Describe a tradition in your country
The full IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card, a band-8 model answer you can learn from, the Part 3 questions that follow, and examiner strategy. Free, no sign-up.
Describe a tradition in your country.
You should say:
- What the tradition is
- When and where it usually takes place
- Who is involved in it
- And explain why this tradition is important to you
You will have one minute to prepare and should then speak for one to two minutes.
Band-8 model answer
One tradition that means a lot to me is the Mid-Autumn lantern festival, which we celebrate every year in late September or early October, depending on the lunar calendar. It usually takes place in the evening, and in my hometown, families gather in courtyards or on rooftops to watch the full moon while sharing mooncakes and homemade lanterns. Basically everyone in the community gets involved, grandparents, parents, children, even neighbours who pop by with extra pastries, so it really brings the whole street to life for one night. What makes it special to me, though, is a memory from when I was about ten. My grandfather taught me how to fold a paper lantern shaped like a rabbit, and we lit it together outside our house. He has since passed away, but every year when I make lanterns with my younger cousins, I feel like I am continuing something that was passed down through generations. It is second nature to us now; nobody even discusses whether we will celebrate, we just do. Looking back, I think this tradition matters to me because it is not really about the food or the decorations, it is about pausing amid busy city life and reconnecting with family. If I ever have children, I would definitely want them to experience that same sense of belonging.
Why this answer scores band 8
- ✓Uses a wide range of tenses accurately: present simple for facts, past simple for a specific memory, present perfect for lasting impact, and conditional for reflection
- ✓Natural idiomatic phrasing such as 'passed down through generations', 'brings the whole neighbourhood to life' and 'it is second nature to us', used without sounding memorised
- ✓Clear discourse management with linking phrases like 'what I find fascinating is' and 'looking back', keeping the talk coherent while spending most time on the personal significance of the tradition
Part 3 follow-up questions
After the cue card, the examiner discusses the topic in more depth. Practise these aloud too — Part 3 is where the highest bands are won or lost.
Examiner strategy for this cue card
Practise this answer out loud in a real Speaking test
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Describe a tradition in your country — FAQ
How do you answer the 'Describe a tradition in your country' IELTS cue card?
Spend your one minute of preparation noting a few keywords for each prompt (What the tradition is; When and where it usually takes place; Who is involved in it; And explain why this tradition is important to you), then speak for the full two minutes. Cover each point briefly but give most of your time to the final 'explain why' prompt, where the marks are. A full band-8 model answer is shown on this page.
How long should the IELTS Speaking Part 2 answer be?
You should talk for up to two minutes without stopping. It is better to keep going and cover the topic in depth than to finish early — the examiner will stop you when the time is up.
What Part 3 questions follow 'Describe a tradition in your country'?
Part 3 broadens the topic into a discussion. For this cue card, expect questions such as: Why do you think traditions are important for a society? Do you think younger generations in your country still value traditional customs as much as older generations did? How does globalisation affect local traditions?