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IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.

Describe a time when you visited a friend or family member at their workplace.

You should say:

• who you visited
• where this person worked
• why you visited this person’s workplace

and explain how you felt about visiting this person’s workplace.

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you’re going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]

Model Answer 1:
Visiting someone's workplace can be an insightful experience. I remember visiting my cousin, who works as a graphic designer in a marketing agency in the city. For this nice topic, I would share my experience with you here.

My cousin's workplace is located in a modern building in the downtown area, with a vibrant and lively atmosphere. The office had a spacious, open-plan layout with lots of natural light and modern furniture. As soon as I entered the office, I was greeted by a friendly receptionist who directed me to my cousin's desk.

I visited my cousin's workplace because I wanted to understand more about his work and see how he spends his day. During my visit, my cousin introduced me to his colleagues, and they showed me some of the projects they were working on. They explained how they work collaboratively on projects and use various software tools to create innovative designs for their clients.

I felt impressed by the creativity and dedication of the team in my cousin's workplace. It was fascinating to see how each member contributed to the project, and how they brainstormed ideas and shared feedback. Additionally, it was an excellent opportunity for me to learn more about the graphic design industry and understand the technical skills involved.

I can say that, my visit to my cousin's workplace was an enjoyable and insightful experience. It allowed me to see the inner workings of a graphic design agency, learn more about the industry, and appreciate the hard work and talent involved in creating innovative designs.

Model Answer 2:
I don’t normally like to visit any friends or family members at their workplaces because I think that such practice distracts them from their work. Besides, I don’t exactly think that the bosses at workplaces would like that. In fact, my boss thinks that it should be a standard norm not to visit anybody at his or her workplace unless there is a very – I mean, very – valid reason to do so. But, I broke that norm once and decided to meet one of my good friends at his workplace.

Actually, I haven’t met Patrick Lee, since the time we graduated from the university about 5 years ago, because right after finishing our university life, we had to go our separate ways due to professional reasons. In fact, we both moved to two different cities with more than 250 kilometres of distance between us.

Of course, I knew exactly where he used to work, and we even used to have phone conversations with each other once in a while in order to keep in touch with each other. So, when an opportunity arrived one day in the form of an official tour into the city where Patrick lived, I just didn’t want to let the opportunity to meet my good old friend get wasted. Of course, Patrick asked me to visit him the next day at his home, but I told him that I would remain too busy to meet him then. So, in the end, it was decided that I would meet him at his workplace for a few minutes just for old-time’s sake.

But, even though, it was supposed to be only a brief meeting for a few minutes, it went on for about a good 30 minutes, as we both tried to catch up with each other on what we had missed over the years while enjoying some great coffee. In fact, I felt like we went back to our old university days again as we laughed and made jokes with each other as long as I was there at my friend's office.

Model Answer 3: 

Introduction:
Thank you very much for this topic. I'd like to talk about a time when I visited one of my uncles at his workplace. My uncle, Noah Carter - works as a bank manager, and I had the opportunity to visit him at his office. It was an interesting and insightful experience, which allowed me to gain a better understanding of the banking industry. Here, I will share the experience with you.

Who you visited:
I visited my uncle Noah Carter's office, and he has been working in the banking sector for over 16 years. He is a senior manager at a famous and large bank in the city. 

Where this person worked:
My uncle works at a well-established bank called the 'City Bank' located on Business Street in our city. The bank branch that I visited is a large and modern building with a sleek and professional design. He works in a managerial role, overseeing various departments, including customer service, loans, and business banking.

Why you visited this person’s workplace:
I visited my uncle's workplace because he always told me to visit his bank someday and get to know where he works. So during my semester break, I decided to call him and get a schedule to visit him in his office. I also wanted to learn more about his job and gain some insight into the financial sector since my major in university was Accounting. I had been curious about the inner workings of the banking industry and thought that visiting his office would give me a firsthand look.

