IELTS Speaking Part 2: How to Handle 'Describe a Place' Cue Cards

A simple strategy for place cards

'Describe a place' cards ask you to picture somewhere specific — a house, a city, a park, a holiday destination — and talk about it for up to two minutes. The trap is drifting into a vague, generic description that could apply to anywhere.

A stronger approach is to pick one real place you know well and build your answer around specific, sensory details rather than general statements. Specificity is what separates a band 5 answer from a band 7 one on this task type.

Also plan a brief contrast: how the place is now compared with how it used to be, or how you felt there compared with how you feel now. This naturally extends your answer and shows a wider range of grammar, such as past and present tenses together.

Original practice cards to try

Try these three cards under timed conditions, giving yourself exactly one minute to prepare.

Vary the type of place each time so you build flexibility rather than one memorised answer.

• Describe a place you visited that was particularly peaceful. You should say: where it is, when you went there, what you did there, and explain why you found it peaceful.
• Describe a building you find attractive. You should say: where it is, what it looks like, what it is used for, and explain why you find it attractive.
• Describe a place in your city that has changed in recent years. You should say: where it is, what it used to be like, what it is like now, and explain how you feel about the change.

Sensory detail and past/present contrast

Sensory language makes a place feel real to the listener and gives you material to extend an answer naturally. Instead of only describing what something looks like, mention sounds, smells, or the general atmosphere.

Useful phrases for contrast across time are also valuable, since several cue cards specifically ask how a place has changed.

• Sight and atmosphere: overlooking the river, bustling with people, dimly lit, surrounded by greenery
• Sound and feel: the sound of the waves, remarkably quiet, a lively buzz of conversation
• Past/present contrast: it used to be..., these days it's..., it's nothing like it was back then

What one minute of notes should look like

As with any Part 2 card, your notes should be brief prompts rather than full sentences. For a place card, it helps to note one sensory detail and one feeling alongside the basic facts.

Here is a short example for the 'peaceful place' card above.

Sample one-minute notes

Where: small beach near my grandparents' town When: last summer, early morning What I did: walked along the shore, sat and watched the waves Why peaceful: almost no one there, just the sound of the sea, helped me switch off from work

Building a practice routine

Picture three or four real places before test day: a childhood home, a city you have visited, a local landmark, and somewhere you consider peaceful. Most 'place' cards can be answered using one of these with minor adjustments.

Record yourself answering each prompt in full, then listen back for places where you paused for too long or repeated the same adjective.

Doing this little and often is more effective than one long cramming session, since it trains you to speak fluently under the same one-minute time pressure you will face in the real test.