B1IELTS-style · Band 4.5–5.0Speaking25 min

IELTS Speaking: Travel and Holidays

Travel and holidays

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✈️ Unit: Travel and holidays
Target: 5.0-5.5 ⏱️ 25 mins • 2 Modules

Holiday Experiences & Travel Talk

Master essential B1 travel vocabulary, natural sentence frames, and build confidence for IELTS Speaking Part 1 and Part 2.

📌 How to use this lesson

👨‍🏫 For Teachers

1. Guide students through Module 1 vocabulary and check answers.
2. Time their Module 2 responses against the four AI scoring criteria.

🎒 For Learners

1. Review the words, collocations, and fun facts in Module 1 first.
2. Record your spoken answers in Module 2, then review the model texts.

Module 1 • Build-up

Vocabulary & Core Patterns

Get your words, phrases, and ideas ready before speaking.

📚 1. Key Travel Vocabulary Review

5 questions

1. Which word means "to reserve a seat, room, or trip in advance"?

____ a. unpack ____ b. book ____ c. postpone

2. A planned list of places to visit and activities for each day of a trip is called an:

____ a. itinerary ____ b. souvenir ____ c. destination

3. The final city or place where a person is travelling to is known as their:

____ a. backpack ____ b. accommodation ____ c. destination

4. Hotels, hostels, apartments, and guesthouses where tourists stay are called:

____ a. transport ____ b. accommodation ____ c. monument

5. A small object you buy or keep to remember a holiday or visit is a:

____ a. souvenir ____ b. receipt ____ c. brochure

🧩 2. Common Travel Collocations

Match each starting word on the left with its most natural partner word across the top.

Starting Word
people
sightseeing
abroad
accommodation
souvenirs
destination
1. book (a hotel or hostel)
____people ____sightseeing ____abroad ____accommodation ____souvenirs ____destination
2. popular (a place many tourists visit)
____people ____sightseeing ____abroad ____accommodation ____souvenirs ____destination
3. go (to see famous places)
____people ____sightseeing ____abroad ____accommodation ____souvenirs ____destination
4. buy (a small gift to remember the trip)
____people ____sightseeing ____abroad ____accommodation ____souvenirs ____destination
5. local (the residents)
____people ____sightseeing ____abroad ____accommodation ____souvenirs ____destination
6. travel (to another country)
____people ____sightseeing ____abroad ____accommodation ____souvenirs ____destination

💬 3. Natural Spoken Sentence Patterns

Use these simple frames instead of complex rules to sound confident and fluent.

How to say it • Background events

“While I was [doing something], [something else] happened.”

“While I was waiting for the bus, it started to rain heavily.”

Why this works: Gives you an easy way to set the scene and tell a vivid story.

How to say it • Giving advice

“I'd recommend [doing something] because...”

“I'd recommend visiting the old market because the local food is great.”

Why this works: The contraction "I'd" sounds relaxed, natural, and polite.

How to say it • Expressing preference

“To be honest, I prefer [X] to [Y].”

“To be honest, I prefer staying in a hotel to camping in the woods.”

Why this works: Starts with an authentic conversational filler ("To be honest").

How to say it • Highlighting memories

“One of the best things was [doing something]...”

“One of the best things was trying the fresh seafood by the harbour.”

Why this works: Highlights key holiday moments clearly and smoothly.

💡 Brain Teaser

Holiday Facts: Guess the Numbers! (Nawijn Dutch Study, 2010)

Test your instincts with two real research facts before speaking.

📊 Fact 1: In a Dutch study of 1,530 adults by researcher Jeroen Nawijn, exactly how many people went on holiday trips during the study period?

____ 74 people ____ 974 people ____ 1,430 people

⏳ Fact 2: For holidaymakers who had a very relaxed trip, how long did their extra post-holiday happiness boost last before returning to normal?

____ 2 weeks ____ 8 weeks ____ 20 weeks
Module 2 • Speaking Practice

Interview & Long Turn Tasks

Practise answering IELTS questions and check model answers.

