Describe an educational television programme that you liked.
You should say

- what the programme was about
- when and where you saw it
- how you found out about this programme
- and why you liked it.

Here's my band 9 answer. Can you see any 'less common' vocabulary?

· I'm going to talk about one of my favourite educational TV programmes, which is a nature documentary called 'Planet Earth'. There were eleven episodes of this programme, and each one featured a different habitat on Earth, such as mountains, caves, deserts and jungles. The aim of the 'Planet Earth' series was to take the viewer into those habitats, using spectacular footage of interesting animals, plants and landscapes.

· I first saw 'Planet Earth' on television when it was broadcast by the BBC several years ago. I think it was shown every Sunday evening, which was the perfect time to watch a fascinating nature programme. Then, a few years a ago, somebody bought me the DVD box set of the whole series as a Christmas present, and I watched the episodes again.

· I found out about this TV programme because it was advertised repeatedly in the weeks before it was first aired. The TV trailers were really eye-catching because they showed incredibly beautiful images of nature. I also recognised the voice of the narrator of the programme, the well-known naturalist David Attenborough. It was these trailers that persuaded me to watch the first episode.

· What I liked most about the 'Planet Earth' series was its stunning photography and its global scope. For example, in the "Fresh Water" episode, they showed us the giant salamander in Japan, crocodiles in the river Nile, and river dolphins in the Amazon. I was amazed at how they had managed to film such interesting creatures in so many locations. I enjoyed learning about strange animal species, and the programme opened my eyes to the hidden wonders of our planet.

Did you note down the following phrases from last week's ? Maybe you can reuse some of them in your own descriptions.

· brand new

· on the edge of the main commercial area

· the apartment overlooks...

· put (something) on the market = to advertise something for sale

· to view properties

· to go along with someone = to go with someone / to accompany

· nothing too remarkable = nothing special

· as far as I remember

· an off-white colour

· floors were done in whitish tiles

· kitchen appliances, kitchen surfaces

· dark grey granite

· the main feature

· in terms of the look (= the appearance) of the apartment

· floor-to-ceiling window

· allowed the sunlight to flood in

· white and silver decor

· wasn't to my taste

· cool, clean and spacious

· open-plan kitchen and living room

· all sorts of gadgets

· operated by a mobile phone app

· I found it fascinating that

· up-to-the-minute technology

· taking a glimpse into the future

Describe an interesting house or apartment that you have visited.
You should say

- where the house or apartment was
- who lived there
- what it looked like on the outside and/or inside
- and explain why you found this house or apartment interesting.

Here's my sample band 9 answer, using ideas from last week's :

· I'm going to describe an apartment that I recently visited in the city centre of Manchester. The apartment was on the 10th floor of a brand new block that has just been built. This building is on the edge of the main commercial area of the city, and the apartment overlooks several of Manchester's busiest shopping streets.

· Nobody was living in the apartment when I went there, because it had only just been put on the market. I went to see it with a friend who is thinking of moving to Manchester; he wanted to view some different properties, and I decided to go along and see what the newest apartments were like.

· From the outside, the apartment was in a tall, shiny glass building - nothing too remarkable. On the inside, as far as I remember, there weren't many different colours: the walls were an off-white colour, the floors were done in whitish tiles, and the kitchen appliances were all silver metal coloured. I think the kitchen surfaces were made from dark grey granite. The main feature, in terms of the look of the apartment, was the huge floor-to-ceiling window in the living room, which allowed the sunlight to flood in.

· Although the white and silver decor wasn't really to my taste, I did like the fact that the apartment seemed so cool, clean and spacious. I particularly liked the open-plan kitchen and living room, which had all sorts of gadgets that could be operated by a mobile phone app. For example, I learnt how to use the app to control the lighting, heating, blinds, security cameras and even the cooker. I found it fascinating that the apartment contained so much up-to-the-minute technology, and that everything seemed to be connected via wifi. It felt like I was taking a glimpse into the future.

Let's return to the part 2 task below.

Describe an interesting house or apartment that you have visited.
You should say

- where the house or apartment was
- who lived there
- what it looked like on the outside and/or inside
- and explain why you found this house or apartment interesting.

If I were working on this topic with students in a lesson, we would begin by preparing some good vocabulary ideas. I would ask my students to develop some vocabulary 'themes'.

