The cue card
Describe a time when you received good news.
You should say:
- what the news was
- when and how you received it
- who you told
- and explain how you felt
Band 7 sample answer
I would like to describe the day I found out that I had passed the entrance exam to my university. It was a hot July afternoon two years ago, and I had been waiting for the results for almost two weeks.
I was at home, refreshing the website every few minutes, when I finally saw my name on the list. At first I did not believe it, so I checked it three times. Then I shouted so loudly that my whole family came running into the room.
I told my parents first, and they hugged me and started to cry. After that, I called my best friends, and in the evening we all had a small celebration.
Later that evening, my father surprised us by taking the whole family to a restaurant, which he rarely does. He gave a short speech about how proud he was, and my younger brother promised to follow my example. I felt that my success belonged to the whole family, not only to me.
I felt a mixture of relief, joy and pride. All the months of hard work were suddenly worth it, and it was the day I felt that my future had really begun.
About 201 words, roughly 2 minutes of natural speech.
Key vocabulary
- relief — a feeling after worry ends
- overjoyed — extremely happy
- entrance exam — a test to enter a university
- hard work paid off — effort brought results
- sink in — become fully understood
- celebration — a party for a happy event
- breakthrough — an important success
Tips for this cue card
- Tell the build-up, the moment and the reaction.
- Use a mix of tenses accurately.
- Describe the physical reaction: shouting, crying, hugging.
Part 3 follow-up questions
Do people share good news with others?
Idea: Yes, sharing makes happiness stronger and builds closeness.
Is bad news harder to deliver than good news?
Idea: Yes, it needs sensitivity and honesty.
How do people celebrate success?
Idea: With family dinners, small parties or time off.
More discussion questions with full answers: IELTS Speaking Part 3 topics.
Study guides
How Is IELTS Scored in Speaking and Writing? Criteria, Weighting and Rounding
The short answer first, then the Speaking and Writing criteria tables, how Task 1 and Task 2 combine and how the overall band is rounded.
IELTS Speaking Band Descriptors Explained in Plain English
The IELTS Speaking test is marked on four criteria. Here is what each one means at bands 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, with short examples you can compare with your own answers.
IELTS Speaking Part 2: How Many Minutes to Speak (With a Practice Timer)
How long Part 2 lasts (1 minute to prepare, 1–2 minutes to speak), a practice timer, a four-step structure and a model answer.