Scorify.uzThe cue card
Describe a foreign country that you have visited.
You should say:
- which country it was
- when you went there and who with
- what you did there
- and explain what you liked or disliked about it
Band 7 sample answer
The foreign country I enjoyed most is Turkey, which I visited two summers ago with my cousin and his wife. We spent ten days there, mainly in Istanbul and a few days on the coast near Antalya.
In Istanbul we walked a lot. We visited the Blue Mosque, took a ferry across the Bosphorus and wandered around the Grand Bazaar, where I tried to bargain for a small ceramic bowl with my very limited Turkish. On the coast we mostly relaxed on the beach and swam, and one evening we took a boat trip to see the sunset.
What I liked most was the food and the friendliness of the people. Because Turkish and Uzbek share many words, I could understand more than I expected, and shop owners were pleased when I tried to speak. Also, the cuisine was familiar but different, so I ate kebabs and baklava nearly every day. The only thing I disliked was the heat in the city centre and the crowds in the main tourist spots, which sometimes made it hard to enjoy the buildings. Even so, I came home with great memories, and I would happily go back to see the regions we missed, such as Cappadocia.
Before the trip, I was afraid that I would feel lonely abroad, but the opposite happened. I came back more confident about travelling alone, and I even started saving for another trip. It also made me appreciate my own country, because I kept comparing the two and noticing small differences.
About 253 words, roughly 2 minutes of natural speech.
Key vocabulary
- a tourist attraction — a place visitors want to see
- bargain — negotiate a lower price
- cuisine — style of cooking
- hospitable — friendly to guests
- sightseeing — visiting famous places
- culture shock — confusion in an unfamiliar culture
- tourist trap — a place that is crowded and overpriced
Tips for this cue card
- Give two or three specific places or activities, not a general list.
- Say one honest thing you disliked for balance.
- Use past tenses consistently, then finish with a present opinion.
Part 3 follow-up questions
Why do people travel abroad?
Idea: To rest, to see different cultures, to try new food and sometimes to study or work.
What are the advantages of travelling with a tour group?
Idea: It is organised and cheaper, and guides share knowledge, but there is less freedom.
Does tourism benefit local people?
Idea: It creates jobs and income, but prices can rise and traditions may become commercialised.
More discussion questions with full answers: IELTS Speaking Part 3 topics.
Study guides
How Is IELTS Scored in Speaking and Writing? Criteria, Weighting and Rounding
The short answer first, then the Speaking and Writing criteria tables, how Task 1 and Task 2 combine and how the overall band is rounded.
IELTS Speaking Band Descriptors Explained in Plain English
The IELTS Speaking test is marked on four criteria. Here is what each one means at bands 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, with short examples you can compare with your own answers.
IELTS Speaking Part 2: How Many Minutes to Speak (With a Practice Timer)
How long Part 2 lasts (1 minute to prepare, 1–2 minutes to speak), a practice timer, a four-step structure and a model answer.