Describe a city you would like to visit

In IELTS Speaking Part 2 you get this card, one minute to prepare and up to two minutes to speak. Below: the notes a strong candidate might make in that minute, a natural Band 7–8 answer, the words that make it work, and the Part 3 discussion the examiner usually moves on to.

The cue card

One-minute notes

Notes in the preparation minute should be keywords, not sentences — one line per bullet, plus the one detail that makes your story yours. Something like:

• Kyoto, Japan
• first heard: a friend's photos + a documentary on temples
• temples early morning, food markets, rent a bike
• autumn leaves season
• why: old + modern side by side, slow pace

Band 7–8 sample answer

A city I'd really love to visit is Kyoto, in Japan. It's been at the top of my travel list for years now, and I keep promising myself that next year will finally be the year.

I first heard about it properly through a friend who spent a semester studying there. She sent me photos almost every day — tiny wooden houses, temples hidden among trees, and narrow streets lit by paper lanterns at night — and I remember thinking they looked almost unreal. A bit later I watched a documentary about the craftsmen who restore the temples, and that made me even more curious.

If I went, I'd want to take things slowly rather than rush around ticking off sights. I'd get up very early to visit the famous temples before the crowds arrive, then spend the afternoons wandering around food markets and trying things I can't even name. My friend says the best way to get around is by bicycle, because the city is flat and quite compact, so I'd definitely rent one. And ideally I'd go in autumn, when the maple leaves turn red.

The main reason I want to go is the contrast. From what I've seen, Kyoto manages to keep its history alive while still being a normal, modern city where people go to work and catch the bus. In my own country, old areas often become either museums or are knocked down completely, so I'm curious to see how a city balances the two.

About 250 words — roughly two minutes at a relaxed pace. Notice what it does: one specific story instead of general statements, every bullet covered, natural spoken linking rather than "firstly… secondly…", and the "why" part of the card answered properly at the end — that is where many candidates run out of things to say. Use it to see the structure; don't memorise it. Examiners are trained to spot memorised answers, and your own story will always sound more fluent.

Useful vocabulary

• at the top of my list — my first choice; what I want most
• tick off (sights) — to visit places quickly just to say you have seen them
• wander around — to walk without a fixed plan
• get around — to travel from place to place within an area
• off the beaten track — away from places tourists usually go
• a must-see — something you should definitely visit

Part 3: questions and model answers

After your two minutes, the examiner moves to a discussion linked to the card's topic. These questions are more abstract: give an opinion, a reason and an example, and it's fine to say "it depends" — as long as you explain on what.

What makes a city a good place to live?

Good public transport, safety and green spaces are the basics. But I'd also say affordability — a city can be beautiful and exciting, but if ordinary workers can't afford to live there, it stops being a good place to live for most people.

Should governments limit tourism in popular cities?

In some cases it makes sense. When a city is so crowded with visitors that residents can't live a normal life, measures like a tourist tax or limits on short-term rentals seem reasonable. The aim shouldn't be to stop tourism, but to make sure it benefits the people who live there.

How will cities change in the next fifty years?

I imagine they'll be greener and more crowded at the same time. Climate change will probably force cities to plant more trees and cut car use, and I expect more people will work from home, which could change city centres from office districts into places for living and leisure.

Is urbanisation good for a country?

It brings real benefits — jobs, better services, more opportunities for education. But if it happens too fast, cities can't build housing and infrastructure quickly enough, and rural areas get left behind with mostly elderly people. So it's good in principle, but it needs careful planning.

More cue cards about places

• Describe a place where you like to relax
• Describe a natural place you have visited
• Describe a building you find interesting
• Describe a place in your town or city that has changed
• Describe a café or restaurant you often go to
• Describe a crowded place you have been to

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