Describe a beautiful city
IELTS Speaking Part 2 sample answer and one-minute preparation outline.
The cue card
Take one minute to prepare, then speak for up to two minutes. Use these points to organise your answer.
- Which city it is and where it is
- When you visited it or learned about it
- What makes the city beautiful
- Why you would recommend visiting it
Preparation notes and model answer
One-minute outline. Québec City · first visit in autumn · Old town · river view from the terrace · Walkable streets · evening lights · Recommend it to anyone who likes history and exploring on foot
I'd like to describe Québec City, which is in eastern Canada. I first went there with friends one autumn weekend. We arrived late on a Friday, so my first real look at the city was the next morning when we walked through the old town.
The part I remember best is the view of the river from the terrace near the Château Frontenac. It had rained earlier, and when the clouds lifted, the light reflected off the water. We stood there for a while watching a ferry cross. Then we took a narrow street downhill and found a small bakery where we warmed up with coffee.
What made the city beautiful to me was the combination of the landscape and the buildings. The river makes the view feel open, but a few minutes later you're in a little street with stone walls and brightly painted doors. In the evening, the same streets felt completely different once the lights came on.
I'd recommend it to someone who enjoys walking and history. You can spend half a day in the old town without planning much. I'd also tell them to bring comfortable shoes because some of the hills are steeper than they look.
What to notice. The answer moves from arrival to one memorable scene and then to a recommendation. Details such as the ferry and wet streets explain what made the city beautiful. In your own response, connect each descriptive detail to something you noticed or felt.
Try this free cue cardPart 3 follow-up questions
- How can cities protect historic streets while making room for new housing?
- Why do some people prefer visiting small cities to large ones?
Give a reason and a short example for each answer.