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Describe your first day at school.: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • When & where did you go to?
  • What happened there?
  • How did you feel on that day?
Show all 179 answers

Cue 1:When & where did you go to?

  • Begin by mentioning the name of the school and its location to set the context.
  • Include the date or year to give a sense of time and personal significance.

Example

I started my first day at St. Xavier's School in Mumbai in June 2005. It was a bright sunny morning, and I remember feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness as I stepped into the school premises for the very first time.

Cue 2:What happened there?

  • Describe the activities that took place during your first day, such as meeting teachers and classmates.
  • Mention any memorable events or interactions that stood out to you.

Example

On that day, I was introduced to my class teacher, Mrs. Sharma, who was very welcoming. We had a brief orientation session where I met my classmates. I vividly remember playing games during recess, which helped break the ice and made me feel more comfortable.

Cue 3:How did you feel on that day?

  • Share your emotions and thoughts throughout the day, highlighting any changes in your feelings.
  • Reflect on how the experience shaped your view of school and learning.

Example

Initially, I felt anxious about fitting in, but as the day progressed, I started to feel more at ease. By the end of the day, I was filled with joy and anticipation for what the rest of the school year would bring.

Conclusion

  • Summarize your overall experience and its impact on your life.
  • Mention how that first day influenced your attitude towards school in general.

Example

Looking back, my first day at school was a pivotal moment in my life. It not only marked the beginning of my education but also taught me the importance of stepping out of my comfort zone. That day laid the foundation for many wonderful friendships and learning experiences.

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: Avoid Vague Descriptions

Using vague language can make your response less engaging and informative. Specific details help the examiner understand your experience better.

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Tip

Include specific details about the location, activities, and people you encountered on your first day to create a vivid picture.

2: Don't Rush Your Response

Speaking too quickly can lead to unclear communication and missed details. It's important to pace yourself for better clarity.

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Tip

Take a moment to organize your thoughts before speaking, and practice speaking slowly to ensure your ideas are conveyed clearly.

Neglecting Emotions

Failing to express your feelings can make your answer less relatable. Emotions add depth to your story and engage the listener.

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Tip

Share how you felt during your first day, whether it was excitement, nervousness, or joy, to connect with the examiner on a personal level.

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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 6-7

I remember back in 2020, after the lockdown, I switched my school for a stream that I wanted, which was not available at my old convent school. So I joined the public school in my society for humanities with psychology. I was so anxious. Also losing the touch with humanity, no context, wearing masks, using sanitizers, very scared of how people will treat me because, yay, even in class 11, I was still a new student who was shifting their school, coming out of their comfort zone, and all because they wanted to learn a subject that was not available initially to them. I genuinely fought with everyone that, yes, I want to study this, and I will. And that was pretty amazing of me. I'm proud of the old Amina. School brings back memories. The teachers welcomed me. They were very heartwarming. And their hospitality made me understand that, yeah, sometimes taking hard decisions is not easy, but always rewarding.

Band 6-7

I still remember my first day of school. That was a great experience. When I was in first standard, I went to school for the first time. My school name was Kilbill National School in Ahmedpur in Maharashtra, at India. I was quite nervous on that day because I went to school for the first time. I went to school with my parents, with both parents on the first day. First I saw the school with some colleagues and our teachers was helping us. I was quite nervous on that day. I sat in classroom and I was remembering my home. I was quite homesick. My parents stood outside the school. I made new friends on that day. It was also a good experience. That was a chance for me to make new friends. My parents brought new books for me on that day. I attended the lectures, I attended the classes and there was a lunch break. I took food and tiffin with all my schoolmates, with all my friends on that day. And after attending remaining classes, I went home with my parents. When I reached home, I told all the experience on that day to my parents.

Band 6-7

Yeah, I remember the first day of my school, I think where I'm a second standard, joined in Kalki Ranganathan Monkhood School, which is located in Parambur. So that was the first day in my second standard. It's very nervous to leave my parents in my home. So that was the first day I felt I'm leaving my parents. After some hours it changes, seeing lots of friends there and teachers are very kind to us. Then a learning stage has started. It starts a little bit of tough at those days, but it is very easy for me now over all the things that have been already done for me. In second standard I've done many things. I'm the one, the topper for the whole second standard. I've got prize. At that time I've done yoga in the state level. So far that I've got 5th place in the state level yoga championship. I mean both eagerly in sports as well as in studies on those days. So every teacher likes me for doing every studies and extracurricular activities on that days. After that I've got lots of friends in helping of studying when I'm going to sports. So it is very very tremendous days on the period where I've started in my schooling. After that I've been carrying on those both studies.

Band 6-7

So, it was in 2005, the exact date I remember was 5th May 2005 when my family shifted to Mumbai from Rajasthan. We were very young when all three of us children, my siblings had shifted to Borevali, a place in Mumbai and my father suggested to go to this ICSC school in Malad. Okay, now it was our first day and I had to go to the school in Mumbai where I didn't know how to speak in English. It was very embarrassing. My principal called me inside and asked me to answer certain questions in English and to which I was surprised. I didn't know how to speak in English. So I told her, ma'am I would love to learn in English but could you teach me. She was very happy to know that we wanted to learn something from her school. So all three of us, our siblings got admission in that school. It was so so happy, I was so joyous and it just made me feel so proud of my parents that they took such a wonderful step towards us in getting into that school. My first day, even though after I thought could be a little embarrassing but made me really happy towards the end of the day. Thank you.

