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Describe something that you can't live without (not a computer/phone): IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • What is it?
  • What do you do with it?
  • How it helps you in your life?
  • And explain why you can't live without it.
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59 unique answers with expert feedback

Show all 59 answers

Cue 1:What is it?

  • Begin by clearly stating what the item is and its significance in your life.
  • Provide a brief background on how you came to value this item.

Example

The item I can't live without is my journal. I started writing in it during my college days as a way to express my thoughts and feelings.

Cue 2:What do you do with it?

  • Describe the activities you engage in with this item.
  • Mention any specific routines or practices you have developed around it.

Example

I use my journal daily to jot down my thoughts, plan my day, and reflect on my experiences. Every morning, I spend about 15 minutes writing about my goals and what I am grateful for.

Cue 3:How it helps you in your life?

  • Explain the benefits this item brings to your life, both emotionally and practically.
  • Share any personal anecdotes that highlight its importance.

Example

My journal helps me manage stress and anxiety. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I write down my worries, which makes them feel more manageable. It also helps me track my personal growth over time.

Cue 4:And explain why you can't live without it.

  • Conclude with a strong statement about the emotional connection you have with this item.
  • Reflect on how your life would be different without it.

Example

I can't live without my journal because it serves as my emotional outlet. Without it, I would struggle to process my thoughts and feelings, which would negatively impact my mental health.

Conclusion

    Example

    In summary, my journal is more than just a book; it is a vital part of my daily routine and mental well-being. It helps me stay organized, reflect on my life, and cope with challenges, making it truly irreplaceable.

    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 makes your answer unclear. Avoid general statements that do not provide specific details about the item you can't live without.

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    Tip

    Be specific about the item. Describe its features and why it is important to you to create a vivid picture for the examiner.

    2: Lack of Personal Connection

    Failing to explain your personal connection to the item can make your response less engaging. It's important to share your feelings and experiences.

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    Tip

    Include personal anecdotes or stories about how this item has impacted your life to make your answer more relatable.

    Ignoring Cue Card Questions

    Not addressing all the cue card questions can lead to an incomplete answer. Each part of the cue card is important for a well-rounded response.

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    Tip

    Structure your answer by clearly addressing each cue. Use phrases like 'First, I will explain...' to ensure you cover all points.

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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
    anonymous person icon

    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
    anonymous person icon

    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 8

    location icon

    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
    anonymous person icon

    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 6.5

    location icon

    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
    anonymous person icon

    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 7

    location icon

    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
    anonymous person icon

    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 7.5

    location icon

    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

    Well, everyone has their own set of hobbies and things that they can't live without. For me, it is going out and working out in the gym. I believe physical fitness has been a crucial part in my life and has played an amazing role to make sure that I develop as an individual and more than the physical aspects of growth that I have seen because of hitting the gym. I believe it has played a bigger role in developing me mentally. Every single morning, I wake up at 7.30 am and I head to the gym where I train for muscle building and for hypertrophy. And I have been doing this for the past eight years. And throughout these eight years, I believe I have developed a sense of attachment to working out to such a degree that now, I can't even live without it when it comes to a single week. If a week goes by and I haven't really worked out, I just want to hit the gym. I have the urge of getting involved in one or the other form of physical activity. Per se, if I am out and equipments are not accessible, I go for a run and I try doing free body and zero weight workouts, which include push ups, which include pull ups, sit ups. And I'm really happy that out of all the things that life has presented to me, I picked physical activities to be something that I really can't live without day in, day out. I need to make sure that at least four times a week, I am challenging my body and I am making that gush of blood flow through my body because it is my source of adrenaline. It is my source of endorphin. Thank you.

    Band 6-7

    The one thing without which I can't live is badminton and workout because these both things help me through my teenage life, badminton because I was playing badminton since I was in 5th class and it really helps me to get a winning mindset and concentration as well as strategies building and this is the same scenario in workout as well I workout 6 days a week

    Band 6-7

    So, the thing I can't live without is music. It's my hobby to listen to music. I'm quite addicted towards it and I listen to it quite frequently or a lot. I listen to it while exercising, while I'm in gym. I listen to it during studies. Furthermore, I think it helps me in keeping my mind calm. I listen to various types of music such as hip-hop, rap, classical and many more. My favorite will be none other than rock songs. Additionally, if I tell that it creates a peaceful mind during silent musics and a joyful energetic behavior into me when I listen to musics which often have good beats. It's a habit. I feel that if I don't listen to music, I feel incomplete, that my day is incomplete. My average listening is around 4-5000 minutes per month and it makes me quite happy that I'm into this music world where I've got to know the modern music as well as the old music which are the classical ones. So, I brag about it that yes, I'm listening to good music. Next question. Someone wanted to know how you change your hair or makeup. Which would you prefer, choosing a different color of makeup I think I can't live without his music. Music has been a quite of an addiction for me in the several years. Furthermore, I think I'm more enthusiastic and admired towards rap music, hip-hop, rock, classical and R&B. My favorite artist would be Marshmello in electronic dance music. Then for R&B, I guess, Chris Brown. And for rock, it would be Michael Jackson and Linkin Park. And speaking of when do I listen to it most often? I often listen to it while studying. Yes, it makes my mind free and it helps me in solving my math problem more easily. I don't know how, but yes. And I also use it while exercising. Well, when I go and hit the gym. Other than that, I think it keeps my mind calm. Furthermore, it keeps my mind joyful as well. As a result, creates a healthy environment around my mind and reduces my stress a lot. Which is quite great for my health. If I don't listen to music, I feel very uncomfortable. I feel that the day has been incomplete for me. And I think I can't survive without music. I know it's bad, but I think personally that for my betterment, I should listen to music because listening to music will keep my mind calm, will keep me joyous as I have anger issues that lessens the anger issue. And I think that's great.

