Describe an activity you enjoyed in your free time when you were young: IELTS Cue Card

Bhargavee Sisodia

21 Jun 2024

The IELTS exam preparation can be daunting, especially the IELTS speaking test. However, with the correct information, methodology, and practice of IELTS speaking questions, you can get high scores in the IELTS exam and pass with flying colors.

The speaking test is to evaluate you on your answer to a cue card question, where you will be given a topic to speak on for about 2 minutes. Your score will depend on how well you framed your answer, how fluent you were, how well you could articulate your thoughts, and of course, grammatical correctness.

Mastering this will come with practising various IELTS speaking topics. This should be an integral part of your IELTS preparation. The more you practice, the more you will get a grasp of how to go about giving your answer.

After your monologue in the IELTS speaking test is done, the examiner will then ask you follow-up questions based on the answer. While, before the monologue round of the speaking test, you will get a minute to prepare for the answer, in the follow-up questions round, you have to give your answer instantly. This part of the IELTS speaking test might seem tricky but with good practice of follow-up questions to various IELTS speaking topics, you will be able to get a good grip on this segment as well. The quicker you answer the questions with confidence, the better will be your score.

Below we have taken one of the IELTS speaking questions "Describe an activity you enjoyed in your free time when you were young" and framed the answer and related follow-up questions for it. 

IELTS sample test topic: Describe an activity you enjoyed in your free time when you were young

As soon as you are given the topic of your cue card round, you will have 1 minute to prepare the answer. This time is very crucial and you will have to picture the answer in your mind, step by step. The examiner will give you a paper and pencil and you can write down the key points that you want to cover in the answer. It is always better to divide the answer into smaller sub-topics so that it is easier for you to decide what points to cover and when. For your better understanding, let's talk about the topic "Describe an activity you enjoyed in your free time when you were young," you can divide it in the following way:

Introduction: Introduce the activity that you did briefly. 

Describe the activity: Give a description of how you used to do the activity. If it is a sport, describe it.

With whom did you do the activity: Mention whether you did it alone or with someone. You can also talk about how the activity helped you bond with the person if you did it with someone.

Why you liked doing the activity: Brief about how the activity made you feel and why. Talk about why that activity is special for you.

Conclude: To end your answer, sum up the entire topic in a sentence of 2.

If you divide the topic into subtopics like the above, the cue card section of the IELTS speaking test will become fairly easy and smooth for you. You will have a clear strategy of what to say and when to say it before you start with your monologue.

Now let's take a look at a few sample answers for the topic "Describe an activity you enjoyed in your free time when you were young".

IELTS speaking test sample question 1 : Describe an activity you enjoyed in your free time when you were young

Introduction:

One of my favorite pastimes as a child was painting and as an activity it gave me immense happiness. I used to look forward to every Saturday afternoon for my painting class.

Describe the activity:

When I first started painting, I began with only sketches and then slowly learned how to fill in colors. From oil pastels and crayons to watercolor and then acrylic, I transitioned my way from childhood to my teen years.

With whom did you do the activity:

Every Saturday, I had my painting class, where we were 7 to 8 students and our painting teacher. I made some amazing friends there who are still in touch with me and painting with them was always fun. Apart from that, even at home, whenever I had time, I sat with the drawing book or canvas and painted.

Why you liked doing the activity:

I have always been a creative kid with a vivid imagination and the freedom to bring the picture from my mind to the paper excited me. Whenever I wanted to tell a story, I painted it on paper. The liberty to play with so many colors, and mix them to make new shades made me feel calm and relaxed. Another thing that made me happy was making handmade cards and painting them for my friends and family on their birthdays. To be able to customize a gift for a loved one and see them smile filled my heart with joy.

Conclude:

Painting is something that is a large part of who I am today. From learning how to communicate my thoughts and focus on the smallest details, I think painting gave me major life lessons, which I will always value.

IELTS speaking test sample question 2 : Describe an activity you enjoyed in your free time when you were young

Introduction:

After coming back from school in the afternoon, the thing that I looked forward to was playing badminton with my friends in my building complex. It not only kept me fit and active but also helped me develop skills like agility and reflexes, along with making my bond with my friends strong.

Describe the activity:

Every day in the afternoon, we used to meet on the lawn of our building complex. We had arranged for a net and played till 7:30 or 8 in the evening. Sometimes we played singles and sometimes made a team of 2 to play doubles. We used to have weekly competitions and sometimes just to make it fun, we used to make it a girls vs boys!

With whom did you do the activity:

We were a group of 9 friends of all different age groups. Since to play badminton we need an even number of people, we used to shuffle between ourselves to make the teams.

Why you liked doing the activity:

When I was a kid, badminton was a way to spend time with my friends. After a long day at school, this was the time I felt the happiest. This also gave me the motivation to complete the homework at night. As I grew up, as a teen, I understood that badminton was more than just having fun. I realized the fitness aspect of it, and especially with our packed-up schedule, it is very important to keep ourselves active physically to stay healthy.

Conclude:

Badminton has given me the fondest memories of my childhood with my friends, and no matter where we are in life in the future, this bond will always keep our hearts connected.

IELTS speaking test next section- Follow-up questions

Now based on these sample answers, let's discuss the relevant follow-up questions that the examiner might ask you. This will give you a basic idea of what to expect from this round, and how to be quick with framing it.

Question 1: Do you think extracurricular activities are important for children?

Answer: Absolutely. If a child is only made to study then they will not learn to grow all their cognition. Also, children are most receptive to learning new things. So an extra-curricular activity will also give them the option to explore their hobbies and interests and figure out their potential and even probable career options. It is not necessary that everyone build a career out of academics, or else we wouldn't have had a Virat Kohli or Shreya Ghoshal excelling in their fields. After all, all work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy!

Question 2: How important physical activity is for children in your opinion?

Answer: I think one of the challenging scenarios in today's time is physical fitness in children. Especially with nuclear families, and access to smartphones and the internet, children now do not tend to hit the playground. Not only do they miss out on the most beautiful aspect of childhood which is making bonds with friends while playing together, but also lose their agility and flexibility with the lack of physical activity.

Question 3: Do you think spending time on an activity apart from academics can negatively impact their grades?

Answer: It is not possible and most importantly it is not healthy for a child or anyone for that matter to study all the time. As much as focusing on studies is important, it is also important to disconnect from it and refresh their minds. Also, doing an extra-curricular activity will teach the child the basics of time management. They will get the much-needed break and feel energetic to concentrate on their studies even better.

Question 4: What are your thoughts on the role of educational institutions in engaging children in physical activities?

Answer: As much as it is important for parents to ensure their child is indulging in physical activities, schools and colleges should also pay attention to that. In fact, nowadays, most schools and colleges make it compulsory and if not, at least have the option for the students to choose between some physical activity or sports. This ensures regularity in the involvement in the activity for the children and makes it into a habit.

Conclusion

Having a good strategy is an important aspect of your IELTS exam preparation. This will ensure that you are in the right direction, and have the right guidance, and resources. This has to include going through the IELTS exam sample. The IELTS sample test will ensure you are prepared well and are habituated to the nuances of the IELTS exam. We at D-VIVID, ensure to help students with as much practice of the IELTS practice test and IELTS speaking topics to make you exam ready. Our team of professionals at D-VIVID has the expertise to guide you through your IELTS preparation in a stress-free way focusing on your strengths and helping you improve on your learning opportunities. With the right guidance, we will channel your talent and skills to success in the IELTS exam ensuring a high score. Do contact us if you need guidance in your IELTS exam preparation.