If you receive a childhood cue card in part two of your IELTS Speaking test, it might ask you to describe your childhood home.
Here, we’ll look at how to answer this question, with some tips and ideas, and then three good example answers (go straight to the answers here).
What You Can Say
When describing your childhood home, you can talk about:
- Where it was
- How big it was
- How many rooms it had
- If it had a garden or not
- If it was a house or apartment
- Who lived there with you
- Your bedroom
- The living room
- Your favorite room
- What you liked most about it
- What you disliked about it
- How long you lived there
- What you used to like doing there
- When you left
- What your neighbors or neighborhood was like
- Anything else you can remember
Remember To Use the Past Tense
When the examiner gives you a past tense question like this, they want to hear if you can use the past simple and past continuous tenses easily, plus other past tense structures like ‘used to.’
So remember to put your past tense hat on for this entire answer. Apart from that, don’t focus on grammar.
Instead, focus on thinking about lots of things to talk about.
Focus on Vocabulary
Also, focus on using interesting vocabulary. That’s a great way to get a band seven answer.
One fantastic way to use good vocabulary is by using a word group.
For example, if you think your childhood house was big and spacious, you could prepare a ‘spacious place’ word group with words like ‘roomy, capacious, airy, ample, plenty of elbow room, big enough to swing a cat…’ And more.
If you think your childhood home was very cozy, you could prepare a ‘cozy place’ word group. This might include words like ‘snug, homely, welcoming, a snug little nest, a cocoon of comfort…’ And more.
When you have these little collections of words prepared, you can then use them to answer many different types of part two questions.
Read more about how to use word groups here.
Useful Words For Describing a Home
Here are some interesting words you could use when talking about a childhood house or apartment.
- Nostalgic
- Sentimental
- Homey
- Comforting
- Familiar
- Welcoming
- Cosseted
- Safe haven
- Beloved
- Treasured
- Childhood abode
- Endearing
- Cherished
- Magical
- Enchanting
- Dreamy
- Imaginative
- Wondrous
- Fairy tale-like
- Abode
- Dwelling
- Residence
- Nest
- Den
- Haven
- Sanctuary
Words for Describing Types of Home
- Townhouse
- Semi-Detached House
- Detached House
- Apartment
- Condominium
- Cottage
- Bungalow
- Chalet
- Mobile Home
- Cabin
Tell a Story!
Any question about your childhood is perfect for telling a story.
Stories are great in part two because they help you easily keep talking for 30 seconds or more.
Just remember something that happened in your childhood, related to your home, and then describe what happened.
For this question, you could tell a quick story about:
- Things your family did together in your childhood home
- Games you used to play in your home
- Something you learned at home
- How you felt when you moved into your childhood home
- How you felt when you left it
- Anything else you can remember
Example Answers
Let’s take a look at three good answers to this question. When you read them, see what ideas you can borrow for your own answer.
Childhood Home Cue Card 1
Describe your childhood home.
You should say:
- Who you lived with
- How many rooms it had
- Which room you liked the most
And say why you liked or disliked your childhood home.
My childhood home was a snug little semi-detached house that was nestled in a quiet suburban neighborhood in a small city called Delft. It was a really cozy two-story house where I felt wrapped up in a cocoon of comfort, where every nook and cranny was inviting and familiar.
Walking into the house, you were greeted by a cozy living room with soft, cushioned sofas and armchairs that were perfect for snuggling up with a book or watching TV. The walls were painted in warm and soothing colors, and the curtains and rugs were made from soft materials that added to the comfortable ambiance.
I think the kitchen was really the heart of the home, and it was a delightful space that was always bustling with activity. The scent of freshly baked goods filled the air, and the warm glow of the stove and oven added to the cozy atmosphere. The dining room was just off the kitchen, and it was a peaceful oasis where we gathered for family meals and shared stories of our day.
I always felt really at ease there and I have so many magical childhood memories there. One of my favorite memories was baking Christmas cookies with my mom. We would spend hours in the kitchen, mixing and measuring ingredients, and the whole house would be filled with the delicious scent of cinnamon and sugar. Decorating the cookies was always the best part. I loved all the frosting and sprinkles we added.
Word Group Used: Cozy Place
In this answer, we focused on describing the home as a very cozy, warm, welcoming place. So we can use the ‘cozy place’ word group, which has many nice, interesting words and phrases to use:
- Cozy
- Snug
- Warm
- Comfortable
- Inviting
- Intimate
- Homely
- Welcoming
- Serene
- Peaceful
- Comfy
- Nestled
- Soft
- Cushy
- Pleasant
- Delightful
- Homey
- As snug as a bug in a rug
- A warm and fuzzy feeling
- A snug little nest
- Wrapped up in a cocoon of comfort
- A peaceful oasis
- A comforting embrace
Learn more about using word groups here.
Childhood House Cue Card 2
Describe your childhood house.
You should say:
- What kind of house or home it was
- What the atmosphere was like
- What room you liked best
And say why you liked your childhood home.
