Describe a gift you recently gave to someone.: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

Overuse of 'so' and 'because' at the beginning of sentences.

Try using a variety of connectors such as 'therefore,' 'as a result,' or 'hence' to create a smoother flow.

Repetition of ideas and phrases, particularly around the concept of the hoodie being close to the heart.

Avoid repetition by summarizing key points and using synonyms or paraphrased expressions.

Incorrect use of articles, such as 'a fond of hoodies' instead of 'fond of hoodies' and 'a hoodie' instead of 'the hoodie.'

Review the rules for article usage, especially when referring to specific or general items.

Subject-verb agreement error in 'I want to give someone something to her.'

Ensure verb forms agree with the subject; it should be 'I wanted to give her something special.'

Inconsistent verb tenses, such as switching from past to present tense.

Maintain consistency in verb tenses to improve clarity, particularly when narrating past events.

Use of informal language like 'yeah.'

Avoid informal language in formal speaking tests. Use phrases like 'in conclusion' or 'finally' instead.

The use of 'give' instead of 'gave' in the first sentence is incorrect.

Use past tense 'gave' to indicate that the action has already happened.

Repetition of 'I bought a elegant sari for her.'

Avoid repeating the same sentence. Instead, add more details or use synonyms.

Incorrect article usage 'a elegant sari'.

Use 'an' before words starting with a vowel sound, so it should be 'an elegant sari'.

The phrase 'so that everyone is celebrating' is awkward.

Use 'which is why everyone celebrates it' to improve clarity and coherence.

Overuse of simple connectors like 'so that' and 'that too'.

Use varied connectors such as 'therefore', 'as a result', or 'especially'.

The sentence 'She is the best friend.' is abrupt.

Expand it to 'She is my best friend, and I cherish our friendship greatly.' to add depth.

Subject-Verb Agreement Error in 'it's look like a chain'.

Use 'it looks like a chain' to maintain correct subject-verb agreement.

Incorrect use of pronoun 'her' for 'him'.

Replace 'her' with 'him' to correctly refer to your husband.

Overuse of 'and' leading to run-on sentences.

Use connectors like 'moreover', 'furthermore', or 'in addition' to improve sentence structure.

Repeated use of 'it is' and 'it's'.

Use synonyms or rephrase to avoid repetition, such as 'this item' or 'the gift'.

Inconsistent use of pronouns 'they' and 'he'.

Ensure pronouns are consistently used to refer to the same person, in this case, 'he' for your husband.

Lack of cohesive storytelling.

Structure the story by mentioning what led to the gift, the moment of giving, and the impact afterward.

The phrase 'Recently, last year' is redundant. 'Recently' and 'last year' convey different time frames.

You could simply say 'Last year' to specify the time frame.

Incorrect use of 'did not wanted' instead of 'did not want'.

Use 'did not want' to maintain correct verb tense.

The sentence 'To receive it, when I gave it to him, his eyes were all teary' is awkwardly structured.

Rephrase to 'When I gave it to him, his eyes were teary with emotion.'

Lack of cohesive devices to connect ideas smoothly.

Use connectors like 'Furthermore,' 'Moreover,' or 'Additionally' to improve flow.

Repetition of the word 'mobile' several times.

Use synonyms like 'phone' or 'device' to avoid repetition.

The sentence 'the amount of pride I could see in his eyes about his daughter was indescribable' is a bit awkward.

Rephrase to 'the pride in his eyes was indescribable.'

Subject-verb agreement error in 'one of my best friends have been going'.

Use 'has' instead of 'have' to agree with the singular subject 'one'.

Incorrect use of tense in 'we as a whole friend group have decided to, had decided to'.

Choose either 'decided to' or 'had decided to' for clarity and consistency.

Overuse of simple connectors like 'and'.

Use varied connectors like 'furthermore', 'moreover', or 'in addition' to enhance cohesion.

Use of 'have a little metal or iron in it'.

Replace with 'made of metal or iron' for clarity.

Repetition of 'magnet' in 'magnet gift shop' and 'magnetic refrigerator'.

Use synonyms or rephrase to avoid repetition, such as 'a shop specializing in magnetic items'.

Repetition of the word 'so' and overuse of simple connectors.

Try using a variety of cohesive devices such as 'therefore,' 'hence,' or 'as a result' to improve the flow of the narrative.

