Cambridge IELTS Book 9 Speaking Test 3 Questions and Answers
IELTS Speaking Test Part 2
IELTS Speaking Test Candidate Task Card
Describe a journey [e.g. by car, plane, boat] that you remember well
You should say:and explain why you remember this journey well.
- where you went
- how you traveled
- why you went on the journey
Sample Answer
I'd like to tell you about a trip I took with three friends of mine about a year ago. We were in Mexico and decided to hire a car and travel around the country for four weeks. We did some planning before we set off on the journey, but not that much because we wanted it to be like an adventure.
We chose one of the main areas in the North, East, West, and South of the country to visit and planned to visit some other interesting places while traveling between those four major areas.
We all took turns driving, and it was truly a great trip, one that I'm sure we'll all remember for a long time.
As I said, we didn't really have a plan, but we wanted to see as much of the country as we could in the time we had free. So we just used to drive for a couple of hours and then stop in a village or town and take a walk around to see some of the sights, have something to eat and drink, and relax a little. Then we continued on to the next place we had marked on our map.
In the evenings, we would find a hotel and settle in for the night, go for something to eat, maybe go to a bar or restaurant, and have a look around the place.
We met some very interesting people and also had some good times - we spent one evening dancing with mariachi bands, and I can remember we met a group of foreign students on another evening in a restaurant, they were from Europe, and we spent a lot of time talking with them.
There are various reasons I will never forget that particular trip. One of them is the sheer size of the country - it's massive, and each area is different, and there's a lot of diversity in terms of the climate, the environment, people, and so on.
There were also specific moments that were unforgettable, like driving across the desert, which lasted for hours and hours. It was truly immense, and we only saw one other vehicle while we were driving. Spending Christmas in Cancun was great fun, on the beach, having a great time together.
Really, so many happy memories we all have from the time we spent traveling and exploring. The whole experience was just amazing! And that's why I remeber that particular journey so well.
Follow-up question
Would you like to do a similar journey again one day?
Yes, maybe, but in another place. The thing is, everyone has moved on now and we don't get to spend so much time together. We all have more commitments and it would take a lot more planning to get us all together at the same time nowadays.
Similar IELTS Speaking Test Candidate Task Cards (Cue Cards)
Part 2 task card topics often repeat (they are 'recycled') in various IELTS speaking tests. The wording may change slightly but the main topic (idea) remains the same.
Below are some typical variations of the sample candidate task card featured in this article:
- Describe a long car journey you went on
- Describe a journey you remember well
- Describe a long journey you went on
- Describe a journey you made in the past that you remember well
- Describe a road trip you went on
- Describe an exciting journey you once took
- Describe a long journey that you enjoyed
How would you answer this IELTS speaking test question about a journey by car, plane or boat that you remember well?