IELTS SPEAKING CUE CARD
[PART 2]
AN OCCASION YOU
ENJOYED YOUR FREE TIME
Describe an occasion you enjoyed your free time
You should say:
- When it was
- What you did
- Where you were
And how you felt about it
A N S W E R
As a nurse, it’s seldom to find pleasure on my days off since more often than not, I just sleep to recharge my batteries. I normally work more than eight hours a day and oftentimes I become mentally and physically exhausted. As you may know, the job of a nurse is backbreaking, so again whenever we nurses have spare time, we normally just lie on the bed and sleep.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Find pleasure [phrase] – to enjoy something very much
Recharge your batteries [phrase] – to rest or relax for a period of time so that you feel energetic again
Backbreaking [adj.] – physically demanding
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TIP
i.) The speaker started his story by telling the examiner his occupation and described how difficult his job was and that having free time was a luxury. This is a very good technique in introducing the story because this serves as a foundation of the story. In this way, the examiner would get an idea of how his life went and how he needed to enjoy his free time.
However, just last Friday right after I finished my duty at five in the afternoon, my two colleagues and I hit the road at once to visit the newly-opened amusement park in the city. We decided to make the most of our free time on that day before heading home and resting. Like the other people who knew about the opening of that amusement park, we were also thrilled to see the park and see what kinds of rides could we give a shot. When we entered the gate of that park, we couldn’t help ourselves but jump for joy. The kid in us came out naturally.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Hit the road [idiom] – to leave a place
At once [phrase] – immediately
Make the most of [phrase] – to enjoy as much as possible
Thrilled [adj.] – excited
Give a shot [expression] – to try something
Couldn’t help oneself [phrase] – is used to say that someone cannot stop themselves from doing something
TIP
i.) In this part the speaker transitioned to start talking about what activity did he during his free time. He narrated how he and his colleagues spent his free time – expressing joviality. Also noticed some very good collations he used on this part. Make sure to add collocations when speaking, as it helps you sound so natural.
Anyway, to make a long story short, we did ride the Drop Tower, or what we commonly call a Big Drop. We couldn’t describe our excitement at that time! After we’re buckled into our seats, we were raised to the top which made us feel nervous while looking at the ground. We were on the top for about a minute. The sky was within reach and without warning, we were dropped suddenly which made us scream our heads off. That was really fun! And the feeling was indescribable. I can’t help but smile whenever I think of that experience.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
(To make a) long story short [expression] – is used to skip unnecessary details
Buckle [verb] – to fasten
Within reach [phrase] – inside the distance in which someone can stretch a hand to reach something
Scream our heads off [idiom] – to scream very loudly
TIP
i.) In this part the speaker expressed himself more and described the situation on how he fully enjoyed his free time. He poured all the important details here answering what was asked in the cue card. He also used some very good vocabulary words and expressions that would best help him talk about his experience in a more lively way. Using some very good expressions can help you get a better mark in the criterion of Lexical Resource, just make sure you know how to use the expressions, you should not sound forced but natural.
PART 3
What do people in your country like to do when they are free?
Honestly, I do not have any concrete idea as to what kinds of activities my countrymen do when they have the luxury of time. I can only assume, that some may spend quality time with their families like going to the mall or eating out with family or friends. Some prefer sleeping or staying at home and indulging in doing a movie marathon. Others may play some sports or go to the gym and exercise.
These are just my assumptions, I may be correct or not but these are the common things I can think of.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Concrete (idea) [adj.] – actual; real
Countryman [noun] – fellow citizen
The luxury of time [expression] – having plenty of time to enjoy doing something
Assume [verb] – suppose; suppose to be the case, without any proof | assumption [noun]
Eat out [phrasal verb] – to eat in a restaurant
Indulge [verb] – to allow oneself to enjoy a certain pleasure
Movie marathon [expression] – to watch movies for a long period of time
TIP
i.) The speaker delivered his answer very naturally, telling the examiner that he didn’t really know what people in his country did in their free time. However, for him to discuss his answer and to provide a long answer, he talked about his assumption, giving the examiner an idea of what kinds of activities people in his country did. A very honest start and at the same time a very natural answer. Don’t hesitate to tell the examiner about your lack of knowledge as long as you know how to use the language when expressing yourself, you’ll be fine!
Do you think it is right for parents to make plans for their children?
Well, parents want nothing but the very best for their children and that is very understandable. However, I personally do not believe that it is every parent’s right to create plans for their children all the time. The role of every parent to their children is to guide them and teach them life lessons so that they can live until they become adults. The life of their children should not be controlled, parents should never impose on what they want for their children. They should let them live their lives as they want, as long as it is good for them.
For example, parents should never interfere when their children decide to choose a course to study at a university. They should be given the freedom to choose what they want to study. In that way, children will be able to realize their potential and develop their talents or skills.
Parents should remember that their children have their own lives and have their own plans and they should respect that.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Role [noun] – function; job
Impose [verb] – force something to be accepted
Interfere [verb] – get involved in; get involved in
Potential [noun] – qualities or abilities
TIPS
i.) The speaker started his answer by giving a statement about every parent’s wish for their children. Then he transitioned to talking about his personal opinion on the issue. He did explain clearly why it’s not right for parents to make plans for their children.
ii.) In the second paragraph, he added details to explain his argument more thoroughly which was realistic. Then he mentioned one example that would make his answer concrete and believable
iii.) He ended his answer with a very good statement that would leave a lasting impression on the examiner. A very well-discussed answer!
Do you think most people nowadays are able to manage their free time?
Based on my observation, not at all. People these days are so distracted that they cannot make the most of their free time. What I am trying to say is that people never really use their spare time effectively. As we are in this digital revolution, people become so absorbed with their smartphones spending tremendous time socializing online, or playing mobile or computer games, or watching random videos online.
As a result, they are wasting time doing things unproductively without realizing it. That is the main reason why I really believe people mismanage their precious free time.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Distracted [adj.] – not able to concentrate
Make the most of something [expression] – to enjoy something as much as possible
Spare time [expression] – another way to say ‘free time’
Digital revolution [noun] – refers to the advancement of technology
Absorbed [adj.] – greatly interested
Tremendous [adj.] – huge; enormous
Precious [adj.] – valuable; important
TIPS
i.) The speaker started his introduction with a good expression and gave his answer right away. Right after that, he provided his explanation to support his argument.
ii.) In order to make his answer longer and well-detailed, he talked about the main cause of why people these days couldn’t manage their free time and that’s because of the development of technology. It’s a very realistic answer and relatable at the same time.
What do you usually do in your free time?
Well, I am a bookworm so most of my spare time is spent reading books. This is my way of relieving my stress and at the same time expanding my English vocabulary knowledge. As I am an English language learner, I need to learn numerous English words and phrases for me to express my thoughts more accurately.
Also, through reading, I am able to develop my comprehension skills more. Actually, reading has been my hobby since I was a child and I am very grateful to my parents for training me to love reading at a young age.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Bookworm [noun] – a person who devotes time reading
Relieve [verb] – mitigate; appease
Expand [verb] – widen
Numerous [adj.] – many
Accurately [adv.] – correctly; precisely
TIP
i.) The speaker started answering the question by describing himself which is in relation to his hobby. It’s a very good way to introduce his answer. He then provided his reason as to what he usually did during his free time, he explained things very clearly. Always make sure to discuss your ideas in part 3 thoroughly so that the examiner won’t get confused.
Develop a story better in Part 2 for
the recent IELTS Speaking CUE
CARD about
Describe An Interesting Animal.
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Meaning of Words and Phrases Sources: Collins, Macmillan, Cambridge, Oxford
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