IELTS Speaking Part 2 Candidate Task Card | A Natural Disaster

Describe a natural disaster you heard about

You should say:
  • What it was and where it happened
  • When it happened
  • How you heard about it
and explain how people reacted when they heard about this disaster.
IELTS cue cards

How to Answer IELTS Cue Card: Describe a Natural Disaster You Heard About

To answer the IELTS cue card "Describe a natural disaster you heard about," structure your response to cover all points on the card while speaking fluently for 1-2 minutes. Use a real event like the 2011 Japan tsunami or a recent flood to make it authentic, and practice natural transitions between ideas.

Cue Card Points

Address these exactly to stay on topic:

  • What it was and where: Name the disaster (e.g., earthquake and tsunami) and location (e.g., Tohoku region, Japan).
  • When it happened: Give the date (e.g., March 2011) and any context like season.
  • How you heard about it: Mention news, social media, or family discussions.

Sample Answer Structure

Start with an introduction, then follow the points, and end with feelings or impacts.

Introduction: "One natural disaster I heard about was the massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan."

Main details:

  • It was a 9.0 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Tohoku, triggering huge waves up to 40 meters high that devastated coastal areas.
  • This happened on March 11, 2011, during the afternoon, catching many people unprepared.
  • I first heard about it on TV news channels like BBC, with live footage showing the waves sweeping away homes and cars.

Explanation and feelings: It caused over 15,000 deaths and the Fukushima nuclear crisis, which made me feel shocked at nature's power and admire Japan's quick recovery efforts.

Delivery Tips

Pacing & Vocabulary: Speak at a steady pace (130-150 words per minute) with varied vocabulary like "devastating," "catastrophic," or "resilient."
Linking Words: Use linking words: "Firstly," "Then," "As a result," "What struck me was."
Timing & Pausing: Time yourself to avoid rushing; pause naturally for emphasis.
Follow-up Prep: Prepare 2-3 follow-up answers on topics like prevention or climate change.

Related: Answer Structure for IELTS Cue Cards

What Structure Should I Use for an IELTS Cue Card Answer?

Use a clear, logical structure for IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue cards to cover all points fluently in 1-2 minutes. This ensures coherence, helps with timing, and impresses examiners by addressing every bullet point directly.

Planning Phase

Spend the 1-minute preparation time jotting brief notes for each cue card bullet point. Organize ideas into an introduction, body (one section per point), and short conclusion to avoid rambling.

Core Structure

Follow this 4-part framework:

  • Introduction (10-15 seconds): Paraphrase the topic to start strongly, e.g., "I'd like to talk about a natural disaster I heard about, which was..."
  • Body (1-1.5 minutes): Dedicate one paragraph per bullet point using signposting phrases like "First of all," "Secondly," or "Finally." Expand with details, examples, reasons, and feelings.
  • Conclusion (10-15 seconds): Summarize why it matters or add a personal reflection, e.g., "Overall, it made me realize..."
  • Signposting throughout: Link ideas with "To begin with," "Another thing is," or "As a result" for smooth flow.

Example Application

For "Describe a natural disaster you heard about," notes might be: Intro (topic/location) → Point 1 (what/where) → Point 2 (when) → Point 3 (how heard) → Conclusion (impact/feelings). Practice timing to hit 2 minutes without pausing awkwardly.

A 2 Minute Sample Answer for This Cue Card

One natural disaster I heard about was the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in 2011. It was a massive 9.0 magnitude quake off the coast of the Tohoku region, which triggered enormous waves sweeping away entire towns.

When and Where
This tragic event happened on March 11, 2011, in the afternoon, affecting coastal areas like Fukushima, Miyagi, and Iwate prefectures. The tsunami waves reached heights of up to 40 meters, flooding everything in their path and causing widespread destruction.

How I Heard About It
I first learned about it through live news coverage on TV channels like BBC and CNN, where shocking footage showed cars, houses, and ships being carried away by the water. Social media was also buzzing with eyewitness videos and updates from people on the ground.

Impact and Feelings
It resulted in over 15,000 deaths, thousands missing, and the Fukushima nuclear meltdown, which had long-term effects. Hearing about the resilience of the Japanese people in rebuilding touched me deeply and made me appreciate how unpredictable nature can be.

Vocabulary Useful for Describing Disasters

Use a range of descriptive vocabulary to vividly convey the scale, impact, and emotions of disasters in IELTS Speaking, boosting your lexical resource score. Words like "devastating," "catastrophic," and "unprecedented" add sophistication when discussing events like earthquakes or floods.

Types of Disasters

Incorporate specific terms for authenticity:

  • Geological: earthquake, tsunami, volcanic eruption, landslide, avalanche.
  • Meteorological: hurricane, tornado, flood, drought, wildfire, heatwave.

Severity and Impact

Describe magnitude and consequences precisely:

  • Intensity: mild, moderate, severe, devastating, catastrophic.
  • Physical Aftermath: rubble, debris, aftershock.
  • Consequences: devastating effects, widespread destruction, long-term consequences.

Actions and Responses

Show processes and human elements:

  • Verbs: evacuate, shelter, intensify (e.g., storm worsening).
  • Nouns: rescue efforts, first responders, humanitarian aid, flash flood, tsunami warning.

Sample Answer

Well, there have been many disasters in the news, in various different countries, but one I remember hearing about just the other day was in California, where they have had a severe drought for a long time.

Just recently they suffered severe storms caused by El Niño – and there was flash flooding and mudslides which caused a lot of damage to the area, even though they badly needed the torrential rains to ease the drought conditions.

The drought was so bad there that the authorities estimated that they would need years of such heavy storms and drenching rains to recover from the water shortfall they have experienced in recent years.

El Nino is a weather phenomenon which is caused by the Pacific Ocean becoming warmer and this then has an interaction with the atmosphere and this climatic reaction has been the reason behind many dramatic and disastrous changes in weather across the world and natural disasters such as flooding and storms.

Previous storms in California caused by El Nino were responsible for people dying, roads being washed away, and entire fields of crops being completely destroyed, so storms like this have the potential for disastrous results for the area.

California is frequently battered by Pacific storms causing flooding which causes a lot of damage and can be fatal in some cases. They are also still concerned about further flash floods and mudslides, specifically in the areas which were hit by the wildfires last year.

In some areas, residents have been already been advised to evacuate to safer zones, and people are busy implementing natural disaster management measures in preparation for worse storms predicted to be on the way – by stockpiling sandbags and taking other measure to try and mitigate the worst of the damaging rains and winds afflicting the area.

This IELTS cue card asks you to talk about a natural disaster that happened and how people reacted to it.

Similar Part 2 IELTS Speaking Candidate Task Cards

  • A natural disaster in your area
  • A natural disaster in your country
  • A natural disaster you read about/saw on the news
  • A natural disaster you have experienced
  • A natural calamity that you fear
  • The last natural disaster you saw on TV

The wording of each 'prompt card' may vary, which you should reflect in your answer. But the main topic/theme is still a natural disaster.


How would you answer this IELTS speaking question about describe a natural disaster?

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