Band 6-7

My first day of school that I remember is from the 10th grade. That day was actually not the first day of school. The school already started 10 days before. I was still on my vacation, so I joined 10 days later. My first day was when others had already started, and they had gone on track. They have started studying, or they have started attending lectures, and they have started making friends and everything. So, first day was a little hectic for me, and it was a bit difficult to cope up with the lessons and everything. It was a little difficult to understand what was really going on. But I had a friend who helped me out with all the notes, and he helped me with all the details with what has been covered and what the portions were for the upcoming tests. I was really happy that day because I remember I got elected to be the house captain of my class. So, that leadership position was really important for me because I have always dreamt of getting one since my 8th grade. So, that was really memorable. My first day was very fun, and I had a lot to catch up to with my friends, and I had a lot of stories to tell to my friends.

Band 6-7

It was my first day of 11th grade. I had changed school after my 10th grade, so I was really nervous. I was kind of an introvert girl, so talking to people and getting to talk something with them was really hard for me. I usually get nervous when I talk to new people. I have a very good personality, but I don't get used to people really. The first day when I entered into the college, I was really nervous. My blood pressure was high. I was sweating. I just went and sat next to this girl. I thought she was also an introvert, judging by her face, but it turns out she began to talk to me. She asked me about my past schools, and I got to know that she had also changed her school after 10th grade, so it was good knowing her. After that, we became friends with many other people, and we had this small group in our classroom. We had really fun the first day. We had our PE classes, and our accounts, economics, and English too. It was fun knowing all the people, and it was not as nerve-wracking as I thought it would be.

Band 6-7

The first day at my school, it was so special for me, and it was so memorable day for me also. And I had studied in, I was studied in a state school, so I was so surprised to go in there. And suddenly... Yeah. While I'm thinking about my first day at school, it was so memorable day and so funniest day for me. I still remember that while I was holding my parents' hand and they were dropping me at the school, I started crying. So, it was so visualized in my memory and I could still remember that moment. I was crying so loudly along with the other students also. And I have studied in state school, so they gave me, the sisters, the teachers gave me many candies for stopping me crying. So, even though I couldn't stop the crying, because until that time I was staying with my parents, so connection with my parents. But suddenly they were dropping me somewhere, so I feel alone, I feel isolated, so that's why it's so memorable day for me. So, that's why it's so memorable day for me. I don't know where to go. I still remember that day, the first day at my school. It was in 2021 and it was very memorable and visualized for me. And I was holding my parents' both hands and they were dropping me at some place. It was so shocking place for me and it was very strange place for me also. Then I started crying, the teachers and sisters coming to me and gave me few chocolates and they sang for me also. But I couldn't resist to stop the crying, because up to that time I was with my parents and I'm so close to them. Then suddenly they were dropping me in some strange place and I feel so isolated and so alone. So, I couldn't stop the crying, even though they left me. I got many friends also that day, so it was very special memory day for me. I still remember that, I couldn't believe that I just passed that time and I'm so happy for that experience in my life. Then the teachers were so friendly with me and eventually I started to go to school. Then I was forcing my parents for going to school, even though it's a Sunday and Saturday. So, I'm so happy that it passed through my life and I'm so happy that day passes and I'm so extremely joyful and happiness with that.

Band 6-7

This takes me back several decades to to be exact. My first day in school was in the year 2001 when I joined in the first grade at my school called Arya Central School which is at Pattam, right in the middle of the city where I resided. It was a central school which had the English as the main language of teaching. I remember being scared as my parents dressed me up in new clothes, gave me new bag, gave me new umbrellas and they dropped me off at the gate of the school handed me off to a teacher and I remember looking back worried and scared that I might not survive the day. I accompanied the teachers into the classroom and they sat me at a desk in the front and I remember feeling too scared to even look around and introduce myself to my friends, introduce myself to the kids around me. Thinking of it now, I probably should have said hi to the kid right next to me. I bet she was just as scared as I was. However, this clarity was not something that I had at the time. I could barely hold my breath and I could barely sit still. I was anxious and unaware of what was about to happen. I remember feeling extremely relieved towards the end of the day when I finally saw my father standing at the gate ready to pick me up.

Band 6-7

It was in 2003 where I started my schooling and on the first day I had to go to the principal's office with my sister and my father for an interview as it is mandatory for starting our school. It was not a normal interview, it was just some basic question that has been asked by the principal to me and I was very small, three years of age. I answered all the questions, my name, where I'm from and everything. Then I remember it was a good feeling of starting something but I don't remember exactly what was going on in my mind because I was too small at that age and it has been so many years since then and it was a great experience in my school because I have completed 13 years of my life in my school and it was a different rollercoaster ride altogether because I learned the alphabets to geometry in my school and I completed my matriculation from there. The teachers know me well, I know the teachers well and it was a mutual understanding between us regarding everything. I was into debating clubs and essay clubs, drama clubs and on the very first day I never thought this could be in 13 years of journey but yes it was a beautiful experience, an enriching experience staying in my school and learning so much from it.

Band 6-7

In Nashik, the first day in Symbiosis school was so hectic. Before entering the school, I cried a lot because I didn't want to go to school. But forcefully my parents took me to the school. After entering the classroom, no one was knowing me and everyone was looking at me.
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