Describe a city you visited that you liked
IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card with a full sample answer, a Band 9 model of the two-minute long turn.
The cue card
Describe a city you visited that you liked
You should say:
- where the city is
- when you visited it
- what you did there
- and explain why you liked it
Sample answer
I'd like to describe a city I visited and absolutely loved — Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey, which I had the pleasure of visiting a couple of years ago.
Istanbul is a magnificent city that straddles two continents, Europe and Asia, separated by the beautiful Bosphorus strait. It's located in the north-west of Turkey and is famous for its rich history, having once been the capital of great empires.
I visited during the spring, which turned out to be the perfect time to go, as the weather was pleasantly mild and the city wasn't too crowded. I stayed there for about five days with my family, which gave us plenty of time to explore.
While I was there, I did a huge range of things. I visited world-famous historical landmarks such as the stunning Hagia Sophia and the magnificent Blue Mosque, both of which left me speechless. I wandered through the bustling Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, and took a relaxing boat trip along the Bosphorus. Of course, I also indulged in the delicious Turkish cuisine, from kebabs to sweet baklava, which was an unforgettable experience in itself.
There are many reasons why I loved Istanbul so much. Above all, I was captivated by the incredible blend of history and modernity, where ancient mosques and palaces sit alongside modern shops and cafes. The city has such a unique atmosphere and cultural richness, being a place where East truly meets West. I also found the people wonderfully warm and hospitable, and the food was simply out of this world.
Overall, Istanbul completely exceeded my expectations and left a deep impression on me. Its beauty, history and vibrant energy made it one of the most memorable places I've ever visited, and I would jump at the chance to return one day. It's a city I'd recommend to absolutely anyone.
316 words — roughly 2–3 minutes at a natural speaking pace.
Reading a model answer is not the same as saying one. The sample above shows what a strong Part 2 answer sounds like. What it cannot tell you is how yours sounds — whether you hesitate, repeat the question back, or run out of things to say at forty seconds.
You can record an answer to this exact question and get it marked on fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and pronunciation — the same four criteria the examiner uses.
Common questions
How long should I speak for in Part 2?
Between one and two minutes. The examiner stops you at two, so aim to still be talking at the ninety-second mark rather than finishing early — running out at forty seconds is the most common problem in this part.
What do I do with the one minute of preparation time?
You get one minute and a pencil and paper. Most candidates waste it writing full sentences they then read aloud, which sounds flat. Note a few keywords against each bullet instead, so you have four things to say and can speak naturally from them.
Do I have to cover all four bullet points?
They are prompts, not a checklist, and you are not penalised for skipping one. In practice they are the easiest way to fill two minutes, so covering them is usually the simplest way to keep going.
Does it matter if the story is not true?
No. You are assessed on your English, not on whether the events happened. Inventing detail is fine and often easier than recalling a real memory under pressure.
Model answers written and reviewed by The English All-in-One IELTS team. They are teaching models showing what each band looks like, not real candidate scripts.