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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

    Well, actually, it's a piece of cake for me. It's because I am really enjoying watching the sky all the time. So, if I were to pick something, then the memorable event was a rainbow in the sky. Watching a rainbow in the sky is the most beautiful moment that I ever had. When I was in college, under my teenage, I was really disappointed at that time. Really stressed and really pathetic situations. At that time, I saw a rainbow. When I saw a rainbow, I was full. I go to bring back my energetic and really enjoyable self. Because I really love rainbow. So, I always wish when I face a challenge or a stressful day, I wish to watch a rainbow. It really brings happiness to my life. So, yeah, it is the most beautiful moment in my life.

    Band 6-7

    Around 2 years back I saw a military chopper in the sky which was about to land in the Ghaziabad airport at the Indian airport which is in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh so it was quite a memorable moment like I never saw army chopper neither on the land nor in the sky and it was quite a proud moment for me and to see the army officials in the chopper from a very close view. Quite a few times we see the airplanes, commercial airplanes, private airlines in the sky but we rarely see a helicopter and also an army chopper in the sky so I was seeing it for quite a while until it was in my vision and it was a great feeling and I was feeling quite proud and was thankful to the God that we are being protected by our army officials and I salute to them.

    Band 6-7

    It was the days of summers when I came back from my school and after finishing my exam I was simply lying on the bed and suddenly I received call from my friends who asked me to go on a short trip but I was nervous to go on a trip because I had never tried to go out for a trip without my family but my parents given me permission so me and my friends planned a trip. It was a short trip of 3 days and we went to Manali by a bus, we reached there in evening and we already booked a hotel so we kept our luggage and we went to rest. On the next day in the early morning I waked up and I went to the balcony where I saw a rising sun up on the hills which was slowly rising up, it was looking like a fireball but on the other hand I saw a moon, I was surprised to see the view when I watched both moon and sun at the same time in the sky so the view of this occasion was so good, I was over the moon after enjoying the view so it was something in the sky which surprised me and I saw this first time when moon and sun was together in the sky.

    Band 6-7

    Let me answer this question by providing you with an example. We shifted to Jamnagar nearly about 10 years ago. We used to live in Maharashtra in Pune city. There as you know Pune is very overcrowded and it has no air force basement. So we just usually had a habit to see flights while we are traveling. But once we landed to Jamnagar, here observing flights that two aircraft fighting aircrafts in the sky seems so routine duty for the people. It is so normal. This is one thing that when I saw something in the sky that is a fighter jet and believe me or not it was a bit scary. If you see it all of sudden you will feel like it's going to hit your house for sure. I will describe it. It was quite like a dolphin when we see it from afar. But as soon as it reaches its landing time it turns up to be a huge Batman flanging its wings and ready to land on the ground.

    Band 6-7

    So last week, when I was heading back to my home, it was a very pleasant weather. It had rained one hour before and now the weather was quite pleasant. I looked up into the sky and I saw the beautiful arrangement of the clouds. It was the wonderful synchronization between the clouds and the orangish colours of the sky due to the sunset and the birds were flying in the sky. It was looking like a mesmerizing scenic view. When I saw it, I quickly took out my phone and I captured that movement so that I can show that movement to my friends also. When I head forward, then I saw a beautiful rainbow in the sky. It consists of seven colours. All the seven colours were seen clearly in the sky and that movement was just captivating and it just stole my heart. I would say that that view of the sky is now in my heart.

    Band 6-7

    I remember in the last vacation when I go to J&K with my uncle, I found beautiful stars in the sky. Because I usually live in the city, because of pollution, I cannot able to differentiate between stars or even dust in the sky. So, last year I go to J&K with my uncle in the month of summer, in the month of March. So, the air was so clean, it was so refreshing. When I saw the first star on clear sky, I was so remember to watch that star. Because I was watching the stars so clearly and so attractive first time in my life. My uncle said, in the childhood, the stars we can be seen clearly but now in city due to pollution, we cannot see stars properly here. Yeah, it was totally memorable moment for me. Because it was so attractive moment and so inspiring moment for me that how has God created our stars with beautiful natures, landslides, landscapes. Yeah, I think the J&K is very beautiful. Along with that, the stars which are appearing, the observes to see.

