This series post of “complete speaking test with answers” is based on Cambridge IELTS 12 Test 1/Test 8 complete Speaking Test. Take a look at the vocabulary and grammar used in this sample answer set. I hope it is useful for your further IELTS speaking practice. Cue card name: describing a friend’s or family member’s workplace.

PART 1:

Art:

Did you enjoy doing art lessons at school when you were a child? [Why?/ Why not?]

Well, I actually adore it; I recall myself doing art classes with my favorite teacher Miss Cynthia and I learned many different things such as angle, the concept of the shadow, and different color patterns and palettes, I enjoyed it because I liked colors very much.

Do you ever draw or paint pictures nowadays? [Why?/ Why not?]

Yes, I do. Since I’m a teacher, I have to do lots of drawings and sketches for my students. Even I had to complete a course as a part of teachers’ training when I joined my present job as a teacher at a secondary school.

When was the last time you went to an art gallery or exhibition?

It was quite a few years ago when I went to an exhibition. I can’t recall the exact date, but it should be sometime around mid-July last year. One of my painter friends in Columbia had to visit the exhibition in Montreal and I had to play the role of a guide. I knew the exhibition center very well. So, I went to show him the whole place.

What type of art or paintings do you like to have in your home? [Why?]

Frankly speaking, I prefer any piece of art with different colors and attractive profiles. I am fond of landscapes and mysterious paintings which induce me to think deeply about what I’m observing in the painting.

PART 2:

Describe a time when you visited a friend or family member in their workplace.
You should say:

• who you visited
• where this person worked
• why you visited this person’s workplace
• and explain how you felt about visiting this person’s workplace.

I like to give surprises and a couple of months ago I went to one of my best friends’ office to give her a surprise on her 28^th birthday. She was also very delighted to see me and introduced me to her colleagues.

She is a web designer, and her office or playground (as she named it) is located in a residential building downtown. This building, though residential, has been rented by Webbers, a very renowned web design company and she has been working here for 3 years now.

Her office was on the third floor and when I entered there I was surprised. It didn’t look like an office. Rather it was a big 3000 square feet open space with lots of chairs and tables around. I saw some cubicles too where some people were busy in work. The whole office had a quite Spartan look, with three large designer’s sketching desks. A very strange but pleasing thing which I observed there was that there were 6 big bookshelves with a good number of books and other objects on them. Some lights were hung down from the ceiling in a Victorian fashion and shed light on every work zone. I was told that it was my friend’s design. That’s when I understood why she called it her playground – it’s spacious and well-ventilated and she adored working there.

I visited her office mainly to surprise her. However, I also heard from her that it was different from all conventional offices of that area. When I entered there, I was really amazed and became jealous. There was nothing to hide in the office. Everyone was working literally on the same platform. I always dream of working in such a place.

To be honest, I always prefer to work in an open space with no walls so that I can observe others’ actions.  I felt comfortable and friendly there because none of my friend’s colleagues seemed annoyed or bored with me. I wish to visit it again.

That’s all. Thank you.

PART 3

What things make an office comfortable to work in?

I think it depends on different factors such as the type of work, the environment for the work, and even the mind settings of the workers. In general, I believe the environment is the key factor that makes it comfortable to work. If you don’t have good furniture, airy space or ventilation, a lighting system, and toilet facilities, it becomes tough for you to concentrate on your work because you always feel irritated. Consultation with different officegoers will reveal that they are annoyed with the environment and would like the authority to take care of the environment of the office so that the workers can do their job comfortably.

Why do some people prefer to work outdoors?

Well, it’s pretty hard to tell. I presume some people just don’t like to work indoors because they are claustrophobic, or they don’t like doing their work in unnaturally vented surroundings.

On the other hand, working outdoors can be more stimulating and it can energize the workers, particularly if you’re working in the township, the atmosphere is usually more refreshing. If you are stuck indoors, you cannot enjoy the sun, the gentle breeze, and the comfort of working in a natural environment.

Some people also believe that the environment plays a significant role in the behavior pattern and personality of a person. So, outdoor work is preferable to indoors for many.

Do you agree that the building where people work is more important than the colleagues they work with?

I don’t necessarily think that. If you are employed to work with great minds, the work environment becomes less important to you. Undoubtedly, the environment is a key issue. Still, good colleagues and their support make a bad environment favorable for work.

On the contrary, you might put more importance on the real environment in which you work, if you don’t have good collaboration with your colleagues. It works like an equilibrium, the atmosphere and the mentality of workers.

What would life be like if people didn’t have to work?

Well, in my opinion, people would decide on this issue differently. Some would say it would be good while others would say it might be damaging. I think it could be awkward because people need so much more free time to fill, and they might get fed up.

Obviously, the rich with so much money would be able to do whatever they want, but if they had limited money, they might have complexity thinking of surviving to earn bread and butter every day.

You should think about the world itself too. How could the world progress without working people? The whole world would become a standstill. No work means no progress, isn’t it?

I think the world and her people would lose the meaning of life if there is no work. You cannot become happy without doing any work at all. It would both sound and look strange that millions of people are passing their life without any work.

For many people like myself, work and toil is the most significant thing because it provides logic or rationale in life, even though it cannot be enjoyable for us all the time.

Are all jobs of equal importance?

It also depends on our outlook. I think every job or work is important. Without even the tiniest job in the world, many people would struggle in their life.

Let me provide an example, people working in the sewers are as important as the people who work in the office or groceries where the cleaners buy their food because if they don’t eat, they wouldn’t be able to do their job either.

So, I think every job contributes to making a balance with the other. We depend on every job, one way or the other.

Why do you think some people become workaholics?

First of all, let me clarify here that I don’t consider the word workaholics negative. Some people may consider the term to be negative, nevertheless, if people are ardent about what they do and want to submerge themselves in their own work, who are we to judge?

I would say that people become workaholics because they like their job very much and they do their work with heart and soul. In a few cases, people work like mad to forget their bitter past. They want to distract themselves from their sad or miserable memories of the past and for this, they become busy with their work. So, here a job works as a diversion for them.

Many people want to contribute to their nation or community and so they become workaholics too.

Here are model answers to some other topic cards:

A situation when you were late

Describe a famous actor from your country

A person you know who does something well

Describe a rule you did not like at school

A stressful day at school/ university/ work

Describe a thing you borrowed from a friend or family

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