Describe a Volunteering Experience You Have Had - IELTS Cue Card

Introduction to IELTS Cue Cards

If you are preparing for the IELTS for the very first time, it will be helpful to know what IELTS Cue Cards actually are. These are small cue cards that are given to you at the time of your IELTS speaking test, especially when you are given the IELTS speaking part 2, where each card consists of a topic with some bullet points that you have to address while talking.

This IELTS speaking section is not concerned with how impressive or dramatic your narrative will be; rather, it aims to check whether you can talk on the spot, logically, and with decent grammar and vocabulary, without any prepared speech.

How to Answer the Cue Card?

But first, it will be useful to know the structure of the IELTS speaking part 2. As soon as you receive the card, make sure to spend your one minute wisely by writing only keywords in relation to each bullet point to avoid being tied to your notes when answering questions.

It is best to keep a very simple structure for the answer: start with some introduction, tell about your experience in general chronology (describe what that opportunity was, who you were working with, what you had to do), and finish with your feelings after that experience and what you have learned. Doing lots of speaking cue card practice questions can help you get used to such a structure, and it will not seem unusual during the examination.

And do not think that you have to describe each bullet point with full details. Nobody expects you to put an entire story in two minutes.

This is how the image of cue card “Describe a Volunteering Experience You Have Had ” that you will receive during the IELTS exam.

Describe a Volunteering Experience You Have Had - Sample 1

Below is the first sample for the topic "Describe A Volunteering Experience You Have Had" in the form of a realistic situation that can be used as a model for your own experience.

Introduction

All volunteer experiences do not necessarily involve working with people directly, but sometimes they can revolve around the environment as well. The one that I will discuss was organized as part of a tree plantation drive in our neighbourhood.

What was the experience?

It took place last monsoon when an environmental group in the locality organized a tree plantation drive in a nearby park, which had undergone deforestation the previous year to clear a piece of land for construction work.

Who did you volunteer for?

I joined about thirty other volunteers under the guidance of two members of the environmental group, who instructed us about how to plant the saplings properly.

What did you do?

My responsibilities included digging small holes and planting saplings in them and constructing protective barricades around each of them to protect them from any stray animals. Along with this, I distributed pamphlets to our neighbours asking them to keep the saplings hydrated.

How did it make you feel?

I must say that it was kind of fulfilling in its own silent way because there is a kind of satisfaction in doing things for yourself, not just talking about problems.

Conclusion

Some months down the line, when I walked by that very patch and found that the saplings had not only survived but grown bigger, it was an odd feeling of possession and pride. It made me realize the importance of little things.

Maximize Your IELTS Speaking Score through Real-Time Practice and Expert Feedback. Access speaking Mock Test

Describe a Volunteering Experience You Have Had - Sample 2

This is an example of another prompt card, "Describe A Volunteering Experience You Have Had," based on a beautiful case.

Introduction

Volunteering, in my case, is not what I planned to do but something that came almost accidentally through a college bulletin board poster that I almost missed reading. Here I will tell you about my experience volunteering at an NGO-run school for underprivileged children in my city.

What was the experience?

It happened some two years back when I was in my second year at college, and our student club volunteered with an NGO to organize weekend literacy programmes for underprivileged children who could not go to any school.

Who did you volunteer for?

I was among three other students, along with one coordinator from the NGO, who taught around fifteen children aged between seven and eleven, who had never been to a classroom before.

What did you do?

My work was mostly teaching English and Mathematics to these children through games and stories instead of books, since most of them could not concentrate on anything that looked too serious or formal to them. I also organized an event at the end of the program in which these kids acted in a play in front of their parents.

How did it make you feel?

I was touched to see how quickly the children could learn once they became interested and active rather than simply listening to someone preaching at them. Seeing a timid child read out an entire sentence from the book without any encouragement is an experience that I will never forget.

Conclusion

At the end of that couple of months, I had realized that volunteering is not about giving away anything but gaining a great deal of perspective instead.

Describe a Volunteering Experience You Have Had - Sample 3

Below is the last example of "Describe A Volunteering Experience You Have Had" in which there is a slightly different context.

Introduction

Sometimes volunteering opportunities just appear out of the blue, arising due to an unforeseen event. The one I would like to describe happened back when there was a nationwide lockdown some years ago.

What was the experience?

Upon declaring the lockdown, many of the local daily wage earners became jobless, so a group of us locals decided to carry out a food and essentials distribution initiative.

Who did you volunteer for?

There were ten more volunteers, besides myself, from the same apartment complex, who helped out around forty households in the surrounding area in the next two months.

What did you do?

My primary responsibility included the collection of donations from the locals, packing the ration kits, and delivering them door-to-door, along with two more volunteers, in a safe manner as per the existing protocols.

How did it make you feel?

It was a combination of being exhausted and being fulfilled at the same time. It is amazing to see how fast things can change for someone and how much can be done to help others when you have just something like rice and lentils.

Conclusion

That time showed me much more about empathy and responsibility than any other class, and I refer to that experience whenever anyone asks me about my volunteer work.

Download The Free Vocabulary List for IELTS Preparation to Score 8+ Band Score

Download Now

Lexical Resources

Follow-Up Questions

Following your two-minute answer, the examiner usually proceeds to part 3, asking broad questions based on what you talked about in IELTS speaking part 2. Here are five questions that you may get:

1. Why do people decide to become volunteers?

Ans. People become volunteers due to the natural urge to help others or simply for the sake of having a purpose other than what they do in their daily life.

2. Are volunteers mostly young people or old people?

Ans. Young people generally volunteer through educational institutions, whereas older people prefer community/religious organisations after becoming free from professional life.

3. What does volunteering mean for the community?

Ans. Volunteerism makes up for shortcomings that the government or any private body fails to address, along with bringing together a better-connected community.

4. Can companies encourage their employees to volunteer?

Ans. Yes, nowadays, several companies promote volunteerism among their workers as it brings benefits both to the company and to the community.

5. In your opinion, should volunteering be mandatory in schools?

Ans. It may be good to some extent as it helps students to get acquainted with the practical world at an earlier stage.

Tips to Excel in IELTS Cue Card

These are some handy tips that will assist you in doing well in this cue card as well as the entire IELTS speaking section:

1. Choose a true story - True stories are always easier to speak about fluently than those which you create on the spot, as you do not have to make up facts.

2. Making the best use of the one - minute interval -Write down keywords in the cue card rather than sentences, as it is easier to speak naturally than recite.

3. Speak at a normal speed - Speaking fast in an attempt to cover everything will only reduce coherence. Take your time with your sentences.

4. Develop a vocabulary bank - Constant revision of vocabulary on the topic of volunteering will benefit you throughout various other cue cards too.

5. Practice your speaking skills aloud -Silently reading a cue card is completely different from speaking it. It is recommended that you have IELTS speaking practice on a daily basis.

6. Write a mock speaking test - Practising an IELTS speaking mock test is much more beneficial than just reading and trying to memorize sentences.

7. Could consider professional guidance - If you are not sure what prevents you from getting good scores, online IELTS coaching might be helpful.

8. Consistency is key - Consistent daily IELTS preparation practice for a week or two before the test will always prove more effective than cramming it at the last moment.

Final Thoughts

At its core, "Describe a Volunteering Experience You Have Had" is just an invitation for you to narrate something that you have personally experienced. Whether it is tutoring kids, tree plantation, or helping your neighbours, all that really counts is speaking clearly, following the points, and showing off your own personality. Try out the examples listed above, and you will easily ace this cue card.