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Describe a kind of foreign food you like and you have had: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • What the dish is?
  • Where you tried it?
  • What ingredients or taste you enjoyed?
  • And explain why you like it.
Show all 182 answers

Cue 1:What the dish is?

  • Begin by naming the foreign dish you enjoy and give a brief description of it.
  • Mention any unique features of the dish that make it stand out.

Example

One foreign dish that I absolutely love is sushi. It's a traditional Japanese dish that consists of vinegared rice paired with various ingredients, including seafood, vegetables, and sometimes tropical fruits.


Cue 2:Where you tried it?

  • Describe the location where you first tried this dish, whether it was a restaurant, a friend's house, or during a trip.
  • Share any memorable experiences related to that place.

Example

I first tried sushi at a popular Japanese restaurant in my city called 'Sushi House'. I went there with my friends to celebrate my birthday, and the ambiance was vibrant and welcoming, which made the experience even more enjoyable.


Cue 3:What ingredients or taste you enjoyed?

  • Talk about the specific ingredients that you liked in the dish.
  • Describe the flavors and textures that made the dish appealing to you.

Example

What I enjoyed most about sushi were the fresh ingredients, especially the salmon and avocado. The combination of the soft, sticky rice with the creamy avocado and the rich flavor of the salmon created a delightful taste that was both refreshing and satisfying.


Cue 4:And explain why you like it.

  • Explain your personal connection to the dish and why it holds significance for you.
  • Mention any cultural aspects or health benefits that contribute to your preference.

Example

I like sushi not only for its delicious taste but also because it represents a healthy eating option. It’s light yet filling, and I appreciate the artistry involved in making it. Additionally, trying sushi has opened my eyes to Japanese culture, which I find fascinating.


Conclusion

    Example

    In conclusion, sushi is more than just a meal for me; it’s an experience that combines flavor, culture, and health. I look forward to trying different varieties of sushi in the future and exploring more of what Japanese cuisine has to offer.


    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 Too Vague

    Candidates often provide unclear or general answers without specific details about the dish. This can make the response less engaging and informative.

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    Tip

    Include specific details about the dish, such as its name, ingredients, and unique flavors to create a vivid picture.


    2: Ignoring the Cues

    Some candidates fail to address all the cues provided, which can lead to incomplete answers and lower scores.

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    Tip

    Make sure to cover all the cues: what the dish is, where you tried it, what you enjoyed, and why you like it.


    Lack of Personal Connection

    Responses that lack personal anecdotes or feelings can seem flat and uninteresting, making it hard for the examiner to connect.

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    Tip

    Share a personal story or memory related to the dish to make your answer more relatable and engaging.


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    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
    anonymous person icon

    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 7.5

    location icon

    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
    anonymous person icon

    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 8

    location icon

    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
    anonymous person icon

    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 6.5

    location icon

    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
    anonymous person icon

    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 7

    location icon

    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
    anonymous person icon

    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 7.5

    location icon

    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.

    All Answers

    Here are all the answers by real-users practicing speaking for IELTS Cue Cards on our IELTS Prep App.

    Band 7

    The foreign food which I like the most is pizza. The pizza is basically from Italian origin and in my country I've tried it in a cafe named Tipsy where the professionals bake so yum and delicious pizza that anyone can have a glimpse of Italian pizza. The most favorite one of mine is Margherita pizza because the flavors and the taste of that I like the most. They just use some special sort of cheese and spices and herbs on the pizza base. There's nothing more than that and such simple and yet delicious pizzas.

    Band 7

    Hi, so the kind of foreign food which I specifically enjoyed in one of my foreign trips to Hong Kong was this coconut dumpling. It had an exquisite taste and the flavors were really wonderful and was really a very nice experience. I got to taste various different notes of cinnamon, then cardamom, the very sweet sugar and was steamed, so which made it very healthy and the coating was also made of rice, so there is no oil in it, so I can say that this is a low calorie food which I really enjoyed. And the restaurant was very kind enough to give us, you know, what ingredients went into the dish and, you know, if it was a special preparation and it was 100% vegan, so there is no question for any milk or milk products to get added into this specific dish. But overall I would say that this dish is really a once in a lifetime go-to dish if you ever visit Hong Kong.

    Band 7

    I would like to describe the time I tasted fish and chips for the very first time. It was on my first trip to the UK. I had it at Morrisons which is a famous supermarket in the UK. It was with my girlfriend that I visited this store. I was very confused with the taste of the dish because back home I am used to eating fish with a lot of different spices and curries. The fish and chips tasted quite nice but I felt it was a bit bland. Although I enjoyed the mushy peas that was served alongside with it, it was a new experience for me as I got to taste British cuisine for the first time. I am not really sure if I would like to taste it in the future for two main reasons. Firstly, I think it was quite expensive because in my mind I calculate the pounds back to Indian Rupees which adds up to quite a lot. The second reason being the lack of spice in it. I really liked the crunchiness and I was quite amazed by how fresh the fish was but I wouldn't be very much excited to try it in the future. The experience was quite pleasant and I am looking forward to trying more of British food.

