As an experienced IELTS examiner, I understand the importance of providing comprehensive guidance for the speaking section. Today, we’ll focus on a common topic: “Describe An Activity You Enjoyed In Your Free Time When You Were Young.” This subject frequently appears in IELTS speaking tests and is likely to remain relevant in future examinations.

Part 1: Introduction and Interview

In this section, the examiner may ask you general questions about your childhood activities. Here’s a sample question with a suggested answer:

Question: What activities did you enjoy doing in your free time as a child?

Sample Answer (Band 7-8):

When I was young, I absolutely adored playing hide-and-seek with my neighborhood friends. It was such an exhilarating experience to find the perfect hiding spot and hold my breath as I heard my friends searching nearby. The thrill of the game and the camaraderie we shared made it my favorite pastime during those carefree days.

Part 2: Long Turn

For this section, you’ll be given a cue card with a topic to discuss for 1-2 minutes. Here’s a sample cue card related to our theme:

Cue Card:

Describe an activity you enjoyed in your free time when you were young.
You should say:

• What the activity was
• When and where you did it
• Who you did it with
• And explain why you enjoyed it so much

Sample Answer (Band 7-8):

The activity I’d like to talk about is building sandcastles at the beach. This was something I absolutely loved doing during my childhood summers.

I vividly recall spending countless hours on the sandy shores near my grandparents’ coastal home. We would visit them every summer vacation, typically in July and August, when the weather was perfect for beach activities.

I usually engaged in this activity with my younger sister and our cousins. It was a family affair, with our parents and grandparents often joining in or watching from nearby.

The reason I enjoyed it so much was the sense of creativity and accomplishment it provided. We would meticulously plan our sandcastle designs, competing to see who could build the most impressive structure. I relished the challenge of figuring out how to make towers stand taller or create intricate moats around our castles.

Moreover, it was a wonderful bonding experience with my family. We’d laugh, share ideas, and work together, creating memories that I still cherish to this day. The activity also allowed me to connect with nature, feeling the sand between my toes and listening to the soothing sound of waves.

Looking back, I realize that building sandcastles taught me valuable lessons about teamwork, patience, and the ephemeral nature of things. It was a simple yet profoundly enjoyable activity that shaped my childhood in many positive ways.

Sample Answer (Band 8-9):

The activity I’d like to elaborate on is constructing intricate sandcastles at the beach, an endeavor that captivated my imagination and provided countless hours of enjoyment during my formative years.

This cherished pastime was an integral part of my summer vacations, typically occurring during the balmy months of July and August. The setting for these memorable escapades was the picturesque coastline adjacent to my grandparents’ quaint seaside residence, where we would religiously sojourn each year.

This activity was far from a solitary pursuit; it was a collaborative venture involving my younger sibling and an assortment of cousins. Our parents and grandparents would often partake in the festivities or observe from a comfortable vantage point, offering encouragement and occasional creative input.

The allure of sandcastle construction lay in its ability to ignite my creative spark and instill a profound sense of achievement. We would approach each project with meticulous planning, engaging in friendly competition to see who could erect the most awe-inspiring structure. I found myself utterly enthralled by the challenge of engineering ever-taller towers and designing increasingly elaborate moat systems to protect our sandy fortresses.

Furthermore, this activity served as a catalyst for familial bonding. The shared laughter, exchange of ideas, and collaborative efforts forged memories that continue to resonate deeply with me. It also provided an opportunity to commune with nature, savoring the tactile sensation of sand between my toes and the melodious rhythm of crashing waves.

In retrospect, I’ve come to appreciate how this seemingly simple activity imparted valuable life lessons. It honed my skills in teamwork and patience, while also offering profound insights into the transient nature of material creations. This quintessential childhood experience played a significant role in shaping my character and fostering a lifelong appreciation for both creativity and the natural world.

Children building sandcastle

Follow-up Questions:

1. Do you still enjoy this activity now?
2. How has this activity influenced your current hobbies or interests?

Sample Answers (Band 7-8):

1. While I don’t build sandcastles as often now, I still find joy in the activity when I visit the beach. It brings back fond memories and allows me to reconnect with my inner child. However, my approach is more relaxed and less competitive than when I was younger.

2. This childhood activity has significantly influenced my current interests. It sparked my passion for architecture and design, leading me to pursue related hobbies like creating miniature models and studying architectural styles. The problem-solving skills I developed while building sandcastles have also proved valuable in my professional life.

Sample Answers (Band 8-9):

1. While the frequency of my sandcastle-building endeavors has diminished with age, I still derive immense pleasure from engaging in this activity during occasional beach visits. It serves as a nostalgic portal to my childhood and offers a therapeutic respite from adult responsibilities. My approach now is more contemplative and artistic, focusing on the process rather than competition.

2. The impact of this childhood pastime on my current interests has been profound and far-reaching. It kindled a lifelong fascination with architecture and design, manifesting in hobbies such as crafting intricate miniature models and studying diverse architectural styles. Moreover, the problem-solving acumen and spatial reasoning skills honed through sandcastle construction have proven invaluable in my professional sphere, particularly in project management and creative problem-solving scenarios.

Part 3: Two-way Discussion

In this section, the examiner will ask more abstract questions related to the topic. Here are some sample questions and answers:

Question: How do you think childhood activities influence a person’s development?

