Leisure and Travel
Describe a city or town you have been to.
You should say:
- Where it is
- When you visited it
- What you did there
- And explain why you like it
Model Answer
I’d like to talk about Singapore, one of several cities I have visited and really enjoyed. I vacationed in this wonderful city last summer with my sister, Min, and we stayed there for 5 days.
Singapore is a state-city located to the southeast of Vietnam and it took us only 2 hours to fly there from Hanoi.
When I arrived in Singapore, I was quite impressed by the way the city looked. The streets were incredibly clean, I could walk around the city all day and come back home without any dirt on my shoes. During my stay in Singapore, I did some shopping and visited some famous landmarks like the Merlion statue, Singapore zoo and the botanical gardens.
For me, Singapore is well worth visiting for many reasons. Firstly, the public transport system in Singapore is extremely reliable. People don’t have to spend hours waiting for buses or trains, and the staff are very friendly and helpful. Another thing that I miss about Singapore is its multi-cultural nature. During the 5 days that I spent in Singapore, I bumped into people from many different countries. English is the first language of this
country so it was great to get the chance to practice my English-speaking skills with the local people and also other tourists. Five days in Singapore passed by so fast that I wish I could’ve stayed a bit longer.
Vocabulary Highlights
- vacationed – went on holiday
- state-city – a small independent country that usually consists of a single city
- impressed by – have a positive effect or influence on your feeling about something
- incredibly – very
- famous landmarks – popular interesting or important places in a city or country
- zoo – a place where animals are kept in cages for people to see
- botanical gardens – a park where plants and trees are grown for people to see and scientific study
- well worth visiting – a place that is good to visit
- multi-cultural nature – has a lot of culture from different countries or societies
- bumped into – to meet someone accidentally
Describe a leisure activity near or on the sea.
You should say:
- What it is
- What you should prepare
- Why you have to prepare
- And explain how you feel about it.
Model Answer
I would like to talk about one of my favourite activities on the beach, swimming. You know, I live in Hai Phong, a coastal city with golden beaches and the nearest seashore is just fifteen minutes from my house. So, in the summer, my friends and I often go there and swim in the cool water to avoid the hot weather.
Actually, swimming is a relatively easy sport. I learned how to swim when I was about 8 years old and it took me only a week to get familiar with a number of swimming strokes, like breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly. Before entering the water, I often warm up and stretch my muscles and joints to avoid any injuries, then put on my swimsuit and jump right in.
I really enjoy swimming on the beach because of a few reasons. Firstly, unlike other water sports such as diving or windsurfing, which require costly equipment, swimming costs nothing. Secondly, swimming is extremely beneficial to our health. It provides an all-over body workout, as nearly all of our muscles are used during swimming. It also builds endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness. Lastly, going swimming is a good means of recreation as it allows me to unwind, alleviate stress and have a great time with my friends.
Summer is coming so I’ll definitely make a plan to visit the beach soon. I intend to go to Nha Trang beach as it’s considered as one of the most magnificent beaches in the world.
Vocabulary Highlights
- coastal city – a city that is located along the coast or near the ocean
- golden beaches – beautiful beaches with golden coloured sand
- swimming strokes – swimming styles
- warm up – to get your body warm and ready for exercise
- stretch my muscles and joints – to extend your muscles and body parts to help relax it
- injuries – pain or damage to a part of the body eg. a cut, bruise or broken bone etc
- costly – expensive
- beneficial – good for you
- all-over body workout – exercise that works all parts of your body
- builds endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness – to improve different aspects of physical fitness
- means of – a way of, or form of
- unwind – to relax
- alleviate stress – relax, reduce stress
Describe a trip you took by bike.
You should say:
- When and where the trip was
- Who you went with
- Why you went by bike
- And explain how you felt about it.
Model Answer
I would like to describe a really exciting tour that I went on last Saturday, which was a bicycle trip around Hoan Kiem Lake, also known as Sword Lake, which is one of the major scenic spots in Hanoi.
I went on this trip with three travelling companions, who were all close friends of mine, and we agreed on riding our bicycles to the Ly Thai To statue at 5 am, which was our point of departure. I’m actually quite an early riser so I found it quite easy to get up that early and be there on time.
And luckily the weather that day was really nice. The air was fresh and the tranquillity of the morning made me feel relaxed but energetic. We biked around the lake five times until about 7am when the sun began to rise and the streets started to get crowded. After that, we gathered at our favourite cafe to sip on cups of strong coffee and to chitchat.
