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Describe a creative activity that you enjoy doing

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

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Part 2 · Candidate task card

Describe a creative activity that you enjoy doing.

You should say:

  • what the activity is
  • what you need to do it
  • when you started doing it

and explain why you find it enjoyable.

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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

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

A creative activity I enjoy a lot is drawing, mostly with pencils and sometimes with watercolours. I've been doing it since I was a small child, but I became much more serious about it around four years ago, when I bought my first proper sketchbook.

To be honest, you don't need much to get started. A pencil, a rubber and some paper are enough, although I've slowly built up a small collection of better pencils and brushes. I usually draw in the evenings at my desk, with some quiet music playing, and I try to do a little every day, even if it's only for twenty minutes. My subjects vary a lot. Sometimes I sketch buildings or people I've seen in the street, and sometimes I just let my imagination run wild and create imaginary landscapes from scratch.

There are several reasons why I find it so enjoyable. The most important is that it allows me to express myself in a way that words sometimes can't. When I'm feeling stressed or confused, putting it on paper often helps me understand my emotions. Another reason is that it's very absorbing. Once I begin, I forget about my phone and everything else, and hours can pass without my noticing. And of course, it's very satisfying to see a finished product at the end, even if it isn't perfect. I don't think I have exceptional artistic talent, but I've improved steadily with practice, and comparing my current drawings with my early ones always makes me smile.

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
express myselfshow my thoughts and feelings
let my imagination run wildthink freely without limits
from scratchstarting from nothing
a hands-on activityone where you make things with your hands
a finished productthe completed thing you made
artistic talentnatural ability in art

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

  • Drawing, painting or sketching
  • Making handmade gifts and crafts
  • Writing short stories or poetry

How to spend the two minutes

  1. 25 swhat the activity is
  2. 25 swhat you need to do it
  3. 25 swhen you started doing it
  4. 45 sand explain why you find it enjoyable.

Part 3 questions

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

  1. Do you think creativity is something people are born with or something they can learn?
  2. Why are arts subjects often given less time than maths and science in schools?
  3. Can creative activities help reduce stress?
  4. Do you think artists should receive financial support from the government?
  5. How might artificial intelligence affect creative jobs?

Frequently asked questions

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

Explain what the activity involves and how you got into it, describe a typical time you do it, and finish with what you get from it. Present simple for habits and a short past story for one occasion show range.

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