    Band 7

    One type of foreign food that I really enjoy is Japanese sushi which I first tried a few years ago at an authentic Japanese restaurant in my city. Before that I had only seen sushi in videos and advertisements so I was quite curious to experience its real taste. I remember ordering a mixed platter that includes salmon nigiri, toto make rolls and prawns purin rolls at first. I was slightly hesitant because sushi is often served raw and it was very difficult from the cooked dishes I usually eat. However, the moment I tasted it I was pleasantly surprised. The flavor was extremely fresh, the rice was slightly sweet and the combination of soy sauce and wasabi added a unique kick. What impressed me the most was the how light and healthy it felt compared to the oily and spicy foods I normally have. Since then sushi has become one of my favorite international dishes. Not only does it taste delicious but it also reflects the Japanese culture of simplicity, precision and cleanness. I also appreciate that sushi can be made in many varieties so it never feels repetitive. Whenever I get the chance I love going out with my friends to enjoy it and I even learn how to make basic sushi at home. Overall trying sushi was a memorable experience because it introduced me to a completely different style of food. It broadened my taste preferences and it is definitely a foreign cuisine I would recommend to anyone who enjoys exploring new flavors.

    Band 7

    Recently I visited Bangalore and there was a Japanese restaurant known as the Great Indian Ramen Shop and I tried the dish known as Ramen. It's a very amazing dish. After tasting that my taste buds are blown away because it's really that good. The main ingredients of this dish, the ramen are beef, noodles and the special broth. The broth is made by boiling the beef bones for over 8 hours and simmering them down to a gravy like consistency. The ramen really has a unique flavor that is not available in any of the dishes that I have tried in that restaurant. Furthermore the texture of the ramen is marvelous, it's really good. In addition to that I really wanted to taste that ramen again. So I have been practicing cooking to make that ramen at home but I failed miserably. I have been trying every day since I ate that food in that particular store but I keep failing. In the near future I would like to perfect my dish and bring the same texture and flavor as the dish I have tried in that restaurant.

    Band 7

    So, recently the food that I tried was a bowl of ramen that I absolutely loved. I had tried it in a small shop called Naturo that is a small shop that was tucked away in Kerala. The bowl of ramen contained slices of ham, chicken and a small egg that was boiled and this was surrounded by a very strong broth that was highly concentrated in the flavor of this broth and it had a very strong sense of umami lending from its vegetables and the chicken that was dipped in it. It took around a whole hour to prepare because the art of making a ramen is highly intricate as well as complicated and this was topped off with onion oils and chili oil and shallots. I absolutely loved drinking it and it's an amazing dish because not only can I drink it, I'm also able to chew it by using chopsticks although I have to admit that I did struggle on the chopsticks aspect of it. At this point of time, I conversed with my chef and he was able to tell me that ramen is not just any other dish, it is a dish that represents the culture of Japan. It takes a long time to prepare and I thought that was profound because not only is it incredibly delicious but it is also a symbolic event of the patience that it serves because it takes about a week to make the broth as flavorful as that and it takes incredible discipline and patience to make a dish like that and I was very lucky to have tasted it from the incredible chef that cooked for me and it is something that I would definitely go back and buy it again.

    Band 7

    A foreign food I tried and really liked was Thai green curry. I had it for the first time last year when I went to a Thai restaurant with a group of friends. Until then I used to eat Indian and Chinese dishes so that it was something very completely new for me. The curry is made with a mixture of coconut milk, green chillies, lemongrass, basil leaves and a special green curry paste that gives a very fresh and aromatic flavor. It also includes vegetables like bell peppers and mushrooms, sometimes chicken or tofu depending on what you prefer. The dish is usually served with steamed jasmine rice which absorbs the curry beautifully. What I liked most about this food was the combination of flavors. It was spicy but the coconut milk balanced the heat perfectly so it didn't felt overwhelming. It had a creamy texture and very refreshing smell from the herbs. I remember being surprised by how difficult or different it tasted from anything I had ever eaten before. Another reason I enjoyed it was the overall experience. The restaurant had a calm, cozy atmosphere and the dish was presented beautifully. After trying it once, I actually looked up recipes online and made a simple version at home. Overall, Thai curry became one of my favorite foreign dishes because of its unique flavor, aroma and the memorable I had while trying it. This will be the most liked dish I ever had because of its flavor and aromatic taste.

    Band 7

    The kind of foreign food I would like to talk about is pasta. It is one of my favorite foods of all time. I believe it is an Italian dish and I had it at this restaurant called Little Italy back when I was at uni. It was near our university and we went there on my friend's birthday. He planned everything and knew a lot of us enjoyed Italian food. One of the main reasons I love pasta is because I absolutely love eating spicy food and it has been my jam since forever. Another thing is pasta really enhances every single ingredient added to it. My favorite is red sauce pasta as it has everything from tanginess, sweetness to spiciness. I do enjoy white sauce pasta but not as much as it's a little more creamy for my taste. So yes it was an amazing experience and I would love to eat more Italian dishes and maybe even travel to Italy and try them.

    Band 7

    Out of all the foreign cuisines, I'd say I like sushi the most, fortunately I have tried it a few times and I really enjoyed it. The fantastic taste of the sauces and the spices along with the carrots and vegetables rolled in sushi makes it mouth-watering.

    Band 7

    Recently, I was invited to Delhi's best pizza cafe. As a social media influencer, I feel privileged to be invited to such cafes where not only the food is delicious, but the experience is ineffable. I remember having their special Detroit-style pizza, which was loaded with toppings. My friend and I ate two slices each, and we were almost full. Then the staff was kind enough to let us in the kitchen and give a sneak peek in the making of the pizza. As we saw the behind-the-scenes details of it, we were astonished at how hard-working every single person was. The pizza was being prepared in their stone stove, not the regular microwave. And let me tell you, the taste of every detail and ingredient was something that cannot be described in words. They used pesto, flour, onions, olives, and much more. It all felt like the right proportion to be used, and the concoction was just breathtaking. Since it was a collaboration, we had to make a small video and recommend their pizza. And we definitely did that pretty well.

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