IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card · Hobbies, skills and daily life

Describe a hobby you enjoy

The full cue card, a one-minute plan for its prompts, a sample answer by Lingo Copilot and the vocabulary for this topic.

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Describe a hobby you enjoy.

You should say:

what the hobby is
when you started doing it
how often you do it

and explain why you enjoy this hobby.

How to plan your answer in 1 minute

A minute is short. Spend it on keywords for each prompt, in the order of the card:

0:00–0:10
Choose your answer
Decide on a hobby you enjoy. Pick something real that you know well, so the details come easily when you speak.
0:10–0:20
What the hobby is
Write two or three keywords, not sentences: a name, a place, a time or a detail you can expand on.
0:20–0:30
When you started doing it
Write two or three keywords, not sentences: a name, a place, a time or a detail you can expand on.
0:30–0:40
How often you do it
Write two or three keywords, not sentences: a name, a place, a time or a detail you can expand on.
0:40–0:55
And explain why you enjoy this hobby
Note one reason and one short example or story. This is the part you can keep developing until the examiner stops you at two minutes.
0:55–1:00
Check the order
Number your notes in the order of the prompts, then use them as a checklist while you talk.

Sample answer

Written for practice. Use it for ideas and phrasing rather than memorising it, then answer about your own experience.

Sample answer by Lingo Copilot · 245 words

So, I want to tell you about watercolour painting, a hobby I took up about four years ago after attending a weekend workshop with a colleague. At the time, I had no artistic background whatsoever, but something about the fluidity of watercolour on paper fascinated me, and I decided to stick with it despite the steep learning curve in those early months. Nowadays, I paint three or four evenings a week, usually for about an hour after dinner. It's become such a deeply rooted habit that skipping a session truly feels strange. On weekends, I sometimes devote entire mornings to more ambitious pieces, and I've recently joined a local art group where I've met several kindred spirits who share my enthusiasm. We meet fortnightly to paint together and offer each other constructive feedback. What I find most fulfilling about watercolour painting is the way it demands careful attention to detail while simultaneously encouraging spontaneity. You've got to plan your composition carefully because mistakes are difficult to correct, yet some of the most beautiful effects happen by accident when pigments blend unexpectedly on the paper. This combination of control and surprise keeps the hobby intellectually stimulating and deeply rewarding. Beyond the creative fulfilment, painting serves as a genuinely therapeutic escape from daily pressures. It's how I recharge my batteries after a demanding week, and the steady progress I've witnessed in my technique over the years has given me a quiet confidence I'd never expected to develop.

Another sample answer (2 of 3)

Sample answer by Lingo Copilot · 242 words

The hobby I'm most passionate about is baking artisan sourdough bread, which I picked up roughly three years ago during a period when I was looking for a hands-on activity to balance out my desk-bound working life. A friend gave me a sourdough starter, and that simple gift launched what's become an all-consuming pursuit. I bake at least twice a week, typically on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings, following a rhythm that the fermentation process naturally dictates. The entire cycle, from mixing flour and water to pulling a finished loaf from the oven, takes about twenty-four hours, so it requires dedicated planning. I've gradually built up my repertoire from basic round loaves to more adventurous varieties using heritage grains, seeds, and even dried fruit. What makes this hobby so rewarding is the detailed craftsmanship involved in something that appears deceptively simple. Achieving the perfect crust and open crumb structure demands that you develop an almost intuitive understanding of how dough behaves under different temperatures and humidity levels. Every loaf teaches me something new, and after years of structured practice, shaping the dough has become second nature, though I approach each bake with the same careful attention as the first. I also value the social dimension of baking. Sharing freshly baked bread with neighbours and friends has introduced me to fellow enthusiasts in my community, and we regularly exchange tips and recipes. It's a hobby that nourishes both the body and the mind.

