Cue Card 2020 #1: Describe one of your family members you spend the most time with

You should say:

• Who is he/she?
• What do you usually do together?
• What kind of person he/she is?
• Why you spend most of the time with him/her?

Model Answer

• If I had to talk about myself, I would say I am very reserved person and it takes a lot of time to become familiar with strangers.
• However, I love spending time with my family.
• I am very close to both my parents but as we are all working (as they are working and I am studying), its hard for us to spend time together.
• The person I do spend a lot of time together with is my nephew- my sister’s child.
• He is nearly five years old.
• He is very special to me.
• There are many reasons for that.
• Firstly, everyone says that he looks like me and secondly, we both like spending time with each other.
• I think the reason for that is we feel very comfortable with each other.
• I get to act like a child around him and I miss being a child.
• He is also like me – very shy with strangers and he is very naughty – just like I was in my childhood.
• So, spending time with him reminds me of my childhood in some ways.
• In my childhood, I was in a hurry to grow up but now I sometimes wish I could reverse time and bring back my childhood.
• There are so many things we do together.
• But something that we really enjoy doing is to play pranks on Deepa, my sister and his mother.
• I think we can do that all day long.
• We also both love eating chocolates, so whenever we can, we try to buy and eat chocolates secretly.
• However, I do get scolded sometimes as I am the adult.
• I also have a dog and so we both like playing with her.
• We love taking her out on walks and feeding her.
• In the evening, I take my nephew to the park and just spend time on the swings there.
• Sometimes, I wish he would always remain a child, but I know that’s not going to happen even if I wish for it a million times.

Follow ups

1. How many generations usually live together in India?
   I think the situation in India is undergoing a change. Earlier joint familes were more common and three or four generations used to live together. On the other hand, nowadays nuclear families are more common with maximum of two generations living together.
2. Is it important to visit family members?
   Yes, it is really important to meet family regularly. I think family defines us and family is what supports us and stands with us in bad times. However, I think this selfless bond only stays if we remain in contact with each other.
3. What are the values of family in your country?
   The think the main values of family in India are respect for elders and prioritizing the needs of the family over our individual needs. That is why, in India we think in we rather in I, for example we own a house, we own this car.
4. Why is family bonding necessary for happiness in life?
   Family bonding is necessary for happiness because it gives us secure. I mean it makes us feel that we are not alone, there is someone behind us.
5. Do you think the support from a friend is different from the support from a family member?
   I think certainly. There is an element of selflessness in family relationships, which I feel is missing when it comes to support from friends. Also, it doesn’t create a burden. What I mean is we do take help from friends but then it also makes us feel that we have to repay it. This feeling doesn’t come in the case of family.
6. Who should be more responsible for educating the children in a family?
   I think both the parents should be equally responsible. However, I also believe that both parents necessarily don’t teach the same things. For example, both boys and girls learn gender appropriate behavior from fathers, while they love more about loving, sharing and caring from mother.
7. Do you think there are differences between how men and women care for children?
   Yes, there is certainly a difference. In India, fathers are generally stricter, and they don’t show their love openly. Mothers are much more open in showing their love and affection. I think it’s hard to define the difference, but I certainly feel there is a difference.
8. Do your parents do household chores equally?
   Yes, my parents are very particular about the household chores. For example, my father is responsible for buying the vegetables from the market daily. He also makes the breakfast and tea, while my mother makes the lunch and dinner. I also have the responsibility of taking out the trash in the morning and feeding the dog. We have a maid for cleaning and other things.

OTHER SAMPLE BAND 9

You should say:

• Who it is
• When you are usually together
• What you do together
• And explain why you spend the most time with this member of your family

BAND 9.0 SAMPLE ANSWER:

Today, I am going to share with you a family member who I spend most of my time with. That is my /father/mother/older sister/brother/cousin…
My father/mother/older sister/brother/cousin… is a very considerate and thoughtful person. When I was small, he/she usually took good care of me; taught me good lessons and never let me out of his/her sight. Even now, whenever I have a bad day, he/she has always been there for me, and helps me get through it.
As I have got older, my father/mother/older sister/brother/cousin… has become my best friend. I can share my interests, my career plans or even things about my love life with them – in fact, anything at all. Especially when I am down, he/she gives me the encouragement that I need to move on. To me, he/she is a role model whom I always look up to/admire/and follow in his/her footsteps. He/she constantly reminds me that I have to try my best in everything I choose to pursue so that I can achieve my goal in this life. Thanks to his/her advice, I have made significant progress in my personal life in general. Although, of course, I love all my family, because he/she is so special to me, I think that we will always keep in touch, just as we do now almost every day.

USEFUL VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS FOR IELTS SPEAKING

• considerate: [adjective] always thinking of the wishes and feelings of other people.
  Example: My mother is very considerate when guests come to visit our house and she always offers some food or something to drink.
• thoughtful: [adjective] showing that you think about other people and care about them.
  Example: A good teacher should be kind and thoughtful.
• take care of: [verb] to provide the things which you need for your protection and health.
  Example: A lot of patience is necessary when you take care of very young or very old people.
•  let me out of his sight: [expression] he/she always kept me where they could see me – they protected me all the time.
  Example: She never lets her daughter out of her sight.
• be there for: [expression] to be available if somebody wants to talk to you or needs your help. Example: If I was in trouble, my parents were always there for me.
• get through: [expression] to successfully deal with a problem or overcome a difficulty.
  Example: I would find it hard to get through the day if I had no friends to talk to.
• down: [adjective] sad, unhappy.
• move on: [verb] to make progress by starting something new.
  Example: After I pass the exam, I want to move on to the next step in my career.
• role model: [noun] a person that you admire and try to copy.
  Example: Parents are a child’s most important role models.
• follow in the footsteps of: to do the same job or to have the same style of life.
  Example: She works as a journalist, following in her father’s footsteps.
• try my best: [expression] to do as much as possible to achieve something.
  Example: I will try my best to achieve my goal.
• Thanks to: [expression] As a result of/with the help of their advice, I made progress in my studies and my career.
• keep in touch: [expression] to maintain contact with somebody so that I know what is happening.