A city you would like to visit
IELTS Speaking Part 2 · cue card
Describe a city you would like to visit in the future.
You should say:
- which city it is
- how you learned about it
- what you would do there
- and explain why you want to visit it
You have one minute to prepare and should speak for one to two minutes.
Free account required for the live AI partner.
Band 7+ sample answer
About 243 words, roughly two minutes spoken. Use it for ideas and language, not to memorise: examiners notice rehearsed answers.
The city I'd really love to visit is Kyoto in Japan. I first became interested in it about three years ago after watching a documentary about traditional crafts, where they showed an old family that has been making paper fans by hand for more than ten generations.
Since then I've read quite a lot about it, mainly blogs and travel vlogs, and the more I learn, the more fascinating it seems. It was the capital of Japan for over a thousand years, so it's full of temples, wooden houses and gardens, but at the same time it's a modern city with a big university and excellent public transport.
If I went, I'd start by getting up very early to visit the bamboo forest before the crowds arrive. I'd also like to stay one night in a traditional inn, where you sleep on tatami mats, and I'd definitely try a tea ceremony, because I'm curious about why something as simple as making tea has become an art form. I'd also want to just wander through the back streets and eat whatever street food I find.
The main reason I want to go is the balance it seems to have between tradition and modern life. In many fast-growing cities, including my own, old buildings are being knocked down at an alarming rate. Kyoto seems to show that a city can develop without losing its identity, and I'd like to see that with my own eyes.
Useful vocabulary
- fascinating
- extremely interesting
- an art form
- an activity done with great skill and beauty
- wander through
- walk slowly without a plan
- knocked down
- demolished
- at an alarming rate
- very fast, in a worrying way
- losing its identity
- no longer having its own special character
Part 3 follow-up questions
- Why do people like to visit famous cities?
- Does tourism do more good or harm to historic cities?
- Should old buildings be protected even if the land is needed?
- How do people choose where to travel these days?
- Will virtual travel ever replace real travel?
Tip: in Part 3, give an opinion, a reason and an example, and consider another point of view. Aim for 3–5 sentences per answer.
How to practise this card
- Set a one-minute timer and write keywords for each bullet, not full sentences.
- Speak for two minutes and record yourself on your phone.
- Listen back: did you cover every bullet and the "explain" part? Note one phrase from the vocabulary list to use next time.
- Answer two Part 3 questions out loud, then try the card again with the AI Speaking Partner.