I really enjoyed that bike trip due to several reasons. Firstly, it was a great chance for me to see our city from a very different perspective, a peaceful Hanoi without traffic jams and air pollution. I was able to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city for a few hours and refresh myself to get prepared for a new week.
I think that cycling is also a really great exercise that helps me to strengthen my health, build up my stamina and improvethe immune system. And last but not least, I think this trip was a really great opportunity for me and my friends to get together and chat about our daily lives. You know, we are often too busy to meet regularly, so times like these are really valuable.
Vocabulary Highlights
- major scenic spots – popular place with natural beauty
- travelling companions – people to travel with
- point of departure – place to begin a journey from
- an early riser – someone who wakes up early every morning eg. at 5am
- tranquillity – calm, peaceful and quiet
- gathered – came together
- sip on – to drink slowly
- chitchat – to talk about unimportant things
- escape from the hustle and bustle – to get away from a busy place or city
- refresh myself – to get new energy
- strengthen my health – to improve your health
- stamina – long lasting energy
- improvethe immune system – to be healthier against sickness and diseases
Describe an enjoyable experience you had in the countryside.
You should say:
- When and where you went
- Who you went with
- What you did there
- And explain why you think it was enjoyable.
Model Answer
I would like to talk about last summer when I had an unforgettable opportunity to visit my hometown, which is a small village located in the north of Vietnam.
My entire family, including my parents, myself and my younger sister, decided to spend the day driving to the village. For my parents, this would be the chance for them to see their relatives who they hadn’t seen in a long time. And for me and my sister, we hoped to get a closer insight into the life of the locals as well as strengthen our family bonds.
So, the four of us hit the road really early in the morning, at about 5 a.m. And after about 4 hours of driving, we arrived at a peaceful and tranquil village. To my astonishment the scenery was completely different from the neighbourhood where I currently live. We admired the breathtaking landscapes of green paddy fields, winding paths and small houses standing next to each other. After that we went to visit our relatives who were all
really friendly and warm-hearted people and greeted us with great enthusiasm. The whole morning was spent talking and chatting about our lives and old memories. At noon, our family was treated to a gourmet meal, full of local and organically grown ingredients. In the afternoon, one of our relatives took us to see the paddy fields and the village’s famous lake. My sister and I got to learn how to fish and feed the chickens, which was a novel experience since we had never done this before.
All of us were over the moon the whole day, which really was a once in a life time experience and would be embedded in our memory for a long time.
Vocabulary Highlights
- get a closer insight into – learn more about
- strengthen our family bonds – improve our family’s relationship
- hit the road – to drive somewhere out of town
- astonishment – great surprise
- breathtaking landscapes – beautiful scenery of the natural environment
- warm-hearted – very kind, friendly or nice people
- enthusiasm – a feeling of energetic interest
- gourmet meal – a meal of very high quality
- organically grown – grown without the use of chemical fertiliser or pesticides
- a novel experience – a new or original experience
- over the moon – to be very happy
- embedded – stuck deeply
Describe a special trip in the near future.
You should say:
- When it will possibly be
- Where you would go
- What preparation you need for the trip
- And explain why this would be a special trip.
Model Answer
Travelling is what I enjoy the most in life and I’ve now visited most of the famous places in Vietnam. However, most of my trips were always with my friends, so now I really want to do something different and take my parents on a very special trip to visit Thien Cam beach.
We will probably take this trip next June I think. At that time of year, there won’t be any school for me so things will be much easier to plan. My parents are also very excited about the trip and are really looking forward to it.
Thien Cam is the largest beach in Vietnam and is quite a popular tourist destination, famous for its big waves. It is located in the central part of the country, which is not really too far from where we currently live. When we arrive, aside from enjoying the beach, we will probably visit some other tourist attractions around the area, and I guess that during the trip we will probably get some souvenirs for our relatives as well.
In terms of the preparation, we are planning to go there by train so that we can enjoy the scenic beauty of our country along the way. Of course we’ll probably have to book a hotel in advance, and bring our swimsuits, sunscreen and summer clothes. Another important thing to remember to bring is medicines, just in case someone gets sick.
So, the main reason this will be a special trip I guess is because my parents will be with me and this will be the first time they visit this place. Having my parents there with me will really make it special because it’s been more than 7 years since we took a holiday together.
