Questions · Speaking practice
English speaking practice questions for longer answers
Speaking practice means talking for longer than feels comfortable. These prompts are built for one-minute answers: a small description, a funny story with a beginning and an end, a reflection on how you’ve changed.
- 16 questions
- EN + TL on every card
- Free in the app
Kumustahan is a bilingual conversation card app: 1,200 questions in English and Filipino across 7 decks, with a short reflection on the back of every card.
After a busy or tiring season, how can people tell that you’ve actually rested?
After ng busy o nakakapagod na season, paano malalaman ng mga tao na nakapagpahinga ka talaga?
Real rest often shows up quietly: more patience, more jokes, clearer thoughts, or simply a softer face.
Madalas tahimik lang makita ang tunay na pahinga: mas mahaba ang pasensya, mas may jokes, mas malinaw mag-isip, o mas maaliwalas lang.
The questions
16 speaking practice questions
Every question in English and Filipino/Tagalog, word for word from the Kumustahan decks. Open “Back of the card” for the reflection printed on the other side.
Speak for 30 seconds
5 questions
Describe something ordinary in detail.
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On a free day, what activity do you enjoy even if nothing gets done?
Sa free day, anong activity ang enjoy gawin kahit wala kang natatapos?
Back of the card
Not every good thing needs to be useful. Some activities are good because they give the day room to breathe.
Hindi lahat ng magandang gawin kailangang useful. May mga bagay na okay dahil binibigyan lang nila ng luwag yung araw.
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After a busy or tiring season, how can people tell that you’ve actually rested?
After ng busy o nakakapagod na season, paano malalaman ng mga tao na nakapagpahinga ka talaga?
Back of the card
Real rest often shows up quietly: more patience, more jokes, clearer thoughts, or simply a softer face.
Madalas tahimik lang makita ang tunay na pahinga: mas mahaba ang pasensya, mas may jokes, mas malinaw mag-isip, o mas maaliwalas lang.
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When did you realize a habit you already had was helping you?
Kailan mo na-realize na nakakatulong pala yung habit na meron ka na?
Back of the card
Helpful habits are not always dramatic. Sometimes you only notice them when life feels a little easier because they are there.
Hindi laging dramatic ang helpful habits. Minsan mo lang sila napapansin kapag mas gumagaan ang life dahil nandiyan sila.
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What is one thing you like that you no longer feel the need to explain?
Ano yung isang bagay na gusto mo na hindi mo na kailangang i-explain?
Back of the card
Some preferences do not need a courtroom defense. They can simply be yours, confidently and without a long speech.
May preferences na hindi kailangan ng courtroom defense. Sa'yo lang siya, confident, walang mahabang explanation.
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After finishing something hard, how do you usually celebrate or recover?
Kapag natapos mo ang mahirap na bagay, paano ka usually nagse-celebrate o nagre-recover?
Back of the card
Finishing something hard deserves a landing. Some people mark it loudly; some just need a quiet exhale.
Kapag may natapos kang mahirap, kailangan din ng landing. May nagse-celebrate nang malakas; may tahimik na hinga lang.
Tell a story (one minute)
6 questions
Embarrassing, funny, a little awkward. Beginning, middle and end.
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What made you laugh when you least expected it?
Ano ang nagpatawa sa'yo noong hindi mo inaasahan?
Back of the card
Give the scene a caption if you like.
Kung gusto mo, bigyan ng caption ang eksenang iyon.
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Share a small mistake or awkward moment that feels funny now.
Mag-share ng small mistake o awkward moment na funny na ngayon.
Back of the card
A small fail gets lighter once it becomes a story. Sometimes the best part is realizing everyone survives awkward little moments.
Gumagaan yung small fail kapag naging kuwento na. Minsan best part yung ma-realize na nakakalusot naman tayo sa awkward moments.
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Share a funny public moment when something embarrassing happened, but you tried to stay normal.
Mag-share ng funny public moment na may embarrassing na nangyari, pero sinubukan mong umaktong normal.
Back of the card
The public poker face deserves credit. Sometimes looking calm is just excellent acting with a normal facial expression.
May credit dapat ang public poker face. Minsan mukhang calm ka lang, pero acting na pala yun.
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Share one time your timing was really off and it became funny later.
Mag-share ng time na sobrang sablay ng timing mo at naging funny later.
Back of the card
Bad timing can be annoying in the moment and hilarious later. It has a way of turning itself into comedy.
