If you have to talk about your favorite TV program in part one or two of your IELTS Speaking test, this article will give you plenty of ideas. In part two, your cue card might as you to describe or talk about your favorite TV program.
Let’s look at things you can say about TV programs for a band-seven answer, including three cue cards with example answers (go straight to the answers here).
Types of TV Programs
Here are some examples of different TV programs. This is very useful vocabulary to know for this kind of question.
- Talk show: A TV show where a host or hosts interview guests about a particular topic, or just have conversations about current events or pop culture.
- Documentary: A TV show that provides information and educates viewers about a particular subject or event, usually based on facts and real-life footage.
- Drama: A TV show that tells a fictional story through a serious and emotional tone, focusing on character development and complex relationships.
- Soap opera: A TV show that follows the lives and relationships of a group of characters, with dramatic and romantic storylines that continue over multiple episodes.
- Comedy: A TV show that aims to make viewers laugh, usually through jokes, satire, or humorous situations.
- Reality TV: A TV show that follows the lives of real people in unscripted situations, often featuring competitions or challenges.
- Crime/Mystery: A TV show that centers around solving a crime or a mystery, with an emphasis on the investigation and the solving of the case.
- Action/Adventure: A TV show that features thrilling action sequences, often with a hero or group of heroes fighting against villains or overcoming obstacles.
- Sitcom: A TV show that aims to make viewers laugh through humorous situations and character interactions, usually set in a particular location like a workplace or a family home.
- Science Fiction/Fantasy: A TV show that takes place in a fictional world, often featuring supernatural or futuristic elements, such as time travel, magic, or aliens.
- Gameshow: A TV show that features contestants competing against each other in games or quizzes, often with prizes or money at stake.
What You Can Talk About
Think of any TV program (also called a TV show or TV series) that you know and like. Choose one you can talk about easily.
It might be a TV program you like at the moment or one you used to watch in the past. To describe the TV program, you could say:
- What kind of show it is
- What it’s about
- Why you like it so much
- Something interesting/surprising/cool that happened in the show
- Something you learned from it
- Something you remember from it
- The main characters
- The plot (if it has a story)
- The themes
- The writing
- The acting
- The music
- The costumes
- The fan culture (if it’s very popular)
- How the TV series influenced your life
- Anything else that comes to mind
What If You Don’t Watch TV Programs?
If you don’t like watching TV, that’s fine. You could say you don’t watch much TV, then talk about:
- A TV show you liked when you were younger
- A TV show that someone you know likes (your friend, sister, husband, child)
- The kind of TV show you might like to watch one day
- Anything else you like to watch
- A movie you like (just explain clearly why you’re not describing a TV show)
- A series of comics or books you like (just explain clearly why you’re not describing a TV show)
- Anything else similar to a TV show
Use the Past Tense To Tell a Story
In part two, it’s a great idea to tell a story. This allows you to keep speaking easily for a while.
Telling a story also lets you show off your use of past tenses.
This TV show question makes it easy to tell a story or two. You can talk about:
- Something interesting that happened in the TV program
- Something a character did in it
- Something you learned from it
- A recent episode you saw
- When you started watching this program
- Why you liked it so much when you were younger
- Anything else you remember from this TV program
Focus on Vocabulary
If you focus on using interesting vocabulary, you’re much more likely to get a band-seven score in part two of the test.
One great way to use interesting vocabulary is with word groups.
A word group is a collection of words used to describe one aspect of someone or something.
For example, if you like an exciting drama TV program, you could use an ‘exciting activity’ or ‘gripping thing’ word group to describe it.
This word group could have words and phrases like ‘gripping, riveting, unpredictable, suspenseful, I was on the edge of my seat, my eyes were glued to the screen, cliff-hanger, nail-biting…’ and more.
You could use many of these words to describe a TV program, movie, and many other experiences.
Learn more about word groups here. And you can see some word groups being used in the example answers below.
Useful Vocabulary for TV Programs
- Episode – An episode is just one part of a TV show, like one chapter in a book.
