The IELTS speaking section offers you an exclusive opportunity to showcase your English proficiency in front of the examiner. But do you know how? The answer is to ace the cue card section. Although it’s a prominent part of the speaking section, students often fear answering the cue card question. If you are also facing the same issue, then you are in the right place. This blog includes a sample with the topic “Describe A Friend You Like To Talk” to show how you can frame answers effectively.
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To answer the IELTS cue cards effectively, you must understand the topic and what it expects. You should first familiarize yourself with the format of questions and identify key aspects, including fluency, relevancy, and answer structure. Based on the topic of this blog, “Describe A Friend You Like to Talk With”, you should start with a precise introduction that includes the topic details and then answer the follow-up questions, which are cited below.
Below is the image of how the cue card for the topic describes a friend you like to talk with, that will appear when you take the exam.
Here is the first sample of the IELTS cue card, where you need to describe a friend who has been with you since childhood.
Friends are very important because they help us deal with critical phases of life. Friends are essential because, with them, you can share your problems, emotions, and everything that you may be afraid to share with your family members. As an introvert, I have only two friends, but I value them because I prefer quality over quantity.
I have a best friend named Misha, and she is my neighbour. Misha and I share an honest bond that is filled with purity, trust and empathy. As an extrovert, she manages friendships exceptionally well by adding the balance that we need in a great friendship.
I met her 7 years ago when she moved to my house in apartment. She was new to society and came to my house to meet our family and make new friends. Since then, we have been talking to each other and staying together in every situation.
I like her nature a lot, and she is more mature than I am, which I appreciate the most about her. Moreover, we have the same interests and hobbies that make us similar and offer so much to talk about. Except for this, she is very understanding and has the ability to listen.
She shows interest in whatever I share with her and responds to my thoughts with utmost attention, making the communication engaging. She has never passed any judgment on me, which is a very rare quality that I will ever be able to find in any other friend.
When it comes to a friend like her, I feel she is the most cherished friend who can understand me in every situation. Whenever I communicate with her, it brings joy and a sense of belongingness. I feel she values our bond, and I respect this thing the most.
She always helps me understand things and offers a better perspective on my thoughts. I feel so grateful because I can easily share everything with her. She is essential because she adds value to my life.
Summing up, I always respect a person who shows loyalty and an honest self in front of me, and she is one of them. Additionally, she provides me with the space that I have always wanted in someone’s life; I value her presence more than anything.
Now, see the second sample of the IELTS cue card, where you need to describe a friend who lives in another city.
My father always advises me that a friend can refresh your soul and remove half of your problems just by being around you. A true friend celebrates your happiness more than you and always tries to share your sorrows. Thus, having a friend who can listen to your life problems and goals is quite essential.
Sanskar is my dearest friend, who has been with me since my 10th class. I enjoy every minute that I spend with him. We both have diverse mindsets and interests that offer the opportunity to learn so many things. Additionally, he is very intellectual, which is an interesting aspect of him because he always talks about something creative.
I met him when he came to my school due to his father’s transfer to my city. He entered the class, and my class teacher told him to sit near me. We began with a formal introduction and then discussed mythology, which is our shared common interest. This is how we decided to be with each other for the rest of our lives.
Sanskar is someone who is intelligent and caring for his friends, which makes him valuable to me. Beyond our common interests, we have many things to share, like he loves to talk about football, whereas I am passionate about cricket. Whenever I need any kind of advice, I call him because, being in another city, it is difficult to meet him every month.
He is someone who brings joy and excitement into my life by suggesting skills that I can learn or hobbies I can pursue. Having a friend who motivates you to grow and expand your knowledge is a blessing. I am fortunate to have Sanskar in my life.
If I think about Sanskar, then I can explicitly say that he is like my family, who knows my every secret. Besides, he knows all my flaws and accepts me as I am instead of judging or insulting me. We have passed so many tests of life together and stood with each other. I appreciate every moment when we laugh together.
His presence around me provides me relief, and I feel more confident when I am with him. He impacts my life in several ways just by sharing his thoughts and perspectives. I genuinely respect him because he mentors me to be a better person every day.
To sum up, Sanskar is precious to me and has an incredible mindset that allows me to have deep conversations with him. Also, his humour is so good, which he uses to make me laugh during problematic situations. I value him immensely because of his nature and personality.
Below is another sample that will help you understand the IELTS speaking part 2 cue cards and how to answer them precisely to secure strong scores.
