IELTS Speaking Part 2: describe a meal

Describe a popular meal from your country that you like to eat.
You should say

- what the meal is
- why it's popular in your country
- and why you like it.

Here's some advice:

1. Your choice of meal is important because you need to be able to say a lot about it. For example, you could choose a dish that people eat during a particular festival.
2. Spend some time on each of the 3 parts of the question. For the first part, don't just give the name of the meal; explain what it consists of and how it is made.
3. For the last part (why you like it), use some good adjectives, then tell a story about when you last ate that meal. Explain where you were and what the occasion was.

Prepare some ideas and try recording yourself. Keep practising until you are confident that you would be able to answer this question in an exam situation.

Comments

[Bessie]

Dear Simoon
Merry Christmas!!
I'm very happy to know your great blog this year, and it is really helpful for me to prepare IELTS test. Hope all your wishes come true and be happier!!
All the best
Bessie (from Australia)

[MARUF]

Dear Simon,
I am from BANGLADESH. I have exam on 7th January and I Need your advice.I've found a response for part two from a speaking book "Mat Clark". He suggest to say as follows...
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describe and animal that can be found in your country.
--------------------
what type of animal it is?
where it can be found?
whether you have seen it?
what other people think of this animal?
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Response:
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So to beging with, in reply to the initial point of what tpye of animal it is and the one i'd pick is the giant panda.Actually there are two types of panda, the lesser or red panda and the commonly known giant panda which is the national symbol of china.

Now concerning the matter of where it can be found, and what i ought to stress here is that because it is and endangered species it lives mostly in protected nature reserves in western china although it is also possible to see them in zoos around the world.

Moving onto the business of whether i have seen it, i suppose i should underline the fact that i visited the panda sanctuary in chengdu 3 years ago while i was travelling in sichuan province. it was actually a one day tour of the pandas' habitat which included lectures from conservation experts.

I am week in speaking and so i want to use this formate. Please suggest me about this.

[Veena]

Hi, Simon I really like ur blog. I found it is really helpful for everyone. Keep it up. Thank so much. Wish u a merry x-mas and happy new year. May God bless u nd fulfil ur all dreams.....

[Martin]

Hi Simon,
Wish you have a warm holiday season!!!

Below is my Part2 speech to share with everyone:

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I'd like to talk about ASADO, which is the most traditional and popular meal in my home country, Argentina.

Asado can be translated as "barbecue" and an asado meal normally consists of beef, chicken, and several animal organs. Asado can be prepared in different ways, but my favorite is charcoal-grilled because it gives the meats a special wood-burning flavor. What's more, a well-prepared asado allows consumers to taste the tenderness and juiciness of the meats. Since I have always been a meat lover, asado has naturally become my favorite meal.

As I said, asado is the most popular meal in Argentina, and basically every tourist traveling to Argentina wants to try it at least once during their visit. Short ribs are considered the main dish in an asado meal, and that's why it is the most commonly consumed part of the cow in Argentina. An asado meal is commonly served with fresh salad and some traditional spices and condiments.

Because of the high costs of the meats nowadays, asado is only served in special events such as birthdays, anniversaries, or important holidays like Christmas or the New Year. In my case, the last time I had asado was when my wife and I invited a bunch of Taiwanese friends to our housewarming party and I wanted to let them have a taste at this traditional South American meal. To my delight, the asado I prepared come out perfect; it was neither undercooked nor overcooked, it was just right and the meats were so flavorful, juicy and tender.

All in all, I would say that asado is perfect for gatherings between family and friends. People not only can enjoy and taste a wide variety of barbecued foods but also have a great time together.

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If you guys are interested in learning more about this meal, please check it out at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asado
(I am so hungry now..........)

[bobur]

hi Martin.
Merry Christmas!
Thanks for sharing your speech. There were some useful vocabularies for me..

[dongnt]

Hi simon! Merry Christmas!
i have taken part in Ielts Exam in Vietnam, my speaking question for part 2 was:
Describe a beautiful garden that you like.
Where it is
what it has
what people do there
Explain why you like it
it was difficult for me to find a answer, Could you please give me an example for this question? Merry Christmas again! :D, Thanks

[Simon]

Thanks Bessie. Merry Christmas to you too!

...

Hi Maruf,

My honest advice is that you need more description of the animal, and less of the "memorised phrases":

- So to begin with, in reply to the initial point of...
- Now concerning the matter of...
- Moving onto the business of whether...

These phrases are not wrong, but they sound memorised, and they also sound a bit strange/forced/unnatural - they are the kind of phrases that a business person might use in a presentation, but this style seems too formal for a description of an animal.

My advice is to say more about the animal. You only wrote 2 sentences about when you saw it. I'm sure you could say much more - this is what will get you a high score.

...

Thanks Veena. Merry Christmas.

...

Thanks Martin. A great example for students to read - and one of my favourites too! Have a great day today!

...

Hi dongnt,

I'll try to use that question for a lesson soon.

[Mh]

Hi Martin

Thanks to share your speach to us . I think if Simon doesn't mind and you would like and have time send us much more speaking text and essay as you are someone who writes very well and Simon already proved your advices . Then, since I myself haved learned many things from your comments , it is not suprising that the rest will benefit from your error-free essay and speaking text.
Many thanks

[Ghazi Albadri]

Hi, Mr. Simon,
Thank very much for your efforts. I have a qustion: how can i answer yes no not given question.

[Simon]

Hi Ghazi,

The best thing is to practise them a lot. Try the exercises in the reading category here on the site.

[Par]

I’d like to talk about Fesenjun, which is one of the most popular dishes in my country. It is always served with rice. Well, its main ingredients are walnut and pomegranate syrup. Actually I think pomegranate is the part that makes this stew really tasty. If the pomegranate syrup is too sour, some sugar can be added as well. People usually cook Fesenjun with either duck or turkey. But, vegetarians like my family just stick with the other ingredients. Actually, in my region, people also add pumpkin to it.

I think the popularity of this dish in my country must have some historical roots. Because its ingredients have always been expensive. So, it’s quite like when a host wants to show his or her respect to a special guest usually serves Fesenjun. That’s why it is often served on special occasions like weddings.

Fesenjun is indeed one of my favorites. Because, pomegranate gives a unique sour and sweet taste to it and makes it really delicious. Its aftertaste is also great. Besides, it is easy to cook. I remember the last time I prepared this dish was a few weeks ago when I had a Spanish guest. He also loved it. Even though he was from Basque country that has the best chefs in the world, he said that Fesenjun bacame one of his favorites.

[maryam]

par your descriptions are great ,i try to use then in my exam

[iman]

perfect par!

[sultana]

I like it

[sultana]

It is vry helpful for learning new ideas