For example, if we imagine that we are describing an apartment, perhaps a key theme could be that it is modern. Now we can develop the 'modern' theme:

· up to the minute

· contemporary

· fashionable, cool, trendy

· decor, lighting, furniture

· open-plan

· colours and their effects e.g. relaxing, soothing

· materials e.g. glass, metal, granite

· rooms e.g. kitchen, living room

· gadgets, appliances

· windows, heating

· remote control, digital, phone app

· overall feeling e.g. sharp, clean, efficient, spacious

Try using some of these ideas to describe the inside of a modern apartment and to explain why you like it.

Describe a photograph of you that you like. You should say

- where the photo was taken
- what you were doing when it was taken
- who took it
- and explain why you like the photo.

Here's my full answer using the vocabulary ideas from :

· The photograph that immediately comes to mind when I think of one that I like is my university graduation photo. It was taken just before the graduation ceremony that marked the end of my undergraduate degree. You can't see anything in the background of the photo, but it was actually taken in the students' cafe next to the hall where the ceremony was held.

· In the photo, I'm wearing the traditional clothing for university graduates: a black gown and an academic cap, which is often called a mortar board. I'm also holding my rolled-up degree certificate. Obviously this was a formal portrait photo, and so I was standing still, smiling and looking into the camera.

· The person who took the photo was a professional photographer. He had been hired by the university to set up in the cafe and take photos of graduates before the ceremony. He had a white screen, some lighting devices, and an assistant who took payments and collected our details.

· The reason why I like my graduation photo is that it reminds me of a pivotal moment in my life. Being presented with my degree certificate at the graduation ceremony was the culmination of four years of hard work, and it marked the end of the 'education' stage of my life. I had achieved my objectives and made my family proud, and I knew that the next step was to look for my first proper job. Whenever I look at the photo it brings back happy memories, both of my university days and of the relief and contentment that I felt on my graduation day.

As I said in last Friday's lesson, the task below isn't really about a photograph. It's about whatever is in the photograph (e.g. an event).

Describe a photograph of you that you like. You should say

- where the photo was taken
- what you were doing when it was taken
- who took it
- and explain why you like the photo.

Let's imagine that we are going to describe a graduation photo - a photograph of you on the day of your university graduation ceremony.

See if you can include the following phrases in your description:

· graduation ceremony

· professional photographer

· traditional academic dress / outfit

· wore a gown / robe and cap / hood

· holding my certificate

· made myself and my family proud

· the culmination of several years of hard work

· achieved my dream

· a landmark, a key moment, a pivotal moment

· marks the end of a stage in my life

· reminds me of my university days

· brings back happy memories

· remember feeling elated, overjoyed

Here are some good phrases from the answers in Friday's speaking lesson:

· in the long term

· save for retirement

· have a certain amount of money saved

· deal with unexpected problems

· in the less distant future

· put some money aside (= save some money)

· to come in useful

· be in the red / go into the red (be / become overdrawn)

· there's no need for

· I remember being given money

· I don't see any reason why

· or vice versa

· summon the willpower

Last Friday I asked you to think about the topic below.

Describe a time when you saved up some money to buy something special.

Here are some ideas from one of my video lessons (speaking lesson 5 on ). In the lesson I describe a 'smartwatch' and suggest the following vocabulary 'themes':

Electronic watch 'features' theme

· smartwatch

· synchronise with phone / computer

· contacts, photos, emails

· store music

· receive notifications

· search the web

· it responds to voice commands

· make 'contactless' purchases

· track exercise goals

· fashion accessory

Electronic watch 'useful' theme

· various features and functions

· organise my life

· work, appointments, social life

· check calendar at a glance

· set reminders and notifications

· practical, functional, convenient

· the ultimate in portable devices

· instant access to...

· couldn't live without it

I'm sure you could use some of this vocabulary to describe "something special that you saved money to buy".

Here's a list of the good phrases from Friday's speaking lesson. See if you can use them in your own description of a maths lesson.

· multiplication tables

· times tables (informal)

· the penultimate year

· as far as I remember

· we gradually worked our way through

· learnt the answers by heart

· learn by rote

· keen to get good marks

· ingrained into my mind

· do quick calculations without having to think

· the answer just popped into my head

· another instance that I can think of

· bill payments, earnings and savings over a 12-month period

· teachers were so insistent about

Here's the task that I showed you last week:

Describe something important that you learned in a maths lesson at primary school.

