Describe A Story Or Novel That Was Interesting To You: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • What story or novel was it?
  • Where did you come to know about it?
  • When did you read it?
  • How did you feel about it?

Band 6-7

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I would like to describe a novel that I read when I was in college and the novel was quite interesting and captivating that I still remember the name of that novel and it is One Night at Call Center by Chetan Bhagat and I came to know about that novel through my best friend who read it and referred me to read this book once. So, I borrowed her book and started reading it. The book was quite gripping and intriguing factors were taking place, incidents were taking place as we read more and more or go through the book whenever I still remember some of its scary incident that took place during the journey of those five friends who all were working in call center and come out to move around at late night and the whole story was captivating and I just finished it at once when I started reading it and the last chapter was quite amazing. It was at that time of my age, it was feeling like I am watching a scary or suspense thriller movie and the author has described the incidents with great interest.

Follow up questions


What themes did you find most compelling in the novel?
The themes of friendship, courage, and the challenges of modern life in a call center were compelling. The way the characters navigated their fears and supported each other during their late-night adventures made the story relatable and engaging.

How did the novel impact your perspective on friendship?
The novel highlighted the importance of friendship and support during tough times. It made me appreciate my friends more and understand how crucial it is to have a strong support system, especially when facing challenges in life.

Would you recommend this novel to others? Why?
Absolutely! I would recommend it because it's not only entertaining but also thought-provoking. It combines humor, suspense, and relatable characters, making it a great read for anyone looking for a captivating story that reflects real-life situations.

Band 6-7

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00:00

I am a book lover person, you can say I am a bookwormer. I always found out to find a new stories, new books for the reading. My favorite story is named Jannat Ke Patte. I find it from a college library. I just read his first page and I fell in love with that novel. It is all about the life of a person who have only one relative. He don't know about his parents, he just knows about his uncle. And how he find his lost family, what difficulties he suffered, what kind of the challenges, what kind of the strategies he applied. It is a simple story how people try to find out their name, their family, their backgrounds. The other picture of the story is about two sisters. They are twins and they both have a same face, same feature. One is a very innocent, the other one is like a evil genius but she is not innocent. Whatever the bluff she do, the innocent try to cover either it's a school, either it's a homework, either it's a family time. So the combination of both these stories in Jannat Ke Patte, it make it so beautiful.

Follow up questions


What themes do you think are important in 'Jannat Ke Patte'?
The themes of family, identity, and the struggle for belonging are central to 'Jannat Ke Patte'. The protagonist's journey to find his lost family highlights the importance of understanding one's roots. Additionally, the contrast between the two sisters showcases themes of innocence versus cunning, making the story rich in moral lessons.

How did the characters in the novel resonate with you?
The characters in 'Jannat Ke Patte' are relatable, especially the protagonist who seeks his identity. His struggles mirror many people's quests for belonging. The twin sisters add complexity; I found their contrasting personalities intriguing, as they represent the duality of human nature, making me reflect on my own relationships.

Would you recommend 'Jannat Ke Patte' to others? Why?
Absolutely! 'Jannat Ke Patte' is a captivating read that combines emotional depth with engaging storytelling. It not only entertains but also prompts readers to think about their own families and identities. The unique character dynamics and the unfolding mystery make it a compelling recommendation for anyone who loves a good story.

Band 6-7

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00:00

I would like to tell a story of a player named Ardik Pandya who is a player in Indian cricket team. He is a middle order player who plays fantastically. His background is a very low middle class family where he used to play games for 100 and 200 rupees minimum at his school grounds or any other privatized grounds to make his living. So that was an interesting part of him telling where he struggled and came to an Indian cricket team where his parents were on a daily wage so they couldn't make a living. So in that cruel times he still woke up and dreamt of playing for an Indian team which made him a very good thing and his story about he got recognized in 2019 Indian where he smashed 97 runs out of 26 balls which made him very wonderful. So this story dedicates me telling that it's not about where you are it's about what you dream and how you come up. So it's not about only where you stand it's about where you want to come up in your life. This teaches the moral is that never think that you are always down. Think big, imagine big and which is very useful.

Follow up questions


What inspired you to choose Ardik Pandya's story?
I find Ardik Pandya's story inspiring because it highlights resilience and determination. His journey from a low-income background to representing India in cricket shows that hard work and perseverance can lead to success, regardless of one's circumstances.

