Cue Cards Samples with band 8 answers
Describe a handmade gift you gave to someone - Cue Card # 459
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IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.
[The topic for your talk will be written on a card which the examiner will hand over to you. Read it carefully and then make some brief notes.]
Describe a handmade gift you gave to someone.
You should say:
- what the gift was
- who and when you gave the gift
- how you made it
and explain why you gave a handmade gift to this person.
[Instruction: You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]
Model Answer 1:
When I was a young high school student, I had a hobby of making different kinds of handmade items to keep at home. However, I never really thought that anybody would really appreciate the work, as it happened with one of my high school friends. It happened about 12 years ago. In fact, he didn’t stop at appreciating my handmade things, but asked me to make one for him as well.
But, the problem, of course, was that I just didn’t know what exactly would be a perfect gift for him. So, I asked my high school friend about his opinion on his idea of a perfect gift, but he wasn’t too sure either, even though he got a chance to check through all of my handmade objects. Then, suddenly, I asked him if he had any fruit basket at home, and if his answer was negative, I told him that I would be more than happy to make him a fruit basket. Not to mention, my high school friend liked my idea very much and asked me to go ahead with it.
Anyway, in order to make that fruit basket, I collected some PVC pipes with a diameter of 0.75 inches and then cut them into pieces of one inch each. After that, I began to stick those pieces together in a round bowl with the help of super glue. As soon as all those small PVC pipe pieces stuck with each other, it got the shape of a round shaped bowl, which later would be called our “fruit basket”. I decided to render it a beautiful colour by spraying some magenta paint on it. Once the paint was dry, I gave the fruit basket to my friend.
Well, I gave this handmade gift to my friend, partly because I wanted to be recognised for my work and efforts a little. After all, we all want to be famous at some point, don’t we? Besides, I gave the gift to him because I thought it would make my friend feel better as he wanted a hand-made gift from me.
Sample Answer 2:
Thank you a lot for this topic. I will talk about a handmade gift that I gave to my younger sister when she was only 7, and how I actually made it.
Well, the gift was a wooden doll (I must confess that the doll did not look that great, as I made it when I was only 15, and I did not have expertise in making such things). Yet my sister loved it so much, and I felt so proud of making this gift for her. It was a late winter evening, probably in 2014, when I took my sister to the market to buy her a pair of shoes. On our way back home, she showed me a large doll displayed in a fancy toy shop. She told me that she would love to own a doll like that. She knew the price of that doll would be really high, and I did not have enough money to actually buy her that doll.
This event made me sad a lot, and I asked my father, who lived in a different city for his job, to buy her a doll. He probably forgot about the doll and did not send any doll in the next two weeks. My sister’s birthday was approaching, and I wanted to make her a beautiful doll before her birthday. I used to make boats, wooden pens, and other types of toys in my childhood as a passion, but making a doll was something I never thought I would do someday. However, I dared to make one and worked for more than 7-8 days to finally make something that I could claim as a doll.
I took a fine quality wood large enough to give it the shape of a doll, used other tools, glue and other ingredients to make this doll. I painted that doll and tried to mimic my sister’s facial features in this doll. When I gave this doll to my sister, she was so amazed that she kissed me and thanked me again and again. She even recognised that I tried to mimic her face in that doll. Then I told her that ‘the name of this doll is Emmy’. She laughed and told me that it was even more beautiful than she was!
A few weeks later, my father bought her a very expensive and beautiful doll, but my sister was somehow convinced that the one I made was prettier. Maybe that was because of her love and affection for me.
I basically wanted to make my sister happy and to give her something before her 8th birthday. I did not have enough money to buy her a big doll, and I had some skills in making toys with wood and paper. Considering all these facts, I was convinced that I should make a wooden doll by myself for my sister.
Model Answer 3:
Introduction:
Thank you for this nice topic! For this, I’d like to talk about a handmade gift I gave to someone very special in my life, who is none other than my grandmother. It was for her 60th birthday, and I still remember the excitement I felt while making it.
What the gift was:
As I have already told you, it was a handmade birthday card that I made for my grandma. But it wasn’t just any card, it was a colourful, personalised card with drawings, small decorations, and a heartfelt message inside. I wanted it to reflect not just my creativity but also how much she means to me.
Who and when you gave the gift:
I gave the card to my grandmother on her 60th birthday, which was last year. It was a small family gathering at her home, and I thought it would be a perfect moment to surprise her.
How you made it:
I made the card from scratch using thick craft paper. I drew flowers, little butterflies, and even painted a tiny scene of her favourite garden. Then, I wrote a personal message, expressing my gratitude and love for her. I added a few stickers and some glitter to make it cheerful. The whole process took a few hours, but it was really enjoyable and made me feel closer to her even while creating it.