And here's my sample answer:

· I'm going to talk about learning the multiplication tables for the numbers 1 to 12, which I remember doing in the penultimate year of primary school, when I was maybe 9 years old. As children, we called these the 'times tables'.

· As far as I remember, we started with the number 2, and we learnt to multiply this number by each of the numbers from 1 to 12. Our teacher taught us to go through the tables speaking aloud; for example: 1 times 2 is 2, 2 times 2 is 4, 3 times 2 is 6 etc. We gradually worked our way through the tables for all of the numbers, and we learnt the answers by heart. I think the teacher also gave us regular tests to make sure that we had learnt the tables properly.

· I'm not sure whether I really understood at the time why it was important to learn the 'times tables' by rote. But I think I enjoyed the challenge, and I was keen to get good marks in our tests. I also liked my teacher and wanted to do well for her.

· Many years later I realise how important it is to have the basic multiplication tables ingrained in my mind. It's useful to be able to do quick calculations without having to think. Recently, for example, I needed to multiply 6 by 7 for some reason - I can't even remember why - and the answer 42 just popped into my head. Another instance that I can think of is when I'm calculating bill payments, earnings and savings over a 12-month period, and I find myself using the '12 times table'. In these situations, I'm glad that my primary school teachers were so insistent about learning to multiply by heart.

Here's a list of useful vocabulary from last week's 'journey' .

First, some collocations:

· took a journey, made a journey

· a bad journey

· a peaceful trip, a quieter trip

· a half-empty train

· a prepaid ticket

· an available seat

· loud voices

· the station concourse

· football fans

· a big match

· find a seat

· noisy fans, excited fans, friendly fans, good-natured fans

· a comfortable seat

And some nice phrases for stories:

· I'll never forget this particular time

· something happened that I wasn't expecting

· It was a (Sunday) morning

· I was due in (London)

· But my first surprise came when...

· I was still wondering about this when...

· Suddenly I realised what was happening

· Luckily I managed to

· In the end, I just...

· All in all, it wasn't (a bad journey)

· I would have preferred

· Even so, (I made sure that...)

Describe a time you travelled by public transport. You should say

- what type of public transport you used
- where you travelled from and to
- what you did during the journey
- and explain how you felt about travelling in this way

I've tried to give my answer (below) in the form of an 'anecdote':

I'm going to describe a train journey that I took last year between Manchester and London. I've made the same journey many times, but I'll never forget this particular time because something happened that I wasn't expecting.

It was a Sunday morning and I was due in London that afternoon. There was no traffic at all as I drove in to Manchester, and I was expecting a nice, peaceful trip on a half-empty train. But my first surprise came when I tried to print my prepaid ticket at one of the ticket machines: there wasn't a reserved seat number on my ticket, which meant that I would have to find an available seat. I was still wondering about this when I heard loud voices and singing coming from the main station concourse. Suddenly I realised what was happening - I was going to be on a train full of football fans travelling to a big match!

Luckily I managed to find a seat before the train filled up. However, the noisy fans made sure that I couldn't concentrate on any work; I couldn't even read the newspaper without being interrupted by laughter, singing and football stories. In the end, I just sat and relaxed with a cup of coffee, watching and listening to the excited fans.

All in all, it wasn't a bad journey; I love travelling by train and at least I had a comfortable seat so that I could sit back and relax for a couple of hours. I would have preferred a quieter trip, but the football fans were all friendly and good-natured, so I can't really complain. Even so, I made sure that I avoided them on the way home later that day!

Let's look again at the description of a tree that I shared in last Friday's . I've already listed the good vocabulary from the description , so let's focus on grammar.

Here are three grammar points from my description:

1) I used a variety of verb tenses

· Future: I'm going to talk about / I'll also describe

· Present simple: This is / they are / I have / it symbolises

· Past simple: I went, it was

· Present perfect: that I've ever seen

2) I also used some passives

· Present: it's thought to be, they can be seen, they are commonly found, wood is used, stories are associated with it

· Present perfect: has traditionally been used, hasn't been used, has become known

3) I used pronouns to refer back to nouns already used

· a tree called the Major Oak. This is..., it's thought to be...

