Describe a special day out that didn't cost a lot
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 special day out that didn't cost a lot
You should say:
- what you did
- when it was
- who you were with
- why it was special
Sample answer
I'd like to describe a truly special day out that I relished, which, pleasingly, cost next to nothing at all.
What we did was spend an entire day hiking through the countryside and having a picnic by a lake, which turned out to be one of my most memorable days in ages. We packed our own food and drinks from home, so aside from a spot of fuel for the car, the whole day was essentially free.
This was last spring, on a gloriously sunny weekend when the weather was absolutely perfect. After weeks of being cooped up indoors with work and studies, we'd all been gagging for a change of scenery and a breath of fresh air.
I was with a small group of my closest friends. There were about five of us, and we'd been meaning to organise a get-together for ages, so we finally seized the opportunity. We drove out to a scenic spot about an hour from the city, went for a long, leisurely hike through the hills, and then settled down by a beautiful lake to tuck into our picnic. We spent hours chatting, laughing, playing games and simply soaking up the peaceful natural surroundings.
There are several reasons why this day meant so much to me, despite costing next to nothing. Firstly, it proved that you really don't need to splash out to have a wonderful time. The simple pleasures of nature and good company were far more valuable than any pricey outing. Secondly, it was precious quality time with friends I hadn't seen properly in a while, and we made some lovely memories together.
By the end of the day, I felt completely refreshed and recharged, both physically and mentally. It reminded me that the best experiences in life often spring from the simplest things, and it's a day I still look back on with a great deal of fondness.
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 talk about rather than a script.
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.