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Describe a shopping centre 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 shopping centre that you have been to.

You should say:

  • where it is
  • what you can find there
  • who you went with

and explain whether you like going to shopping centres.

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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

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

I would like to talk about the Dubai Mall, which I visited last winter during a family holiday. It is one of the largest shopping centres in the world, and it was actually much bigger than I had imagined.

I went with my parents and my younger sister. We walked in through the main entrance, and the first thing that impressed me was the aquarium, which is right in the middle of the building. It is a giant glass tank full of sharks and colourful fish, and we spent almost an hour just looking at it. Besides that, the mall has more than a thousand shops, including international fashion brands, electronics stores and a huge bookshop. There is also an ice rink, a cinema and many restaurants. My mother wanted to buy gifts for her friends, so we went in and out of several shops, while my sister and I preferred to try different desserts in the food court.

As for whether I like shopping centres, the answer is yes, but only in moderation. On the positive side, they are convenient, since you can find everything in one place, and they are air-conditioned, which is a great advantage in a hot climate. They are also a good place to spend time with family. On the other hand, they can make you spend more than you planned, and after a few hours I usually start to feel tired and slightly bored. In the Dubai Mall, we walked for so long that my feet hurt, and I came home with nothing except a pair of socks. Still, I would visit again.

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 wide variety of shopsmany different types of stores
food courtan area with several fast food places
window-shoplook at goods in shop windows without buying
impulse buyingpurchasing something without planning to
a one-stop destinationa place where you can do everything at once
salesperiods when shops sell goods at lower prices

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

  • The biggest mall in your city on a Saturday afternoon
  • A shopping centre abroad that looked very different from the ones at home
  • A small, older shopping arcade that you visit with your family

How to spend the two minutes

  1. 25 swhere it is
  2. 25 swhat you can find there
  3. 25 swho you went with
  4. 45 sand explain whether you like going to shopping centres.

Part 3 questions

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

  1. Why do shopping centres attract so many people, even those who do not want to buy anything?
  2. Do you think people buy too many things they do not really need?
  3. How do shopping centres affect small shops nearby?
  4. Is shopping an enjoyable pastime or a necessary chore?
  5. What can shopping centres do to be more environmentally friendly?
  6. How might shopping centres change over the next twenty 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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