IELTS Speaking 2025 Part 2&3: Describe a crowded place you went to

Describe a crowded place you went to

Suggested ideas for each part

• When you went there: 🎆 During the Lunar New Year festival / 🎄 On Christmas Eve / 🎤 At a famous singer’s concert
• Who you went there with: 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 With family / 👫 With friends / 🏫 With classmates
• Why you went there: 🛍️ Shopping / 🎡 Enjoying the festival / 🏟️ Watching a football match
• How you felt: 🤯 Overwhelmed / 🤩 Excited / 😖 Annoyed by the crowd

Useful grammar structures

1. Past simple: Last weekend, I visited a night market in Ho Chi Minh City.
2. Past continuous: While we were walking through the crowd, I almost lost my friend.
3. Comparisons: It was way more crowded than I expected.
4. Present perfect: I have never seen so many people in one place before.
5. Conditional sentence (Type 2): If I had known it would be so crowded, I would have chosen a different time to visit.

Collocations

1. Packed with people 🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️ (chật ních người)
2. Bumper-to-bumper traffic 🚗🚕 (giao thông đông nghịt)
3. Bustling atmosphere 🎆 (bầu không khí nhộn nhịp)
4. Shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers 🤝 (đứng sát bên người lạ)
5. A sea of people 🌊👥 (biển người)
6. Ear-splitting noise 🔊 (tiếng ồn chói tai)
7. Chaotic but exciting 🎡 (hỗn loạn nhưng thú vị)

Full spoken sample (about 2 minutes)

One of the most crowded places I have ever been to was Nguyen Hue Walking Street in Ho Chi Minh City 🏙️ during the Lunar New Year festival 🎆. I went there last year with my best friends because we wanted to enjoy the festive decorations and watch the fireworks show.

As soon as we arrived, I was shocked by the sheer number of people. The street was packed with people 🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️, making it almost impossible to move freely. I could barely take a step without bumping into someone! The traffic nearby was completely bumper-to-bumper 🚗🚕, and we had to walk a long distance to reach the main area.

Despite the crowd, the atmosphere was absolutely bustling 🎆. There were street performers playing traditional music, vendors selling delicious snacks, and families taking pictures with beautiful flower displays. At one point, I found myself shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers 🤝, which was a bit uncomfortable, but I tried to focus on enjoying the moment.

When the fireworks started, the whole place turned into a sea of people 🌊👥. Everyone was pushing forward to get a better view, and I almost lost sight of my friends in the crowd. The fireworks were breathtaking, but the ear-splitting noise 🔊 from the explosions and the cheering crowd made it hard to hear anything else.

Honestly, I had mixed feelings about the experience. On one hand, it was chaotic but exciting 🎡, and I loved being part of such a lively celebration. On the other hand, I felt exhausted from all the pushing and shoving. If I had known it would be this packed, I would have chosen a less crowded spot to watch the fireworks. However, looking back, I’m still glad I went because it was a unique and unforgettable experience!

Part 3: Discussion Questions

1. Which cities are crowded in your country?

Ideas

• 🏙️ Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi – major economic hubs
• 🏖️ Tourist cities like Da Nang, Nha Trang
• 🏛️ Religious sites during festivals

Collocations

1. Densely populated areas 🏘️ (khu vực đông dân cư)
2. Traffic congestion 🚗 (tắc nghẽn giao thông)
3. Public transportation struggles 🚇 (hệ thống giao thông công cộng quá tải)

Sample answer

In Vietnam, the most crowded cities are definitely Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi 🏙️. These are major economic and cultural hubs, attracting millions of people for work and business. Because of their large populations, they suffer from traffic congestion 🚗 and overcrowded public spaces. Besides that, tourist cities 🏖️ like Da Nang and Nha Trang also become packed, especially during holiday seasons. Even religious sites like the Perfume Pagoda can be extremely crowded during festivals.

2. Will there be more or less green space in cities in the future?

Ideas

• 🌳 More: Governments are investing in parks and eco-friendly urban planning.
• 🏗️ Less: Rapid urbanization is reducing space for nature.
• 🏡 Solution: Rooftop gardens and vertical green spaces.

Collocations

1. Sustainable urban planning 🏡 (quy hoạch đô thị bền vững)
2. Concrete jungle 🏢 (rừng bê tông, ý chỉ thành phố quá nhiều nhà cao tầng ít cây xanh)
3. Environmental awareness 🌱 (nhận thức về môi trường)

Sample answer

I believe cities should have more green spaces in the future 🌳, but whether this happens depends on sustainable urban planning 🏡. Many governments are focusing on parks and tree-planting programs. However, with rapid development, some areas might turn into a concrete jungle 🏢. A good solution is to promote environmental awareness 🌱 and encourage rooftop gardens and vertical green spaces to keep cities livable.

3. Will people use bikes more or less in cities in the future?

Ideas

• 🚲 More: Eco-friendly, helps reduce pollution.
• 🚗 Less: Many cities lack proper bike lanes.
• 🌎 Depends on infrastructure and government support.

Collocations

1. Eco-friendly transportation 🌍 (phương tiện giao thông thân thiện môi trường)
2. Cycling infrastructure 🚴 (cơ sở hạ tầng cho xe đạp)
3. Public awareness campaigns 📢 (chiến dịch nâng cao nhận thức cộng đồng)

Sample answer

I think more people will use bikes 🚲 in the future, especially as governments promote eco-friendly transportation 🌍. However, a major challenge is the lack of cycling infrastructure 🚴. If cities invest in better bike lanes and launch public awareness campaigns 📢, cycling could become a more popular and practical choice.

4. What are the places that usually have long queues?

Ideas

• 🍔 Popular restaurants & street food stalls.
• 🎡 Theme parks and tourist attractions.
• 🎤 Concerts, stadiums, and event venues.

Collocations

1. Queue up for hours ⏳ (xếp hàng hàng giờ)
2. Limited availability 🎟️ (số lượng có hạn)
3. Crowd control measures 🚧 (biện pháp kiểm soát đám đông)

Sample answer

Places with long queues include popular restaurants 🍔, theme parks 🎡, and concert venues 🎤. People often queue up for hours ⏳ to try famous street food or get limited-edition items. During big events, crowd control measures 🚧 are necessary to prevent chaos.