English Conversation Topics to Practice Speaking by Level

Many learners understand a lot of English, but when it's time to speak they don't know what to talk about or how to start. A prepared topic with concrete questions removes that block: you know what you'll be asked and which phrases you can use. If you understand but the words don't come out, also read why understanding English isn't enough to speak it.

The topics follow the CEFR levels. If you don't know yours, see the guide to CEFR levels from A1 to C2 or practice with Vozi Exam to get a reference for your level. You can also start one level below the one you think you have: speaking fluently about an easy topic trains you more than struggling with a hard one.

What changes from one level to the next

HelloVozi proposal based on what the CEFR describes for spoken production at each level. Times are a practice guide, not a requirement.

How to practice a topic in 10 minutes

This routine works for any topic on the list. Repeat the same topic two or three days in a row before moving on: the second time you're no longer searching for words, so you can focus on saying more.

1. Read (2 minutes). Read the questions and useful phrases. If the topic has a model text, read it aloud once, slowly.
2. Answer (3 minutes). Answer each question aloud without writing your answer first. Use at least two of the useful phrases.
3. Record yourself or talk (3 minutes). Speak about the topic without stopping for one or two minutes and record yourself on your phone, or talk about it with another person or a coach.
4. Review (2 minutes). Listen to the recording or go over the conversation. Write down two mistakes to fix and three words you were missing. Use them next time.

If you freeze or feel embarrassed when you speak, start by recording yourself with no one listening, and read how to overcome your fear of speaking English.

A1 level topics

Topics about you and your daily life. Answer with short, complete sentences. See what's expected at level A1.

About me

Questions to answer aloud:

• What's your name, and where are you from?
• Where do you live now?
• What do you do?
• What do you like doing in your free time?

Useful phrases:

• My name is…
• I'm from…, but I live in…
• I'm a student. / I work in…
• I like… / I don't like…
• What about you?

Model text to read aloud (65 words)

Hi, my name is Daniela. I'm 24 years old and I'm from Loja, but now I live in Quito. I work in a small bakery near my house. I start work at seven in the morning. In my free time, I like reading and walking in the park with my dog, Toby. I don't like cold weather, and Quito is sometimes cold! What about you?

My family

Questions to answer aloud:

• How many people are there in your family?
• Do you have brothers or sisters?
• Who do you live with?
• What does your mother or father do?

Useful phrases:

• There are … people in my family.
• I have one brother and two sisters.
• I live with…
• She works in… / He's a…
• We usually … together.

My daily routine

Questions to answer aloud:

• What time do you get up?
• What do you have for breakfast?
• How do you get to work or school?
• What do you do in the evening?

Useful phrases:

• I get up at…
• I have … for breakfast.
• I go to work by bus.
• After work, I…
• I go to bed at…

Model text to read aloud (62 words)

I get up at six thirty every day. First, I take a shower and have breakfast: usually bread, eggs and coffee. I go to work by bus. It takes forty minutes. I work from eight to five. In the evening, I cook dinner with my brother and we watch a series or talk about our day. I go to bed at eleven.

Food I like

Questions to answer aloud:

• What's your favorite food?
• What do you usually eat for lunch?
• Can you cook?
• Is there a food you don't eat?

Useful phrases:

• My favorite food is…
• I really like…
• I usually eat … for lunch.
• I can cook… / I can't cook.
• I don't eat…

My home

Questions to answer aloud:

• Do you live in a house or an apartment?
• How many rooms are there?
• What's your favorite room?
• What is there near your home?

Useful phrases:

• I live in an apartment. / I live in a house.
• There are three bedrooms.
• My favorite room is the… because…
• Near my home, there's a…

Weekends

Questions to answer aloud:

• What do you do on Saturdays?
• Do you go out or stay at home?
• Who do you spend the weekend with?
• What do you do on Sunday mornings?

Useful phrases:

• On Saturdays, I usually…
• I like to…
• Sometimes I go to…
• I spend time with…
• On Sunday mornings, I…

A2 level topics

Talk about things you did and compare places and options. Use first, then, after that to order your ideas. See what's expected at level A2.

