IELTS Cue Card Sample 51

IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.

You should say:

and explain why you enjoy playing this game or sport.

Model Answer 1:

We love to get involved in different kinds of spectators and individual sports in Myanmar. In fact, our government also encourages us to play sports. Anyway, today I would like to talk about a sport, which I enjoy playing the most like millions of others in my country. The name of this sport is football. In fact, football by far is the most popular sport in my country, followed by Golf, especially after the modern Myanmar national football league was formed in the year of 2009.  Besides, football has a long and rich tradition in my country as used to be one of the best Asian teams along with Iran and South Korea, winning Asian Games football tournaments twice, in 1966 and 1970, as well as being runner up in the 1968 Asian Cup, after the champion and host Iran. Myanmar youth team had also crowned Asian youth championship titles seven times. Anyway, when I was younger, I could play this sport anywhere in our streets, where I lived, with my friends and neighbours because back then, the streets were not really that busy.  But, as I've grown up now, I only play this great sport in the field by dividing ourselves, including my friends and neighbours, in two teams, with 11 players in each, and we play like true professionals. In fact, we even organize a “friendly cup” football tournament for our wards (“ward” is a local city authority in my country) in our town every year where the champion team receives an award. In fact, when our “ward” team plays in this friendly cup football tournament, we support our own teams by chanting and screaming for them so that they become spirited and energized to score goals. Anyway, I enjoy this sport because it allows me to socialize and mingle with my friends and neighbours while also having fun in the field. The game helps me recuperate from the fatigue and tiredness of my busy working life.  Finally, the sport also allows me to remain physically fit and healthy like no other game.

Sample Answer 2:

I've played several games throughout my young age, both indoor and outdoor games, and I try to play whenever I get time. Among those games, I enjoyed playing chess more than others. Chess is an indoor game where two players participate. This game does not involve any major physical movements like other outdoor games but a chess player has to use his/her brain and make game plans to defeat the opponent. I mostly play this game with my friends and cousins. Sometimes I play it with my father and senior relatives. Since playing chess requires only placing the board on a surface and sitting position of the two participating players, it is convenient to play chess almost anywhere. I mostly play it at our veranda, garden or bedroom. I enjoy this game because I have a fascination for this game from my childhood and I really like the overall theme and barnstorming involved in this game. It's a thought-provoking game that gives the participating players to use their brains. A player can apply his/her strategy, and then allure the opponent to fall into a trap which is much like a real battlefield. It's not a game where someone would only use the physical movements rather the game requires a perfect game plan, finding weaknesses of the opponent and a battle strategy. This game gives you a feel of being the King of a regime where you decide your country men's fate. For all those reasons this is a very interesting and enjoyable game for me.

Since the cue card is about your favourite game or sport, you can talk about any indoor or outdoor game or sport you play or know about. Alternatively, you can talk about computer games as well. If this is an indoor game you want to talk about,  pick chess, card games, table tennis, bowling, carom, computer game, gaming device game or any other game you prefer. For the indoor games, you can mention that you regularly play it with your family members or friends and enjoy it a lot. Generally, physical exercise is not involved in indoor games except table tennis and you should focus on "improvement" and "excitement" the indoor games offer. Indoor games are usually played inside homes and you should mention that you play it in your house, veranda, drawing room or in a guestroom. You should also mention that you play it in your relatives' houses or friends' houses as well. If you pick an outdoor game, like cricket, football, badminton, rugby you should mention that you play it with your friends and some of the neighbours. Sometimes unknown people join in such games where more than 7-8 players are needed. Mention that these games are refreshing and a good way of keeping your health fit. For the question why do you enjoy playing this game, you should mention that you have a great passion for this game or sport and you have been playing it for a long time. You can also mention that you are usually good at it and your percentage of winning the game is very good. If you talk about an indoor game, mention the excitement and brainstorming it offers and the way you enjoy playing it with your family members and friends. For the outdoor games mention the health benefits it offers and the way you enjoy playing it. The follow-up question of this cue card might ask you the most common types of games and sports played in your country so you should prepare for that as well.  

Q. What types of sports are popular in your country? Q. What are the benefits of playing a sport or game? Q. Do you think the types of sports that are popular will change in the future? Q. How can sports bring people from different countries closer together? Q. What are the advantages of hosting different international sporting events in a country? Q. How can we encourage children to participate in different types of sporting activities?

Q. What types of sports are popular in your country? Answer: If there is one thing that brings and unites the people of my country, then that thing has to be sports. So, yes, we love sports, especially if they are soccer, hockey and cricket, whether we are good at playing them or not. After all, for a huge majority of people in my country, these sports are a pure form of entertainment. Apart from soccer, hockey and cricket, sports like badminton, volleyball and long tennis also attract considerable attention from a large number of crowds in my country, particularly when some international tournaments in any of these sports take place. 

Q. What are the benefits of playing a sport or game? Answer: One has to be really naïve to discount the benefits of playing a sport or game because sport can actually change our life for the better, especially if someone wants to feel fitter, healthier and mentally strong. Sports can also be a pure form of fun and joy, especially when they are played with family members and friends in an informal environment. Finally, sports can also develop great leadership qualities within us and provide individuals with a great opportunity to shine in both their personal and professional life. 

Q. Do you think the types of sports that are popular will change in the future? Answer: The answer to this question is “perhaps not”. In fact, if the past of some of our present-day, popular sports is any indication, we will find that they are still as popular today, if not more, as they were centuries ago. For example, soccer or football is very much kicking and alive still today even though it started its journey back in 206 B.C! Similarly, the modern-day game, hockey, emerged in the mid-18th century, but it is still being played today in different parts of the world!

Of course, the rules of the games may change a little, here and there, but the fundamental of these games would probably never change.

Q. How can sports bring people from different countries closer together? Answer: Sports generally spark a very intense kind of emotions and passion among sports lovers, unlike anything else, because of supporting some particular teams or players.  And it’s these intense emotions and passion that make people think positively about each other even though, they belong to different countries, cultures and customs.

Besides, many a time, countries invite other countries to play some international sports tournaments, and usually, when this happens, countries try to be friendly to other countries in order to make the sporting events more enjoyable and accessible to everybody. 

Q. What are the advantages of hosting different international sporting events in a country? Answer: Hosting different international sporting events on the soil of a country has some great advantages. One such advantage is that it helps generate a huge amount of revenue for the host country, apparently because people from all around the world visit that country and spend their money to watch sporting events. It also helps promote their tourism sectors in a new light to attract more visitors. Finally, it also helps create new infrastructure, structures, buildings, roads, hotels and other facilities which, in turn, then also helps create new employment opportunities for their people.    

Q. How can we encourage children to participate in different types of sporting activities? Answer: We can encourage children to take part in different sporting activities in many ways. One of those ways could be to actually take them to different sporting events and enjoy the games together. Another way could be that we can play some sports – sports which are actually preferred by the children - together with kids and cheer them up when they score or perform well. Finally, schools can also encourage children to play sports by offering them extra “credits” or “marks” for participating in different kinds of sporting activities. 

Being able to answer this question would help you answer the following cue card topics also:

1. Talk about something you enjoy doing at home. 2. Describe something you do often. 3. Talk about an outdoor activity you have. 4. Describe a healthy habit you have. 5. Describe a game or sports you often play. 6. Describe something you do with your friends or family members. 7. Talk about a national sport or game in your country. 8. Describe something you enjoy doing.