The ability to discuss personal experiences with sincerity and detail is a hallmark of a high-scoring candidate. In this post, we will explore how to describe a time you made a promise to someone, which has emerged as a popular recent IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card, and provide a Band 9 model answer to help you succeed.

The Cue Card

Describe a time you made a promise to someone. You should say:
• When and where it happened
• Who you made the promise to
• What the promise was
• And explain why it was significant or memorable to you.

Band 9 Sample Answer

I’d like to talk about a time I made a solemn promise to my younger sister, Maya, which happened about two years ago right before she moved across the country to start her first year of university. We were sitting in a quiet corner of a local café, surrounded by half-packed boxes and a sense of impending change, when she confessed how terrified she was of being so far away from home for the first time. Seeing her vulnerability, I looked her in the eye and promised that no matter how busy my own life became with work and my master’s degree, I would be at the other end of the phone whenever she needed me, and more importantly, I would fly out to visit her during her first stressful exam period. This wasn’t just a casual “let’s keep in touch” remark; it was a firm commitment to be her emotional safety net during a pivotal transition. To ensure I came through for her, I started setting aside a portion of my monthly salary specifically for a plane ticket and blocked out a week in my digital calendar months in advance. When the time eventually came in December, I had to pull out all the stops because my own workload had become quite overwhelming, but I knew that going back on my word would have been a massive breach of trust. This experience was incredibly significant to me because it cemented our bond and proved to both of us that I am a man of my word. It taught me that keeping a promise often requires more than just good intentions; it demands proactive planning and sacrifice, and seeing the relief on her face when I arrived at her dorm was worth every bit of the effort I had put in.

Band 7 Sample Answer

I want to describe a time I made a promise to my younger sister. It was about two years ago when she was leaving for university in another city. She was very nervous about living alone, so I promised her that I would visit her during her first exam season to help her relax and stay focused. I also told her that we would talk on the phone every week to catch up. I made this promise because I wanted her to feel supported and less lonely in a new place. To keep my promise, I saved some money for the flight and made sure I didn’t book any other work during that time. In December, I flew to her city and we spent a great weekend together. It was very memorable because she was so happy to see me, and it made our relationship much stronger. I think it is important to keep promises to family members because it builds trust. Even though I was quite busy at the time, I am glad I went because it helped her pass her exams and feel more confident. This experience showed me that making a promise is a serious thing that you should always try to follow through on.

How the Band 9 Answer Scores Top Marks

Fluency and Coherence

The speaker demonstrates exceptional fluency by maintaining a steady, natural pace without any noticeable effort to find words. The response is logically organized, moving from the context of the promise to the specific actions taken and finally to the emotional significance. Cohesion is achieved through the use of sophisticated linking phrases such as “more importantly,” “when the time eventually came,” and “not just a casual remark.” This ensures the narrative flows seamlessly, much like the advice found in our guide on IELTS Speaking: How to Describe a Place with Fluency.

Lexical Resource

The vocabulary used is both precise and sophisticated. Phrases like “solemn promise,” “impending change,” and “pivotal transition” show a high level of lexical range. The speaker also uses idiomatic expressions naturally, such as “pull out all the stops,” “emotional safety net,” and “man of my word.” These choices help the candidate avoid repetitive language and convey nuanced meanings effectively, which is a key strategy for those aiming for the top tier of IELTS Speaking Part 2: Cue Card Topics and Sample Answers.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

The answer showcases a variety of complex structures. For instance, the use of a conditional in “going back on my word would have been a massive breach of trust” demonstrates a high command of hypothetical meanings. The speaker also employs the past perfect (“my own workload had become”) and relative clauses (“which happened about two years ago”) to add detail and depth. This level of accuracy and variety is essential for a Band 9, as highlighted in the IELTS English Speaking Course.

Pronunciation

While the text cannot fully convey pronunciation, the Band 9 response is designed to be spoken with natural intonation and stress. The use of emphasis on words like “solemn” and “every bit” would help convey the speaker’s feelings. Clear articulation of complex words and natural rhythm are vital. For more on this, you might check the General Overview of IELTS Speaking for tips on delivery.

Vocabulary and Idioms to Use

Word/Phrase	Meaning	Example Sentence
Man/Woman of my word	Someone who keeps their promises.	My father is a man of his word; he never breaks a commitment.
Solemn promise	A very serious and formal promise.	I made a solemn promise to help him finish the project.
To come through	To do what you said you would do.	I was worried, but he really came through for me in the end.
High stakes	A situation involving serious risks or consequences.	In such a high-stakes environment, keeping your word is vital.
To go back on one’s word	To fail to keep a promise.	It would be disappointing if you decided to go back on your word now.
Breach of trust	An act of breaking a person’s confidence.	Breaking that promise was a major breach of trust in our friendship.
Integrity	The quality of being honest and having strong morals.	Keeping promises is a fundamental part of personal integrity.
To pull out all the stops	To make every possible effort to succeed.	I had to pull out all the stops to finish the work on time.
Come rain or shine	Whatever happens.	I promised to be there come rain or shine.
To keep someone in the loop	To keep someone informed about a situation.	Please keep me in the loop regarding the changes to the schedule.
Unwavering	Steady and firm; not changing.	She has an unwavering commitment to her goals.
To vouch for	To confirm someone’s reliability or character.	I can vouch for his honesty because he always keeps his promises.

