Cue Cards Samples with band 8 answers
Describe a child that you know - Cue Card # 44
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IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.
[The topic for your talk will be written on a card which the examiner will hand over to you. Read it carefully and then make some brief notes.]
Describe a child that you know.
You should say:
- who this child is and how often you see him or her
- how old this child is
- what he or she is like
and explain what you feel about this child.
[Instruction: You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]
Model Answer 1:
Introduction:
This is an excellent topic to talk about, and I would like to thank you for the opportunity to let me talk about a child that I know. I have always believed that children are a source of joy and happiness to many people. I am fortunate to know a child who is very special to me, and I always enjoy spending time with him. Here, I will describe this child.
Who this child is and how often you see him or her:
The child I am referring to is my nephew. He is the son of my older sister and is four years old. He lives in the same city as me, and I see him at least once a week.
How old this child is:
As mentioned earlier, my nephew is four years old. He is at an age where he is learning new things and exploring the world around him.
What he or she is like:
My nephew is a very energetic and curious child. He is always asking questions and trying to understand how things work. He loves playing with toys and games that challenge him intellectually. He is very affectionate and loves giving hugs and kisses.
And explain what you feel about this child:
I have a very special bond with my nephew, and I feel extremely happy when I am with him. He brings a lot of joy and laughter to my life. Seeing him grow and learn new things is a source of pride for me. I feel a sense of responsibility towards him, and I always try to be there for him whenever he needs me. Being around him also helps me to relive my childhood memories and to see the world through the eyes of a child.
Model Answer 2:
I have always found it difficult to relate to children, regardless of their age, mainly because I am more of a “quiet” person who doesn’t like any “trouble”. However, all that changed once I met seven-year-old “Jabir Bilwal”. Here I will talk about this child whom I now like so much.
Jabir is my distant nephew, around 9 years old, whom I met about a year ago for the first time when I went to visit his father (my distant cousin) after moving to his city for my new job. During our first meeting, I didn’t exactly pay much attention to Jabir, nor did I care to ask him anything. But, after a few days, when I was invited again by my cousin to attend an informal dinner at his house, Jabir suddenly asked me why I didn’t talk to him, and if I was mad at him. I was startled as I just didn’t know how to answer that types of question. So, I just smiled and told him that I thought that he didn’t like me. Anyway, it was then that I paid attention to “Jabir” properly for the first time.
He seemed like a very intelligent and happy kid to me. However, he looked a bit “thin” for his age, but he certainly didn’t lack the energy or stamina to talk for hours on “issues” that only he knew well. Interestingly though, unlike other kids of his age, he didn’t like to watch “cartoons”. And, yes, he liked to eat chocolates – lots of chocolates that is.
I like this child so much. I like him mainly because he is not exactly like other kids. In fact, he seems to be very organized for his young age. I also think that he is going to be a very responsible person when he grows up because I can see him helping his parents in taking care of many house “choirs” already. Besides, I like this kid also because he doesn’t exactly “demand” anything from his parents. Finally, I feel that Jabir has a bright future ahead of him because he loves to ask a lot of questions even though I find them to be really “challenging” or "silly" sometimes.
Model Answer 3:
Time flies really fast, and it becomes very apparent when we see some children growing up in front of our very eyes, even though, it feels like they were born only some weeks or months ago. Robin Jr. also seems to be one of those children who just like to grow fast.
Anyway, I can still vividly remember the day when my close friend, Robin, got married about 7 years ago or so. A little over a year later, my friend and his wife became the lucky parents of their first child, Robin Jr. So, I guess that it is fair to suggest that I have known this child from the day he came into this world. She is now nearly 5 years old and I see him at least 5/6 times a month.
Of course, I didn’t exactly become too attached to this child from the beginning, obviously, because he was just a bit too “little” for my liking or attention, I must say. In fact, if anything, I actually tried to avoid getting close to that little baby boy even though my friend and his wife tried to build some kind of “uncle-nephew” connection between the baby and me. But, as he grew up a little and learned to make some eye contact, I started to like the child. He is very adorable and charming.
Since then, my relationship with the little 5-year-old child has been everything except dull and boring. Now, Robin Jr. and I seldom spend a week without meeting each other and enjoying either some ice cream together or having him a bicycle race with me while I am also pretending to be running with him. The 5-year-old loving but smart child also invites me to his place to watch some funny cartoons with him these days which I also pretend to enjoy a lot.
Anyway, I really like this child a lot. I like him so much because he seems to be very happy always. In fact, I have seldom seen him making a sad face or getting mad over anything. I also like this precious child because he can be satisfied with as little as a promise to buy him some chocolate next time if you can’t buy him any now.
Idea generation for this Candidate Task Card / Cue Card topic:
When describing a child you know, you can choose a relative, a neighbour’s child, a friend’s son or daughter, or even a student if you're a teacher. Below are a few specific examples to help you generate ideas and structure your own answer.
1. My niece Sofia:
Sofia is my elder sister’s daughter, and I see her almost every weekend. She is 6 years old, and she’s a curious and creative little girl who loves to draw and tell imaginative stories. I admire her because she always surprises me with her questions and her joyful energy.
2. My neighbour’s son Ethan:
Ethan lives next door, and we often meet in the building or garden. He is around 9 years old and very friendly. He loves playing football and is always polite and cheerful. I enjoy his company and think he’s very mature for his age.