    Band 6-7

    I want to share my experience about a time when I first saw kites in the sky. So it was time of April or May when my siblings took me upstairs to terrace where I saw a kite for the first time. I was imagining what kind of thing it is which is flying so high in the sky. A principle of kite is it is controlled by us. A string is attached to the kite and it just flies away in the sky. So I was astonished and amazed like how can something fly that high. Therefore, what more can I say about this topic. This is the first time it happened with me. Do you want to say more? Yes, I want to say for 2 minutes. So kite flying is a tradition in which in Alwar it is celebrated on Raksha Bandhan. It is a festival in which a sister ties a band around the wrist of his brother. Which symbolizes that he will secure or take care of his sister. After that ritual we generally fly kites in the sky. It is derived from an old ritual in which drop the kites.

    Band 6-7

    There are various times when I found the sky most beautiful and it takes up all my stress away. I always enjoy the life of nature. Nature provides me with unique kind of peace which I have not found anywhere in the world. Nature gives me a beautiful view of memory which takes me away from all of my stress. Here I would like to describe a time when I saw something in the sky. That was the time when I visited to my maternal aunt's house in my last summer vacations. I enjoyed a lot with my cousin and we visited to farmhouse of our uncle. Me and my cousin were enjoying the view of the fields as green green fields were looking very good and refreshing to us. Refreshing air was blowing and the sky was very clear and beautiful. Suddenly light light rain started coming and we were enjoying the rain. After some time I appeared I see a rainbow in the sky which was seeming very beautiful and attractive to me. I enjoyed the view of rainbow as I liked watching rainbow from my childhood. We make a lot of memories by clicking picture of rainbow and I also told my cousin to take my pictures in the field while covering all the background such as sky to get more beautiful video and photograph to post. As I liked posting photographs the most. After that time I have enjoyed a lot the view of sky and the nature. It was the most memorable moment for me whenever I had enjoyed the sky. It was the best for me to enjoy the nature.

    Band 6-7

    When I was younger, around 4-5 years of age, I was out with my mother, we were going to buy something for her to cook. That time it had just finished raining and the sky was this beautiful shade of different mix of colours and I was very awestruck of what I saw. Naturally I pestered my mother about what it was and how the sky could produce so many colours. My mother at that time laughed at me and then she very calmly explained to me that it was a rainbow. Naturally I asked my mother, what is a rainbow? And she explained it to me that it was once after it stops raining and the sunlight shines, it suspends the water droplet to create this beautiful arc of different colours. To say that I was intrigued by it would be an understatement. I was so much in awe of that rainbow and it felt like the best thing I had ever seen. From then on, I started looking for rainbow after every time it rained and every time I spotted one, I was so happy I would go and tell everybody about it. I felt like even now whenever I see a rainbow, I always feel very giddy and very happy because it was something that made my childhood very memorable and every time I would look at it, my mother would say, wish for something and it would come true and to this date whenever I see a rainbow, even though I know it might be a little illogical, but I still wish for it and it is what made my childhood memorable.

    Band 6-7

    A few months ago, I was going to Dehradun with my friends on my holiday to spend time with my friends. Before reaching our hotel, we went to Dwara, it is a famous sunset point in Dehradun. We reached Dwara at maybe 5 or 5.30 pm, we were all sitting together and looking at the sky, the sun started set and the colour of the sky was so beautiful, it is a little bit pink and orange and it is looking like, it was looking like a picture in drawing. I saw a very beautiful sunset in the sky on that day, I never had a view of sunset that much beautiful but on that day, it was so wonderful view for me and memorable view because also I am with my friends and we are also talking to each other and remembering our old days. After sunset, there are many stars in the sky, we started counting stars and matching stars with each other and making a drawing in the sky with the stars. There are many things we have done when watching the sky, I don't think I have watched the sky that much before but on that day, I watched the sky at least for 3 or 3.30, 3.30 hours. Then when I come, my
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