- Series – A series is a TV show with lots of episodes, like a really long story.
- Season – A season is a group of episodes, usually 10 to 20 episodes. For most TV shows, there is one new season each year.
- Plot – The main storyline of the show
- Characters – The individuals or groups that the show revolves around
- Setting – The time and place in which the show takes place
- Genre – The type or category of the show, such as drama, comedy, or sci-fi
- Theme – The central idea or message that the show explores
- Tone – The overall mood or feeling of the show
- Style – The visual and auditory elements used in the show, such as camera angles and music
- Narrative – The way the story is told, including the use of flashbacks, voiceovers, or multiple timelines
- Dialogue – The words spoken by the characters in the show
- Acting – The performances of the actors in the show
- Direction – The choices made by the director in terms of camera work, pacing, and overall vision of the show
- Production value – The quality of the show’s production, including special effects, sets, and costumes
- Ratings – The audience viewing numbers, which can indicate the popularity of the show
- Awards – Any accolades the show has received, such as Emmy or Golden Globe nominations or wins
- Cliffhanger – A dramatic ending to an episode that leaves the audience in suspense and eager to see what happens next
- Spin-off – A new show created from characters or storylines from the original show
- Cancellation – The decision to end the show’s production, often due to low ratings or high production costs
- Reboot – A new version of an old show, often with a different cast or updated storylines
- Pilot – The first episode of a new show, which serves as a test run for the series
- Binge-worthy – A term used to describe a show that is so good that viewers can’t stop watching and want to see multiple episodes in one sitting.
Example Answers
Now, let’s look at three example cue cards and answers. See how word groups are used. And think about ideas you could borrow for your own answers.
Favorite TV Program Cue Card 1
Describe your favorite TV program.
You should say:
- What TV program it is
- What it’s about
- How often you watch it
And say why it’s your favorite TV program.
I’m going to talk about a suspenseful TV show called Breaking Bad. It tells the story of a high school chemistry teacher named Walter White, who finds out he has cancer and starts manufacturing and selling drugs to make enough money for his family.
In my opinion, the show is gripping, riveting, and thrilling, with an unpredictable storyline that kept me on the edge of my seat. From the first episode, the nail-biting suspense was killing me as I watched Walter White slowly become worse and worse as he became a criminal.
All the characters are complex, and their motivations are not always clear, which adds to the tense and electrifying atmosphere of the show.
One of the most memorable moments in the show for me was in the episode when Walter’s brother-in-law, Hank, is killed by a drug lord. The tension in the scene is palpable. There’s so much tension that you could cut it with a knife. I found myself holding my breath as I watched the events unfold. It was really shocking.
I think Breaking Bad is my favorite TV show because it kept me guessing all the time. The show’s writing and acting were top-notch, and it’s rare to find a series that can maintain such high levels of suspense and tension for such a long time.
I was glued to the screen during every episode, and the show’s conclusion was both satisfying and unexpected. Breaking Bad is an unforgettable TV series that I would recommend to anyone who loves good drama.
Word Group Used: Gripping Object
Here, we focused on describing the TV show as gripping and suspenseful. So we used lots of words from the ‘gripping object’ word group. Here it is:
- Gripping
- Riveting
- Thrilling
- Suspenseful
- Unpredictable
- I was on the edge of my seat
- My eyes were glued to the screen
- Nail-biting suspense
- The suspense was killing me
- Kept me in a state of suspense
- Cliff-hangers
- Breathtaking
- Electrifying
- My heart was in my throat
- Tense
- You could cut the tension with a knife
- Kept my guessing
Learn more about how to use word groups here.
Favorite TV Show Cue Card 2
Describe your favorite TV show.
You should say:
- The name of the show
- What it’s about
- How long you’ve been watching it for
And say why you like this TV show so much.
I’m going to talk about these amazing nature documentaries made by David Attenborough. To my mind, his nature documentaries are a true gem for nature enthusiasts. The way he captures nature’s beauty and presents it in such a peaceful and tranquil way is what makes these documentaries so special.
