Describe a memorable journey: cue card and sample answer
Cue card
Describe a journey you remember well.
You should say:
- where you went
- who you travelled with
- how you travelled
and explain why you remember this journey so well.
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 examinerSample answer
About 238 words, or roughly two minutes of speaking.
The journey I'd like to describe is a train trip I took from Lahore to the mountains in the north of Pakistan with two of my closest friends, just after we finished our exams.
We'd been planning it for months, and we deliberately chose the train rather than flying, partly because it was cheaper, but mostly because we wanted the experience of watching the landscape change. We booked sleeper seats, packed far too much food, and set off early one morning.
For the first few hours, the scenery was fairly flat, with endless fields of wheat, but as we headed further north, the hills became steeper and greener. Every time the train stopped, vendors would come to the windows selling tea and snacks, and we got chatting to an elderly couple who'd done the same journey every summer for forty years. They gave us all sorts of tips about where to eat and which viewpoints were worth the climb.
What makes the journey so memorable is that nothing went quite to plan. The train was delayed for four hours because of a landslide, and we ended up arriving in the middle of the night. At the time it was frustrating, but it turned into one of the best parts of the trip, because we sat up talking and laughing until sunrise. I think it taught me that the journey itself can be just as rewarding as the destination.
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
- set off
- to start a journey
- watch the landscape change
- to see the scenery become different as you travel
- get chatting to someone
- to start a friendly conversation
- worth the climb
- good enough to justify the effort
- go (quite) to plan
- to happen in the way you expected
- just as rewarding as
- equally satisfying or valuable
Rounding-off question
After you finish, the examiner may ask one short question, such as:
Do you enjoy long journeys?
Part 3 questions: Travel and transport
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 do people enjoy travelling to other countries?
Mainly, I think, for novelty. Travel lets people experience a different culture, food and way of life, which you can't really get from a screen. It's also a break from routine; when you're somewhere unfamiliar, you notice everything, so the experience feels more vivid and memorable.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of tourism for local people?
On the positive side, tourism creates jobs and brings money into areas that might otherwise have very little work. The downside is that it can push up prices and rents, so local people are sometimes priced out of their own neighbourhoods, and popular places can become overcrowded.
More questions to practise
- How has the way people travel changed in your country?
- Should governments spend more on public transport or on roads?
- Do you think people will travel less in the future because of climate change?
- Is it better to travel alone or in a group?
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 work or study and weather, and a Part 3 discussion.
Start this Speaking testThis 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.