Describe a close friend: cue card and sample answer

Cue card

Describe a close friend you have known for a long time.

You should say:

who this friend is
how you met
what you usually do together

and explain why this friendship is important to you.

You have one minute to prepare and should speak for one to two minutes.

Try it before you read the sample. Answer this card out loud with our AI examiner and get an estimated band.

Practise with the AI examiner

Sample answer

About 236 words, or roughly two minutes of speaking.

I'm going to talk about my friend Bilal, who I've known for about fifteen years. We met on the first day of secondary school, when the teacher sat us next to each other simply because our surnames were close in the register. I was quite shy at the time, and he was the complete opposite, so I think he did most of the talking for the first few weeks.

These days we live in different cities, so we can't meet as often as we'd like. When we do get together, it's usually nothing special. We go for a long walk, find somewhere cheap to eat and catch up on everything that's happened. We also play online chess a few times a week, which is our way of keeping in touch without having to make an effort.

The friendship matters to me for a couple of reasons. First of all, he's honest with me. When I wanted to drop out of my course in the second year, everyone else was sympathetic, but he told me plainly that I'd regret it, and he was right. I can also count on him. When my father was in hospital, he drove four hours to sit with my family, without being asked.

I think friends like that are rare. We've both changed a lot since school, but we've somehow grown in the same direction, and I can't imagine us losing touch.

Why this works: it covers every point on the card in order, gives specific details and a short story rather than general statements, and ends by explaining the feeling or reason, which the last line of the card asks for.

Useful vocabulary

the complete opposite: totally different from someone or something
catch up on: to talk about what has happened since you last met
keep in touch: to continue to communicate with someone
drop out of a course: to leave a course before finishing it
count on someone: to be sure that someone will help you
lose touch: to stop communicating with someone over time

Rounding-off question

After you finish, the examiner may ask one short question, such as:

Do you see this friend often?

Part 3 questions: Friendship

In Part 3, the examiner asks more abstract questions linked to the cue card topic. Give an opinion, explain why, and add an example.

Is it easier to make friends as a child or as an adult?

As a child, definitely. Children are put together in classrooms and playgrounds for hours every day, and they don't worry much about being judged. Adults are busier and more cautious, and most of the people they meet are colleagues, which makes friendship more complicated. Adults can still make close friends, but it usually takes a shared activity, like a sports club, and a lot more time.

Can online friendships be as strong as friendships in real life?

I think they can be real, but they are rarely as deep. You can share interests and talk every day with someone you've never met, and for people who live in isolated places that is very valuable. However, a lot of trust comes from spending time together and seeing how someone behaves when things go wrong, and that's hard to do through a screen.

Now say it out loud

Reading a good answer helps, but speaking is what improves your band. This set includes this cue card, Part 1 questions on languages and walking, and a Part 3 discussion.

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This sample answer was written by TestWise Prep to show language that scores well. It is not official IELTS material. Use it for ideas, not to memorise, because examiners mark rehearsed answers down.