Describe an Open Air or Street Market which You Enjoyed Visiting

Describe a street market in your city

Speaking Topic: An Open Air market / Street Market

Cambridge IELTS 9 Speaking Test 1 Part 2

Describe an open-air or street market which you enjoyed visiting.

You should say:
  • where the market is
  • what the market sells
  • how big the market is
and explain why you enjoyed visiting this market.


Useful words/phrases to describe a street market

A street market is a great place to find fresh produce, unique handmade goods, and delicious food from around the world. There's always something new to discover, and bargaining is half the fun!

Here are some useful words and phrases to describe a street market:

- bustling: full of activity and energy
- colorful: full of bright colors
- crowded: full of people
- noisy: full of sounds
- smelly: full of strong smells
- chaotic: seeming disorderly or confused
- interesting: holding your attention or curiosity
- exciting: making you feel enthusiastic or eager



Sample Answer: An Open-Air or Street Market You Enjoyed Visiting

There's one particular street market I remember visiting a few years ago. I was traveling with some friends in Mexico and we stopped off in a town called Cuernavaca.

We went to explore the center of the town one morning, and it was mobbed with people. I think it was a Tuesday morning if I remember correctly. Anyway, we asked one of the locals what was going on, and they explained that it was 'market day', which is a big event for the locals.

We strolled down the street to see what all the fuss was about. When we arrived at the market it was really impressive, it spanned about 5 blocks, and there seemed to be all kinds of different things you could buy. We saw clothes, food, shoes, jewelry, and many local crafts for sale as well.

I think we must have spent a couple of hours there just exploring all the market stalls and some of us bought some souvenirs for friends back home. It was a great experience because there were people from all over the region who had come to set up stalls and sell their goods there.

After we had finished looking at everything, we stopped at one of the food stalls to have some lunch, some spicy tacos, and a nice refreshing beer - it was excellent.

I think it's one of the biggest markets I've ever been to, and it was certainly one of the most colorful. They even had buskers there performing all day.

As I said, we spent at least a couple of hours looking at all the offerings, but it goes on well into the night as well. They run it for 2 days back-to-back once a month.

I began to realize why it was such a big event for the locals, it was amazing, and I've certainly never seen a market like it since then.

Market day is a big tradition for the town, and the locals always look forward to it each month.

Apparently, it used to be quite a small affair when it first started hundreds of years ago. But it's grown and grown, and when we were there, it was almost like a supermarket out on the street.




How would you answer this question about an open-air market or street market you visited?

  • Cambridge IELTS 9 Speaking Test Part 3