You may need to describe places on the IELTS Writing exam.
Question on IELTS Speaking also might require you to describe indoor and outdoor spaces.
Today’s vocabulary will prepare you for these questions on both exams.
Listen in and take notes!
Today’s question
We received a question from a student about describing places on the IELTS Writing exam.
How can I write a descriptive paragraph on places? How do I describe them?
You will need vocabulary and strategies for this topic for both IELTS Writing and Speaking.
#1: Academic Task 1
Many Task 1 topics could require you to describe an indoor or outdoor space.
For example, you may get academic maps asking you to compare a village and how it’s changed over time.
You could also have images of two different spaces which you must compare.
- an outdoor mall
- an indoor mall
- rooms in a home
- parks
#2: General Task 1
You might need to include descriptions of places in your letter.
- formal: describing a vacation you are taking or want to take
- informal: thanking a friend for a vacation, photos, or a visit
These letters can include detailed descriptions of places visited.
#3: Writing Task 2
Topics for Task 2 could also require descriptions of places.
The essay could ask for you to agree or disagree with a statement
Although some people value their public parks, this space could be better used for other purposes such as residential areas for the growing population or to develop the economy of a city. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
You could also be asked to comment on urban sprawl.
Many cities are now turning parks and farmland into new housing developments. Is this a positive or negative development?
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Indoor spaces
If describing an indoor space, it helps to visualize it.
The following phrases could boost vocabulary scores:
- Tour of the layout from the front door to the back door
- Decor (wallpaper, paint colors, art on the walls, tiffany lamps)
- Furniture
- The view from the windows
You can also describe what people do in the place you’re describing.
- What do you see?
- What sounds do you hear?
- What do you smells?
Outdoor spaces
If describing the grounds of an outdoor space, use topic-specific vocabulary.
- Landscape
- Gardens
- Shrubbery
- Foliage
Learn specific tree types.
- Pine
- Fir
- Elm
- Oak
- Aspen
Be ready to describe the temperature as well.
Learn high-scoring adjectives for different types of weather and temperature.
- Cool
- Breezy
- Tropical
- Humid
- Tranquil
- Chaotic
You’ll also want to describe what people do in these places, including sounds and smells.
Takeaway
You never know what you’ll need to write about on IELTS!
It’s also impossible to know which IELTS Speaking questions you’ll get.
Be ready with high-scoring vocabulary for any topic!
Today’s vocabulary will help you boost vocabulary scores for questions about places.
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What questions do you have from today’s episode?
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