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Describe a birthday celebration that you enjoyed

Try the card on the exam timer first, then read the band-8 sample answer and the Part 3 questions that follow it.

Practice it like the exam

Part 2 · Candidate task card

Describe a birthday celebration that you enjoyed.

You should say:

  • whose birthday it was
  • where the celebration took place
  • what you did there

and explain why you enjoyed this celebration.

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1 minute to prepare, then 2 minutes to speak. It switches on its own.

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Band 8 sample answer

252 words · about 2 minutes at a natural pace · Phrases from the vocabulary list are highlighted.

I'd like to talk about my twenty-fifth birthday last year, which was probably the best birthday I've ever had. I'm not normally someone who likes a big fuss, so I told my friends that I'd just like a quiet dinner. What I didn't know was that my sister had planned something much bigger.

She told me we were going to a small restaurant near the river, which is one of my favourite places. When I walked in, I found about fifteen people waiting in the back room, including friends from university and even a couple of colleagues. The room was decorated with balloons and photos from different stages of my life, and there was a huge chocolate cake with my name on it.

We ate, chatted and played a quiz game that my sister had prepared about my life, with questions like what was my first job or which embarrassing song I used to sing. People shouted answers and laughed a lot. Later, my friends gave me a photo album that they'd put together, with messages from everyone. I'll admit I got a bit teary.

I enjoyed it so much because it felt personal. It didn't cost much, but people had taken the time to do something thoughtful for me. I also hadn't seen some of those friends for months, so it was nice to have everyone together in one place. I went home that night feeling very lucky, and I still look through that album when I'm having a bad day.

What to notice

  • It takes the points on the card in order, so the examiner can follow it.
  • Each point gets a specific detail or a short story, which is what keeps a talk going for two minutes.
  • The "explain" line at the end gets the most time, because that is where you give an opinion and show your range of language.

We wrote this answer for practice; it does not come from IELTS. Take its structure and phrases and tell your own story, because examiners notice memorised answers.

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Useful vocabulary

PhraseMeaning
throw a partyto organise a party
blow out the candlesto extinguish candles on a birthday cake
make a wishto silently hope for something to come true
a thoughtful gifta present chosen with care for the person
a milestone birthdayan important age such as 18 or 30
a memorable eveningan evening that is easy to remember

Plan it in one minute

Choose what to talk about in the first ten seconds, then write two or three key words for each point. Full sentences take too long to write and to read back.

Who or what you could talk about

  • Your own milestone birthday with close friends
  • A child's birthday you helped organise
  • A surprise birthday for a family member

How to spend the two minutes

  1. 25 swhose birthday it was
  2. 25 swhere the celebration took place
  3. 25 swhat you did there
  4. 45 sand explain why you enjoyed this celebration.

Part 3 questions

In the exam these come straight after your talk, on the wider subject: Birthdays and gifts. Answer each in 3–4 sentences, with your view, a reason and an example.

  1. Why do people celebrate birthdays?
  2. Do you think birthdays are more important for children than for adults?
  3. How have birthday celebrations changed in recent years?
  4. Is it better to receive an expensive gift or a thoughtful one?
  5. Why do some people not like celebrating their birthdays?
  6. How do social media platforms affect the way people mark special days?

Frequently asked questions

How should I describe an event in an IELTS cue card?

Set the scene with when, where and who was there, then walk through what happened in order. Finish with why it was memorable. If you were not at a big event, a small one you remember well works better.

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