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Describe an event that you were looking forward to for a long time

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 an event that you were looking forward to for a long time.

You should say:

  • what the event was
  • why you were looking forward to it
  • what happened when it finally took place

and explain whether it met your expectations.

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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

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

I'd like to talk about the day I finally met my best friend, Sardor, after we'd spent three years separated by distance. He moved to Germany to study engineering, and although we texted and video-called regularly, we hadn't seen each other in person since. When he told me he'd be coming home for the summer holidays, I started counting down the days.

In the weeks before, I could think of nothing else. I made a list of all the places we used to visit, like the old tea house near our school and the lake where we swam as boys, and I planned a day for just the two of us. On the day he arrived, I went to the airport very early, even though his flight wasn't due for another two hours, and I stood by the gate with a sign I had made as a joke.

When he finally came out, we both laughed and hugged, and for a moment neither of us could speak. He looked a bit taller and more mature, but he was still the same person. We spent that entire day walking around the city, eating our favourite food and talking non-stop.

It definitely exceeded my expectations. I had worried that we might feel like strangers after so long, but it was as if no time had passed. It reminded me that real friendship survives distance. We still talk every week, and we're already planning our next meeting.

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
count down the daysto wait impatiently for a date
live up to expectationsto be as good as hoped
long-awaitedexpected for a long time
build up excitementto become more and more excited
exceed my expectationsto be better than I expected
a dream come truesomething you always wanted that finally happened

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

  • A trip you saved up for
  • A concert or match of a favourite artist or team
  • A reunion with someone you had not seen for years

How to spend the two minutes

  1. 25 swhat the event was
  2. 25 swhy you were looking forward to it
  3. 25 swhat happened when it finally took place
  4. 45 sand explain whether it met your expectations.

Part 3 questions

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

  1. Why do people enjoy looking forward to something?
  2. Is the anticipation of an event sometimes better than the event itself?
  3. How do high expectations affect enjoyment?
  4. Do you think young people are more impatient than older people?
  5. How can people manage disappointment?
  6. Should people plan important events well in advance?

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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