Pooja Ph.D. CELTA, Author at IELTS BAND7

IELTS Cue card: A plant that you find useful

June 18, 2022 Pooja Ph.D. CELTA

IELTS Cue card: A plant that you find useful

Describe a plant that you find useful.
You should say:

Its name?

Where it is commonly grown?

What it looks like?

And explain why you find it useful.

IELTS Cue card: A plant that you find useful

Sample answer

I’m a nature lover. I have planted many different types of plants in my garden. All of them have their own special features. Today, I will talk about one plant which I think is highly beneficial.

The name of the plant is Aloe Vera. It’s a stem less or very short-stemmed succulent plant. The average height of the plant is around 60-100 cm. It has triangular, fleshy green leaves with serrated edges. These prickly leaves act as a defence against animals and insects.

There are different species of aloe vera and they are commonly found in most parts of the world. Aloe can grow indoors as well as outdoors. A certain amount of sunlight is essential for these plants to thrive.

I’ve read many reports about the health benefits of aloe vera. This plant is not only used in medicine but is also a vital ingredient in cosmetic products. It’s packed with antiviral and antibacterial properties which make it ideal for curing skin problems. My mother always uses aloe vera mixed with coconut oil to moisturize her hair before washing it, and I have to say, she’s nearly fifty years old but there are no signs of white, fragile or dry hair. It really is an incredible plant, and it’s so easy to grow too!

High level words and their meanings:

succulent: a plant in which the leaves and stem are thick and can store a lot of water,

serrated: having a row of sharp points along the edge,

thrive: to grow, develop, or be successful, fragile: easily damaged, broken, or harmed

Another Similar Cue Card

Talk about a plant that you find useful.

What is the common name of the plant, mention scientific name if you know it?

Who informed you about the plant and where did you see it for the first time?

Which climate is suitable for its growth and where is it found?

And what are its uses and when did you use it last time?

SAMPLE ANSWER TWO-

We have several useful plants in our environment. Knowledge of botany enables us to know the species, botanical names and several utilities of the plants. For instance, roses are used for perfumery and decorations, primarily. Well, for this conversation, I would like to discuss the plant that goes by the common name of Neem. Fortunately, I can remember its botanical name too, as it is a common species. Azadirichta Indica is its botanical name and it’s a species of mahogany called Meliaceae.

My grandfather first made me see the plant in our patio. We had a big house with a large courtyard, where my grandfather used to pick a twig of neem to cleanse his mouth in the morning. I still remember him calling the name of tree aloud to me, when I was nearly 7 years old. I never forgot the name since then, although I read the botanical name later, out of my own curiosity.

Tropical climate with average rainfall is most conducive for its growth. It is a deciduous tree that sheds its leaves for a very brief period in autumn. It takes a few years for neem plant to grow into a full tree. Mostly, it is found in Indian subcontinent and few other tropical regions with average rainfall.

Neem tree has several uses because of its herbal and medicinal properties. As told by me earlier, its twigs are used for teeth cleaning and overall mouth cleansing. Its leaves and bark find applications in several herbal medicines for dermatitis and other disorders related to several organs like liver, stomach and heart. It is also used in naphtha balls. I used it last in my fields as fertilizer, as govt has recently come up with neem coated urea for its ecological friendliness.

IELTS Band 7 Dehradun
Near Ballupur Chowk, Dehradun

9634777700

7249900007

IELTS Band 7 Saharanpur
Parsvnath Plaza, Saharanpur

email: info at ieltsband7.com

IELTS online simulator

Cue Card: An interesting person from a foreign country

June 11, 2022 Pooja Ph.D. CELTA

IELTS Speaking Cue Card: An interesting person from a foreign country

Describe an interesting person from a foreign country.
You should say:

Who he/she is?

Where he/she is from?

How long you have known him/her?

and explain why you think he/she is an interesting person.

IELTS Cue Card An interesting person from a foreign country V2

Sample Answer

Today, I’m going to talk about a foreigner who I think is extremely interesting.

