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Topics › Part 2 & 3 › Describe a music event that you didn't enjoy

IELTS Speaking Part 2 & 3 · Current season: 7.15-8.07 Predicted · Updated 2026-08-05

Preparation status: Predicted topic cycle. This independent practice resource is not an official IELTS paper, and the questions in your test can be different. How topics are labelled.

Part 2 Cue Card

Describe a music event that you didn't enjoy

You should say:

  • What it was
  • Who you went with
  • Why you decided to go there
  • And explain why you didn't enjoy it

You will have one to two minutes to talk about this topic.

Part 3 Discussion Questions

  • What kind of music events do people like today?
  • Do you think children should receive some musical education?
  • What are the differences between old and young people's music preferences?
  • What kind of music events are there in your country?
  • Why do many people like listening to music while doing sports?
  • What are the differences between listening to music at home and at a live concert?

Band 6 & 7 Model Answers

Compare a Band 6 and a Band 7 answer for each question, see what lifts the score, then record your own and get it graded against British Council & IDP criteria.

Part 2 — Model Answer

Band 6

I want to talk about a pop festival I went to last year which I didn’t enjoy. It was an outdoor day festival with several bands and DJs. I went with two friends because we all liked the headliner and tickets were quite cheap. We decided to go because it sounded like a fun day out and we thought the crowd would be friendly. But it turned out to be overcrowded and the sound was very bad — the singer’s voice was often drowned out. There were long queues for everything and we got wet in a sudden shower. In the end we left early because we were tired and couldn’t hear the music properly.

Band 7

Last summer I went to an outdoor pop festival that I’d been looking forward to but ended up not enjoying at all. The event was advertised as a day-long line-up of well-known bands and a couple of DJs from around Europe, with the main act billed to play at dusk; the programme even promised a fireworks finale. I went with two close friends who’d booked tickets months earlier; we’d pooled money for travel and planned to camp overnight to make a weekend of it. We decided to go because the headliner was a band we’d wanted to see for years and the ticket price was reasonable, plus there was a campsite option that sounded like a good social experience. Sadly, the whole day was spoiled by massive entrance queues — it took nearly two hours to get in and a sudden heavy shower soaked everyone waiting — and the sound engineering was awful, with the vocals buried under distorted bass; for example, during the headliner’s set the singer was almost inaudible. On top of that the crowd was uncomfortably packed and people were pushing, so poor organisation, bad sound and overcrowding ruined what should have been an enjoyable day out.

Examiner note: The Band 7 answer gives fuller, concrete details (programme, camping, example of inaudible vocals) and uses varied connectives and more precise vocabulary to explain why it was disappointing.
sound engineeringheadlinerovercrowded

Part 3 — Model Answers

What kind of music events do people like today?

Band 6

Nowadays people enjoy a lot of different music events. Popular choices are outdoor festivals, small club gigs and stadium concerts for big acts. Some people still go to classical concerts or jazz nights. There’s also a lot of online streamed shows that people watch from home.

Band 7

Today audiences go to a broad mix of events: huge multi-day festivals, intimate acoustic gigs in small venues, and themed club nights with DJs. There’s also a growth in hybrid events — live shows that are streamed to online viewers — and immersive concerts that combine visuals and lighting to create an experience rather than just music. People pick events depending on budget, social plans and the kind of atmosphere they want.

Examiner note: The Band 7 response is more nuanced and mentions current trends (hybrid and immersive events) and reasons why people choose different types of events.
immersive concertshybrid eventsintimate gig

Do you think children should receive some musical education?

Band 6

Yes, I think children should learn some music. It helps them with rhythm and listening and can be fun. Lessons like singing or recorder in school give them confidence and teamwork skills. Even a little music education is better than none.

Band 7

Absolutely — basic musical education offers clear benefits beyond just learning songs. It can boost language development, concentration and memory, as well as social skills through ensemble work; for instance, singing in a school choir teaches children to listen to others and keep in time. Even short, regular lessons in primary school—learning rhythm, simple instruments or notation—can spark a lifelong interest and open up opportunities later on.

Examiner note: The Band 7 answer gives concrete benefits, an example (school choir), and suggests practical, brief implementations, showing reasoning beyond a simple opinion.
ensemble workboosts concentrationlifelong interest

What are the differences between old and young people's music preferences?

Band 6

Young people usually prefer pop, hip-hop or electronic dance music, while older people often like classical, jazz or music from their youth. But tastes overlap — many older people enjoy modern artists and young people sometimes like old classics. Personal taste and experience matter a lot.

Band 7

Differences often come from life stage and exposure: young people tend to favour contemporary genres like pop, hip‑hop and EDM, which are promoted heavily on social media and streaming platforms, while older generations often prefer the music that defined their youth — be that rock, soul or classical. Nostalgia plays a big part for older listeners, whereas younger audiences chase novelty and trends. That said, tastes are fluid: some older people adopt new styles and younger listeners explore older music, especially as playlists make everything accessible.

