A child who made you laugh
IELTS Speaking Part 2 · cue card
Describe a child you know who made you laugh.
You should say:
- who the child is
- how you know them
- what they did
- and explain why it made you laugh
You have one minute to prepare and should speak for one to two minutes.
Free account required for the live AI partner.
Band 7+ sample answer
About 224 words, roughly two minutes spoken. Use it for ideas and language, not to memorise: examiners notice rehearsed answers.
The child I'm thinking of is my niece Aisha, my elder sister's daughter, who's five years old and has an extremely strong personality for someone so small.
I see her almost every weekend because my sister lives about ten minutes away. Aisha is at the stage where she asks "why" about absolutely everything and repeats any word she hears adults say.
The moment I'm talking about happened last month at a family dinner. My father, who is quite formal, was giving a long speech about the importance of saving money. Aisha listened very seriously, then stood up on her chair, held up her little plastic piggy bank and announced, "Nana, I have savings too. But they're only for ice cream." Then she shook it to prove her point, and a single coin fell out and rolled under the table. The whole room burst out laughing, including my father, who rarely laughs during his speeches.
I think it was funny for a few reasons. Partly it was the timing; she interrupted at the most serious moment. But mainly it was the honesty. Adults talk about saving for the future, and she simply admitted she was saving for something that would make her happy right now. In a way she made a fair point, and it reminded all of us not to take ourselves too seriously.
Useful vocabulary
- strong personality
- confident, with clear opinions
- to prove her point
- to show that what she said was true
- burst out laughing
- suddenly started laughing loudly
- the timing
- the exact moment something happens
- made a fair point
- said something reasonable
- take ourselves too seriously
- be too formal or self-important
Part 3 follow-up questions
- Why do children often say surprising things?
- Is it important for parents to play with their children?
- Do children today have less free time than in the past?
- Should young children use tablets and phones?
- What do adults learn from spending time with children?
Tip: in Part 3, give an opinion, a reason and an example, and consider another point of view. Aim for 3–5 sentences per answer.
How to practise this card
- Set a one-minute timer and write keywords for each bullet, not full sentences.
- Speak for two minutes and record yourself on your phone.
- Listen back: did you cover every bullet and the "explain" part? Note one phrase from the vocabulary list to use next time.
- Answer two Part 3 questions out loud, then try the card again with the AI Speaking Partner.