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Written by IELTS Mentor

IELTS Speaking Test # 83

Part 1 Topic: "Entertainment".
Part 2 Topic: "Describe one of your friends".
Part 3 Topic: "Qualities of friends" & "Other relationships".

Part 1 - Introduction & Interview

[The examiner asks the candidate about him/herself, his/her home, work or studies and other familiar topics.]

Entertainment:

Q. Do you prefer relaxing at home or going out in the evening? [Why?]
A. I prefer relaxing at home in the evening because it simply allows me to spend more quality times with my family where I can do and enjoy pretty much everything, like watching my favourite movies or playing video games, by laying on the sofa couch in the comfort of my home.

Q. When you go out for an evening, what do you like to do?
A. I don’t really like to go out that much during the evening, but if I ever do go out, it will be probably because I am invited to enjoy a lovely meal with my friends at a family restaurant, or I want to attend a religious sermon or discussion for some sort of “spiritual upliftment”.

Q. How popular is this with other people in your country?
A. If you are asking me about how much popular “the idea of having entertainment” in my country really is, I would say that it is pretty popular, given so many people can be seen to be going out to enjoy either a movie at a theatre or food at their favourite restaurants whether it is during the day time or night time. Besides, dining out at a favourite restaurant or attending some sort of religious sermon is also common among the people in my country.

Q. Is there any kind of entertainment you do not like? [Why/Why not?]
A. I don’t really like any kind of entertainment which involves displaying “physical aggression”, such as boxing, wrestling and violent video games, as I believe that this sort of entertainments promotes “violence”, especially among the children and young adults, in one way or another.

Part 2 - Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card

[The topic for your talk will be written on a card which the examiner will hand you. Read it carefully and then make some brief notes.]

Describe one of your friends.

You should say:

• how you met
• how long you have known each other
• how you spend time together

and explain why you like this friend.

[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.]

Click here for the Answer to this Cue Card Topic:

Part 3 - Two-way Discussion:

Discussion topics:

Qualities of friends:

Q. What do you think are the most important qualities for friends to have?
A. “Friends” are like some special “gifts” to people, and unless they are fully “wrapped up” with some important qualities like love, mutual respect, honesty, loyalty and trustworthiness, it is fair to suggest that they can be considered anything but “friends”. Besides, they also say that “friends in need are friends indeed”. So, another important quality friends should have is that they should stand by the people, they call friends, not only during the good times but also during the bad times.

Q. Which are more important to people, their family or their friends? Why?
A. I would dare to say that family people are, and always should be, more important to people primarily because they are the ones with “blood relationship” which just can never be either “denied” or “erased” by any authority in this world. Besides, the family usually is the first line of people who come to our rescue when we are in need and troubles. Of course, there is no denying the fact that friends are also important, but the reality is friends don’t always live under the same roof with people as the families do, and, as a result, it is the family members who, more often than not, are able to understand the “needs” of those people, they call “family”, better than their friends.

Q. What do you think causes friendships to break up?
A. Friendship can be broken or lost for various common reasons, such as “distance”, “change in the circumstances” and “lack of communication”. But, the more serious reasons may include lack of trustworthiness and mutual respect, without which it would be very difficult to forge and carry forward a friendly relationship among the people involved, and as a result, a ‘break up’ would be almost inevitable at some points in time. Sometimes, stabbing from the back for petty interest, “backbiting” and “arrogance” may also cause friendships to break up.

Other relationships:

Q. What other types of relationship, apart from friends or family, are important in people’s lives today?
A. Our lives in this modern era have become so tough and complicated that having relationships with just friends and families is not enough. As a result, relationships with co-workers and bosses and associations with leading community members are becoming more and more apparent in people’s lives today in order to deal with the increasing difficulties and complexities. Relationship with different leading religious figures in our societies has also proved out to be crucial in order to combat the threat of “religious extremism” and other forms of violence. Finally, neighbours are other important persons in our life who we need to have an intimate relationship with.

Q. Have relationships with neighbours where you live changed in recent years? How?
A. Yes, I would say that the relationships with the neighbours, where I live, have changed, and these changes are reflected in the manners and frequencies in which we choose to interact or deal with them, if at all. In fact, most people don’t know their neighbours very well even if they have been living next doors to each other for years, let alone exchanging greetings among each other or have parties together. Another noticeable change, which I have recently seen among my neighbours, is that they always seem to be on “edge”, with very little or almost no happiness in their lives, even though they don’t seem to lack any luxuries and comfort of lives - this might be a very personal observation though!

Q. How important do you think it is for a person to spend some time alone? Why/Why not?
A. Well, the answer to this question depends on what kind of life a person is living. But, generally speaking, everybody needs some “personal time” every once in a while in order to reflect on his/her life and activities so that he/she is able to put everything in proper perspective in his or her solitude. Besides, when a situation – situation he/she may not be a part of, around a person are too crazy and emotionally charged up, having some “alone time” will help him or her gather emotionally. Besides, who wouldn’t prefer some time alone if it helps a person relax mentally and physically!

Creative people often prefer to be alone as they believe ideas emerge when they spend lone times. So, for such people, we should be a little more considerate and let them enjoy some solitude.

• IELTS Speaking

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