What kind of holiday do you like

IELTS Speaking exam: Holidays

Introduction

I am sure you remember that the most basic words you learnt when you learnt to talk about travel were words like: ‘a flight’, ‘a nice view’, ‘a trip’, ‘a beach’, etc. These are basic words and will not score you ‘brownie points’, i.e. they will not give you the highest marks in the exam. You need to show that you talk like a native speaker and sound very natural in a conversation.

I’m going to give you some tips on how to do it. First, we are going to put everything in context to make it easier for you to learn to use the right phrases to show you are at an advanced level. Second, we will extract the vocabulary that most native and expert speakers use when they talk about holidays. At this stage we will examine both individual words and expressions. Expressions are in fact very useful because they will reduce your thinking time in English and allow you to sound more natural and fluent. Finally, we will work on increasing your fluency by looking at sentence stress, intonation, chunking, speed, the pitch of your voice and elision. Here are some examples of when some sounds disappear when two words are joined together: does she, does he, did he, would he, he’s staring. This is something we can work on in our Skype lessons for which you can sign up by emailing me on [email protected]

Below are some of the most common questions you may be asked during the exam.

Examples of the Part 1 questions

Travelling

Example of the Part 2 task

Describe a beautiful place you once visited. You should say:

Example of the Part 3 task

This is more of a discussion on the same topic with the examiner where you talk for up to 5 minutes. You will speak for the most part and need to have opinions on many topics as well as good vocabulary to answer the question very well. The examiner will look at your ability to explain your viewpoint. I would advise memorising chunks of language that you would be able to use at the right time. Remember, you need to be fluent and convincing here.

How to prepare for this topic

Now what we shall do is create the context to make your learning easier. So when we decide to go on holiday, we don’t always have a clear idea of what exactly we want to do there unless it’s not the first time we are visiting that place. I’d like you to have 1 minute to decide on the types of holidays that are offered by this website: see below or click on this link: http://www.kuoni.co.uk/holiday-types.

Now you probably have a general idea of what types of holidays there are. You can browse the site in more detail if you wish to get an idea of what you can do during some of the holidays you select on the site.

A word of warning: if you click on WILDLIFE and get the following text (see below), you don’t need to spend ages studying the vocabulary from this extract because IT IS NOT SPOKEN ENGLISH so do not memorise sentences from the extract below. You need to concentrate on SPOKEN ENGLISH. See the example of slightly informal written English:

Examples of language you should use

Let’s read some of the situations below. I want you to pay attention to the words in bold because they will get you higher marks in the exam. They are often used by native or expert speakers of the English language.

Part 1 question examples

1. Examiner: What kind of holiday do you like?

Vladimir: I love safari holidays but not necessarily all-inclusive holidays. Safari holidays are my favourite really because I like it off the beaten track. I like to get away from it all and avoid crowded places because I don’t find them restful or exciting. I live in a big city so don’t fancy going on a holiday to another big city. Two months ago I had a holiday of a lifetime: I went to Kenya’s wildlife safari park. It’s definitely something I would love to do again!

2. Examiner: What do you like to do when you’re on holiday?

Matt: I get the kick out of going to the local places of interest. I believe it’s best to investigate what the place has to offer. I like to go sightseeing and tend to sign up for guided tours and meet new people. I take a lot of pictures and selfies and tend to post them on my Facebook to share with my friends.

3. Examiner: Do you have many tourists in your country?

Ahmed: Yes … we have a lot of holiday resorts that are of high standard and we tend to get a lot of Germans, Russians and English people. Where I live is really popular with tourists who generally come on package holiday and stay in either hotels or self-catering apartments.

Part 2 task

This task will look like this:

Describe a beautiful place you once visited. You should say:

In the first example, Janet is talking about a holiday to the Lake District. Have you been there? If not, you can look at some pictures here:

Janet: Last time I went on holiday to the Lake District. It was already autumn in the UK but I was desperate to get some peace and quiet. I got so exhausted commuting to work 5 times a week that I needed a break. I have been there before and I must say I really love breathing in the fresh air there. Anyway, I spent a long weekend by the Windermere lake and drove to see other lakes. I must say, even though it was a bit frosty at the time, there were quite a few foreign tourists happily taking picture of themselves and the nature. So it is a well-known holiday destination. Several years ago, I used to stay in youth hostels because it worked out cheaper and I could meet new people but last time I just went there to enjoy the breathtaking views and lovely picturesque villages. Luckily, in the autumn, it’s not as busy as in the summer and you can avoid hordes of tourists. I would have preferred it warmer but generally but it didn’t really bother me. I didn’t do much shopping there because there are loads of shops in London. I did buy an odd thing or two but I feel on a short break like this one, one would like to enjoy the stunning views and landscape.

