As you know in Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking exam you will be asked to describe a person, an object, an event or a place.
A topic that could be difficult is when you have to talk about something that you have never experienced. This would probably interfere with your fluency as it's commonly known that our brain is not able to multi task, so it would be busy with the story rather than with the speaking.
At the same time the examiners don't appreciate memorized answers.
So, what could be done?
I always suggest to my students to get familiar with the topics that have been given so far and to think about which topics can cause such a problem for them. Reading something more about these topics as well as learning some topic vocabulary can be very helpful. In my opinion reading how other people have answered these difficult tasks can also be beneficial.
In this post you will see how I have described a topic that I find a little bit tricky.
Describe a place that you have never been before but you would like to visit.
You should say:
where this place is
how you learned about it
how you would go there
and explain why you would like to go there
Before you read my answer, look at the picture gallery, the photos are amazing. Unfortunately they were not taken by me although photography is one of my most favourite free time activity. You can view the original pictures in the links at the end of this post.
Try to guess where is this place, why I want go there, what is so special about it.
How do you feel about this place? Would you be interested to go there? If yes, why?
A place that I would really like to visit is a small town in Japan, called Kawazu. It is a tiny place, situated in Eastern Japan, not far from Tokyo. It has a population of approximately 8000 people and doesn’t have any world famous landmarks, skyscrapers or ancient monuments. However, this unique town attracts approximately 2000 000 visitors annually. The reason why so many tourists come here is because they can enjoy 8000 cherry trees blooming at the end of February every year.
I’ve learned about this place by a website that I follow, called Bored Panda. I was browsing the website one day and I saw some magical photos, published by few of the readers. The photos really captured my attention, so I’ve decided to research this place and I’ve read a few more articles about it online.
From what I've read going there wouldn’t be a problem as Kawazu is near the capital of Japan, Tokyo and there is an easy access by train. The journey takes around 2 hours. Perhaps another reasonable choice would be to take a public bus or go there by car, but it seems to me that most people prefer to take the train so I guess this would be the most comfortable option.
There are few reasons why I would like to go there.
First of all, Japan and Japanese traditions have always been a mystery for me, so I would be curious to learn something more about them in a real life situation. In Japan the cherry blossoms are highly symbolic and culturally significant. The blooming cherries represent the beautiful, but temporary nature of life, so for Japanese people it is time to be grateful and celebrate beauty while we are still alive.
Furthermore, Kawazu cherry trees are the first cherry trees to start blooming in Japan, about one month before the others, at the end of February. In Japan spring is considered to be a time of renewal that’s why people like to have cherry blossom parties with their colleagues, friends, and family. They enjoy eating, drinking, and having barbecues while watching the blossoms. Another interesting event that could be enjoyed in this town together with the trees blooming is the Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival. The festival takes place along the banks of the Kawazu river, stretching approximately four kilometers. The festival stalls offer a wide selection of cooked food, dried seafood, locally produced citrus fruit, souvenirs, and small Kawazu cherry trees that can be taken home and planted. At night, the trees are illuminated, and their reflections dance along the waters of the river.
All in all, I think I would be thrilled to go to Kawazu because I would like to know something more about a culture which is totally different from my own. It would be extremely interesting for me to see how people from Japan enjoy their time and behave during such a popular social event as the Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival. I believe this would be a very exciting and challenging experience that would teach me something new.
Download the pdf file here.
Because the topic of this card was a place, I have used some topic vocabulary which has been highlighted for you.
I also made my presentation more coherent by including some linking words.
Now, can you think of a place that you would like to visit. It could be a city, a country, a special house, a beach, a mountain, a historical place or any other place that you would really love to see.
1. Research the place that YOU want to visit. Read some articles about it in English. Look at some photos. Watch some videos on Youtube. Check what other people wrote about this place in their blogs or social media. Take notes.
2. Look at the questions. Try to answer them one by one. Try to make 4-5-6 sentences for each question. Take some notes.
3. Now, try to connect your answers in a small speech by using some linking words.
4. Record yourself.
5. Listen to the recording. Did you include any topic vocabulary? Did you use some strong adjectives? Did you stay on the topic? Did you speak about your ideas, your reasons and your feelings? Did you speak with clear voice? Did you give a good speech?
Don't worry if you didn't. Just try again. Practise, practise, practise until you are satisfied with the result.
And yes, if you want, you can borrow my place, but make sure you are talking about yourself, not about me, because things which are important and interesting for me may not be for you.
If you want to learn something more about Kawazu, open the links bellow:
http://www.festival.si.edu/blog/2014/significance-of-sakura-cherry-blossom-traditions-in-japan/ http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6314.html http://www.japan-guide.com/blog/jess/160224.html http://www.boredpanda.com/kawazu-cherry-blossoms-shizuoka-japan/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=BPFacebook http://www.kawazu-onsen.com/eng/