# Describe a river, lake or sea you know well: IELTS Speaking sample answers

Speaking Part 2 - Nature

Describe a river, lake or sea you know well.

You should say:
- where it is
- how often you go there
- what you do there
- and explain how you feel about it

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

## Band 7 sample

I'd like to talk about the river that runs through my hometown. It isn't a big or famous river, it's quite narrow actually, but I grew up next to it so I know it really well.

It's on the eastern edge of the town, about ten minutes' walk from my parents' house. It comes down from the hills, so the water is usually clear and quite cold, even in summer. Along one side there's a path with trees, and on the other side there are some small farms and fields.

When I was younger I went there almost every day after school. Me and my friends used to throw stones, try to catch small fish with our hands, which never worked, and in the hot months we would swim in a deeper part near an old bridge. Now I live in the capital for work, so I only go back two or three times a year, but whenever I'm home I always walk along the river in the evening.

To be honest, I feel very attached to it. It's like a part of my childhood. When I walk there I feel calm, and it's kind of a place where I can think clearly about my life. But I also feel a bit sad, because the river is not as clean as before. There is more houses near it now and sometimes you can see plastic bags caught in the branches, which makes me upset.

Last year some people from the town organised a clean-up day, and I joined them when I was visiting. It was a hard work but satisfying, and I hope it will become a regular thing, because I'd like the river to stay beautiful for the next generation.

**Examiner notes.** This Band 7 answer speaks at length about a real-feeling place and covers past and present visits clearly. It uses useful phrases such as "feel very attached to it" and "a regular thing", and mixes feelings in a natural way. However, some language is informal ("Me and my friends used to" rather than "My friends and I used to"), and phrases such as "not as clean as before" and "kind of a place where" are a little vague. There are also typical grammar errors: "There is more houses" (rather than "There are more houses") and "a hard work" (rather than "hard work", which is uncountable). Band 8 would add more vivid, precise description and idiomatic expressions used with more control.

The Band 8 sample is free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/speaking/topics/describe-a-river-lake-or-sea).

## 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.