CEFR C1 Speaking Topics: Questions and Model Answers [2026]

At C1 level, speaking is about sustaining an argument on abstract topics with fluency and precision. The subjects are no longer just personal; you are expected to discuss ideas you have no direct stake in, weigh competing views, and structure your thoughts as you speak. This guide gives advanced topics with example questions and developed model answers, each running to several sentences, because at this level a short reply, however accurate, does not show what you can do.

Technology and society

How has technology changed the way we communicate?

Model answer: It has made communication instant and constant, which is both its strength and its weakness. On one hand, we can reach anyone anywhere in seconds, which has transformed how families stay in touch and how businesses operate. On the other, that same immediacy has eroded our tolerance for delay and, arguably, the depth of our conversations, since a quick message often replaces a real one. I would say the technology itself is neutral; what matters is whether we let it serve us or end up serving it.

Work and success

Should success be measured by how much money someone earns?

Model answer: I think money is a poor sole measure, even if it is a convenient one. It is easy to count, which is precisely why society leans on it, but it tells you nothing about whether a person finds their work meaningful or has time for the people they care about. That said, I would not dismiss it entirely, because financial security removes a real source of stress and gives people choices. My own view is that success is better judged by a balance of fulfilment, relationships and stability, with income as one factor among several rather than the headline.

The environment

Whose responsibility is it to tackle climate change, individuals or governments?

Model answer: Framing it as a choice between the two is part of the problem. Individuals changing their habits matters, but the scale of the challenge means personal effort alone cannot solve it, and focusing on individual guilt can distract from the bigger levers. Governments and large companies control the systems, the energy supply, transport, regulation, that determine most emissions, so meaningful change has to happen there. At the same time, governments respond to public pressure, so individual action still counts, not mainly through recycling but through the collective voice it creates.

Culture and change

Do you think globalisation is a positive or negative force for local cultures?

Model answer: It cuts both ways, and I am wary of a simple answer. Globalisation has undeniably spread ideas, opportunities and wealth, and it has let cultures reach audiences they never could before. Yet it also flattens difference, as the same brands and entertainment appear everywhere and smaller languages and traditions struggle to compete. If I had to land somewhere, I would say the outcome depends on whether local cultures are given the means to adapt and hold their ground, rather than simply being overwritten.

How to practise these

Choose a question and speak for a full minute before checking the model. Push yourself to state a position, support it, acknowledge the other side, and conclude, all without long pauses. Recording your attempts and listening for where you hesitate or lose the thread is how you build the sustained fluency C1 demands.

Judging your own level at this stage is genuinely hard, because the differences between B2, C1 and C2 are subtle. A step down sits B1 speaking topics. Our guide to the English levels from A1 to C2 shows what separates B2, C1 and C2, so you get a clear sense of whether your speaking has reached an advanced level rather than having to guess.