Personally, I love watching his documentaries after a long day at work. I find them incredibly restful, soothing, and peaceful, and they really help me loosen up and unwind.
I think my favorite David Attenborough documentary series is Blue Planet. It’s all about fish and the strange creatures that live in the sea. The underwater footage is stunning, and the way Attenborough tells the story of the ocean and its creatures is fascinating. I never get tired of watching his series.
David Attenborough documentaries help me relax after a long day at the office. I can kick up my feet and relax, putting work from my mind for a while. I can really take a moment to relax while I watch all the peaceful scenes from nature.
I think Attenborough’s documentaries remind me to take things less seriously and appreciate the world around me. It’s refreshing to watch something that’s not about work, politics, or the daily grind of life. Instead, I can focus on the beauty of nature. I always feel better for having watched them. I find them really soothing and I often feel refreshed and cheerful afterward.
Word Group Used: Relaxing Object
We focused on describing how relaxing these documentaries are. This made it easy to use lots of words from the ‘relaxing object’ word group:
- Restful
- Soothing
- Peaceful
- Tranquil
- Loosen up
- Let my hair down
- Take it easy
- Take a moment to relax
- Take a break
- Chill out
- Helps me unwind after a long day at the office
- A moment of quiet after a hectic day
- Kick up my feet and relax
- There’s nothing I’d rather do than lounge around watching the box
- Put work from my mind
- Relieve my stress
- Lounge around
- Ease away my stresses and worries
- Stop thinking about work for a minute
- Reminds me to take things less seriously
- Refreshing
- Renews my energy
- Helps me get a little rest and relaxation
Favorite TV Series Cue Card 3
Describe your favorite TV series.
You should say:
- What the series is about
- Who the main characters are
- What they do in the series
And say why this is your favorite TV series.
I’m going to talk about a really funny comedy TV series called Friends. It’s a little bit old but I love it and think it’s hilarious. I also really improved my English by watching lots of episodes of Friends.
It’s a classic American sitcom about six main characters who live in New York City. Their names are Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey, and… and I forget the other girl’s name. They have many adventures and lots of fun together.
The show is hilarious and never fails to leave me amused and entertained. The humor is comical, witty, clever, offbeat, and sometimes whimsical and quite quirky. It often has me splitting my sides with laughter. Each character has their own quirky personality and it’s really fun to watch their interactions with one another, and all the amusing, unpredictable situations they get into.
I think my favorite character is Joey, who’s this simple but likable guy who wants to be an actor. He’s quite popular with the ladies. But all the characters are really likable and personable and very funny. Chandler is also one of my favorites. He’s a pretty zany, witty character, with a really deadpan kind of humor.
I remember one scene that really cracked me up where the group played a trivia game to see who knew the most about the others. Chandler and Joey ended up betting their apartment against Monica and Rachel’s apartment, and the competition became really intense. The questions became harder and harder. It was fantastic and a barrel of laughs to watch.
Word Group Used: Funny Object
We described a comedy sitcom so we used lots of words from the ‘funny object’ word group. Here it is:
- Hilarious
- Amusing
- Entertaining
- Comical
- Side-splitting
- Laugh-out-loud
- Rib-tickling
- Witty
- Clever
- Irreverent
- Offbeat
- Silly
- Zany
- Deadpan
- Whimsical
- Absurd
- Quirky
- Parodic
- Bizarre
- Farcical
- Split your sides
- It really cracked me up
- Have a good laugh
- It had me in stitches
- A real knee-slapper
- A barrel of laughs
Now It’s Your Turn
Try to answer this question yourself.
It’s best to think of a word group beforehand, so try to memorize one now.
Then set up the recorder on your phone and ask yourself out loud to talk about your favorite TV program.
Spend 60 seconds preparing your answer, then start speaking.
Try to describe your favorite TV program for two whole minutes without stopping.
Afterward, listen to your recording and think about how you could improve your answer.
Keep repeating this recording process. It’s a great way to get ready for part two of your IELTS Speaking test.
