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Describe an activity that you do together with your family

Try the card on the exam timer first, then read the band-8 sample answer and the Part 3 questions that follow it.

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Part 2 · Candidate task card

Describe an activity that you do together with your family.

You should say:

  • what the activity is
  • when and where you do it
  • who in your family takes part

and explain why it is important to you.

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1 minute to prepare, then 2 minutes to speak. It switches on its own.

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Band 8 sample answer

253 words · about 2 minutes at a natural pace · Phrases from the vocabulary list are highlighted.

An activity my family does together is having a big lunch on Sundays at my grandparents' house. It has been a family tradition for as long as I can remember, and it's something everyone looks forward to all week.

The whole family takes part, which means three generations: my grandparents, my parents, my aunt and uncle and their two children, my brother and me. We usually arrive around noon, and by that time my grandmother has already been cooking for hours. The menu is almost always the same, with a rich soup, followed by roasted meat or a rice dish, and plenty of salads, then tea and sweets that go on for hours. After lunch, the adults chat at the table, while the children play in the garden, and my brother and I usually help with the washing-up and have long conversations with my grandfather about politics and old stories.

This tradition is important to me for several reasons. First, in the week, everyone is busy with work and school, so it's the one occasion when we're all in the same room and can really have quality time together. Second, it's how I stay close to my grandparents, who I'd see far less otherwise, and I treasure the stories they tell. Third, it gives me a strong sense of belonging. I know that wherever I live in the future, I'll always have this table to come back to. I hope that when I have my own family, I can continue the same custom.

What to notice

  • It takes the points on the card in order, so the examiner can follow it.
  • Each point gets a specific detail or a short story, which is what keeps a talk going for two minutes.
  • The "explain" line at the end gets the most time, because that is where you give an opinion and show your range of language.

We wrote this answer for practice; it does not come from IELTS. Take its structure and phrases and tell your own story, because examiners notice memorised answers.

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Useful vocabulary

PhraseMeaning
family traditiona custom passed down in a family
gather around the tablesit together at a table
quality timetime spent giving full attention to people you love
bond withform a close relationship with
three generationsgrandparents, parents and children
look forward tofeel happy about something that will happen

Plan it in one minute

Choose what to talk about in the first ten seconds, then write two or three key words for each point. Full sentences take too long to write and to read back.

Who or what you could talk about

  • Sunday lunch or dinner together
  • A walk or picnic at weekends
  • Playing games or watching a film at home

How to spend the two minutes

  1. 25 swhat the activity is
  2. 25 swhen and where you do it
  3. 25 swho in your family takes part
  4. 45 sand explain why it is important to you.

Part 3 questions

In the exam these come straight after your talk, on the wider subject: Family life. Answer each in 3–4 sentences, with your view, a reason and an example.

  1. Do families spend as much time together now as they did in the past?
  2. What are the main reasons families find it difficult to spend time together?
  3. How can parents and teenagers stay close?
  4. Why do some families have special traditions?
  5. Is it important for relatives to live near each other?

Frequently asked questions

How should I describe an activity in an IELTS cue card?

Explain what the activity involves and how you got into it, describe a typical time you do it, and finish with what you get from it. Present simple for habits and a short past story for one occasion show range.

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