Sample 04 - IELTS task 02 - Changes in life versus no changes

Some people enjoy change. They look forward to new experiences. Others like their lives to stay the same and they do not change their usual habits. Compare these two approaches to life. Which approach do you prefer and why?

SAMPLE ANSWER -

The only thing permanent in this world is change. With constant advancements in the field of science, technology and research, an individual has to regularly upgrade itself in order to grow both professionally and personally. While there are a few who enjoy change and try to gain new experiences, others prefer not to change and live their life in the same manner. The following essay will compare both these approaches.

To begin with, people who avoid implementing changes in their lives are the ones who seek stability and prefer to pursue their usual habits and routine. They at times are either too afraid to take risks or are not adaptable to new or unforeseen conditions and thus decide not to undergo changes. In addition, they might not see any direct benefits of change and hence take a vote against it.

On the contrary, people who decide to change wish to break life's monotony and learn by obtaining new experiences and confronting new occurrences. Moreover, at a certain point in life changes become a necessity to avoid stagnation. For instance, an individual working at a senior managerial position in a multinational company, can always try to venture into entrepreneurship after gaining years of significant work experience. Furthermore, people must change in order to fit in with today's society, which is changing, and developing each day, people need to change and adapt themselves with new technology so that they do not lag behind.

Thus to conclude, I firmly believe that changes transforms one's life in a positive manner as they make us stronger, more persistent and self-confident. Also, people who succeed in life like changes because it is impossible to be the best at some field without perfecting the present knowledge and gaining new experiences.

(This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)

IELTS Speaking Cue Card 06 - Talk about something you can do on a computer that you think is enjoyable

Talk about something you can do on a computer that you think is enjoyable. You should mention -

1.   What equipment or software you need to that?

2.   What you need to do to do it?

3.   What kind of people it is popular with?

4.   And say if you would like to spend more time doing it or not and why?

TIP -

The key to answer cue card questions in your IELTS examination is to begin with a suitable introduction which briefly gives an overview of the topic you will be speaking on and to end the question's answer with a proper conclusion.

A well set introduction and conclusion not only defines the flow of your task, and provides it with the much needed connectivity but also helps you to cover up nearly 30 seconds to 40 seconds of your speaking time in an effective manner.

Hence, always remember - NEVER forget an Introduction and Conclusion in your Speaking Cue Card Answer.

SAMPLE ANSWER - 

Ever since their development, computers have interfered in every aspect of a human's life. Be it work, home, studies or recreation, computers these days have become an indispensible part of our living. There are many things, which a person can do on a computer, but one thing which I really believe is quiet enjoyable to do is to play games on it.

Playing games on computers is one activity that is quiet popular among youngsters in the present day. They engage themselves in playing games both offline or even at times online with the help of an internet connection. As playing games on a computer requires the use of minimal software and hardware configuration, it has become highly recognized among the people of young age. To play a game, one might only require a computer, a game setup CD, a joystick for movement control and an internet connection through a modem. In addition to it, one at times might also require a graphic card, a sound card and memory space for playing high-definition games.

In order to play a game one has to successfully install the game setup on their computer's hard-disk drive, configure the necessary hardware devices and once done, run the executable file to enjoy. As already mentioned before, this kind of activity is quiet popular with teenagers and other school and college going students. The reason being they can involve in multi-player gaming with the help of internet and interact with people who enjoy doing the same activity from across the world. Moreover, gaming provides an instant adrenalin rush to the mind, which again attracts youngsters who are more inclined towards adventure and thrill as a means to entertain themselves. Now-a-days many gaming competitions are also being organized in order to encourage the young crowd to take up this activity.

Although, as excess of anything is bad for a person, I personally would not like to invest more time doing this, as I am presently a student and preparing for my further studies abroad. Playing games only serves as a leisure time activity for me, where I can relax myself of the hectic schedule and stress. However, I believe that if I indulge in doing it for a longer duration, I might lose my focus from my set goals on the academic front.