I work as a software developer in a multinational company called Capgemini. At present, we’re working on an international project and there are many foreigners in my team. I’ve a healthy relationship with all of them but I particularly like my team leader.

His name is Martin Henze. He is from Germany. Martin has a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the Technical University of Munich. I first met him in April 2015 when I went to Munich for attending a conference. It’s been almost three years since then.

In my view, Martin is a captivating person. He has many personal and professional attributes which make him special. Professionally, his in-depth knowledge of computer programming and problem-solving skills differentiate him from others. He also has effective communication and presentation skills. His excellent rapport with his colleagues and leadership skills can’t go unnoticed.

Personally, Martin has a pleasing personality. He is very kind and generous. He never shows off his seniority and treats everyone equally. All of us can share our views freely with him. If anyone has a suggestion to improve something, he always listens to them. In my view, developing all these skills is not at all easy. One has to work really hard to develop them and be like him. In short, Martin is my professional role model.

IELTS Band 7 Dehradun
Near Ballupur Chowk, Dehradun

9634777700

7249900007

IELTS Band 7 Saharanpur
Parsvnath Plaza, Saharanpur

email: info at ieltsband7.com

IELTS online simulator

Cue card: A language lesson you enjoyed

May 19, 2022 Pooja Ph.D. CELTA

IELTS Cue Card Talk about a language lesson you enjoyed

Talk about a language lesson you enjoyed
You should say:

When it was?

What it was about?

What you did in the lesson?

And explain why you enjoyed this lesson.

A language lesson you enjoyed

Sample Answer

I’ve always had a deep fascination with languages. It certainly stems from the skills of my school teachers who made our lessons memorable. Today, I’m going to talk about a language lesson I loved.

I was in 8^th class. Our school provided classes in many foreign languages like German, French, Japanese and Italian etc. I opted for Japanese because my father recommended it to me. My first Japanese lesson was so much fun that I still remember almost everything about it. When our teacher entered the class, she greeted us in Japanese. She didn’t translate it in English or our local language. Initially, we were puzzled but then she drew the sun and two kids on the blackboard. We understood the meaning and all of us repeated the greeting after her. Then, the teacher opened a big box in which she had kept many things like chocolates, cold drinks, tea and a bottle of milk etc.

She started taking them out of the box one by one. She was saying the name of each item in Japanese and we were listening to her and repeating after her. Later on, the teacher just showed us the objects and we were supposed to recall their names. Everyone was actively participating in the lesson. In the next stage of the lesson, the teacher taught us how to order milk, tea or coffee in a Japanese café. She divided us into two groups. Some of us became customers while others became waiters. We practiced all the words that we learned in the lesson in a very interactive way.

Not only me but all my classmates enjoyed the lesson. I found it very interesting because of the way it was delivered. The teacher created a friendly and stimulating learning environment. Its pace was also perfect for our age group. If we hadn’t been involved in the lesson, it would have been a boring lesson. All in all, I can say that this first-class boosted our confidence immensely and motivated us to learn Japanese.

Another Similar Cue Card

Describe a thing you did to learn another language.

Which language did you learn?

What was that thing, you did to learn the language?

How did it help you and how you felt?

And do you recommend that thing for every language?

SAMPLE ANSWER TWO-

Language is among the greatest inventions of mankind. Just imagining a world without languages seems to bring chaos and haphazardness all around. Social order and stability is ensured by this medium of communication. If we just observe our past, it is wondrous to note that we learnt our mother tongue without any formal medium of instruction. It is an automatic natural process set in motion by environment. Although I never intended to become a philologist, but I had this inertia for different words and meanings. I knew English well and I had this penchant for Spanish. So, in my college days, I decided to learn Spanish.

I joined a language academy, where they take up a language from the very basics. With appropriate syntax, pronunciation and meaning understanding of most common Spanish words in academy, I built my fundamentals strong. Thereafter, a stage of stagnation arrived in my progress and I was not improving my spoken Spanish, in particular. It was then, when I decided to stay in a Spanish colony in our city, for few months. Getting surrounded by Spanish diaspora all the time, listening to the language Spanish only whenever a word is spoken and interacting in Spanish only, were the true game changers.

