A complete model answer and preparation guide for this IELTS Speaking cue card topic. Includes key vocabulary, follow-up questions, and examiner-approved response strategies.
Originally published September 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, you will see a sample cue card question, high-level answer and feedback.
Model Answer
I’d like to talk about my idea of a perfect vacation. As I live in Spain, I normally like to visit cities when I go on vacation, to soak up some different types of culture. Of course, there is plenty of culture here on this lovely little piece of paradise, but every now and again I need to leave and visit a busy bustling city. My perfect vacation would probably lead me to New York.
I have visited New York once and I can’t wait to return, the noise, the lights and the non-stop energy of the city makes it a great place to go. I would visit the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and The Met Museum to see both traditional and modern art, before planning my way through the city. Visiting Central Park, 5th Avenue to window shop, Times Square, The Rockefeller Centre and even the Statue of Liberty. There are other places I would like to visit, which include the Natural History Museum, the sex and the city tour and to see a Broadway show. I would also like to see the restaurant close to Times Square that is decorated like a 1950’s diner, where the waiters and waitresses get up on the tables to sing. I have heard they are all amazing and the experience is one that you will never forget.
When I visit again, I will take my husband as he has never been before. he really enjoys travelling and seeing new places, he enjoys looking at famous architecture, so I know that he will want to visit the Empire State building and ground zero, where the twin towers used to be. We could also sample the food whilst in the city, with breakfast in art deco diners, lunch from small cafes in the park and dinner in a different place every night.
This would be my idea of a perfect vacation because it allows us to have a different lifestyle for a week, which is a refreshing change from the quiet, but stunning place we live in now. I like to feel inspired from my vacations, visiting places that give me ideas and make me feel energised. New York is such an amazing city that you can feel the buzz around you of people living their lives. Visiting a busy city like this, makes a vacation feel exciting and full of energy, which is ideal in my perspective.
Feedback
This is a strong answer, as there are examples given of what, where, who and why. The topic has been fully discussed, with additional information added that was not prompted by the bullet points.There are various tenses and structures used, for the past and present. There is also evidence of collocations being used and a high level of vocabulary.
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If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can assist you to achieve your desired band score. We offer an essay correction service, mock exams and online courses.
A complete model answer and preparation guide for this IELTS Speaking cue card topic. Includes key vocabulary, follow-up questions, and examiner-approved response strategies.
Originally published September 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, you will see a sample cue card question, high-level answer and feedback.
Model Answer
I’d like to talk about how I like to travel to my parents home during the winter. I currently live in Spain and during the winter I like to travel home to visit my parents in the UK. They live in the North of England, so it is often very cold in the winter there. With temperatures getting below zero, you need to wear your warm clothes and make sure that you have the heating on when you are in the house. With living in Spain now, the temperatures in the winter are much warmer than in the UK. You can still sit outside for a coffee in December or January on a sunny day.
I like to visit my parents and in December it snows, with heavy thick snowflakes and a full pinkish, grey sky, the snow can get quite deep. I like to get dressed up in a big thick coat, woolly hat and scarf, put on my Wellington boots and go for a long walk in the snow. It is really pretty and awe inspiring to see everything covered in thick layers of white snow, with an eerie feeling too, as the streets are deserted and everything is quiet. Then after the walk when I return home again, I like to sit and drink tea or hot chocolate by the fire with the dogs and watch some English TV shows. They always have a good programme of viewing in December, with the run up to Christmas.
I really like to visit my parents home during the winter, not only to see them and spend time with them but to enjoy the winter weather. Going for long walks in the countryside or on the beach is really refreshing in the cold weather. You can feel like you have lots of energy after walking your dogs through a forest, so wrapped up in winter clothes so that only your face is exposed.
Being from somewhere that has a regular cold temperature with a vast difference in the seasons is great. I keep my winter wardrobe of a winter coat and wellington boots at their house, as I don’t really need them in Spain. The weather here is never as cold as there unless you travel to places that are high up in the mountains. Winter for me is never the same anywhere else, I always want to go home to get the full frosty experience.
Feedback
This is a strong answer, as there are examples given of what, where and why. The topic has been fully discussed, with additional information added that was not prompted by the bullet points.There are various tenses and structures used, for the past and present. There is also evidence of collocations being used and a high level of vocabulary.
We hope you found this post useful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test. If you have any questions please let us know in the comments below or on the Facebook page.
The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook, then follow us on Instagram and Pinterest.
If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can assist you to achieve your desired band score. We offer an essay correction service, mock exams and online courses.
A complete model answer and preparation guide for this IELTS Speaking cue card topic. Includes key vocabulary, follow-up questions, and examiner-approved response strategies.
Originally published September 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, you will see a sample cue card question, high-level answer and feedback.
Model Answer
I’d like to talk about a job that I think is very important for everyone all over the world and that is the role of people in the medical profession. Doctors, nurses and all of the specialists that make up the healthcare systems have such an important role in society. They heal, nurture and save the lives of many people on a daily basis. Without these professionals, many people would suffer and medicine would not be moving forward at the rate it is today.
Doctors and other people in the medical profession require years of training at university before getting ‘hands on’ training in hospitals or GP practices. Many years of study and training is required for the very skilled, often continuing to study all through their career. For example, surgeons who specialise in niche areas will continue to study and teach even after they are fully qualified. The type of people that want to be in the medical profession are those who want to help people, academic and motivated. Some choose this profession as a way to solidify their career prospects and know that once qualified, their careers will grow in strength, making them secure financially. They also have huge job satisfaction knowing that every day they are helping others.
