If you are preparing for your IELTS exam, you have likely realized that personal anecdotes are a staple of the speaking test. A very common prompt you might encounter is to describe an old friend that you got in contact with again, which tests your ability to narrate past events and express feelings about relationships. In this guide, we provide a Band 9 model answer, a Band 7 alternative, and a deep dive into the vocabulary and grammar needed to ace this specific cue card.

The Cue Card

Describe an old friend that you got in contact with again.
You should say:
• Who this person is
• How you knew them originally
• Why you lost touch with each other
• How you got back in contact
And explain how you felt about catching up with them again.

Band 9 Sample Answer

To be honest, I’ve always been a bit of a nomad, so I’ve had my fair share of friends come and go, but one person I recently reconnected with is a guy named Leo. We were absolute best friends back in primary school—thick as thieves, as they say. We grew up in the same sleepy suburb and spent almost every waking hour together, whether we were playing football in the park or obsessing over the latest video games. However, life took a turn when my father was offered a promotion that required our family to move halfway across the country. This was back in the pre-social media era, so despite our best intentions to write letters, we eventually drifted apart. I suppose we just became victims of circumstance, and as the years rolled by, Leo became a distant but fond memory. Then, out of the blue about six months ago, I was scrolling through LinkedIn—of all places—and his profile popped up in the ‘people you may know’ section. Even though he’d traded his bowl cut for a beard, I recognized that mischievous glint in his eyes immediately. I took a leap of faith and sent him a brief message, and to my surprise, he replied within the hour. We decided to meet up for a coffee when I was back in my hometown for the holidays. I was actually quite apprehensive, worrying that we’d have nothing in common after fifteen years, but the moment we sat down, it was like a total time warp. We hit it off instantly and spent three hours just reminiscing about our old teachers and childhood escapades. It was incredibly heart-warming to realize that despite our different career paths, our core personalities hadn’t changed a bit. It felt like finding a lost piece of my own history, and I’m genuinely thrilled that we’ve managed to bridge that gap and bring our friendship into the present day.

Band 7 Sample Answer

I would like to talk about my old friend Sarah, whom I recently got back in touch with. We were very close friends during high school and we used to study together every day after class. We lost touch after graduation because I went to study abroad in Australia, while she stayed in our hometown to work in her family business. At that time, we were both very busy with our new lives and we didn’t use social media as much as we do now. A few months ago, I found her profile on Instagram while I was looking through some old school photos. I decided to send her a direct message to see how she was doing. She was very happy to hear from me, and we ended up talking on a video call for nearly two hours. We talked about our families, our jobs, and what happened to our other classmates. I felt really nostalgic and happy during the conversation. It was interesting to see how much she had changed, but she was still the same kind person I remembered. I realized that even though we hadn’t spoken for a long time, we still had a strong connection. We have promised to meet up in person next year when I return home for a visit, and I am looking forward to it.

How the Band 9 Answer Scores Top Marks

Fluency and Coherence

The Band 9 response flows naturally because of the expert use of discourse markers and cohesive devices. Phrases like “To be honest,” “However,” and “Then, out of the blue” guide the listener through the timeline of the story. The speaker doesn’t just list facts; they weave a narrative where each sentence builds on the previous one. This is a key skill taught in our IELTS English Speaking Course, where we emphasize the importance of story-telling over simple answering. The transition from the past (primary school) to the reason for losing touch (moving away) and finally to the present reconnection is seamless.

Lexical Resource

The vocabulary used is both precise and idiomatic. Instead of just saying “we were close,” the speaker uses the idiom “thick as thieves.” Instead of “I was nervous,” they use “quite apprehensive.” Other high-level collocations include “victims of circumstance,” “mischievous glint,” and “bridge that gap.” This shows a wide range of vocabulary that is used accurately and appropriately for the context of describing an old friend that you got in contact with again. The use of the term “time warp” to describe the feeling of going back in time is a particularly sophisticated touch.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

The speaker demonstrates mastery over complex structures. For instance, the use of the past perfect (“hadn’t seen each other”) and the third conditional structure (implied in the reflection of the meeting) adds depth. The sentence “Even though he’d traded his bowl cut for a beard…” uses a concessive clause combined with a past perfect contraction, which is very natural in spoken English. There are also examples of relative clauses, such as “a promotion that required our family to move,” which help to pack more information into a single sentence without losing clarity.

Pronunciation

While we cannot hear the text, the choice of words suggests a natural rhythm. The use of contractions like “I’ve,” “he’d,” and “don’t” is essential for a high score in pronunciation as it reflects how native speakers actually communicate. Furthermore, the use of emotive language like “incredibly heart-warming” provides opportunities for the speaker to use intonation to express genuine feeling, which is a vital part of the General Overview of IELTS Speaking Test criteria.

Vocabulary and Idioms to Use

Grammar Structures That Boost Your Band Score

• Past Perfect for Background Action: “We had lost touch long before I moved to London.”
• Used to / Would for Past Habits: “We would spend hours talking about nothing in particular.”
• Concessive Clauses: “Despite the fact that we lived in different time zones, we managed to chat.”
• Relative Clauses for Detail: “It was Leo, who I hadn’t seen since primary school, who messaged me.”
• Present Perfect for Recent Events: “I have recently reconnected with a childhood friend.”
• Modals of Deduction: “It must have been at least ten years since we last spoke.”
• Wish / If Only: “I wish we had stayed in touch more consistently over the years.”
• Cleft Sentences for Emphasis: “What surprised me most was how little his personality had changed.”

