IELTS Holiday Vocabulary: Useful Phrases & Expressions In IELTS Speaking

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) assesses candidates' English proficiency through four modules: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. Among these, IELTS Speaking includes common topics like holidays, where candidates must describe past experiences, express preferences, or discuss travel trends.

In this guide, we’ll explore the most useful IELTS holiday vocabulary, collocations, idioms, and example responses to help you sound more natural and fluent when discussing vacations in the test.

Why Holiday Vocabulary is Important in IELTS Speaking?

Holidays are one of the most frequently appearing themes in IELTS Speaking Parts 1, 2, and 3. Mastering vocabulary around this topic helps:

• Improve lexical resource, a core scoring criterion.
• Express ideas clearly and fluently.
• Sound more natural and confident in conversation.

Whether you're describing a recent trip, your dream vacation, or the impact of tourism, using varied and topic-specific vocabulary can help you achieve a Band 7.0 or above. When you get topics like holidays in the IELTS exam, you can talk more about your experience, that you have got in the holidays. You can make use of the vocabulary given while speaking about these kinds of topics.

Common IELTS Questions on Holidays

Understanding the types of questions asked in each part of the Speaking test helps you prepare better. Here are sample questions you can expect on the topic of holidays in IELTS Speaking Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. 

IELTS Speaking Part 1 – Personal Experience

• What kind of holiday do you prefer?
• Do you like to travel with family or friends?
• What do you usually do during holidays?

IELTS Speaking Part 2 – Cue Card

Describe an unusual holiday you had
You should say:

• What holiday it was
• Who you were with
• What you did
• And explain why it was unusual

IELTS Speaking Part 3 – Discussion

• How has tourism changed over the last few decades?
• Do people in your country prefer international or domestic travel?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of package tours?

To answer such questions confidently, the following Vocabulary for IELTS will be extremely helpful.

Positive Holiday Vocabulary for IELTS

Use these IELTS Vocabulary expressions to describe the enjoyable or beneficial aspects of taking a holiday. They can help you add depth and fluency to your answers.

1. To get away from it all

Meaning: To escape daily routines or stress.
Example: I took a short trip to the mountains to get away from it all and recharge.

2. Spend quality time with family and friends

Meaning: To enjoy meaningful time together.
Example: Holidays give me a chance to spend quality time with my parents, which I rarely get during busy workweeks.

Negative Holiday Vocabulary

These expressions are useful when you want to highlight the disadvantages or downsides of traveling. They show the ability to discuss both perspectives.

1. Impair the local environment

Meaning: To damage or negatively affect the natural setting.
Example: Unregulated tourism often impairs the local environment through pollution and overcrowding.

2. Cost an arm and a leg

Meaning: Extremely expensive.
Example: Booking a last-minute international holiday during peak season can cost an arm and a leg.

Useful Collocations & Phrases for IELTS Speaking Test – Topic: Holiday

To continue the series of vocabulary for common topics in the IELTS Speaking test, check out some collocations and phrases of holiday vocabulary and make sure you learn how to use them appropriately by practicing IELTS Speaking practice tests regularly.

1. Holiday of a lifetime : a special holiday that you are unlikely to repeat

Example: My trip to Ha Long Bay last week is the holiday of a lifetime in which I had a lot of memorable memories with my family.

2. All – in package/ package holiday : a holiday where you purchase the travel and accommodation together

Example: I do not prefer packaged holidays because when it comes to traveling, I have always wanted to explore a new place by myself.

3. Guided tour : an organized group shown around a place of interest by an expert

Example: It is suggested that signing up for a guided tour could help traveler to avoid tourist traps.

4. Holiday destination : where you go for a holiday

Example: Ha Long Bay is a famous holiday destination in Vietnam, where welcome a million of traveler a year.

5. A far-off destination : somewhere a long way away

Example: These days traveling to a far-off destination is really common activity, which attract attention from many young travelers.

6. Places of interest : sites of interest to tourists

Example: When going to a new place, the first thing I will do is to travel to some places of interest and try local food.

7. To go sightseeing : to look around the tourist sites

Example: I like to go sightseeing at the weekend with my friends in the countryside areas.