Examiner note: The Band 7 reply explains causes (life stage, nostalgia, streaming) and acknowledges overlap, offering a fuller picture than the simpler Band 6 version.
nostalgialife stagenovelty

What kind of music events are there in your country?

Band 6

In my country there are big summer festivals, city concerts, classical orchestra seasons and small gigs in pubs or clubs. You can also find charity concerts and school performances. Many towns hold open-air music events in the summer.

Band 7

There’s quite a wide range: large outdoor music festivals in the summer attract international acts, while urban centres host regular theatre and concert-hall seasons for classical and contemporary music. Smaller venues offer weekly live gigs and jazz nights, and community choirs or amateur orchestras run concerts throughout the year. We also see multicultural festivals that showcase music from different communities, and charity benefit concerts are common, especially around major holidays.

Examiner note: The Band 7 answer lists a wider variety of events and gives more specific examples (multicultural festivals, charity concerts), showing breadth of vocabulary and context.
concert-hallmulticultural festivalsamateur orchestra

Why do many people like listening to music while doing sports?

Band 6

People like music while exercising because it motivates them, makes exercise less boring and helps keep a steady pace. Fast tracks can make you move quicker and singing along can distract you from tiredness.

Band 7

Many people use music as a psychological tool during exercise: it can lift mood, increase motivation and mask discomfort, which helps you push harder. Tempo matters too — runners or cyclists often choose tracks with a matching beats-per-minute to keep cadence steady. Playlists tailored to different workout phases, and easy access via phones and streaming services, make it simple to use music to regulate effort and enjoyment during sport.

Examiner note: The Band 7 answer links musical tempo to physical performance and mentions practical tools (playlists, streaming), offering a clearer explanation than the simpler Band 6 response.
beats-per-minutecadencetailored playlists

What are the differences between listening to music at home and at a live concert?

Band 6

Listening at home is relaxed and you can control the volume, choose songs and repeat them. A live concert has more atmosphere, energy and you can see the performers on stage. At a concert it’s louder and more social, but you have less control.

Band 7

The key difference is control versus atmosphere. At home you can choose tracks, adjust sound levels, use high‑quality equipment and listen closely to production details; it’s private and convenient. A live concert, meanwhile, offers an immersive, communal experience — the physical presence, the visual staging and spontaneous moments like improvisation make it unique, even if sound balance isn’t perfect. Live events also create strong memories and a sense of connection you don’t get from a streamed version at home.

Examiner note: The Band 7 answer contrasts technical control and production detail at home with the communal, memorable aspects of live concerts, giving specific examples like improvisation and staging.
immersiveproduction detailsspontaneous moments

How to answer Describe a music event that you didn't enjoy IELTS Speaking questions

For the Describe a music event that you didn't enjoy cue card, use the preparation minute to build a route through the talk. Choose a clear subject, add two specific moments or details and end with why it matters. Then use the linked Part 3 questions to practise broader explanation and comparison.

Cue-card prompts:

  • What it was
  • Who you went with
  • Why you decided to go there
  • And explain why you didn't enjoy it
  1. Opening: identify the person, place, object or event.
  2. Development: describe two details or moments in a logical order.
  3. Extension: explain a reason, result, comparison or problem.
  4. Reflection: finish with why the subject is memorable or important.

Question-by-question approach

Practice questionUseful answer move
What kind of music events do people like today?Name the thing first, then describe a specific feature or example.
Do you think children should receive some musical education?State a likely view, explain the reason and add one condition or example.
What are the differences between old and young people's music preferences?Name the thing first, then describe a specific feature or example.
What kind of music events are there in your country?Name the thing first, then describe a specific feature or example.

Vocabulary focus

Useful language already demonstrated in the model answers includes immersive concerts, hybrid events, intimate gig, ensemble work, boosts concentration, lifelong interest, nostalgia, life stage. Learn the meaning and a natural word partnership, then use each item in a different answer instead of copying a complete script.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Giving a memorised response that only partly answers the question.
  • Adding difficult vocabulary without checking meaning or collocation.
  • Restarting after every error instead of correcting briefly and continuing.
  • Reading the model answer before recording your own first attempt.

Describe a music event that you didn't enjoy practice FAQ

How should I use the Describe a music event that you didn't enjoy cue card preparation minute?

Write keywords for an opening, two or three details and a final reflection. Do not try to write complete sentences.

Do I have to cover every cue-card bullet?

The prompts help you organise the talk. Covering them is useful, but a coherent one-to-two-minute response matters more than mechanically ticking off each line.

How are Part 3 questions connected to Part 2?

They develop the same broad theme through reasons, comparisons, social effects or future possibilities, so answers normally need more explanation than Part 1.