The topic of an important plant has appeared in IELTS Speaking Part 2 recently. Talking about a distinct plant in your country is a challenge most especially if you are not into growing plants. We have prepared a sample answer for you to get ideas on how to talk about plants in a more interesting and descriptive way. Check our post and ace your exam!
Describe an important plant in your country
You should say:
What it is
Where you see it
What it looks like
Why it is important
ANSWER:
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I can’t deny the fact that we Korean people are so absorbed with beauty products as most of us want to take extra care of our body face, hair, well to be honest, the entire looks. One valuable plant in my country that most beauty enthusiasts and even the commoners love is the aloe vera. This is like heaven-sent plant that helps us enhance our appearance in so many ways as it works wonders.
Vocabulary & Expression:
Absorbed [adj.] - very interested
Heaven-sent [adj.] - happening or occurring at the most favorable time
Works wonders [phrase] - to produce excellent outcome
Tip: The speaker did not immediately give what the plant was at once, instead he talked about the attitude of his countrymen towards beauty then he connected it to the main subject which is the aloe vera. A very creative way to start telling a story on this Part. In that way, the speaker was able to showcase his ability to express himself in English.
As you may have known, this plant is a succulent species that is normally cultivated in some tropical or dessert countries, but funnily enough though my country doesn’t fall under those types, still we can grow aloe vera in just few particular places, at least. Just in case you haven’t seen this amazing medicinal plant yet, this actually stemless with having thick and fleshy leaves that can grow from 50-90 centimeters tall. Its color is green and some are grey-green and the edges of the leaves are serrated. And when you cut the leaves, you can get its extract or the juice which can be used for both cosmetic and medicinal purposes.
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Tip: In order for the speaker to sustain in delivering his story, he now gave specific description of the plant. He used cohesive devices such as ‘As you may have known…’, ‘Just in case…’. With the help of these cohesive devices he’s able to make his story smooth. Giving description of the plant is necessary so the examiner would be able to visualize the plant.
As I’ve said earlier, Korean people regardless of gender, invest on their physical appearance. We value our looks and somehow it becomes like a necessity in our everyday lives. We are really rooting for this plant, as it provides many uses in beautifying ourselves. Cosmetic companies are now having deep pockets in selling aloe vera beauty products since this kind of plant is incredibly beneficial. We can use this for facial moisturizer, hair mask, body lotion, acne treatment, sunburn treatment, styling gel, and many more.
Vocabulary & Expression:
Rooting for [phrase] - to support
Have deep pockets [expression] - to be very rich
Tip: On this part, the speaker talked about the benefits or the importance of this plant in terms of cosmetics. This is needed to achieve coherence of his answer since his introduction talked about beauty or cosmetics.
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This is truly a useful and more than valuable plant and I believe we need more research on how we can grow more of these here knowing that we are not a tropical type of country.
Tip: On this part, the speaker was giving a signal to the examiner that he was about to end his answer, and this is like a personal reflection on what they should do in order to cultivate this valuable plant more.
What is the main plant in your country?
To be honest, I am not really sure how to answer this question because there are more than one plant which we Korean people consider valuable. However, let me talk about the national flower and tree.
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});The most important flower here is Hibiscus also known as Korean rose, it actually appears in national emblems since it symbolizes eternity and inexhaustible abundance. Also we give importance to pine trees since the ancient times, in the past our ancestors hanged pine tree branches over the entrances of their houses whenever a baby was born to wish that he would live just as long and strong as a pine tree. In addition, the wooden material of those trees were used as a solid foundation in traditional houses. These two kinds of plants are more than valuable and symbolic in my country.
Vocabulary and Expression:
National emblem [noun] - a seal that is reserved for use by a nation state; a symbol of a nation
Eternity [noun] - unending time
Inexhaustible [adj.] [in-ig-zaws-tuh-buh l] - cannot be depleted or cannot be used up
More than valuable [expression] - very much important
Tip: As the question is really vague, the speaker provides two kinds of plants just to be sure. The way he starts his answer is very natural acknowledging that he is not really sure, and then he provides his answer straight after the acknowledgement.
Note: If you are not really sure about the question, it is best to confirm the examiner if your understanding is right like: ‘I do not think if I understand the question well, do you mean…?.’ This is way better than answering the question straightly in which your understanding is not completely right.
Do people in your country enjoy growing plants?
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This is something I have never considered of knowing, I have to admit, I really do not have any knowledge if most of my countrymen find delight in planting. People around me such as my family, friends, or colleagues never talk about growing plants, this is the least of our concern. Well I can only assume, except the people I know, I suppose some Koreans have a green thumb and take pleasure in planting and cultivating various kinds of plants.
Vocabulary & Expression:
Find delight [phrase] - find pleasure
Colleagues [noun] - co-workers
The least of [idiom] - something of the lowest importance
I suppose [expression] - another way to say I think, it is used for expressing uncertainty
Have a green thumb [expression] - the ability to make plants grow and be healthy
Take pleasure [phrase] - enjoy
Tip: The speaker’s honesty makes him sound so natural. Sometimes some questions in IELTS are out-of-nowhere or something that you don’t have any experience, so always be prepared, it’s either you can make up a story or be honest like how the speaker answers this question.
Why do you think there are more women who enjoy growing plants than men?
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});I do not want to sound being stereotypical on this matter but my answer is based on my observation in the society and from the knowledge I have acquired from reading journals.
This is due to the fact that women, especially housewives, have more spare time than men. After completing house chores they can allocate time to take care of plants, and as we know growing plants needs constant attention, which men cannot afford to do since in this current time they are more pressured with the demands of their job, the luxury of time is almost none to them that growing plants never crosses their mind. Also from the articles that I read, women are innately good in taking care of plants that stems from the role of women in the society which is to nurture a child. These make me believe that women love growing plants.
Vocabulary & Expression:
Stereotypical [adj.] - having fixed belief on something
Acquire [verb] - get
Spare time [noun] - free time
Allocate [verb] - to give a certain amount of time
Can’t afford [phrase] - do not have time to do something
Have luxury of time [expression] - to have so much spare time
Never crosses one’s mind [expression] - never think about it
Innately [adv.]; innate [adj.] - natural; inborn
Stems from [phrase] - originate
Nurture [verb] - care and protect
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Tip: The way the speaker starts his answer makes him sound clever and creative. His bases of his answer come from two sources which he does explain very well in the second paragraph. Always provide a thorough explanation in order for the examiner to grasp your gist at once. And if you do so, surely you’ll get higher band.
And that's about plants. It isn't difficult as you may think. This topic of an important plant is really easy, you just need to know the specific name of a plant and provide description.
Do you have any questions or comments? Leave them below. Learn how to talk about RAIN on your IELTS SPEAKING exam in PART 1 with this link https://www.ieltsdragon.com/ielts-speaking-part-1-rain/topic-of-the-day-answers/
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