Another sample answer (3 of 3)

Sample answer by Lingo Copilot · 255 words

I'm going to describe my passion for playing the classical violin, which I gravitated towards when I was about twelve years old after hearing a live performance that left me completely spellbound. My parents enrolled me in lessons shortly afterwards, and I've been playing for over a decade now, so the instrument has essentially become an extension of who I am. I practise almost daily, usually for forty-five minutes to an hour in the evenings. As a dedicated hobbyist rather than a professional musician, I follow a programme of structured practice that my former teacher designed, focusing on scales, etudes, and pieces from the classical canon. I also play in a community orchestra that rehearses weekly, which has been a deeply rewarding experience and has helped me sharpen my sight-reading skills considerably. The reason I find violin playing so compelling is the sheer depth it offers. No matter how proficient you become, there are always new challenges: a more demanding concerto, a subtler interpretation, a passage requiring advanced technique that pushes you beyond your comfort zone. I came into my own as a player around the age of eighteen, when I stopped merely reproducing notes and began understanding how to convey genuine emotion through phrasing and dynamics. Playing the violin also provides a form of creative fulfilment that nothing else in my life quite matches. The quiet modesty common among the musicians I know has also taught me that mastery is a lifelong journey, and that perspective keeps me humble and motivated in equal measure.

Useful vocabulary

fulfillingadjective: Providing a deep sense of satisfaction, purpose, and personal achievement
therapeuticadjective: Having a healing or calming effect on the mind or body
rewardingadjective: Providing personal gratification and a sense of accomplishment
dedicatedadjective: Committed to a task or activity with sustained focus and enthusiasm
cultivateverb: To develop or nurture a skill, interest, or quality over time through deliberate practice
meditativeadjective: Inducing a calm, contemplative state similar to meditation through focused activity
intricateadjective: Containing many detailed, interconnected parts requiring skill and patience to navigate
meticulousadjective: Showing extreme attention to detail and precision in execution
proficientadjective: Competent and skilled through sustained training and accumulated experience
repertoirenoun: The complete range of skills, techniques, or works that a person has mastered
kindred spiritnoun phrase: A person whose interests, attitudes, or temperament closely resemble one's own
aficionadonoun: A person who is highly knowledgeable and passionately devoted to a particular pursuit
connoisseurnoun: An expert judge in matters of fine art, taste, or specialised knowledge within a field
idiosyncrasynoun: A distinctive or peculiar characteristic, habit, or mannerism unique to an individual
self-effacingadjective: Modest and unassuming; not claiming attention or credit for one's accomplishments

Useful collocations

dedicated hobbyist
As a dedicated hobbyist, I invest considerable time and resources into sourcing quality materials for my leatherworking projects.
steady progress
The steady progress I have witnessed in my brushwork over the past year has reinforced my commitment to daily practice.
rewarding experience
Completing my first dovetail joint by hand was an immensely rewarding experience that validated months of patient practice.
hands-on activity
I was drawn to ceramics precisely because it is a hands-on activity that engages both the mind and the body simultaneously.
structured practice
I follow a programme of structured practice, setting specific goals for each session rather than working aimlessly.
intricate craftsmanship
The intricate craftsmanship demanded by marquetry has taught me to appreciate the extraordinary patience embedded in traditional woodworking.
hone a skill
I seize every opportunity to hone my carving skills, treating each project as a laboratory for technical experimentation.
meticulous attention to detail
Botanical illustration requires meticulous attention to detail, training the eye to observe structures most observers would overlook entirely.
creative fulfilment
The creative fulfilment I derive from printmaking surpasses anything I have experienced in my professional career.
expand my repertoire
I have been actively working to expand my repertoire by experimenting with raku firing techniques alongside my standard glazing methods.
in your element
I'm really in my element when I'm in the kitchen experimenting with recipes.
lose track of time
I always lose track of time when I'm working on a jigsaw puzzle.
hone a craft
She's spent years honing her craft as a woodworker.
blow off steam
Playing basketball helps me blow off steam after a stressful day.
dabble in
I dabble in calligraphy on weekends, though I wouldn't call myself skilled.

Part 3 questions on this topic

In the test, Part 3 continues with wider questions linked to your Part 2 topic. Questions from our question bank:

Do you think people today have enough leisure time?
How important is work-life balance for overall happiness?
Is work-life balance harder to achieve now than in the past?

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