Describe an important old thing that your family has kept for a long time
IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card with a full sample answer, a Band 9 model of the two-minute long turn.
The cue card
Describe an important old thing that your family has kept for a long time
You should say:
- what it is
- how your family first got this thing
- how long your family has kept it
- why this thing is important to your family
Sample answer
One of the most treasured possessions my family has held onto for many years is my father's old car, which has been with us for over two decades now.
It's a sturdy, reliable saloon car that, although rather dated by today's standards, still runs perfectly well. My family first got it back in 2003, when my father finally managed to buy it after years of saving up. At the time, owning a car of our own was a significant milestone, as our family had been through a fairly difficult financial period, so it represented all his hard work finally paying off.
We've now kept this car for more than twenty years, and remarkably, my father has never had the heart to sell it or replace it, even though he could easily afford a newer model. It has simply become part of the family.
The reason this car is so important to us goes far beyond its practical value or the money it's worth. Over the years, it has been the backdrop to countless cherished memories. My father took us on numerous road trips across the country in it, and we explored some of the most beautiful corners of Azerbaijan together. Every little scratch and dent tells a story from those carefree days, and simply looking at it instantly brings back happy recollections of our childhood.
For all these reasons, the car is much more than just a means of transport to us; it's a symbol of my father's perseverance and of all the joyful times we've shared as a family. It reminds us of how far we've come and of the importance of treasuring the moments we spend together. That sentimental value is exactly why it will always hold such a special place in our hearts.
296 words — roughly 2–3 minutes at a natural speaking pace.
Reading a model answer is not the same as saying one. The sample above shows what a strong Part 2 answer sounds like. What it cannot tell you is how yours sounds — whether you hesitate, repeat the question back, or run out of things to say at forty seconds.
You can record an answer to this exact question and get it marked on fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and pronunciation — the same four criteria the examiner uses.
Common questions
How long should I speak for in Part 2?
Between one and two minutes. The examiner stops you at two, so aim to still be talking at the ninety-second mark rather than finishing early — running out at forty seconds is the most common problem in this part.
What do I do with the one minute of preparation time?
You get one minute and a pencil and paper. Most candidates waste it writing full sentences they then read aloud, which sounds flat. Note a few keywords against each bullet instead, so you have four things to say and can speak naturally from them.
Do I have to cover all four bullet points?
They are prompts, not a checklist, and you are not penalised for skipping one. In practice they are the easiest way to fill two minutes, so covering them is usually the simplest way to keep going.
Does it matter if the story is not true?
No. You are assessed on your English, not on whether the events happened. Inventing detail is fine and often easier than recalling a real memory under pressure.
Model answers written and reviewed by The English All-in-One IELTS team. They are teaching models showing what each band looks like, not real candidate scripts.