IELTS Speaking Part-2 A kind of food people eat during a special event

Describe a kind of food people eat during a special event

You should say:

What it is

What event people usually eat it at

How it is cooked/made

Explain why it is made for the special event

There are loads of different foods that are eaten on special occasions – turkey at Christmas, chocolate at Easter to name but a few... but I have decided to talk about birthday cake, which is, obviously, eaten on birthdays, because even as an adult I still get excited by it.

Birthday cakes can be bought or home-made, but personally I prefer the latter because it is not just about the taste of the cake, it is about the effort that somebody has put in to making the cake. If someone bakes a cake for you, then it is a sign of their love or friendship and this is more special than the cake itself. It saddens me that, in contemporary society, many cakes are bought. There are a number of reasons for this phenomenon: Firstly, baking is a dying art and many do not know how to do it and, secondly, people just don’t have the time to do it. We are all leading such hectic lives that cooking is not a priority anymore.

Despite not being the world’s best cook, I am an expert when it comes to birthday cakes. First of all, you need to decide on the flavour, for

example, chocolate, vanilla or a trendy cake right now is red velvet cake. I have to admit

that this is my personal favourite because it looks so pretty and is not as rich as chocolate cake and is fancier than plain vanilla cake. Then, there is the icing – you can use all different kinds, but I like one made with cream cheese.

On top of the cake, there are usually cake decorations, for instance, it might be a football-themed cake or a unicorn-themed cake. And the one thing that it absolutely must have is candles. When it is a child’s cake, there will be the same number of candles as the child’s age, but when you are older, there is not enough space on the cake for all the candles and it would be a fire risk! Usually, the song happy birthday is sung and the candles are blown out. The birthday boy or girl makes a wish. Oh I’m feeling peckish now after all this talk of cakes!

Describe a kind of food people eat during a special event.

You should say:

• What it is

• What event people usually eat it at

• How it is cooked/made

• Explain why it is made for the special event

When it comes to special foods associated with celebrations, one that stands out is the birthday cake. This sweet treat is typically enjoyed at birthday parties and is a quintessential part of the celebration, whether it’s a child’s first birthday or an adult milestone.

Birthday cakes can be either store-bought or homemade, but I have a particular fondness for homemade cakes. The reason behind this preference is that a homemade cake represents more than just its taste. It reflects the effort and care someone has invested in baking it, which adds a personal touch that store-bought cakes lack. In today’s fast-paced world, buying cakes has become more common due to the convenience it offers and the fact that baking skills are not as widespread as they once were. Many people also find it challenging to find time amidst their busy schedules to bake from scratch.

Creating a birthday cake involves several steps. First, you need to select the flavor. Classic options include chocolate and vanilla, but contemporary choices like red velvet have become popular. Red velvet cake is a personal favorite of mine because of its visually appealing color and lighter, less rich flavor compared to chocolate. The cake is usually frosted with icing, and cream cheese icing is particularly favored for its smooth texture and slightly tangy taste.

Decoration is another crucial aspect of birthday cakes. They are often adorned with themes that reflect the interests of the birthday person, such as football, unicorns, or other favorite motifs. Candles are an essential component, especially for children’s cakes, where each candle represents the child's age. For adults, the number of candles is usually reduced to avoid overcrowding and safety hazards.

The tradition of singing "Happy Birthday" and blowing out the candles is a symbolic moment where the birthday person makes a wish. This ritual adds to the festive atmosphere and makes the event memorable. After all, the birthday cake not only serves as a delicious treat but also plays a central role in creating lasting memories associated with the celebration.

Vocabulary and Phrases

Phrase/Word	Meaning in English	Bangla	Russian	Hindi
Quintessential	Perfect example of something	প্রকৃত উদাহরণ	Являющийся идеальным примером	शुद्ध उदाहरण
Fondness	Strong preference or liking	পছন্দ	Пристрастие	लगाव
Store-bought	Purchased from a store rather than made at home	দোকান থেকে কেনা	Купленный в магазине	दुकान से खरीदी हुई
Personal touch	A unique or special element added by an individual	ব্যক্তিগত স্পর্শ	Личное прикосновение	व्यक्तिगत स्पर्श
Fast-paced world	A world characterized by rapid activity and change	দ্রুতগতি বিশ্ব	Быстро меняющийся мир	तेज़-तर्रार दुनिया
Scratch	From the very beginning, not pre-made or pre-mixed	একেবারে প্রথম থেকেই	С нуля	पूरी तरह से
Adorned	Decorated or embellished	সাজানো	Украшенный	सजाया हुआ
Motifs	Themes or designs used for decoration	থিম বা নকশা	Темы	सजावटी विषय
Safety hazards	Potential risks or dangers	নিরাপত্তার ঝুঁকি	Опасности	सुरक्षा खतरे
Symbolic moment	A significant or meaningful time	প্রতীকী মুহূর্ত	Символический момент	प्रतीकात्मक क्षण