7 Tips to Master the IELTS Speaking Cue Card Questions: A Guide to Better Band Score

The IELTS cue cards are an integral part of the IELTS speaking test module. This is the second of the three tasks that you have to complete while appearing for the test. These tests require a host of skills developed over time to be able to tackle them effectively, the least of which include being able to think on your feet.

When you are put under the spotlight in the speaking test of the IELTS exam a host of things can come to your rescue – preparation, confidence, breathing right, checking your body language and smiling can be used as shields or weapons when needed.

What is an IELTS Cue Card?

During the examination you will be given an IELTS cue card topic, it will consist of one main question and 3-4 questions that will guide you on how to answer the said question. There is no option to change the question that you are given and you will have a minute to prepare the answer.

You will be given a pen and paper to write down your thoughts. The examiner will ask you to stop, but until he does, you have to continue speaking in the IELTS exam.

7 Tips To Master The IELTS Speaking Cue Card Questions 2021

Here are the seven tips to help you master IELTS speaking cue card questions

#Be confident

#Have patience and feel comfortable

#Practice!Practice!Practice!

#Always communicate in English

#Read the cue card thoroughly

#Have a mind map of how you are going to divide the answers based on the questions

#Before the exam, do not try to practice anything and be stress-free.

Also Read: Top Idioms & Phrase for IELTS Speaking: Tips and Tricks to Learn idioms Fast

IELTS Cue Cards Questions and Topics for 2021

Given below are some questions for the August to October IELTS exam 2021.

#Describe an instance when you were happy with a purchase you made.

#Describe a line from a poem or song that you remember.

#Describe one of your family’s most essential possessions.

#Describe a neighbourhood in a city or town where you enjoy spending time.

#Talk about an instance when you confess to your friend the truth was critical.

#Describe the first time you spoke a foreign language.

#Describe a time when you got lost in an unfamiliar location.

#Describe a new public area or structure that you’d want to see.

#Describe something you did that may have gone wrong but turned out well.

#Describe someone or something that was really loud.

Favourite

#Discuss your favourite photograph or picture you like

#Discuss a song that has unique significance to you

#Discuss a novel or story that interests you

#Discuss a favourite or special toy you liked in your innocence

#Discuss favourite music that you like

#Talk about a restaurant or diner you like(to go to)/ that impresses you

#Fascinating Sport

#Talk about an indoor game that you would want to play

#Talk about an area of science you like or are interested in

#Talk about a free time workout you like to do after work or study

Also Read: Describe Diwali – A Tradition in Your Country: IELTS Cue Card Topic 2021-2022

Time Based

#Talk about a subject at school

#Talk about the things you want to buy in the future

#Describe a stage or age in your life you enjoyed most

Person

#Talk about a person you love or admire the most

#Talk about someone you consider a promising leader

#Talk about one of your family members you spend the most time with

#Describe an occasion when you unexpectedly met someone for the first time

#Talk about someone in the news you like to meet

#Talk about something /someone who makes a lot of noise

#Describe an older person whom you admire

#Describe a best or good friend

#Talk about an old friend

#Talk about a family member

#Talk about an interesting neighbour you like

#Describe an interesting conversation you had with a stranger

#Talk about a famous person that you are interested In

#Talk about a person speak a second  or foreign language well

#Talk about a time when you waited for someone or something to arrive

Object

#Talk about a photograph or picture in your home

#Describe a gift you gave that took a long time to choose

#Talk about a piece of electronic equipment that you find useful

#Talk about a time you borrowed something useful

#Talk about the apartment or house you like to live in

#Talk about a product you were happy with

#Describe an item of clothing that someone bought for you

#Describe a work of art or a painting.

#On your computer/phone, a software or an app

#Tell about a time when someone or something created a lot of noise.

Also Read: Describe a Time You Saw Children Behave Badly in Public: IELTS Cue Card Sample Answers 2021-2022

Place

#Describe vividly coloured places that you recall.

#A country you haven’t been to yet, a street you enjoy visiting

#Interpret a filthy environment.

#You went to an area near the water.

#Interpret a place where you go to unwind on a regular basis.

Work/ Study

#Describe a professional project or a homework assignment.

#A Course You Enjoyed and Found Beneficial.

#Interpret a fast bit of work you completed.

#Interpret your ideal/ dream/ ideal job.

#Interpret anything you’d like to learn more about.

Emotions

#Interpret when you haven’t achieved your goals yet

#Interpret a situation of a laughter-inducing child

#A paid job that you or a friend enjoyed

#A recent activity or event that made you pleased

#An experience you had as a part of a team

#A quarrel you had with a friend

#You made a difficult decision in your life.

#A TV show that made you laugh

#A goal that you’ve set for yourself

#Interpret the most memorable and thrilling event in your life.

#Interpret a thrilling or interesting thing that happened to you.

#Interpret a convincing advertisement that you saw.

#When was the last time you used your imagination?

Aspirations

#Talk about a time when you have to use your imagination

#Describe a success your friend has had or accomplished based on a book that has had a significant impact on you.

#You’ve enjoyed a unique and unforgettable supper.