Vocabulary Highlights
- looking forward to it – excited about the future
- tourist destination – a popular place for tourists to visit
- souvenirs – gifts that tourists buy to remember a place
- scenic beauty – beautiful natural environmental surroundings eg. mountains, rivers, lakes etc
Describe a long journey you travelled by car.
You should say:
- what it was
- when and where it happened
- who was involved
- And explain if you enjoyed it or not.
Model Answer
I would like to describe quite a long but exciting journey that I went on last week by car from my hometown, Hue city, to the capital city, Hanoi.
I had three travelling companions in the car with me, who were three of my close friends and we had agreed on gathering at my house at 5am, which was our point of departure. Actually, I’m quite an early riser, so I found it quite easy to get up that early and be ready on time. And luckily, the weather that day was really nice, so we were able to leave the windows down for most of the trip. The fresh air and tranquillity of the
countryside made me feel really relaxed but energetic at the same time.
After driving all day, we arrived in Hanoi quite late, by around 6:30pm and continued to drive around the lake a few times, until about 7pm, when the sun began to set and the streets became a little quieter. After that, we stopped at our favourite cafe to sip on some coffee and reflect on our long day.
I really enjoyed that car trip because of several reasons. To begin with, it was a great chance for me to see my country from a very different angle, a road trip with my mates. Usually I would take the train or a plane to complete that journey. So this was a great way to see things, stopping whenever we liked, if we saw something that interested us, for example. This car trip also helped me to refresh my mind by just hitting the open road and leaving all my worries behind. It was also a really great opportunity for me and my friends to enjoy each other’s company and exchange stories along the way from our daily lives. You know, we are often too busy to meet regularly, so chances like this are really valuable.
Vocabulary Highlights
- travelling companions – people to travel with
- gathering – to come together
- point of departure – place to begin a journey from
- an early riser – someone who wakes up early every morning eg. at 5am
- tranquillity – calm, peaceful and quiet
- sip on – to drink slowly
- reflect on – to think about
- mates – friends
- refresh my mind – to be mentally relaxed
- hitting the open road – going for a drive somewhere out of the city
- enjoy each other’s company – to have a good time with someone
Describe a short trip that was special to you.
You should say:
- when it was
- where you went
- who you went with
- And explain why it was special.
Model Answer
I would like to describe a short but rather exciting tour that I went on last Saturday, which was a bicycle trip around Hoan Kiem Lake, which is also known as Sword Lake, and is one of the major scenic spots in Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam.
I went on this trip with three close friends of mine, and we agreed on riding our bicycles to the Ly Thai To statue at 5am, which was to be our point of departure. I’m actually quite the early riser so I found it pretty easy to get up that early and be there on time.
And luckily the weather that day was really nice. The air was fresh and the tranquillity of the morning made me feel relaxed but also energetic. We biked around the lake about five times until around 7am when the sun began to rise and the streets started to get crowded. After that, we gathered at our favourite cafe to sip on some coffee chat about our lives.
I really enjoyed that short bike trip due to several reasons. Firstly, it was a great chance for me to see our city from a very different perspective, a peaceful Hanoi without traffic jams and air pollution. I was able to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city for a few hours and recharge myself to get prepared for a new week.
I think that cycling is also a really great exercise that helps me to strengthen my health, build up stamina and improvemy immune system. And last but not least, I think this trip was a really great opportunity for me and my friends to get together and chat about our daily lives. You know, we are often too busy to meet regularly, so times like these are really valuable.
Vocabulary Highlights
- major scenic spots – popular place with natural beauty
- point of departure – place to begin a journey from
- early riser – someone who wakes up early every morning eg. at 5am
- tranquillity – calm, peaceful and quiet
- sip on – to drink slowly
- chat – to talk about unimportant things
- escape from the hustle and bustle – to get away from a busy place or city
- recharge myself – to get new energy, to feel good again
- strengthen my health, build up stamina and improve my immune system – to improve the different aspects of your health and fitness
- last but not least – the last thing, but not the least important
Describe a holiday or vacation you have been on
You should say:
- when you had it
- where you went
- what you did
- and explain how you felt about it.
Model Answer
A few months ago, I went to the South of Vietnam for a vacation with my family. It’s was to the lovely coastal city of Nha Trang, which is also a very famous tourist destination. We decided to go there by plane since it is nearly 1200 kilometres from Hanoi, and would take a long time by car or train.
