Describe a story or book with animals in it
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 story or book with animals in it
You should say:
- what it is about
- what animals are in it
- why you read it
- what you think of it
Sample answer
I'd like to describe a book with animals in it that I read and thoroughly relished — a classic novel called 'Animal Farm' by George Orwell.
Although it might come across as a simple story about animals on the surface, the book is in fact a shrewd political allegory. It centres on a group of farm animals who rise up against their cruel human farmer, driving him off the land in the hope of building a fair and equal society where all animals are free. However, over time, the pigs who seize control gradually turn just as corrupt and tyrannical as the humans they replaced, which is the tragic crux of the story.
The animals in it are all farm animals, and each one stands for a different type of person or group in society. The most memorable are the pigs, particularly two named Napoleon and Snowball, who rise to become the leaders. There are also loyal, hard-working horses, sheep who follow orders blindly, and various other animals like dogs and hens.
I picked it up partly because it's a famous classic I felt I ought to read, and partly because it was recommended by a friend who swore it was far more profound than it first appeared. I was drawn in by the idea of a story that used animals to convey a much deeper message.
As for what I make of it, I found it absolutely brilliant and genuinely thought-provoking. On one level, it works as an entertaining, easy-to-read story, but on a deeper level, it's a powerful commentary on power, corruption and how noble ideals can be twisted beyond recognition. I was struck by how deftly Orwell used simple animal characters to unpack complex political ideas in such an accessible way. It really made me reflect on human nature and society, and it has stuck with me ever since. I'd wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone.
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.