45 IELTS cue cards with sample answers

1. Describe a person who has influenced you

You should say:

• who this person is
• how you know them
• what they have done
• and explain why they influenced you

Read a sample answer ↓

2. Describe an older person you admire

You should say:

• who this person is
• how you know them
• what they are like
• and explain why you admire them

3. Describe a friend you have known for a long time

You should say:

• who the friend is
• how you met
• what you do together
• and explain why the friendship has lasted

4. Describe a teacher who helped you

You should say:

• who the teacher was
• what subject they taught
• how they helped you
• and explain why you still remember them

5. Describe a person who is very good at their job

You should say:

• who the person is
• what their job is
• how you know about their work
• and explain why you think they are good at it

6. Describe a person you know who speaks a foreign language well

You should say:

• who the person is
• which language they speak
• how they learned it
• and explain why they speak it so well

7. Describe a place where you like to relax

You should say:

• where it is
• how often you go there
• what you do there
• and explain why it helps you relax

Read a sample answer ↓

8. Describe a city you would like to visit

You should say:

• which city it is
• how you heard about it
• what you would do there
• and explain why you want to go

9. Describe a natural place you have visited

You should say:

• where it is
• when you went
• what you saw there
• and explain why you remember it

10. Describe a building you find interesting

You should say:

• where it is
• what it looks like
• what it is used for
• and explain why you find it interesting

11. Describe a place in your town or city that has changed

You should say:

• where it is
• what it was like before
• how it has changed
• and explain why you like or dislike the change

12. Describe a café or restaurant you often go to

You should say:

• where it is
• what it serves
• who you go there with
• and explain why you keep going back

13. Describe a crowded place you have been to

You should say:

• where it was
• when you went there
• why it was crowded
• and explain why you did or did not enjoy it

14. Describe an old object your family has kept

You should say:

• what it is
• how long the family has had it
• who it belonged to
• and explain why it is kept

15. Describe something expensive you bought

You should say:

• what it was
• when you bought it
• how you paid for it
• and explain why you decided to buy it

16. Describe a gift you gave to someone

You should say:

• what the gift was
• who you gave it to
• how you chose it
• and explain why you chose that gift

17. Describe a photograph you like

You should say:

• what is in the photo
• who took it
• where you keep it
• and explain why it is special to you

18. Describe something you would like to own in the future

You should say:

• what it is
• how much it costs
• what you would do with it
• and explain why you want it

19. Describe a journey you remember well

You should say:

• where you went
• who you travelled with
• what happened during the journey
• and explain why you remember it

20. Describe an important decision you made

You should say:

• what the decision was
• when you made it
• who helped you
• and explain why it was important

21. Describe a time someone helped you

You should say:

• who helped you
• what the situation was
• what they did
• and explain why their help mattered

22. Describe a goal you achieved

You should say:

• what the goal was
• how long it took
• what you had to do
• and explain why you are proud of it

23. Describe a time when you were very busy

You should say:

• when it was
• what you had to do
• how you managed
• and explain why it was a busy period

24. Describe an interesting conversation you had

You should say:

• who you talked to
• where it happened
• what you talked about
• and explain why it was interesting

25. Describe a change that improved your life

You should say:

• what the change was
• when it happened
• how it affected you
• and explain why it was an improvement

26. Describe a time you were late for something important

You should say:

• what the event was
• why you were late
• what happened as a result
• and explain why you remember it

27. Describe a celebration you enjoyed

You should say:

• what was celebrated
• where it took place
• who was there
• and explain why you enjoyed it

28. Describe a time you changed your mind about something

You should say:

• what you changed your mind about
• what you thought before
• what made you change
• and explain why it was the right decision

29. Describe a piece of good advice you received

You should say:

• what the advice was
• who gave it to you
• whether you followed it
• and explain why it was good advice

30. Describe a time you taught someone something

You should say:

• who you taught
• what you taught them
• how you did it
• and explain why it was or was not successful

31. Describe a skill you learned as an adult

You should say:

• what the skill is
• how you learned it
• how difficult it was
• and explain why you wanted to learn it

Read a sample answer ↓

32. Describe a meal you enjoyed

You should say:

• what the meal was
• where you ate it
• who you were with
• and explain why you enjoyed it

33. Describe a sport you enjoy watching or playing

You should say:

• what the sport is
• when you started
• how often you watch or play it
• and explain why you enjoy it

34. Describe an outdoor activity you did for the first time

You should say:

• what the activity was
• where you did it
• who you did it with
• and explain why you would or would not do it again

35. Describe a hobby you would like to take up

You should say:

• what the hobby is
• how you learned about it
• what you would need to start
• and explain why it interests you

36. Describe a healthy habit you have

You should say:

• what the habit is
• when you started it
• how it affects your day
• and explain why you keep it up

37. Describe a website or app you find useful

You should say:

• what it is
• how often you use it
• what you use it for
• and explain why you find it useful

Read a sample answer ↓

38. Describe a book or film that made an impression on you

You should say:

• what it was about
• when you read or watched it
• what happened in it
• and explain why it made an impression

39. Describe a piece of news you found interesting

You should say:

