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Describe something you received for free.: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • What was it?
  • When and from whom did you receive it?
  • How did you feel?
Show all 67 answers

Cue 1:What was it?

  • Begin by clearly stating what the item or service was that you received for free.
  • Provide a brief description of its significance or usefulness to you.

Example

I received a beautiful handmade scarf from my grandmother. It was made from soft wool and had intricate patterns that reflected our cultural heritage.

Cue 2:When and from whom did you receive it?

  • Mention the occasion or event during which you received the item.
  • Specify who gave it to you and their relationship to you.

Example

I received the scarf last winter during my birthday celebration. My grandmother, who is very dear to me, gifted it to me as a surprise.

Cue 3:How did you feel?

  • Share your emotional response upon receiving the gift.
  • Explain why this feeling was significant to you.

Example

I felt incredibly touched and grateful when I received the scarf. It reminded me of the love and care my grandmother puts into everything she makes, making it even more special.

Conclusion

  • Summarize the importance of the gift in your life.
  • Reflect on how receiving this free item impacted your relationship with the giver.

Example

In conclusion, receiving the scarf from my grandmother not only warmed me physically during the cold months but also strengthened our bond. It serves as a constant reminder of her love and our family traditions.

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: Giving Vague Answers

Avoid being too general or vague in your response. Specific details make your answer more engaging and memorable. Vague answers can lead to a lack of clarity.

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Tip

Include specific details about the item you received, such as its appearance, purpose, and significance to you.

2: Neglecting Emotional Impact

Failing to express your feelings can make your answer less impactful. Emotions help to connect with the listener and make your story more relatable.

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Tip

Share how receiving the item made you feel at the moment and how it affects you now, using descriptive language.

Ignoring the Context

Not providing context about when and from whom you received the item can leave your answer feeling incomplete. Context adds depth to your story.

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Tip

Clearly explain the situation surrounding the gift, including the occasion and the relationship with the giver.

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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 8

When I was a young child, my beloved grandfather gifted me a soft, adorable panda toy that became my most cherished companion the moment I was instantly captivated by its beautiful black and white fur button size and gentle smile. This panda wasn't just a toy, it was a symbol of my grandfather's love and affection. I would carry this special toy everywhere, to school, on family vacations, to relatives' house. Every adventure became more exciting with my panda by my side, and I would spend countless hours playing, imagining incredible stories, and creating magical worlds together. The toy became my constant friend, providing comfort during uncertain moments and bringing joy to my childhood. Whenever I hugged the panda, I could almost feel my grandfather's warm embrace and hear his loving voice. Even now, years later, this toy remains a treasured possession, presenting not just a childhood memory but the beautiful, unbreakable bond I shared with my grandfather. The panda toy is a tangible reminder of his love, kindness, and the precious moments we shared during my childhood.

Band >7

This is an interesting question. In our lifetime, we used to get number of gifts from person. That has great impact on our life. There are different occasions happened when we get gift from people. But there are some gifts that always remain very close to our heart. That one gift that is given by my brother on my birthday is smart watch. I can say that this is the most wonderful gift that I have received yet. This gift was given by my younger brother when I was in college. That was very interesting for me. I can say that I was very happy that I received that gift. Furthermore, that gift has great importance in my life. Now I can use that gift on my daily basis whenever I have to go outside. I can wear that watch and it is helpful in providing me accuracy on time. Other than that, I am also a fitness freak. So that gave me information about the calories that I have burnt. Other than that, it also helped me to know about the heart rate and helped me to get healthy. At last, I want to say that this gift is very close to my heart and I always admire this gift. When I have received this gift, that experience was very exhilarating for me and I was on cloud nine after receiving that gift. I admire that.

Band >7

So, my elder brother, who lives in Ireland, came to India last year to visit us and he is quite older to me and he is a scientist, a crop scientist, so when he came to India he bought a few gifts for me. Among those gifts, one of the things that I liked the most was Fossil Smart Watch. So, I am a tech enthusiast and buying new tech gadgets and exploring the tech buzz and news and everything, I like to try new gadgets and technologies. So, getting that watch was very exciting for me. When he gave it to me, I felt amazing and I was super happy and joyful and I started, the moment I received it, I unpacked it and then I started checking out all the features it had and all the cool things it can do like setting alarms, playing music, counting steps, heartbeat. So, it was a very featureful gift and one of the most precious gadgets of mine and one of the most cherished things that I have received as a present from anyone in my whole life and I still wear it every day and it is an amazing watch and I love exploring it and I felt so happy when he gave that watch to me, even though it has been quite old now, like I have been using it regularly and wearing it daily on daily basis from past one year and due to wear and tear and all those things and there were some mishaps as well.

