What vocabulary should I use for IELTS Speaking about food & cooking?

Key vocabulary includes: from scratch, experimenting, as a treat, complicated, balance. Using topic-specific vocabulary demonstrates lexical resource, which is one of the four IELTS Speaking scoring criteria.

Cooking vs Eating Out | IELTS Speaking Part 1 (Interview)

Question

Do you prefer cooking at home or eating out? Why?

Model Answer

To be honest, I'd say I prefer cooking at home most of the time. I find it quite relaxing to prepare a meal from scratch, and it's definitely more nutritious because I can control exactly what goes into my food. I've been experimenting with different cuisines lately, especially Thai and Italian, which has been a lot of fun. That said, I do enjoy eating out at a nice restaurant on weekends as a treat, especially when I want to try dishes that are too complicated to make at home. It's all about finding a good balance, I think.

Key Vocabulary

from scratch

Made from basic ingredients rather than using pre-made products

experimenting

Trying new things to discover what works or what you enjoy

as a treat

As a special indulgence or reward

complicated

Consisting of many parts or steps; not simple

balance

A situation where different elements are equal or in correct proportions

Pronunciation Guide

cuisine /kwɪˈziːn/

Pronounced kwih-ZEEN. Stress the second syllable. The 'cui' sounds like 'kwi', not 'coo'.

nutritious /njuːˈtrɪʃəs/

Pronounced nyoo-TRISH-us. Three syllables with stress on the second. The 'ti' makes a 'sh' sound.

restaurant /ˈrestərɒnt/

In natural speech this is often two syllables: REST-rahnt. Avoid adding an extra syllable in the middle.

Speaking Tips

Part 1 questions with 'prefer' invite you to state a preference and explain it. Give your main reason, then add a balancing point to show you can see both sides.

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Cooking vs Eating Out