Cue Card Sample

Something you own which is very important to you - Cue Card # 95

Details: Written by IELTS Mentor

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

Describe something you own which is very important to you.

You should say:

where you got it from
how long you have had it
what you use it for

and explain why it is so important to you.

[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:
Not sure, how much of an “importance” one should attach to owning a “motorcycle” on a scale of “owning important things”, but I consider my motorcycle to be very important to me because I have always felt like it is a “part of me” since the day I bought it, or “owned” it for hundreds of reasons, seriously.

I have always loved riding a motorcycle since my early childhood, and even wanted to “own” one since then, but my parents didn’t quite feel comfortable with the “adrenaline rush” or a “pre-teen” boy like me. So, I had to wait for at least another 10 years or so before I could actually “own” my “dream” two-wheeled “road warrior”, courtesy to the goodwill of my parents who didn’t hesitate to spend a “handsome” amount of cash to “spoil” their university-going, only “male” child.

Anyway, since then, I have been “driving” (more like “torturing”) my shiny black motorcycle for almost 5 years, without any major complain, in order to travel back and forth from my home to work, visiting my families and friends who are living far away from me, and carrying my younger sisters occasionally to the nearby shopping mall. I also take the help of my “ever-dependable” vehicle to run for different kinds of errands frequently in order to help my family. Finally, if I don’t mention how I drag my “roadster” to take me to a lake, by weathering very “rough” road conditions sometimes, against its will so that I can do some “fishing”, I would not do a complete injustice on my motorcycle.

My motorcycle is very important to me mainly because of the “versatilities” and flexibilities, it provides, in taking me to different destinations in different kinds of weather conditions. It is important to me also because it saves me a lot in my travel cost, considering how frequently I travel to different places. Finally, the “cool” feeling of walking into a restaurant or an upscale office, with a helmet under my arm while also having a “swagger” at the same time, is just “unbeatable” and “priceless”.

Sample Answer 2:
The desktop computer I own is very important to me. I spend almost 6-7 hours on this computer which is even higher than the time I spend with my friends! My father bought me this computer 3 years ago when I got admitted to the university. I have done some configuration upgrades, but the main parts of the computer have remained almost the same as they were when I purchased it.

I browse the internet on this computer and thus get lots of help related to my studies and assignments. I maintain social networking, update my blogs, play video games, watch movies, listen to music, learn and practice the graphics designing and programming and many more things on this computer. This computer has become an inevitable part of my life, and I can hardly think of a day without this computer. The references and helps I get from the internet regarding my studies are unmatched. This saves a lot of time and helps me do better in the exams as well.

This computer is the main source of information and entertainment for me. I send important emails and check incoming emails which help me do important communications. Every time I am confused about something, I just search it online. The result is gratifying, and it helps me learn more. In short, this is the most necessary tool that I own.

Model Answer 3:

Introduction:
One possession that holds great significance and is very dear to me is a delicate silver necklace that was gifted to me by my grandmother on my eighteenth birthday. This necklace is not just a piece of jewellery but also a symbol of love, heritage, and cherished memories. I am so lucky to have the opportunity to talk about it here.

Where you got it from:
I received this beautiful necklace as a gift from my grandmother. It was passed down to her by her own mother, making it a family heirloom with a rich history. My grandmother decided to pass it on to me as a symbol of love and to carry forward our family's legacy.

How long you have had it:
I have had this necklace for almost six years now, and it holds immense sentimental value for me. Every time I wear it, I am reminded of the love and wisdom that my grandmother bestowed upon me.

What you use it for:
I wear this necklace on special occasions and significant milestones in my life. It has become a symbol of celebration and serves as a tangible connection to my family's heritage. The intricate design and craftsmanship make it a piece of art that adds elegance and grace to any outfit. It is not merely a piece of jewellery; it is a reflection of my identity and the values instilled in me by my grandmother.

And explain why it is so important to you:
This necklace holds profound importance to me for several reasons. Firstly, it is a tangible reminder of the strong bond I share with my grandmother. It represents the unconditional love, wisdom, and guidance she has bestowed upon me throughout my life. Whenever I wear it, I feel her presence and a sense of comfort knowing that she is always with me.

Secondly, this necklace is a testament to our family's heritage and traditions. It connects me to my ancestors and the stories of resilience and strength that have been passed down through generations. It serves as a link to my roots, reminding me of the values, traditions, and cultural identity that define who I am.

Sample Answer 4:

I don’t really have that many important things, which I possess, except for my wristwatch, smartphone, laptop and camera. While all of those things are important to me in one way or another, I would choose my camera to talk about here today.

It is a digital camera. One of my elder cousins gave it to me as a gift about 3 years ago, when he visited abroad. It is a compact, 64 Mega Pixel Camera which is about 6 inches in length and 4 inches in width. Having a beautiful silver colour, this camera has a picture resolution of 6864 x 4896. It also has a Full Frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor. Unlike old-style film cameras, my digital camera can capture and record images of any kind of object around us, using digital technology. In other words, they store photographs not as patterns of darkness and light, but as long strings of numbers.

This camera has a perfect size zoom lens and carries a memory card as well as batteries in it. This is a lightweight camera which also happens to be water-proof and rather strong. Anyway, I love my camera because I can carry it anywhere I go, so I guess that I wouldn’t really be too much interested to hand it over to somebody else unless there is a very valid reason to do so. After all, I take care of my camera as a little brother, and I don’t think that others would do the same. Whenever I like something and feel that it is worth capturing with my camera, I take a few pictures of it.