Band >7

One memorable item I received for free was a beautiful handcrafted leather wallet from a local artisan. I had visited a market during the traditional festival and while browsing through various stalls, the vendor offered me the wallet as a gift. Simply because I had admired his craftsmanship for quite some time. The wallet was not only practical but also exuded a sense of artistry with intricate stitching and a rich deep brown color. Furthermore, it was clear that a great deal of skill and attention to detail had gone into its creation. I felt incredibly grateful not just because of the quality of the gift but also it symbolized the kindness and generosity of the artisan. Nevertheless, what really stood out to me was the fact that the gift was given without any expectations of something in return, which made it even more meaningful. Receiving this thoughtful gift for free left a lasting impression on me as it reminded me that sometimes acts of kindness are not just driven by material value but by joy of giving. The experience also deepened my appreciation for the craftsmanship behind everyday objects. And how something as simple as a wallet can carry so much sentimental value. It made me reflect on how smallest gestures can have a profound impact not only on the recipient but also on the giver. Such experiences have shaped my perspective on life, teaching me to appreciate tangible rewards of kindness and human connection. It made me realize that true generosity is often expressed in most unexpected and heartwarming ways.

Band 7

For my last birthday, I received a car as a gift, a six-seater, air-conditioned, trunk-based auto-geared Innova car. It was presented by my uncle. I really felt happy about that car because I always wanted a car. So having a private car is a dream for most of the peoples, I believe. Even I also had that same kind of a wish. The car I received, I took a ride in that day itself. It was amazing, that just ride was amazing. I felt satisfied while driving that car. It felt like a ship moving on water.

Band 7

Recently I received a scented candle as a gift from my brother. It was an occasion of friendship day. Moreover he always wanted to get me a gift which I will enjoy while studying and whenever I have free time. It is really special gift for me. Presence like this will always make you feel better because you can put it into use. Moreover I love the thought behind gifting a candle. It holds so much values when you sit around and you are thought driven. It makes you calm and composed. I feel amazing when I light up the candle and sit with my books and study. Overall the idea of gifting resonates deeply with me.

Band 7

So I recently received a mug for my birthday. It was a coffee mug which contained, which was blue in color. It also has a picture of an astronaut on the outside and the mug has a lid on top of it also with an attached spoon. The spoon actually has a figurine of an astronaut at the end of it. So whenever you are mixing your coffee or your hot chocolate, it actually looks like the astronaut is revolving around the cup. So this cup was gifted to me by my group of friends on my birthday. So we have been friends for nearly 9 years now and we have a gifting ritual every single year wherein for each one's birthday we make sure that we gift them something special so that they can remember it. And this year, of course, it was a mug that I received for my birthday. This gift is really special to me because it is my 25th birthday gift and I really love coffee mugs. I enjoy making hot chocolate with a topping of marshmallows on them and having it on a cold winter day. And them understanding how much I love mugs, gifting me a mug means a lot. I was quite ecstatic and surprised when I received the gift because I had no idea that they were gifting a mug to me. I will always cherish and remember this mug because we don't keep in touch as much as we used to.

Band 7

Recently, I received something called a junk journal from my boyfriend. It was basically a book that covered any and everything that reminded him of me. And I was over the moon when I received the gift. I love handmade gifts. It just shows how much effort someone has put into that gift for you.

Band 7

Recently, on the eve of New Year, my sister gifted me a very beautiful planner for the year 2025. It has got a blue bound cover with pink foiled designs and a spiral bound diary. It came along with a pack of stickers and a small pocket diary, both of which are beautiful again. This planner is something which I have always wanted. So it really helps me channel my inner thoughts onto a piece of paper. I used to religiously write down about my everyday activities, like I used to brief it out on the paper every day before I go to sleep and that really helps me track down my life. I also mentioned about my future goals or the plans which I am planning to have in this year.

Band 7

I have received a gown from my friend during my birthday. I was very happy when he first asked me to come and meet. Once we met, there was a big pink box which was kept on the table and he asked me not to open it until he would ask me to. So after some time when the waiter has bought us the order, he asked me to open the box and secretly the waiter was recording a video of the event which was happening. So as soon as I opened the box, it was a very big pink flowy gown which was made of silk and it had tiny mirrors on it. It was very beautiful and I was so happy looking at it. It gave me a feeling of extreme, extreme love as nobody has surprised me with such a nice gift during the recent times and this not only is one of the most memorable birthdays, it is also something which I never expected from a person. The setting of the cafe was also very interesting. It had a good theme, a very romantic theme. This cafe is situated in the center of the city and also there was music being played and a lot of members were in an
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