Part 3 questions

In this part of the Speaking test, you will be discussing more abstract ideas on the same topic with the examiner. You will speak for around 4-5 minutes and will be expected to say what you think and give some examples.

Let’s look at three extracts here. Again, the key vocabulary on the topic is highlighted in bold.

Question 1

Examiner: Do you think the growth of international tourism is a good thing?

Ameera: I would say it’s inevitable for it to grow. English has become the lingua franca so people everywhere in the world want to learn about other cultures and want to travel more. The knowledge of English has given them more confidence to venture out to other countries. In this sense, the growth of international tourism is a good things because it allows people to learn about the world around them. Also, budget airlines have made it more possible for anyone to nip off to Venice for a day for something like 20 pounds one way. Another interesting thing about international tourism is that people have started taking up hobbies that they had never thought of doing. Let’s say, paragliding, surfing, scuba diving or kayaking encourage people to travel to far-off destinations like Mauritius, the Reunion island or Mexico where they can share their adventures with other people like them. This I believe is a good thing about the growth of international tourism. On the other hand, the influx of tourists to small islands might not have been such a great thing because despite economic benefits, there have been also instances of lack of understanding of the local culture that has led to indecent behaviour on behalf of western tourists which subsequently led to their imprisonments and huge publicity. I also think overcrowding is potentially disruptive for the natural habitat and ruins the serenity of a place: it’s much harder to find anywhere isolated which is what many come to see. Another disappointing thing is that places that were relatively poor and underdeveloped but had their unique atmosphere, might have already lost it with the construction of hotels and fast food chains that are becoming popular with the locals. What if the local cuisine will disappear as a result? Overall, I believe if there is global economic prosperity, it will create more need for travel. It’s what the local governments do to deal with such growth is interesting.

Question 2

Examiner: How do people tend to choose a destination for their holiday?

Elana: Twenty years ago, it may have been a Lonely Planet guide whereas now the Internet is the way to go. Practically everyone goes online to search for information on their holiday destination and I am afraid high street travel agents find it hard to compete. But I guess some still like travel agents because they have everything arranged by someone else. We still love flicking through the pages of a holiday brochure. Somehow, it’s something still in us to feel safer with more tangible products and the desire to delegate the hassle of arranging a holiday to travel experts.

Question 3

Examiner: People sometimes say flying is a luxury? Do you agree?

Anita: I wouldn’t say so. I think it can be quite problematic. If you live in the middle of the country, you first need to get to the airport that can take you hours. By the time you get there, you’ve lost the will to live. Then, what about check-ins, problems with excess luggage, passport controls, long flight delays, looking for the right gate and the wait? So I wouldn’t bet on it. Also, with budget airlines like Easyjet, lack of legroom on the plane and the need to pay for the food don’t make you feel like you travelling in style. So, I sway more to the opinion it’s a necessity rather than luxury.

What’s next?

Try to memorise the conversations above so you have ready prepared language to use during the exam. This will reduce your thinking time. Also, don’t forget that doing sufficient research on this topic, such as reading about various holidays, cultures, tourism in general, will give you more ideas that you can use in the exam.

You can also leave your questions and comments below. Alternatively, you can video yourself speaking on the topic and send it to us for feedback. Also, you can book some Skype lessons to boost your level of English for the Speaking exam.

Trip Types – What Kind of Holiday Do You Want?

There are so many different types of trips it can sometimes be hard to decide what you want. This is especially relevant to those that haven’t travelled an awful lot, as you may not realise some of the awesome types of vacations that are possible. Here are ideas of different holiday types that you could consider when you go away.

Package Holidays

Package holidays are some of the easiest trips to go on. They are great for family vacations as they often include Flights, Accommodation and Transfers. This means that once booked, all you need to worry about is getting to the airport and activities to do while you’re there. A package holiday could also be considered a stress free vacation as the holiday company/agent you are booking from should be doing a lot of the organising for you.

