Speaking Part 2 · ObjectsIn the May–Aug 2026 forecast
Describe a Musical Instrument You Would Like to Play
In short
“Describe a Musical Instrument You Would Like to Play” 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 Musical Instrument You Would Like to Play. You should say:
- •What the instrument is
- •How you first came across it
- •How you would learn to play it
- •And explain why you would like to play it
Band 9 model answer
The instrument I'd most love to be able to play is the cello. I've never actually picked one up in my life, which is probably the whole point of this task, but if I could magically become good at any instrument overnight, it'd be the cello without a shadow of a doubt.
I think I first fell for it years ago at a concert my aunt dragged me along to — I wasn't especially keen on going, to be honest, but there was a solo cello piece in the second half and it completely stopped me in my tracks. There's something about the sound of a cello that I find really hard to put into words; it's warm and deep, and it's often said to be the instrument closest to the human voice, which I'd absolutely agree with. Ever since that evening it's been quietly sitting on my list of things I'd love to do one day.
If I were to actually take it up, I think I'd have to find a proper teacher rather than trying to teach myself off videos online, because from what I understand the cello is notoriously difficult to get a decent sound out of at first — apparently beginners spend months just learning not to make it screech. I'd probably rent an instrument to begin with rather than splashing out on my own, and I'd try to practise for maybe half an hour every evening. I'm under no illusions that it'd be quick; I imagine it would take years to get anywhere near good. But I quite like the idea of it being a slow burn — something I chip away at for years rather than rush.
The main reason I'm drawn to it, though, is that I'd love to be able to make something beautiful with my own hands, if that makes sense. So much of my day is spent staring at a screen, and I've got this feeling that sitting down with a real, physical instrument would be a completely different kind of satisfaction — almost a way of switching off properly. I'd also love to join a small amateur orchestra at some point, because playing music alongside other people looks like one of those experiences that's genuinely greater than the sum of its parts. And honestly, there's a slightly stubborn part of me that just wants to prove I can learn something difficult as an adult, when everyone insists you're supposed to start as a child.
So the cello it is. I've promised myself that once things calm down a bit, I'll finally book that first lesson — and hopefully in a few years' time I'll be able to answer this question by saying I actually play it, rather than just wish I did.
Make it your own: three angles
A classical string or wind instrument
Rich for describing sound and emotion with evaluative adjectives, and naturally uses conditional forms.
A popular instrument like guitar or piano
Relatable and easy to explain how you'd learn, but you have to push beyond the obvious to impress.
A traditional instrument from your culture
Lets you weave in national identity and heritage, adding real depth to the final bullet.
What the examiner is listening for
Because this card is hypothetical, show off conditional grammar naturally — 'if I were to', 'I'd probably', 'it would take'. Dwell on the reasons WHY on the fourth bullet and describe the instrument's sound with vivid, evaluative language rather than just naming it.
Part 1 warm-up questions
- Did you learn to play any musical instruments as a child?
- Is music an important part of life in your country?
- Do you prefer listening to live music or recordings?
- Would you like your children to learn an instrument one day?
Part 3 follow-up questions & answers
Do you think children should be required to learn a musical instrument at school?
I'm broadly in favour of it, yes. Learning an instrument teaches discipline and patience in a way that's quite different from academic subjects, and there's plenty of research linking it to better concentration. I wouldn't force a child to keep going if they hated it, but I think everyone should at least get the chance to try.
Why do you think so many people give up learning an instrument?
Mostly because progress is painfully slow at the start and it stops being fun. In the first few months you sound terrible no matter how hard you try, and a lot of people get discouraged before they ever reach the rewarding stage. I also suspect many children only learn because their parents push them, so the motivation isn't really their own.
Is it harder to learn an instrument as an adult than as a child?
In some ways, yes — children tend to pick things up faster and they're not as self-conscious about sounding bad. But adults have the advantage of choosing to learn, so they're usually far more motivated and disciplined about practising. So I'd say it's not necessarily harder, just harder in different ways.
Do you think traditional instruments are dying out?
Some of them are, sadly. Young people are naturally drawn to the guitar or to producing music on a laptop, so the more obscure traditional instruments can struggle to find a new generation of players. That said, there's been a real revival of interest in folk music in some places, so it's not all doom and gloom.
How has technology changed the way people learn music?
Enormously. You can now learn the basics of almost any instrument from free videos online, which has made it far more accessible than when you had to pay for a private teacher. The downside is that you miss out on the instant feedback a real teacher gives you, so the ideal approach probably combines both.
Why do you think live music remains so popular despite streaming?
Because a recording simply can't capture the atmosphere of being there. There's an energy to a live performance — the crowd, the tiny imperfections, the sense that it's happening once and never again — that a perfectly polished track on your phone just lacks. People are essentially paying for a shared experience, not only the music itself.
Useful vocabulary
| Word / phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| to take something up | to start doing a new activity or hobby |
| to stop someone in their tracks | to make someone suddenly stop and pay attention |
| to fall for something | to become strongly attracted to something |
| notoriously difficult | widely known for being very hard |
| to splash out (on something) | to spend a lot of money on something |
| to be under no illusions | to understand the reality clearly, without false hope |
| greater than the sum of its parts | better as a whole than the individual pieces would suggest |
| to switch off | to relax and stop thinking about work or stress |
| to get a sound out of (an instrument) | to produce a good tone from an instrument |
| an amateur orchestra | a group of non-professional musicians who play together |
More cue cards
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