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Describe a new hobby that you would like to take up

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 new hobby that you would like to take up.

You should say:

  • what the hobby is
  • what you would need to do it
  • where you would do it

and explain why you would like to start this hobby.

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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

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

A hobby I'd like to take up is gardening, specifically growing my own vegetables and herbs. I live in an apartment at the moment, so I've never really had the chance, but I'm hoping to change that soon, as my family has a small plot of land outside the city that we don't use at all.

To get started, I wouldn't need much. I'd buy basic equipment such as a spade, a rake, a watering can and gloves, as well as seeds and some compost. I'd probably begin with easy plants like tomatoes, cucumbers, mint and basil, which grow well in our climate. I've been watching videos and borrowing books from the library to pick up the basics, and my neighbour, who has a beautiful garden, has promised to give me advice. I'd spend most weekends there, plus a few hours of evening watering in summer, and I could also grow a few herbs in pots on my balcony during the week.

There are several reasons why I'd like to start this hobby. First, I'm interested in healthy eating, and there's nothing better than vegetables you've grown yourself, without chemicals. Second, I spend most of my working week in an office in front of a computer, and I think physical work outdoors would be a great way to relax and get some fresh air. Third, it requires patience, and I suspect it would teach me a lot about nature and the seasons. And finally, it's a hobby that could involve my whole family. I'm already planning what to plant in the spring.

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
take upbegin a new activity
a fulfilling pastimean activity that makes you feel satisfied
basic equipmentthe simple items needed for an activity
a creative outleta way of expressing creativity
make time forset aside time for
pick up the basicslearn the simplest parts

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

  • Gardening or growing vegetables
  • Painting or pottery
  • Birdwatching or astronomy

How to spend the two minutes

  1. 25 swhat the hobby is
  2. 25 swhat you would need to do it
  3. 25 swhere you would do it
  4. 45 sand explain why you would like to start this hobby.

Part 3 questions

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

  1. Do you think people who have hobbies are happier than those who do not?
  2. Why do people often say they have no time for hobbies?
  3. Should employers encourage workers to have outside interests?
  4. Are expensive hobbies worth the money?
  5. How can social media inspire people to try new hobbies?

Frequently asked questions

How do I talk about future plans in an IELTS cue card?

Say what you would like to do, why, and how you would go about it. Mix future forms: "I'm planning to", "I'd love to", "if I had the chance, I would". A plan you really have gives you more to say than an invented one.

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