· Oaks are very common... they can be seen...

· Sherwood Forest, which is

· a wood that has traditionally been used

· The oak tree is important... because it symbolises... its traditional role

· The Major Oak is famous... stories that are associated with it

Here's the question that we've been looking at recently:

Describe a plant, flower or tree that is famous or important in your country.
You should say

- what type of plant, flower or tree it is
- where it grows or is usually seen
- how it is used in your country
- and why it is famous or important

And here's my answer, using the plan from :

· I'm going to talk about oak trees, and I'll also describe a specific example of a famous oak tree called the Major Oak. This is a huge tree in Sherwood Forest; it's thought to be around 1000 years old, and I'd probably say that it's the most impressive tree that I've ever seen.

· Oaks are very common in England; they can be seen in fields and areas of woodland in the countryside, but they are also commonly found in parks and gardens in towns and cities. The Major Oak is in Sherwood Forest, which is near Nottingham. It stands out from the other oak trees because its trunk and branches are so wide and thick.

· The wood from oak trees is used to make furniture; for example, I have an oak table, wardrobe and various other pieces of oak furniture at home. Oak is a strong and reliable wood that has traditionally been used in construction, for beams and other parts of the framework of houses and other buildings. The Major Oak obviously hasn't been used in this way; it's a tourist attraction that people visit and marvel at. For example, I went to see it on a school trip as a child.

· The oak tree is important in England because it symbolises history, strength and reliability - probably because of its traditional role in construction. The Major Oak is famous for a completely different reason: it was supposedly Robin Hood's hideout, so it has a kind of legendary or mythical status because of the stories that are associated with it. For this reason, and because of its age and unusual size, the Major Oak has become known as Britain's favourite tree.

Reading the comments below last week's , I can see that almost everyone chose to describe a sports centre. So here's my sample 'sports centre' description:

· The place of entertainment that I wish we had close to where I live is a sports centre. My ideal sports centre would have a gym, swimming pool, indoor and outdoor football pitches, courts for tennis, badminton and squash, and an all-purpose area for things like gymnastics and circuit training.

· I can think of the perfect place for this facility: There's a disused piece of land just down the road from where I live, where an old warehouse was knocked down. It's near to the main road and the train station, so it would be easy for people to get to. There are plans to build houses on this plot of land, but I think a sports centre would be much better for local residents.

· The good thing about a sports centre is that everyone can use it. There could be sports lessons and clubs for children and teenagers - things like swimming lessons and football team practice sessions. I'm sure many adults in my local area would join the gym, use the pool, and book the courts for games of tennis or badminton. The centre could even hold sports events, such as competitions, that would attract spectators as well as participants.

· I think we need a good sports centre where I live because people currently have to travel to the next town if they want to find some of the facilities, activities, lessons and clubs that I've mentioned. I think a sports complex would give young people, in particular, something fun and productive to do in the evening and at weekends. Playing sport keeps people healthy and makes them feel happy, so I think a sports centre would brighten up my local area and improve our quality of life.

Describe an enjoyable day out in the countryside that you had.
You should say

- where you went on this day out
- who you were with
- what you did
- and explain why you enjoyed the day

Here's my sample answer for the task above. I've tried to use most of the phrases from .

I'm going to describe a recent trip to a lovely place called the Tissington Trail. The Tissington Trail is a path or track that follows the route of a former railway line through beautiful countryside in the county of Derbyshire, here in the UK. The old railway line was taken up many years ago, and it was transformed into a recreational trail that is ideal for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.

I went to the Tissington Trail because we had some family members, my brother and sister-in-law and their daughter, staying with us over the weekend. They had come up to Manchester from London, and they wanted my wife and me to take them somewhere where they could breathe in some fresh countryside air and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

To reach the trail we had to park in Tissington itself, which is a charming, picturesque village. We hired some bicycles there and set off along the trail. It was an easy ride because the trail is mostly flat, with just a few gentle dips and inclines, and we were able to enjoy the stunning scenery as we passed through areas of woodland, a dramatic limestone ravine, and grassy meadows that were covered with colourful wild flowers.

