One of the areas to focus on while studying for the IELTS is the cue cards segment, which is Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking Test.
We have compiled a list of possible cue card subjects, and we will show you how to respond to them effectively.
This article includes sample responses on the cue card topic ‘Describe your best friend.’ Keep reading.
What is the IELTS Cue Card Question?
A ‘cue card‘ is the topic card that you are given at the beginning of IELTS Speaking Part 2. It is a piece of paper with your discussion topic written on it.
Because you only have a minute to get yourself ready, you should take notes as soon as you receive the cue card, using the provided paper and pencil.
You are not given the option to change the subject, and you must speak about it regardless of how much or little knowledge you have about it.
After one minute of preparation, the examiner will tell you to begin your speech, and you must make the most of the two minutes available.
The examiner may then have some follow-up questions about your speech, to which you will have to respond.
How to Answer this Specific Cue Card Question — “Describe Your Best Friend”?
Topic/Question:
Describe your best friend
Guidelines to answer the question:
You should say
- Who this person is
- How you met this person
- How often you meet each other
And explain why you consider this person as your best and closest friend.
- Think of a friend that you would have a lot to say about. It does not necessarily have to be your actual best friend, but a friend you do and share many things with. To make it interesting, it could be a friend whom you had a unique story to talk about.
- Make sure not to change your choice before you start taking notes. Any other friend is acceptable. The more important thing is you will be able to explain and justify your reasons coherently.
- Start taking notes on who this person is and the things that the two of you enjoy doing. Elaborate on how often and when you usually meet. Do not write sentences. Simply write keywords and phrases.
- Remember to use a wide range of words and phrases to make your speech more enticing. Make use of complex grammar structures too. This will help you get a high mark.
- Make sure you will be able to understand your handwriting. What you write on the paper does not matter to the examiner.
- While talking about your topic, take a look at your notes. It is okay. You will not lose marks for looking at them.
Sample Responses — “Describe Your Best Friend“
Sample Response 1:
“Off the top of my head, when it comes to my closest friend, I’d say it’s Mae. Mae is my best buddy for a variety of reasons. To begin with, she truly respects and loves me for who I am. Second, despite her busy schedule, she is always prepared to provide a sympathetic ear whenever I am experiencing difficulties or feeling demotivated.
We have a long history together. We’ve been friends since our freshman year in university. I recall meeting her for the first time in a grammar class. At first, I mistook her for a chatty, ungraceful young lady. However, as I got to know Mae better, I found she was a genuinely sweet person with whom I share a lot of things in common.
Mae and I are polar opposites in terms of personality. I am irritable and reserved, but she is very friendly and patient. Mae’s communication skills are one of her most admirable personality attributes in my opinion. She can naturally start a conversation with anyone she meets for the first time. Despite our differences in personalities, we agree on a number of things, including marriage, employment, and life perspectives.
We used to get out with each other every other week when we were still in college, typically going to the movies or food booths near our school. Because we are both always busy with work now that we have graduated, we do not hang out as much as we like to. Because I only see her every other month, we always have a lot to catch up on.”
Follow-up Question 1:
Do you think you and Mae would have been best friends if you have the same personality?
Response:
“Absolutely! I think that somehow, we meet the people we meet for a reason, and Mae is one of those people whom I have learned a lot from. She has taught me to be more patient above anything else, and that’s something I am really thankful for. I think that even if we have the same personality, we would have clicked as much as we did.”
Follow-up Question 2:
How long do you think the two of you would stay this close?
Response:
“As much as possible, I want to stay close and in contact with her until we grow old and have our own families. She is someone I want my kids to know because for sure, I’d be sharing with them the story of our friendship. But we really don’t know what’s going to happen in the future and for now, I will cherish each and every moment we get to spend together.”
Sample Response 2:
“Mike is without a doubt my best friend by every criterion I can think of! His sincere and bright smiles are worth a million dollars! I once heard that if you can sit silent for an extended period of time with a buddy and still feel comfortable doing so, that friend is most likely your best friend, and Mike is precisely that.
We’ve been friends for over seven years, and I first met him in college. I’ve enjoyed his company in every way since our friendship began. He stays by my side through thick and thin, and he’s always the one person with whom I can share anything. He is an excellent listener and one of the most gifted individuals I have ever got to know and came across. He never hesitates to express to me the truth, and he never corrects me when I’m wrong!
Our friendship began and has remained strong due to our shared interests. We frequently talk about the books we’ve read, criticize the writings or movies we’ve seen, and admire a great work of art. We share a common passion in computer games and frequently play them together. We’re currently studying French together and doing a graphics design course together. I encourage him to see movies on my 3D TV whenever I rent or download them. Apart from that, we run a vlog together, which we both like very much.”
Follow-up Question 1:
You mentioned earlier that the two of you are running a vlog together, can you tell me more about it?
Response:
“Sure. We’re an upcoming vlogger and we have made quite a few vlogs already. We started it over a year ago and our content focuses on book and movie reviews. Currently, our most-viewed video is the review of the movie ‘The Shining’ with around 300,000 views. We have around 12,500 subscribers on our channel and we hope to have more in the future. We are also thinking of focusing on other content that will appeal to the viewers, maybe simple DIY stuff.”