Last weekend

Questions to answer aloud:

• What did you do last weekend?
• Where did you go?
• Who were you with?
• Did you have a good time?

Useful phrases:

• Last weekend, I…
• On Saturday morning, I went to…
• Then… / After that…
• It was great. / It was boring.
• I didn't…

Model text to read aloud (67 words)

Last weekend I visited my grandparents in Ibarra. We left on Saturday morning, and the trip took about two hours. My grandmother made her famous soup, and in the afternoon we walked around the lake. On Sunday it rained, so we stayed at home and played cards. I didn't win once! We came back on Sunday night. It was a quiet weekend, but I really enjoyed it.

A trip

Questions to answer aloud:

• What was your best trip?
• Where did you stay?
• What did you eat there?
• Would you like to go back? Why?

Useful phrases:

• I went to … with…
• We stayed in a…
• The best part was…
• I took a lot of photos.
• I'd like to go back because…

My job or studies

Questions to answer aloud:

• What do you do?
• What do you like about it?
• What is difficult about it?
• What are you going to do in the future?

Useful phrases:

• I work as a… / I'm studying…
• I'm in my … year.
• The best part is…
• The hardest part is…
• After I graduate, I'm going to…

Model text to read aloud (76 words)

I'm studying nursing at a university in Cuenca. I'm in my third year. I have classes in the morning, and three afternoons a week I do my practical training at a hospital. The best part is helping patients and learning from the nurses. The hardest part is the night shifts, because I get very tired. After I graduate, I'm going to look for a job in a hospital, and one day I'd like to work abroad.

Shopping

Questions to answer aloud:

• Where do you usually buy clothes?
• Do you prefer shopping online or in stores?
• What was the last thing you bought?
• Do you compare prices before you buy?

Useful phrases:

• I usually buy clothes at…
• I prefer … because…
• It was cheaper than…
• How much is it?
• I'm just looking, thanks.

Health and habits

Questions to answer aloud:

• What do you do to stay healthy?
• How often do you exercise?
• Do you sleep well?
• What healthy habit would you like to start?

Useful phrases:

• I try to…
• I exercise twice a week.
• I should drink more water.
• I'm trying to eat less sugar.
• I usually sleep about … hours.

My city

Questions to answer aloud:

• What's your city like?
• What can visitors do there?
• What's the best place to eat?
• What would you change about it?

Useful phrases:

• My city is small / busy / quiet.
• It's famous for…
• Visitors can…
• The best place to eat is…
• There aren't enough…

B1 level topics

Describe experiences in detail and give reasons for your opinions. Try to speak for one minute without stopping. See what's expected at level B1.

A memorable experience

Questions to answer aloud:

• Tell me about an experience you'll never forget.
• What happened?
• How did you feel?
• What did you learn from it?

Useful phrases:

• I'll never forget the time I…
• It all started when…
• While I was…, suddenly…
• In the end…
• Looking back, I realize that…

Model text to read aloud (98 words)

I'll never forget my first job interview. I was nineteen and I wanted a part-time job in a call center. I prepared some answers, but while I was waiting, I started to feel very nervous. When the manager asked me to describe myself, my mind went blank. I took a breath, smiled and said, "Sorry, let me start again." To my surprise, she smiled too. I didn't get that job, but I learned something important: a mistake is not the end of the conversation. Now, when I get nervous, I slow down and give myself a second chance.

Technology in daily life

Questions to answer aloud:

• How do you use your phone during the day?
• Could you live without social media for a month?
• Has technology made life easier or more stressful?
• Which app couldn't you live without?

Useful phrases:

• I use it mainly for…
• I could / couldn't live without…
• On the one hand…, on the other hand…
• It depends on…
• In my opinion…

Work and future plans

Questions to answer aloud:

• Where do you see yourself in five years?
• What would your ideal job be?
• Would you like to work abroad?
• What skills do you need to improve?