When booking a package holiday sometimes you can get the below included:

Safari

Safaris are popular in Africa and are a nature-based holiday where you go into the wild, often on a guided tour, and will see animals in their local habitat. In Africa, you may see such things as elephants, lions, zebras, giraffes and many other types of animals. A few places to consider for a safari include Tanzania and South Africa. You can also find tour packages for Africa too that will often include safaris depending on the destination you’re going to.

Backpacking

Backpacking trips are good for people who travel for long periods of time, often planning and booking new destinations and experiences as they go. Backpackers would often have tight budgets so as to travel for as long as possible and will often stay in hostels and may also travel solo.

Music Festivals

During the summer months you’ll often find large music festivals. They often span 3-5 days and offer a great line-up of music and entertainment. At many festivals, you will be able to camp on-site in special areas which adds to the experience. A couple of awesome music festivals in Europe include Creamfields, Tomorrowland and Glastonbury.

Music Festivals in Europe

Beach Holidays

Everyone needs a beach holiday now and then. These types of trips are where you go to a hot destination and will be able to lounge around in the sun all day. You’ll also find many of these destinations are now well equipped for tourists, with great accommodation options, waterside restaurants, and various attractions to keep you entertained during your trip. To visit these types of destinations you’re often best to head to places closer to the equator, as well as around the Mediterranean in Europe.

A few ideas of destinations you could visit for a beach holiday include:

…to name just a few places. Read more of our beach articles for other ideas.

If you’re from the UK you can often find beach holidays through holiday companies such as TUI, Jet2holidays, On the Beach and Love Holidays.

Beautiful beaches in Ko Phi Phi

Exotic Retreats

Sometimes what you need is an exotic retreat, where you visit a destination that is away from everything, and which allows you to just relax and rejuvenate. These types of trips are also great for newlyweds where you can just spend the start of your new marriage together.

Read our post Exotic Retreats at Padma Resort Ubud in Bali for an example of a beautiful getaway.

Padma Hotel Resort, Ubud

Adventure Holidays

An adventure holiday may include activities such as hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, diving, white water rafting and so much more. The best places for these types of holidays are often in rural locations, ie not cities. Head to our post Adventure Trips in Salzburger Saalachtal to read about one of our adventure trips. A Popular company to book adventure holidays with is G Adventures.

Skiing and Snowboarding

A ski and snowboarding trip is an active holiday taken in the winter months. These trips are often pricey and can sometimes seem like a luxury vacation. However, they are fantastic holidays and for some reasons to go skiing and snowboarding check out our post 8 Reasons Why You Should Take up Skiing or Snowboarding.

There are now amazing resorts all around the world such as Lake Louise in Canada, Méribel in France and Bad Gastein in Austria.

If you do go on a skiing or snowboarding holiday for the first time, then we recommend having lessons and also reading our Ultimate Safety Tips for Skiers and Snowboarders before you go.

Skiing in Gastein, Austria

Yoga retreat

If you want a healthy holiday experience, then a yoga retreat may be just what you need. These types of trips allow you to relax and rejuvenate. A yoga retreat may also be in a more rural location offering you peace and solitude away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Yoga in the jungle

Cruise Holidays

A cruise holiday allows you to visit lots of destinations in one trip. The ship will often dock during the day at different places allowing you to jump off and explore. You then jump back on in the evening to head to the next place. Cruise trips tend to be quite expensive and luxurious, although there are more affordable options nowadays.

You can find lots of cruise companies in this list: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cruise_lines.

Cruise ship in Kotor

City break

These kind of trips are the kind of vacation where you visit a city for a short period of time, such as 24-72 hours and are often taken over weekends. A City Break can provide the perfect opportunity to get away and see a new destination. City Breaks can also be taken as part of a multi-destination trip, which is where you visit more than one place while you’re away.

For ideas on places to go read our City Break Guides. If you’re travelling in Europe and want to save money then see our suggestions of the best budget airlines in Europe.

Photography Tour

Many professional photographers now offer photography tours. This is where they take you to key travel photography spots around the world and provide guidance on techniques to best capture them. They are often pretty expensive but you may end up capturing images that you’d struggle to get on your own otherwise.

Camera taking photographs

Volunteering

Volunteering is a very different way to travel. Where you are travelling for good and to help others. There are various sites where you can find volunteering opportunities. Head to Quick Guide to Volunteering Through Workaway to learn more. You may also want to read our article on a volunteering experience at Helen’s House of Hope – Dog Sanctuary.

Bachelor/bachelorette Trips

These are the messy type of trips where a bride and groom go away (separately) with their friends to celebrate their upcoming marriage. They can often involve fun activities and lots of partying.