And explain how you felt about visiting this person’s workplace:
I was quite impressed with the overall environment at my uncle’s workplace. The office was clean, professional, and bustling with activity. It was fascinating to see the level of organization required to manage such a large branch of a famous bank. The employees seemed to work together as a team, and the whole atmosphere was one of professionalism and focus. I also appreciated how my uncle took the time to explain some of the processes to me, making the visit both enjoyable and educational. I felt grateful for the opportunity to see where my uncle works and understand the responsibilities that come with his role. It was a reminder of the importance of hard work and dedication in building a successful career.

Sample Answer 4:
I met my father at his office for an important reason a few months ago. It was an amazing experience, and this was the first time I went to his new office where he joined approximately two years before that visit. My father was surprised to see me there too. This topic is an excellent one, and I would love to talk about it.

My father works in a multinational company in Nepal while the headquarters of the office is in Malaysia. The company had its wings in some other Asian countries too. It mostly deals with the export and import of a variety of goods including cosmetics and toiletries products. The office was located at a corner of Dharan covering a large space. It accommodated about 80 employees altogether, and I found everyone was busy with their respective tasks. At that time, my dad was a senior manager in this office.

On that very day, I needed my father's signature on my academic progress card. I brought the card home a week earlier but totally forgot to ask my father to sign it. Since it was the last date to submit the progress card to my class teacher and I had noticed it once my father had already left for his office, I had no other way but to visit my dad at his office to ask for his signature in it. 

Visiting my father at his office was a memorable experience, and I enjoyed spending time there. It was the first time when I got to see the office where my father works. When I asked my father for the signature, he did not even look at the marks that I obtained on each subject, and that was a bit surprising for me. I guess he saved it for a later encounter! Anyway, my father treated me as if I was some kind of foreign delegate visiting his office! He offered me a tour of his office and introduced me to at least 5 colleagues of his. I also ate some delicious food while I was there. It was such a pleasant visit to my father's office.

Part 3 - Two-way Discussion:

Discussion topics: Different kinds of workplaces

Q. What things make an office comfortable to work in?
Q.  Why do some people prefer to work outdoors?
Q. Do you agree that the building people work in is more important than the colleagues they work with?

Discussion topics: The importance of work

Q. What would life be like if people didn’t have to work?
Q. Are all jobs of equal importance?
Q. Why do some people become workaholics?

The answer to those part 3 questions: Speaking Sample 71 - Part 3 - Details Discussion/ Two-way Discussion

More Ideas to talk about this Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card topic:

Topic: Describe a time when you visited a friend or family member at their workplace.

Visiting a family member or friend at their workplace can be a unique and eye-opening experience. Below are some ideas you can use to talk about such occasions.

1. Casual Visit to a friend’s office: 

a) Samuel is an engineer and works for a multinational company here in Newcastle in England. I did not have any prior plan to visit him; rather, I was passing by his office. So, I decided to visit him and surprise him. It was a pleasant visit. We spent approximately 40 minutes together and we also had some coffee and snacks.

b) Robert is a technician for a car manufacturing company in Germany. I met him a couple of years ago. He has been working in Germany as an overseas employee for the last three years. I went to meet him to get some information as I was unable to get him on the phone. The workplace was nice and I got to meet him and get the information I required at that time.

2. Visit to a family member at their office: 

a) My elder brother works at a computer software development company based here in Atlanta. He is the station chief at his office. I recently went to visit him. I liked the office environment as the office was nicely decorated and everything was in order.

b) My mom works as a senior teacher at a school in Melbourne. I had to meet her at school last month for some important reasons. In fact, my mom forgot to take some documents to her school and I went there to deliver them after she asked me over the phone. The school premise was nice and attractively decorated.

c) Nicholas is my cousin and he runs a traditional Spanish food shop in Granada. He owns the restaurant and sells various types of traditional foods. I went there to invite him to my younger sister’s marriage ceremony. It was a stunning restaurant. He adorned the place with beautiful materials and I loved the ambience so much.

d) My brother is a businessman and he owns some plant nurseries. He sells various types of flower and fruit plants at a corner in Mumbai. I went there with one of my friends to get some plants for her. I felt great after visiting the nursery. It appeared that I entered into a small piece of heaven. The entire nursery was dazzling with greeneries. I fell in love with the place.