#You were enraged by a circumstance.

#Describe a time when you spent quality time with a child you know.

#Describe when you were a teenager, you had a positive experience

#Describe an out-of-the-ordinary/unforgettable/memorable supper.

#Describe an instance when you were friendly to someone you didn’t like.

#Describe an unfulfilled objective.

Also Read: Describe a Family which You Like and are Happy to Know: IELTS Cue Card Sample Answers 2021-2022

Occasions

#Describe an occasion when you got up very early in the morning

#Talk about a birthday party celebration that you attended

Some More Cue Cards

#Interpret you may be familiar with a successful small business.

#Discuss an Environmental Law

#You read an article in a magazine or on the internet about healthy living.

#A movie you saw at home or in a theatre

#When was the first time you used a foreign language to convey local news to those who were interested in it?

#Interpret something you learned from someone or somewhere.

#A restaurant meal you had with your friends

#Describe have ever seen an interesting animal?

#A sport you’ve picked up

#Describe a Family You Are Familiar With

Sports and Skills

#Interpret a Skill

#Interpret the scenery of a natural landscape

#Interpret a trip by bicycle, bike, or car.

#Interpret a language you’d like to learn besides English.

#Interpret a sport or game.

#You’re interested in a big or large company, and you’ve missed an appointment.

#Describe an accomplishment about something that was a waste of time.

#Describe an essential letter or email you wrote.

#Describe an art or craft project in school.

#Describe something you do to stay fit and healthy that you just saw in a movie or at a performance.

#Describe a time when you stood outside and looked up at the sky.

Also Read: May to August Cue Card 2021 Topics: A Set of Important Topics with 3 Solved Cue Cards

Things You Should Prepare for Before Your IELTS Exam

Below are some preparation tips for the IELTS exam that aspirants should follow to master IELTS.

Practice Note Making within a Minute

The one minute you get before you start speaking is critical. You need to learn how to use this time. You can use the following technique to practice:

Underline important words in each cue in the IELTS cue card 2021

Write 2-3 keywords against the cue cards topic and each cue to build up that point.

Practice Speaking

Practice speaking for at least 3-4 minutes at length. If you can think this will be easy, then your mind is fooling you into believing that you are better than you really are. Practice speaking out loud on a topic for 4 minutes with a stopwatch and you will know how difficult it really is.

Record what you say to listen to your intonation and cohesiveness later. If your thoughts are scattered, your flow will be broken.

Speak in front of the Mirror

Practice speaking in front of the mirror to see what your body language conveys.

There’s a strong reason why the IELTS exam is not virtual yet and the reason, the examiner will not only listen to the words you say but also gauge your comfort with the language.

Everyone has a nervous twitch or sweaty palms or makes loud gulping sounds when nervous. If you are confident in your skills none of this will happen. You do not need to know everything but you have to be confident in whatever you do know. So, smile, breathe and speak as you mean it.

Recent IELTS Cue Card Questions

Find out all the recent questions for the speaking part.

Search the internet to list out the year’s topics that students faced in the IELTS speaking test – Part 2. This will not only help you anticipate but will also help you build a vocabulary around the topics.

For example, when you are asked to talk about your family, words like – parents, siblings, maternal grandfather, uncle, aunt, niece, and nephew should be a part of the list that you make as a preparation for the test.

Also Read: Powerful Speaking Tips for IELTS: Proven Tips to Achieve Band 9

Things You Should Avoid Doing During the IELTS Exam

Given below are the things that the aspirants should avoid during the IELTS exam.

Pausing

Although pausing is looked at as a desirable virtue amongst the intellects, it isn’t favoured much here. When you are given time to make notes, make them in a sequential fashion. Once you are done writing, you only have to refer to the piece of paper to help you with the flow of your speech. Pausing for long has led to reductions in a band in the past.

Answering in One Word/ Short Sentences

When you are given an IELTS speaking topic, you are expected to speak for a minimum of 2 minutes even if the question can be answered in 30 seconds. Expand the talk to include things that you were not asked if you feel the need for it.

Say, a question is about something that has been in your family through generations, you may not have one in your family but you can venture to talk about the importance of heirlooms in families in general.

Don’t Show Signs of Low Confidence in the IELTS Exam

Slouching, slumping, tapping a surface repeatedly or shallow breaths; are all signs that you are not confident in what you are about to do. Everyone experiences the same emotions and the same anxieties; the difference is in how you train yourself to cope with them.

An examiner is more likely to pardon a slip of tongue if the candidate looks confident in his or her skills. So, before you begin to answer a question, take a deep breath and exhale, centre yourself, clear your brain of panicky thoughts and begin.

Also Read: Vocabulary Words for IELTS Speaking: List of Topic Related Vocabulary with Examples

Conclusion

Hopefully, this article has helped you to get the key preparation tips. Keep in mind the above-mentioned tips while preparing for the IELTS speaking test. IELTS Ninja has more articles that will help you master IELTS, have a look at them. Do share how your preparations are going by commenting in the box below.

Also Read: IELTS Speaking Tips: Here’s Your Study Guide to Crack the IELTS Exam