How do you think sports can impact someone's life?
Sports can significantly impact someone's life by providing opportunities for personal growth, discipline, and teamwork. It can also serve as a platform for individuals to escape difficult situations and achieve their dreams, much like Ardik Pandya did.

What lessons can we learn from Ardik Pandya's struggles?
Ardik Pandya's struggles teach us the importance of dreaming big and not letting our current circumstances define us. It emphasizes that with hard work, dedication, and a positive mindset, we can overcome challenges and achieve our goals.

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Band 6-7

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00:00

So one of the famous novel Ugly Love written by Colleen Hoover was the book that I recently read. So Colleen Hoover is one of the famous American novel writer. Ugly Love depicts the love story of a woman and a man. This woman is in love with her brother's best friend. She fell in love with this person and after that she came to know the past of this person. That's how this novel moves forward. And at the end, this boy, he will be telling her how his past relationship was and how he got out of the relationship. So I got to know about this novel when I was watching reels on Instagram. So many influencers, they were giving reviews about this book and that's how I came to know about this book. And I was curious on reading about this book. That's how I was searching in Amazon for a copy and I was able to find a copy in a very reasonable amount. And then I read and I was able to complete the book within two days. I was very much into that book and even from the first chapter itself I got curious to know more about the book. So I used to travel every day. Every day I was reading the book while I was going to job also. In the train, coming back, I will be reading. And I felt so happy in reading because I am myself a very emotional kind of person. So I was able to relate with the thought process of the writer and that character. And using my imagination I was able to...

Follow up questions


What themes did you find most compelling in 'Ugly Love'?
The themes of love, heartbreak, and personal growth were very compelling. The way the characters navigated their emotions and past experiences resonated with me, especially the idea of overcoming obstacles in relationships.

How did reading 'Ugly Love' impact your perspective on relationships?
Reading 'Ugly Love' made me reflect on the complexities of relationships. It highlighted how past experiences shape our present and the importance of communication in love. It also reminded me that love can be both beautiful and painful.

Would you recommend 'Ugly Love' to others? Why or why not?
Absolutely! I would recommend 'Ugly Love' because it's a gripping story that many can relate to. The emotional depth and character development are exceptional, making it a worthwhile read for anyone who enjoys romance and drama.

Band 6-7

00:00

/

00:00

So this novel is called The Alchemist and it is written by Paul Coelho. This novel was suggested to me by my friend and she suggested me to read more about it as it somewhat resonated with my life journey. So to enhance a bit, to make me feel good, the story is somewhat related to how to find a self-purpose in life. It's a story about a boy who was in a confused situation and when he came across a person who was sort of a magician, he gave the outlook of the next five years, how it's going to be for him. Then across few journey, when he travelled to different places, he had some difficulties along the way, but somehow he tried managing to escape them. And thus he got to know that this is the part where he thought that maybe he should focus on self-purpose of his life. This story was quite meaningful for me and it showed me a lot of reason, a lot of different perspective of how we usually see our life. It also made me realise that whatever we are looking for out there, we should definitely look for in our nearby area before going out there to look for some different things because we will never know what we will be forgetting.

Follow up questions


What themes in 'The Alchemist' resonate with your personal experiences?
The themes of self-discovery and pursuing one's dreams resonate deeply with my journey. Like the protagonist, I've faced confusion and challenges, but I've learned that understanding my purpose is crucial. The novel encourages me to reflect on my own aspirations and the importance of perseverance.

How did reading 'The Alchemist' change your perspective on life?
Reading 'The Alchemist' shifted my perspective by highlighting the importance of looking within for answers. It taught me that often, what we seek is closer than we think, and that life's journey is as important as the destination. This realization has made me more mindful of my surroundings and opportunities.

Would you recommend 'The Alchemist' to others? Why or why not?
Absolutely, I would recommend 'The Alchemist' to others because it offers valuable insights into personal growth and self-discovery. The storytelling is engaging, and the lessons are universal, making it relatable for anyone seeking direction in their life. It's a book that inspires reflection and action.
Show all 22 answers

Cue 1:What story or novel was it?

  • Begin by mentioning the title of the story or novel clearly.
  • Briefly describe the main theme or genre of the book.

Example

The novel I found particularly interesting is 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho. It is a philosophical story about a young shepherd named Santiago who dreams of finding treasure in Egypt.


Cue 2:Where did you come to know about it?

  • Share how you first heard about the book, whether through a friend, school, or online.
  • Mention any specific recommendations or reviews that influenced your decision to read it.

