Describe a place where you like to relax
You should say:
- where this place is
- how often you go there
- what you do there
- and explain why it helps you to relax
Part 3 discussion questions
After your talk, the examiner asks more abstract questions on rest and free time. Practise giving a direct answer, a reason and an example.
- 1Why do people find it hard to relax nowadays?
- 2Do people in cities and in the countryside relax in different ways?
- 3Should employers do more to help staff rest?
- 4Is it better to relax alone or with others?
- 5How has the idea of leisure time changed over the past century?
How to plan your answer in one minute
- Note one or two words for each bullet point; you can glance at them while you speak.
- Open with the main idea, then take the bullets in order so the examiner can follow you.
- Keep the last bullet (the "explain" part) for detail: this is where you show range.
- Keep talking until the examiner stops you; two full minutes shows fluency.
Notes for your minute of preparation
- Where: a small park around a lake, ten minutes’ walk from home.
- How often: two or three evenings a week, sometimes a Sunday morning.
- What I do: walk round the lake, sit on a bench under an old tree, watch ducks, card players, birds.
- Why it relaxes me: quiet after a noisy road, water and trees calm me, no screen, time to think.
Model talk
244 words · about 2 minutes spoken
The place I’d like to talk about is a small park built around a lake, about ten minutes’ walk from my home. It isn’t famous or particularly beautiful, but it’s become my favourite place to unwind.
I go there two or three evenings a week, usually after I’ve finished studying, and on Sundays I sometimes spend the whole morning there.
What I do there is quite simple. Usually I walk slowly round the lake, which takes about twenty minutes, and then I sit on a bench under a big old tree at the far end. Sometimes I listen to music, but more often I just watch what’s going on: ducks on the water, old men playing cards, children feeding the fish. In the early morning there are lots of birds, and I’ve started learning their names, which I never imagined I’d be interested in.
As for why it helps me relax, there are a few reasons. First, it’s quiet. My home is on a busy road, and the traffic never really stops, so the silence by the lake feels almost like a holiday. Second, being near water and trees seems to calm me down in a way I can’t really explain. And finally, it’s one of the few places where I’m not looking at a screen. I keep my phone in my pocket, and I find that’s when I do my best thinking. So even half an hour there leaves me feeling completely refreshed.
Written by Acedmi to show what a high-band talk sounds like. It is not an official IELTS sample, and your own ideas can be different.
Useful vocabulary
- unwind
- Relax after being busy or stressed.
- “The park is my favourite place to unwind.”
- within walking distance
- Close enough to walk to.
- “The lake is within walking distance of my home.”
- peaceful
- Quiet and calm.
- “It’s very peaceful early in the morning.”
- calm someone down
- Make someone feel less stressed.
- “Being near water calms me down.”
- switch off
- Stop thinking about work or problems.
- “I can really switch off there.”
- recharge
- Get your energy back.
- “An hour there helps me recharge.”
- refreshed
- Full of energy again.
- “I always come back feeling refreshed.”
- the far end
- The part furthest away.
- “There’s a bench at the far end of the lake.”
Common mistakes
- Describing the place like a guidebook. Talk about what you do there and how it feels.
- Rushing the last point. "Why it helps you relax" is where you can show the widest range of language.
- Repeating "relax" in every sentence. Vary it: unwind, switch off, recharge, calm down.