    Band 6-7

    There are several items that I'm using in my day-to-day life, but when I'm looking to something that I can't live without, I could say it's a pen. When we say about pen, it could be a small thing, but it is always useful for me and it was always there with me in all my planning and organizing. When I was a child, when I was going to school or college, it was there for me. I'm saying this because if when I'm attending a class, I'm not able, if I'm not able to listen properly, but I would like to take notes of each and every class. And notes helped me a lot in writing my exams and getting good score. So it was very useful for me during my studies. And when it comes to my work, I'm using every day and each and every time this pen, it helping me to plan my things. In the morning itself, I used to write detailed things that whatever I want to do today, I will prioritize each and everything that I want to do. Pen is the thing that helping me to plan my things in a day. So it is one of the most.

    Band 6-7

    The item I can't live without is my wrist watch. It's a simple classic watch with a leather strap that I've owned for several years. Obviously, I use it to tell the time, but it's more than that. My watch helps me keep track of my daily schedule, whether I'm at work, meeting friends, or attending important appointments. I also use its timer function for short tasks like brewing tea or timing my study breaks. It's helped in many ways, like punctuality. It ensures I'm always on time. I find it much more convenient to glance at my wrist than to take out my phone. It helps me do time management. The watch reminds me to stay on schedule and maintain good habits such as taking breaks or starting tasks permanently. It's a gift from my parents, so it holds sentimental value and represents reliability and responsibility. I can't live without my wrist watch because it's instrumental in keeping me organized and disciplined. Whenever I forget to wear it, I feel somewhat disoriented. Moreover, it serves as a constant reminder of the importance of time, both in practical terms and in a more physiological sense, reminding me not to waste precious moments. So, I can't live without my wrist watch because my sentimental is connected with him.

    Band 6-7

    Something that I cannot live without would definitely be listening to music. I can listen to music all time of the day. I am a person who loves listening to music no matter the time or the situation. The main thing that music does to me is that it calms my mind and gives me peace. It is a great option for stress relief and always lifts my mood. I listen to different types of music no matter my mood. I always listen to the lyrics, also the melody and if I am in a bad mood, I listen to raps so that it can enlighten my thoughts and also if I am very happy or if I am very energetic, I listen to light music so it gives me more calmness and I have been listening to music since my childhood. I have also been there in my school choir. All my music teachers helped me learn more about music and I learned singing from my grade 3. Everyone who are going through a bad day should listen to music for the ease of mind. Musics come in different types in different languages and many places have different types.

    Band 6-7

    Gardening is something that I can't live without. I usually spend around half an hour to 40 minutes with my plants. It's not like that people often take it as a community service but I think gardening is something that you can have as a hobby. For me gardening taught me how to be persistent and be patient. I still remember 2 years ago I planted a tree hoping that it will grow quickly. But it didn't. I waited and waited. And almost after 2 years I saw a little seedling giving leaves. It was very overwhelming for me that waiting for that long time I was kind of succeeded. I learnt a lot of things through gardening. 2 months ago when I was mixing compost with soil I felt very itchy and rashes were starting coming. A visit to the doctor cleared that I am allergic to the vermicompost and the compost soil. I was horrified thinking that I have to stop gardening.

    Band 6-7

    I cannot live without music. Music is something that is very essential in my life. I listen to songs through it. Why is music so important, you might ask? Because it helps me through my life. When I'm stressed, it helps calm me down. When I'm down and I feel not very energetic to do something, music motivates me to rise above it all, push through, aim at what I really need to be aiming at and work goal-oriented. Music is something I cannot live without for how important of a role it makes for in my life. I feel emotions by listening to music. Whether I'm sad or whether I'm happy, there is some sort of way in which music can resonate with me, get me to its level and help me express the emotions that I am feeling at that particular time. I've been listening to music for ever since I can remember. Since I was three, I've been listening to waka waka. I've been listening to various songs and it's helped me become the person that I am today. Without music, I wouldn't be able to go about my day.

    Band 6-7

    Something that I can't live without is for me is music because it really helps me to get through life and to think more, more positively and it's really helpful for me to focus on what I want to do. It calms me, it gives me peace. I also enjoy listening it because I love to sing also so and music makes me feel happy, makes me feel relaxed. I generally listen to music when I'm free.

    Band 6-7

    I would say something that is very dear to me is my skin care. It's a funny thing but it the kind of calmness and the satisfaction it gives me is pretty great and also the confidence that comes with it furthermore adds to my confidence so I would say skin care is something that is very dear to me right now and what I do with it is I have a morning routine as well as an evening routine wherein I apply different kind of serums during the morning and in the evening so in the morning I have a niacinamide and in the evening I have vitamin C and how it helps me is by building the confidence that I hold as an individual so it makes me feel more confident with my day-to-day works and because furthermore it makes my skin more glowing that adds and that makes it better for my appearance and the kind of therapy or it's my go-to calming event that I have and furthermore the fun or excitement that I get from researching on it and explaining it to people and also bringing other people into skin care is something that I'm very fascinated about
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