The part of the day that I enjoyed the most was when we cycled through a historic railway tunnel on our bicycles. The tunnel has been fitted with a sound installation that plays eerie steam train noises as you pass through it; we all loved the idea that the sounds transport you back in time, and that you feel like you're on an old steam train with its whistles and clunking machinery. It was a really nice day out, and we all enjoyed relaxing in the village tearoom at the end of our bike ride.

Before we try the 'countryside' task that I shared in last week's , let's see if we can find some good ideas to help us. There are plenty of tourism websites with descriptions of places to visit in the countryside, so we should be able to "steal" some nice phrases.

I searched online for descriptions of a real place that I've visited, called the "Tissington Trail". Here are some words and phrases that I found:

· following the route of a former railway line

· transformed into a recreational trail

· ideal for walkers, cyclists and horse riders

· mostly flat, with a few dips and gentle inclines

· passes through a picturesque / charming village

· takes you through a historic railway tunnel

· an eerie sound installation in the tunnel

· the whistles and clunks of a steam train

· tearooms and picnic areas

· a dramatic limestone ravine

· stunning scenery

· fantastic views

· an abundance of colourful wild flowers

· a feeling of peace and tranquility

· breathe in the fresh air

· traffic-free, and away from the hustle and bustle

Last week I gave you a list of "theme" vocabulary for the question below.

Describe a time when you received good service in a restaurant or cafe.
You should say

- when this was
- what kind of restaurant or cafe you were in
- why you were there
- and why you thought the service was good

Here's my sample answer with the theme vocabulary underlined:

· I'm going to talk about the service we received in a restaurant where a friend of mine celebrated his birthday last Saturday evening.

· My friend had decided to book a table in a local Italian restaurant for the party. It was a small, family-run place, but this made it feel all the more welcoming and inviting. The atmosphere was great and the service was excellent.

· As I mentioned, I went to the restaurant because a friend had invited me to celebrate his birthday there. There were about ten of us there - mostly people I've known since university - and it was really nice to catch up with them and chat about what we had all been up to since we last got together.

· The service was good because the restaurant staff and owners really made us feel at home. From the moment we walked in, the waiters were polite, approachable and attentive; nothing was too much to ask. They brought out a cake with candles and sang 'Happy Birthday' to my friend, although we hadn't asked them to do this, and the restaurant owners kept checking whether we were happy with everything, which was thoughtful of them. All in all, the delicious food, good company and friendly service made it an unforgettable evening.

One of the suggestions that I make in my is that you prepare "theme" vocabulary for IELTS speaking part 2. Let's look at a theme that could help us with the task below.

Describe a time when you received good service in a restaurant or cafe.
You should say

- when this was
- what kind of restaurant or cafe you were in
- why you were there
- and why you thought the service was good

We could use the "friendly" theme from speaking lesson 4 in my video course. Here's the vocabulary that I suggested for that theme:

"Friendly" theme (e.g. staff in a restaurant)

· welcoming, inviting

· warm, approachable

· polite, thoughtful, attentive

· great atmosphere

· make you feel at home

· the service was excellent

· nothing was too much to ask

· an unforgettable evening

Describe a café that you have been to.
You should say

- where it is
- why you went there
- what you ate or drank
- and explain why you liked or disliked the café.

Here's my sample band 9 answer:

· I'm going to describe a café that I go to maybe once a week. It's just down the road from where I live, near Manchester, so it's really convenient for me to walk down there for a coffee or a bite to eat, and to use the wifi.

· The last time I went to this local café was on Friday afternoon. I was trying to do some work at home, but I found myself getting distracted by little jobs around the house. So I decided to have a change of scenery; I put my laptop in its bag and made the short walk to the café, where I spent the next few hours getting all of my work done. With a nice cup of coffee and just the right level of background noise, I found it much easier to concentrate.

· Over the course of the afternoon, I drank two cups of coffee and a glass or two of water. The café owner takes a lot of pride in making the best 'flat white' coffee in the area, so that's what I tend to drink. If I remember correctly, the second coffee that I ordered was a decaf, because I try to avoid drinking too much caffeine in the afternoon. I didn't have anything to eat on that occasion, but I do sometimes have one of the home-made cakes that they sell.

