Describe an unusual holiday you had IELTS Cue Card

The IELTS speaking test was conducted up to 11-14 minutes, which consists of 3 sections: Introductions, cue card round and follow-up discussion round. Each section lasts up to 4 minutes. Here “Describe an unusual holiday you had” IELTS Cue Card, is given as a practice test to enhance your communication skills in the IELTS Speaking Cue Card test. Four model answers for the given topic with few follow-up questions are given in this article.

Describe an unusual holiday you had - IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Card

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The part 2 of IELTS speaking cue cards is said to be the cue card section, here the candidate will receive a cue card or a task card. The cue card will have the topic on which the candidate has to talk about. You will be given 1 minute to prepare your notes and the examiner will ask you to talk for 1-2 minutes, over all this part lasts for 3-4 minutes. Followed by the IELTS speaking part 3 comes, that is the follow-up question round.

You should say:

• What holiday was it?
• Who were you with?
• What did you do?
• Explain why it was unusual

Model answer 1 - Describe an unusual holiday you had

Introduction:

Holiday is a day on which one is exempt from work or study. On the other hand, a holiday is defined as a time when someone does not go to work but is free to do what they want, such as to travel or to relax. Here I am going to share about one of my unusual holidays which I had. 

What holiday was it?

Two weeks ago I had a holiday for 1 week. so I planned a trip to Delhi, which is the capital of India. It was winter, and winters in the north are the best time to explore the beautiful city of Delhi. Delhi is a place of diverse culture, ancient monuments, beautiful parks, broad avenues, vibrant nightlife and welcoming people.
 
Who were you with?

I planned to go on this trip with one of my friends. We started our trip from our native which was 1500 km away from Delhi. As we planned before, we traveled to Delhi by train. It took around 19 hrs to reach our destination.

What did you do?

As I mentioned above I had a week of holiday, so we stayed there for 3 nights and 4 days and explored many places like Red fort, Qutub Minar, India gate, Agrasen Ki baoli, The lotus temple and filled our stomach with many other street food delicacies.

Explain why it was unusual.

It was an unusual holiday for me because, usually I get only 2 or 3 days of holiday, at that time I mostly prefer to be at home and I pamper myself. But this as I get leave up to a week so I used this holiday to fulfill my bucket list.

Conclusion:

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip and I think this holiday is a bonus for me because I went there during the best season. I had a chance to see so many beautiful flowers at their blooming best. The weather was pleasant and enjoyable to experience Incredible Delhi. 

Model answer 2 - Describe an unusual holiday you had

Introduction:

Holidays are the best time to take a break in academic studies and pursue your hobbies or learn new courses which help one to improve knowledge. Here I am going to share about one of my unusual holidays which I had. 

What holiday was it?

It was a summer holiday, when I was doing my first year of post graduation, I had a holiday after my semester examination. My holiday began from the mid week of April till the end of May month. So I decided to make my holiday productive by enrolling in educational courses or classes. 
 
Who were you with?

One of my college mates and I decided to go for the class together.  Also she is my neighbor so we both started to go to the class daily on her bike. 

What did you do?

As we planned before, we enrolled for a certificate course in Search Engine Optimization in an institute near my home. This institute was run by a woman, where she takes classes for graphics designing, web designing, VFX and Animation and Mastering in Adobe Photoshop. In these courses we selected SEO Search Engine Optimization class which took around 4 months to complete. 

Why was it unusual?

Most of the holidays were spent in the native or by going for a trip. But this time I used my holiday as more productive and in a useful way. 
 
Conclusion:

Early I thought that doing short term courses was not very effective but after I experienced it now I decided to do many courses related to my studies during every holiday. 

Model answer 3 - Describe an unusual holiday you had

Introduction:

An unusual holiday is different for each and every person, but it tends to be anything out of the ordinary, involving unique destinations or activities you don’t usually get to try in everyday life.  

What holiday was it?

Holidays are always a fun time, whenever I think of holidays, either I plan to go for a trip or to visit my grandma’s place and have a fantastic time over there. But this time I enjoyed my holidays with my cousins by going for a road trip to Kanyakumari. 
 
Who were you with?

