Describe a time when you enjoyed visiting a member of your family in their home.
You should say:
I'd like to talk about a visit I made to my grandmother's house a couple of years ago, which
turned out to be one of the most enjoyable family visits I've had.
She lives in a small town a few hours' drive from where I am, in an old house with a lovely
garden. The reason for the visit was her birthday, and she'd asked all the family to come
together for the day. I hadn't seen some of my relatives for a while, so it felt like a chance
to catch up as well as to celebrate.
What I remember most is how relaxed and warm the day was. We spent the morning sitting in the
garden, talking and drinking tea, and my grandmother told us stories about when she was young,
which I'd never heard before. Then in the afternoon we had a big meal together, everyone
helped to cook, and there was a lot of laughter and a few very competitive games afterwards.
I spent a long time just talking to my cousin, who I don't see very often, and by the end of
the day I felt really close to everyone.
What I enjoyed most was the feeling of being completely at ease. There was no pressure, no
need to impress anyone, just family being together. I also really valued the chance to hear
my grandmother's stories, because they gave me a glimpse of a side of her I didn't know. It
reminded me how important it is to make time for family, and I left feeling genuinely happy
and a little bit nostalgic.
The story is told in a natural sequence: who the person is, the reason for the visit, what
happened, and why I enjoyed it. It reads as a coherent narrative rather than a list of points.
Takeaway: For Part 2, follow the cue card in order but connect the points into a story with
a beginning, middle and end.
Descriptive and evocative language: "a lovely garden", "catch up", "completely at ease", "no
pressure", "a glimpse of", "nostalgic". The register is warm and natural, suiting a personal
story.
Takeaway: Use a couple of vivid, sensory details and one or two heartfelt adjectives to make
the story feel genuine.
Good range: past simple for the main events, past perfect for background ("which I'd never heard
before"), and an embedded "what I enjoyed most was..." structure. Complex sentences are accurate.
Takeaway: Use "what I enjoyed most was..." or "what I remember most is..." to add variety and
shine a spotlight on your main point.
Warm, measured pace with emphasis on the emotional high points. Natural pauses around the key
moments of the story.
Takeaway: Speak a little more slowly and warmly when you reach the emotional core of the story.