Part 1

Short Interview Questions

Question 1 of 4

“Do you like travelling?”

🎯 Fluency and Coherence 📖 Lexical Resource ⚙️ Grammatical Range and Accuracy 🗣️ Pronunciation

[Bài tập luyện nói]

✨ Model Answer & Useful Phrases (35 words) ▼

“Well, to be honest, I’m a big fan of travelling. I really love taking weekend trips because they help me recharge my batteries and explore new places away from my usual study routine.”

• big fan of: really like or enjoy doing something.

• recharge my batteries: rest and get your energy back.

• well, to be honest: natural spoken fillers to sound relaxed.

Question 2 of 4

“Where did you go on your last holiday?”

🎯 Fluency and Coherence 📖 Lexical Resource ⚙️ Grammatical Range and Accuracy 🗣️ Pronunciation

[Bài tập luyện nói]

✨ Model Answer & Useful Phrases (34 words) ▼

“Actually, last summer I took a short trip to Da Nang with two close friends. We decided to pack light, spent three days relaxing on the coast, and soaked up the atmosphere.”

• pack light: bring only a small bag with essential items.

• soaked up the atmosphere: enjoyed the feeling and vibe of a place.

• actually: conversational link word to begin your response naturally.

Question 3 of 4

“Do you prefer to travel with friends or family?”

🎯 Fluency and Coherence 📖 Lexical Resource ⚙️ Grammatical Range and Accuracy 🗣️ Pronunciation

[Bài tập luyện nói]

✨ Model Answer & Useful Phrases (35 words) ▼

“I definitely prefer going with my friends. You know, my parents prefer quiet sightseeing tours, whereas my friends and I like to go with the flow and hunt for hidden gems around town.”

• go with the flow: do things without a strict schedule.

• hidden gems: wonderful places that few tourists know about.

• you know / whereas: helpful connectors for contrasting ideas.

Question 4 of 4

“What do you take with you when you travel?”

🎯 Fluency and Coherence 📖 Lexical Resource ⚙️ Grammatical Range and Accuracy 🗣️ Pronunciation

[Bài tập luyện nói]

✨ Model Answer & Useful Phrases (34 words) ▼

“I always bring my smartphone, a power bank, and a compact backpack. Besides my identification documents, I make sure to carry a reusable water bottle so I can cut down on plastic waste.”

• cut down on: reduce the amount or use of something.

• compact backpack: lightweight, convenient day pack.

• besides: useful linking word meaning 'in addition to'.

Part 2

Individual Long Turn (Cue Card)

Candidate Task Card

⏱️ 1 min prep • 60-90 secs speaking

Describe a trip you enjoyed.

You should say:

  • Where you went
  • Who you went with
  • What you did there
  • And explain why you enjoyed this trip
🎯 Fluency and Coherence 📖 Lexical Resource ⚙️ Grammatical Range and Accuracy 🗣️ Pronunciation

[Bài tập luyện nói]

✨ Model Long Turn & Useful Expressions (144 words) ▼

“I’d like to talk about a memorable weekend trip I took to Vung Tau with my best friend last November. We decided to take a coach early on Saturday morning to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. As soon as we arrived, we checked into a cozy homestay near the beach. During the afternoon, while we were strolling along the shoreline, we stumbled upon a small local market. One of the best things was tasting fresh grilled seafood right by the water—it was incredibly flavorful. In the evening, we just sat on the sand, listened to the waves, and had a heart-to-heart talk. I really enjoyed this trip because it was completely stress-free. We didn’t follow a strict schedule, so it gave me a fantastic opportunity to let my hair down and strengthen our bond.”

• escape the hustle and bustle:

get away from noisy, busy city crowds.

• stumbled upon:

discovered something pleasant by chance.

• let my hair down:

relax completely and enjoy yourself freely.

• strengthen our bond:

make a friendship or relationship closer.

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