Describe Your Childhood Friend: How to Answer?
The second part of the IELTS Speaking test is the Individual Long Turn. It is also called the IELTS Cue Card section. The examiner provides you with a task or cue card in this section.
Check out the symbolic representation of the cue card:
During the preparation time, the examiner will give you a pen/pencil and a rough sheet to make notes if needed. You can use this time to structure your answer.
Afterwards, the examiner will instruct you to begin your answer and remind you of the ending time.
Once given a cue card, the next step is to plan your answer. During the 1-minute preparation time, you have to structure your answer.
Begin your answer by providing a short introduction to the topic. Then, explain your topic in detail. In the end, give a brief conclusion to your speech.
One of the effective ways to answer a cue card topic is by breaking down the topic into 4 parts that are: Introduction, Cue Card Questions, Your feelings regarding the topic and Conclusion. This way, you can cover all the major sides of the topic.
Now, you can find major points to answer each of these questions. Answer them one after the other, and do not elaborate too much on a single answer. Try to cover all the questions within the given time.
Introduction
- Start your answer with some catchy phrase. This will act as a good opener for your answer.
For example, “There is no fun in life without friends, especially in childhood”.
- Brief your central idea and what you think about the topic.
For example, “I used to think having many friends is like being a popular kid”.
Where did you meet this person?
- Explain where you met this person. Here, you can provide details about the place or a situation that led you both to interact with each other.
For example, “I was out with my elder brother when he got into a fight with some other guy in our neighbourhood only and then came out this little guy just like me trying to pull his brother away from the fight, and that’s how we interacted the first time.”.
Is this person from your neighbourhood or your school?
- Here, you can mention whether this person is from your neighbourhood or school.
- Along with mentioning the place, you can also tell about how this person is.
For example, “I was out in my neighbourhood when I met this little boy roaming around and playing as if he does not care about anything in the world and is happy in his little world”.
How did you become friends?
- Tell about how you two became friends.
- You can explain the context and reasons why you felt like being friends with him or her.
For example, “I saw this little boy in my neighbourhood, and he had a very cool toy car which caught my eye, and I wanted to play with it, and that’s how we became friends.”.
What kind of relationship do you have after growing up?
- This is your chance to be creative and expressive. You can tell about your feelings regarding this friendship and how it has strengthened over the years.
- Tell about how you managed to maintain your friendship over the years.
For example, “We were neighbours, but as we grew up with time, we started going to the same school, which strengthened our friendship into more like a brother's kind of bond”.
Conclusion
- End your speech on a positive note.
- You can conclude your speech by recalling your main idea.
For example, “From just being neighbours to having a brother-like bond, you both made a family beyond blood relations of friends, which strengthens over time”.
Describe Your Childhood Friend: Sample Answers
Find the Sample Answers for Describe Your Childhood Friend IELTS Cue Card here.
Introduction
- I would like to talk about my childhood friend, Sarah, who was a very important part of my life.
- We used to meet in elementary school, and we've been friends over the years.
Where did you meet this person?
- Sarah and I initially crossed paths at our small-town elementary school.
- Our paths crossed in the third grade on a group project, and our friendship has flourished ever since.
Is this person from your neighbourhood or your school?
- While Sarah wasn't in my immediate neighbourhood.
- We went to the same school, giving us plenty of opportunities for our friendship to flourish inside and outside the classroom.
How did you become friends?
- A tragic group project has initiated our friendship.
- We've found common interests and a similar sense of humour that has set us apart from each other for years to come.
- During good and difficult times, sharing experiences, laughter, and support deepened our friendship.
What kind of relationship do you have after growing up?
- Sarah and I remained friends as we made our way from childhood into adulthood.
- We make conscious efforts to remain in touch through regular calls and visits whenever possible and celebrate important milestones with each other despite distance.
- Sarah's still an integral part of my life, and it is a testament to the power of childhood connections that have allowed us to remain friends for decades.
Conclusion
- My friendship with Sarah, nurtured in elementary school, has stood the test of time and distance.
- A relationship that will thrive as we move through the complexities of adulthood has been developed by our common history, laughter and cooperation.
- Sarah's more than a childhood friend; she's my beloved companion whose presence has enriched my life in countless ways.
Describe Your Childhood Friend: Follow-Up Questions
We have given four follow-up questions for the ‘Describe your childhood friend’ IELTS Speaking Cue Card. The examiner will engage the test taker in a more detailed discussion of the topic introduced in Part 2 in Part 3 of the IELTS Speaking test. The purpose of this section is to assess your ability to express your views by giving explanations and discussing ideas in relation to the topic.
You have 4-5 minutes to elaborate on your previous responses and express your opinions. Listen carefully, speak clearly, and use appropriate vocabulary and grammar to engage in a discussion.
