Cue card section is the second part of IELTS speaking test. Let us analyse the task response by a student for a mock test and see why it was marked Band 6.5.

IELTS Speaking Cue Card

Describe a time when you had to give an opinion

• What opinion you gave
• When did you give this opinion
• Why you were to give this opinion

Explain how others reacted on your opinion

Task Response:

Once upon a time in the year 2010, I was having a meeting with my family members and some other friends of the family and we have raised the discussion about the topic on the girls education, whether the girls should be educated as equally as the boys or not. So, I put my opinions in front of that……….. that the girls must be educated as the same level as of the boys because if the girls will be educated, they can provide a better education to the kids. They can play a better role in their family as well as if the girls will be educated, it will more easy for the family for handling some situations. I have given my this opinion in front of my family and at the end, when the discussion was over, I was feeling happy because everyone was clapping for me and everyone was happy that I have given the reasonable answers to the questions and they were convinced at last that my opinions were true at the most of the points

Remarks:

Word selection: “meeting with family members” can be “talk with family members”

Excessive use of “the” article can be avoided

Tense: “we have raised the discussion” can be “we raised the concern”, “I have given my this opinion” should be “I gave my this opinion”, “I have given the reasonable answers” should be “I had given reasonable answers”

Preposition: “as the same level” should be “to the same level” or “at the same level”

Complex sentence: “if the girls will be educated” should be “if the girls are educated”, “if the girls will be educated, it will more easy for the family for handling some situations” should be “if the girls are educated, it will be more easy for the family to handle difficult situations”

Article (a): “provide a better education” should be “provide better education”

Article (the): “at the most of the points” should be “at most of the points”

IELTS Speaking Expected Band: Band 6.5

The candidate has spoken fluently, covering up all the points but there are some errors related to tense, articles (the) and complex sentences that would restrict the band score to 6.5, otherwise it could be Band 7 response.