I was so eager for the trip that I prepared everything such as my clothes, camera and other accessories a week in advance. It took about an hour to fly there, and luckily, the flight took off on time. The trip began with an incredible view from the airplane window and I can still remember being quite overwhelmed by the beauty of my city from above and the amazing sunset.
The time we spent in Nha Trang was a blast. We got to try out so many new things such as skydiving, surfing, and diving to see the coral reef. This place has one of the most beautiful beaches in Vietnam with deep blue water and pearly-white sand. Also, the food there was so unique and delicious. I think the most memorable moment of that trip though was definitely when we bought fresh ingredients from a local market and grilled
them by the beach. Sitting there by the fire on a breezy night with the delicious smell freshly barbequed fish was an amazing experience.
The trip to Nha Trang really was the holiday of a lifetime. We had a lot of fun and got to see a lot of spectacular scenery. We definitely enjoyed it and we will definitely go there again if we have a chance.
Vocabulary Highlights
- coastal city – a city that is located along the coast or near the ocean
- in advance – before it happens
- on time – to happen at the expected time
- incredible – amazing or hard to believe
- overwhelmed – to feel a sudden strong emotion
- a blast – a good time
- skydiving – jumping from an airplane and landing with a parachute
- unique – one of a kind
- breezy – a little windy
- spectacular – very exciting or interesting
Describe a plan.
You should say:
- What the plan is/was
- When you thought of the plan
- Who is involved in the plan
- And say how you did/think you will achieve the plan.
Model Answer
Well I just turned 18 this year, so apparently it is time for me to plan something special for the future. There are many things that I could do, but one of the plans that I find the most intriguing is to go travelling to Singapore.
I came up with this plan after I had finished my university entrance exam in June, and three of my best friends have decided to come with me. So we kind of feel that after 12 years of hard work and constant studying that taking a break is really essential. I think we all decided on Singapore because it’s such a modern city with such a clean environment, and not to mention the fact that it’s so close to Vietnam, it’s just a short flight.
Technically we’re all just barely adults so it might take some time to persuade our parents to allow us to go on this trip together though.
First of all, we decided that it is vital to choose a tour, because going on a tour will make our parents feel more secure. It might be quite boring though due to the lack of spontaneous activities, but it seems like it’s the best option to persuade our parents.
Another thing to consider is the price of the tour. If it’s too expensive, I’m afraid our parents will not let us go either, so choosing an affordable tour is a must.
Apparently, we must book our plane tickets in advance too, not only to get the cheapest price but also so that we are more well-prepared. When we reach Singapore, I think we will be polite tourists, listen carefully to the tour guide and avoid doing anything illegal. So that’s our great plan to achieve a much-needed vacation.
Vocabulary Highlights
- apparently – what seems to be or is likely to be true, based on what you know
- intriguing – when something is unusually interesting
- persuade – to convince or change someone’s mind or opinion
- vital – essential, necessary
- secure – safe
- spontaneous – to happen naturally, without a plan
Describe a long walk you had.
You should say:
- where you went to
- when you went
- who you went with
- And explain how you felt about this walk.
Model Answer
I would like to talk about a long walk that I have taken recently. So this was a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake. I do this walk quite regularly actually, usually in the late evening, and usually whenever I am feeling under pressure at work or school.
That night, the fresh air and tranquil atmosphere around the lake made me feel relaxed but quite energetic at the same time, and it helped me to refresh my mind to get ready for a new day to come. There’s also a lot of police presence around the area which makes you feel quite safe, so you don’t have to be concerned about being pick-pocketed or something like that, you can really just concentrate your mind on other more important things.
Surrounding the lake is a long spacious pavement, where people usually go jogging and walking, and after taking a long walk I just sat there on a bench, taking in the peaceful atmosphere. Most of the time I was just gazing at the stars, trying my best to let my mind unwind and meditate.
The reason I took this walk was because I had just had a huge fight with my best friend and he had started questioning some things about my life, and it made me feel really awful. So following that, we had an argument and all of a sudden I started questioning our relationship. Things just started feeling bizarre, so I went looking for something that would calm my mind.
Vocabulary Highlights
- under pressure – feeling stressed because you have a lot of things to do
- tranquil – calm, peaceful and quiet
- police presence – when there is police in the area
- pick-pocketed – to have something stolen from your pocket eg. wallet or phone
- spacious – with a lot of space
- pavement – the footpath
- gazing – looking at something for a long time
- meditate – to sit still and pay attention to your mind and breath
- huge – very big
- awful – very bad or unpleasant
- bizarre – very strange, weird or unusual