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IELTS Speaking Part 2 & 3 · Current season: 6.25-7.13 Predicted · Updated 2026-07-08

Part 2 Cue Card

Describe a friend from your childhood

You should say:

  • Who he/she is
  • Where and how you met each other
  • What you often did together
  • What made you like him/her

You will have one to two minutes to talk about this topic.

Part 3 Discussion Questions

  • Do you still keep in touch with your friends from childhood? Why or why not?
  • How important is childhood friendship to children?
  • What do you think of communicating via social media?
  • Do you think online communication through social media will replace face-to-face communication?
  • What's the difference between having younger friends and older friends?
  • Has technology changed people's friendships? How?
Full answer demonstrationNotice how the answer develops and connects its details.Listen for pace, sentence stress, linking and small natural corrections.
Read the complete transcript

I’m going to talk about a childhood friend called Jamie who lived just two streets away. We first met at primary school when we were seven; our teacher put us in the same reading group and we started swapping books at breaktime, which is how the friendship began. After school we’d head to the nearby park to build dens and pretend to be explorers, and sometimes we cycled to the riverbank to catch tadpoles — those muddy afternoons became a kind of ritual. At weekends we would exchange comic strips at our grandparents’ gardens, creating loads of little inside jokes. What made me like Jamie most was his loyalty and sense of humour; he could always make me laugh when I felt awkward, and he was the one who came with me to meet my new teacher when I changed schools at eleven, which really helped. It’s those small, dependable acts and the way we used our imagination together that make him stand out in my memory.

This AI-generated learner demonstration is a practice example, not an official IELTS response.
Visual warm-up

See the topic before you speak

Use the images as idea prompts. Describe what you notice, connect it to your experience, then answer the real question.

Visual speaking prompt 1 for the topic describe a friend from your childhood
Prompt 1Notice three concrete details, then answer without writing a script.
Visual speaking prompt 2 for the topic describe a friend from your childhood
Prompt 2Change the viewpoint or example and record a second, more specific answer.
Listen · compare · repeat

Model answers, heard side by side

Start with the simpler answer, switch bands to hear how the same task can be developed, then record a personal response. These are teaching examples, not official answers or score guarantees.

Part 2 — Model Answer

Part 2 cue-card response

Band 6 model

My childhood friend was called Amy. She lived near my house and we met at primary school when we were eight. We were put in the same class and quickly became friends because we liked the same games. We often played in the school playground and went to the park after school. We liked playing tag, drawing and sometimes borrowing each other’s books. I liked Amy because she was kind and patient. She always helped me when I found work hard, and she made me laugh. We had many happy days together and I remember them fondly.

Speaking criteria note: The Band 7 answer expands on each bullet with concrete examples and connective language, showing a wider vocabulary and more coherent storytelling than the Band 6.

Part 3 — Model Answers

Do you still keep in touch with your friends from childhood? Why or why not?

Band 6 model

I still keep in touch with a couple of childhood friends, but not all of them. We message or call sometimes, especially on birthdays. Life gets busy with work and family, so it’s harder to see people often. I’m glad to keep a few links though because they remind me of where I came from.

Speaking criteria note: The Band 7 response gives more detail about frequency, reasons why the friendships endure, and uses a wider range of vocabulary.

How important is childhood friendship to children?

Band 6 model

Childhood friendship is important because children learn to play, share and make rules together. Friends help kids become confident and teach them social skills. Teachers and parents also notice how friendships affect behaviour at school.

Speaking criteria note: Band 7 explains the developmental benefits in more depth and connects them to long-term outcomes, using varied grammar and vocabulary.

What do you think of communicating via social media?

Band 6 model

Social media is useful because it lets you contact people quickly and share photos. But it can be shallow and cause misunderstandings because you miss tone and body language. Privacy is also a worry; not everyone thinks before they post.

Speaking criteria note: The Band 7 answer balances benefits and drawbacks, offers a personal approach, and uses more sophisticated vocabulary and structure.

Do you think online communication through social media will replace face-to-face communication?

Band 6 model

I don’t think social media will completely replace face-to-face talk. Online chat is quick and convenient, but you can’t read body language or feel the same connection as in person. For important conversations, people usually prefer to meet up.

Speaking criteria note: Band 7 presents a nuanced prediction, uses connectives and a clearer argument for a 'hybrid model', showing higher-level thinking.

What's the difference between having younger friends and older friends?

Band 6 model

Having younger friends feels lively because they have fresh ideas and energy. Older friends often give good advice and remind you of things you might have missed. Both types are nice because they bring different views.

Speaking criteria note: Band 7 explains differences more fully, uses a wider range of vocabulary and gives reasons for the value of both age groups.

Has technology changed people's friendships? How?

Band 6 model

Yes, technology has changed friendships. It’s easier to keep in contact with people who live far away. But sometimes friendships feel less close because messages replace real conversations, and people get distracted by phones.

Speaking criteria note: Band 7 gives a fuller picture of both positive and negative changes and uses more precise language about mechanisms like algorithms and attention.

How to answer Describe a friend from your childhood IELTS Speaking questions

For the Describe a friend from your childhood cue card, use the preparation minute to build a route through the talk. Choose a clear subject, add two specific moments or details and end with why it matters. Then use the linked Part 3 questions to practise broader explanation and comparison.

Cue-card prompts:

  • Who he/she is
  • Where and how you met each other
  • What you often did together
  • What made you like him/her
  1. Opening: identify the person, place, object or event.
  2. Development: describe two details or moments in a logical order.
  3. Extension: explain a reason, result, comparison or problem.
  4. Reflection: finish with why the subject is memorable or important.

Question-by-question approach

Practice questionUseful answer move
Do you still keep in touch with your friends from childhood? Why or why not?Answer directly, give a reason and add one natural personal detail.
How important is childhood friendship to children?Describe the process or difference in a clear order and add a result.
What do you think of communicating via social media?Name the thing first, then describe a specific feature or example.
Do you think online communication through social media will replace face-to-face communication?State a likely view, explain the reason and add one condition or example.

Vocabulary focus

Useful language already demonstrated in the model answers includes use precise words from your own answer. Learn the meaning and a natural word partnership, then use each item in a different answer instead of copying a complete script.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Giving a memorised response that only partly answers the question.
  • Adding difficult vocabulary without checking meaning or collocation.
  • Restarting after every error instead of correcting briefly and continuing.
  • Reading the model answer before recording your own first attempt.

Describe a friend from your childhood practice FAQ

How should I use the Describe a friend from your childhood cue card preparation minute?

Write keywords for an opening, two or three details and a final reflection. Do not try to write complete sentences.

Do I have to cover every cue-card bullet?

The prompts help you organise the talk. Covering them is useful, but a coherent one-to-two-minute response matters more than mechanically ticking off each line.

How are Part 3 questions connected to Part 2?

They develop the same broad theme through reasons, comparisons, social effects or future possibilities, so answers normally need more explanation than Part 1.