Useful phrases:

• I'm planning to…
• I'd love to…
• I'm hoping to…
• One of my goals is to…
• To do that, I need to…

Model text to read aloud (90 words)

Right now I work in customer service for an internet company, but I'm planning to move into project management. I enjoy organizing people and solving problems, and my boss says I'm good at it. To make the change, I need two things. First, I want to finish a project management course this year. Second, I need to improve my English, because many of the best jobs in my field ask for it. I'm hoping to have a new position within two years. If that doesn't happen, I'll keep learning anyway.

Learning English

Questions to answer aloud:

• Why are you learning English?
• What's the hardest part for you?
• What has helped you most so far?
• How do you practice outside class?

Useful phrases:

• I'm learning English because…
• The hardest part for me is…
• What helps me most is…
• I've noticed that…
• I'm getting better at…

Series, films and books

Questions to answer aloud:

• What's the best series you've watched recently?
• What's it about?
• Would you recommend it? Why?
• Do you usually prefer the book or the film?

Useful phrases:

• It's about…
• It's set in…
• The main character is…
• What I liked most was…
• I'd recommend it to anyone who…

Problems in your city

Questions to answer aloud:

• What's the biggest problem in your city?
• What causes it?
• What should the local government do?
• What can ordinary people do?

Useful phrases:

• One of the biggest problems is…
• This happens because…
• I think they should…
• If more people…, it would…
• It would help if…

B2 level topics

Current issues: present pros and cons and reach a conclusion. See what's expected at level B2.

Remote work or the office

Questions to answer aloud:

• What are the main advantages of working from home?
• What do people lose when they don't go to the office?
• Should companies let employees choose?
• How might work change in the next ten years?

Useful phrases:

• The main advantage is that…
• That said,…
• It's not as simple as it sounds.
• I'd argue that…
• In the long run,…

Model text to read aloud (109 words)

Working from home has clear advantages. People save time and money on commuting, and many say they concentrate better without constant interruptions. That said, it's not as simple as it sounds. When everyone works remotely, it's harder to build trust, and new employees in particular miss out on learning by watching more experienced colleagues. In my view, the best option is a hybrid model with a clear purpose: people should come to the office for activities that really benefit from being together, such as planning, training and solving complex problems, and stay at home for focused individual work. Otherwise, people just commute to answer emails in a different place.

Social media and young people

Questions to answer aloud:

• Do the benefits of social media outweigh the risks?
• Should there be a minimum age to use it?
• How has it changed the way people communicate?
• Who is responsible for protecting young users?

Useful phrases:

• The benefits clearly outweigh the risks. / I'm not so sure.
• There's a lot of debate about…
• It's worth considering that…
• Whereas…
• I'm not entirely convinced that…

Tourism and its impact

Questions to answer aloud:

• How does tourism help a region?
• Can it also cause damage?
• Should popular places limit the number of visitors?
• What makes someone a responsible tourist?

Useful phrases:

• On the positive side,…
• The downside is that…
• A possible solution would be to…
• It's a matter of balance.
• As long as…

Model text to read aloud (106 words)

Popular natural areas are a good example of how tourism can be both a blessing and a risk. Visitors bring money and jobs, and many of them leave with a deeper respect for nature. However, more visitors also means more traffic, more waste and more pressure on fragile ecosystems. That's why rules matter. Limiting the number of people at certain sites, requiring trained guides and using entrance fees to fund conservation are all ways of keeping a balance. In my opinion, the goal shouldn't be to stop tourism, but to make sure that the people who visit a place help protect what they came to see.

Money and spending

Questions to answer aloud:

• Is it better to save money or to enjoy it now?
• Should schools teach personal finance?
• Have you ever regretted a purchase?
• How do you decide whether something is worth the price?

Useful phrases:

• It's (not) worth it.
• I tend to…
• I regret buying…
• Looking back, I should have…
• It makes sense to…

Education

Questions to answer aloud:

• What makes a good teacher?
• Is a university degree still necessary to get a good job?
• What would you change about the school system?
• Are exams the best way to measure learning?

