What’s the difference between a trip and a journey?
Today we answer this interesting listener question.
You’ll learn high-scoring vocabulary for questions about vacations.
Practice these common IELTS Speaking questions.
Today’s question
Hello Aubrey and Lindsay! Thank you for all of your episodes and especially for the videos on YouTube!
I have a question to ask you. I took IELTS a few days ago and the question i was asked on part 2 was
Describe a memorable journey you have made.
I wasn’t sure if a fairly normal vacation could be considered a memorable journey.
I talked about a trip to Spain. Do you think this works?
I haven’t received my scores and I’m worried I will get a low score on this part of the test.
Would love to hear what you think.
– Eugenia
Journey, trip or vacation?
Eugenia’s answer would likely work, but it depends on what you say about the trip.
- Journey: the act of traveling from one place to another, often emphasizing a long distance, duration, or a transformative experience
- Trip: shorter and more casual; very common in everyday speech
- Vacation: can be long or short; time off from work or study for rest or leisure
If a trip to Spain lasts several days, you could definitely call it a journey!
Today we’ll share some high-scoring vocabulary for this topic.
Stay to the end for a band 9 part 2 answer to this question.
#1: Embark on
This means to begin a journey.
Example: I embarked on a two-week road trip along the coast.
#2: Set off
You “set off” when you start a journey or trip.
Example: We set off before dawn to avoid traffic.
#3: Once-in-a-lifetime
This is any experience that is extremely rare and unforgettable.
Example: Seeing the northern lights was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
#4: Left a lasting impression
This means something had a strong long-term impact.
Example: The kindness of the locals left a lasting impression on me.
#5: Immerse in
This means to fully experience something.
We can immerse ourselves in culture, language or any experience.
Example: On my trip to Taiwan, I immersed myself in the local culture.
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#6: Emotional journey
This refers to the evolution of a person’s feelings or mindset through significant life experiences.
It usually leads to personal growth.
Example: Though I only visited one city, I learned a lot about myself so it was definitely an emotional journey.
Sample Part 2 answer
Aubrey provides a band 9 answer to the question the listener was given:
Describe a memorable journey you have made.
She talks about her experiencing backpacking in Europe.
Take note her use of today’s vocabulary.
When I was 18, I embarked on an adventure, backpacking in Europe….
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to visit museums or enter historical sites because I didn’t have the funds, but I still felt like I was able to fully immerse myself in the local culture just from being on the street, wandering shops and parks and chatting with people.
It was, without a doubt, an emotional journey as well because I was on my own for the first time, meeting people from all over the world, and my preconceived notions about the world were being challenged and proven incorrect…
Not only that, but I had a chance to truly experience independence and was forced to rely on my own wits and resources.
Takeaway
Travel and vacation are common IELTS topics.
You need to be ready with high-scoring vocabulary and strategies.
Practice answering about trips you’ve taken using today’s vocabulary.
For all the strategies you need, sign up for 3 Keys IELTS.
What do you think of today’s vocabulary?
Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