Clubbing

A clubbing holiday would be suited for the younger generations and is best for those that like a certain type of music. If you are into dance/electronic type music, then Ibiza is one of the best destinations in the world for these types of trips.

Parties at nightclubs in Ibiza

Summary

These are some of the awesome trips you could consider when travelling around the world. You may also enjoy our article on Steps for Planning and Booking Your Next Holiday.

Mike is a traveller, photographer, WordPress developer and the creator of TravelAndDestinations.com. He started this website so as to share his experiences and tips with travellers. He is from the UK and has travelled to many places around the world. He loves to shares his pictures and stories through Instagram and this website. [Read full bio]

Suggested Reads

9 Best Places to Book Tours, Excursions, Activities and Experiences Online

Steps for Planning and Booking Your Next Holiday

Want to Travel and See More of the World? Here’s How…

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IELTS Holiday Vocabulary : Useful Phrases & Expressions in IELTS Speaking

Updated On May 13, 2022

Holiday is one of the most common vocabulary terms that could be used to represent your thoughts and information. Every day, try to memorize a new term, complete with meanings and examples, to apply in the actual test.

The topic given is Holiday and the vocabulary that must be included in this topic is provided in this article. This vocabulary will help the test taker explain the topic with more clarity and explanation. When you get these kinds of topics in the IELTS exam you can talk more about your experience, that you have got in the holidays. You can make use of the vocabulary given while speaking about these kinds of topics.

To continue my series of vocabulary for common topics in the IELTS Speaking test, I would like to share some collocations of Holiday topic to you. Since the holiday is one of the most frequent topics in the IELTS speaking test, it is necessary to know a number of uncommon words in terms of holiday topic, which can help you to achieve a higher band in the IELTS speaking test.

You will probably be asked to talk about the topic of Holiday in IELTS Speaking. Hence, you need to prepare for this. One way you can do that is by learning some useful collocations & phrases to sound more natural.

You can find these collocations & expressions below & make the most out of them to stand apart from the crowd and get the IELTS Band score you need for the Speaking test.

I hope you will enjoy studying, and it is guaranteed that learning this vocabulary below can help you find it easy to talk about your holiday with your friends as well as examiners.

Positive Effects of Holiday

Example: Travelling can be regarded as a recreational activity, which could allow travelers to get away from it all

Example: Going on a holiday is a time when family can be together and spend quality time with each other.

Negative Effects of Holiday

Example: Many tourists throw rubbish into the water, which can significantly impair the local environment

Example: Travelling overseas will cost people an arm and a leg.

Also check :

Useful Collocations & Phrases for IELTS Speaking Test – Topic : Holiday

1. Holiday of a lifetime : a special holiday that you are unlikely to repeat

Example: My trip to Ha Long Bay last week is the holiday of a lifetime in which I had a lot of memorable memories with my family.

2. All – in package/ package holiday : a holiday where you purchase the travel and accommodation together

Example: I do not prefer packaged holidays because when it comes to traveling, I have always wanted to explore a new place by myself.

3. Guided tour : an organized group shown around a place of interest by an expert

Example: It is suggested that signing up for a guided tour could help traveler to avoid tourist traps.

4. Holiday destination : where you go for a holiday

Example: Ha Long Bay is a famous holiday destination in Vietnam, where welcome a million of traveler a year.

5. A far-off destination : somewhere a long way away

Example: These days traveling to a far-off destination is really common activity, which attract attention from many young travelers.

6. Places of interest : sites of interest to tourists

Example: When going to a new place, the first thing I will do is to travel to some places of interest and try local food.

7. To go sightseeing : to look around the tourist sites

Example: I like to go sightseeing at the weekend with my friends in the countryside areas.

8. Breathtaking view : an extremely beautiful view

Example: One thing that I really love about my previous trip is that I could experience many breathtaking view.

9. Hordes of tourists : crowds of tourists

Example: On holiday season, a tour guide get very busy with hordes of tourists.

10. Local crafts : objects produced locally

Example: The shop sell a various types of local crafts with a wide range of prices.

11. Charter – flight : a cheaper form of flying than a scheduled flight

Example: I usually choose to travel by charter – flight, then I could save a lot of money in term of travelling cost.

12. Check – in desk : the place at the airport where you register for your flight and deposit your luggage

Example: Check – in desk is the first place that you have to go to when you want to get on the plane.