Sample Answer (Band 7-8):

I believe childhood activities play a crucial role in shaping a person’s development. They help children develop essential skills like creativity, problem-solving, and social interaction. For example, building sandcastles, as I mentioned earlier, taught me patience, teamwork, and how to think creatively. These activities also contribute to physical development and can influence future interests and career choices. A child who enjoys outdoor activities might develop a lifelong love for nature or sports, while someone who likes puzzles might be drawn to fields that require analytical thinking.

Sample Answer (Band 8-9):

Childhood activities, in my opinion, exert a profound and lasting influence on an individual’s developmental trajectory. These formative experiences serve as a crucible for skill acquisition, fostering critical competencies such as creativity, problem-solving acumen, and social dexterity. Drawing from my personal experience with sandcastle construction, I can attest to how such activities cultivate patience, collaborative skills, and creative thinking.

Moreover, these early pursuits play a pivotal role in physical development, honing motor skills and spatial awareness. They also have the potential to shape future interests and career aspirations. For instance, a child with a penchant for outdoor activities might develop an enduring affinity for environmental conservation or athletics, while one who revels in solving puzzles might gravitate towards fields demanding robust analytical capabilities, such as mathematics or computer science.

Furthermore, childhood activities contribute significantly to emotional and psychological development. They provide a safe space for children to explore their identities, manage emotions, and build resilience in the face of challenges. The sense of accomplishment derived from mastering a skill or completing a project can bolster self-esteem and foster a growth mindset, attributes that prove invaluable throughout one’s life journey.

Question: Do you think children today have the same opportunities for free-time activities as in the past?

Sample Answer (Band 7-8):

I think children today have different opportunities compared to those in the past. On one hand, they have access to a wider range of activities, especially with technology. They can learn new skills online, play educational games, or even take virtual tours of museums. However, they might have less unstructured free time due to busier schedules with school and extracurricular activities. There’s also a concern that children spend too much time on screens, which might limit their engagement in physical or creative activities. Overall, while the opportunities have changed, each era has its own advantages and challenges for children’s free-time activities.

Sample Answer (Band 8-9):

The landscape of children’s free-time activities has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, presenting both novel opportunities and unique challenges. Contemporary children enjoy unprecedented access to a diverse array of activities, largely facilitated by technological advancements. This digital revolution has democratized learning, enabling children to acquire new skills through online platforms, engage with educational content in interactive formats, and even embark on virtual explorations of cultural institutions worldwide.

However, this expanded realm of possibilities is not without its drawbacks. Many children today grapple with more regimented schedules, their time parceled out between academic pursuits and a plethora of extracurricular activities. This structured approach to childhood can potentially curtail the unstructured free play that was more prevalent in past generations.

A pressing concern in modern discourse is the ubiquity of screen time in children’s lives. While digital platforms offer invaluable educational resources, excessive screen use may impede engagement in physical activities and hands-on creative pursuits, potentially impacting holistic development.

It’s crucial to note that each era presents its own unique set of advantages and challenges. While children of the past may have enjoyed more unstructured time and direct interaction with their physical environment, they lacked the global connectivity and instant access to information that today’s children possess. The key lies in striking a balance – leveraging the benefits of modern technology while preserving opportunities for physical activity, creative expression, and unstructured play.

In essence, while the nature of children’s free-time activities has evolved, each generation faces its own set of opportunities and obstacles. The onus is on parents, educators, and society at large to ensure that children can harness the best of both worlds, benefiting from technological advancements while not losing touch with the timeless joys of childhood exploration and creativity.

Key Vocabulary and Phrases for High Scores

To elevate your speaking performance, incorporate these sophisticated words and phrases:

1. Cherished pastime /ˈtʃerɪʃt ˈpɑːstaɪm/ (noun phrase): A beloved activity from the past.
   Example: Building sandcastles was a cherished pastime of my youth.

2. Quintessential /ˌkwɪntɪˈsenʃl/ (adjective): Representing the most perfect or typical example of something.
   Example: Sandcastle building was a quintessential childhood experience for me.

3. Ephemeral /ɪˈfemərəl/ (adjective): Lasting for a very short time.
   Example: The ephemeral nature of sandcastles taught me about impermanence.

4. Catalyst /ˈkætəlɪst/ (noun): Something that causes an important event to happen.
   Example: This activity served as a catalyst for developing my creativity.

5. Resonate /ˈrezəneɪt/ (verb): To have particular meaning or importance for someone.
   Example: The memories of those beach days still resonate with me today.

6. Commune with nature (phrase): To feel close to the natural world.
   Example: Building sandcastles allowed me to commune with nature.

Examiner’s Advice

To excel in the IELTS Speaking test, particularly when discussing childhood activities:

1. Use varied vocabulary: Incorporate sophisticated words and phrases to demonstrate your language proficiency.

2. Provide specific details: Offer concrete examples and anecdotes to support your points.

3. Show reflection: Discuss how the activity impacted your development or shaped your current interests.

4. Maintain fluency: Practice speaking on various topics to improve your ability to articulate ideas smoothly.

5. Engage with the questions: Listen carefully to the examiner and ensure your responses are relevant and comprehensive.

Remember, the key to success lies in preparation and practice. Regularly engaging in English conversations and expanding your vocabulary will significantly enhance your performance in the IELTS Speaking test.