Why study abroad?
Where and what to study?
How do I apply?
After receiving an offer
Prepare to depart
Arrive and thrive
Describe a family member

Topic Describe a family member - IELTS Speaking Part 2

Topics covered

The topic 'describe a family member' is very common in IELTS Speaking Part 2, this topic allows you to share about a family member, which could be your father, mother, or siblings. You will receive a cue card asking you to describe a relative and it will include 3 - 4 questions. To best prepare for this speaking topic, you can refer to the sample answer with the guide below.

1. Cấu trúc bài nói describe a family member

For the IELTS exam Speaking Part 2, you only have 1 minute to prepare and 2 minutes to present, so structuring your speech or planning what you will say during the preparation time is very important. You should use the questions in the cue card as main points, quickly jotting down keywords for your speaking ideas.

The structure of the speech is modeled as follows:

Introduction

Body

Question 1

Direct answer

Detail 1

Detail 2

Question 2

Direct answer

Detail 1

Detail 2

Question 3

Direct answer

Detail 1

Detail 2

Question 4

Direct answer

Detail 1

Detail 2

Conclusion

Sample cue card:

Describe a Family Member

You should say:

  • who this person is;

  • describe some things you have done together;

  • and explain why you like this person.

Sample 1-minute note:

who this person is

My cousin

Only child of my father’s elder brother

Friends since pre-school

describe some things you have done together

Same school

Study/play together

Football games, same team

Family vacations & trips with friends

explain why you like this person

Good friend/childhood friends

Helped me

Honest, kind-hearted

See more:

Easy scoring structure in IELTS Speaking

High-scoring phrases in IELTS Speaking

2. Family member vocabulary

Mother

Father

Parents

Wife

Husband

Son

Daughter

Children

Brother

Sister

Siblings

Cousins

Relatives

Aunt

Uncle

Nephew

Niece

Granddaughter

Grandchildren

Spouse

Stepmother / Stepfather

Stepson /stepdaughter

Stepsister/stepbrother

Half-sister

Half-brother

Sister-in-law

Brother-in-law

Father-in-law

Mother-in-law

Grandparents

Grandmother

Grandfather

Grandson

For the Describe a family member topic, you can choose to describe anyone in your family, from parents, siblings to close relatives, as long as you feel you have the most ideas to talk about that person.

Xem thêm: Trọn bộ từ vựng IELTS Speaking theo chủ đề và cách học hiệu quả

3. Sample essay describe a family member

Thẻ bài mẫu:

Describe a Family Member

You should say:

  • who this person is;

  • describe some things you have done together;

  • and explain why you like this person.

Lên ý tưởng:

who this person is

My cousin

Only child of my father’s elder brother

Friends since pre-school

describe some things you have done together

Same school

Study/play together

Football games, same team

Family vacations & trips with friends

explain why you like this person

Good friend/childhood friends

Helped me

Honest, kind-hearted

Bài mẫu:

Introduction

Family members are the closest people we have in our lives. They are people who stay by our side through thick and thin. Of course, there are some family members we like more than others, and these are the people we try to spend most of our time with during family gatherings.

who this person is

A family member that I am attached to more than others is my cousin. He is the only child of my father’s elder brother, and we have been friends since pre-school.

describe some things you have done together

Rehan, my cousin, and I have always done everything together. We used to go to the same school till Class 10. Our tuitions teachers were also the same, and we used to study together most of the time. Since our study schedules were nearly identical, we would play together in the park near my house almost every day. As we grew up, our friendship became stronger. We attended football games together, and we always used to play on the same team. From family vacations to trips with our friends, Rehan and I have had several memorable experiences.

and explain why you like this person

Some family members are our favourites for various reasons. Some of them are fun to be around, while others are good at listening to our problems and giving productive advice. Rehan has always been a good friend and has helped me on countless occasions. Since we are childhood friends and cousins, we have always had a strong bond. I like Rehan as a person as he is honest and kind-hearted.

Conclusion

He is someone that I look up to and will always hold in high regard.

The above sample essay on the topic describe family members is very useful for developing your ideas for the IELTS Speaking test. It will help you develop your own speaking style and ability to come up with ideas.

Ngay khi bạn sẵn sàng, hãy đăng ký thi IELTS cùng IDP tại đây!

Xem thêm:

One account for all your study abroad needs

Create your profile and unlock a wide array of features including personalised recommendations, fast-tracked applications and much more.

IELTS app icon

Book your IELTS test

Watch the story of lifelong dreams, passion and determination that truly reflects the journey of our IELTS test takers. IELTS is the breakthrough to a world of full of incredible.

Related articles

Search for articles

Dive into our extensive collection of articles by using our comprehensive topic search tool.

Select a category