A neighbour who helped you
IELTS Speaking Part 2 · cue card
Describe a neighbour who has helped you or your family.
You should say:
- who this neighbour is
- how long you have known them
- what they did to help
- and explain how you felt about their help
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 232 words, roughly two minutes spoken. Use it for ideas and language, not to memorise: examiners notice rehearsed answers.
I'd like to talk about Mrs Rahima, who lives on the floor below our flat. She's a retired schoolteacher in her late sixties, and we've known her for roughly eight years, ever since we moved into the building.
The time she helped us most was during my final school exams. My mother had to go to hospital quite suddenly for a minor operation, and my father was travelling for work, so my younger brother and I were basically on our own for about a week. Mrs Rahima didn't wait to be asked. She knocked on our door that same evening with a pot of rice and dal, and for the rest of the week she cooked for us, checked that my brother finished his homework and even sat with me one night to go over a maths topic I was struggling with, because, as she put it, "old teachers never really retire."
What struck me was how natural it felt. She never made us feel like a burden. Looking back, I felt enormously grateful, but also a bit humbled, because I realised how little I had done for her in return. Since then I make a point of picking up her groceries when I go to the market, and we've become genuinely close. It taught me that a good neighbour can be as important as a relative, especially in a busy city.
Useful vocabulary
- didn't wait to be asked
- helped without being requested
- a burden
- someone who causes trouble or work for others
- humbled
- made to feel less important, in a good way
- make a point of (doing)
- deliberately make sure you do something
- genuinely close
- truly friendly and connected
- struggling with
- finding something difficult
Part 3 follow-up questions
- Do people in your country know their neighbours well?
- Why do people in cities often not talk to their neighbours?
- What can local communities do to bring neighbours together?
- Is it better to ask neighbours or friends for help? Why?
- How have relationships between neighbours changed compared with the past?
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.