The IELTS exam is the most popular language proficiency test judging the students' language proficiency. Of all the sections, the speaking section holds a significant value. The IELTS speaking section focuses on evaluating the communication skills of the aspirant. Thus, the speaking section comprises three tasks to attempt which must be attempted by the students. Out of them, the second task is the cue card. The following blog will explain how to answer these questions in the prompt. It will help you prepare for the CUE Cards in IELTS Speaking Part 2
Table of Contents
Before proceeding further, know what an IELTS cue card is and why its understanding is necessary for students appearing for the exam. You can’t achieve your target without knowing a thing about it. A cue card is a prompt where you will receive a topic you must answer. Without a doubt, you must answer all the questions in order.
Now that you have a fair idea about cue cards- let us proceed further to know how we can answer the questions. But before we move ahead, the candidates realize that they must remember the unusual phrases. Knowing these phrases will help you score a good band score, and higher the band score, the higher the chances of clearing the exam. Similarly, they need to ensure that there are no grammatical errors, and the candidate must have a good command of the vocabulary. Students must have a good vocabulary while preparing for the IELTS exam.
In the cue card, you will receive one general topic and will get one minute to prepare for the same. Now let us discuss the topic that might appear in the prompt-
"Describe a piece of good advice that you gave to someone."
Consequently, here is the list of the questions that can appear
Let us show what a cue card will look like in the IELTS exam.
Do look at the first answer on the topic- Describe a Piece of Good Advice That You Gave to Someone. You can refer to the answer to understand the nature and tone of the answer while attempting IELTS speaking part 2.
It's my nature to advise people only if they ask me for it. This particular incident involves my close friend who I have known since childhood. One morning, she called me and she told me was facing a very serious predicament. It was affecting her mental peace. Subsequently, I asked her what was affecting her so badly. So, she replied that she was not able to choose between her commitment and passion.
She has been a close friend of mine for a very long time. So, I know her very well. I asked her what was bothering her this much. She told me that she wanted to build a career in the field of dance. However, her financial condition is not that good. That's why she's working in a private company to stabilize herself and her family.
Even though she was glad she was receiving an opportunity to dance; her financial conditions were stopping her. So, she called me to seek my verdict and clear her confusion. After listening to her, I told her that she should focus on the opportunity. The reason being, that opportunities don't arise all the time.
When she called me, she sounded as if her dilemma would break her down. As her friend, I couldn't witness seeing her like this. Therefore, I helped her with the advice.
She felt very much relieved after listening to my advice. As a result, she had clarity in her mind regarding what to choose. She thanked me profusely before cutting the call.
I felt great that I was able to reconcile her problem. That made me feel proud of myself. Helping my friend in the time of need was indeed a special moment for me.
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This section consists of sample answers to the given topic. It can be your possible answer to help you enhance your vocabulary for IELTS.
Usually, me and my sister share a very warm bond and we have the habit of sharing things. Most importantly, she always used to put her career on top. I perceived that she was not at all happy about the same. So, one day I decided to make her realize that this was not what she wanted.
My sister got married four years ago and now she is a proud parent of a beautiful girl child. Before marriage, she was very much focused on her career. After that, she got more responsibility in her husband's house. She even stopped ruminating about her career. But we used to discuss her career on calls always. So, I advised her to restart her professional journey again.
The reason for the advice was to actuate her and think about her career as well. It was sad to see her not focusing on her career. I wanted to see her reach new heights in her professional career.
Consequently, she discussed the same with her husband and got permission to restart her career. It was nice to see her effectuate her career. Now, she is highly successful in her career.
Everyone deserves a chance to reach new heights in their professional career. So, they must do what their heart desires. Moreover, they must know how to balance their personal and professional lives.
Let's have a look at another way to answer the cue card of the IELTS speaking section.
I gave a piece of advice to a school friend of mine who was facing an issue in designating the subject in the 11th standard.
I propounded that she should change the stream from Commerce to Humanities. I saw her struggling with the commerce subject within the initial month of our classes. That's why, I asked her to change the stream. The reason for the advice was she had an inclination towards the arts stream. She wanted to build a career in the field of interior design. It will be beneficial for her in the long run as it won't affect her career.
I gave the advice because I saw my friend struggling with Commerce and knew she had a passion for the arts. Switching to Humanities would be more in line with her interests and future career goals in interior design. This change would help her perform better academically and enjoy her studies more.
She initially hesitated, but she told her parents about her struggle and asked their approbation. Initially sceptical, her parents finally agreed. This decision proved a boon for her as she started performing better in her exams. The best part was she enjoyed studying humanities and could focus on her arts. Today, she is an acclaimed designer and I am proud of her.
To conclude, it is worth noting that a piece of good advice can change a person's life, whereas directing them in the wrong sense can prove grievous.
Therefore, one must be mindful while disseminating any sort of advice to friends or family.
You will learn grammar, terms, and pronunciation in the following table. These terms will help you in IELTS speaking part 2.
| Lexical Resources | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Predicament | An unpleasant situation that is difficult to get out of |
| Verdict | An opinion or decision made after judging the facts that are given, especially one made at the end of a trial |
| Profusely | Produced or given in large amounts |
| Perceived | To come to an opinion about something, or have a belief about something |
| Ruminating | To think carefully and for a long period about something |
| Actuate | To make a machine work or be the reason a person acts in a certain way (motivate) |
| Effectuate | To do something or make something happen |
| Designating | To choose someone officially to do a particular job |
| Inclination | A feeling that you want to do a particular thing, or the fact that you prefer or are more likely to do a particular thing |
| Approbation | Approval or agreement, often given by an official group |
| Acclaimed | Attracting public approval and praise |
| Grievous | Having very serious effects or causing great pain |
Learning these idioms by heart can help you clear the IELTS exam. You can join the online IELTS Classes at Gradding.com if you face issues preparing for the exam.
Browse through the following questions that an examiner might ask you in the exam.
The IELTS speaking test focuses on evaluating your ability to communicate effectively. You can achieve good scores in IELTS cue cards by following these tips:
The following tips will help you succeed if you follow them.
You may also like to read:
To sum up, we can say that preparing for the IELTS speaking section can be challenging unless you seek help from professionals. You can enrol in online classes to prepare for the IELTS speaking section. However, you must prepare the Describe a Piece of Good Advice That You Gave to Someone along with the follow-up questions to have a fair idea about what might come in the exam.
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