Describe a Beautiful City

Describe Cue Card Questions

In IELTS and TOEFL exams, one of the common tasks is the “Describe” cue card question. This type of question asks you to describe a place, person, event or object in detail and it’s an opportunity to show off your fluency, vocabulary and ability to communicate. One of the most common topic for this type of question is “Describe a beautiful city”. For this task you will need to describe a city that you think is beautiful, and talk about its sights, culture, attractions and what makes it a good place to visit.

Describing a beautiful city is not just about naming a city and listing a few attractions. It’s about painting a picture for the listener, so they can feel like they are experiencing the city through your words. In this post we’ll talk about how to approach this topic, structure your answer and provide a model answer with vocabulary. Let’s get into what makes a good answer for the “Describe a beautiful city” cue card!

Questions

When describing a beautiful city, you should choose a city you are familiar with or one you can talk about confidently. This will allow you to provide lots of details and keep the conversation flowing. Here are some steps to help you brainstorm and formulate your answer:

1. Choose a City with Distinctive Features: Pick a city famous for its unique features, such as stunning architecture, natural beauty or cultural richness. Examples are Paris, Kyoto, Venice or Cape Town.
2. Key Points: Think about the points that make a city beautiful. This could be its architecture, historical landmarks, parks, landscapes or the lively atmosphere of its people.
3. Descriptive Language: Remember you want to paint a picture of the city. Use adjectives and phrases to make your answer interesting.
4. Structure: Break down your description into sections like scenery, culture, famous attractions and your personal experiences will make your answer more structured and easy to follow.

How to Answer: Describe a Beautiful City

To answer this question well, structure your answer like this:

1. City Introduction: Start with the name of the city and a quick reason why. For example: “Paris, I think is the most beautiful city in the world because…”
2. Location and Context: Give a bit of background, e.g. where the city is, its cultural importance, or any historical facts that stand out. This will help set the scene.
3. Scenery and Architecture: Talk about the physical beauty of the city, including natural landscapes, landmarks, art etc.
4. Cultural Higlights: Mention local festivals, food, arts, people etc. This will add depth to your description and what makes the city special.
5. Personal anecdote: If you can, share a personal experience or feeling about the city. This will make your answer more personal.
6. Conclusion: End with a final thought on why this city is special to you or why you should visit.

Using this will cover all the parts of the question and keep your answer tidy.

Example: Describe a Beautiful City

Let’s try this out with an example answer for the “Describe a beautiful city” question.

I would like to describe a city that is special to me: Kyoto, Japan. This city is famous for its temples, gardens and landscapes. Every time I think of Kyoto I am reminded of its beauty and the perfect balance of nature and culture it offers.

Located on the island of Honshu, Kyoto was the old imperial capital of Japan and is one of the most cultural cities in the country. It’s full of beautiful old temples, shrines and traditional wooden houses. One of the most stunning sights is the Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Golden Pavilion, a Zen temple covered in gold leaf that reflects beautifully in the pond. Another amazing site is the Fushimi Inari Shrine, with its thousands of red torii gates that create a tunnel up the mountain.

Tips for Practicing and Preparing for the ‘Describe’ Cue Cards

Describing questions require practice, preparation and a bit of imagination. Here are some tips to help you prepare for questions like ‘Describe a beautiful city’:

1. Practice with Different Cities: Describe several cities to build your vocabulary and fluency. Each city has its own unique features which will help you develop different descriptive phrases.
2. Build Your Vocabulary: Learn adjectives and descriptive phrases for scenery, architecture, culture and emotions. For example, words like “breathtaking”, “serene”, “historic” and “picturesque” will add depth to your descriptions.
3. Focus on Sensory Details: Include sight, sound and smell in your descriptions to make them more descriptive. For example, you could describe the cherry blossoms in Kyoto as “a sea of soft pink petals gently swaying in the breeze”.
4. Use the Structure: Follow the structure above to organize your thoughts. Practice with different topics to make sure you cover all the points.
5. Record Yourself: Practice and record yourself. Listening to your recording will help you to identify areas to improve, like pronunciation or pace.
6. Prepare Personal Examples: Think of personal experiences or trips to cities. Sharing personal stories or emotions will make your answer more authentic and interesting.

Conclusion

Describing a beautiful city in a cue card question can be tough and fun. It’s an opportunity to show off your descriptive skills and ability to organize information in a coherent and engaging way. By knowing the structure and focusing on sensory details you can bring any city to life for your audience. Remember, the key to answering the ‘Describe a beautiful city’ cue card question is to paint a picture with your words so the listener can see the city’s charm and beauty as you see it.

So go ahead and describe the romantic streets of Paris, the bustling streets of New York or the peaceful landscapes of Kyoto. You’ll feel prepared and confident and who knows maybe you’ll make someone want to book a ticket to the city you’re describing!