This idea of living among Spanish people was an instantaneous hit. Within a span of just three months, I was conversing in Spanish without any great efforts. To add to it, I even grasped the uncommon classical Spanish vocabulary. The result of the uniform harmony with the Spanish language in my overall environment, while living in Spanish people, was very fruitful. The shopkeepers and watchman in that colony were Spanish too, which necessitated me to even think in Spanish. I felt extremely happy witnessing my gradual but consistent improvement in Spanish.

I would like to recommend my test and trial approach with the learners of any language. Staying in airs stuffed with a particular language all around you, automatically brings you in sync with that. No doubt, academy is something mandatory, but apart from that, my idea for learning a language is very effective, especially the spoken one.

STRONG WORDS

Word	Meaning
Penchant	special bent/liking: My friend has the penchant for old classic movies.
Haphazard	disorderly: students in college generally keep their room haphazard.
Diaspora	scattered population with origin somewhere else: America is truly cosmopolitan in a sense, to have diaspora from so many nations

Follow-up Questions

Q. 1 Is learning a new language difficult after an age?

Sample answer: I can’t answer this with confirmation without actual evidences. Definitely, after an age learning appetite decreases to some extent. Learning a new language might not sound as exciting and hence motivating to a grown up man as to a young boy. This lack of interest, apart from the work pressures faced by an adult may hinder his learning process.

Q. 2 What factors make a language interesting to learn?

Sample answer: It is the accent, smoothness, tone and pitch primarily, which creates impression for a language. Apart from them, glory and status of the nation, to which a language belongs, also generates fan following. Influence of a language created by its major presence all over the globe is a big influence.

Q. 3 Can deepest emotions be conveyed by a language?

Sample answer: I would say speech itself comes with a limitation. Use of any language can definitely easen the process of emotions’ description, as done in poems, plays and other fiction. But, I still believe that language do not have the absolute adequacy to display all the emotions, in complete.

Q. 4 What are the advantages of learning a new language?

Sample answer: Learning anything new, in itself is a fun process. Language learning comes with the spoken, written, hearing and speaking tasks involved in it, therefore it further broadens our pleasurable experience. It is always an advantage staying in a country, if we are averse with its native language. This brings a sense of assimilation in an earlier differently looking ethnicity. It also enriches our experience of different civilizations and cultures.

IELTS Band 7 Dehradun
Near Ballupur Chowk, Dehradun

9634777700

7249900007

IELTS Band 7 Saharanpur
Parsvnath Plaza, Saharanpur

email: info at ieltsband7.com

IELTS online simulator

IELTS Speaking Cue Card: A special cake you had

May 5, 2022 Pooja Ph.D. CELTA

IELTS Speaking Cue Card: A special cake you had

Describe a special cake you had

What kind of cake it was?

When you ate the cake?

Who you ate the cake with?

And explain why you think this cake was special.

IELTS Speaking latest Cue Card Describe a special cake you had what kind of cake it was and explain why you think this cake was special

Sample answer

I do tend to have a bit of a sweet tooth and it just so happens that cakes are my all-time favourite treats. Today, I’ll talk about an absolutely delicious cake that I had some time back.

Last week I went to Mussorie with my family. Naturally the journey from Delhi to Mussorie was quite long and it left us exhausted. So, we decided to go to a cafe for refreshments. After strolling about and absorbing the general atmosphere, we came across a cafe named Lovely Loaves. It seemed to be quite an old cafe. We went inside. It was a quiet place with a certain antique charm. Their menu offered a wide range of coffees, sandwiches and other sweet assortments. I ordered a cappuccino with a slice of mixed fruit cake to the side. My parents chose to order sandwiches.

At first glance, the cake was lovingly decorated with almonds, cashews and hazelnuts, it had some sort of brown sugar powder sprinkled on the frosting. From the side, you could see the cream filling and the little fruit pieces. Every savoury little bite was infused with the rich warm flavour of fresh fruits, filled with fluffy vanilla sponging. The treat was sinfully divine, in fact I adored it so much I asked for another piece. My parents too each took a forkful from the gourmet treat. They loved it as well and were inclined to order one of their own too.