Well, this camera is so important for me because I have a habit of taking a lot of pictures wherever I go and of things that I like. And, since this camera has many advantages as it gives me instant photographs, allows me to edit them at will, and makes it easier for me to share photographs using cell phones (mobile phones), emails, and websites, it has become like an “automatic” partner for me wherever I travel. Besides, its “video recording” option allows me to record any kind of happy and fun event, like weddings, birthday parties or hanging out with friends.

Sample Answer 5:

My smartphone is very important to me as it helps me communicate with my friends, family members, teachers, and also with people I care about.

My father gave me the money to buy a smartphone, and I bought this Samsung smartphone from an authorised seller about a year ago. Ever since I have been using it.

I use the internet on my mobile phone, check my emails, update my blog, track the statistics of my website, send and receive SMS, play games, listen to music, take pictures and then share some of them on my Facebook and Twitter profiles. Besides these, I do lots of other things on my smartphone including using important apps, reading e-books, using it as a modem to use the internet on my PC etc.

This smartphone is so important to me because it has versatile usage for me. I spend a significant amount of time doing important things on this device, and some of them are very positive for me, like sending and receiving emails, updating my blog, and reading e-books. This device lets me be in touch with my family members and friends without spending extra bucks. I can also update my social networking profiles and get updates from my friends right from my phone. Sometimes I take photos and then share them with my friends. Communication has become so easy, cheap and convenient with the help of this smartphone of mine.

Rounding off questions:

Q. Is it valuable in terms of money?
Answer: Indirectly, yes, it saves money and it has a resell value. Let's say, if I sell this computer right away, I can get a good sum of money. Besides, the knowledge I can gather from using it is priceless. If I use an internet cafe to send and check my emails, play games or download something, it would cost me. However, owning this computer saves me this amount.

Q. Would it be easy to replace?
Answer: If you ask me if I can get a new computer, or perhaps a laptop, and replace the existing one, I would say, it's doable for me. However, if you tell me not to use it any longer, I am sure it would make my life harder!

Part 3 – Two-way discussion:

Discussion topic: How values can change

Q. What kind of possessions show status in your country?
Q. Do you think it was different for your grandparents?

Discussion topic: The consumer society

Q. Modern society is often called ‘materialistic’. Why do you think this is?
Q. Do you think consumerism is a positive or a negative development?

Discussion topic: The consumer market

Q. What is the role of advertising?
Q. How do you think the Internet will affect buying patterns in the future?

Click on IELTS Speaking Sample # 7: Part 3 for the answers to these questions.

Tips for answering this topic:

This Candidate Task Card question asks you to talk about something you own which is quite important to you. Since the question implies that it is a tangible thing, you should not talk about something you can't touch like your painting habit, your music lessons, some advice you got from someone etc. You can talk about one of the following devices or things that you have and are important to you:

Your home/apartment.
Your smartphone.
Your laptop or computer.
A gift you got from someone.
Your certificates.
A famous book or CD.
A piece of furniture.
A piece of painting or art.
Your pager or land phone.
Your gaming device
Your exercise instruments.
One of your household appliances.
Your notebook.
A car you own.
A motorbike you have.
A greeting card/ letter you got.

A few more Part - 3 Questions that you can prepare that are related to this topic:

Q. What kind of things give status to people in your country?
Answer: Well, the innocent-sounding word "status" is, in fact, hard to define and it varies from person to person. Generally speaking, a large house in a posh area, a corporate job with higher remuneration, luxurious cars, well-decorated house, higher education and a foreign degree, fame and expensive electronic gadgets are some common symbols of status in our country. To some people, material gains are more important than morality to have social status while very few people consider otherwise.

Q. Have things changed since your parents’ time?
Answer: I think it has not changed significantly and earthly possessions and money were determining factors for having social status during my parent's time as well. However, they also considered someone's character and morality for social status than we do today.

Q. Are people in modern time more focused on their career than the past?
Answer: Yes, people these days are more concerned and focused on their career development than ever before. Increasing population and competition, our declination towards material gains and loosely family ties have fueled this. In the past, someone used to put his family and morality well above his career. However, this is often not the case in today's world. It is not entirely our's fault. Without being career conscious it would be hard for any of us to sustain in the modern workplace.

Q. Do you think advertising influences what people buy?
Answer: I think advertisements have a great magnetism on us as consumers. We are surrounded by advertisements and consciously and unconsciously these adverts influence our choices to buy a product. For instance, if a customer is given four perfumes of different brands and is asked to buy one, he would go for the brand he has heard about or seen on an advert. We want to buy something we have heard about and this is where the advertisers tap into. We even end up buying things that we do not need only because advertisements lure us to do so!

Q. What makes us buy things we do not need? Why is so?
Answer: We live in a materialistic world where we have plenty of options. The emergence of the throwaway society has further fueled our habit of buying more than we actually need. We are never happy and with the frequent release of new and improved electronics and household items, we are tempted to buy things we could do without just fine.

Q. Should advertisers be allowed to track our online activities?
Answer: This is an interesting question to deal with. As a consumer and a regular user of the internet, I believe our privacy is at stake and advertisers should not be allowed to track our every online activity to leverage their advert campaigns. However, from the advertisers perspective, they find it quite natural to track our activities to offer us the most suitable products or services which will fit our demands. They believe it maintains the advertisement ecosystem. However, we should be wary of this tracking mechanism and avoid being targetted by following the safe-browsing policies. There should definitely be a boundary to restrict advertisers and brands to get our private data.