A song that brings back memories
IELTS Speaking Part 2 · cue card
Describe a song or piece of music that reminds you of a time in your life.
You should say:
- what the song is
- when you first heard it
- what it reminds you of
- and explain how you feel when you hear it
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.
The song that brings back the strongest memories for me is "Ami Banglay Gaan Gai", a well-known patriotic Bangla song by Pratul Mukhopadhyay.
I first heard it properly when I was about eleven. Our school was preparing a cultural programme for Victory Day in December, and our music teacher chose this song for our class to perform. We practised it every afternoon for almost a month in a hot classroom with an old harmonium.
It reminds me of that whole period: the smell of the marigold garlands, rehearsals where half the class forgot the lyrics, and the nervous excitement on the actual day, when we stood on a stage made of wooden benches in front of all the parents. I remember spotting my mother in the crowd and her waving at me in the middle of the song, which almost made me laugh.
When I hear it now, I feel a mix of emotions. There's nostalgia, of course, for a simpler time when my biggest worry was remembering the second verse. But there's also a kind of pride, because the lyrics are about loving your language and your land, which I didn't fully understand at eleven but do now. Interestingly, I've played it to a couple of foreign friends online, and even though they couldn't understand the words, they said they could feel the emotion. I think that's the power of music.
Useful vocabulary
- brings back memories
- makes you remember the past
- patriotic
- showing love for your country
- rehearsals
- practice sessions before a performance
- nostalgia
- a happy-sad feeling about the past
- a mix of emotions
- several feelings at once
- the power of music
- music's strong effect on people
Part 3 follow-up questions
- Why does music affect people's emotions?
- Should music be compulsory at school?
- Do young and old people like different kinds of music?
- How has the way people listen to music changed?
- Is it important to keep traditional music alive?
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.