8. Breathtaking view : an extremely beautiful view

Example: One thing that I really love about my previous trip is that I could experience many breathtaking view.

9. Hordes of tourists : crowds of tourists

Example: On holiday season, a tour guide get very busy with hordes of tourists.

10. Local crafts : objects produced locally

Example: The shop sell a various types of local crafts with a wide range of prices.

11. Charter – flight : a cheaper form of flying than a scheduled flight

Example: I usually choose to travel by charter – flight, then I could save a lot of money in term of travelling cost.

12. Check – in desk : the place at the airport where you register for your flight and deposit your luggage

Example: Check – in desk is the first place that you have to go to when you want to get on the plane.

Practice IELTS Speaking: Model Answers Using Holiday Vocabulary

Apply the vocabulary you've learned in real IELTS-style responses. Practice aloud to boost your fluency and confidence during the test.

Speaking Part 1 Sample Answer

Q: What kind of holiday do you like?
A: I enjoy going on relaxing beach holidays, especially to far-off destinations like the Maldives. It allows me to get away from it all and spend quality time with family while enjoying breathtaking views.

Q: What do you like to do when you’re on holiday?
A: I love to go sightseeing and try local food. I also shop for local crafts, as they make unique gifts and souvenirs. Sometimes, I sign up for a guided tour to avoid tourist traps.

Speaking Part 2 Sample Cue Card Answer

Describe an unusual holiday you had.

Last year, I went on an eco-tourism holiday to a remote island in Indonesia. It wasn’t a typical luxury trip—it was all about sustainability. We lived in eco-lodges, cooked using solar ovens, and even helped clean up beaches. I went with a group of international volunteers, and though it was physically demanding, it was deeply fulfilling. The breathtaking views, lack of internet, and connection with nature made it the holiday of a lifetime. It was unusual because I usually prefer city breaks or sightseeing, but this was truly eye-opening.

Speaking Part 3 Sample Answer

Q: Do you think holidays have become more expensive in recent years?
A: Yes, definitely. With inflation and rising travel demand, even a domestic holiday can cost an arm and a leg. Although budget airlines and charter flights have made travel more accessible, accommodation and food expenses have gone up considerably.

Bonus: Vocabulary for Travel-related Problems

These terms help you describe more complex situations like problems during holidays or logistical issues, and are great for Speaking Part 3 and real-life scenarios. Include these advanced terms for Band 8+ fluency:

• Jet lag – tiredness caused by a long flight across time zones
  Example: I couldn’t enjoy the first day of my holiday due to severe jet lag.
• Overbooked flight – when more tickets are sold than available seats
  Example: Our flight was overbooked, and we were moved to the next one.
• Travel insurance – protection against trip cancellations, lost baggage, etc.
  Example: I always purchase travel insurance to avoid financial loss from unexpected events.

Tips to Use Holiday Vocabulary in IELTS Speaking

Use these tips to maximize your use of holiday vocabulary in your IELTS Speaking test. Proper application is more important than just memorizing terms.

• Practice collocations in context – Don’t just memorize words, use them in sentences.
• Vary your vocabulary – Avoid repetition by using synonyms and idioms.
• Record yourself – Practice speaking aloud using cue cards and listen to spot errors.
• Group vocabulary thematically – Learn phrases by categories like destinations, feelings, problems, etc.

Learning and using IELTS holiday vocabulary effectively can greatly improve your Speaking IELTS Band Score. These expressions, collocations, and idioms not only make your answers sound natural but also demonstrate your ability to use a wide range of language accurately and fluently.

Start practicing today by applying these words in mock tests, speaking with a partner, or recording your responses. The more comfortable you are with the vocabulary, the better your performance on test day.  For those aiming for top scores, following IELTS Exam Preparation Tips for Band Score of 8+ can further enhance your vocabulary and overall test performance.

Also check: 

• 10 Useful IELTS Speaking Tips to Impress the Examiner
• Linking Words for IELTS Speaking Section
• Top 11 IELTS Vocabulary Books
• Work Vocabulary IELTS
• Idioms for IELTS Speaking
• Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS
• 75+ Common English Words Used in IELTS Speaking Test