Describe an old object your family has kept

In IELTS Speaking Part 2 you get this card, one minute to prepare and up to two minutes to speak. Below: the notes a strong candidate might make in that minute, a natural Band 7–8 answer, the words that make it work, and the Part 3 discussion the examiner usually moves on to.

The cue card

One-minute notes

Notes in the preparation minute should be keywords, not sentences — one line per bullet, plus the one detail that makes your story yours. Something like:

• my great-grandmother's sewing machine
• family has had it ~90 years
• she made clothes for the whole village
• black and gold, still works, in my aunt's house
• kept: proof of how hard she worked; nobody will sell it

Band 7–8 sample answer

The object I'd like to describe is an old sewing machine that has been in my family for around ninety years. It's one of those heavy black machines with gold decoration on the side, and these days it lives in a corner of my aunt's living room.

It originally belonged to my great-grandmother. She bought it when she was quite young, and from what my family says, it basically became her job. She lived in a small village, and for decades she made and repaired clothes for half the people there — wedding dresses, school uniforms, coats. People would often pay her in eggs or vegetables rather than money.

What surprises most visitors is that it still works. My aunt uses it now and then to fix the hem of a pair of trousers, and it's louder than a modern machine but incredibly reliable. When I was a child I wasn't allowed to touch it, which of course made it the most interesting thing in the house.

As for why it's kept, I'd say it's because it's the clearest evidence we have of who she was. There are very few photos of her and no letters, but this machine shows how hard she worked and how she supported her family. Every so often somebody mentions that it might be worth something to a collector, and the whole family reacts as if they'd suggested selling a family member. So I think it'll be passed on for a few more generations yet.

About 250 words — roughly two minutes at a relaxed pace. Notice what it does: one specific story instead of general statements, every bullet covered, natural spoken linking rather than "firstly… secondly…", and the "why" part of the card answered properly at the end — that is where many candidates run out of things to say. Use it to see the structure; don't memorise it. Examiners are trained to spot memorised answers, and your own story will always sound more fluent.

Useful vocabulary

• be passed down / on — to be given to younger family members over time
• now and then — occasionally
• sentimental value — importance because of memories, not money
• heirloom — a valuable object a family has kept for generations
• every so often — from time to time
• be worth something — to have financial value

Part 3: questions and model answers

After your two minutes, the examiner moves to a discussion linked to the card's topic. These questions are more abstract: give an opinion, a reason and an example, and it's fine to say "it depends" — as long as you explain on what.

Why do people keep old things?

Mostly for the memories attached to them. An old object can bring back a person or a period of your life more strongly than a photo. Some people also keep things because they're better made than modern versions, and others simply find it hard to throw anything away.

Should governments protect historical buildings?

I think they should, at least for buildings of real historical or architectural value. Once a historic building is demolished, it's gone forever, and it's usually replaced by something that could be anywhere. Owners may need financial help, though, because restoration is extremely expensive.

Is it important for young people to learn about the past?

Yes, because without the past it's very hard to understand the present. Many current arguments — about borders, languages, inequality — only make sense if you know how they started. It also stops young people from repeating mistakes that previous generations already learned from the hard way.

Do museums still matter in the digital age?

I believe they do. Seeing a real object in front of you is a different experience from seeing a photo on a screen — you get a sense of its size and age. Having said that, museums need to use technology too, for instance by putting collections online for people who can't visit.

More cue cards about objects

• Describe something expensive you bought
• Describe a gift you gave to someone
• Describe a photograph you like
• Describe something you would like to own in the future

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