Grammar Structures That Boost Your Band Score

• Third Conditional for Regret or Hypotheticals: “If I hadn’t made that promise, I might not have pushed myself so hard to succeed.”
• Present Perfect Continuous for Ongoing Actions: “I have been trying to keep my word regarding my fitness goals for the last six months.”
• Future in the Past: “I knew that I was going to visit her, regardless of how busy I became.”
• Modal Verbs for Obligation: “I felt that I simply had to follow through because she was relying on me.”
• Relative Clauses for Detail: “The café where we met, which was our favorite childhood haunt, felt very nostalgic.”
• Inversion for Emphasis: “Not only did I keep my promise, but I also exceeded her expectations.”
• Passive Voice for Formal Contexts: “The promise was made during a very emotional conversation.”
• Gerunds as Subjects: “Keeping a promise is often more difficult than making one.”

Part 3 Follow-up Questions

Why do people often make promises to others?

I believe people make promises primarily to build trust and provide reassurance. In many social and professional relationships, a promise acts as a sort of “social glue” that binds people together. For instance, when we promise a friend to help them move, we are signaling our reliability and our value for the friendship. Furthermore, promises are often made in moments of vulnerability to offer comfort. It’s a way of saying, “You can count on me,” which is essential for maintaining long-term bonds. Without the concept of a promise, cooperation would be much harder to achieve in society. For more on how behavior affects our interactions, see IELTS Speaking: Behaviour & Patience.

Is it ever acceptable to break a promise?

While integrity is vital, I think there are rare circumstances where breaking a promise might be the lesser of two evils. For example, if keeping a promise would cause significant harm to someone or if unforeseen emergencies arise, it might be necessary to prioritize safety over one’s word. However, in such cases, the key is communication. One should explain the situation honestly and try to make amends. Generally speaking, though, we should be very cautious about the commitments we make. If we frequently break our word, we lose our credibility, and people will eventually stop trusting us altogether. It’s a delicate balance between moral duty and practical reality.

Do you think children should be taught the importance of keeping promises?

Absolutely. Teaching children the value of their word is a fundamental part of character building. When children understand that a promise is a serious commitment, they develop a sense of responsibility and empathy for others. If a parent makes a promise to a child and breaks it, it can be quite damaging to the child’s sense of security. Conversely, when a child learns to follow through on their own small promises, like finishing chores or helping a friend, it boosts their self-esteem and helps them understand the social dynamics of trust. This early education sets the foundation for them to become reliable adults in the future.

Has technology changed the way people make and keep promises?

Technology has certainly had a double-edged effect. On one hand, tools like digital calendars and reminder apps make it much easier to keep track of our commitments and ensure we don’t accidentally forget them. On the other hand, the ease of instant communication through texting and social media has made some people more “flaky.” It’s now very easy to send a quick message at the last minute to cancel plans, which can lead to a more casual attitude toward promises. In the past, if you made a plan, you were more likely to stick to it because changing it was more difficult. Today, we have to be more disciplined to maintain the same level of commitment.

What are the consequences of a person who frequently breaks their promises?

The most immediate consequence is the erosion of trust. Once someone is labeled as unreliable, people become hesitant to rely on them for anything important. This can lead to social isolation or missed opportunities in a professional setting. For instance, a manager is unlikely to promote someone who constantly fails to meet deadlines or keep their word. Furthermore, it can damage the person’s own self-image; they may begin to see themselves as someone who lacks discipline or integrity. In the long run, a reputation for being untrustworthy is very difficult to repair and can follow a person throughout their life and career. You can learn more about describing people and their traits in our post on Describe a Person Who Inspires You.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Being Too Vague: Avoid saying “I made a promise and I kept it.” The examiner wants to hear the who, what, when, and why. Be specific about the situation to show off your vocabulary.
• Focusing Only on the Promise: Don’t forget to explain the significance. The “why” part of the cue card is often where you can use the most complex language and emotional descriptions.
• Using Repetitive Language: Instead of saying “I promised” repeatedly, use synonyms like “I gave my word,” “I committed to,” or “I made a pledge.”
• Ignoring the Tense: Since you are describing a past event, ensure you use past tenses correctly. However, you can use the present tense when discussing the lasting impact of the promise.
• Monotone Delivery: A story about a promise usually involves some emotion—worry, relief, or pride. Use your voice to convey these feelings to improve your pronunciation score.
• Short Answers: Don’t stop talking until the examiner tells you to. If you finish early, expand on the lessons you learned or how the other person felt.

Practice Tips for This Cue Card

• Record Yourself: Use your phone to record a two-minute answer. Listen back and check if you included enough specific details and used a variety of sentence structures.
• Brainstorm Multiple Scenarios: Think of three different promises you’ve made (to a boss, a parent, or yourself). This helps you stay flexible if the prompt is slightly different on exam day.
• Focus on Connectors: Practice using transitional phrases like “Looking back,” “In retrospect,” or “As it turned out” to make your story sound more natural and cohesive.
• Expand Your Vocabulary: Try to incorporate at least three of the idioms from the table above into your practice sessions until they feel natural to use.
• Check the Latest Topics: Stay updated with the most recent prompts by visiting IELTS Speaking Topics Jan–Apr 2026 to see if this card is still in the current rotation.

Mastering the “describe a time you made a promise to someone” cue card requires a blend of storytelling and linguistic precision. By focusing on the emotional weight of the promise and using advanced grammatical structures, you can demonstrate the high-level proficiency needed for a Band 9. For more practice and expert guidance, explore our IELTS English Speaking Course and continue refining your skills. For more official information on the test format, visit the IELTS Official Website.