Describe A Puzzle You Have Played: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

What is it like?
How easy or difficult is it?
How long does it take you to solve it?
And how do you feel about it?

21 unique answers with expert feedback

Show all 21 answers

Cue 1:What is it like?

Describe the type of puzzle you played, such as a jigsaw puzzle, crossword, or Sudoku.
Mention any unique features or themes that make it interesting.

Example

I recently played a jigsaw puzzle that depicted a beautiful sunset over the Himalayas. The puzzle had 1000 pieces, and the vibrant colors made it visually appealing. I love puzzles that challenge my mind while also showcasing stunning scenery.

Cue 2:How easy or difficult is it?

Explain your initial thoughts on the difficulty level of the puzzle.
Share any specific challenges you faced while solving it.

Example

At first, I thought the puzzle would be easy because of the bright colors, but I quickly realized that the pieces were quite similar in shade. It took me a while to find the right pieces, especially for the sky area, which was mostly orange and yellow.

Cue 3:How long does it take you to solve it?

Give an estimate of the time it took you to complete the puzzle.
Mention if you worked on it in one sitting or over several days.

Example

I spent about three evenings working on this puzzle. I would sit down after dinner and focus on it for a couple of hours each night. It was relaxing and a great way to unwind after a busy day.

Cue 4:And how do you feel about it?

Share your feelings about completing the puzzle.
Discuss any sense of accomplishment or enjoyment you experienced.

Example

Completing the puzzle gave me a great sense of accomplishment. I felt proud to see the final image come together after all the effort I put in. It was not just about solving it; it was also a wonderful way to spend time with my family as we all contributed to it.

Conclusion

Example

Overall, playing puzzles is a delightful experience for me. It not only challenges my brain but also provides a sense of relaxation and satisfaction. I look forward to trying more puzzles in the future, especially those that feature beautiful landscapes.

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: Vague Descriptions

Using vague language can make your answer unclear. It's important to provide specific details about the puzzle to engage the listener and demonstrate your language skills.

Tip

Use descriptive adjectives and specific examples to illustrate your experience with the puzzle, such as its colors, shapes, or themes.

2: Ignoring the Cues

Failing to address all the cues can lead to an incomplete answer. Each cue is designed to help structure your response and showcase your speaking abilities.

Tip

Make sure to cover each cue in your answer, providing a clear response to 'What is it like?', 'How easy or difficult is it?', etc.

Overly Short Answers

Providing overly brief answers can limit your score. The IELTS Speaking test values detailed responses that show your ability to communicate effectively.

Tip

Expand on your answers by adding personal anecdotes or feelings related to the puzzle, ensuring you provide enough information to engage the examiner.

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.