IELTS Speaking Part 2

Describe an unusual experience of traveling. Describe a place you visited with your friends and you had a good time: IELTS cue card with sample answer

An IELTS cue card for Speaking Part 2 with a Band 8 sample answer, the one-minute plan behind it, the vocabulary that lifts it and the Part 3 follow-up questions the examiner can ask next.
  • 259 words
  • An experience
  • 1 minute to prepare
  • 2 minutes to speak

The cue card

Describe an unusual experience of traveling. Describe a place you visited with your friends and you had a good time.

You should say:

  • →Where you go?
  • →When you go there?
  • →Who you were with?
  • →What you did do there?
  • →Explain why it is unusual.

One minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes.

An experience

How to answer this cue card: a one-minute plan

  1. 1

    Note down the specific location and your companions to build a clear narrative framework.

  2. 2

    Brainstorm one sensory detail for each bullet point to make your story sound authentic.

  3. 3

    Dedicate the final thirty seconds of your talk specifically to the unusual aspect of travel.

Model answer

Band 8 sample answer

Band 8259 words, about two minutes at a natural pace. Details are invented; use your own.

A couple of years ago, my group of four friends and I decided to ditch the typical beach holiday and headed to the Svaneti region in Georgia. We arrived in late September, right as the leaves were turning a fiery shade of copper. We stayed in a remote guesthouse in Mestia, which felt like stepping back in time. The entire experience was incredibly authentic; we spent our days trekking through rugged, snow-dusted mountain passes, passing ancient stone defensive towers that had stood for centuries. One evening, we were invited by a local family to join their supra, a traditional feast. We spent hours sharing homemade khachapuri and local wine while listening to polyphonic singing that echoed against the valley walls. It was a sensory overload of rich aromas, vibrant music, and genuine warmth. What made this trip truly unusual was how disconnected we were from the modern world. There was no reliable mobile signal, no tourist traps, and barely any other foreigners in sight. We were forced to rely entirely on our internal compasses and the kindness of locals to navigate the landscape. Usually, when I travel, I have a rigid itinerary planned down to the hour, but here, we just followed the weather and our whims. It was a profound reminder of how refreshing it is to trade screens and schedules for raw human connection and the sheer scale of the wilderness. That level of isolation, combined with the unexpected cultural immersion, turned an ordinary hiking trip into a transformative adventure that none of us will ever forget.

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8 words

Useful vocabulary for this cue card

  • fiery

    having a bright, intense red or orange colour

  • polyphonic

    music consisting of several independent melodic lines combined

  • sensory overload

    too much stimulation from the surrounding environment

  • tourist traps

    places that attract tourists to charge high prices

  • rigid

    not able to be changed or adapted easily

  • whims

    sudden desires or changes of mind for fun

  • profound

    very great or intense in experience or feeling

  • immersion

    deep mental involvement in a specific activity

6 questions

Part 3 follow-up questions

  1. 1Do you think the growth of international tourism is a good thing? Why (not)?
  2. 2What do you think people can learn from travelling to other countries? Why?
  3. 3Do people in your country travel more these days than in the past for holidays?
  4. 4What kind of places are popular for holidays amongst the youth of your country?
  5. 5Do you think the preference of destination for holidays changes with age?
  6. 6Do you think the trend of going on family holidays will increase in the future?

Answer each in three to five sentences: position, reason, example, limit. See how to answer IELTS Speaking Part 3.

Frequently asked questions

How should I start the cue card "Describe an unusual experience of traveling. Describe a place you visited with your friends and you had a good time."?+

Note down the specific location and your companions to build a clear narrative framework.

How long should I speak on an IELTS cue card?+

You get one minute to prepare, then speak for the full two minutes, about 220 to 280 words at a natural pace. The examiner will stop you at two minutes, which is a good sign, not a problem.

How is the cue card scored?+

Part 2 is not scored on its own. Your whole Speaking test gets one band from four criteria: fluency and coherence, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. The cue card is where the examiner hears whether you can keep going for two minutes.

Can I use this sample answer in the exam?+

Use its structure and vocabulary, not its sentences. Examiners recognise memorised answers and mark fluency down; a shorter answer from your own memory scores higher than a recited one.

Keep practising

More cue cards: an experience

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