· There are a few reasons why I like going to my local café. I suppose the main reasons are the coffee, the free wifi and the friendly staff. However, on Friday I also managed to sit at my favourite table near one of the windows, and the café wasn't very busy. So the atmosphere and noise level were just right, and I was able to focus on my work without distractions for most of the afternoon.

In the speaking test, you can use conversational (less formal) phrases that you wouldn't use in the writing test. Here are some examples from yesterday's lesson:

· leave something until the last minute

· work flat out (meaning: work hard without stopping)

· get something finished

· get something done

· one in particular that I really struggled with

· put something off (meaning: avoid doing it)

· in the end

· have mixed feelings about

· get started on something

· to go through it again (meaning: to do or experience something again)

I also used some good words and phrases that would be suitable for both speaking and writing (i.e. this vocabulary is not informal):

· procrastinating

· producing a final draft

· complete the final draft

· the pressure of such a close deadline

· manage the task in an efficient way

· I limited myself to just ten research sources

· summarise and synthesise

· I was relieved and quite impressed with myself

The vocabulary in the two lists above might not seem 'difficult', but it's the kind of natural "native-speaker" language that will impress the examiner. That's why I gave the answer a band 9.

Describe a time when you were really busy. You should say

- when this was
- why you were so busy
- how you managed the situation
- and explain how you felt at the time.

Here's my full band 9 answer to this question:

· I'm going to talk about the time I left a university assignment until the last minute and had to work flat out to get it finished. This was about ten years ago when I was doing my Master's degree.

· I had to do several 3000-word assignments for the modules on my Master's course, but I remember that there was one in particular that I really struggled with. I had been procrastinating and putting it off for weeks, and in the end I left myself just two days to get the whole assignment done. This included finding and reading relevant books and articles, deciding on my thesis and assignment title, and producing a final draft which had to be handed in to the department office before the deadline.

· The pressure of such a close deadline actually forced me to manage the task in a really efficient way. My first step was to decide on the general area that I wanted to write about, and then I limited myself to just ten research sources. I printed the most relevant pages, highlighted the key paragraphs and made some notes to summarise and synthesise the ideas that I found interesting. Finally, I just started writing the main body of the assignment, and I wrote the title and the introduction last.

· I had mixed feelings at the time. I was annoyed with myself for leaving it so late to get started on the assignment, but I was relieved and quite impressed with myself when I managed to complete the final draft so quickly. It was also quite stressful and tiring to have to find articles, do photocopying and then write everything so quickly. I wouldn't want to go through that again!

Describe a piece of clothing that you like wearing. You should say

- what the item of clothing is
- where and when you bought it
- when you wear it
- and explain why you like wearing it.

Here's my sample answer, using the vocabulary from last week's :

· I'm going to describe a coat that I often wear at the moment. The coat is dark blue in colour, and it's made out of a lightweight, waterproof material, which makes it perfect for wearing at this time of year here in the UK. It also has a detachable hood, which I used yesterday when it was raining, and various pockets on the outside and on the inside.

· I bought the coat last year at the beginning of autumn when the weather started to get colder. It was easy to buy because I had had the exact same coat before; my old coat was starting to look a bit worn out, so I decided to buy a new version. As I knew which size I needed, I simply went online and found the best offer; I bought it through a shopping website, and it was delivered to my house a few days later.

· As I said, I'm wearing this coat a lot at the moment. It's my everyday coat for going to work or for when I go out shopping or for any other reason.

· The reason why I like this coat is that it's so practical and functional. It's waterproof and it keeps me warm, but it also comes in handy for carrying things like my phone, wallet, loose change, a pen, and even a notebook; I tend to fill my pockets with whatever I can. It even folds up small enough to fit in my bag when I don't need it.

Describe a piece of clothing that you like wearing. You should say
- what the item of clothing is
- where and when you bought it
- when you wear it
- and explain why you like wearing it.

The first idea that came into my head was to describe my coat. And the first idea that I had about this coat was to say that it is useful or practical. So my 'theme' is useful / practical, and I've brainstormed other words and phrases related to this theme.

Ideas related to the theme of a useful / practical coat:

· functional

· multipurpose

· hard-wearing material

· lightweight material

· various pockets

· a detachable hood

· waterproof

· it keeps me warm

· it comes in handy when...

· it's perfect for carrying my...

· it folds up small enough to fit into my bag