IELTS Speaking Part 2
Describe an indoor game that you played when you were a child
You should say:
• what the game was
• who you played it with
• how you played it
• where you played it
And explain why you liked playing that game.
Answer
An indoor game that I liked to play when I was a child was badminton. It started when I was in 6th grade. At that time, I was living near my uncle’s house. Every morning, he would wake me and my cousins up early and drive us to the sport center near our house.
It was actually a badminton class, so we had teachers and other students too. We practiced badminton here for an hour. During the summer holiday, we even stayed there for another half an hour. Just like tennis, you can play badminton as a singles match or doubles match. The rules are pretty much the same as tennis. The only difference is that the badminton shuttlecock is lighter than the tennis ball, thus, it requires less strength.
Due to my short-sightedness, I was not very good at playing this game but I enjoyed it anyway. Firstly, it helped keep me fit. In addition, I could train my eyes to look further and faster, and it quickened my reflexes. Last but not least, it helped me a lot in improving my teamwork skills.
Vocabulary:
– badminton: [noun] an indoor game. Players hit a small light ball, with feathers round it, across a high net, using a racket, like tennis.
Example: A net in badminton is much higher than in tennis, and the ball and rackets are smaller and not as heavy.
– singles match: [noun] a game in which one player plays against one opponent.
– doubles match: [noun] a game in which two players play against two opponents.
Example: She won the women’s singles gold medal in tennis in the Olympic Games. Then,
playing with her friend, they won the women’s doubles gold medal by defeating two American opponents.
– shuttlecock: [noun] badminton uses a shuttlecock, not a tennis ball. It is very light and it has feathers round the edge.
Example: Players hit the shuttlecock across the net in badminton.
– short-sightedness: [noun] a person who can only see things if they are very close, is short-sighted.
Example: I need glasses for reading, because of my short-sightedness.
– train my eyes: [verb phrase] I developed my ability to see things quickly and accurately.
Example: The detective trained his eyes to look for small but important details at the scene of the crime.
– quickened my reflexes: playing badminton improved my ability to move and think quickly when I played the game.
Example: Many people say that video games quicken your reflexes and you become more expert.