If you are preparing for your IELTS exam, you will likely encounter tasks that ask you to reflect on personal relationships. A very common prompt in recent exams is to describe an old friend you enjoy talking with, which tests your ability to use narrative tenses and descriptive vocabulary. In this guide, we provide a Band 9 model answer, a Band 7 version, and a deep dive into the language needed to excel in this Part 2 cue card.

The Cue Card

Describe an old friend you enjoy talking with. You should say:
• Who this person is
• How long you have known them
• What you usually talk about
And explain why you enjoy talking with them.

Band 9 Sample Answer

I’d like to talk about my childhood friend, Leo, who has been a constant fixture in my life for as long as I can remember. We’ve known each other since we were knee-high to a grasshopper—well, since primary school, actually. We first met when we were both seven years old, bonded over a shared obsession with vintage Lego sets, and somehow, despite moving to different cities for university and starting our respective careers, we’ve managed to stay incredibly close. What I find most refreshing about our conversations is the sheer breadth of topics we cover; there’s never a dull moment. One minute we’re reminiscing about the time we tried to build a makeshift raft that promptly sank in the local pond, and the next, we’re deep in a debate about the ethical implications of artificial intelligence or the nuances of modern geopolitical shifts. It’s this mental agility that I truly value in him. I enjoy talking with him because he’s someone who listens with genuine empathy but isn’t afraid to play devil’s advocate to challenge my perspective. Unlike many people who just nod along to be polite, Leo pushes me to think more critically and see the world through a different lens. There’s also a level of comfort that only comes with decades of shared history; I don’t have to filter my thoughts or worry about being misunderstood. It’s essentially like picking up a book right where you left off, regardless of how much time has passed since our last encounter. Even if we haven’t spoken for months due to our hectic schedules, the rapport is instantaneous. In a world where many social interactions can feel somewhat superficial, our chats are both intellectually stimulating and emotionally grounding, which is why he remains the first person I call when I have a major life decision to make.

Band 7 Sample Answer

I am going to talk about my old friend named Sarah. She was my classmate in high school, so I have known her for more than ten years now. Even though we live in different towns now, we still talk on the phone at least once a week. Usually, we talk about our daily lives, our jobs, and our families. Sometimes we talk about the “good old days” at school and the teachers we liked or disliked. I really enjoy talking with her because she is a very good listener and she always gives me great advice when I am stressed. She is a very kind and positive person, so after talking to her, I always feel much happier and more relaxed. We have a lot of common interests, like watching movies and traveling, so we never run out of things to say. It is nice to have a friend who knows me so well and who has been with me through different stages of my life. I think it is important to keep in touch with old friends because they understand your background. This is why I always make time to have a long conversation with her every weekend.

How the Band 9 Answer Scores Top Marks

Fluency and Coherence

The Band 9 answer flows naturally without any noticeable effort or search for words. The speaker uses sophisticated cohesive devices to link ideas, such as “What I find most refreshing about…” and “regardless of how much time has passed.” The narrative structure is logical, moving from the history of the friendship to the content of the conversations and finally to the emotional significance. This is a much more advanced approach than simply answering the bullet points one by one. For more help on structuring your responses, check out our IELTS Speaking Tips.

Lexical Resource

The speaker uses a wide range of idiomatic expressions and precise vocabulary. Phrases like “knee-high to a grasshopper” (meaning very young) and “play devil’s advocate” (to argue against an idea for the sake of debate) demonstrate a high level of English proficiency. The use of collocations such as “intellectually stimulating,” “emotionally grounding,” and “instantaneous rapport” shows that the speaker can express complex ideas with precision. This level of vocabulary is similar to what you might use when you describe an old friend that you got in contact with again.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

The response contains a variety of complex structures. For instance, the use of the present perfect continuous (“has been a constant fixture”) and the past perfect (“tried to build a makeshift raft that promptly sank”) shows a mastery of time frames. The speaker also uses conditional-style logic (“regardless of how much time has passed”) and relative clauses to add detail. There are no grammatical errors, and the sentences vary in length and complexity, which is essential for a high score.

Pronunciation

While the text doesn’t show pronunciation, a Band 9 speaker would use natural intonation to emphasize key points. For example, stressing the word “genuine” in “genuine empathy” or using a slightly nostalgic tone when saying “reminiscing about the time.” The speech would be clear with natural contractions like “I’d” or “we’ve,” which are vital for sounding like a native speaker. You can learn more about these nuances in our General Overview of IELTS Speaking.

Vocabulary and Idioms to Use

Grammar Structures That Boost Your Band Score

• Present Perfect for Duration: “We have been friends for the best part of a decade.”
• Used to / Would for Past Habits: “We would often spend our weekends cycling through the countryside.”
• Relative Clauses for Detail: “He is the kind of person who always knows exactly what to say.”
• Conditionals (Type 2/3): “If I hadn’t met him in primary school, my life would have been quite different.”
• Cleft Sentences for Emphasis: “What I appreciate most about our friendship is his honesty.”
• Passive Voice for Objectivity: “Our friendship is built on a foundation of mutual respect.”
• Participle Clauses: “Having known him for so long, I can tell exactly what he’s thinking.”
• Comparatives and Superlatives: “He is by far the most insightful person I know.”

Part 3 Follow-up Questions

Is it important to have old friends?