Example

I first came to know about 'The Alchemist' from a friend who recommended it during our college days. She spoke highly of its inspirational messages, which piqued my interest.


Cue 3:When did you read it?

  • State the time period when you read the book, such as during a specific year or season.
  • You can also mention any particular circumstances that made you choose to read it at that time.

Example

I read this novel about two years ago during my summer vacation. I had some free time, and I wanted to read something that could motivate me.


Cue 4:How did you feel about it?

  • Express your emotions and thoughts after reading the book.
  • Discuss any lessons learned or how it impacted your perspective on life.

Example

After finishing 'The Alchemist', I felt inspired and hopeful. The story taught me about following my dreams and listening to my heart, which has influenced my decisions since then.


Conclusion

    Example

    In conclusion, 'The Alchemist' is not just a novel; it’s a journey of self-discovery that resonates with many readers. Its timeless message encourages us to pursue our dreams, making it a memorable read for me.


    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: Avoid Vague Descriptions

    Using vague language can make your answer less engaging and informative. It’s important to provide specific details about the story or novel to capture the examiner's interest.

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    Tip

    Include key plot points, character names, and specific themes to make your description vivid and memorable.


    2: Don't Rush Your Response

    Rushing through your answer can lead to unclear explanations and missed details. Take your time to think about each cue and structure your response logically.

    bulb icon

    Tip

    Pause briefly to organize your thoughts before answering each cue, ensuring clarity and coherence in your response.


    Neglecting Personal Feelings

    Failing to express your personal feelings about the story can make your answer less relatable. The examiner wants to hear your unique perspective and emotional connection.

    bulb icon

    Tip

    Share how the story impacted you personally, discussing your feelings and thoughts to create a more engaging narrative.


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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
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    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 7.5

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    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
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    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 8

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    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
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    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 6.5

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    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
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    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 7

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    Begumpet Test Centre, Hyderabad

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    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

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    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 6-7

    I've always been a person that believed in rom-coms and romantic movies, old literature books, old literature stories, romance, love at first sight. So I was watching a movie around two years back and I came across it like scrolling through Netflix. The movie's name was Pride and Prejudice and the movie matched my forte. I loved the movie. It was all set in Regency era. It showed how a person of high esteem, wella and wealthy men fell in love with a girl that was just being herself. She didn't have to pretend that she had to fit into the society to get married. I have seen some girls these days that try to fit into the society by changing their ways and means just to impress people that don't even care about them. So I saw that movie and I fell in love with the characters, the storyline, the plot. So I get to know about that the movie was inspired from the book. I purchased the book, I read the book and I fell in love with the book even more. The movie had cut so many important scenes and plots of the book. But when I read the book, it was so fulfilled of all the thoughts and it literally made me believe that I am in the Regency era. I am living their story, Darcy and Elizabeth and the book literally was something that filled me with immense happiness because I was really happy after reading that book. It had a happy ending, it was all love and yeah.

    Band 6-7

    So one of the famous novel Ugly Love written by Colleen Hoover was the book that I recently read. So Colleen Hoover is one of the famous American novel writer. Ugly Love depicts the love story of a woman and a man. This woman is in love with her brother's best friend. She fell in love with this person and after that she came to know the past of this person. That's how this novel moves forward. And at the end, this boy, he will be telling her how his past relationship was and how he got out of the relationship. So I got to know about this novel when I was watching reels on Instagram. So many influencers, they were giving reviews about this book and that's how I came to know about this book. And I was curious on reading about this book. That's how I was searching in Amazon for a copy and I was able to find a copy in a very reasonable amount. And then I read and I was able to complete the book within two days. I was very much into that book and even from the first chapter itself I got curious to know more about the book. So I used to travel every day. Every day I was reading the book while I was going to job also. In the train, coming back, I will be reading. And I felt so happy in reading because I am myself a very emotional kind of person. So I was able to relate with the thought process of the writer and that character. And using my imagination I was able to...

    Band 6-7

    I would like to describe a novel that I read when I was in college and the novel was quite interesting and captivating that I still remember the name of that novel and it is One Night at Call Center by Chetan Bhagat and I came to know about that novel through my best friend who read it and referred me to read this book once. So, I borrowed her book and started reading it. The book was quite gripping and intriguing factors were taking place, incidents were taking place as we read more and more or go through the book whenever I still remember some of its scary incident that took place during the journey of those five friends who all were working in call center and come out to move around at late night and the whole story was captivating and I just finished it at once when I started reading it and the last chapter was quite amazing. It was at that time of my age, it was feeling like I am watching a scary or suspense thriller movie and the author has described the incidents with great interest.

