Students who are planning to appear for the IELTS test, fear the most about the IELTS speaking test. This is considered the toughest in all sections too. Moreover, the segments in this are crucial for the band score. Thus, in this blog, you can learn everything about IELTS cue cards, how to answer the topic, “Describe a Photo That You Took and Are Proud Of “, What is the right way to approach a topic, and tips from the experts along with sample answers to get a better idea of it.
Table of Contents
Everyone knows that IELTS is a very crucial test. Thus, preparing for it can be daunting. Among ,all the sections, the IELTS speaking section , particularly the Cue Card, is often seen as the toughest. It includes 3 sections where the Cue card is considered the toughest. In this section, you get a topic assigned which can or cannot be related to your personal experience. Then, you have a minute to prepare and a minute or two to speak on it. The topic here can be anything-from current affairs, any subjective idea, or just your personal experience with something. However, whatever you speak on the topic is then questioned about in the next segment: "Follow-up questions" by the interviewer. But, don't worry as the experts are always here to help you with IELTS speaking part-2 and the complete exam preparation.
The most important thing about the cue card is how well you answer the prompt and satisfy the interviewer. This section is included to check your vocabulary for IELTS. So, you need to follow the right way to answer this.
Moreover, you need to make the most of the time provided to you and focus on the key pointers mentioned in the cue card. You have 3 pointers in the IELTS Cue cards along with the prompt. You must make sure to cover all these three in your speech. You get an additional sentence for the follow-up, along with the topic and pointers. So, whatever you speak must be aligned with this to make it easy for you in the next section. Additionally, you must include phrases, adjectives, proverbs, idioms, and more to enhance the quality of your speech.
The last and most important part is the structure. Even though your points are good, they would sound wrong if not in the right sequence. So, follow a detailed structure for easy and smooth flow of ideas. Let’s suppose, for the topic, “Describe a Photo That You Took and Are Proud Of”, you must follow a structure like this:
This way, you can describe the picture, express your feelings, and explain the memories related to that particular picture to the interviewer. Now, let’s take a quick look at a few examples to understand this better.
Here, you can find a sample of this question. Read it well to understand the flow of ideas and the tone of the speech.
I've not been so fond of photography, but I believe in encountering the moment by living it at the moment. However, there was a time when I captured a picture and it is treasured.
When I was traveling to Vizag with my cousins. It was one evening when we were on the beach, savoring the sunset when I captured the beautiful moment of life.
I used my phone to capture the evening skies when I came across this scene and thought of immortalizing it immediately.
A grandfather was walking with his elder grandson, and the younger grandson was on his father's shoulders.
I feel proud of being able to capture that moment because it has 3 stages of life. Moreover, the picture bounces back the beauty of nature and the love in a family over generations.
The best part is that I gave a copy of that picture to that family, and they really loved it. Seeing their faces light up actually made me feel gratifying.
Here is another sample of this question. This will help you understand a different approach to looking at things and answering the question.
I have been into photography since I was a small kid. My father gifted me my first camera on my 5th birthday, and since then, I have loved snapping. But out of all the pictures I clicked, I loved a particular picture of a small boy on the streets finding his lost dog.
One day, as I was returning home from a beach trip, we were twiddling thumbs at the traffic signal. At that moment, I captured the purest form of love in my camera lens.
It was a simple Canon camera with no fancy lens. It had a strap that helped me carry it around when I went on voyages or nature walks.
There, I saw a little boy sitting down and a dog walking towards him from behind. The next moment, the boy laid his eyes on the dog and hugged it with love and a weepy face. I took my camera hanging from my neck and captured the moment immediately.
I came to know that the boy was taking care of that dog even though he was all by himself. He couldn’t find the dog that morning and was all panicky and miserable that he lost his only friend when the dog came from behind suddenly and surprised him and he hugged it tightly.
A very rare moment where you can capture the true form of love without filters. And this moment was one for me.
