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Describe an old person you know who has had an interesting life: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • Who is this person?
  • Where he/she lives?
  • What he/she has done in his/her life?
  • And explain how you feel about him/her.
Show all 68 answers

Cue 1:Who is this person?

  • Introduce the person by name and relationship to you.
  • Mention their age and a brief description of their personality.

Example

The person I want to talk about is my grandfather, Mr. Sharma. He is 85 years old and has a very warm and cheerful personality. He always has a smile on his face and loves to share stories from his past.

Cue 2:Where he/she lives?

  • Describe the location where this person lives.
  • Mention any interesting aspects of their living situation.

Example

He lives in a small village in Rajasthan, surrounded by beautiful fields and a close-knit community. His house is traditional, with a lovely garden where he grows vegetables and flowers.

Cue 3:What he/she has done in his/her life?

  • Highlight key achievements or experiences in their life.
  • Include any challenges they faced and how they overcame them.

Example

Throughout his life, my grandfather worked as a teacher and later became the headmaster of the local school. He faced many challenges, especially during tough economic times, but he always prioritized education and inspired many children to pursue their dreams.

Cue 4:And explain how you feel about him/her.

  • Share your personal feelings and admiration for this person.
  • Mention any lessons you have learned from them.

Example

I feel incredibly proud to have him as my grandfather. His resilience and dedication to education have taught me the importance of hard work and perseverance. I often seek his advice, and his stories motivate me to strive for my goals.

Conclusion

    Example

    In conclusion, my grandfather is not just an old person I know; he is a source of inspiration and wisdom in my life. His interesting life experiences and positive outlook have greatly influenced my values and aspirations.

    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: Lack of Specific Details

    Avoid vague descriptions that do not provide specific information about the person. This can make your answer less engaging and informative.

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    Tip

    Include specific anecdotes or examples from the person's life to illustrate their interesting experiences.

    2: Ignoring the Cues

    Neglecting to address all the cues can lead to an incomplete answer. This may result in a lower score for coherence and relevance.

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    Tip

    Make sure to systematically cover each cue in your response to create a well-rounded answer.

    Overly Complex Language

    Using complicated vocabulary or sentence structures can confuse the listener and detract from your message. Clarity is key.

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    Tip

    Use simple and clear language to express your thoughts, ensuring that your ideas are easily understood.

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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

    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
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    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 >7

    My grandfather is definitely the most, definitely a person who has lived an interesting lifestyle. And I say so because at a young age he was kicked out from his house by his alcoholic father. And he left the house bearing only the clothes on him. He faced multiple hardships after that but he still managed to get a job and work and provide for his family like my grandmother and their kids, his family. He never held any grudges against his father or brother for not supporting him during crucial times and allowing him to face multiple obstacles in life. Instead he always focused on performing his duties and completing them which is quite admirable. And during all this growth he did not just take care of himself but he also saw to it that the other relatives that he had would also get a job and help them live a comfortable life. Which is again something where not everyone is, which is not something everyone is capable of. So it is quite admirable to see that. All the moments that I have spent with him, he has always been a lot hardworking and he never rested even up until his final moments. Which is quite rare to see in geriatric patients because nowadays people just focus on treatment.

    Band 7

    The old person that I know who has had a very interesting life is my grandmother. She currently lives with me back in my hometown. The reason why I feel her life is so interesting is because she is not from India. She is from Ireland. She was a nurse by profession. And I find her story very inspiring. She met my grandfather in Royal College of Edinburgh and then they moved to India. So she basically left her hometown, which is Dublin, and shifted to this new, exotic kind of a lifestyle, which was very different and it was an interesting experience, is what she says. I would be rather rattled if I had to make such a decision to come to this foreign land. The way she has blended in here is just amazing, from not knowing anything about our culture to learning how to speak our languages, how to make, I think, the best Indian cuisine that she has picked up, whether it is South Indian or North Indian, whether it was dyeing a sari or interacting with people who she barely knew. And she often faced a lot of judgement because she is not from here. But she has never had anything ill or anything bad to say about my country. In fact, she calls it her home now. She was in Ireland a few years ago to visit her family there, but she missed us more, I feel. And we missed her equally and she, I find her inspirational because to move

    Band 7

    So, an old person whom I know who has an interesting life is none other than my grandmother. So, my grandmother is someone who enjoys her life to the fullest. She often sees that she never wants to have any regrets when she looks back. And one thing that truly makes her happy is plants. She has converted her home into a mini jungle now. So, she has told me a lot of nostalgic stories about the first time when she received a plant at school and how excited she was. She used to water it daily. She added some natural manure to it. And before she went to bed, she used to check on the plant every night. And there is one story which makes me smile even now. So, one day when it was raining heavily, she stepped outside the home, took an umbrella and held it over her plant so that it would not get damaged. She named the plants and she used to treat them like her mini companions. And her childhood affection for plants has turned into a lifelong passion. So, whenever she steps out, whenever she spots a beautiful plant, without any hesitation, she goes to the caretaker or the gardener and pleads them for a cutting so that she can grow the same at home. Now, as a result, her home looks like a mini jungle now. But she doesn't stop there. When most of the people chase materialistic pleasures or jewellery or accessories, there is my grandmother who becomes as excited as a child whenever she sees a plant. There is a million dollar smile that flashes across her face whenever somebody gives her a plant. So, during the pandemic, I was into bottle art.

