Speaking Part 2 · ExperiencesIn the May–Aug 2026 forecast
Describe a Memorable Journey You Took
In short
“Describe a Memorable Journey You Took” is a common IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card. You get 1 minute to prepare and should speak for 1–2 minutes, covering all four points below. This page gives you a Band 9 model answer, an idea map so you can make it your own, the Part 3 follow-up questions with answers, and the vocabulary examiners reward.
The task card
Describe a Memorable Journey You Took. You should say:
- •Where you went
- •Who you went with
- •What happened on the journey
- •And explain why it was memorable
Band 9 model answer
The journey I'd like to describe is an overnight train I took a few years ago, travelling right across the country to visit my grandparents, with my younger brother.
We set off late in the evening from a huge, chaotic station, and I remember being a bit apprehensive because it was the first time the two of us had made a long trip on our own. We had a small sleeper compartment, and for the first hour we just watched the city lights thin out into darkness.
What made it memorable was partly what went wrong and partly what went right. Somewhere in the middle of the night the train was delayed for hours by a problem on the line, so we ended up stuck at a tiny rural station at 3am. Instead of being miserable, though, we got chatting to an elderly couple in our carriage who shared their food with us and told the most wonderful stories about the region. By the time we finally arrived, hours late and exhausted, it somehow felt like an adventure rather than a disaster.
The reason it stays with me is that it taught me the old cliché is actually true — sometimes the journey really is more memorable than the destination. If everything had gone smoothly, I'd have forgotten it completely; instead, the delay forced us to slow down and connect with strangers in a way you almost never do now. It's one of my warmest memories of time with my brother, and I still think of that couple whenever a trip doesn't go to plan.
Make it your own: three angles
A journey where something went wrong
The most memorable option — a delay or mishap gives you a story arc and a neat "why it was memorable" answer.
A scenic journey
A train through mountains or a road trip; lean on scenery vocabulary and the feeling of freedom.
A meaningful trip
A first solo trip or visiting family — good for emotion and relationships.
What the examiner is listening for
This is a storytelling card — structure it like a story: set off, what happened, how it ended, why it mattered. Narrative past tenses and the past continuous ('we were watching the lights…') show range, and a clear turning point ('what made it memorable was…') keeps it coherent.
Part 1 warm-up questions
- Do you enjoy long journeys?
- How do you usually travel?
- Do you prefer travelling by train or by plane?
- What do you do to pass the time when travelling?
Part 3 follow-up questions & answers
Why do some people say the journey matters more than the destination?
Because the journey is where the unexpected happens — conversations, scenery, small mishaps — whereas the destination is often just the goal. Those in-between moments are where memories and personal growth tend to form, so a good journey can outshine wherever you were actually heading.
How has the way people travel changed over time?
Travel has become faster, cheaper, and far more accessible, which is wonderful, but arguably we've lost some of the romance. People now rush from A to B glued to their phones, whereas slower travel like trains once forced you to look out of the window and talk to strangers.
What are the advantages of public transport over private cars?
It's cheaper per person, far better for the environment, and it eases congestion in crowded cities. It also frees you to read, work, or rest instead of concentrating on driving. The trade-off is flexibility, which is why good public transport needs to be frequent and reliable to compete.
Should governments do more to reduce the environmental cost of travel?
I think so — transport is a major source of emissions, so investing in efficient rail and clean public transport makes a real difference. It has to be done fairly, though, so that greener options are affordable rather than a luxury, or people simply won't switch.
Will remote working reduce how much people travel?
For daily commuting, almost certainly — fewer people need to be in an office five days a week. But it may increase leisure travel, since people have more flexibility and want to escape home. So the total might not fall as much as expected; it just shifts in purpose.
Do young people travel more than previous generations?
Generally yes — budget airlines, hostels, and gap years have made travel a normal rite of passage in a way it wasn't for their grandparents. Social media also fuels the desire to see places. The main limit now is money rather than opportunity.
Useful vocabulary
| Word / phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| to set off | to begin a journey |
| en route | on the way somewhere |
| scenic | having beautiful natural views |
| a breakdown / a delay | when a vehicle stops working or is late |
| to make the most of | to use or enjoy something as fully as possible |
| unforgettable | impossible to forget |
| to get to know | to become familiar with someone |
| the journey, not the destination | the experience of travelling matters more than arriving |
| a stopover | a short stay somewhere during a longer journey |
| to wind through | to follow a twisting path through a place |
More cue cards
Describe a City You Would Like to Live In
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