The IELTS cue card is a prompt given to the students to speak on a specific topic for 1 or 2 minutes. The cue card in the IELTS speaking section evaluates your ability to speak fluently. The range of topics can vary from personal experiences to scientific studies. However, it is not as easy as it seems. Answering within the time limit requires the right and structured approach. If you want to master the cue card, look at a ‘Describe an activity you enjoyed in your free time when you were young’ sample in this blog. Subsequently, you can sharpen your skills by following the lexical resources after the sample cue card.
Table of Contents
In the IELTS exam, the examiner will hand you a card with a specific topic and bullet points. You have only one minute to prepare the outline, and then you have two minutes to speak. A prompt topic can be asked from a diverse field. So, here is the actual challenge that begins for the test takers. It is challenging to discuss a topic when you have no prior knowledge or limited information. However, with a smart approach, one can effectively handle any topic. You can experiment with different strategies for IELTS speaking part 2 with the given sample cue card below, "describing an activity you enjoyed in your free time when you were young", to boost your score.
Thoroughly understand the topics, jot down key pain points and logically structure the answer, and a concise wind-up makes your cue card performance excellent. In this blog titled Describe an activity you enjoyed in your free time when you were young, you will start with a brief introduction and then address the following four questions:
In the IELTS speaking part 2, your response is assessed based on the logical flow. Therefore, it is essential to use suitable grammar, including phrases and idioms. Below is the image of how the cue card describes an activity you enjoyed in your free time when you were young looks like when you attempt the IELTS exam.
Here is the first sample of the topic titled, describe an activity you enjoyed in your free time when you were young.
Playing cricket was one of my favourite activities during my childhood. Cricket represents my passion, which brings excitement and joy to my daily routine. I have many childhood memories related to cricket with my friends and family.
When I was young, I used to play cricket. After completing the school hours, I take out one hour to play cricket. It gives me physical pleasure and internal happiness. I did not play for any team or participate in any tournaments, but I continue to play cricket whenever I feel stressed or unwell.
I usually played cricket in the public park near my ancestral home. The park was spread across a wide space and was perfect for playing cricket. I spend 1 hour daily in the evening playing cricket.
I usually played cricket with my neighbourhood friends and siblings. We used to divide into small teams of 4-5 members and play the game, which made the games more interesting. All my friends were near my age, so we shared a close bond. We compete with each other, which adds to the sports spirit.
I enjoyed them and now for two reasons. The first one is that the thrill of hitting sixes and taking wickets was exhilarating. The other important life skill cricket taught me was the importance of teamwork and discipline in life. These skills play a significant role in achieving goals and help in maintaining a work-life balance.
Hence, I can say that cricket was my first love. Through cricket, I built numerous pleasant memories with my friends and family. Sports are not limited to winning and losing. It is more about life lessons and teaches us to be goal-oriented at every point in time.
The second sample describes an activity you enjoyed in your free time when you were young, which was based on a painting hobby.
I am going to discuss the painting that I developed during my childhood. I loved to paint, and my mother loved it too. Let's discuss my special connection with painting in more detail.
enjoy painting, not just in my spare time. Instead, I loved to paint anytime I wanted. I like the artwork, colour, and different figures attract me the most. I was interested in various types of painting, such as bottle painting and glass painting.
I mostly used to paint at home because I just wanted to create a space for myself. Whether it's a drawing, art, or painting, I always like to paint in my own space. Whenever I have time, I take out my crayon and start enjoying the pleasure of painting. I even won 6th prize in an intercity drawing competition, where they gifted me a cricket kit.
Well, I always preferred to paint alone. This practice gives me the scope to discover new concepts and colour combination patterns. However, as I have mentioned above, my mom also loves to paint. We share fond memories of painting. She used to teach me some of the important tips that further sharpened my painting skills.
Painting made me feel like I was in a third space, where I was able to enjoy myself to the fullest. I just keep my complete attention on painting. I have learnt the power of focus and peace, and this has helped me throughout my career in life. My parental home is filled with my paintings in the dining room, hall, and my room. With painting, many childhood memories are attached.
So, painting is the only interest I developed in my childhood and continues to be. Even now, I enjoy painting various designs, and sometimes, I simply paint to keep my mind sharp and at peace.
It is the third sample of the cue card "describing an activity you enjoyed in your free time when you were young".
