IELTS Speaking Part 2

Describe a short-term job you want to have in a foreign country

Describe a short-term job you want to have in a foreign country

You should say:

One minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes.

How to plan it in one minute

  1. Jot down keywords for each bullet point to ensure you cover every requirement.
  2. Pick a job that genuinely interests you to make your delivery more enthusiastic.
  3. Use one bullet point per main paragraph to maintain a logical flow of ideas.

Band 8 model answer

I have always been fascinated by the concept of seasonal work, and specifically, I would love to spend a summer working as an assistant at an organic vineyard in the Tuscany region of Italy. I first heard about this through a travel blog I follow, which featured a young woman who spent three months picking grapes and helping with the initial fermentation process. It sounded like an incredibly grounding experience, far removed from the digital intensity of my current office job. The job itself would involve manual labour, primarily pruning vines and assisting the vintners with the harvest during the late summer months. It is definitely not a high-paying role, but it offers room and board in a rustic farmhouse, which is all I would need. I am drawn to this because I want to disconnect from my screen-based life and reconnect with the natural world. Italy has such a rich cultural heritage, and I think being embedded in a local community rather than just passing through as a tourist would give me a deeper understanding of the Italian way of life. Furthermore, I have been trying to learn Italian for a few years now, and I believe that full immersion—hearing the language spoken in the fields and over communal meals—would be the most effective way to finally become conversational. It is a chance to step out of my comfort zone, challenge myself physically, and gain a fresh perspective on the value of hard work and craftsmanship in a world that is becoming increasingly automated.

255 words, about two minutes at a natural pace. Details are invented; use your own.

Vocabulary from the answer

grounding
making you feel calm and sensible again
vintners
people who make or sell wine
rustic
having a simple, charming, or country-style quality
embedded
firmly fixed as part of a larger system
full immersion
a method of learning by experiencing only
conversational
able to hold a conversation quite easily
craftsmanship
the quality of design and work shown
automated
operated by machines rather than by people

Part 3 questions that follow this card

Answer each in three to five sentences: position, reason, example, limit. See the Part 3 guide.

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Frequently asked questions

How should I start the cue card "Describe a short-term job you want to have in a foreign country"?

Jot down keywords for each bullet point to ensure you cover every requirement.

How long should my answer be?

Speak for the full two minutes, about 220 to 280 words at a natural pace. The examiner will stop you at two minutes, which is a good sign, not a problem.

Can I use this model answer in the exam?

Use its structure and vocabulary, not its sentences. Examiners recognise memorised answers and mark fluency down; a shorter answer from your own memory scores higher than a recited one.

More cue cards: an experience