IELTS Speaking Part 2

Describe a natural place (e.g. parks, mountains, etc.): IELTS cue card with sample answer

An IELTS cue card for Speaking Part 2 with a Band 8 sample answer, the one-minute plan behind it, the vocabulary that lifts it and the Part 3 follow-up questions the examiner can ask next.
  • 259 words
  • A place
  • 1 minute to prepare
  • 2 minutes to speak

The cue card

Describe a natural place (e.g. parks, mountains, etc.)

You should say:

  • →Where this place is
  • →How you knew this place
  • →What it is like
  • →And explain why you like to visit it

One minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes.

A place

How to answer this cue card: a one-minute plan

  1. 1

    Identify the location and your first connection to it clearly within the first thirty seconds.

  2. 2

    Use descriptive sensory adjectives to paint a vivid picture of the landscape for the examiner.

  3. 3

    Focus your final minute on the emotional impact the place has on your mental state.

Model answer

Band 8 sample answer

Band 8259 words, about two minutes at a natural pace. Details are invented; use your own.

I would like to talk about a place called the Peak District, which is a vast, rolling national park in the heart of England. I first discovered this gem about five years ago when a colleague suggested it for a weekend getaway. I was looking for a complete break from the relentless pace of London, and he insisted that the dramatic landscapes would be exactly what I needed to recharge. Upon arriving, I was immediately struck by the sheer diversity of the scenery. It is a striking mixture of rugged gritstone ridges, lush valleys, and serene, meandering rivers. The atmosphere is incredibly atmospheric, especially early in the morning when a thick mist clings to the heather-clad moors, giving the whole area a rather haunting, prehistoric feel. There are endless dry-stone walls criss-crossing the hills, which adds a lovely, rustic charm to the rugged terrain. I find myself returning to the Peak District whenever I feel overwhelmed by urban life because it offers a profound sense of perspective. There is something deeply grounding about standing on a windswept plateau, far away from the hum of traffic and the digital noise of city life. The silence there isn't empty; it is full of the sounds of nature, like the distant cry of a curlew or the gentle trickle of a stream. It is this unique combination of physical exertion from hiking the steep inclines and the subsequent mental clarity that makes it my favourite sanctuary. It truly feels like a place where I can press the reset button on my life.

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8 words

Useful vocabulary for this cue card

  • rolling

    landscape with gentle slopes instead of jagged mountains

  • relentless

    continuing in a way that is intense and tiring

  • meandering

    following a path that has many sharp turns

  • heather-clad

    covered in a small purple mountain shrub plant

  • moors

    open, uncultivated land with poor soil and heather

  • criss-crossing

    forming a pattern of lines that cross over

  • sanctuary

    a place of safety, quiet, and great peace

  • inclines

    a slope or surface that is not flat

6 questions

Part 3 follow-up questions

  1. 1What kind of people like to visit natural places?
  2. 2​ ​What are the differences between a natural place and a city?
  3. 3Do you think that going to the park is the only way to get close to nature?
  4. 4What can people gain from going to natural places?
  5. 5Are there any wild animals in the city?
  6. 6Do you think it is a good idea to let animals stay in local parks for people to see?

Answer each in three to five sentences: position, reason, example, limit. See how to answer IELTS Speaking Part 3.

Frequently asked questions

How should I start the cue card "Describe a natural place (e.g. parks, mountains, etc.)"?+

Identify the location and your first connection to it clearly within the first thirty seconds.

How long should I speak on an IELTS cue card?+

You get one minute to prepare, then speak for the full two minutes, about 220 to 280 words at a natural pace. The examiner will stop you at two minutes, which is a good sign, not a problem.

How is the cue card scored?+

Part 2 is not scored on its own. Your whole Speaking test gets one band from four criteria: fluency and coherence, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. The cue card is where the examiner hears whether you can keep going for two minutes.

Can I use this sample answer in the exam?+

Use its structure and vocabulary, not its sentences. Examiners recognise memorised answers and mark fluency down; a shorter answer from your own memory scores higher than a recited one.

Keep practising

More cue cards: a place

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