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

Describe a noisy place you have been to.

Describe a noisy place you have been to.

You should say:

  • ·where it is
  • ·when you went there
  • ·what you did there
  • ·why it was noisy

and explain how you felt about the noise.

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 6.5 · 178 words

A noisy place I’ve been to is a night market near the city centre. I went there last autumn with two friends, on a Saturday evening. We wanted to have dinner and look around because one of my friends had never been there before.

We walked along the street and tried some food from different stalls. I bought grilled fish and a cup of sweet soy milk. We also stopped to watch a man making noodles and took some photos. It was crowded, so we had to speak loudly to hear each other.

It was noisy because there were many people talking, vendors calling out their prices, and scooters passing nearby. Some music was playing from the shops too. The sounds came from every direction, and there was no quiet place to sit.

At first, I felt a bit uncomfortable because it was hard to talk. After a while, I got used to it and enjoyed the lively feeling. I probably wouldn’t stay there for a long time, but it was a fun place to visit with friends.

  • Setting the time · “I went there last autumn”
  • Showing a change in feeling · “At first, I felt a bit uncomfortable”

A stronger answer

Checked at band 8 · 251 words

Honestly, the noisiest place I can remember is a night market just outside the city centre. I went there last autumn on a Saturday evening with two friends, because one of them had recently moved to our area and wanted to try the local food. We arrived around seven, when the stalls were busy and the street was already packed.

We spent a couple of hours wandering from stall to stall, sharing small portions rather than ordering a proper meal. I had grilled fish and sweet soy milk, and we paused to watch a vendor pull noodles by hand. I also took a few photos, although we had to move aside quite often because people were squeezing past us.

The noise came from several directions at once: customers chatting, stall owners calling out their prices, and scooters edging through the nearby road. Some shops had music playing, too, so even when nobody was speaking directly to us, there was a steady wall of sound. The narrow street made it feel louder, since the noise seemed to bounce between the buildings.

I found it overwhelming at first, especially when I was trying to talk to my friends. Still, the atmosphere was part of the appeal; it felt energetic rather than unpleasant. If I’d wanted a quiet dinner, I would have chosen somewhere else, but for a casual evening out, I actually enjoyed it. I wouldn’t want to spend the whole night there, though, because the constant shouting would eventually wear me out.

  • Specific time detail · “when the stalls were busy”
  • Developing the activity · “sharing small portions rather than ordering a proper meal”
  • Vivid sensory description · “the noise seemed to bounce between the buildings”
  • Conditional contrast · “If I’d wanted a quiet dinner”
Angles

3 ways to answer it

  1. 1A railway station before Spring Festival: announcements, suitcases and shouting all at once
  2. 2A night market: shouting to chat with friends at a barbecue stall
  3. 3Your office during a month of renovation: drilling that ruined your video calls
Expressions

5 expressions that fit this card

the hustle and bustle
busy, noisy activity
couldn't hear myself think
it was too loud to focus
deafening
extremely loud
background noise
sounds you hear all around you
drown out
be louder than another sound
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

    What are the main sources of noise in cities?

    • ·Traffic and car horns
    • ·Building sites and flat renovations
  2. 2

    Why do some people enjoy noisy places like bars or concerts?

    • ·The lively atmosphere makes them excited
    • ·The noise helps them forget work stress
  3. 3

    Do you think noise affects people's health?

    • ·Long-term noise causes poor sleep
    • ·Loud headphones can damage hearing
  4. 4

    Should there be stricter rules about noise in residential areas?

    • ·Limit renovation work to daytime hours
    • ·Neighbours could agree on volume for square dancing
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 busy street or market

    A shopping street, mall or night market: the noise and crowds, a building you notice, something you saved up for there.

Say it out loud and get a band score