I felt that that cake was special and that it had a certain warmth to it, a quality which is not found in many things nowadays. The love which it was made with, made sure that the quantity and quality of each ingredient was just-right. From the crumbly flakiness of the sponge to the blissful sweetness in the drizzled frosting, the cake was and will be one of the best things I have ever eaten. When I go back to visit Mussorie, I will without a doubt revisit Lovely Loaves.

Another Similar Cue Card

Describe a special cake you received from others.

When did you get it?

Who gave you, where and why?

What made it special?

And how did you feel?

SAMPLE ANSWER TWO-

Cakes are usually presented on special occasions as a token of dessert, for wishing good and healthy for someone. They are specially ordered from the bakeries as per their appearances, sizes and tastes. I used to get cakes mostly, on my birthdays, till, when I was a young boy. On my 10^th birthday, I received a special cake from my parents.

Although, it was presented jointly by my parents but later my father informed me that it was my mother’s exclusive choice. I was surprised to see the size and outlay design of the cake. It was a 3 storeyed chocolate and vanilla cake with my favourite cartoon star impostered on the top of it. My 10^th birthday was celebrated in a famous hotel of our city. It was there, that I received my birthday cake as a beautiful present, after all the guests arrived. Usually I used to get a normal sized chocolate cake on my birthdays, but my mother told me that it was special this time because I had entered the double digit zone of my age. This transition made it commemorative, to be occasioned with the special cake.

The very outlook, the way it was designed, with my favourite star standing tall on it, gave it a dazzling view. I was oblivious of this this special gift, therefore, I screamed out of joy and surprise as soon it appeared in front of me. I felt like wrestling with my hero on the cake, there and then. I just kept on looking at it in bewilderment, till I finally cut it in pieces. Delicious chocolate and vanilla turned it into a mouth-watering treat. That night, I even saw that magnanimous cake in my dreams.

STRONG WORDS

Word	Meaning
Commemorate	remember, celebrate: Gandhiji’s birth anniversary is commemorated on 2^nd oct every year.
Dazzling	eye catching: I wore a dazzling suite on my brother’s wedding.
Bewilderment	great surprise: I was bewildered to know about the size of ancient mammoth.

Follow-up Questions

Q. 1 Why do you think cake is presented on special occasions?

Sample answer: It was a trend that was set by Britishers in colonial India. It is not a native dish of India and was introduced by them. Later, Indian bakeries flourished and we started making our own cakes. The sophistication involved in baking and the sweet fluffy texture of a cake make it an ideal choice for desserts on any special occasion.

Q. 2 Do children miss something on their birthdays in the absence of a cake?

Sample answer: Yes, Indeed. Cake is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of celebrating a birthday. Candles are placed and lit on this special platform, which are then extinguished by celebratory puff of the birthday boy. So, cake, in a sense occupies the centre stage on this occasion. Therefore, children will definitely complain and miss this treat, if it is absent on their birthdays.

Q. 3 On what other occasions do you take something special to eat?

Sample answer: Well, we, the family, makes it a point to visit a good restaurant on our birthdays and anniversaries. Apart from that, whenever I feel the special appetite of eating something delicious, I request my mother and she will prepare those dishes for me. Sometimes, we visit the restaurants even on weekends, to have a fun outing and tasty food.

Q. 4 Do you consider eating outside a healthy habit?

Sample answer: No, not at all. Outside, in stalls, restaurants or even in hotels, the quality of food prepared is not up to the mark, considering its nutritious and healthy indices. Oil, flour, sugar and so many other ingredients used in food are of genuine brands at home but one cannot verify them at an eatery outside. Eating outside on a regular basis, especially the fast junk foods, can bring a detrimental effect on our health.

IELTS Band 7 Dehradun
Near Ballupur Chowk, Dehradun

9634777700

7249900007

IELTS Band 7 Saharanpur
Parsvnath Plaza, Saharanpur

email: info at ieltsband7.com

IELTS online simulator