There were a total of 5 people in our group, with 2 of them being older than me and 2 being the same age as me. We decided to use our bike for this journey and our trip began in chennai at 5 pm. The weather was lovely, with a gentle breeze blowing, creating a beautiful atmosphere. 

What did you do?

We explored and experienced many things in Kanyakumari like local cuisine, temples, churche, beauty of the beaches, palaces and waterfalls. Also we had a good view of sunrise and sunsets from the Vivekananda Rock Memorial. 

Explain why it was unusual.

This holiday was exceptional because it was the first time that we 5 were together and having a great day. We enjoyed a lot by exploring such things. One of the best things we did on this holiday was to go on a road trip.  

Conclusion:

Traveling with cousins is often a shared sense of fun and a willingness to try new experiences, traveling together can lead to exciting adventures, laughter, creating memories that will cherish for years to come. 

Model answer 4 - Describe an unusual holiday you had

Introduction:

When someone has a holiday from work or study to celebrate or feast on some special event, often a religious event is known as a festival holiday. Here I am going to share about one festival holiday which turned out to be my unusual holiday.  
 
What holiday was it?

I still remember the holiday which I had, it is pongal which is also known as Maharasankaranthi. It is one of the largest festivals which is celebrated in India. It is a celebration to thank the sun, mother Nature and the various farm animals that help to contribute to a bountiful harvest. 
 
Who were you with?

I usually celebrate all the festivals with my family. But this time I celebrated this festival with all my relatives. We were 10 members in all, my cousins, maternal aunt, parents and my grandparents. It was the best festival since I celebrated. 
 
What did you do?

Pongal is a festival which is celebrated for up to 4 days, Bogi, Surya Pongal, Mattu Pongal and Kaanum pongal. Generally, festivals are very hectic, with all the preparation for worship, food, decorations, and much more. I helped a little bit with cooking and other stuff.  

Why was it unusual?

As I mentioned above, this time I will celebrate this festival with all my relatives and in our native where my grandparents were living. There was a village fair and bullock cart race, Jallikattu, the traditional bull-taming spectacle, was also held as part of the four-day pongal festival. I visited the village fair and enjoyed the simple pleasures of life like bathing in rivers, eating food cooked in earthen utensils over firewood, sleeping on a cot on the terrace under the star-lit sky. 
 
Conclusion:

In moments like these festivals, we understand the importance of family and we’ll recollect all the memories which we had about the festivals.

IELTS speaking part 3 - Describe an unusual holiday you had  follow up questions.

In part 3 of the speaking test the examiner will ask further questions which are connected to the topics discussed in part 2.We have given some follow up questions related to “Describe an unusual holiday you had  ”. It will help you for your major exams.

1. In what ways did an unusual holiday challenge your expectations or perceptions about travel?

I have been pleasantly surprised by a unique vacation experience that has exceeded my expectations. This holiday has taught me the importance of venturing beyond the usual tourist destinations and exploring lesser-known places. It has made me realize that our world is filled with countless fascinating locations waiting to be discovered.

2. How can the tourism industry encourage more people to explore unique and offbeat destinations?

There are too many strategies for the tourism industry to encourage more people to explore unique and offbeat destinations, like improving transport facilities to the place, enhancing safety and amenities and by developing infrastructures. The one important thing is giving advertisements or uploading videos in social media. 

3. How do unusual holidays contribute to personal growth and understanding of different cultures?

An unusual holiday helps in personal growth, by expanding your abilities by evaluating your behavior, attitude and reactions that can have a positive impact on your life and increase your overall well-being. Enhancing intercultural understanding by participating in cultural festivals and traditions, individuals gain a deeper understanding of different cultures. 

4. Would you Recommend Your Holiday to Others? Why or why not?

Yes, I would definitely recommend my unusual holiday to others, If I go for a trip then I would share my experience about the trip it may help them at any point or If I used my holiday as personal development or in educational development like sharing about the course what I did or where I did will definitely help them in their academic life. 

5. How do you describe a holiday?

A holiday is a time to rest, often given to students and working professionals on special occasions or events. During holidays, people take a break from their routine duties and responsibilities to sit back, relax and celebrate. 

Check out other IELTS speaking cue card topics

• Describe a family member
• Describe a crowded place you have visited
• Describe a game you played in your childhood
• Describe a plan in your life