Follow-up Question 2:
What other activities do the two want to try in the future?
Response:
“There are still lots of things we plan to do together. We have talked about traveling to Africa and exploring the wildlife there. We’ve done our research beforehand and when we finally have the resources, we will definitely go there. We’ve also talked about skydiving and other extreme activities. These are just plans for now but we are absolutely saving to make it a reality. It’s one thing both of us are really looking forward to.“
Vocabulary Tips for Answering this IELTS Cue Card Question (Describe your best friend):
Here are some words in the sample responses for the cue card topic ‘Describe your best friend.’ with their meanings and sample sentences for your reference.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning /Definition | Example usage of the word in a sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| admirable | Adjective | Worthy of respect and approval | “She is an admirable young woman, and you have always admired her, but now you have a preconceived image about her.” |
| attribute | Noun | A quality or feature that is recognized as a distinguishing feature or aspect of someone or something | “Both candidates have the attributes we look for in a leader.” |
| cherish | Verb | To care for someone or something lovingly | “This ring was given by my grandmother so I will cherish it forever.” |
| demotivate | Verb | To make someone less eager to do something | “He was demotivated because of lack of job opportunities.” |
| explore | Verb | To visit a location in order to learn about or become acquainted with it | “She chose to explore the place because no one else was nearby.” |
| frequently | Adverb | Often or habitually | “They used to go to the river frequently when they were young.” |
| freshman | Noun | A first-year student in high school or university | “Being a freshman is both exciting and nerve-wracking.” |
| genuinely | Adverb | In a truthful manner | “I genuinely like the way you arranged the flowers.” |
| hesitate | Verb | To pause and think before doing something, especially through uncertainty | “He did not hesitate for a second and boarded the train.” |
| irritable | Adjective | Possessing or displaying a proclivity for being easily enraged | “She becomes irritable every time someone touches her things.” |
| passion | Noun | A strong emotion | “Her passion for arts made her buy the unique and abstract painting.” |
| precisely | Adverb | Without vagueness and in exact terms | “My older sister always knows precisely what to do even in times of uncertainties.” |
| reserved | Adjective | Slow to reveal feelings and opinions | “After what happened to her family, she has become a reserved young lady.” |
| sincere | Adjective | Free of pretense or deception; based on true feelings | “He sounded sincere in his apologies so she gave him another chance.” |
| skydiving | Noun | Jumping from an airplane and performing acrobatic movements in the air before landing via parachute | “She is celebrating her 30th birthday by skydiving.” |
| sympathetic | Adjective | A sentiment or a demonstration of pity | “Employees work best in a sympathetic environment.” |
| through thick and thin | Idiom | Under any circumstances, no matter how challenging | “I am lucky to have a sister who has always been with me through thick and thin.” |
| ungraceful | Adjective | Without grace; clumsy | “I’m delighted for you since you’re leaving an ungraceful life behind and embarking on a new one.” |
| vlog | Noun | A personal website or social media account where a person broadcasts short films on a regular basis | “He owns a personal lifestyle vlog on YouTube.” |
| wildlife | Noun | Wild animals together, a region’s native fauna and, in certain cases, flora | “The area has an abundance of wildlife that attracts researchers.” |
Additional Reading — IELTS Speaking Cue Card Questions
- Describe a Person You Admire
- Describe Someone Famous that You Want to Meet
- Describe a Person Who You Think is a Good Leader
- Describe a Neighbor You Like
- Describe a Place You Want to Travel Next
- Describe a Historical Place that You Have Been to
- Describe a Place You and Your Friend Went to Recently
- Describe a Place Where You Spend Most of Your Free Time
- Describe a Country that You Want to Visit
- Describe a Gift that You Have Received Recently
- Describe an Item of Clothing that You Bought for Someone
- Describe a Piece of Art that You Want to Buy
- Describe Something that You Recently Lost
- Describe a Vehicle that You Want to Buy
- Describe an Activity that You Find Enjoyable
- Describe a Place Where You Love to Shop
- Describe an Event that You Recently Attended
- Describe One of the Busiest Days of Your Life
- Describe a Hobby that You Do with Your Family
- Describe a Difficult Decision that You Made
- Describe a Time When You Felt Lucky
- Describe the First Time You Had a Mobile Phone
- Describe a Time When You Helped a Stranger
- Describe a Time When You Tried to Do Something but Weren’t Successful
- Describe Your Favorite Teacher
- Describe Your Favorite Photograph
- Describe Your Favorite Subject in School
- Describe Your Favorite Song
- Describe Your Favorite Actor
- Describe a Situation that Made You Upset
- Describe a Time When You Had an Argument with Someone
- Describe One of the Happiest Travels You Ever Had
- Describe an Incident When You Got Scared
- Describe a Time When You Felt Relieved
- Describe a Workaholic Person You Know
- Describe an Interesting Course You Took
- Describe a Time When Someone at Work Gave You a Compliment
- Describe a Quiet Place at School Where You Like Spending Your Free Time
- Describe a Time When Something Unfortunate Happened at Work