The most incredible thing about friendship is there is no rule about who can be your friend. You can have a friend who is five years smaller than you or six years older than you. This characteristic of friendship makes it more interesting.
One of my dearest friends, with whom I truly cherish spending my time, is Nia. We met on the first day of my office and shared the same desk in the office. I was struggling with a project, and she immediately came to help me. On that day, we formed a new bond, which is quite strong.
I met her during my internship after I finished school. She is five years older than I and full of fun. She guided me during the initial days of the internship, and we connected immediately during our first conversation.
Being an experienced colleague, she is very skilled and intelligent, which I like about her. Moreover, she is very calm, which makes her a good listener. I am too talkative, and she likes to listen to things, which makes us a perfect duo. I like to talk to her because she teaches me new things every day, which are essential for both my personal and professional life.
Nia holds an important place in my heart due to her behaviour and morals. She is someone who guides me at both personal and professional levels. Talking to her inspires me in so many ways, which is hard to express in words.
In a nutshell, finding a friend like Nia is truly a boon because a friend like her teaches you how to appreciate people around you. She manages to motivate me whenever I feel low, which is her best quality.
Lexical resources are important for enhancing your vocabulary for IELTS in both the speaking and writing sections. It evaluates your English proficiency and helps the examiner to judge your speaking skills. Thus, it is essential to use advanced words in IELTS speaking part 2 to impress the grader.
We have cited all the lexical resources in the table below, used in the above sample answers to help you boost your overall IELTS exam scores.
Vocabulary Words | Meaning |
---|---|
Introvert | A quiet and shy person who likes to stay alone |
Empathy | The skill to understand what another person is feeling |
Extrovert | A confident person who is full of life |
Perspective | Ability to think in a logical way about any decision or problem |
Intellectual | An individual who thinks deeply about things |
Immensely | Very much, extremely |
Mythology | Old stories and beliefs associated with them |
Fortunate | Lucky or having good luck |
Humour | Funny qualities of a person |
Boon | A thing for which you are grateful |
By now, you should have learned about the questions you can expect in Cue Card, so let’s see some follow-up questions that the examiner can ask you in IELTS speaking part 2 for further judgment.
1. What are the most crucial qualities that you need in your friend?
Ans. For me, the most important qualities that I look up to in my friend are loyalty, transparency, and integrity. It is easy to trust a friend who knows how to show integrity and listen to my talks without using it for their personal benefit. Additionally, finding a loyal friend helps me share my opinions and express myself more freely. Finally, transparency fosters trust and strengthens bonds, which makes the connection more genuine.
2. Who is more important to you, your friends or family? Why?
Ans. While family and friends are both equally important to me, my family members still hold greater value in my life. It is because they provide selfless love without expecting anything in return. Further, they are the only individuals whom I can trust blindly without being judged, which makes me feel comfortable to share each and everything with them. Also, families offer foundational principles that help in shaping our personality.
3. According to you, why do friendships break?
Ans. According to me, there can be several reasons that cause friendships to break, but the most prominent issues are poor communication and trust issues. Ineffective communication results in distance between friends and leads to unsolved disputes. The issues with trust and loyalty can weaken my friendship, making it more challenging to stay with my friend. Moreover, when we grow up, our values, lifestyle, and way of thinking change, which also affects the bond and leads to breakups in friendships.
4. Do you think social media has changed the values of friendship in our life?
Ans. Yes, in my opinion, social media has changed how friendships are sustained and perceived significantly. Whilst the platform offers plenty of new ways to make friends and connect with them, it also shows challenges. For instance, before, we used to meet our friends regularly, which has now been replaced by video calls and FaceTime. On the other hand, it also strengthens the bond because you can communicate with your friends daily. Hence, it has both positive and negative effects on friendship.
The Cue Card section requires you to show your ability to communicate effectively in the English language. Moreover, applicants need to work on several factors, such as prompt identification, answer structure, and fluency while speaking, which may be challenging. Hence, to excel in your IELTS speaking section, you can read the tips, which are mentioned below.
Summing up, now you know what questions you can expect in an IELTS cue card topic like describe a friend you like to talk with. Moreover, the topic keeps changing for every student, and to answer each topic correctly, you need practice. Hence, this blog provided you with sample questions of the IELTS speaking cue card section.
However, to enhance your overall score, you can practice through various samples, which you can find on Gradding.com. Also, you can connect with our experts to gain extra assistance and tips for boosting your IELTS exam results.
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