Conversations / Musical Instruments
Musical Instruments Conversation Questions for Adult ESL Classes
Use these 20 discussion questions about Musical Instruments to run a full speaking lesson with adult learners (B1–B2). Each part opens with a vocabulary warm-up, every question is labelled with the thinking skill it practises, and each part fills roughly thirty minutes of class time on its own.
Reviewed by Brando · 12 Aug 2026
Part 1
Learning and Playing Musical Instruments
Focus: sharing musical experiences, comparing instruments, discussing practice, explaining preferences, and solving learning problems
Think of one musical instrument, one verb connected to playing music, and one person or place connected to learning music.
Describe each word without saying it directly. Your teacher or partner must guess the word.
EXPERIENCE
Have you ever learned to play a musical instrument? Describe what the experience was like.
PREFERENCE
Which musical instrument do you most enjoy listening to, and what do you like about its sound?
DESCRIBE
Describe an instrument that is common or important in your country.
COMPARE
Compare learning an instrument by yourself with learning from a teacher. What are the benefits of each?
PRIORITIZE
What matters most when learning an instrument: natural ability, regular practice, patience, a good teacher, or motivation?
PLAN
If you decided to learn a new instrument this year, how would you begin?
PROBLEM-SOLVE
A beginner practices regularly but feels that they are not improving. What could they change?
ADVISE
What advice would you give an adult who wants to learn an instrument for the first time?
REFLECT
Why do some people continue playing an instrument for years while others quickly lose interest?
RECOMMEND
Which instrument would you recommend to someone who wants an enjoyable hobby, and why?
Part 2
Instruments, Performance, and Musical Culture
Focus: discussing performances, cultural traditions, technology, teamwork, access to music, and the future of instruments
Choose one word from each category: Person: musician, student, teacher, audience member; Action: practice, perform, listen, improvise; Place: stage, classroom, studio, street; Feeling: nervous, excited, proud, relaxed. Use your four words to describe a short scene in two or three sentences.
CULTURE
Which instruments are strongly connected to traditional music in your country?
COMPARE
How is playing music alone different from playing in a band, orchestra, or other group?
DISCUSS
What makes watching musicians perform live different from listening to a recording?
EVALUATE
Should every child have an opportunity to learn a musical instrument at school? Explain your view.
INFLUENCE
How has technology changed the way people learn, record, and perform musical instruments?
BALANCE
How should musicians balance practicing technical skills with playing creatively and for enjoyment?
PROBLEM-SOLVE
A school wants more students to learn instruments but does not have enough money to buy equipment. What could it do?
COMPARE
How do electronic instruments and traditional acoustic instruments create different musical experiences?
PREDICT
Do you think traditional musical instruments will remain popular as digital music technology improves? Explain your prediction.
REFLECT
What can learning a musical instrument teach someone besides how to make music?