Describe A Dinner You Really Enjoyed: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

When was it?
What did you eat?
Who were you with?
Why did you enjoy it?

57 unique answers with expert feedback

How do you usually celebrate your birthdays?

I usually celebrate my birthdays with a big party, inviting friends and family. We have a theme, decorations, and a variety of food. However, this year was different due to COVID-19, so it was more intimate with just a few close friends.

What is your favorite dish to eat during special occasions?

My favorite dish during special occasions is definitely pizza. It's versatile, and everyone loves it. We often order different toppings to cater to everyone's taste, making it a fun and communal meal that brings everyone together.

How important is food in creating memories for you?

Food is incredibly important in creating memories for me. Each meal shared with loved ones becomes a cherished moment. The flavors and aromas often remind me of specific times and people, making food a significant part of my life experiences.

Band 7

00:00

So, this was during last year, my birthday season and a few friends came over and I was cooking dinner for them and it turned out that everybody wanted to cook for me rather than they eat whatever I wanted to cook for them. So, it was a very friendly sort of gathering and we together got into the kitchen, we started to collect ingredients and everything and all of us sat together to peel the vegetables, cut the vegetables, arrange for other spices, all of that. Everybody was delegating work to each other while they were doing their own work and nothing seemed like chore. It was a very interesting sort of a gathering that happened, not like how conventional birthdays are celebrated and at the very end of it, I think everything came out to be really nice because everybody put in their heart and soul into the cooking and the dishes. We made a lot of dishes, like from rice to curries to desserts, right? We cooked everything all by ourselves and we really enjoyed it, relished it. Everybody finished their bowls clean, they licked curries out of their bowls and it was really interesting to spend time with each other. One of my friends, she is an expert baker, right?

Follow up questions

What is your favorite dish to cook for friends?

I really enjoy cooking pasta dishes, especially homemade lasagna. It's a crowd-pleaser and allows for creativity with ingredients. Plus, it's fun to layer everything and see how it turns out in the oven!

How do you usually celebrate your birthday?

I prefer intimate gatherings with close friends rather than big parties. I find that sharing a meal and spending quality time together creates more meaningful memories. Sometimes we even have themed dinners or potlucks!

What role does food play in your friendships?

Food is a central part of my friendships. It brings us together, fosters conversation, and creates shared experiences. Cooking together or trying new restaurants helps strengthen our bonds and creates lasting memories.

Band 7

00:00

I recently went to this restaurant in Indiranagar called Milano Pizzeria. It's always my go-to restaurant for Italian food. So that night I was really craving Italian. So my order was pesto pasta and aubergine pizza with burrata cheese on top of it. I went to have dinner with one of my really close friends whom I've known from college. His name is Keith. I would say he is my best friend. It's been so long since we met. It's been almost 2-3 months. So this particular restaurant is her favorite place. So we just decided to hit the diner and talk about how we have been. We just wanted to catch up with each other and update about what happened. I really enjoyed this dinner because number one, I had great company. That's my friend Keith. And secondly, that particular restaurant is my favorite Italian food. The pesto sauce is so creamy and so is the burrata cheese on top of the pizza. And I'm not really a big fan of aubergine. But for some reason it just tastes lip-smacking with that pizza. Furthermore, it wasn't expensive. The dinner was very pocket-friendly. So overall, it was a really great experience. And if anybody would ask me for food recommendations, I would 100% suggest this particular restaurant.

Follow up questions

What other cuisines do you enjoy besides Italian?

I enjoy a variety of cuisines, including Mexican and Thai. I love the bold flavors in Mexican dishes, especially tacos and enchiladas. Thai food is also amazing, particularly the balance of sweet, sour, and spicy in dishes like Pad Thai and green curry.

How often do you go out to eat at restaurants?

I try to go out to eat at least once a week, especially on weekends. It's a nice way to unwind after a busy week and catch up with friends or family. I also enjoy exploring new restaurants and trying different dishes.

What makes a dining experience enjoyable for you?

For me, an enjoyable dining experience includes good food, great company, and a pleasant atmosphere. I appreciate friendly service and a comfortable setting. It's also nice to have a variety of options on the menu to choose from.

Practice other cue cards

Describe your favourite food at a traditional festival or a special event in your country .

