IELTS SPEAKING CUE CARD
[PART 2]
A CROWDED PLACE YOU
WENT TO
Describe a crowded place you went to
You should say:
- Where it was
- When you went there
- Why you went there
And explain how you felt about it
A N S W E R
I’m not the type of person who finds pleasure in visiting crowded places as it sometimes makes me feel dizzy, especially if I smell something odd – like people’s odor, especially when the sun is scorching, and it’s mixed with a strong perfume that some people wear. So for that reason alone, I basically don’t have so many chances to experience being in crowded places.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Dizzy [adj.] – having the sensation of spinning around and losing one’s balance
Odd [adj.] – unusual; strange
Scorching [adj.] – very hot
TIP
i.) The speaker developed his introduction in a creative way by stating his reason first as to why he’s not into visiting places that are crowded. With that kind of introduction, he already showed his language prowess and that surely helped him impress the examiner.
Anyway, two days ago, I took my IELTS exam for the three sections and the exam was held in one of the function rooms of a hotel in our city. To be exact, I arrived there an hour before the exam started. As I entered, I was taken aback since the hallway was already packed. Seeing a huge number of examinees in my very eyes made me feel like there were butterflies in my stomach. While everyone was still waiting for the registration to start, each found a way how to make themselves calm or even get rid of their worries.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Taken aback [phrase] – to be surprised or shocked that you cannot respond at once
Packed [adj.] – completely full
Butterflies in my stomach [idiom] – to be anxious or nervous
Get rid [phrase] – to free oneself from
TIP
i.) Here the speaker transitioned to start talking about what that crowded place was and where that place was. He provided descriptive words to describe the setting. Notice the topic vocabulary words and the expressions he used. He used them very wisely and naturally.
I could see that some examinees had already established rapport with other test takers since I noticed that they’re already comfortable talking with one another, some were reviewing their notes, and some were coming in and out of the restroom. So you can imagine how those happenings in the hallway added pressure on me.
To cut a long story short, I did try to put myself at ease as I didn’t want my nervousness to overwhelm me or else, I would mess up my exam. So I decided to talk to the person who was standing next to me and we talked about each other’s plans once we reached our respective target band scores. And honestly, that coping mechanism of mine really worked as my anxiousness that’s caused by the crowd, and the fact that I needed to take the exam, subsided.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Rapport [noun] – a close and harmonious relationship; bond
To cut a long story short [phrase] – is used when you don’t want to add more details and just state the final result of something
At ease [phrase] – free from worry
Overwhelm [verb] – have a strong emotional effect on
Mess up [phrasal verb] – to mishandle a situation
Coping mechanism [noun] – an adaptation to environmental stress that is based on the conscious or unconscious choice that enhances control over a behavior
Anxiousness [noun] – the state of being worried
Subside [verb] – become less intense
TIPS
i.) In the first part, the speaker continued describing the situation of the place. This would serve as supplemental details to extend his story a bit longer.
ii.) The last part was his way of wrapping up his story. In that part, he talked about his feelings and how he coped with the situation. And that’s a very good way to end his monologue. So looking at the whole story, you would realize how each idea presented spontaneously and that made the examiner understand clearly.
PART 3
FEELINGS TOWARDS CROWDED
PLACES,
REASONS FOR CONGESTION IN CITIES, AND
RESOLVING CONGESTION IN CITIES
Do people like to go to crowded places? Why or why not?
Well, that depends on the person, if one is an extrovert and especially young, he is more likely to find satisfaction in blending in with the crowd. Extroverts are usually adventurous, sociable, talkative, and friendly, so I believe visiting crowded places is their cup of tea.
However, if a person is an introvert or those who are elderly, basically they avoid such places since those are overwhelming for them and those do not give them peace of mind. Normally, they prefer serenity because they can concentrate on doing things well and at the same time save their energy. So I cannot say that all people enjoy visiting crowded places, it all depends on the personality of the person.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Extrovert [noun] [adj.] – an outgoing and confidently sociable person
Blend in [phrase] – to look or seem the same as surrounding people or things that cannot be noticed easily
Cup of tea [idiom] – something one likes
Introvert [noun] [adj.] – someone who is shy or prefers to stay alone or indoors
Overwhelming [adj.] – enormous; immense
Serenity [noun] – calmness; tranquility
TIP
i.) The speaker answered the question by not generalizing people, instead, he talked about the two types of people and explained each of them stating the characteristics of those kinds of people that made the examiner completely understand why the first type of people are more likely to enjoy going in visiting crowded places. He ended his answer by giving a conclusive statement reiterating what he previously said in the introductory part of his answer.
Is there a place in your country that is overpopulated?
I am not really sure about one specific place that is populous in this country, however, I suppose the capital city is overpopulated. That is simply because all the better job opportunities are centered in that area. People coming from different small towns or districts or regions flock to the capital to seek better opportunities in life despite the high cost of living. Anyway, I think that is common anywhere in the world, every capital in every country is incredibly overpopulated.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Populous [adj.] – having a large number of people
Flock into [idiom] – to move into some place in large numbers
Incredibly [adv.] – to a great degree; extremely
TIP
i.) The speaker expressed his honesty by stating his uncertainty and so he talked about his general assumption that the capital is overpopulated. He gave his main reason for his belief coupled with an example. That is the best way to explain his answer better. Then he ended his answer by simply concluding it with the idea that capital cities were normally overpopulated.
Why do people still like to live in big cities?
Well like I said earlier, there are more job opportunities in the metropolis, one can find a lucrative job only in the city not usually in the country. Besides, life in the city is way more convenient – easy access to essential facilities such as hospitals, supermarkets, prestigious schools, the main government offices, and advanced transportation, among others.
As we know, it is human nature to desire to live conveniently, and in order to fulfill that, people prefer living in major cities to living in the countryside. However, it is interesting that as people get older, they give up the convenience that they have enjoyed in the city and decide to retire in their respective hometowns in search of tranquility.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Metropolis [noun] – capital city
Lucrative [adj.] – profitable
The country [noun] – another way to say, countryside
Prestigious [adj.] – respected; reputable
Fulfill [verb] – achieve
Tranquility [noun] – the state of being calm
TIP
i.) The speaker reiterated his idea which he talked about in his previous answer, however, he didn’t dig deeper into that as he already explained such. Instead, he added another reason in order for him to extend his answer a bit more, and that helped him discuss his answer better. Right after that, he transitioned to talking about the time when people in the city got old and chose to go back to living in the countryside, it’s a very good way to end his answer.
How can the traffic congestion in the city be resolved?
I believe the government can build more roads or railways in cities to decongest the traffic. Through this, people will have more alternative routes or choices on whether they take the bus, train, or use their cars. Not only that, if the government subsidizes the fare of public transport, more and more people will make use of public transportation as it can help them save money. In that way, those commuters who depend heavily on using their cars will minimize driving their cars, and as a result, the traffic situation in major cities will surely be improved.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Decongest [verb] – to end the congestion
Route [noun] – direction
Subsidize [verb] – pay part of the cost
Commuter [noun] – a person who travels some distance to work on a daily basis
TIP
i.) The speaker simply answered the question directly by suggesting two kinds of solutions to the problem. Each suggested solution was explained thoroughly for him to discuss his answer very clearly. Then, he proceeded to talk about the effect of those things that were successfully done by the government. The answer was realistic and he was able to use topic vocabulary words in his answer.
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Meaning of Words and Phrases Sources: Collins, Macmillan, Cambridge, Oxford
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