3. My cousin’s daughter Hana:
Hana is 4 years old and lives a few blocks away, so I visit her every couple of weeks. She is very talkative and has a strong personality. I find her very entertaining and love the way she tries to act like a grown-up.
4. A student I taught during summer camp:
During a summer programme, I taught a child named Lucas who was 7 years old. He was extremely intelligent and always had insightful answers. His enthusiasm for learning really inspired me, and I often remember him fondly.
5. My friend’s son Arjun:
Arjun is 8 years old, and I meet him whenever I visit my friend. He’s very active and always full of energy. I like how respectful he is to everyone and how he tries to include others in his games.
6. My younger brother Liam:
Liam is 10 and obviously, I see him every day. He’s curious, playful, and a bit mischievous at times. I love how much fun we have together, and I learn a lot about patience from being around him.
7. My little neighbour Leila:
Leila is 5 and lives in the same apartment complex. She’s quiet, thoughtful, and very artistic. I often help her with small DIY projects, and I find her gentle nature very calming.
8. A child from my volunteering group:
During a community outreach programme, I met a child named Amir who was 9 years old. He was very shy at first but opened up quickly and showed great talent in music. I felt proud to have helped him express himself.
Sample Answer 4:
My grandfather had been the father of six children, and later on, when they became parents, the family grew up quite large. In our joint family, there are several children and among them, the youngest girl of my elder sister is the one I'd like to talk about here. Her name is Grace and she is indeed a grace for all of us!
Grace is now 7 years old, and she is my favourite niece. Though her name is Grace, and I always like to call her 'Sweet Grace' and seems like she loves it. I still remember the day she came to this world, and I chose to name her Grace. It was one of the best days of my life. She lives with her parents in our neighbourhood and I visit her almost every day as not seeing her and not spending some time with her make my day unfulfilled!
From her childhood, she is very cute and adorable. I love her very much and because of my affection towards her, she has become very fond of me as well. I usually see her when I return from the office in the evening and get to their house to spend some time with her.
We often play hide-and-seek and other games together. She loves to listen to ghost stories, adventurous stories and fairy tales. We often go to walk in the field, go to open places like parks, near the river and forest. She likes ice cream and I buy her ice-creams and chocolates whenever we are outside.
My affection and love for her are very profound, and I love to spend time with her whenever possible. I feel very strongly about her because she is a little piece of joy for me.
Tips for answering this cue card topic:
This cue card asks you to talk about a child whom you know. So this child can be someone from your family, a child of a neighbour or relative, or can be even your own kid (if you have one!). If this is a kid from your family, it is expected that you know his/ her name so mention his/her name and if this child is from your neighbour, mention who the parents are, how you know about them and so on.
- To give the identity of the kids and to give details mention the following points:
- His/ her name.
- Parents' names & relationship with you.
- How old the kid is.
- How s/he looks.
- How he interacts with you.
- How you treat him/her.
- How often you see and interact with him/her.
- How you feel about this kid.
- What you do with this kid.
If you talk about a kid who is less than 2 years old, there would be very little to talk about him/her. Try to talk about a child of 5-7 years old and thus you would be able to give details about him/her, how s/he interacts with you, how you treat him/ her etc.
Part 3 - Two-way Discussion:
Discussion topics: Relationships between parents and children
Q. How much time do children spend with their parents in your country? Do you think that is enough?
Q. How important do you think spending time together is for the relationships between parents and children? Why?
Q. Have relationships between parents and children changed in recent years? Why do you think that is?
Discussion topics: Children’s free-time activities
Q. What are the most popular free-time activities with children today?
Q. Do you think the free-time activities children do today are good for their health? Why is that?
Q. How do you think children’s activities will change in the future? Will this be a positive change?
Answer to these part 3 questions - Speaking Sample 76 - Part 3
Vocabulary for this Candidate Task Card / Cue Card topic:
Describing a child you know gives you the chance to talk about personality, behaviour, and your relationship with young people. Below are some useful words and phrases that will help you express your thoughts clearly and confidently when answering this cue card topic:
Playful – Full of fun and energy; enjoys playing and having fun.
Mischievous – Behaves in a cheeky or slightly naughty way, often in a playful manner.
Affectionate – Shows love and warmth openly.
Talkative – Enjoys speaking and often has a lot to say.
Well-behaved – Acts politely and follows rules.
Inquisitive – Very curious; eager to ask questions and learn new things.
Artistic – Has natural talent or interest in creative activities like drawing, painting, or music.
Imaginative – Shows creativity and inventiveness, especially in play or storytelling.
Gentle – Kind and calm in behaviour and speech.
Respectful – Shows politeness and consideration for others.
Hyperactive – Extremely active and often unable to stay still for long.
Adorable – Very cute and lovable.
Bright – Smart and quick to learn.
Energetic – Full of energy; always moving or doing something.
Cheerful – Happy and in good spirits most of the time.
If you can talk about this topic, you should be able to talk about the following cue card topics as well:
1. Describe someone in your family.
2. Describe someone you really like.
3. Describe someone you often play with.
4. Describe a kid you know.
5. Talk about a child you know.
6. Describe a child you really love to spend time with.
7. Describe one of your relatives.
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