Last Updated on September 20, 2024
IELTS cue cards, also known as Candidate Task Cards, are an essential part of the IELTS Speaking Test Part 2. In this section, you’ll be given a card with a topic and some prompts. You’ll have one minute to prepare, and then you’ll need to speak about the topic for 1-2 minutes.
The cue card “Describe an occasion when you helped a family member/relative” is a common topic that allows you to showcase your ability to narrate a personal experience while demonstrating your vocabulary, fluency, and coherence in English.
When answering this cue card, focus on addressing these key points:
- Who you helped
- What you help them with
- How you helped them
- Why you help them
- How you felt about it
Here are three sample answers to guide you:
Digital Banking: Describe an Occasion When You Helped a Family Member/Relative
Who I helped: I helped my Uncle (father’s younger brother), a 55-year-old small business owner in Pune.
What I helped with: I assisted him in setting up and using digital banking and UPI payment systems for his grocery store.
How I helped: Over a weekend visit, I downloaded the necessary apps on his smartphone, helped him link his bank account, and taught him how to make and receive payments. We practiced with small transactions until he felt confident.
Why I helped: The shift towards digital payments, especially post-demonetization and during the pandemic, was affecting his business. Many customers preferred cashless transactions, and he was losing out on sales.
How I felt: It was incredibly rewarding to see Uncle’s excitement as he completed his first digital transaction. I felt proud to contribute to modernizing our family business and strengthening our bond through this experience.
Study Schedule: Describe an Occasion When You Helped a Family Member/Relative
Who I helped: I helped my elder sister (Didi), who was preparing for her 12th standard board exams.
What I helped with: I assisted her in creating a study schedule and helped her revise difficult subjects, particularly Mathematics and Physics.
How I helped: I spent two hours every evening reviewing her doubts, solving previous years’ question papers with her, and teaching her memory techniques for remembering complex formulas.
Why I helped: Board exams are crucial in India, and Didi felt overwhelmed. As I had recently been through the same experience, I wanted to support her and ease her stress.
How I felt: It was a fulfilling experience that brought us closer—watching her confidence grow, and her score well in the exams gave me a sense of pride and accomplishment.
COVID-19 Lockdown: Describe an Occasion When You Helped a Family Member/Relative
Who I helped: I helped my grandmother (Nani), who lives alone in her flat in Mumbai.
What I helped with: During the COVID-19 lockdown, I assisted her with grocery shopping, medication refills, and setting up video calls with family members.
How I helped: I would order groceries and medicines online for her, ensuring contactless delivery. I also taught her how to use WhatsApp video calls so she could stay connected with the family.
Why I helped: Nani is in the high-risk group for COVID-19, and it was crucial to minimize her exposure while ensuring she had all the necessities and didn’t feel isolated.
How I felt: It was emotionally challenging to see Nani confined to her home, but being able to help gave me a sense of purpose during the difficult lockdown period. Her gratitude and our strengthened bond made it all worthwhile.
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Follow-Up Questions: Describe an Occasion When You Helped a Family Member/Relative
Certainly! Here are shorter, more concise answers to the follow-up questions:
1. Do you think people in India today help their family members as much as they did in the past? Why or why not?
The nature of help has changed, but the essence remains. Today, support is often financial or tech-based rather than physical presence. Despite the rise of nuclear families, family bonds in India are still strong, with assistance in adapting to modern lifestyles and needs.
2. In what ways do you think helping family members differs from helping friends or strangers?
Helping family involves a more profound sense of duty and long-term commitment. There’s more emotional investment and a better understanding of needs. In Indian culture, family support is often seen as an obligation, making it more comprehensive than help extended to friends or strangers.
3. Are there any cultural expectations in India regarding helping family members? How do these expectations impact society?
Yes, supporting family is a strong cultural expectation in India. This creates a robust social safety net but can sometimes lead to personal sacrifices. It strengthens family bonds but may also cause stress when individual goals conflict with family responsibilities.
4. How do you think technology has changed the way we help our family members, especially those who live far away?
Technology has made long-distance support easier. Video calls provide emotional connection, digital payments allow quick financial help, and online shopping enables sending necessities. Health tech also helps remotely monitor elderly relatives’ well-being.
5. In your opinion, what are some of the challenges people face when trying to help their elderly relatives in modern Indian society?
Key challenges include balancing career with eldercare, the technological gap with older generations, lack of specialized senior care, and conflicts between traditional expectations and modern lifestyles. However, solutions like professional caregivers and remote monitoring are emerging.
6. Do you believe schools should teach children about the importance of helping family members? How could this be incorporated into the curriculum?
Yes, schools should teach this. It could be incorporated through moral science lessons, role-playing activities, family interview projects, and community service involving families. This would reinforce cultural values while teaching empathy and responsibility.
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