IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card

Talk about a picnic spot /recreational public spot that you liked

: You should say

What’s it and the location
What are the attractive things for the visitors there
Why you liked it
Why people like it and who are the regular visitors there
and explain how does the place or spot influence people

: Sample Answer

Picnics are a great way to get outside and socialise with friends. I’m lucky because there are lots of good places near me where people can relax, play, chat and have a picnic if they wish. I can think of one favourite place. I’ll tell you where it is and what it’s like and try and make you understand why it is so appealing to me and lots of other visitors too. I actually think the place has quite an important role in our local community, and maybe you will understand why after my little talk

The place is Endcliffe Park in Sheffield. It is a city park, by which I mean it is close to urban areas, surrounded by residential streets and local shops. However, the park itself is lovely. It is quite big, about 37 acres, big enough to have streams running through it, patches of woodland, a duck pond, mown areas where people can play ball games and plenty of benches where you can sit and watch the world go by. It’s well maintained by the local council and has other facilities – including loos and a very nice independent café. In the summer months there is often an ice-cream van parked up, and at weekends and bank holidays a local guy puts up a bouncy castle and a miniature children’s carousel for children to play on. There is a small playground with swings and climbing frames, and recently, the council even incorporated a new parkour area. This is a special structure of climbing frames and walls where people can practise the sport of free running in urban areas. It is incredible to watch

I love this park because it is really well used. I’m a great one for people watching. You can head down there with a sandwich, find yourself a bench and sit and watch the world go by. There are always families out feeding the ducks; children on their bikes or scooters; joggers sprinting by; dog-walkers. Sometimes you will see a school party pond-dipping or bravely crossing one of the sets of stepping stones. Often photographers will set up elaborate tripods there to try and get photos of the wildlife – there are lots of squirrels and birds, including a dramatic heron (a large stork like bird) which fishes in the pond, or the colourful tiny kingfishers that favour the running water of the streams. Local fitness instructors run outdoor boot-camps there, so you will see puffing people doing press-ups and looking like they’ve rather regretted signing up for their exercise class that morning! I think you can see why I like it so much and appreciate all the many attractions that are there for visitors of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy

In terms of how the spot influences people, I think it just really brings the community together. Everyone who lives locally uses it. If ever I go out for a walk there, as I do quite often, I will always bump into someone I know. People use the café as a base for setting up community campaigns – like saving local trees, or fundraising for charities. It is also a great location for many local events, particularly running ones. Endcliffe Park hosts my local Parkrun (a 5km weekly jog each Saturday morning) as well as being the start of lots of off-road running races that are held throughout the year. Because it is a big open space, it even hosts funfairs, music festivals and circuses – I don’t really like circuses to be honest, but it illustrates the point of how well-used the space is as a venue. On a daily basis, people use the park as a short cut to get to work in the city. It is great to be able to appreciate the trees and changing seasons on a walk to go to the shops or get to the office. This park is one of many that fall within the city boundaries. It is one of the reasons that Sheffield is known as the greenest city in the UK. You should come and visit and find out for yourself

There are other more remote places you can go to enjoy the countryside and be alone in the heather and the hills. Those are beautiful destinations too. But for me, my local park is just brilliant, it’s practically on my doorstep and a window on the world. I am so lucky to have this picnic and recreation spot nearby, I try never to take it for granted, but always take the time to really look at what surrounds me when I pass through