# Describe a happy childhood memory: IELTS Speaking sample answers Speaking Part 2 - Events Describe a happy childhood memory. You should say: - what happened - when and where it happened - who you were with - and explain why it is a happy memory for you Source: Sample answers and examiner notes are written by Testmigo. ## Band 6 sample I want to talk about the first time I saw the sea. It happened when I was eight years old, and it is still one of my happiest memory. I grew up in a small town in the middle of the country, very far from the coast, so I only saw the sea on television. One summer my father got a bonus from his company and he decided to take our family to Goa for one week. We went there by train and the journey took almost whole day. Me, my parents and my younger sister were all very excited, and we couldn't sleep in the train. When we arrived to the hotel it was already evening, but my father said we should go to the beach immediately. I still remember the moment I saw the water. It was so big and the waves were very loud, and I just stood there with my mouth open. Then my sister and me ran into the water with our clothes on, and my mother was shouting at us, but she was laughing at the same time. During that week we built sandcastles, ate fresh fish and collected many shells. I kept some of those shells in a box and I still have it in my room. The reason why this is a happy memory is because it was the first holiday our family took together. My parents were usually very busy with work, but in Goa they were relaxed and they played with us all the day. I think that is why I remember it so clearly, even after so many years. **Examiner notes.** This answer tells a clear, chronological story and includes vivid moments such as the mother "shouting at us, but she was laughing at the same time". That keeps the listener engaged, but the description depends on simple words like "so big" and "very loud", and errors recur: "one of my happiest memory", "almost whole day", "arrived to the hotel" and "all the day". The ending, "The reason why... is because", is also a common slip. For Band 7, the speaker would add more precise feeling words, such as "I was speechless", and control articles and prepositions more consistently. ## Band 7 sample One of my happiest childhood memories is the summer my grandfather and I built a tree house together. I must have been about nine at the time, and it all happened in the garden of his house in the countryside, where I used to spend most of my school holidays. It started almost by accident. I'd been complaining that there was nothing to do, so my grandfather, who'd been a carpenter for most of his life, pointed at an old oak tree at the bottom of the garden and asked whether I fancied building something in it. I don't think either of us realised it would take the whole summer. Most days we'd get up early, before it got too hot, and work for a few hours. He did the difficult parts, like cutting the wood and fixing the platform to the branches, but he let me do far more than I expected. I was in charge of sanding and painting and, most importantly, deciding where the window should go. We argued about that for days, and in the end he let me win. The reason it's such a happy memory is partly the sense of achievement. When we finally climbed up and sat in it together, I felt incredibly proud. But looking back, I think it's mostly because of the time I got to spend with him. He wasn't a very talkative man, but while we were working he told me stories about his own childhood that I'd never heard before. He passed away a few years later, but the tree house is still there, and I visit it whenever I go back. **Examiner notes.** This is a well-paced Band 7 narrative. The speaker uses past modals and perfect forms accurately ("I must have been about nine", "I'd been complaining"), and natural expressions such as "almost by accident", "in charge of" and "the sense of achievement" fit the story well. The final reason adds a reflective layer with "But looking back". For Band 8, the speaker would need more precise, less common vocabulary to convey feelings, and to develop the emotional point in more depth instead of moving quickly to the closing sentence. The Band 8 sample is free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/speaking/topics/describe-a-happy-childhood-memory). ## Part 3 follow-up questions 1. Why do people remember some childhood events more clearly than others? 2. Do you think children today have happier childhoods than children in the past? 3. How important is it for families to spend time together? 4. Should parents spend more money on experiences or on toys for their children? 5. How do childhood experiences shape the kind of adult a person becomes? ## Common questions ### How long should an IELTS Speaking Part 2 answer be? You get one minute to prepare and then speak for up to two minutes; the examiner stops you at two. Aim to keep talking for the full time, which is usually 220 to 300 words. ### Can I use these sample answers in my test? No. Examiners are trained to spot memorised answers, and a learned script is marked down. Use the samples to see what each band does, then answer in your own words.