Describe a celebration you enjoyed: cue card and sample answer

Cue card

Describe a celebration or party you enjoyed.

You should say:

what the celebration was for
where it took place
who was there

and explain why you enjoyed it.

You have one minute to prepare and should speak for one to two minutes.

Try it before you read the sample. Answer this card out loud with our AI examiner and get an estimated band.

Practise with the AI examiner

Sample answer

About 218 words, or roughly two minutes of speaking.

The celebration I'd like to describe is my cousin's wedding, which took place last spring in my family's hometown.

Weddings in my culture usually last several days, and this one was no exception. There were three main events: a henna night for the women of the family, the wedding ceremony itself, and then a big reception for the guests, which was held in a large hall decorated with flowers and fairy lights.

Almost everyone I know was there: my grandparents, dozens of aunts, uncles and cousins, and lots of the couple's friends, some of whom had flown in from abroad. I'd guess there were at least four hundred guests at the reception, which is fairly typical where I come from.

What I enjoyed most was that it brought the whole family together for the first time in years. Because many of us live in different cities now, we rarely see each other, so it felt like a big reunion. I spent hours catching up with cousins I hadn't seen since we were children. The food was fantastic, of course, and on the henna night, there was a lot of singing and dancing, which went on until the early hours of the morning. By the end, I was completely exhausted, but it's one of the happiest memories I have.

Why this works: it covers every point on the card in order, gives specific details and a short story rather than general statements, and ends by explaining the feeling or reason, which the last line of the card asks for.

Useful vocabulary

be no exception: to be the same as the general pattern
fly in from abroad: to travel by plane from another country
a reunion: a meeting of people who have not seen each other for a long time
catch up with someone: to talk about what has happened since you last met
until the early hours: until very late at night
exhausted: extremely tired

Rounding-off question

After you finish, the examiner may ask one short question, such as:

Do you often go to parties or celebrations?

Part 3 questions: Traditions and celebrations

In Part 3, the examiner asks more abstract questions linked to the cue card topic. Give an opinion, explain why, and add an example.

Why are traditional festivals important to a country?

They help to preserve a shared identity, passing customs, food and stories from one generation to the next. They also bring people together; even in busy modern societies, festivals give families a reason to stop working and spend time with each other.

Are young people less interested in traditions than older people?

Perhaps less interested in the formal side, yes. But I've noticed many young people adapting traditions rather than abandoning them, for instance sharing festival moments on social media or combining traditional clothes with modern styles. So the traditions change rather than disappear.

Now say it out loud

Reading a good answer helps, but speaking is what improves your band. This set includes this cue card, Part 1 questions on neighbours and photographs, and a Part 3 discussion.

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This sample answer was written by TestWise Prep to show language that scores well. It is not official IELTS material. Use it for ideas, not to memorise, because examiners mark rehearsed answers down.