Describe A Story or Novel That Was Interesting to You - IELTS Cue Card

Introduction to IELTS Cue Cards

IELTS Cue Cards, aka “Long Turn”, is an important part of the IELTS speaking section, which helps the examiner assess your ability to:

1. Speak confidently on a given topic

2. Organise your ideas clearly

3. Use a range of vocabulary

4. Express your thoughts in a simple and understandable way

5. And speak both naturally and with fluency

In the IELTS Speaking Part 2, the examiner will give you a cue card or a task card, which will have a topic along with a few pointers written on it. To complete this task, you will get around 3-4 minutes, where one minute is for preparation and 1-2 minutes is for you to speak about the topic.

For the cue card “describe a story or novel that was interesting to you”, the task card will look like this:

How to Answer the Cue Card?

To get band 8+ in the IELTS cue card section, you have to do more than just reply to the given topic. In your IELTS speaking practice, you have to formulate your response in a way that can show the examiner your language skills. You can follow this simple step-by-step approach:

Use Your One Minute Wisely

One thing you need to avoid at all costs is wasting the 1-minute preparation time. You can quickly read the cue card and then note down things you can speak in your answer. You can think about:

• Which story or novel would you like to talk about
• When or where did you first come across it
• What made it stand out and make you read?
• Did it make an impact on your life? If yes, then how?

Start with a Strong Opening Line

Make sure that you do not start your cue card response with either a dull or a hesitant opener. For example, “umm, so the story I want to talk about is..” Instead of this, you should try to aim for grabbing the attention of the examiner. You can say something like:

“I would like to talk about a novel that has genuinely changed the way I see the world now.”

Follow the Cue Card Pointers

Also, note that the pointers on the cue card or the task card are there for a reason. They can actually act as your roadmap. So, make sure that you cover those pointers in the answer:

1. What story or novel was it: You should give a brief and clear overview. Just make sure that you do not turn it into a lengthy plot summary.

2. When and where you read or heard it: You should also add a personal touch by giving the context, like your age, place, or circumstances, when you found it.

3. What made it interesting: This is the most important part. You should talk about the plot, characters, emotions, or the lesson.

4. Why it left a lasting impression: You should connect it to your personal life, values, and how it changed your view.

Close with a Meaningful Conclusion

Do you know that a lot of the candidates actually stop talking once they run out of points? But having a strong closing line can leave a great final impression on the examiner. You can wrap up your response with something like:

“Overall, this story holds a very special place in my heart, and I would highly recommend it to anyone.”

Describe A Story or Novel That Was Interesting to You - Sample 1

This first sample answer will show you how you can structure your response well. It has a clear introduction, relevant details, and a strong ending. Take a look:

Introduction

I would like to talk about a novel that has changed the way I look at life. It is the kind of book which made me learn about human resilience. The book that I am referring to is “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho, who is a very famous Brazilian author.

What Story or Novel Was it?

“The Alchemist” is a timeless philosophical novel. It talks about the story of a young shepherd whose name is Santiago. Santiago has a dream of finding a treasure near the Egyptian pyramids. And in his pursuit of achieving his dream, he learns a lot of lessons about life, courage, and following his heart. Even though I feel the story is a bit simple. It does have a lot of messages that can make you think deeply.

When and Where I Read it

I read the novel when I was in 12th grade. And it was suggested by one of my close friends when he saw me being confused about my future. And over the weekend, I read almost all of it and found it so interesting that it got physically impossible for me to put down.

What Made It Interesting?

What made this book so interesting was that the author explained important life lessons in a way that made it easy for anyone to relate to them. And the main character was also pretty realistic because of how his experience with doubt, fear, and challenges was explained. In addition to this, there was also another interesting idea in the book that the author talked about. It was how everyone has a purpose in life, and they need to work hard to achieve it.

Why it Left a Lasting Impression?

This particular novel left a strong impression on me because it helped me learn to believe in myself. It also showed that both failure and hardships are a normal part of life and that we should never give up on our goals, no matter what. I think about the lessons from this book now whenever I face challenges.

Conclusion

I think the Alchemist is more than just a novel. It is a special and inspiring story for me, which encourages people to follow their dreams. And I am also very glad and happy that I read it.

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Describe A Story or Novel That Was Interesting to You - Sample 2

Do you know that you can score much higher in the Speaking Test by using a wide range of vocabulary for IELTS? That is right, it is called lexical resources. Here is a sample which will help you understand how:

Introduction

A book that made a strong impression on me was “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. It is one of the most famous novels of our times and is loved by readers all around the world. And I understood the love people have for that book once I read it.

What Story or Novel Was It?

The story of “To Kill a Mockingbird” is set in a small town in Alabama in the 1930s. What makes this book a great read is that it is told from the perspective of a young girl, Scout Finch. Her father is a lawyer who defends a Black man. Tom Robinson was wrongly accused of a crime. This book explores different themes like justice, equality, kindness, and courage.

When and Where I Read It

I read this novel in college as it was a part of my English literature course. I started reading it in the college library. And from the very first page, I got hooked on the story. And ever since then, that book turned from just a simple English assignment to one of my favourite books.

What Made It Interesting?

What made this particular book interesting to me was how it used a simple story to explore deeply rooted issues. It made me think about society and human behaviour. During my read, I also started admiring Atticus Finch as a character. Mainly because he stood up for what was right. Especially when most of the people did not agree with him.

But more than this, I also liked how the author decided to tell the story through the eyes of a child. This helped a lot in making the event feel more real and emotional. I looked at serious social issues like unfair treatment and prejudice from a child’s point of view. This made the story even more impactful.

Why it Left a Lasting Impression?