View answers

Band 7

00:00

Perhaps a few weeks ago, I went on a dinner with my maternal family at an Italian restaurant in the hotel Reddison Blue, New Delhi. It was the first time for me in my life I was visiting an exotic restaurant in a five-star hotel for a candlelight dinner. I have never had Italian food before, so it was my first time, but my cousins were extremely aware of the food preferences in such restaurants, so they ordered a variety of food for us such as fettuccine, ravioli, pasta and pizza. Everything was made of puffed sourdough. Honestly, I loved the taste of white sauce, fettuccine and ravioli. I was extremely mesmerized by the taste and a few drinks which we were offered, a complimentary from the restaurant. But unfortunately, my grandparents did not enjoy the taste so much because the flavor did not match their taste buds as they are more equipped with the North Indian food and homemade food. Furthermore, the restaurant staff had extreme hospitality towards us. At the end, when we mentioned our concern that some of our members did not enjoy our meal, they offered us a free dessert that was a chocolava cake which was bursting with chocolate all around. My mother extremely enjoyed it because it was so sumptuous to eat and it was satisfying taste buds of everyone. If I have to say, I will definitely recommend this restaurant to all my friends and acquaintances and if I am ever given a chance, I would love to visit this restaurant again because of the beautiful ambience, sweet hospitality from the hotel staff and sumptuous food.

Follow up questions

What other cuisines do you enjoy besides Italian?

I really enjoy Indian cuisine, especially North Indian dishes like biryani and butter chicken. I also love trying Asian cuisines, particularly Thai and Japanese food. Each cuisine has its unique flavors and cooking styles, which I find fascinating.

How important is the atmosphere of a restaurant to you?

The atmosphere of a restaurant is very important to me. A pleasant ambiance enhances the dining experience, making it more enjoyable. I appreciate places with good lighting, comfortable seating, and a nice decor, as it contributes to the overall enjoyment of the meal.

Have you ever had a bad dining experience? What happened?

Yes, I once had a bad experience at a local diner where the service was extremely slow, and the food was cold when it arrived. It was disappointing because I had high expectations. However, I believe that such experiences can happen, and I try to remain understanding.

Band 6-7

00:00

Last month, I had a chance to go for a dinner with my whole family. It was my grandmother's 75th birthday. So, we as a family decided to go for a dinner at a place in my hometown. It was on 5th March. The food was very delicious. We ordered mostly the favorite things for my grandmother like butter chicken, paneer and her most favorite thing that is called as gulab jamun. It was a great time. Rather than food, it was very special for me because it was our family time together. We had this chance after almost one year. So, everyone in our family enjoyed a lot. Moreover, the most happiest person was my grandmother. Although she was not able to eat most of the stuff like pizza and hard stuff because right now she just consumes some soft food. But seeing all of us happy, she was very happy. After dinner, we had her birthday plan. So, she cut the cake, blew the candles and we all sang happy birthday song for her. We were almost 15-20 people. She was really happy by seeing our happy faces and we enjoyed a lot. This was the most amazing thing.

Follow up questions

What other special occasions do you celebrate with your family?

We often celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and festivals together. Each occasion brings us closer and allows us to create wonderful memories. For instance, we have a big family gathering during Diwali where we share food, gifts, and laughter.

How important is family time to you?

Family time is extremely important to me. It strengthens our bonds and creates a support system. I cherish these moments as they remind me of our shared history and love, especially since we all have busy lives and don't meet often.

What is your favorite dish to have during family gatherings?

My favorite dish during family gatherings is biryani. It's a flavorful rice dish that everyone enjoys. The aroma and taste remind me of home and family, and it's always a highlight of our meals together.

Show all 57 answers

Cue 1:When was it?

Start by mentioning the specific date or occasion when the dinner took place.
Provide some context about why this dinner was significant, such as a celebration or a special event.

Example

The dinner I really enjoyed was on my birthday last year, which was on the 15th of March. It was a special occasion as I was turning 25, and I wanted to celebrate it with my closest friends and family.

Cue 2:What did you eat?

Describe the dishes that were served during the dinner, focusing on the flavors and presentation.
Mention any special or unique items that made the meal memorable.

Example

We had a lavish spread that included my favorite butter chicken, fragrant biryani, and a variety of Indian breads like naan and roti. For dessert, we enjoyed a rich chocolate cake that was beautifully decorated, which made it even more special.

Cue 3:Who were you with?

Introduce the people who were part of the dinner, highlighting their relationship to you.
Share a brief anecdote or memory about the time spent with them during the dinner.

Example

I was surrounded by my closest friends and family, including my parents and my best friend from college. We shared lots of laughter and reminisced about our college days, which made the evening even more enjoyable.

Cue 4:Why did you enjoy it?

Explain the emotional aspects of the dinner, such as the joy of being with loved ones.
Discuss any particular moments that stood out to you during the dinner.

