Speaking Task 3 — Describing a Scene
You get a picture and must describe it so a listener can picture it too. Learn to organize by location and hear CLB 7, 9 and 11 answers.
Task 3 gives you a picture to describe to someone who can't see it: you get about 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak, describing what is there right now rather than telling a story. Organize by location—foreground to background, or left to centre to right—using present continuous for actions and there is/are for what exists, adding concrete details like colours and clothing.
- How much time do I get to prepare and speak in Task 3?
- You get about 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.
- How should I organize my description so I don't ramble?
- Pick a fixed order and stick to it—either foreground to background, or left to centre to right—narrating as if your listener's eyes are following yours.
- What grammar and details should I include?
- Use present continuous for actions ('a man is carrying...') and there is/are for what exists, plus precise prepositions of place like 'in the foreground' or 'behind them.' Add colours, clothing, weather, and number of people, but avoid guessing why people are there or what happens next—that's for Task 4.
- 1.You describe a picture to someone who cannot see it — your job is to paint it with words, not to guess its story.
- 2.Organize by location: foreground → background, or left → centre → right. A clear order stops you from rambling.
- 3.Use present continuous for actions ('a man is carrying...') and there is/are for what exists in the scene.
- 4.Use prepositions of place precisely: in the foreground, on the left, next to, behind, in the background.
- 5.Keep moving — describe people, then objects, then setting — so you fill the full 60 seconds without repeating.
The task
In Task 3 you see a detailed picture and describe it to someone who cannot see it. You get about 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak. You are not telling a story or guessing what will happen (that's Task 4) — you are describing what is there, right now.
Organize by location
The fastest way to sound clear and avoid rambling is to move through the picture in a fixed order:
- Foreground → background, or
- Left → centre → right.
Pick one and narrate as if your listener's eyes are following yours.
The grammar that fits
- Present continuous for actions happening now: "A woman is pushing a stroller."
- There is / there are for what exists: "There are several tables under a large tree."
- Prepositions of place to locate everything: "In the foreground, on the left, behind them, in the distance."
Add detail, not guesses
Describe colours, clothing, weather, and the number of people — concrete, observable things. Avoid drifting into why people are there or what will happen; that isn't this task.
Common mistakes
- Jumping around the picture with no order, then repeating yourself.
- Telling a story instead of describing (save predictions for Task 4).
- Running dry early — if you finish fast, go back and add detail: colours, positions, background.
Sample answers by CLB level
See what each band looks like — and what lifts an answer to the next level.
Describe a picture of a busy park on a sunny day.
In this picture, I can see a park on a sunny day. There are many people, and everyone looks happy. In the foreground, on the left, a young family is having a picnic on the grass. There is a red blanket with food on it, and two children are sitting next to their parents. In the middle of the picture, a man is throwing a ball to his dog. In the background, I can see some big green trees and a small lake. A few people are walking on the path near the water. The sky is blue with a few white clouds. It looks like a warm and relaxing day in the park.
Describe a picture of a busy park on a sunny day.
This is a lively scene in a city park on what looks like a perfect summer afternoon. The whole place is buzzing with people enjoying the sunshine. In the foreground on the left, a young family is having a picnic on a bright red blanket — the two kids are reaching for sandwiches while their parents chat. Just to the right, a man in a blue T-shirt is tossing a ball for his excited dog, which is mid-jump. Further back, a paved path winds along the edge of a calm lake, and a couple of joggers are making their way around it. Tall leafy trees frame the background, and the sky above is a clear blue with just a few wispy clouds. Overall, it's a warm, cheerful, relaxed atmosphere.
Describe a picture of a busy park on a sunny day.
What I'm looking at is a wonderfully lively city park on a flawless summer afternoon — the kind of day where it seems the whole neighbourhood has spilled outdoors. Front and centre on the left, a young family is settled on a vivid red picnic blanket; the two children are leaning in toward a spread of food while their parents talk and laugh. A few steps to the right, a man in a blue T-shirt has just launched a ball, and his dog is caught in mid-air chasing after it — a great little moment frozen in the frame. Beyond them, a winding paved path traces the shoreline of a still, glassy lake, where a couple of joggers are doing their loop. Leafy trees arch across the entire background, and overhead the sky is a clean, cloudless blue. The overall feel is warm, unhurried, and full of easy energy.
See Describing a Scene worked through, with answers
A complete Speaking Task 3: Describing a Scene prompt with every answer explained, and the same prompt answered at CLB 5, 7, 9 and 11. Free, no account needed.
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