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Practice

IELTS Speaking Part 1 :

Whenever I go on a holiday with my family, I usually choose to sign up for a guided tour, which will have us to avoid tourist traps. Also, by doing that we will have an opportunity to experience a professional tour in which I can learn a lot about the new place.

I prefer going sightseeing with my family around the place where I travel to, then I take some photographs, which allows me to keep memorable memories. Not to mention that, one of my favorite activity is to go around and try some local food.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 :

Describe a holiday you have had.

Where you went?

How you got there?

What you did there?

and explain if you enjoyed it.

IELTS, FCE Speaking – Tourism, Travelling and Holidays

IELTS, FCE Part 1

IELTS Part 2

Describe a holiday you would like to go on.

and explain why you would like to go on this holiday.

FCE Part 2

Talk generally about the photos and then compare them, not describing them in detail.

FCE Part 2

Basing on the two previous photos, discuss the following questions with your partner:

1) Who would enjoy these types of holiday?

2) What are the advantages and disadvantages of these types of holiday?

IELTS Part 3, FCE Part 4

No I don’t think you have to spend a lot of money, but it helps. Money makes things easier: like you can stay in the city centre instead of the outskirts. But many fun things are free, like walking beside a river, and there are always cheap restaurants if you have time to look.

Oh, they should definitely go to York. York is one of the most attractive cities in Britain and Yorkshire is just gorgeous. And the people there are much more friendly than in other cities. So you’re very likely to have a nice time there.

Oh, what a question! I never thought about it until now because I mostly think it’s a bad thing to have so many tourists in your town… but I suppose it’s good for the shops and hotels, and maybe some of the tourists are single and you can find true love.

There are many benefits of going on holiday. Besides giving you a chance to unwind and relax, it also allows you to spend some quality time with your family, not only in a different environment but, more importantly, away from the routine pressures of work and daily life. In addition to this, it also gives you the opportunity to broaden your horizons by visiting new places and experiencing a different way of life

Speaking
Task.Work in pairs. Choose one of the cards and make a dialogue with a partner. Give own points of view on topics, ask questions to clarify the answers and get the needed information, explain and justify your positions and answer your partner’s questions.
You have 1 minute to prepare and 2 minutes to talk.

Card 1. Discuss with your partner the topic ‘Our Health’. The following questions will help you to organize your talk:
Do you go in for sports?
What kind of sportdo you do?
How often do you go in for sport?
Are you a member of a gym?
What can you advise for people to stay healthy?

Card 2. Discuss with your partner the topic ‘Our Health’. The following questions will help you to organize your talk:
Do you sleep well?
How many hours of sleep do you usually get?
What do you do, if you can’t get to sleep?
Have you ever drunkmilk to get to sleep?
What do you do in order to sleep well?

Card 3. Discuss with your partner the topic ‘Our Health’. The following questions will help you to organize your talk:
How often do you eat fast food?
What fast food do you eat?
Do we need to eat as muchfast food as we do?
Why do you think people keep eating unhealthy food?
What foods do you think are healthy?

Card 4. Discuss with your partner the topic ‘Our Health’. The following questions will help you to organize your talk:
Why is it important to visit a dentist?
When was the last time you went to a doctor? Why?
Have you ever been to a hospital?
When was the last time you were sick?
What do you do to stay healthy?

Card 5. Discuss with your partner the topic ‘Holidays and Travel’. The following questions will help you to organize your talk:
Have you ever been in any foreign country?
Where have you been?
Are you planning to go anywhere for your next vacation?
If so, where and who with?
How long will you stay?

Card 6. Discuss with your partner the topic ‘Holidays and Travel’. The following questions will help you to organize your talk:
What festival is the most exciting in your country?
When is the festival celebrated?
Why is this festival celebrated?
Does your family celebrate this festival?
Are there special foods connected with the festival?

Card 7. Discuss with your partner the topic ‘Holidays and Travel’. The following questions will help you to organize your talk:
Are you afraid of going abroad alone?
Could you live in another country for the rest of your life?
What was the most interesting person you met on one of your travels?
What was your best trip? Why?
What was your worst trip? Why?

Card 8. Discuss with your partner the topic ‘Holidays and Travel’. The following questions will help you to organize your talk:
What is your favourite holiday?
What do you like to do on the holidays?
Who do you usually spend the holidays with?
What is your parent’s favourite holiday?
Do you think holidays are important? Why?​