In my childhood, I loved to play with my dog, Gressy. My dog was like a family member and the first family dog. Gressy and I had many good memories that will be in my heart forever.
I loved spending time with my dog, Gressy. I was deeply fond of her and enjoyed our walks and playtime in the garden. Usually, I spend time after school and on my tuition. I used to dress up Gressy in cute costumes and used to click a lot of pictures.
I used to play with Gressy at home, in the garden, on weekends. I remember I was the only one who used to take Greccy on walks and pay during the day on weekends. I usually preferred to go to restaurants and resorts on tour that allowed pets.
My elder sister and I always loved playing with Greccy. We had wanted a dog for a long time, and eventually, our parents agreed to get one for us. After finishing our homework, we would spend our free time playing with Greccy, making those moments truly special. At present, Greccy is no more. Greccy passed away a few times ago. I have a lot of memories with Greccy in my heart, which I will remember forever.
I enjoyed playing with my pet, but being around my dog Greccy sometimes made me feel stressed. However, these experiences helped me develop emotional intelligence, which later proved valuable in understanding and connecting with employees in my corporate work.
Even now, I love to play with pets and am thinking again of getting a dog for my home. But the Greccy will always have a special place in my heart.
Hence, playing with a dog was my favourite childhood activity. It helped me to be sensitive towards animals. Pets can be your good friends if you try to connect with them wholeheartedly.
Lexical resources will work as an extra milestone in your IELTS speaking part 2. Having a wide range of lexical resources reflects your proficiency and accuracy in the English language. Use broad vocabulary in the IELTS exam to impress the examiner. In the table below, we have listed the important lexical words used in the above samples. Thus, refer to boost your score in the IELTS exam:
| Vocabulary Words | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Passion | Very strong feeling, especially of love, hate, or anger |
| Tournaments | A competition in which many players or teams play games against each other |
| Ancestral | That had belonged to the ancestors |
| Siblings | A brother or a sister |
| Exhilarating | Causing strong feelings of happy excitement and elation |
| Discipline | The practice of training people to obey rules and behave well |
| Intercity | Existing or travelling between cities. |
| Parental | Of a parent or parents |
| Emotional Intelligence | The capacity to be aware of, control, and express one's emotions |
| Wholeheartedly | Fully or completely sincere |
The following are the different follow-up questions that are asked after you finish your task of speaking on the cue card topic.
1. How Did Playing Cricket Impact Your Studies?
Answer: Playing cricket helped me recharge and return to my studies with more vigour. Subsequently, it improved my focus and productivity, and I felt more confident in my studies. I can even feel the long-term impact of playing cricket as well. I feel very focused, career-oriented, and disciplined.
2. What Other Activities Did You Enjoy During Your Free Time?
Answer: Besides playing with the dog, I also enjoyed playing badminton and cycling with my school friends. I also loved to cook with my mother and solve weekly puzzles that came in the newspaper. All these activities allowed me to express my creativity, kept me stress-free, and helped me build good connections with people around me.
3. How Did You Feel When You Won the Prize for Your Painting?
Answer: Winning the 6th prize was a fantastic experience for me. I felt very confident and validated for my sincere efforts. It motivated me to pursue my love for painting and encouraged me to participate further in a diverse range of competitions.
4. Do You Think Playing Outside Is Important for Children Today?
Answer: Yes, playing outside inculcates physical activity, creativity, and peer interaction. In the digital world, children need to participate in outdoor activities to develop their physical and mental well-being.
5. How Did Having a Pet Influence Your Childhood?
Answer: Sharing goodies with Greccy taught me values like accountability and compassion. I learnt to care for every next person. Whenever I felt lonely, sad, or introverted, Greccy was the only one who made my day and, hence, made my childhood more enjoyable.
Here are the important tips to follow for a high band score in the IELTS cue cards section:
Do not forget to practice follow-up questions. They are usually in-depth and beyond the topic. So, widen your dimensions to impress the examiner.
Winding up! The IELTS cue card topic describes an activity you enjoyed in your free time when you were young, which seems a common topic, but is tricky to answer in exam-like conditions. However, by solving and thoroughly understanding all three samples and follow-up questions, you can perform well. You are expected to maintain engaging and logical communication. It creates a strong impression on the examiner. Thus, if you need more topics for cue cards and help, you can connect at Gradding.com. Our experts will provide online IELTS classes, offering standard study materials, IELTS mock tests, and more to assist students in becoming proficient in solving cue cards.
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