Well, in my memory, my childhood house was a really lively and energetic place that was always buzzing with activity. It was a small two-story house with a red brick exterior and a small front porch. It was located in a neighborhood that was full of families with young children, so the area was quite noisy and also very friendly. I remember I had lots of friends nearby when I was growing up there.
I lived in the house with my parents and two younger siblings. And so as you can imagine, with three kids in the house, it was always bustling and loud and busy. There was always something going on, whether it was playing games in the backyard or watching movies in the living room. My siblings and I were really active and dynamic, constantly running around and exploring and playing spirited, boisterous games.
The main living room was the hub of the house. It was decorated with colorful throw pillows and blankets, and there was always music playing in the background. My parents really liked music.
I remember we would spend hours in the living room playing board games, watching TV, or just chatting with each other. The kitchen was another lively space, with the smells of delicious food wafting through the air and my mom and dad busy cooking up a storm. The house was always full of life, with laughter and chatter filling every room. I miss it a lot.
One of my favorite memories of our home was the time my siblings and I built a blanket fort in the living room. We spent an entire Saturday constructing a huge kind of castle, using every pillow, blanket, and cushion we could find in the whole house. It was a lot of fun.
Word Group Used: Lively Place
Here, we’re describing the home as a very lively, bustling, busy place. The ‘lively place’ word group is perfect for this:
- Lively
- Bustling
- Vibrant
- Thriving
- Boisterous
- Energetic
- Animated
- Hectic
- Active
- Dynamic
- Spirited
- Exciting
- Buzzy
- Chaotic
- Festive
- Jovial
- Buzzing with activity
- Full of beans
- Like a beehive
- On the go
- Full of life
- Packed to the rafters
- Like a whirlwind
- A hive of activity
- Hopping with energy
- A hub of hustle and bustle
- Bursting at the seams
Childhood Home Cue Card 3
Describe your childhood home.
You should say:
- How long you lived there for
- How many rooms there were
- If you liked or disliked it
And say why you liked or disliked your childhood home.
I grew up as a child in a small village that was surrounded by nature. My family was quite poor but because we had so much greenery and woodlands around, I think I was still very lucky to have that home as a child.
My home was a very small house, like a cottage, with a verdant garden filled with plants and blooming flowers. There was also a vegetable patch in the garden.
Our home was tucked away in a bucolic natural spot, far from the busy, bustling city. The whole area was very green, with emerald-green grassy meadows and leafy woodland stretching as far as the eye could see.
It was the perfect place to be close to the elements, with the fragrance of flowers and nature in the air. The natural surroundings were idyllic, with picturesque scenery everywhere you looked. It was a really magical place to grow up, now that I think about it.
I think the garden was probably my favorite part of our home, and I spent many happy hours tending to the vegetable patch and exploring the lush shrubbery. It was a great way to learn about all the flora and fauna around me. I really loved learning about the different plants and wildlife that lived there.
One of my fondest memories from childhood was the time I spent playing in the sun-drenched meadows behind our home. My sister and I would spend hours running around and exploring, enjoying the blissful peace and quiet of nature. We found these secret spots that we called our own and made up all these stories about monsters and fairies living in the woods. Just like I think a lot of kids do.
Word Group Used: Natural Place
This home was close to nature and very green so we used the ‘natural place’ word group to describe it. This is an excellent word group that you could use to describe many places in part two of the test. Here it is (it’s long but you don’t have to learn all of it!):
- Verdant
- Lush
- Leafy
- Grassy
- Emerald-green
- Sun-drenched
- Bucolic
- Flourishing
- Foliage
- Leafage
- Shrubbery
- Woodland
- Wooded area
- Meadows
- Fields of wildflowers
- Mountainous terrain
- Flora and fauna
- Natural surroundings
- An abundance of natural beauty
- Natural landscape
- Close to nature
- Closer to the elements
- Plenty of greenery
- Wake up to the sound of birdsong
- The chirping and cheeping of birdsong
- Little animals scurrying around in the undergrowth
- Flowers blooming in spring
- The fragrance of flowers and nature in the air
- Escape into nature
- Close to the great outdoors
- Far from the busy, bustling city center
- The blissful peace and quiet of nature
- Majestic landscape
- Picturesque scenery
- Idyllic natural spot
- Sweeping vistas
- Spectacular views
- Breathtaking scenery
Your Turn To Try
Why not try to answer this question yourself?
First of all, choose a word group to use (see more about word groups here). Then memorize lots of words from that group.
When you’re ready, set up the voice recorder on your phone and ask yourself to describe your childhood home.
Prepare your answer for 60 seconds. Just focus on things you can talk about and interesting words and phrases you can use.
Then, start talking! Try to keep speaking for two whole minutes.
Afterward, listen to your recording and think about how you could improve it.
Keep repeating this process of answering and recording yourself.
It’s a wonderful way to improve and prepare for part two of the IELTS Speaking test.
