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Describe a library that you have been to

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 library that you have been to.

You should say:

  • where the library is
  • what it looks like inside
  • what you do there

and explain whether you like this library or not.

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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.

The library I want to describe is the central library of my university, which I have been using since my first year. It is a modern, five-storey building near the main gate, and it is open from eight in the morning until ten at night, which is really useful for students.

Inside, it is bright and spacious, with large windows and wide wooden tables. The ground floor has a reception desk, a small coffee corner and a row of computers. Upstairs, there are shelves with thousands of books, divided by subject, and the top floor is silent, with individual study desks that have lamps and sockets for laptops. There is also a section with English magazines and newspapers, which I sometimes read to improve my vocabulary. I go there three or four times a week, mostly to prepare for exams or to work on group projects. When I have a free hour between lectures, I sometimes just borrow a novel and read for a while.

On the whole, I like this library very much. The staff are helpful and always know where to find a particular title, and the system for borrowing books is easy, since you only need to scan your student card. I also appreciate the calm atmosphere, because it helps me concentrate in a way that is impossible in my dormitory. The only drawback is that it gets very crowded in the exam period, and sometimes you have to arrive early to find a seat. But apart from that, it is one of the best parts of my university.

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
a vast collectiona very large number of books or items
borrow a booktake a book for a limited time
study areaa part of a building arranged for studying
membership carda card showing you can use a library
reference sectionthe part with books that cannot be taken away
fully equippedhaving all the necessary things

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 university library during exam time
  • A tiny local library from your childhood
  • A famous, beautiful library you visited on a trip

How to spend the two minutes

  1. 25 swhere the library is
  2. 25 swhat it looks like inside
  3. 25 swhat you do there
  4. 45 sand explain whether you like this library or not.

Part 3 questions

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

  1. Do you think libraries are still important in the digital age?
  2. Why do some people prefer to study in a library rather than at home?
  3. How could libraries attract more young people?
  4. Should libraries provide free internet access and computers?
  5. What are the differences between borrowing a book and buying one?
  6. Will libraries exist in the same form in fifty years?

Frequently asked questions

How should I describe a place in an IELTS cue card?

Choose a place you have actually been to. Give its location quickly, then describe it with your senses: what you saw, heard and did there. Close with how you felt or why you would go back. A real visit gives you details that sound natural.

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