And explain why you gave a handmade gift to this person:
I chose to give a handmade gift because I wanted it to be more personal and meaningful than something I could simply buy from a store. My grandmother has always appreciated thoughtful gestures, and I knew that something I had made with my own hands would touch her heart. When I gave her the card, she hugged me tightly and said it was one of the most beautiful gifts she had ever received. That reaction made all the effort absolutely worthwhile, and I felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
Idea Generation for this Topic:
This topic asks you to describe a handmade gift that you gave to someone. It requires you to explain what the gift was, who you gave it to and when, how you made it, and why you chose to make and give this handmade gift. Here are some possible ideas you can talk about:
Idea 1: A knitted scarf:
I once knitted a woollen scarf and gave it to my mother on her birthday. I spent a couple of weeks making it using soft yarn in her favourite colour. I decided to make it because I wanted to give her something personal that she could use during winter.
Idea 2: A photo album:
I collected family pictures, decorated the pages with colored paper and handwritten notes, and turned it into a handmade album. I gave it to my grandmother during a family gathering. I felt it would be a meaningful gift since she loves to look back on old memories.
Idea 3: A handmade birthday card:
For a close friend’s birthday, I created a colourful card with drawings, quotes, and a personal message. I used markers, colored pencils, and glitter to make it special. I chose a handmade card because I wanted to show my creativity and express my feelings in my own words.
Idea 4: A handmade bracelet:
I made a friendship bracelet out of colorful threads and beads and gave it to my best friend during high school. It was simple but unique, and I made it to symbolise our strong bond.
Idea 5: A decorated jar of messages:
I once filled a jar with small folded notes, each containing a motivational message or happy memory. I decorated the jar with ribbons and stickers and gave it to my cousin during her exam preparation. I thought it would give her encouragement and joy.
Idea 6: A handmade painting:
I painted a small landscape and framed it myself before giving it to my uncle as a housewarming gift. I wanted to make something original that he could hang in his new home.
Idea 7: A scrapbook:
I prepared a scrapbook for my sister when she graduated. It included photos, cut-outs, personal letters, and colourful decorations. I spent several weeks making it because I wanted to celebrate her achievements in a personal and creative way.
Idea 8: A hand-sewn pillow cover:
I once sewed a pillow cover using fabric and embroidery. I gifted it to my father on Father’s Day. I wanted to make something both practical and meaningful with my own hands.
Idea 9: A handmade candle:
I made a scented candle by melting wax, adding fragrance, and pouring it into a decorated glass jar. I gifted it to a close friend during the New Year. I thought it would make her room cosy and also remind her of our friendship whenever she lit it.
Vocabulary for this Candidate task card/ Cue card topic:
When describing a handmade gift you gave to someone, using specific vocabulary can effectively convey what the gift was, who the recipient was, how you created it, and the personal reasons behind your choice. Thoughtful word choices will help you articulate the time, effort, and affection you put into the gift, making your response both personal and heartfelt. Here are some relevant words and phrases:
Handmade/Handcrafted: – Made by hand, not by machine; handmade.
Example: I decided to give a handmade card instead of buying one from the store.
DIY (Do-it-yourself): – The activity of decorating, building, and making repairs or improvements to one's own belongings.
Example: It was a simple DIY project that I found online.
Sentimental value: – The value of an object to a person because of its associations with a person or a memory.
Example: The gift has a great deal of sentimental value because of the effort I put into it.
Thoughtful: – Showing consideration for the needs of other people.
Example: I wanted to give her something thoughtful and unique, not just a generic gift.
Personal touch: – A distinctive or individual characteristic added to something to make it more personal.
Example: The handmade gift added a personal touch that a store-bought item could not have.
Labour of love: – A task done not for reward but because one enjoys doing it.
Example: Creating the gift was a true labour of love, and I enjoyed every moment.
Meticulously: – In a way that shows great attention to detail; very careful and precise.
Example: I meticulously painted every detail to ensure the gift was perfect.
Unique: – Being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else.
Example: The gift was unique because I made it myself, and it was specifically for her.
Original: – Created personally by a particular artist, not a copy or imitation.
Example: The gift was an original piece of my own design.
Appreciated: – Recognised the full worth of something; understood and enjoyed.
Example: She really appreciated the time and effort that went into the gift.
Cherished: – Protected and cared for lovingly.
Example: It was a gift I knew they would cherish for years to come.
Memorable: – Worth remembering or easily remembered.
Example: I wanted to make sure the gift was memorable for a special occasion.
Genuine: – Truly what something is said to be; authentic.
Example: The gift was a genuine expression of my friendship and affection.
Heartfelt: – (Of a feeling or statement) deeply and sincerely felt.
Example: It was a heartfelt gift that came directly from my own hands.
Special occasion: – A celebration or event that is important to people.
Example: I decided to give a handmade gift for her birthday, which was a special occasion.
If you prepare for this cue card topic, you should be able to answer the following topics as well:
1) Describe something you once made.
2) Describe a gift you gave to someone.
3) Describe a birthday gift you gave to someone.
4) Describe a memorable event in your life.
5) Describe a time when you surprised someone.
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