# Describe a piece of art you like: IELTS Speaking sample answers

Speaking Part 2 - Objects

Describe a piece of art you like.

You should say:
- what the piece of art is
- where you saw it
- what it looks like
- and explain why you like it

Source: Sample answers and examiner notes are written by Testmigo.

## Band 7 sample

Well, the piece of art I'd like to talk about is a watercolour painting that hangs in my grandmother's living room. It's not famous at all, it was painted by a local artist in her town, but I've always really liked it.

I first noticed it properly when I was about twelve. We used to visit my grandmother every summer, and one rainy afternoon I was bored, so I just sat on the sofa and looked at it for a long time. Before that it was just part of the wall, you know, something I walked past every day.

The painting shows a small fishing harbour early in the morning. There are three or four wooden boats pulled up on the sand, and in the background there's a row of houses with their lights still on. The colours are very soft, mostly pale blue and grey, but there's a thin line of orange where the sun is coming up. Also, there's one tiny figure of a fisherman carrying a net, and he's so small that most people doesn't even notice him.

I think I like it for a few reasons. First, it's very calm. Whenever I look at it I feel relaxed, because it captures that quiet moment before the day begins. Second, it reminds me to my grandmother, because she grew up in a village like that and her father was actually a fisherman. And also, I like the details. Every time I look at it I find something new, like a seagull or a rope on the ground.

My grandmother has said that one day the painting will be mine, and honestly, I'd treasure it more than anything expensive.

**Examiner notes.** This Band 7 answer speaks at length with a clear personal story and covers all four points in a sensible order. Vocabulary suits the topic ("watercolour", "fishing harbour", "captures that quiet moment"), but the reasons are listed with fairly mechanical linkers ("First", "Second", "And also"), and there are two typical slips: an agreement error in "most people doesn't" (rather than "most people don't") and a wrong preposition in "it reminds me to my grandmother" (rather than "reminds me of"). Band 8 adds more idiomatic, precise language and lets the reasons grow out of the story instead of listing them. Delivered aloud, you'd expect natural chunking with only occasional hesitation.

The Band 8 sample is free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/speaking/topics/describe-a-piece-of-art-you-like).

## Common questions

### How long should an IELTS Speaking Part 2 answer be?

You get one minute to prepare and then speak for up to two minutes; the examiner stops you at two. Aim to keep talking for the full time, which is usually 220 to 300 words.

### Can I use these sample answers in my test?

No. Examiners are trained to spot memorised answers, and a learned script is marked down. Use the samples to see what each band does, then answer in your own words.