A few more idea...

1. Visit to a Family Member’s Office (Bank):

For example, you could talk about visiting your uncle who works as a bank manager. You might mention how his office is structured, the importance of the work environment in a financial institution, and the types of tasks he handles. You could explain how you felt seeing the financial processes in action and what you learned about the banking sector during your visit.

2. Visit to a Friend in a Retail Job:

Perhaps you visited a friend working at a retail store. You can talk about what the store looks like, what your friend’s role is, and how the store functions on a daily basis. Discuss how this visit allowed you to understand more about customer service, sales, and inventory management, making you more appreciative of the retail industry.

3. Visiting a Family Member at a Hospital:

If you have a relative who is a doctor or nurse, you could describe a time you visited them at the hospital. Mention the hospital environment, the challenges of working in healthcare, and how you felt about the high-pressure atmosphere. Explain how the experience made you realize the importance of healthcare professionals in saving lives.

4. Visit to a Teacher’s School:

You may have visited a teacher friend or family member at their school. Talk about what the school environment was like, what their daily tasks are, and how they interact with students. Reflect on how the visit gave you insight into the challenges and rewards of the teaching profession.

5. Visit to a Family Member Working from Home:

If you have a family member who works remotely, you can describe visiting their home office. Mention the atmosphere of a home-based workspace and how it differs from a traditional office. You could also discuss the pros and cons of remote work as you saw them during your visit.

These are just a few ideas to help you frame your response. You can select any of these experiences or come up with your own to describe your visit to a family member or friend at their workplace.

Vocabulary for this Candidate task card / Cue card topic:

When talking about a visit to someone’s workplace, it’s helpful to use vocabulary related to professions, workplaces, and emotional reactions. Using precise and varied vocabulary will help you describe your experience more vividly and score higher in the IELTS Speaking test. Below is a list of useful words and phrases along with example sentences:

Corporate environment – A professional office setting.
Example: I visited my cousin who works in a corporate environment at a multinational company.

Workstation – An area in an office where a person works.
Example: His workstation was neatly organised with two computer monitors and some files.

Professional setting – A formal environment related to work or business.
Example: It was my first time entering such a professional setting, and I was a bit nervous.

Productive atmosphere – An environment where people are efficiently working.
Example: The productive atmosphere in the bank impressed me, with everyone focused on their tasks.

Observe the workflow – Watch how tasks are carried out in a workplace.
Example: During my visit, I got a chance to observe the workflow and understand the office routine.

Desk job – A job that involves working at a desk for most of the time.
Example: My uncle has a desk job at the bank where he handles customer accounts.

Colleagues – People you work with, especially in a professional setting.
Example: I met a few of her colleagues who welcomed me and explained their roles.

Tour of the office – A guided visit around the workplace.
Example: He gave me a quick tour of the office, showing me the different departments.

First-hand experience – Direct personal involvement in an activity or event.
Example: Visiting her workplace gave me a first-hand experience of how a newsroom operates.

Welcoming environment – A place that feels friendly and hospitable.
Example: The staff created a welcoming environment that made me feel comfortable even as a guest.

Career inspiration – Motivation or ideas for your own career path.
Example: The visit became a source of career inspiration, and I began considering a similar profession.

Behind-the-scenes insight – An inside look at how something works.
Example: I got a behind-the-scenes insight into how financial transactions are processed at the bank.

If you prepare for the topic "Describe a time when you visited a friend or family member at their workplace", you should be able to talk about the following topics as well:

1. Describe an office you or someone you know works in.
2. Describe a good workplace you know about.
3. Describe a time when you met someone without a prior schedule.
4. Describe a building or house you have recently visited.
5. Describe a time when you visited an office or business organisation.
6. Describe a beautiful building you have visited.
7. Describe an office or business that employs a lot of people.
8. Describe a small business that you believe is successful.

• IELTS Cue Card
• IELTS Speaking
• Candidate Task Card
• Speaking Part 2

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