    Band 6-7

    So this novel is called The Alchemist and it is written by Paul Coelho. This novel was suggested to me by my friend and she suggested me to read more about it as it somewhat resonated with my life journey. So to enhance a bit, to make me feel good, the story is somewhat related to how to find a self-purpose in life. It's a story about a boy who was in a confused situation and when he came across a person who was sort of a magician, he gave the outlook of the next five years, how it's going to be for him. Then across few journey, when he travelled to different places, he had some difficulties along the way, but somehow he tried managing to escape them. And thus he got to know that this is the part where he thought that maybe he should focus on self-purpose of his life. This story was quite meaningful for me and it showed me a lot of reason, a lot of different perspective of how we usually see our life. It also made me realise that whatever we are looking for out there, we should definitely look for in our nearby area before going out there to look for some different things because we will never know what we will be forgetting.

    Band 6-7

    I would like to tell a story of a player named Ardik Pandya who is a player in Indian cricket team. He is a middle order player who plays fantastically. His background is a very low middle class family where he used to play games for 100 and 200 rupees minimum at his school grounds or any other privatized grounds to make his living. So that was an interesting part of him telling where he struggled and came to an Indian cricket team where his parents were on a daily wage so they couldn't make a living. So in that cruel times he still woke up and dreamt of playing for an Indian team which made him a very good thing and his story about he got recognized in 2019 Indian where he smashed 97 runs out of 26 balls which made him very wonderful. So this story dedicates me telling that it's not about where you are it's about what you dream and how you come up. So it's not about only where you stand it's about where you want to come up in your life. This teaches the moral is that never think that you are always down. Think big, imagine big and which is very useful.

    Band 6-7

    The book which I fantasized over when I was studying school was the Harry Potter series. J.K. Rowling's magical and extraordinary ideas about the wizarding world is something which every reader should read about. The Harry Potter series is about the protagonist Harry who is the boy who lived and he attends school of wizarding along with his friends named Hermione and Ron and the adventures he follows is in the book of Harry Potter.

    Band 6-7

    I am a book lover person, you can say I am a bookwormer. I always found out to find a new stories, new books for the reading. My favorite story is named Jannat Ke Patte. I find it from a college library. I just read his first page and I fell in love with that novel. It is all about the life of a person who have only one relative. He don't know about his parents, he just knows about his uncle. And how he find his lost family, what difficulties he suffered, what kind of the challenges, what kind of the strategies he applied. It is a simple story how people try to find out their name, their family, their backgrounds. The other picture of the story is about two sisters. They are twins and they both have a same face, same feature. One is a very innocent, the other one is like a evil genius but she is not innocent. Whatever the bluff she do, the innocent try to cover either it's a school, either it's a homework, either it's a family time. So the combination of both these stories in Jannat Ke Patte, it make it so beautiful.

    Band 6-7

    The story A story is about a Tiger King which I read in my class 12th NCRT book in my school and the story talks about a Tiger King who was in his childhood predicted by an astrologer that he would died by a tiger and he started killing tigers and he killed 100 tigers which is a very painful thing. Also at last the Tiger King was dead because of a wooden tiger which was injected in his hand and he got an infection and he died because of that. So the lesson we get from it is that the death is inevitable and we cannot avoid it. Thanks for watching.

    Band 6

    Here I would like to talk about an interesting novel that I read one week before. It is written by Mr. Mugundan who was a very famous writer in Kerala. And the name of the book was Moses Anandi. The main theme of the book was two different people who met in a railway station and their love story and how they connected to each other. It is a very attractive and enthusiastic story. Once we start reading this book we can't stop without completing it. It gives that much addition to this book. He wrote different kind of stories but this one is very special when compared to others. This novel is suggested by my close friend who is already completed reading this book. I used to read novels during my train journey. So once a day I accidentally met a book seller in the train and I bought this book from the train. And I have a long journey for 7 hours so I started reading this book. And when I started reading I didn't look for the time. I don't know how easily I covered these 7 hours. And within these 2 short time I completed this book and that gives a very good experience.

    Band 6

    Yeah, I recently read this book called Financial Freedom. So this book was written by Mark Waldo. This book was got published in the year 2000, early 2000 or 2001. And I read this, I read this book, two months back, I, this novel got this book got inspired me because this taught me a couple of lessons. And by reading it, it enlightened me with multiple ideas.
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