IELTS Speaking Part 1: Praising – Model Answers 2025

Praising is a topic in the IELTS Speaking Part 1 question bank for September–December 2025 that connects personal experiences of recognition and achievement to psychological research on motivation, feedback, and how praise shapes behaviour and self-concept.

IELTS Speaking Part 1 Praising 2025: All Questions and Model Answers

Question 1: Have you had any achievements recently?

Model Answer:
Although I try not to evaluate my progress purely through the lens of formal achievements, I did recently complete a professional certification that I had been working toward for several months alongside my regular work commitments. The satisfaction of completing it was genuine but also somewhat different from what I had anticipated. The actual moment of finishing felt less dramatic than the process of doing it, which is something I have noticed with most goal completion experiences. That is why researchers studying motivation often find that the anticipation of an achievement and the activity of working toward it tend to be more consistently rewarding than the moment of completion itself. Despite that, the certification has had practical value that continues beyond the moment I received it.

📌 Band 7-8 Vocabulary: professional certification, goal completion, anticipation, motivation, rewarding

Question 2: How do you feel when you are praised?

Model Answer:
While receiving genuine, specific praise feels meaningfully different from vague or formulaic compliments, my emotional response to it tends to be brief. There is an initial warmth, and if the feedback is specific enough to tell me something real about the quality of my work, that is genuinely useful information. That said, I have become more attentive to the distinction between internal standards and external validation as I have gotten older. That is the reason why I try not to rely on praise as a primary motivator, not because external recognition is unimportant but because motivation that depends heavily on others’ approval is fragile in a way that intrinsic drive is not. Praise confirms what you have done. It does not sustain what you are doing.

📌 Band 7-8 Vocabulary: formulaic compliments, external validation, intrinsic drive, internal standards, fragile

Question 3: When was the last time you praised someone?

Model Answer:
Although I try to acknowledge good work in others when I notice it, I am probably less consistent about offering specific praise than I intend to be. The most recent instance I recall clearly was commenting to a colleague on a presentation she had prepared that was notably better organised and more clearly communicated than the previous version had been. That kind of specific, comparative feedback felt more useful to me to offer than a general compliment would have been, because it identified precisely what had improved and why it was effective. That is why management research consistently finds that specific praise tied to observable behaviour or outcomes produces stronger motivation and professional development than general encouragement delivered without reference to specifics.

📌 Band 7-8 Vocabulary: specific praise, comparative feedback, observable behaviour, professional development, management research

Question 4: Do you think parents should often praise their children?

Model Answer:
Despite the widespread cultural belief that generous praise builds confidence in children, the psychological research on this question is considerably more nuanced than that popular assumption suggests. Studies by Carol Dweck at Stanford have found that praising children for being clever rather than for their effort consistently produces worse outcomes in terms of persistence, risk tolerance, and eventual performance. That is the reason why Dweck’s concept of the growth mindset, which centres on praising process rather than ability, has been so influential in education circles. Despite being generated by academic research, the findings have clear practical implications for how parents communicate with children about success and failure in ways that genuinely support rather than inadvertently undermine long-term development.

📌 Band 7-8 Vocabulary: growth mindset, Carol Dweck, persistence, risk tolerance, process versus ability

Examiner Tips for IELTS Speaking Part 1 Praising 2025

Connect praising to psychological research on motivation, Carol Dweck’s growth mindset, and the difference between specific and general praise.

The distinction between intrinsic drive and external validation is sophisticated and impressive vocabulary for this topic.

Growth mindset and process versus ability praise are specific and impressive references that elevate your answer significantly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a confirmed IELTS Speaking topic for September–December 2025?
Yes. This topic appears in the official IELTS Speaking Part 1 question bank for September–December 2025.

How long should each answer be?
Aim for at least 100 words per answer at a natural speaking pace.