IELTS Speaking – Describe your family member

Hi Huyen, here is the transcript of the recording:

1. The person I’m closest to in my family is definitely my mum, Kate. We’ve always got on and we hardly ever fall out. I know that’s unusual! She’s really outgoing and sociable – she’s always going out with friends and colleagues. Everyone thinks she’s good fun. I look up to her because she’s so hard-working – she never sits still and she works long hours. She can a bit impatient, though – she gets annoyed when her colleagues aren’t as efficient as her. I take after her in that – I’m impatient, too. And she’s over-sensitive, often getting offended for seemingly no reason.

2. My cousin Kieron and I grew up together. We were inseparable. He was so creative – he’d always think of new games we could play and make up these stories to make me laugh. I was constantly amazed by his open-mindedness as well – he was never judgemental. I wish I could be like that. Unfortunately, we grew apart, slowly but surely, and by the time we went to uni we weren’t in touch any more. I haven’t seen him for years. It’s really sad. I would blame it partly on the fact that he’s not very reliable, so for example, if I email him he won’t respond. I’m not sure what’s he up to these days.

3. I know this is a cliché, but I don’t get on with my in-laws, especially my mother-in-law, Jane. She’s so nosy, always wanting to know what we’re doing and who we’re with, and she’s terribly blunt, which means she quite often upsets us with things she comes out with. And then she can be quite stingy. When we go out for a meal with her and my father-in-law, she never offers to pay, even though they’re much better off than us. I must say, though, she’s extremely clever and I do respect her for that. She set up her own business five years ago and it’s gone from strength to strength. She’s so self-assured and ambitious too, which I suppose is why she’s so successful in business.