Incorrect verb form in 'everyone was praised my gift.'

The correct form should be 'everyone praised my gift.'

Lack of descriptive vocabulary.

Incorporate more descriptive words like 'charming,' 'thoughtful,' or 'unique' to enhance the expressiveness of the story.

Subject-verb agreement error in 'whatever she want to bring.'

It should be 'whatever she wants to bring.'

Use of 'one' before 'e-wheel eye locket' and 'little bag.'

Consider using 'an' for 'e-wheel eye locket' and 'a' for 'little bag' to correctly use articles.

The response lacks coherence and a structured flow. The sentences are disjointed, and there's a lack of cohesive devices to connect ideas.

Try using cohesive devices like 'Firstly,' 'Moreover,' or 'In addition' to improve the flow of your response. Start by describing the occasion, then explain why you chose the sunflower, and conclude with the recipient's reaction.

The response lacks descriptive vocabulary.

Incorporate more descriptive words. For instance, instead of just saying 'sunflower,' you could describe it as 'a vibrant, cheerful sunflower.'

The response is too brief and lacks sufficient detail.

Expand on your answer by including more details. For example, describe the occasion, your friend's reaction, and how giving the gift made you feel.

The response ends abruptly with 'Thank you for watching!' which is inappropriate for the context.

Conclude your response by summarizing the significance of the gift or how it strengthened your friendship.

The sentence structure is unclear and lacks coherence. The use of 'since my childhood to this present time' is awkward and could be better structured.

Start by clearly stating your love for giving gifts from childhood to now, using a more cohesive structure like 'Ever since I was a child, I have always enjoyed giving gifts to my loved ones.'

Repetitive use of 'gift' and incorrect use of tense in 'when I gift, when I gift someone recently.'

Use 'gave' instead of 'gift' to match the past tense context. Try 'when I gave a gift to someone recently.'

The phrase 'I really remember' is awkward and redundant.

Use 'I remember clearly' or 'I distinctly remember' for a more natural expression.

Incorrect article usage in 'a famous for old forts.'

Remove 'a' to correct the sentence to 'famous for old forts.'

The sentence 'each and everything's are very expensive over there' is incorrect.

Use 'everything is very expensive there' for correct subject-verb agreement.

The phrase 'he was one down client' is incorrect and unclear.

It seems like a mispronunciation or misuse. Consider using 'he was overjoyed' or 'he was thrilled' to convey happiness.

The narrative lacks clear organization and transitions.

Use cohesive devices like 'First,' 'Then,' 'Finally,' to organize the story. Consider structuring it from past to present, ending with the reaction to the gift.

The response does not address the task of describing a gift you gave to someone; instead, it focuses on a gift received.

Focus on describing a gift you recently gave to someone, including details like what the gift was, why you chose it, and the recipient's reaction.

Incorrect use of past tense and sentence structure.

Use past tense consistently to describe past events. For example, 'My husband gave me a gift two months ago.'

Repetition of 'gift' and 'phone' without variation.

Use synonyms or paraphrase to avoid repetition, such as 'present' or 'device.'

Lack of cohesive devices to connect ideas.

Use connectors like 'Furthermore,' 'Moreover,' or 'As a result' to improve the flow of the response.

Inappropriate use of the word 'creative' to describe a phone.

Use more accurate adjectives like 'innovative' or 'versatile.'

The response lacks coherence and structure, making it difficult to follow the narrative.

Organize the response by starting with the past (when and why you decided to give the gift), then describe the present (the act of giving the gift and the recipient's reaction), and finally speculate on the future (how the gift may impact your relationship).

Repetition of words such as 'amazing' and 'earring' reduces the impact of the description.

Use a variety of descriptive vocabulary, such as 'remarkable,' 'extraordinary,' or 'stunning,' to add depth to your response.

Incorrect use of tense in 'the earring is from 2022' and 'Apple brand is getting more stronger.'

Use past tense for past events, such as 'the earring was from 2022,' and correct the comparative form to 'stronger' instead of 'more stronger.'

Overuse of simple connectors like 'and' and 'actually.'

Incorporate more cohesive devices such as 'furthermore,' 'as a result,' or 'in addition' to improve the flow of your response.

The sentence 'Apple brand is getting more stronger' is unrelated to the main topic.

Stay focused on the topic of the gift and its significance rather than introducing unrelated information.