Useful phrases:

• What makes a good teacher is…
• It depends largely on…
• If it were up to me, I'd change…
• Exams don't necessarily show…
• In my experience,…

The environment in daily life

Questions to answer aloud:

• What do you do to reduce waste?
• Are individual actions enough?
• Should single-use plastic be banned?
• Would you pay more for sustainable products?

Useful phrases:

• I make an effort to…
• Individual actions matter, but…
• Governments need to…
• It's up to all of us to…
• I'd be willing to…

C1 level topics

Abstract topics: qualify your opinions, consider other points of view and defend your position. See what's expected at level C1.

Artificial intelligence and jobs

Questions to answer aloud:

• Which jobs are most likely to change because of AI?
• Should people feel worried or excited about it?
• Which skills will remain valuable?
• Who should decide how AI is used at work?

Useful phrases:

• It's likely to…
• There's a risk that…
• By the same token,…
• What remains to be seen is…
• I'd go as far as to say that…

Model text to read aloud (114 words)

Discussions about artificial intelligence and jobs often swing between two extremes: either machines will take every job, or nothing important will change. The reality is likely to be more nuanced. Repetitive, predictable tasks are the easiest to automate, but most jobs are bundles of tasks, and only some of them can be handed over to software. What tends to change, then, is not whether a job exists but what it consists of. A translator, for instance, may spend less time producing a first draft and more time checking tone, accuracy and cultural fit. The real challenge is not the technology itself, but whether workers are given the time and training they need to adapt.

Success and happiness

Questions to answer aloud:

• How would you define success?
• Can money buy happiness?
• Is it possible to have a demanding career and a balanced life?
• Has your idea of success changed over time?

Useful phrases:

• It boils down to…
• I'd define it as…
• Up to a point,…
• There's a fine line between … and…
• My view has shifted since…

Cultural identity

Questions to answer aloud:

• What makes your culture distinctive?
• How does living abroad change people?
• Is globalization making cultures more alike?
• Which traditions are worth keeping?

Useful phrases:

• What sets … apart is…
• It's deeply rooted in…
• Whether we like it or not,…
• Some would argue that…
• I can relate to that.

Model text to read aloud (131 words)

When people ask me where I'm from, the answer is less straightforward than it sounds. I grew up between a small town in the Andes and a big coastal city, and each place shaped me differently. From the town, I kept a strong sense of community and the habit of greeting everyone I pass in the street. From the city, I picked up a faster rhythm and a more direct way of speaking. For a long time, I felt I had to choose one identity over the other. Eventually, I realized that identity isn't a single label but a mix of experiences, languages and relationships. English has added yet another layer: I'm slightly more direct in English than in Spanish, as if each language brought out a different side of me.

Media and misinformation

Questions to answer aloud:

• How do you check whether a piece of news is true?
• Who should be responsible for stopping misinformation?
• Has social media made people better or worse informed?
• Can news ever be completely neutral?

Useful phrases:

• I'd be wary of…
• It's hard to tell whether…
• That raises the question of…
• To be fair,…
• There's no easy answer.

Leadership

Questions to answer aloud:

• What makes a good leader?
• Are leaders born or made?
• Can someone be a good leader without being liked?
• Describe a leader you admire.

Useful phrases:

• A good leader is someone who…
• It's a combination of … and…
• I'd say it's more about … than…
• Take … , for example.
• That's not to say that…

Ethics and technology

Questions to answer aloud:

• Should companies collect personal data in exchange for their services?
• Where is the line between convenience and privacy?
• At what age should children have a smartphone?
• Who is responsible when an algorithm makes a mistake?

Useful phrases:

• In exchange for…
• It comes at a cost.
• Where do we draw the line?
• On balance,…
• I'm in two minds about…

Read next: How to Overcome Your Fear of Speaking English · English for Job Interviews: Phrases and Practice.

Seasonal topic: in October, practice with these Halloween words and phrases in English.

To start any conversation: how to introduce yourself and everyday expressions.

Next step: if you don't know your level, take the English level test (about 15 minutes, with instant results). To keep working on this topic, see how to practice English speaking with AI in Vozi Coach.