from: http://www.ielts-mentor.com/cue-card-sample?hc_location=ufi&limitstart=0

• what relation this person is to you
• what are your first memories of this person
• how often you see this person
• and explain why you really admire this person.

Follow-up Questions:

• What are the values of family in your country?
• How family bonding is necessary for happiness in life?
• What type of family do you like? Nuclear family or joint family?
• How family value and bonding have changed over the last decade?

Model Answer 1:

I`ve got a small family with only 5 members and all of us are very close to each other and we love each other very much. Among them I love my mother more than anyone else in the whole world. I adore my mother for her caring, loving, adorable behaviors and wit. She is the person I can share everything with and that's the reason I worship her so much.

Possibly she was the first human I saw when I opened my eyes in this world. A relationship with a mother is divine and all of my childhood memories are either related to my mom or my school. I can still remember a day I was late to come back home after school and that's because there was a ceremony at the school I did not know about. All of a certain I found that my mother was entering through the school-gate to find me. I was so frightened that my mother would rebuke me for being late unnoticed and she must be mad at me. But to my best surprise, when my mother saw me she had a warm smile in her face that I'll never forget till my last breath in this earth. Then she hugged me and gave me a kiss. I felt then that I love my mother more than me. She attended the program at the school and afterward we came back home together.

I spent my 19 years or so with my father and mother but I stay at a metropolitan city now for my education. Whenever I get vacation I meet my mother at my village home. On an average I spend 2/3 months with my mother each year but I talk to her over phone almost twice a day.

The reasons why I admire her are endless. She is caring, tender, she has got a big heart and she possesses love for everyone. She had been an ideal mother to raise 3 kids and making sure our education and moral values. She had made a lot of sacrifices all of her life and had never complained about anything to my best knowledge. She is the person who reminds me the power of love and caring.

Sample Answer 2:

A person I admire is my “Mother” because she is a fighter. You may ask why? To start of my mom got pregnant, with me at the age of 18. She did not have the support of my grandparents. Her own parents wanted to kick her out the house when they found out. She convinced them to let her stay, but she could not ask them for any help when raising the baby. Knowing all this my mom still decided to have the baby.

Besides not having the support of her parents, she also did not receive any help from my father. Although my father cared about me, he never gave my mom money or clothes to help her maintain me as a baby. She had to provide for me on her own. Going to school and working was killing her, but she wanted me to have a good life so she did anything that she could. My mom got pregnant again two years later, with the same man. The only thing was this time - it was worse. He left her life completely and her dad was sick. Therefore, he could no longer work. Now, not only did she have to provide for her two babies, but also for her parents. She was overwhelmed with everything happening; she didn't know what to do.

Finally, she decided to attend college and become a teacher for she can support the family she was now in charge of. It was not an easy thing to do. After she finished college it took her a while to find a job. It is not easy to find a job in Nicaragua. However, my mom never quit, no matter how hard things got for her she fought through it. To provide for her kids and parents.

[Written by – Rafael]

Alternative Answer 3:

I have got 6 family members and all of them are very dear and close to me. If I need to pick one family member among them to talk about, that would be my father. My father’s name is (say your father’s name) and he is around 50 years old. He is the kind of person I would want my offspring to be. He did his graduation in a time when formal education was not people’s first choice. They would rather start earning from work rather than going to school. My father fought to ensure his education with the people who thought working or doing some sort of business has more value than education. But my father believed that education is the most important part of a man’s life. He heartily held the idea that education shapes a man’s life and is the kind of power and asset that would always accompany him.

I have lots of memories of my father and I see him every day. There exists a strong bonding between us that only two of us feel. I still remember those days of my childhood when I used to wait in the evening for my father to return from office. He would then play with me and help on completing my lessons. I vividly remember him sometimes taking me to the market and buy me gifts. When I was an infant he moved to the city from the village to ensure me better schooling and environment. That was a decision that has changed my life path. He himself helped me finishing my home works and lessons, always allured me of gifts if I could complete my study. Besides my education he taught me lots of moral values and important things of life.

He used to work in a Government organization and for his hard-working and kindness; he is revered by all of our relatives, his friends and neighbors.

He believes in humanity, good behavior, our creator, and leads a life that can be exemplary. He still does most of his own works and helps my mom on her house hold works. After retirement he has picked 2 new habits: gardening and teaching neighbors’ kids. He is a quiet and intelligent man who has benevolent heart and that what make him so admirable to me. He is still the pillar of our family and all of our family members love and respect him very much.

For father: He is honest, brave, had a good heart, talented, leads an ideal life. has sacrificed a lot to up-bring us, is an exemplary person, everybody respects him, is the best person I have ever seen, Loves me very much, hardworking, punctual, talented etc.
For mother: She is so caring, loving, hardworking and possesses a good heart, had done a lot to up-bring us, very close to me, very understanding, one of my best friends, knows a lot of things and has so many practical skills etc.
For brother: He is so brave, talented, well mannered, knows a lot about different things, had always been supportive to you, loved by others, cooperative and have lots of memories together, like a mentor to me, is my best buddy, taught me almost everything he knows, always protects me etc.

For sister: She is caring, a good friend, loving, a good mentor, helps you on study or on other tasks, supportive, a very good friends, talented and well-mannered.

Necessary vocabulary for this cue card:

• Relatives = Your family members are also your relatives.
• Nuclear family = A nuclear family, also called an elementary family, is a type of family group consisting of a pair of adults and their children.
• Extended family= An extended family extends beyond the nuclear family, including grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other relatives.
• Sibling = Siblings are your brothers and sisters.
• Relationship Synonyms = Tie, link, attachment.
• Admire Synonyms: Adore, idolize, respect, revere, honour, hold in high regard, think highly of, esteem.
• Memory Synonyms: Remembrance, thought, reminiscence, recollection, musing.

Phrase with meaning:

• Bring up = Raise a child.
• Look after = Take care of.
• Rely on = Depend on:
• Be close to = Having a strong bonding.
• Get along with -= Being close and friendly.
• Admire = To respect and like someone.

If you prepare for this cue card you should be able to answer the following cue cards as well with very little changes:

1. Talk about someone who cares you a lot.
2. Describe a person who you like very much.
3. Describe the person whom you admire most.
4. Talk about a person you know for a long.
5. Talk about a senior person whom you like a lot.
6. Talk about a person who has a great influence in your life.