Example

I enjoyed the dinner not just because of the delicious food, but also because of the warmth and love that filled the room. One of my friends surprised me with a heartfelt speech, which made me feel truly appreciated and loved.

Conclusion

Example

Overall, that dinner was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. It was a perfect blend of good food, great company, and cherished moments that I will always treasure.

Following this structure will ensure you cover all the essential points while providing a clear and engaging response to the cue card topic.

Tips to answer this Cue Card

1: Being Vague About Details

Candidates often provide very general answers without specific details. This can make the response less engaging and informative.

Tip

Include specific details about the dinner, such as the exact date, the dishes you enjoyed, and the people you were with to create a vivid picture.

2: Neglecting Personal Feelings

Some candidates forget to express their personal feelings or opinions about the dinner, which can make their response feel flat.

Tip

Share your emotions and thoughts about the dinner, explaining why it was special to you and how it made you feel.

Rushing Through the Answer

Candidates may rush their answers, leading to incomplete thoughts and a lack of coherence in their responses.

Tip

Take your time to organize your thoughts and speak clearly, ensuring you cover all the cues in a structured manner.

IELTS Cue Cards asked last week

Reported by Leap students who gave IELTS

Describe your favourite food at a traditional festival or a special event in your country

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 7.5

Pitampura Test Centre, New Delhi

Answer

I like to taste different types of cuisine. Here I would like to talk about my favorite dish at my traditional festival of Onam which is Sadya. Sadya is popular in my city. We are experimenting these cuisines on Onam festival day. Onam is a famous festival in my city. All family members get together in my home and we make a delicious Sadya. There are many ingredients includes that Sadya. Moreover, we make a big feast that day as well as we create a lot of memories together and we wear that day the traditional dress called Sari and men wear the Dhotis. That festival is really important to us because the whole day we are conducting different kinds of games at our homes and all the family members came together. It's a memorable day in my life. This is the festival. We are making the Sambar and Aviyal. These all the kinds of foods are making with the vegetables.

Talk about a toy you liked in your childhood

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 8

Sector 34 Test Centre, Chandigarh

Answer

The toy which I liked in my childhood was a panda doll, which makes me pleasant and makes me more blush. The pandas are the most beautiful creatures of the world, which looks gigantic and has pooshy cheeks and they are like stars in the clouds and they dream in me. Furthermore, these have been given by my father. My father is a very very beautiful artistic person, who makes me think of that. Every day you will face every difficulties and make you suffer and move forward. Pandas are always seen in Japanese countries. It is my lifelong dream to visit a Japanese country and click a photo with the original pandas, which makes sounds better.

Describe a time you were in a place where you didn't know the local language

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 6.5

Whitefield Test Center, Bengaluru

Answer

As India is a very large country full of diversity, so there are many places which have their own language and speak their native language. The place which I visited and I didn't know about their language was Leladakh, which is about 300 km away from my hometown and it is a very good place as it consists of different kind of trees, animals and have many scenic views and I visited over there last year in summers as it was the best time to visit because it has many, it was cold over there and we had summers in our area so it was the best time to visit over there and I went over there with my whole family.

Describe a time when your friend damaged something you owned

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 7

Begumpet Test Centre, Hyderabad

Answer

When I was a kid, I had a little pencil box which had these four buttons which gave the pencil box an operative use. When you press the button, the box would open up. When you press the second button, a little part of it would slide out. Basically it was just a little electronical and a fun thing to have and I owned it when I was in 6th. One day after break, I was standing and talking there with one of my friends and another friend of mine was running through the hallway and accidentally she pushed my shoulder and my pencil box hit the ground and it broke into multiple pieces to the point that it was not functional anymore.

Describe a book you recently read

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 7.5

CBD Belapur Test Centre, Navi Mumbai

Answer

It Ends With Us is a book I read recently. It's by the author Colleen Hoare. It's mainly a story about two teenagers, Atlas and Lily, and how they just handle their life going through high school, adolescence, and just domestic violence at home. Both of them come from very, very different families. However, they have one common determining factor between them, which is domestic violence. The abuse that they've seen their moms go through is just insane, and they connect through that on a different level. They're actually in the same high school, but they never speak to each other until Atlas actually crashes into an empty house next to Lily's villa. When Atlas is homeless and he doesn't have anywhere to go, he just comes and breaks into the house next to Lily's, and Lily helps him with all the daily necessities like clothes and food, medicines and stuff. Furthermore, their friendship blossoms into love, but it doesn't really fructify as Atlas has to leave. This book really gave me a lot of knowledge about domestic abuse and how to deal with it.