IELTS Part 2 Question Types – Describing Places
Just like the others parts of the exam, Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking Test features consistent question types. This means you can improve your preparation by familiarising yourself with the IELTS Part 2 question types:
- Telling linear stories – Experiences, Holidays, Trips and more
- Describing people – Friends, Family, Celebrities and more
- Describing future plans and wishes – Jobs, Goals, Ambitions and more
- Describing Objects – Phones, Furniture, Cameras and more
In this post, we’re going to look at Describing Places in the IELTS Speaking Test Part 2.
Why do I need to know this?
Many IELTS Part 2 Questions ask you to describe places such as cities, facilities, famous areas or specific buildings.
For example:
- Describe your favourite building in your home town
- Describe a new development in your city (a shopping mall, cinema, leisure facility)
- Describe a public place that needs improvements
- Describe a time you did some shopping in a street market
- Describe a quiet place you like to visit
How do I answer these Part 2 Question Types?
Preparing in your 60 Seconds:
Following the PDF strategy – my advice would be to prepare ideas in the Describe section.
Trying choosing 2 or 3 specific things to describe in more detail.
For example: Describe a quiet place
My answer: The park near my house
- the duck pond
- the walking trails
- the outdoor cafes
This is a simple list that is easy to prepare and gives you a lot of flexibility. You can describe these ideas in any order, and you can focus on sharing as much detail as you can. It also stops you over-thinking and getting confused about what to talk about next. Keep it simple!
Language Tips:
I like…
(I like + verb-ing)
- I like sitting down and enjoying a coffee
- I like going there and shopping in the different stores
- I like visiting there every now and again
- I like eating there because the menu is fantastic
You can see…
(You can + verb)
- You can see huge skyscrapers
- You can relax and enjoy the peace and quiet
- You can listen to the birds and the wind
- You can buy some souvenirs
- You can eat some local food
- You can spend time by the beach
There are…
(There is / are + things / objects / facilities / people)
- There is a beautiful sunset in the evening
- There is a lot of traffic during rush hour
- There are street markets everywhere
- There are fun parties every night
- There are kids and families playing on the grass.
Strong and Vivid Adjectives
Here are some example collocations you can use to make your descriptions more exciting and vivid. You can also demonstrate your vocabulary skills to the examiner as well.
Here are some examples of common strong adjective collocations:
- Mouth-watering food
- Stunning views
- Breathtaking scenery
- Incredible architecture
- Gorgeous weather
- Boiling hot
- Freezing cold
- Wonderful people
Googling Strong or Ungradeable Adjectives will help you discover more, and allow you to make even more advanced and varied descriptions in your IELTS Speaking Part 2 answer.
Putting it all together
Here is an example IELTS Part 2 answer – applying the new techniques you saw in this post.
My answer: The park near my house
- the duck pond
- the walking trails
- the outdoor cafes
“In my city there are a lot of green spaces and parks, so fortunately there are a lot of quiet places I can go to unwind and escape the hustle and bustle of the city centre. One place in particular is called ‘Crystal Gardens” here in Sofia in Bulgaria.
“In the park, there is a pretty little duck pond. You can see ducks and ducklings swimming about in the water, I like sitting there and reading a book or just listening to music. You can enjoy the peace and quiet, especially in the city. There are also some really nice walking trails in the park. You can go hiking or just wander around and get lost in the park. I like going there to do some exercise when the weather is nice. Lastly, there are lots of outdoor cafes in the park. After I go walking, I like sitting down there and having a coffee or a beer and doing some people-watching. Overall, it’s just a really nice place.
I’m probably going to go there at some point this week because the weather is supposed to be wonderful. So I’m looking forward to blowing off some steam in Crystal Gardens so I can forget about my IELTS test for a while!”
Just like the others parts of the exam, Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking Test features consistent question types. This means you can improve your preparation by familiarising yourself with the IELTS Part 2 question types:
- Telling Linear Stories – Experiences, Holidays, Trips and more
- Describing people – Friends, Family, Celebrities and more
- Describing future plans and wishes – Jobs, Goals, Ambitions and more
- Describing Objects – Phones, Furniture, Cameras and more
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