Yung bad timing, nakakainis sa moment pero funny later. Parang kusa siyang nagiging comedy pag binalikan.
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Name a word or line you misheard that made the conversation funny.
Magbanggit ng word o line na mali mong narinig at naging funny yung usapan.
Back of the card
Mishearing one word can send a conversation somewhere else completely. Sometimes the mistake is funnier than the original point.
Isang maling dinig lang, ibang direction na yung usapan. Minsan mas funny pa yung mali kaysa original point.
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Finish this: I almost panicked when I accidentally sent...
Tapusin ito: Halos nag-panic ako nung accidentally kong na-send...
Back of the card
Wrong sends create instant suspense. The few seconds after realizing it can feel longer than the whole day.
Iba yung kaba ng wrong send. Yung ilang seconds after ma-realize, parang humahaba bigla yung buong araw.
People and change (two minutes)
5 questions
Describe a person, explain a change, give an example.
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Which compliment have you remembered long after someone said it?
Anong compliment ang tumatak sa'yo kahit matagal na itong sinabi?
Back of the card
The exact words are optional. Notice which part of the compliment stayed with you.
Hindi kailangan ang eksaktong salita. Balikan kung aling bahagi ng papuri ang tumatak sa'yo.
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Tell us about a friend who made you feel like you belonged.
Ikuwento yung friend na nagparamdam sa'yo na belong ka.
Back of the card
Inclusion can happen through one seat saved, one question asked, or one person making room on purpose.
Minsan isang upuang tinabi, isang tanong, o isang taong sinadyang magtabi ng space ang nagpaparamdam na kasama ka.
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Describe one thing that feels different about you lately.
I-describe ang isang bagay na parang nag-iba sa'yo lately.
Back of the card
Change often shows up quietly before anyone else notices. Giving it words helps you see it more clearly.
Minsan tahimik lang dumadating ang pagbabago bago mapansin ng iba. Kapag nilagyan mo ng words, mas malinaw mo siyang nakikita.
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How do you usually show a friend that you care?
Paano mo usually pinapakita sa friend na may care ka?
Back of the card
Care has many shapes: checking in, feeding people, remembering details, giving space, or staying when it gets inconvenient.
Maraming itsura ang care: nangangamusta, nagpapakain, nakakaalala ng details, nagbibigay ng space, o nananatili kahit hassle.
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What playful side of you comes out around close friends?
Anong makulit na side mo ang lumalabas kapag kasama ang close friends?
Back of the card
You do not have to perform it here. A description is enough.
Hindi kailangang gawin iyon dito. Sapat nang ikuwento.
How to use them
Before you ask
The fastest way to improve spoken English is to answer real questions out loud for one to two minutes at a time, often, and to listen back to yourself.
Most learners practice speaking in tiny pieces: a sentence in class, a phrase in a shop. Fluency grows in longer turns, when you have to keep going, connect ideas and fix a sentence halfway through. That’s uncomfortable, which is exactly why it works. The prompts here are short to read but need a description, a story or an explanation to answer properly.
Practicing alone? Pick one card a day, set a timer, and record your answer on your phone. Listen once for ideas and once for mistakes, then answer the same card again. The second recording is almost always better. With a partner, take turns: one speaks, the other only asks follow-up questions.
Good for
Tips
- Time yourself. Thirty seconds feels long the first week and short by the third.
- Record and replay; you’ll notice mistakes you never hear while speaking.
- Use linking words on purpose: first, then, after that, in the end.
- Don’t stop to search for a word. Describe it instead and keep going.
- Repeat the same card a week later and compare the recordings.
Decks for this
A ten-minute daily speaking routine
- Read the card and think for 30 seconds. Note three words you want to use.
- Record your answer. Aim for the time in the group heading.
- Listen back. Write down one thing you said well and one mistake.
- Record it again. Same card, better answer.
- Keep a list of the words you reached for and didn’t know. Look them up after.
English speaking practice
Frequently asked questions
How can I practice speaking English every day?
Answer one real question out loud each day for one or two minutes, record yourself, listen back, and answer it again. Short daily practice beats a long session once a week.
What should I talk about to practice English?
Everyday topics you already know well: your routine, a funny thing that happened, a person who helped you, how you have changed. Familiar topics let you focus on speaking.
Can I practice English speaking without a partner?
Yes. Record yourself on your phone answering a prompt, then listen and try again. Kumustahan is a free conversation card app, so you can draw a random card each day.
Bring a better question to the table.
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