In my view, having long-term friendships is absolutely vital for one’s emotional well-being. Old friends act as a sort of “living archive” of our lives; they have witnessed our growth, our failures, and our successes. This shared history creates a unique bond that is difficult to replicate with newer acquaintances. Furthermore, old friends provide a sense of continuity and stability in an ever-changing world. When everything else in life—like your job or your living situation—is in flux, an old friend remains a constant. They offer a perspective that is grounded in a deep understanding of your character, which is incredibly valuable when you’re facing personal challenges. For more on how to express your thoughts, see 6 Alternatives for ‘In My Opinion’.

How has technology changed the way friends communicate?

Technology has been a double-edged sword when it comes to friendship. On the one hand, it has made it incredibly easy to maintain long-distance relationships. Thanks to instant messaging and video calls, we can stay updated on our friends’ lives in real-time, regardless of geographical barriers. However, I believe that the quality of communication has, in some ways, diminished. Digital interactions can often feel superficial compared to face-to-face conversations. We might “like” a friend’s photo on social media but fail to have a meaningful heart-to-heart talk for months. While technology keeps us “connected,” it doesn’t always keep us “close,” and there is a risk that we prioritize quantity of interaction over the depth of our emotional connection.

Do you think friendships change as we get older?

Undoubtedly, the nature of friendship undergoes a significant transformation as we transition from childhood to adulthood. When we are young, friendships are often based on proximity and shared activities, like playing sports or being in the same class. As we age, our criteria for friendship become more selective. We tend to gravitate toward people who share our core values and life goals. Moreover, as people take on more responsibilities—such as demanding careers or raising families—the time available for socialising decreases. Consequently, we often find ourselves with a smaller, more tight-knit circle of friends rather than a vast network of casual acquaintances. The focus shifts from “having fun” to “providing mutual support.”

Is it better to have many friends or just a few close ones?

Personally, I subscribe to the idea that quality far outweighs quantity when it comes to social circles. While having a large network can be beneficial for professional networking or social events, it is the deep, intimate friendships that truly sustain us during difficult times. A few close friends who truly understand your quirks and vulnerabilities are worth more than a hundred “fair-weather friends” who might disappear when things get tough. Deep friendships require a significant investment of time and emotional energy, which is why it is almost impossible to maintain dozens of close bonds simultaneously. Focusing on a few core relationships allows for a level of trust and loyalty that is simply unattainable in larger, more superficial groups.

What qualities make someone a good listener?

A good listener is someone who practices active engagement rather than just passive hearing. This involves giving the speaker their full attention, maintaining eye contact, and providing verbal and non-verbal cues that they are following the conversation. Beyond that, I think the most important quality is empathy—the ability to understand the speaker’s emotions without immediately jumping in with advice or judgment. A great listener creates a “safe space” where the other person feels heard and validated. They also know when to ask insightful questions that help the speaker explore their own thoughts more deeply. Ultimately, being a good listener is about being selfless and prioritizing the other person’s need to express themselves. This is a topic often discussed in our lesson on IELTS Speaking: Behaviour & Patience.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Being Too Generic: Avoid saying “He is nice and we talk about many things.” Use specific examples of topics, like “the nuances of modern politics” or “childhood memories.”
• Repeating the Word ‘Friend’: Overusing the word “friend” will lower your Lexical Resource score. Use synonyms like “confidant,” “companion,” “mate,” or “peer.”
• Ignoring the ‘Why’ Part: Many students spend too much time on the history and forget to explain why they enjoy the talking part. Ensure you focus on the quality of the conversation.
• Lack of Narrative Tenses: Since you are describing an “old” friend, you must use a mix of past and present tenses. Failing to do so shows a lack of grammatical range.
• Talking Like a Robot: This is a personal topic. If you sound like you are reading a textbook, your score for Pronunciation and Fluency will suffer. Use natural fillers like “actually,” “to be honest,” or “come to think of it.”
• Mixing up ‘Old Friend’ and ‘Elderly Friend’: An “old friend” is someone you have known for a long time, regardless of their age. Don’t mistake this for “a friend who is old in age” unless that is actually the case.

Practice Tips for This Cue Card

• Mind Map Your Topics: Write down three distinct things you talk about with a real friend (e.g., movies, work, future plans) so you don’t run out of ideas during the test.
• Record and Review: Record yourself speaking for two minutes. Listen back and count how many times you used “and” or “but.” Try to replace them with more advanced connectors like “furthermore” or “on the other hand.”
• Use a Timer: Practice speaking for exactly 2 minutes. Many students stop at 1 minute and 30 seconds, which can prevent them from reaching a Band 7 or higher.
• Focus on Adjectives: Instead of saying “it was a good talk,” try “it was an enlightening discussion” or “a nostalgic conversation.”
• Practice Related Topics: Sometimes the examiner might ask you to describe an argument two of your friends had. Practicing different angles of friendship will make you more flexible.

Mastering the cue card to describe an old friend you enjoy talking with is all about balancing personal storytelling with high-level linguistic structures. By focusing on the “why” and using varied vocabulary, you can easily reach a high band score. For more structured practice and feedback, consider enrolling in our IELTS English Speaking Course or visit the IELTS Official Website for more test information. Keep practicing, and you’ll be ready for your exam in no time!