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Describe a time when you saw something in the sky: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • What you saw in the sky
  • When/where you saw it
  • What it looked like / any details
  • And explain why it was memorable
Show all 72 answers

Cue 1:What you saw in the sky

  • Begin by clearly stating what you saw in the sky, such as a rainbow, a shooting star, or a unique cloud formation.
  • Use descriptive language to create a vivid image of the sight.

Example

I saw a beautiful rainbow stretching across the sky after a light rain shower. The colors were vibrant, with shades of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet blending seamlessly into one another.

Cue 2:When/where you saw it

  • Mention the specific time and location where you witnessed this sight.
  • Provide context about the weather or the situation at that time.

Example

This happened last summer while I was visiting my grandparents' village in Kerala. It was late afternoon, and the sun was just beginning to set, creating a perfect backdrop for the rainbow.

Cue 3:What it looked like / any details

  • Describe the appearance of the sight in detail, including colors, shapes, and any other notable features.
  • Share any personal feelings or thoughts you had while observing it.

Example

The rainbow was a full arc, and it seemed to touch the ground at both ends. The colors were so bright and clear, almost like they were painted in the sky. I felt a sense of joy and wonder as I watched it, reminding me of my childhood when I used to chase rainbows.

Cue 4:And explain why it was memorable

  • Reflect on why this experience stood out to you and what it meant personally.
  • Connect it to any emotions or memories that it evoked.

Example

This moment was memorable because it reminded me of my childhood and the simple joys of life. It also symbolized hope and beauty after a storm, which resonated with me deeply during a challenging time in my life.

Conclusion

    Example

    In conclusion, seeing that rainbow was not just a visual treat but also a meaningful experience that brought back fond memories and a sense of hope. It taught me to appreciate the beauty around us, even in difficult times.

    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 less engaging and informative. Candidates often fail to provide specific details about what they saw, which can lead to a lack of clarity.

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    Tip

    Include specific details about the object in the sky, such as its color, shape, and size, to create a vivid image for the listener.

    2: Ignoring the Cue Card Structure

    Not following the cue card prompts can result in an unorganized response. Candidates may miss important aspects of the question, leading to incomplete answers.

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    Tip

    Address each cue in order: describe what you saw, when and where, details about it, and why it was memorable to ensure a structured response.

    Overly Short Answers

    Providing overly brief answers can make it seem like you are not engaged or knowledgeable. Candidates often give one-sentence responses that lack depth.

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    Tip

    Expand your answers by adding personal feelings, thoughts, or stories related to the experience to make your response more engaging.

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    All Answers

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

    Band 6-7

    When I was small, I saw a shooting star in the sky during the night, it was summer night, I was at my relative's place and there were no lights so we were hanging out on the terrace and when we were playing a game, suddenly someone saw a shooting star, like a shooting star and then someone shouted shooting star and then we looked at it and it looked so beautiful, this is the first time I have ever watched it, it was an amazing experience, I have always seen in films that people pray during the falling of the star and this is the first time, it was my turn so I asked that I will get the good marks in the exam as I was in school at that time, this was the most memorable moment because this is the first time I have ever seen something which I always seen during the movie watch.

    Band 6-7

    In my childhood, I used to enjoy looking at the sky during morning hours and also during afternoon. So, after coming from my tuitions, I used to go to the terrace of my building and used to sit on the steps and the time was quite sunny. And due to the harsh rays of sun, I used to find, you know, very different unidentified objects in the sky when I used to see like black colored dots moving in the air. I used to see all that. I used to always wonder that what kind of dots are these which are moving. And then I later realized that it was my illusion, yeah, and it was happening due to the sunlight. So, I enjoyed looking at these a lot and also when I was, yeah, when I was once going to my tuition, I was coming back after my tuition and I saw that there was a proper line which was formed due to smoke of an aeroplane, okay. So, yeah, I was looking at that and I was wondering that what is this happening. I used to think that, you know, I was very, I was a kid, so I used to believe all such stories that I used to think that, you know, God are traveling to some another place and this is the train and these are the tracks which are formed, those smokes which used to come due to the aeroplane. So, yes, these were some of the illusions.

    Band 6-7

    I saw aeroplane in the sky when I was child so it brought me intense amount of curiosity looking at the aeroplane. As a child in my view it was just a iron bird flying through the sky. Then I saw the aeroplane while traveling to my hometown. I saw it through my car windows and I asked my father what is that? I remember him telling it is a iron bird, flying bird which is human made. Then immediately I got an idea how something can fly like a bird in the sky which is made by human. Then it sort of increased the thinking capacity of mind or somewhere I wanted to know how it is actually happening. I wanted to know the physics behind it. So I actually researched about it when I was a kid and after that research I had a huge dream of becoming a pilot. So after my class 12, I even tried getting into aeronautical engineering. But unfortunately somewhere because of my family or my thoughts