    Band 7

    An old person I know who has had a really interesting life is my maternal grandfather. He is in his early 70s now and even though he looks calm and quiet, he has experienced many surprising things in his life. He grew up in a modest family so he started working at a very young age. The part that I find most interesting is how he kept changing his life whenever things became difficult. For instance, he once worked in a textile shop then opened a small repair shop and eventually went out of town to work as a cab driver. And then later shifted to Qatar to work as a guard in a school. He always jokes that he has done almost every job except flying a plane. What inspires me most is his personality. He is very practical and never complains about the struggle that he has faced in his life. Even today he wakes up early, reads the newspaper and likes telling the story about how life was when everything was slower, cheaper and more peaceful. Sometimes his stories are emotional and sometimes they are so funny that we can't stop laughing. For me, he is very interesting because he has lived a simple life yet with so many ups and downs and he has had a lot of fun.

    Band 7

    I'd say that the most interesting old person I know is my grandfather or as in India we say my Nana. He's truly inspirational you know he lives right across the street in Jor Bagh in New Delhi near Lutyens Delhi. So he's always told me about his life experiences from how he was originally from Lahore in Pakistan and migrated to India because of the partition. He told me about his experiences as a young spoiled child who was interested in golf and traveling the world. He told me as a bachelor he took many trips with his friends which I'm extremely excited to do in my future as well. He told me about his journeys from Scotland to London and from London to France just by car. He told me how his interesting life led him to different type of jobs. He started as a shoemaker and led his life on to become an agricultural expert.

    Band 7

    I would say the most amusing person that I know is my grandfather. He lives in Karkkada with my grandmother and he was a taxi driver in the earlier years and I am very proud of him mostly because of how he has raised five kids and it's not an easy job. However, he had never given up and made sure that every one of his kids gets an amazing future and now all of his kids are in such a good position and he is at a house where he is living a very comfortable life provided by his own kids. In addition to that, my grandfather was living with us for a while when my dad had moved abroad and he has taught me great morals and great respect. In fact, because of that I have been raised as a very good child. I know that speaking by myself would be a bit rubbish but I know my morals and my ethics and it's thankfully all because of my grandfather. I am not only just proud of him but also very grateful to have him in my life. He is the most best and the most lovable man I know.

    Band 7

    I want to describe Mr. Lee, a 70-year-old volunteer at a local community center. I met Mr. Lee while participating in a weekend charity event. He was in charge of organizing donated cloths and food items for the homeless shelter. Despite being retired, he dedicates most of his free time to helping others. After the event, I continue to volunteer alongside him every Saturday. We shop through donation, prepare care packages and sometimes help in the soup kitchen. His unwavering commitment to charity work is extraordinary. He has been volunteering for over a decade and his energy and enthusiasm have never faded. He always shares stories about his younger days when he traveled across different countries. These experiences shaped his belief in compassion and empathy for all. He motivates volunteers by showing how a small act of kindness can create a big impact. His living proved that retirement can be fulfilling phases of life if spent in service of the community. What fascinates me most in his sense of purpose and how he finds joy in helping others. Spending time with Mr. Lee has influenced me to be more proactive in my community. And I'll always admire him compassionate spirit. Thank you.

    Band 7

    A person that I like the most, who was old, is my father. He's been living with me since the past 27 years or so and unfortunately he expired in the year 2021. My father has always been my role model. He is a very important aspect of my life. I got to learn a lot from him. He was a businessman and the business acumen that he had inspired me a great deal. It inspired me to be street smart and also achieve my goals. He always wanted me to study and that's the only reason why he sent me to a very good school. He wanted me to be a doctor someday and open my own hospital. All his friends studied and my father was forced into business by his grandfather. He had a desire to study himself as he couldn't achieve that dream for himself. He wanted me to pursue that dream for him. My father always wanted to be a doctor himself. It was because of him that I got inclined towards being a doctor in the society. My father was a very disciplined person. He used to get up every day at morning 7 and work relentlessly till night 10. He used to gather money for my studies. My father was my inspiration in everyday life.

    Band 7

    This person that I am going to talk about is my neighbor Mr. Hazarika. He lived right beside my house in Guwahati, Assam. In his heydays, he wore many hats. He was a pilot who visited a number of countries, and he used to speak very fondly about each of his travels experiences. Moreover, he was also an avid sportsperson, a gardener, as well as a painter. I feel inspired when I see people like him because they carried their interests well into their old age. Nothing could deter them from the fact that they wanted to live a colorful life, not of an age. And because of this fact, I was really inspired to create a life, similar life of my own. He lived a long life and died recently at the age of 97. Another reason that I feel so enthralled by his personality is because he lived alone. His family lived abroad. His wife had passed away by then. But this did not make him any less cheerful. He was always happy, greeting everyone who would pass him by. This kind of a personality, the demeanor, the grace which he carried on with his life is what I want to emulate as I grow old.

    Band 7

    The person that I'd like to describe is my grandfather, Devipadu Ganguly. He has been a very influential figure in my life, in shaping my morals and my values. He has been my constant guide while growing up, always showing me what to do and what not to do, teaching me things like riding a bicycle, teaching me how to draw. He used to go through my school homework to help me out. He was a very kind, intelligent and dedicated grandparent. Furthermore, he had a very tough life. My grandmother died very young and he was left all alone most of his life. When I came along, he just gravitated towards me and gave me all the attention that I needed to succeed in life. It is because of his teachings and his guidance that I was able to achieve my current standings.
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