• what the news was about
• where you heard it
• who you discussed it with
• and explain why it interested you

40. Describe an advertisement you remember

You should say:

• what it advertised
• where you saw it
• what happened in it
• and explain why you remember it

41. Describe a song or piece of music that is special to you

You should say:

• what it is
• when you first heard it
• how it makes you feel
• and explain why it is special to you

42. Describe a time you worked with a team

You should say:

• what the task was
• who was in the team
• what your role was
• and explain why the experience was useful

43. Describe a job you would like to do

You should say:

• what the job is
• what it involves
• what skills it needs
• and explain why it appeals to you

44. Describe a subject you enjoyed at school

You should say:

• what the subject was
• who taught it
• what you learned
• and explain why you enjoyed it

45. Describe your first day at a new school or job

You should say:

• where it was
• what you did that day
• who you met
• and explain why you remember it

Describe a person who has influenced you

I'd like to talk about my uncle, who ran a small bakery in the town where I grew up. I've known him my whole life, obviously, but I only really got to know him when I was about sixteen, because that summer my parents sent me to work for him — partly, I suspect, to keep me away from my phone.

What he did, day after day, was get up at four in the morning and bake bread for the whole neighbourhood. That sounds simple, but watching him up close, I realised how much thought went into it. He'd adjust the recipe depending on the humidity, he knew which customers were struggling financially and quietly gave them a bit extra, and he never once complained about the hours — at least not in front of me.

As for why he influenced me, I think it comes down to one habit: he treated small tasks as if they mattered. If a loaf came out slightly wrong, he didn't sell it, even though most people wouldn't have noticed. At the time I found that a bit excessive, to be honest. But years later, when I started my first proper job, I caught myself doing the same thing — rewriting a report nobody had asked me to rewrite, because I knew it could be better.

So it wasn't anything he said, really. He wasn't someone who gave speeches or advice. It was more that I saw, every single morning, what it looks like when someone takes pride in their work, and that's stayed with me far longer than anything I learned at school that year.

Describe a skill you learned as an adult

The skill I want to talk about is swimming, which might sound surprising, because most people learn it as children. I didn't — I grew up a long way from the sea and there was no pool anywhere near our school — so I finally learned when I was twenty-six.

I learned it the old-fashioned way, with a coach at a public pool, twice a week for about four months. The first few lessons were honestly a bit humiliating. I was in the shallow end next to a group of seven-year-olds who were clearly better than me, and they weren't shy about pointing that out.

In terms of difficulty, the physical side wasn't really the problem. The hard part was mental. As an adult you're much more aware of the risk, so every time my face went under the water, my body just panicked. My coach's approach was to forget about technique for a while and simply get me comfortable floating, and that turned out to be the key.

The reason I wanted to learn in the first place was a holiday with friends. They all jumped off a boat into the sea and I stayed on deck, pretending I was happy to watch. I wasn't. I felt I was missing out on something basic, and I promised myself that next time I'd be in the water with them.

And I was, the following summer. It's probably the only New Year's resolution I've ever actually kept.

Describe a place where you like to relax

The place I go to when I need to switch off is a small public library about ten minutes' walk from my flat. It isn't a famous or beautiful building — it's a fairly ordinary concrete block from the seventies — but the reading room on the top floor has big windows that look out over a row of old plane trees.

I go there once or twice a week, usually on a weekday evening after work, when it's almost empty. At weekends it fills up with students revising for exams, which is a completely different atmosphere.

What do I do there? Not much, and that's rather the point. Sometimes I read, sometimes I flick through magazines I'd never actually buy, and occasionally I bring my laptop — although I try not to, because as soon as I open it I start checking emails and the whole effect disappears.

I think the reason it helps me relax is that it's one of the few places left where nobody expects anything from you. At home there's always something to clean or fix; in a café you feel you ought to order another coffee if you stay too long. In the library you can sit for two hours and nobody minds. There's also a kind of shared quiet — everyone around you is being quiet on purpose — and oddly enough I find that more calming than being alone in silence.

So it's not glamorous, but if I had to choose the one place in the city I'd miss most, it would probably be that room.

Describe a website or app you find useful

I'm going to talk about a map app — the one that comes pre-installed on most phones. It's not exactly exciting, I know, but if I'm honest it's the app I'd struggle most to live without.

I use it pretty much every day, often without really thinking about it. Obviously I use it for directions when I'm going somewhere new, but it's become more than that. I check it before I leave home to see how bad the traffic is, I use it to find out whether a shop is still open, and when I travel I save the places I want to visit so I can see them all on one map.

What I mainly use it for, though, is public transport. The city I live in has a fairly complicated bus network, and before this app I genuinely didn't understand it. Now it tells me which bus to take, where to change and roughly when it'll arrive, which means I've stopped taking taxis almost completely. That's saved me a surprising amount of money over the last couple of years.

The reason I find it so useful is that it removes a certain kind of anxiety. I used to plan journeys really carefully and still worry about getting lost. Now I just go. The flip side, I suppose, is that I've got worse at remembering routes myself — if my battery died in a part of town I didn't know, I'd probably be in trouble. But on balance, I'd say it's made my everyday life noticeably easier.