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

Friends is a very common topic in IELTS Speaking Part 1. The examiner wants to know about your social life, your best friend, and what you do together. To score Band 9, you need to avoid basic words like "good friend." You should use collocations like childhood companion, drift apart, or circle of trust to describe the nuance of your relationships.

How to Use These Sample Answers

Below are the latest 2026 questions for "Friends."

Important: These answers are written specifically for a person who has only a few close friends and prefers quiet places. This person gets tired easily when they are with big groups of people.
However, if you have many friends and you love going to parties every weekend, 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 two friends or two hundred.

Part 1: Friends Questions & Model Answers

1. Do you have a lot of friends?
Honestly, no. I prefer quality over quantity. I have a very small, tight-knit circle of friends whom I trust completely. I find maintaining a large social network quite draining, so I focus my energy on the few people who really matter to me.

2. Who is your best friend?
My best friend is a guy named Mark. We are childhood companions; we grew up in the same hometown and went to school together. We are like two peas in a pod—we share the exact same sense of humor and interests, so we never run out of things to talk about.

3. What do you usually do with your friends?
Since we are all quite busy with our studies and careers, we prefer simple activities. We usually just hang out at a coffee shop or go for a hike to stay fit. We aren't really into loud music or clubs; we prefer meaningful conversation.

4. Do you prefer to spend time with friends or family?
That is a tough question. I think friends are the family you choose. While I love my parents, I can be my true self around my friends. There is no pressure or obligation to behave a certain way, so I tend to feel more at ease with my peers.

5. Is it better to have one good friend or many friends?
For me, having one true confidante is much better than having a hundred fair-weather friends. You need someone who will stick by you through thick and thin. Superficial connections are fun for a party, but they aren't there when you actually have a problem.

6. Do you make friends easily?
Not really. I am quite reserved by nature. It takes me a long time to lower my guard and let people into my inner circle. I tend to observe people first before I decide to be open with them, so I wouldn't call myself very social.

7. Have you made any new friends recently?
Yes, actually. I recently started a new job and became friends with a colleague over our shared love of technology. We started grabbing lunch together and realized we had a lot in common. It’s rare for me to connect with someone so quickly, but we just got along instantly.

8. Are you still friends with people from your childhood?
Sadly, I have drifted apart from most of them. People change, and our lives just went in different directions. I am still in touch with one or two via social media, but we don't have that same bond anymore. It’s a natural part of growing up.

9. What qualities do you look for in a friend?
Above all else, I value loyalty and integrity. I need to know that I can trust them with my secrets. I also appreciate people who are supportive of my career and work goals, rather than those who are jealous or competitive.

10. How do you keep in touch with your friends?
We have a group chat that is active all day. Since we don't live in the same home town anymore, we rely heavily on messaging apps to stay connected. We also try to video call once a month to catch up properly, which helps bridge the distance.

11. Do you think friendship is important?
Absolutely. It is vital for your mental wellbeing. Humans are social creatures, and having a support system helps you cope with stress. Without friends, life would be incredibly lonely and monotonous, especially when you want to travel or celebrate a success.

12. Have you ever had a disagreement with a friend?
Yes, of course. No relationship is perfect. I once had a falling out with a friend because he was constantly late, which I found disrespectful. However, we sat down, talked it out, and buried the hatchet. I think resolving conflict actually made our friendship stronger.

Key Vocabulary from the Answers

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

• At ease: Relaxed and comfortable.

• Bond: A strong feeling of connection or friendship.

• Buried the hatchet: To stop fighting and become friends again.

• Childhood companions: Friends you have known since you were a child.

• Common: Shared interests or characteristics.

• Confidante: A person with whom one shares a secret or private matter.

• Draining: Causing you to lose energy; very tiring.

• Drifted apart: To slowly lose contact or become less close with someone over time.

• Fair-weather friends: Friends who are only there when things are going well, but leave when you have problems.

• Falling out: A quarrel or disagreement that ends a friendship.

• Hang out: To spend time relaxing with someone (informal).

• Health: The state of being free from illness or injury.

• Hometown: The town or city that a person is from.

• Inner circle: The small group of close friends someone has.

• Integrity: The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.

• Loyalty: A strong feeling of support or allegiance.

• Monotonous: Dull, boring, and repetitive.

• Obligation: A duty or commitment.

• Quality over quantity: Preferring things that are good rather than a large number of things.

• Reserved: Slow to reveal emotion or opinions; shy.

• Studies: Time and effort spent learning a subject.

• Support system: A network of people who provide practical or emotional support.

• Technology: Machinery and equipment developed from scientific knowledge.

• Thick and thin: Through good times and bad times.

• Tight-knit: Bound together by strong relationships.

• Travel: Make a journey, typically of some length or abroad.

• Two peas in a pod: Very similar, especially in appearance or personality.

• Work: Activity involving mental or physical effort.

Create Your Own Band 9 Answers

The answers above are perfect—if you are a Quiet Person. But what if you are a Party Lover who knows everyone in town? Your answers need to be true because truth is easier to recall in a stressful situation like an exam.

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

1. Select your topic - Friends.

2. Input your rough idea (e.g., "I have tons of friends and we love partying").

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

Start Generating Your Personal Answers Now →