    Band 6-7

    a time when I saw something on my sky is rainbow. rainbow that is the first time I am seeing over the skies. I have only seen the rainbow and the structure with all the seven colors in my nursery rhymes and books only. so as it was my first time it was very very sightful experience and while I was going to my school in my school bus I saw it at a Trivandrum railway station. it was in a semi circle with all seven colors visible on that rainbow. so it was a rainy day and bit cloudy there. it was memorable because I saw it with my friends and first one of my friends saw it. she shouted on the bus and everyone was looking through the window. so I remember that scene now also because it was it was a very good scenery and we all put our head through the windows and we looked into the look to the through the window the rainbow and after that I have whenever I see the rainbow I remember the first I remember the first day which I saw rainbow

    Band 6-7

    So, I was on my vacation and I had signed up for a photography class because I have been a frequent photographer now and I wanted to practice my skill. So, I reached my photography class quite early and I was waiting for the teacher to arrive. Suddenly, my attention turned towards the sky. I saw this bright blue figure in contrast to the grey and cloudy sky. At first, I couldn't make sense of it and then I realized I wasn't wearing my glasses. So, I quickly reached for my glasses from my bag and decided to focus my eyes a little. I even took out my camera and used the zoom feature to see what it was. And alo to my surprise, it was a rare blue parakeet, once only found in East Africa. As you can see, I am a bit of an ornithologist as well and I like to keep my bird facts intact and this was indeed a quite rare variety of blue parakeet. So, I quickly asked my peer from class for his DSLR camera and tried to capture it. I used that photo for my final examination and I scored an A grade. So, this is how a figure in the sky gave me an everlasting memory. It brightened up my day with its blue color. So, the blue parakeet became memorable.

    Band 6-7

    I remember during my sixth birthday I saw something glittering in the sky. My mom told that it is a shooting star which is happening for once in ten years. It was a kind of star moving from one place to another location with some kind of extended projection on its back. When I first saw that I was really happy because that is the first time I have ever seen the type of star moving from one place to another with some tail on its back and it was memorable for me because it happened during my birthday and my mom told immediately to take some a wish so that it can be blessed with God.

    Band 6-7

    the time i saw something in the sky i want to i want to say a recently i'm returning from from my father's store in the night i saw something very beautiful in the sky and it is stars we all know that stars are very beautiful in the nights and only appear in the night but there is a numerous stars in that night and i enjoy the beautiful view of the stars and when it comes to why i enjoy the view because it is not a good day for me but the view makes my day better and i was riding in a bike then i saw the view in the sky i stopped with the bike and enjoy the view from the roadside and my surrounding there was a paddy field and there is no other houses or buildings near me so i i can really enjoy the surroundings and the sky and also the view of the stars and furthermore it is shining like diamonds yes it is the time and i want to share it with you because it is where it is a memorable incident for me

    Band 6-7

    Seeing paper lamps fly high above my head in the sky are one of my most cherished memories of all times. During the festival of Diwali, which is a festival of light, you can see countless paper lights flying in the sky. During Diwali, people light up a lot of paper lamps and they let them fly in the vast sky and they fly high above among the clouds. It looks very beautiful with all the firecrackers bursting around. You can see a lot of paper lamps of all kinds. They come in various colors, shapes and sizes and they look very beautiful when you look up at them from the ground. I enjoy watching them a lot because I also have a very beautiful memory associated with them. When I was little, I also used to light up paper lamps with my grandfather at the time of Diwali. And whenever I look at them now in the sky, it always brings back those cherishable moments of my childhood. For more information, visit www.OSHO.com OSHO is a registered Trademark of OSHO International Foundation

    Band 6-7

    One time when we were in the ground, we used to play football and in the sky I saw an aeroplane. What is so important about seeing an aeroplane in the sky, it's a very common thing. But the thing that made it memorable was that it was pretty close. Like it was flying very close and I could visibly see everything was in a chair named Air India. I could see the passenger windows and it had a very loud noise. I could clearly see it. My friends and I, we watched it and we ran after it somewhat. We talked about it a lot. After that we saw an aeroplane quite near to the land. It flew over our heads. It was quite memorable. In that aeroplane, we saw the smoke coming out of the engine. It made stripes of clouds. It made cloudy stripes. It was like roads. The stripes made somewhat of a road. It was a straight line for a moment and then it just disappeared into the sky. It wasn't much colorful or something. One thing was that with that sound, the sound that the aeroplane made, a lot of people came.

    Band 6-7

    So, when I was coming back from school to my home, on my way, I noticed, like my eyes, they went glazing towards the sky, ok, and that scene was so beautiful, the sky was full with so many different shades of pink, orange, yellow and red that I was literally awestruck. I was just in there staring at the sky and hoping that I could have stayed for longer. I really remember those days when I was, like, to come back from school to home and some very special days of the nature, if they are enough providing, provideful to you, they do give such nuances of their beauty in such things like this and you need to respect them and appreciate them and, I guess, move on, but still, just bless your mind to have them into your memory and, furthermore, I would really love to say that I have a picture of it and I rejoice at it whenever I see it and that thing, I will never forget it. Peace.
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