Describe an interesting public place in your hometown or city that you would like to visit

IELTS Speaking Questions & Answers

This is an example of an IELTS speaking test question from Part 2 of the test.

In Part 2 of the IELTS speaking test you are given a cue card and you have to talk for 1-2 minutes on a topic.

Describe an interesting public place in your hometown or city that you would like to visit
You should say:
- what place this is
- who usually goes there
- why people go there
And explain why you think it would be an interesting place to visit.

IELTS speaking answer Part 2 Topic Talk | Describe an interesting public place

Okay, so one of the most famous buildings here in Rome is the Colosseum. Most people probably know it from movies like Gladiator. It’s also called the Flavian Amphitheatre, and it’s located in the center of the city.

It’s an enormous old building constructed in an elliptical shape. I think historians estimated that up to 80,000 people could attend events there in the past – so it’s still the largest amphitheater in the world. You can see an image of the Colosseum on one of the Euro coins, the five-cent coin.

It used to be a venue for sporting events, gladiator fighting, and other public spectacles, but today it’s a tourist attraction, one of the biggest here in Rome. It’s a UNESCO-listed building which means that it’s protected as part of the national and world heritage.

Every year many people, thousands of them, from all over the world visit the Colosseum when they are in Rome. There is a museum that tells the history of the building and how it was developed and used over the centuries. And you can walk through the underground passageways, where they used to keep the wild animals and where the gladiators prepared themselves before their shows.

Nowadays, there aren’t many shows or public events held inside the building because there isn’t enough space for large audiences like in the past. But there are sometimes smaller events with a few hundred people. Larger shows or spectacles are more common in the area outside the front of the building, and there have been some famous musicians who have played concerts in front of the Colosseum. It’s also sometimes used by the church for special occasions and ceremonies.

I think that there are probably more tourists than locals who visit this building every year, although we love it and are very proud of its history and how famous it is in the world. I'd like to go and visit it again because the last time I did, I was only a small boy. I'd like to see it again now because I think I would appreciate its history more and the architecture and what was involved in constructing such a large building all those years ago.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of places can you talk about when answering the Describe an interesting place in your hometown IELTS cue card?

Answer:

Examples of interesting places
- A local landmark that is unique or interesting in some way
- A place with a lot of history or meaning to you personally
- A scenic spot that is popular with tourists and locals alike
- A hidden gem that not many people know about
- Any other place that you find interesting for any reason whatsoever

What kind of places can you talk about when answering the Describe an interesting public place in your hometown cue card?

Answer:

Examples of interesting public places
- monuments
- temples
- mosques
- parks
- zoos

A public place is a place that is open and accessible to everyone. It is a place where people can gather to relax, enjoy the scenery, or take part in activities.

What kind of places can you talk about when answering the Describe a public place where you spend a lot of time cue card?

Answer:

Examples of public places where people typically spend a lot of time
- public libraries
- shopping malls
- restaurants
- cafes
- bars
- clubs
- movie theaters
- parks

What are some good ideas for the Describe a natural place in your hometown cue card?

Examples of natural places or places of natural beauty:

Some good ideas for describing a natural place in your hometown could be:
- a local park
- hiking trail
- the beach
- a river or waterfall
- a forest or wooded area
- a mountain or hillside view

You can talk about anywhere that is considered "natural" in your local area.

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