Besides the good writing and excellent story. The novel left a lasting impression on me because it made me learn some important life lessons in fairness, empathy, and standing up for others. It also made me realise how doing the right thing is not always an easy thing to do. But it is always worth it.

It has been a good amount of time since I completed the book, but to this day, I still remember a lot of scenes and characters from the book. And every time I see examples of unfairness in real life, I think about the lessons I learned from this novel.

Conclusion

Overall, I think, “To Kill a Mockingbird” is much more than just a story. It is a meaningful book that can teach us several different life lessons, all while keeping the readers engaged. I am very glad that I read it. And I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys thought-provoking and inspiring novels.

Describe A Story or Novel That Was Interesting to You - Sample 3

Below is a strong IELTS Speaking Part 2, which is usually found in a lot of Band 8+ responses. Take a look:

Introduction

An interesting and memorable book that I would like to talk about is “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini. It actually is one of the most emotional and thought-provoking novels that I have ever read.

What Story or Novel Was it?

The Kite Runner is a story about two boys. Amir and Hassan, who grew up together in Afghanistan. The novel basically explores their friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and the kind of consequences that we have to deal with because of our actions. As the story progresses, Amir starts struggling with his guilt over a mistake he made in his childhood. He then tries to make things right. In the book, you can also get a glimpse into Afghanistan’s history and culture.

When and Where I Read it

I read this novel around two years ago during my summer vacation. It was actually recommended to me by my teachers because they thought I would enjoy stories with strong emotional themes. I read almost all of the book at home. Mostly in the evening. Over time, I got really involved in the story that I completed it within a few days.

What Made it Interesting

Multiple things made this particular book stand out and interesting to me. One of the first ones is the storyline. Each one of the chapters actually made me curious about what would happen next.

The second reason was the book's characters. They all felt very real because none of them was perfect. And that made them more relatable, where I could understand their emotions, fears, and struggles.

Another thing that I really enjoyed was the writing style that the author used. He described people, places, and emotions with vividness. It almost felt as if I was watching a movie.

Why it Left a Lasting Impression?

This novel left a lasting impression on me because it taught me important lessons about friendship, forgiveness, and personal responsibility. I also learned that everyone makes mistakes, but what actually matters is whether we really dare to accept them and try to make things right.

It also gave me a good insight into different cultures and historical events that I was not very familiar with.

Conclusion

Overall, The Kite Runner is a kind of book that is a little hard for me to forget. In fact, to this day, I think about the characters and messages that these books convey. And there is no doubt that it is one of the best books that I have ever read.

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Lexical Resources

As we mentioned above, having a good range of vocabulary and idioms can play a huge role in getting Band 8+ in your IELTS speaking section. And below, we have listed out all the key words and expressions that we have used in all three of the samples above.

Follow-up Questions

The examiner will ask you a few follow-up questions on the same topic, “Describe a story or novel that was interesting to you”, after you are done with your cue card response.

These speaking cue card practice questions are part of IELTS Speaking Part 3 and will check your ability to discuss ideas in detail and how well you can express your opinion.

1. Why do Some People Like Reading Historical or Mythological Stories?

I believe a lot of people enjoy reading historical and mythological stories because they give them an understanding of the past and different cultures. They learn about living in the past in historical books. And in mythological stories, you explore different gods, heroes, and life lessons. Both of these are educational and amusing.

2. Do You Think Electric Media Can Ever Replace Reading Books?

I don’t think reading books as an activity will ever go away. But people are more and more shifting to reading books on phones, tablets, and e-readers. So even if people’s reading habits can change, they are not going to stop enjoying good stories and useful info.

3. Do you Like Specific Genres Like Sci-fi or Mystery?

Yes, I actually love reading specific genres. My favourite one is historical fiction and mystery novels. Both of them help me learn more about different time periods and keep me involved. I do read other genres as well, but these two are the ones I read the most.

4. Do you like reading fast-paced or character-driven books?

I like reading something that has a good balance of both. But if I have to choose, then I would like to go for something that is character-driven and has an emotional story. I actually enjoy books that explore people’s thoughts, emotions, and personal growth. Having a fast-paced plot can be exciting. But strong characters can actually help in making the story more memorable.

5. Would you Like Me to Recommend You Some Books That Have Mind-Bending Plots?

Yes, I would very much like that. I actually enjoy reading books that have unexpected twists, as it can make the reading experience more exciting.

Tips to Excel in IELTS Cue Card

Here are some tips that you can follow in your IELTS preparation to make your dream of getting Band 8+ easy to achieve:

1. Make sure that you try to connect your ideas using linking words such as moreover, additionally, however, and for example. This will make it much easier for the examiner to follow your answer.

2. You should also make your answer sound more natural and genuine. It will help you speak with confidence.

3. Find the main topic and then think about the tense you will need to use. You can also try to note down some of the key points you would like to mention in your answer.

4. Try to keep a steady pace and focus on clear pronunciation. It helps you sound more confident and fluent when you speak calmly.

5. Lastly, take online IELTS classes and track your progress regularly. It can help you understand your strengths and weaknesses.

Conclusion

Summing up, getting a band 8+ score in the IELTS Speaking test for the topic “describe a story or novel that was interesting to you” will require you to do more than just explain what you read. You will need to be better able to manage your ideas, use a range of vocabulary, and explain why the story was special for you.

You can get expert help from IELTS classes at Gradding if you are struggling with the IELTS speaking section. They will help you improve your speaking skills via detailed classes, personalised feedback, and regular IELTS speaking mock tests. You can confidently deliver a well-structured and unique answer on the test day with routine practice and the right practice.