Describe a time when you helped a friend IELTS cue card

IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card

Describe a time when you helped a friend

You should say
When it was?
How you helped him/her?
Why you helped him/her?
And how you felt about it?

Note: 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 Answers and follow up questions to describe a time when you helped a friend IELTS cue card:

Model Answer 1:

Introduction:
Well, I am quite helpful by nature and I never miss a chance to help my near and dear ones or even strangers.

When it was?
But, here I would like to talk about one such incident when I helped my friend who was in dire need of money. Karan is my school friend. He is my best buddy and I have spent a lot of time with him. He is a super-intelligent student and he has helped me in my studies throughout my school days.

I vividly remember, when we were in 8th grade and our final exam was just around the corner. We all received a notice from our school management to deposit the outstanding fee prior to the final exam. Else they would not allow the students to sit in the examination hall. The time when my friend read this notice, he really got disappointed when I enquired why he is so sad and disappointed.

He told me that he has no money to pay the school fee. the fact is that is from a very poor family and somehow his parents manage his school fee but at that time his mother was really sick and was hospitalised for that reason most of the earnings were going her medication, to hear this I really got emotional because I did not want to see my friend sad and not being able to take the final exams just because of not paying the school fee in time.

How you helped him/her?
The time I went home, I broke my piggy bank. whatever the money was there, I collected and I decided that I help my friend. In fact, requested my parents as well to give me a pocket allowance in advance. I procured enough money and the next day, I went to the school office and pay the school fee for my friend.

Why you helped him/her? And how you felt about it?
The time he got to know that I had paid his school fee. He just came and hugged me tightly and kept on thanking me again and again but I requested him to stop saying thank you because it just because of our friendship I did this I did not do any kind of favour to you.

Conclusion:
But, just because you are my friends I wanted to help and this how I help my friend who was in dire need at that time.

Model Answer 2:

Introduction:

Helping others is a very good thing.
I have given and received help many times.

When it was?

Here, I would like to talk about a situation, when I helped my friend in studies.
When I was in 10th, my friend Rahul suffered a sprain in his ankle while playing hockey in the school.
He was advised strict bed rest for three weeks.

Why you helped him/her?

Our exams were very near and Rahul’s mother was very worried that he would fail this time if he did not attend school.
So, I decided to help him as much as I could.

How you helped him/her?

Every day after school, I would go to his house and update him with everything that was done in school.
His mother was so happy with my efforts that she would prepare nice shakes or something to eat for me every day.
Perhaps, that was her way of thanking me.
I used to reach home very late, but when I told my parents the reason, they were OK with it.
Then the exams came, and Rahul and I both scored above 80% marks.

And how you felt about it?

I realised that in helping him, I had helped myself even more. After this incident, Rahul and I became even more intimate friends.
Last month Rahul took his IELTS and scored 7 bands and has planned to go for higher education in Canada.
Because of Rahul, my parents have also decided to send me to Canada for my higher studies.
Earlier they were reluctant to send me.

Conclusion:

When I helped him, then I did not know that it would have this far-reaching effect. looking after one’s own interests.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 : Follow up Questions

Here some examples of follow up questions that you may asked during your speaking part 3 by examiner related to cue card “describe a time when you helped a friend”.

1. How do people usually help each other?
People help each other in many ways. For example, people help tourists by telling them about
directions. People also help each other financially by loaning some money during tough times.
In student life, intelligent students help others with their homework or studies during after
school hours.

2. How is online help different from real-life help?
The main way people can help others online is by bringing attention of others to their ordeal. For example, many people got hold of oxygen during covid pandemic by raising SOS calls on the internet. People can also donate money to charities online, which can use them on the ground. I think the biggest difference is that we cannot directly help others online except if we transfer them money. However, the advantage is that people can help others online wherever they are located and they are not restricted by their geographical boundaries.

3. Should schools be responsible for teaching students how to cooperate?
I think both schools and parents should be responsible for teaching children about cooperation. However, the increasing competition in schools is sadly having an opposite effect and many students are facing issues in working along with others in their adult life.

4. What are the differences between help from friends and help from family?
I think the main difference is that in case of help from friends we feel more obligated to return it sooner or later, whereas in the cases of family we don’t feel that need. We take help from family for granted, which is both a good thing and a bad thing.

5. Do you like helping others?
Yes, I do. I love helping others. I have realised it gives a lot of mental satisfaction and happiness.

6. Should parents teach helping others to their children?
Yes, of course. Parents are responsible for bringing their children into this world, and so it is their duty to make their children into responsible citizens of the future. Parents don’t have to do anything special to accomplish this. They just have to lead by example. Children will automatically follow their footsteps. If all citizens are helpful and nice, then the whole world would become a nice place to live in.

7. Do you think nowadays people do more good work as compared to the past?
I don’t think so. Life in the past was simpler and slower. People helped each other a lot. Now, everyone is in the rat race of money and materialism. No one has the time to help others.

8. Will you help others in the future?
Yes, definitely. I believe that we must do unto others as we want them to do unto us. If I will help others, only then I can expect help from others when I need it.

9. How do you encourage children to help others?
Nothing special is needed. Children are good observers and copy what their elders are doing. All you have to do is help others and they will automatically follow.

10. How do world social organizations such as Red Cross collect their funds worldwide?
They do so by advertising their work. They organise activities and involve young people in them. They also take the help of media.

11. Do small non-government organizations always need big organizations’ help or can they collect funds themselves?
No, they do not always need big organisations help. If their projects are small, they can manage on their own, otherwise they can seek the help of their bigger counterparts.

12. Do you think people in India should help foreigners who are visiting India and who need help?(Why? / Why not?)
Definitely, yes. India is known for its hospitality and helpful nature. Guests are treated like Gods. Tourists are our guests. If tourists need help, they should be helped. They will take back happy memories and more and more tourists will flock-in in the future.

13. What is the most important way for a country to help foreigners who are visiting the country?
Foreigners can be helped by guiding them about our customs and traditions, so that they do not unknowingly hurt anybody’s sentiments. They can be helped by providing them good and hygienic food, which suits their taste. They can be helped by not fleecing them when they buy some souvenirs.

14. Many people only look out for themselves and never think about helping others. What do you think of this attitude?
I think such people are very short sighted. They do not think that if they don’t help others they will also be left alone when they need help.

Describe a time when you helped a friend IELTS cue cardYes, Indian people help others who are in extreme poverty. Some help directly and some help through charity organisations.

Some cue-cards you may like :

Credits :

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Describe a time when you helped a friend IELTS cue card

Introduction:
Well, I am quite helpful by nature and I never miss a chance to help my near and dear ones or even strangers.
When it was?
But, here I would like to talk about one such incident when I helped my friend who was in dire need of money. Karan is my school friend. He is my best buddy and I have spent a lot of time with him. He is a super-intelligent student and he has helped me in my studies throughout my school days.
I vividly remember, when we were in 8th grade and our final exam was just around the corner. We all received a notice from our school management to deposit the outstanding fee prior to the final exam. Else they would not allow the students to sit in the examination hall. The time when my friend read this notice, he really got disappointed when I enquired why he is so sad and disappointed.
He told me that he has no money to pay the school fee. the fact is that is from a very poor family and somehow his parents manage his school fee but at that time his mother was really sick and was hospitalised for that reason most of the earnings were going her medication, to hear this I really got emotional because I did not want to see my friend sad and not being able to take the final exams just because of not paying the school fee in time.