Travel & transport: IELTS Speaking Part 1 questions

1. Answer→
2. Reason→
3. Example

Absolutely, it's one of the main things I save up for. Being somewhere unfamiliar pulls me out of my routine and makes me notice everything around me. Even working out how to buy a train ticket in another language feels like a small adventure.

save up for

keep money aside in order to pay for

pulls me out of my routine

stops me doing the same things every day

working out how to

figuring out the way to do something

44 words · about 19 seconds spoken

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2. Detail→
3. Feeling

Probably Kyoto, which I visited a couple of years ago. What struck me was how ancient temples sit right beside modern convenience stores without looking out of place. I came away with the sense of a city that's held on to its past without being frozen in it.

What struck me was

what impressed or surprised me most was

without looking out of place

fitting in naturally with what's around it

held on to its past

kept its history and traditions

48 words · about 21 seconds spoken

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3. Detail

With others, generally, although I've done one solo trip that I really enjoyed. Sharing a great meal or a stunning view is half the fun, and it's nice to have someone to reminisce with afterwards. Going alone did build my confidence, though, because I had to sort out every problem myself.

half the fun

a big part of the enjoyment

someone to reminisce with

a person to remember good times with

build my confidence

make me feel more sure of myself

51 words · about 22 seconds spoken

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3. Example

I'm quite organised about the big things but leave the details fairly loose. Flights and accommodation get booked well in advance, mainly because prices shoot up closer to the date. Once I arrive, though, I'd rather wander around and ask locals for tips than stick to a rigid itinerary.

well in advance

a long time before

prices shoot up

prices rise very quickly

stick to a rigid itinerary

follow a strict travel plan exactly

49 words · about 21 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Reason→
3. Feeling

Top of my list at the moment is Georgia, the country rather than the American state. A colleague came back raving about the mountain villages and the food, especially the cheese bread. It still seems relatively undiscovered, so I'd like to go before it becomes too touristy.

Top of my list

my first choice

came back raving about

returned full of enthusiastic praise for

becomes too touristy

gets crowded and commercial because of tourists

47 words · about 20 seconds spoken

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3. Example

Mostly by bus, although I cycle whenever the weather's decent. There's a stop just around the corner from my flat, so it's hard to beat for convenience. On sunny mornings, though, I'll take the bike along the canal path and arrive at work wide awake.

whenever the weather's decent

every time the weather is reasonably good

hard to beat for convenience

more convenient than almost anything else

arrive at work wide awake

get to work feeling fully alert

45 words · about 20 seconds spoken

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3. Detail

Given the choice, I'd pick cycling over a crowded bus every time. It's free, it keeps me fit, and I never have to worry about delays or missed connections. The only real drawback is turning up a bit sweaty in summer, which is why I keep a spare shirt at the office.

Given the choice

if I could choose

missed connections

failing to catch the next bus or train

The only real drawback

the one genuine disadvantage

52 words · about 23 seconds spoken

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3. Example

It's reasonably good, but far from perfect. Buses in the city centre come every few minutes, whereas the outer suburbs are poorly served, especially in the evenings. If you miss the last bus home at around eleven, your only real option is a pricey taxi.

far from perfect

clearly not perfect, with several problems

poorly served

having few transport links or services

your only real option

the one practical choice you have

45 words · about 20 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Reason→
3. Feeling

About twenty-five minutes by bus, or nearer twenty if I cycle. The bus is slower because it crawls through the centre in rush hour. I don't mind too much, as it gives me time to listen to a podcast before the day properly begins.

crawls through the centre

moves very slowly through the middle of town

I don't mind too much

it doesn't really bother me

before the day properly begins

before my working day really starts

44 words · about 19 seconds spoken

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2. Reason→
3. Feeling

Yes, quite a bit, mainly because I gave up my car about three years ago. Fuel and parking were getting ridiculously expensive, and I was barely using it during the week. I expected to miss it far more than I have, and I actually feel healthier now that I'm cycling regularly.

gave up my car

stopped owning and using a car

getting ridiculously expensive

becoming far too costly

barely using it

hardly using it at all

51 words · about 22 seconds spoken

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2. Detail→
3. Feeling

I like a balance of exploring and doing absolutely nothing. In the mornings I'll head off to see the local sights, then spend the afternoons on a beach with a book. That way I come home feeling refreshed rather than worn out.

doing absolutely nothing

relaxing completely without any activity

see the local sights

visit the famous places in an area

refreshed rather than worn out

full of energy instead of exhausted

42 words · about 18 seconds spoken

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3. Example

Leaning slightly towards relaxing, if I'm honest. My job is pretty hectic, so when I finally get some time off, I mainly want to recharge my batteries. A week on a quiet Greek island with nothing on the agenda would be my idea of heaven.

Leaning slightly towards

preferring one option a little more

recharge my batteries

rest and get my energy back

my idea of heaven

my perfect situation

45 words · about 20 seconds spoken

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3. Detail

Somewhere new, nearly every time. There are so many places I haven't seen that returning to the same resort feels like a missed opportunity. The one exception is a little seaside town in Portugal, which we've been back to three times because the kids adore it.

feels like a missed opportunity

seems like a wasted chance

The one exception is

the only case that is different is

been back to three times

returned to on three separate occasions

46 words · about 20 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Detail→
3. Feeling

These days it's usually my husband and our two children. Before the kids came along we were much more spontaneous, booking last-minute trips almost on a whim. Family holidays take far more planning now, but seeing how excited the children get makes it all worthwhile.

Before the kids came along

before our children were born

almost on a whim

suddenly, with hardly any planning

makes it all worthwhile

justifies all the effort

45 words · about 20 seconds spoken

1. Answer→
2. Detail→
3. Feeling

Our last holiday was a week in the Scottish Highlands this summer, and it was wonderful. We rented a cottage beside a loch, and the kids spent hours skimming stones and hunting for frogs. The weather was typically unpredictable, but nobody minded because the scenery was so breathtaking.

skimming stones

throwing flat stones so they bounce across water

typically unpredictable

changeable, as it usually is there

nobody minded

it didn't bother anyone

48 words · about 21 seconds spoken