Describe an Outdoor Activity You Did for The First Time?

Describe an outdoor activity you did for the first time

This IELTS test asks questions about:

  • Gifts
  • Trying new things
  • Expensive activities
  • An outdoor activity you did for the first time
  • Staying fit / fitness

IELTS Speaking Test Part 1

What is your full name?

It's Elizabetta Canalis

Can I see your ID please?

Yes, of course, here's my passport.

Where are you from?

I'm from Rome in Italy.

Are you working or studying at the moment?

I'm doing both. I'm studying English here because I want to go to university here and I'm also doing some work as a model.

Are you fond of receiving gifts?

Yes, I love getting gifts, and giving them to people too.

What kinds of gifts do you like to receive most?

Gifts from my friends mostly, because they know me well and are good at choosing gifts that I like. It's nice to get surprise gifts too sometimes, though.

What was the last gift you received?

It was a surprise from my father. He organized my tickets to come to the USA.

I was planning to pay for them myself, but he surprised me by announcing that he had already bought them and taken care of all the arrangements. It was nice of him.

IELTS Speaking Test Part 2

Describe an outdoor activity you did for the first time

You should say:
  • What did you do?
  • Where and when did you do it?
  • How did you feel later?
and say if you would recommend this activity to your friends.
IELTS cue card

Sample Answer | Describe an Outdoor Activity You Did for the First Time

I'll tell you about something I did last month, for the very first time. A friend invited me to go rock climbing, well, to be honest, it was rock climbing but indoors (at the beginning), not on a mountain.

He's been doing this activity for about six months, and I had asked him about it once as I was curious how you could climb inside. He tried to explain to me about the 'rock wall' that they use to practice and it all sounded very interesting.

Anyway, I joked with him that I would like to try it for the first time someday, but I didn't think he took what I said seriously at the time.

So one weekend, last month, he just called me, on a Friday evening, and asked me what my plans were for the next day. I told him that I hadn't planned anything special, but maybe I would go shopping or meet a girlfriend for lunch or something like that, to relax.

That's when he told me that he was going to take me to a rock climbing center here in the city and show me what it was all about. I'd forgotten all about our conversation until he invited me to go with him.

It was a fun activity, although I was a little scared at first, apprehensive more than scared, as the instructor was excellent, and I started practicing on the ground and very low on the wall to gain my confidence, so there was almost no risk.

After training with the instructor for a few hours and learning all about the safety aspects and the basic techniques used in climbing, I thought that that was the end of the activity. But my friend had arranged for us to visit a place just outside of town where we could climb on real rocks for practice.

It was a beautiful day, and after practicing on the indoor wall, I wanted to try and do it on some real rocks, so off we went. When we arrived, quite a few people were climbing already.

My friend finally convinced me to get started and accompanied me all the time, he was very patient, and when I thought I was stuck at one point, he showed me how I could overcome the problem and continue.

I have to admit that it was a great day, something new and exciting that I'd never done before. I liked it, it was good exercise and I think I want to try it again soon. And I met some new people too, which was fun.

I'll probably have to try and improve my fitness because it seems to be quite demanding physically, but hey, that's the whole idea - to get toned and fit, which is a good thing. I have another friend who loves doing physical exercise, so I'll probably recommend it to her also since it was a simply outstanding experience.

Describe an activity you like doing - IELTS cue card model answer

IELTS Speaking Test Part 3

Was it an expensive activity?

No, on that occasion it wasn't expensive because my friend arranged everything - it didn't cost me anything.

I think if you buy some special equipment, it could be quite expensive. But then you'll probably use it for a long time, so it's good value for money.

I suppose if you were serious about it you could spend more money on traveling to climb in different places, that might be more expensive than any equipment you buy.

Do you generally like trying new things?

Yes, but I'm not the adventure type - I don't go for all the adrenaline or extreme sports.

The only reason I tried rock climbing for the first time was that my friend invited me to go with him.

If he hadn't, I probably would've never gotten round to doing it on my own.

Would you do the same activity again in the future?

Yes, I probably will - I enjoyed myself, and it seems like a great way to stay fit and enjoy the good weather outdoors at the same time.

It's quite relaxing too because you have to concentrate on what you're doing so you forget about everything else that might be bothering you in life, it's a bit like therapy, and when you finish you feel a little tired but very satisfied.

Do people in your country usually do this type of outdoor sport?

In my country it's not as popular as here. We have many mountains, and there have always been climbers. But here it seems to be a super popular sport, especially for young people.

How do you think people should be encouraged to do more activities outdoors?

I don't know if they should be encouraged on purpose. It's a matter of personal choice. Some people just don't like being outside in the country or doing this kind of outdoor activity, so there's little point in encouraging them to do something they aren't interested in doing.

It's nice if they are aware of the opportunity to try it - but if they don't want to, then ok.

Describe an activity you do to stay fit and healthy - IELTS cue card model answer

What do you consider the main disadvantage of such activities?

I don't think there are any disadvantages, except it might cost you some money.

Most outdoor activities are healthy and popular nowadays, and many such as cycling or even just walking do not require you to be super athletic or anything like that. You can enjoy being outside in the fresh air if you like that kind of thing.

I think there are many more advantages than disadvantages associated with doing an outdoor activity.

Can you describe an expensive activity people like to do outdoors?

Some people like to spend their time outdoors doing expensive activities such as golf, sailing, and skiing. I know a friend who likes sailing, so he often goes out to the harbor to spend his weekends sailing. It's a great way to relax and enjoy the outdoors, but it can be quite expensive depending on the type of equipment you need and where you're sailing.

His boat cost him around $15,000 and he has to pay for the dockage fees every month. If you're interested in taking up sailing, it's definitely a great activity to try, but be prepared to spend some money on it.


How would you answer these interview questions about gifts, trying new things, an expensive activity, an outdoor activity, and staying fit?


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