The skilled workers in the medical profession can help the country by providing a service that benefits the people who live there. By offering a good healthcare system, the country will be considered as a leader in government systems, with the quality of health care provided for free. Private medical care offered to those who can afford it is often supplied and uses doctors who specialise in certain areas, who work between all healthcare providers.
The role of doctors and nurses is really important in all areas of the profession, as society needs them. They are often overworked and underpaid for what they do, always giving and going that extra mile because they truly care for the well-being of others. In my opinion, society would crumble without this service and many people would not be taken care of or healed by those with the knowledge and skills to do so.
Feedback
This is a strong answer, as there are examples given of why and how this type of job is important. The topic has been fully discussed, with additional information added that was not prompted by the bullet points.There are various tenses and structures used, for the past and present. There is also evidence of collocations being used and a high level of vocabulary.
We hope you found this post useful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test. If you have any questions please let us know in the comments below or on the Facebook page.
The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook, then follow us on Instagram and Pinterest.
If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can assist you to achieve your desired band score. We offer an essay correction service, mock exams and online courses.
A complete model answer and preparation guide for this IELTS Speaking cue card topic. Includes key vocabulary, follow-up questions, and examiner-approved response strategies.
Originally published August 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, you will see a sample cue card question, high-level answer and feedback.
Model Answer
I’d like to talk about my laptop, which is a high-end MacBook pro. I bought this laptop when I realise that my older MacBook and my iMac were both very slow and became a chore to use. I researched the Macs online before I decided to get the best choice for me and it was a really good choice. I use it every day for work and it is really fast and able to connect to many programmes simultaneously.
I mainly use my laptop at my desk when I work during the day, it connects to a larger monitor and I work between two screens. I love how versatile it is though, for example when I travel I can easily take it with me or if I am ill, I can work from my bed. If I had chosen a desktop iMac, I would have been restricted to the use of it, in one place only. Having a laptop makes like easier when you move around a lot for work. In my opinion, it is the best tool I have for my working day, it connects me to my email accounts, clients, students and various other sites. I can also complete video calls effortlessly with the built in HD camera. I’m quite protective over my laptop and would never loan it to anyone to use it, as I use it so often myself, because It is my most prized possession.
If for any reason my laptop was not working, it would be very difficult for me to complete my work and so it is a very important object for me to be able to survive and complete my tasks. It is also a great learning tool when paired with internet use, I can research and learn a great number of things daily. It has quite a high monetary value which means that it is important as a possession but also as something that I covet because of how much I use it and need it to run my daily activities. Without it, I would be lost and I would be straight down to the apple store to get a replacement.
Feedback
This is a strong answer, as there are examples given of why and how this object is important. The topic has been fully discussed, with additional information added that was not prompted by the bullet points.There are various tenses and structures used, for the past and present. There is also evidence of collocations being used and a high level of vocabulary.
We hope you found this post useful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test. If you have any questions please let us know in the comments below or on the Facebook page.
The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook, then follow us on Instagram and Pinterest.
If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can assist you to achieve your desired band score. We offer an essay correction service, mock exams and online courses.
A complete model answer and preparation guide for this IELTS Speaking cue card topic. Includes key vocabulary, follow-up questions, and examiner-approved response strategies.
Originally published August 2017. Last reviewed 3 July 2026.
In this post, you will see a sample cue card question, high-level answer and feedback.
Model Answer
I’d like to talk about a place I visited with my parents when I was about 10 years old in 1990. We went to the Lake District in Cumbria one summer. This is a lovely place, full of green fields, hills and of course lakes. It was about a 2-hour drive from our house and one into the countryside, the surrounding areas just became more and more beautiful to see.
In the summer, it is the perfect weather for exploring the lakes, from Lake Windermere to Grasmere, we explored the surrounding areas, with a visit to Beatrix Potters house, which is a National Trust owned property and also to the poet William Wordsworth’s house. I was very interested in reading when I was younger and enjoyed visiting the former homes of these well-known writers.
There are also many hiking trails in the Lake District, over the fells and beyond. We walked a great deal, with a map and a compass to guide us and even stopped for a picnic on the top of a hill. I enjoyed walking in the hills, learning about each area and how to read a map.
I would definitely visit the Lakes again and would like to see how the areas have changed since I was last there. I would also like to visit Beatrix Potters house again, now that I am older, I think I would appreciate it more. She is a very inspiring author and illustrator and I love that she was inspired by the nature and animals around her. I would also like to stay in a hotel near to Lake Windermere and if the weather is good, hire a boat and sail around to enjoy the surrounding nature.
Feedback
This is a strong answer, as there are examples given of where, when and why. The topic has been fully discussed, with additional information added that was not prompted by the bullet points, with information being added, from the memories of visiting the places mentioned. There are various tenses and structures used, for the past and present. There is also evidence of collocations being used and a high level of vocabulary.
We hope you found this post useful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test. If you have any questions please let us know in the comments below or on the Facebook page.
The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook, then follow us on Instagram and Pinterest.
If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can assist you to achieve your desired band score. We offer an essay correction service, mock exams and online courses.
