Describe a Short Trip That you Often Take but Do not Like - IELTS Cue Card

The IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card “Describe a Short Trip That You Often Take but Do Not Like” asks you to talk about a personal experience involving a routine trip you find unpleasant. This topic not only assesses your ability to describe experiences and express personal opinions clearly, but it also often leads to Part 3 follow-up questions related to travel habits, transportation, and lifestyle choices. To answer effectively, focus on providing context about the trip, describing its details, explaining why you dislike it, and using varied vocabulary and linking words to demonstrate fluency and coherence.

Learn useful idioms to answer IELTS Cue Cards with the guide below!

For more Cue Cards, take a look at IELTS Speaking Part 2 | Topics, Questions and Samples Answers.

Describe a Short Trip That you Often Take but Do not Like - IELTS Cue Card

Describe a Short Trip That you Often Take but Do not Like - Sample Answer 1

Being an avid traveller, I have a proclivity to go to various offbeat places. Therefore, I opted for a travelling job. There is one place that is a short distance from where I stay, but I don’t particularly appreciate going there. Every Friday and Saturday, I have to visit the Industrial Area for an official meeting. This place is 30 kilometres away from my home as my company has an industrial unit.

I wouldn’t say I like to take these incessant short trips for many reasons. Though the destination is worth it, the journey is very bumpy. The road is very congested. It is a sheer waste of my time and it feels like an unnecessary expense. Numerous heavy vehicles ply the streets, and most of them throw poisonous gases in the air through their exhaust pipes.

The centre of the industrial zone comprises a water body covered with stagnant pools of filth. Aside from this, there is no putative place to have food. Usually, I end up having my lunch in my car itself. Furthermore, traffic jams are a regular mark of this journey. Being a sedulous person, I treat time as a valuable resource. However, I usually waste 2-3 hours commuting to this place weekly. Whenever I return from this trip, I experience a cough coupled with a severe headache. Because of this trip, I have started experiencing shortness of breath.

Describe a Short Trip That you Often Take but Do not Like - Sample Answer 2

One short trip that I often take but don’t really enjoy is the daily commute to my office. I usually travel to my workplace by bus, which takes about 45 minutes each way. I have been doing this commute for over two years now.

I go there because it is my workplace, and it is a necessary part of my professional life. While the office is not too far, the journey itself is quite exhausting. The buses are often crowded during peak hours, and I have to stand for most of the trip. Sometimes, the traffic is so heavy that it takes even longer to reach my destination.

I don’t like this trip mainly because it is stressful and tiring. I prefer to spend that time reading or listening to music, but standing in a crowded bus makes it almost impossible. Additionally, the constant noise, pollution, and jostling of passengers make the journey unpleasant.

Overall, although this trip is unavoidable, it is something I do not enjoy, and I often look forward to reaching home quickly at the end of the day.

Describe a Short Trip That you Often Take but Do not Like - Sample Answer 3

Another short trip that I frequently take but dislike is going to a nearby supermarket in my town. I usually visit the supermarket once or twice a week, mostly during the evening after work. The reason I go there is to buy groceries and other household items that I cannot get elsewhere.

Despite its convenience, I find this trip quite irritating. The store is always crowded, especially during weekends, and the long queues at the checkout counters make the experience frustrating. Moreover, parking is limited, so sometimes I have to walk a long distance just to find a space for my car.

I also don’t enjoy this trip because it takes up a significant amount of my free time. I prefer spending that time relaxing at home or meeting friends, but the supermarket errands are unavoidable.

In conclusion, even though the trip is short and necessary, it is something I don’t enjoy due to the crowds, waiting times, and general hassle involved.

Describe a Short Trip That you Often Take but Do not Like - Vocabulary

• Avid

Meaning -extremely eager or interested.
Example – I like to stay in the library as I consider myself an avid reader.

• Proclivity

Meaning – an inclination or predisposition toward a particular thing.
Example – My sister has a proclivity toward hard work in her studies.

• Incessant

Meaning – continuing without pause or interruption.
Example – The incessant beat of the music gave me a headache.

• Congested

Meaning – (of a road or place) so crowded with traffic or people to hinder or prevent freedom of movement.
Example – The congested streets due to the elections make it difficult to commute.

• Putative

Meaning – generally considered or reputed to be.
Example – The putative author of the children’s book was well known in my locality.

Part 3 Follow up Questions

• Question 1:- Do in your country people like to travel abroad?

Yes, in my country, people are excited to move abroad. Some people like to move overseas for higher studies, some for work purposes, and others visit foreign countries. They have different goals for visiting abroad.

• Question 2:- How much time do you think people should spend on a trip abroad?

It depends on the aim of the person’s visit. For example, for a person travelling due to a health concern, one can’t expect him to come back in a week or a month instead anytime he’s being discharged from the hospital. Still, under normal circumstances, a trip should not last more than a month, but it depends on a person’s pocket and can prolong his vacation overseas.

• Question 3:- Who prefers travelling abroad, the young or the old?

Well, young people travel more than the old because youngsters want to explore new places, that is why they travel abroad. Further, they seek a greener pasture while working there. The lifestyle and culture allure them to travel more.

• Question 4- Which is better for knowing more about a country, travelling or reading books about it?

When people travel more, they can learn more about a country’s culture, lifestyle, economy, and geographical conditions. One can get an enthralling experience when they move to such places instead of reading the same things in a textbook or on the net because they can amplify their knowledge when they visit.

Part 3 Follow up Vocabulary

• Concern

Meaning – relate to; be about.
Example – The story that I was telling to my mother concerns a little puppy that I found.

• Amplify

Meaning – enlarge upon or add detail to
Example – Naina’s notes amplify the information taught in today’s lecture.

• Prolong

Meaning – extend the duration.
Example – Anna tried to offer me a drink to prolong my visit to her house.

• Allure

Meaning – powerfully attract or charm
Example – My little sister easily gets allured by anything shiny.

• Enthralling

Meaning – capturing and holding one’s attention
Example – I always find every J.K. Rowling’s book enthralling!

Describing a short trip that you frequently take but do not enjoy allows you to show your skills in narrating personal experiences, expressing opinions, and explaining reasons logically. Since this topic often leads to Part 3 questions about travel routines, commuting preferences, or public transportation issues, practising it helps you develop ideas and vocabulary for both parts of the IELTS Speaking test. By giving clear examples and using advanced linking words, you can improve fluency, coherence, and confidence, which are essential for achieving a higher band score.