Part 3 Follow-up Questions

1. Why do you think people lose touch with their childhood friends?

I believe the primary reason is simply the divergence of life paths. When we are young, our friendships are often based on proximity—living in the same neighborhood or attending the same school. However, as we transition into adulthood, our priorities shift toward our careers and building our own families. If you move to a different city for university or work, the physical distance can create a psychological one. Without the shared daily routine, it takes a significant amount of effort to maintain those bonds. In many cases, it isn’t a deliberate choice to end the friendship, but rather a slow process of drifting apart as new responsibilities take center stage.

2. Is it easier to keep in touch with friends now than it was in the past?

Undoubtedly, yes. The digital revolution has completely transformed how we maintain relationships. In the past, if you moved away, you relied on landline phones or snail mail, which were both time-consuming and sometimes expensive. Nowadays, social media platforms and instant messaging apps allow us to stay updated on our friends’ lives in real-time. You can see their photos, celebrate their milestones, and send a quick message within seconds. However, there is a downside; while it’s easier to stay ‘connected,’ the quality of that connection might be more superficial compared to the deep, long-form letters people used to exchange. For more on this, you might find our lesson on IELTS Speaking: Behaviour & Patience useful in understanding social dynamics.

3. What are the benefits of having long-term friendships?

Long-term friendships offer a unique sense of security and continuity. These are the people who have seen you through various stages of your life—they know your ‘origin story,’ so to speak. There is a level of comfort and trust that only comes with time; you don’t have to explain your background or your family dynamics because they were there to witness them. Furthermore, these friends can provide a more objective perspective on your growth. They can remind you of who you were and how far you’ve come. Having someone who has known you for decades provides a powerful anchor in an ever-changing world, contributing significantly to one’s emotional well-being.

4. Do you think social media has made friendships more or less meaningful?

That’s a bit of a double-edged sword. On one hand, social media facilitates the maintenance of a vast network of acquaintances that would have been lost in previous generations. It’s wonderful for describing an old friend that you had lost touch with and got in contact with again. On the other hand, it can lead to ‘performative friendship,’ where people focus more on the image of being friends rather than the actual substance of the relationship. We might ‘like’ a photo but not actually know how that person is truly feeling. I think it makes friendships more accessible but potentially less profound unless we make a conscious effort to move beyond the screen and engage in real, deep conversations.

5. Is it important for friends to have the same interests?

While having common interests can act as a ‘hook’ that brings people together initially, I don’t think it’s the most critical factor for a lasting friendship. Shared values, mutual respect, and a similar sense of humor are far more important in the long run. In fact, having friends with different interests can be incredibly enriching as they expose you to new perspectives and hobbies you might never have discovered on your own. As long as there is a core emotional connection and a willingness to support one another, the specific activities you do together matter less than the quality of the companionship.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Being Too Vague: Don’t just say “we talked about stuff.” Be specific—did you talk about old teachers, a specific trip, or your current jobs? Specificity leads to higher marks in Lexical Resource.
• Overusing “And”: Many students link every sentence with “and.” Use a variety of linkers like “consequently,” “moreover,” or “on top of that” to show range.
• Ignoring the “Why”: The prompt asks why you lost touch. Don’t just skip to the reconnection. Explain the circumstances clearly (e.g., moving, busy schedules, lack of technology).
• Focusing Only on the Past: Remember to address the final part of the prompt—how you felt about catching up. This is usually where you can use the most emotive and advanced vocabulary.
• Sounding Like a Robot: This is a personal story. Use natural fillers like “to be honest,” “actually,” or “you know” to make it sound like a real conversation. Check out these 6 alternatives for ‘In My Opinion’ to vary your speech.

Practice Tips for This Cue Card

• Mind Map Your Story: Before speaking, spend your 1 minute of preparation drawing a quick timeline: Past Relationship -> Reason for Gap -> The Reconnection -> Feelings.
• Record and Transcribe: Record yourself answering the prompt, then write down exactly what you said. Look for places where you could have used a more advanced idiom or a complex grammar structure.
• Focus on Tense Shifts: Practice moving smoothly between the past simple (for the story), past perfect (for background), and present perfect (for the current situation).
• Learn Friendship Idioms: Master 3-4 idioms like “get on like a house on fire” or “a shoulder to cry on” and practice integrating them naturally into your story. This is a common theme in IELTS Speaking Topics.
• Simulate the Exam: Have a friend ask you the Part 3 questions listed above. Try to give extended answers (3-5 sentences) rather than short “yes/no” responses.

Mastering the cue card to describe an old friend that you got in contact with again requires a blend of nostalgic storytelling and technical linguistic skill. By using the structures and vocabulary outlined above, you can turn a simple story into a Band 9 performance. For more practice and personalized feedback, explore our full range of IELTS Speaking Tips and consider enrolling in a structured course to refine your skills. You can also find more official information on the IELTS Official Website.