Sample IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe a place you visited that has been affected by pollution

To answer the topic "Describe a place you visited that has been affected by pollution" most accurately, you need to understand that pollution is divided into many types: soil, water, air, etc. Cleverly choose the type of "pollution" that best fits your vocabulary and knowledge, and then think of the "place" you want to talk about. As for the "place", it's easy - if you're from Hanoi, you can choose Saigon, and vice versa. Refer to the following IELTS Speaking Band 7+ sample essay to practice effectively at home!

I. Speaking Part 2 cue card: Describe a place you visited that has been affected by pollution

Describe a place you visited that has been affected by pollution. You should say: 

• Where it is

• Why and when you went there

• and how it has been affected by pollution

II. Sample Speaking: Describe a place you visited that has been affected by pollution

The IELTS Speaking Part 2 sample essay on the topic "Describe a place you visited that has been affected by pollution" was compiled by the teachers at PREP. Refer to it right away to practice English IELTS preparation effectively at home!

One of the places that come to mind when talking about pollution would be Hanoi, I think. I went to Hanoi in late 2015 for business and stayed there for a couple of months in the winter. It's definitely a nice city but the experience could be better, mostly because of the pollution that I experienced.

During the first morning that I was in the city, I went outside and there was a weird smog that covered the entire sky in grey. The whole day was dreary because of it and later, I noticed that it wasn't the only day when that would happen. There were days when the weather was definitely sunny, because you could see sunlight on the street, yet when you looked up you could hardly see the sun. The smog completely shielded the sun from view, but I don't think many people realized how serious that was, though.

The main method of transport in Hanoi is the motorbike and it's probably one of the reasons why the city was so polluted. I used to travel by motorbike outside and because of that I was advised to wear a face mask to protect myself from all the dust and whatever particles in the air. But even though I wore a mask I could still feel the distinct smell of the fume that so many bikes were pumping into the environment through their exhaust pipes.

What was also striking was the river near the place that I stayed at. The water looked like a pitch blacksludge, and in fact, it was so black that I thought it was the city's sewage line. The local folks told me that it was actually a river before getting polluted. It's quite amazing actually that people managed to put up with this much pollution. But maybe if I had stayed longer, I would have learned to put up with it too.

III. Vocabulary used in the sample essay

Vocabulary is critical in the IELTS Speaking Part 2 task. Having a strong command of high-level, relevant vocabulary can significantly boost your Lexical Resource band score, which accounts for 25% of your overall Speaking score. Using sophisticated, precise words and expressions demonstrates your language proficiency and ability to discuss the topic in depth. Mastering topic-specific vocabulary is key to providing a coherent, well-developed response that impresses the examiner.

Below are some valuable vocabulary words, high-scoring vocabulary used by the teachers at PREP in the IELTS Speaking Part 2 sample essay on the topic "Describe a place you visited that has been affected by pollution" above. These vocabulary words will surely help raise your Lexical Resource band score: 

• Could be better (v.): not very good (Usage: N + could be better)

• Smog (n.): a fog of smoke and dust

• Dreary (adj.): gloomy

• Shield (v.): to protect from something (Usage: shield + Noun from + Noun2)

• Distinct (adj.): characteristic

• Pitch black (n.): as black as ink

• Sludge (n.): thick, muddy waste

• Put up with (v.): to tolerate something (Usage: put up with + Noun)

This is the most detailed IELTS Speaking Part 2 sample essay on the topic "Describe a place you visited that has been affected by pollution". If you want to learn how to generate more ideas for Speaking samples, don't miss the IELTS course at PREP!