Here, you can find another sample related to this question that can help you understand how to answer these questions better.
Ever since I joined the summer course with my friends, I've had many special moments when it comes to photography. But one picture is remarkable and stands out.
It was my high school summer when I opted for a Photography course. At the end of the course, we were given a challenge to show life through our lens.
I used my Nikon Z7 to click on this picture, and the picture quality is just amazing.
There were no humans or animals in the picture. But, it has a florescence flower in between other buds. It came out quite colourful.
While one reason this picture makes me proud is that I won the competition, there is more to it. This picture impressed my parents, and they let me choose photography as my career.
All things happen for a reason, and the best part is that the reason is always good. Just like a camera captures the moment and reflects its beauty, smelling the roses is more beautiful.
Thus, here you are at the end of the samples of the IELTS cue cards for the IELTS speaking section. Now, let's check out the lexical resources to understand the terminology.
Let's take a quick look at the terminology used in the samples and their meanings!
| Lexical Resources | Definition |
| Encounter | Experience something |
| Treasured | Holds a special place in my heart |
| Savor | Enjoy something to the fullest |
| Immortalizing | Capturing something to look at it later |
| Bouncing Back | Reflecting something |
| Gratifying | Heartwarming feeling |
| Snapping | Clicking pictures |
| Twiddling thumbs | Waiting for the time to pass |
| Voyage | A short trip or outing |
| Weepy | Tears-filled in eyes |
| Panicky | Scared |
| Miserable | Feeling bad about oneself |
| Remarkable | Special |
| Florescence | Blossoming |
| Smelling the roses | Living in the moment |
The most crucial part of the IELTS speaking part 2 is the follow-up questions after the speech. So, just after you share your views on the topic in the cue card, you need to be ready for the questions asked by the interviewer. Here are some examples to help you.
Yes, whenever I take out that photo from my Vizag trip, I am taken back to that moment, the evening breeze, the beautiful sunset, and those smiles.
I think there can be others too but I prefer photographs personally. I could feel the warmth in that boy's hug to the dog when I saw that picture.
No, living in the moment is the best way to experience it. Feeling all the emotions, observing, and drowning in the presence makes it more memorable, just like our childhood memories.
I prefer photographs because they are easy to carry. They also remain private compared to diaries.
Both diaries and photographs are good ways to store memories and remember the moments we loved, but I personally prefer a diary as it also carries emotions.
The best thing is, I personally prefer having a diary. The main reason is, that when you have a photograph, you just have the moment but when you have a diary with the emotions you felt at that time, you relive those moments.
The main reason I love taking pictures is they can capture the beauty of the moment immediately.
People love to take photographs because it has the ability to capture the feelings and emotions of the people in the picture at the moment it was taken.
It's a beautiful way to store a memory, relive a moment, and feel the same emotions again. It can also be used to remember the times that were captured.
This is a way you can answer the follow-up questions on the topic in your IELTS cue card.
If you want to excel in the IELTS speaking section, then here are some tips from the experts that can come in handy for you:
These are some simple tips that can help you prepare well for IELTS speaking part 2. However, you can always turn to experts if you are stuck or need help.
This blog covers the topic, "Describe a photo you took and are proud of" for cue cards. If you are still struggling, you should enroll in online IELTS classes to get a better understanding of more topics like this and prepare for the test well. Moreover, the experts can also help you with the complete IELTS language proficiency test preparation and increase your chances of scoring the best band score.
You should always focus on justifying the topic well when answering the IELTS cue card.
Always practice well to not get stuck in between the answers. However, if you do, politely, take a small pause and continue the answer without wasting more time.
You should be clear and confident when answering the questions. Moreover, the answers must be simple and relevant to the questions.
First, complete the point you are addressing, and then add the missed point at the end with a note that you want to add this point to the previous answer.
No, you should only use formal and decent language while speaking on the given topic in the IELTS cue card task.
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