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Part 2 cue card · Places · New for September–December 2026

Describe a short trip you often take but do not like.

Describe a short trip you often take but do not like.

You should say:

  • ·where you go
  • ·how often you take this trip
  • ·how you travel there
  • ·what you do on the way

and explain why you do not like this trip.

One minute to prepare, up to two minutes to talk. Then Part 3 asks the questions below.

Sample answers

Two answers to the same card

Same story, two levels. Both were written by Ashore, then checked against the public band descriptors in a separate pass. The bands are practice estimates, not official IELTS results.

A simpler answer

Checked at band 6 · 184 words

I often go from my apartment to the office in the centre of my city. It is not far, maybe eight kilometres, but I make this trip five days a week, usually in the morning. I normally take the bus because there is a stop close to my building, and I don't have to find a place to park. The journey takes about forty minutes when the roads are busy.

On the way, I usually stand near the door and look at my phone. I check messages, read the news, or listen to music with my earphones. Sometimes I try to plan what I need to do at work, but it is hard to concentrate because the bus is noisy and people are talking.

I don't like this trip because it feels crowded and slow. The bus often stops in traffic, so I cannot tell exactly when I will arrive. I also feel tired before my working day has even started. I still take it because it is the easiest way to get to the office, but I wish the journey were more comfortable.

  • Clear frequency · “I make this trip five days a week”
  • Listing activities · “I check messages, read the news”

A stronger answer

Checked at band 7 · 242 words

Honestly, the short trip I dislike most is my commute from my apartment to the office in the city centre. It’s only about eight kilometres, but I make it every weekday morning, so it’s a familiar part of my routine. I usually take the bus because there’s a stop just around the corner from my building, and driving would mean dealing with parking as well as traffic. If the roads are clear, the ride takes about twenty-five minutes; at rush hour, it can easily stretch to forty.

On the way, I tend to stand near the doors and check messages or read the news on my phone. I also put on my earphones and listen to music, which helps me tune out the conversations around me. Sometimes I try to plan my workday, but the bus is often so noisy and crowded that I lose my train of thought. I’m usually holding my bag and trying not to bump into anyone, too.

What makes the trip particularly unpleasant is how unpredictable it is. The bus can sit in traffic for several minutes, and I can’t relax because I don’t know exactly when I’ll arrive. By the time I get to the office, I sometimes feel as though I’ve already used up a lot of energy. I keep taking the bus because it’s the most practical option, but if the journey were quieter and more reliable, I wouldn’t mind it nearly as much.

  • Adding context · “a familiar part of my routine”
  • Explaining a benefit · “which helps me tune out”
  • Specific reaction · “I lose my train of thought”
  • Highlighting the main reason · “What makes the trip particularly unpleasant”
  • Conditional ending · “if the journey were quieter and more reliable”
Angles

3 ways to answer it

  1. 1Your daily commute: two metro changes and over an hour each way
  2. 2Driving home at weekends: a three-hour journey that takes five because of traffic
  3. 3Trips to driving school: half a day on buses for forty minutes of practice
Expressions

5 expressions that fit this card

a long commute
a long journey to work
stuck in traffic
unable to move because of traffic
kill time
do something while waiting
a waste of time
time spent on nothing useful
there's no way around it
you cannot avoid it
Part 3

The questions that follow

After the long turn, Part 3 asks bigger questions on the same theme. Each one comes with two points you can build an answer from.

  1. 1

    Why do many people spend a long time commuting?

    • ·City-centre rent is too high, so they live far out
    • ·Good jobs cluster in a few business districts
  2. 2

    How do people use their time when travelling to work?

    • ·Watching short videos or listening to podcasts
    • ·Some learn vocabulary or read books
  3. 3

    Should companies allow employees to work from home to avoid commuting?

    • ·It saves time and leaves staff with more energy
    • ·Face-to-face teamwork is often more efficient
  4. 4

    How has public transport in China changed in the past ten years?

    • ·Metro networks have expanded dramatically
    • ·High-speed rail makes weekend trips between cities easy
Stories

One story, many cards

This card fits this story. Prepare the story once and you can bend it to every card listed with it on the season page.

  • A trip that went wrong

    A commute or short trip: the early start, the phone that died, the message nobody answered, what you did instead.

Say it out loud and get a band score