Chaotic: Completely confused or disordered (often used for big families).

• Clashes: Arguments or disagreements.

• Clear the table: To remove plates and cutlery after a meal.

• Communal: Shared by all members of a group.

• Conservative: Disliking change and holding traditional values.

• Disparity: A great difference (often unfair, like between men's and women's work).

• Expectations: Pressure from parents to behave in a certain way.

• Festivals: Religious or cultural celebrations (e.g., Eid, Diwali, Christmas).

• Generation gap: A difference of attitudes between old and young people.

• Gossip: Casual conversation about other people's private lives.

• Handle all the cooking: To be responsible for preparing all the meals.

• Home by sunset: A rule requiring you to return home before it gets dark.

• Homemade delicacies: Special or delicious food items made at home.

• Homesickness: The sad feeling caused by being away from home.

• Left for university: The moment you moved away from home to start your higher education.

• Partners in crime: Close friends who have fun together (and sometimes get into trouble).

• Pixelated: When a digital image/video is unclear or blocky because of a bad internet connection.

• Pressed some money into my hand: A gesture where an older relative secretly or quickly gives you cash as a gift.

• Safety net: A safeguard against difficulty (e.g., knowing your family will always support you).

• Sit on the floor: A traditional way of eating meals in many cultures, rather than at a table.

• Spitting image: Looking exactly like someone else.

• Strict disciplinarian: A parent who believes in firm rules and punishment.

• Temperament: A person's nature or character (e.g., angry, calm).

• Video calls: Using apps like WhatsApp or Zoom to see and talk to people.

• Zero privacy: Having no space or time to be alone.

Create Your Own Band 9 Answers

The answers above are perfect—if you come from a huge family and left for university in another city. But what if you are an only child? Or what if you are a single parent? Your answers need to be true so that you can easily recall them during a stressful exam.

IELTS Speaking Lab helps you turn your real ideas into Band 9 answers.

1. Select your topic - Family.

2. Input your rough idea (e.g., "I am an only child and sometimes it gets lonely").

3. Get personalized Band 9 answers instantly, with the perfect vocabulary for your story.

Start Generating Your Personal Answers Now →