(This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)

IELTS Speaking Cue Card 05 - Talk about a book that you have read in the last year

Talk about a book that you have read in the last year. You should say- 

1.   Why you decided to read that book?

2.   How long it took you to finish it?

3.   What genre of book it was?

4.   And say if you would like to read something from the same author or not and why?

SAMPLE ANSWER - 

As it is said that books are a man's best friend, I believe that reading a book not only helps a person to enhance their knowledge and learn from the experiences of other people but it also allows individuals to learn about different cultures, traditions and lifestyles. I have been reading books ever since I was a child and have read many books of various authors from across the world.

My favorite author however is Paulo Coehlo, and the book which I would like to talk about today is The Alchemist written by him.

I decided to read this book, as it is considered to be an international best seller with more than a million copies of it sold worldwide, not only in English but also in various other languages. In addition, my decision to read the book was also inspired from lot of good reviews I heard about the book, from my friends, which eventually motivated me to read this novel. The book's genre is fiction and it is based on the life of a shepherd boy who travels far away from his hometown searching for the true treasure - the meaning of life.

In the pursuit of his, he interacts with people from different cultures and regions and learns from their experiences. Towards the end of his journey, he meets the alchemist who helps and enables him to achieve what he sought for.

Firstly, the book is worth a read as it gives a very important learning that the search for true happiness in life starts from one's own heart. Furthermore, as the language of the book is quiet simple, it is easy to understand and interpret the meaning. As I am presently a student and I have other academic obligations to fulfill as well, it took me nearly a week's time to read the book completely. In future if I get an opportunity to read more books, I would definitely like to read more from the same author. One of the most important reasons for it is that Paulo Coehlo imparts some of the most fundamental teachings of life in the most simplest yet effective manner. In addition, as he is also an international bestseller and have written more than 10 books, each of which have been widely appreciated by the reading community, I would love to read more of his literary works.

In the end, I would like to recommend everyone who loves to read, to once read the Alchemist as it has many learnings that can be implemented successfully by people in their day-to-day lifestyles.   

(This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)

IELTS Speaking Cue Card 04 - Describe an activity you often do

Describe an activity you often do. You should say

1.   Where you do it? 

2.   Who you do it with? 

3.   Why you enjoy doing it? 

4.   And say what kind of people you would recommend that activity to and why? 

One of the most basic way of answering this question is to talk about an activity [such as sports] you are well aware of, have been doing on a regular basis or have seen/ observed others doing it. Some suggestions to build your answer can be -

1. Sports activities such as cricket or football
2. Reading books
3. Traveling/ long drives
4. Shopping
5. Cooking
6. Watching a movie with friends / family
7. Photography among others

SAMPLE ANSWER - 

As an individual, I like to engage myself in a lot of different activities. These activities often help me to relax and take a break from the daily monotonous lifestyle I pursue. One such activity that I do often and would like to describe today is reading books.

As the saying goes - "A book is a man's best friend", I firmly believe that reading them not only educates us, but also helps us in gaining some of the most valuable experiences of life through the writings of others. I started reading books when I was in school and since then have developed this habit. Over the years, I have read books of different genres be it fiction, biographies or even travel memoirs. I mostly love to read books either at the comfort of my home or at a library where I can find some peaceful environment. I generally prefer to read alone, because it helps me to concentrate better on the book I am reading. However at times, I do find a good company during my visit to the city library and often I enjoy discussing the content and the author's writing with fellow readers.

I really enjoy doing this activity because it helps me to gain the much needed mental peace and allows me to take a break from the monotony of life. In addition to it, at times reading a book helps me to know about new places and cultures and even get to learn from the life experiences of others. Finally, reading books that describe the life of famous people, I at times do get inspired and motivated to live my life for a good cause.

I would like to recommend people of all age groups, be it children or youngsters or even those who work professionally to start reading books as it helps to refine an individual's personality and makes him or her more aware about the world and the society at large. Furthermore, reading a good book will also help a person to enhance its knowledge, which will be beneficial for him or her in the long run professionally.

(This model answer can be followed as an example of a very good answer. However, please note that this is just one example out of many possible approaches.)