How do you spend time together

How do you spend time together

You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen friend, Ann.

… We have a special tradition in our family. The last weekend of every month we cook and have a meal together: my parents, my sister Jenny and me. This week it is pumpkin soup and ginger biscuits….

… How do you spend time together as a family? When do you give each other presents? What do you do to help your parents about the house? …

Write him a letter and answer his 3 questions. Write 100–120 words. Remember the rules of letter writing.

Thanks for your last letter, and sorry I couldn’t answer you earlier, exams as well. I wish I could taste those wonderful dishes.

I also enjoy cooking unusual cakes and dishes We have a special tradition of gathering all together and cooking something. My family members really like different kinds of Chocolate cake. As a result, I try to find new recipes every month and cook it with the help of my mother and sister. Every month we celebrate something and I encourage my relatives to try something new and find new recipes and tastes. There is also a special tradition of giving and receiving presents. We usually write something on present tags and a person should guess who it is from. We always celebrate family holidays at home because we enjoy playing games and watching our favourite films. Before the big celebrations, we have a lot to do about the house, so we share our house chores. I wash the dishes and lay the table, my mum and my sister cook, my daddy vacuums. We cherish each other and never argue about any kind of house chores.

IELTS Mentor «IELTS Preparation & Sample Answer»

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IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.

Describe how you usually spend time with your friends.

and say how much you enjoy spending time with your friends.

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]

Model Answer 1:

After graduating from university and entering into a career, I don’t really get much time to spend with my friends. Besides, as people get older, their priorities in life change. Therefore, it is not always possible to meet our friends and spend time with them despite our best intention. However, I will still try my best to give an account of how I usually spend my time with my friends.

As I have already mentioned that I don’t really get much time to spend with my friends except probably a couple of times a month mostly during the weekend, the good thing is whenever we meet, we try to make the best use of our time.

One of the things, which we really enjoy doing together, is that sometimes we take a long drive to a big lake outside of my home town in order to do fishing. Of course, most of my friends don’t exactly like to eat fish, but I do. So, while my friends are busy releasing the fishes back into the water after catching them, I keep myself busy in putting them in back except, of course, the problem is I don’t get to catch as many fishes as my friends. Another thing, which I really like to do, is to visit a local movie theatre and watch a great movie together with my friends. Then, after finishing watching the movie, we also hit one of our favourite restaurants and enjoy some great foods while poking jokes at each other and having fun.

Well, I enjoy spending time with my friends a lot as it helps me get refreshed and rejuvenated after a long and busy week. Besides, meeting with my friends allows me an opportunity to talk about an array of issues so that we can remain informed and smart. Finally, spending time with friends sometimes allows us to do some social works/charity works. All these activities help us enjoy a certain sense of peace in our minds which wouldn’t be possible otherwise.

Sample Answer 2:

Thanks a lot for this cue card topic. I will tell you how I usually spend time with my close buddies, what I do with them, where we go and how often I meet them.

Well, to begin with, I have more than ten friends and three of them are very intimate friends of mine. I meet those close friends two to three times a week on average, and sometimes more than that.

Whenever I am with those friends, we have endless topics to talk about and our conversations continue for hours. We often talk about ourselves, our family, sports we like, celebrities we admire, people we hate, things we should be doing, politics, movies, music, literature, books, science, recent events, history and so on. Topics we discuss or dispute often change, and our conversation shifts its direction from time to time. When we do not talk or gossip, we play computer games or do cycling together. We often visit different places together and love to explore different places. Recently, we went to an art museum and enjoyed our time in a new town, far away from our locality. That would be around a month ago and it was a memorable event for all of us.

To answer the last question, who does not enjoy spending time with friends? In fact, some people become our dear friends because we like to spend time with them. Good friends remain close to our heart and they have a special place in our life. My friends are very important to me and I feel completely free around them. With them, I do not need to pretend and I can be completely myself. This is probably true for everyone who has good friends.

More Ideas to talk about this Cue Card topic:

Cue Card Topic: Describe how you usually spend time with your friends.

1. Well, this is a great topic to discuss. I have four intimate buddies and we spend most of our time together whenever we are in our college. Sometimes we watch movies and this is extremely amusing to enjoy movies with them. Besides, we travel and explore new places.

2. I have a circle of three close friends and we all love to read books. We often meet with the intention to buy new books and explore new libraries. Sometimes, we lend books to each other as well. I think reading is an excellent habit and we are lucky to have developed our liking for books. A library is our favourite place and we often meet there.

3. Enjoying a live cricket match is fun and if it is with friends, the fun doubles. When I meet my friends, we all try to watch cricket matches in a local stadium. If there is no live match, we watch a cricket competition on television. Sometimes we play cricket together at our school ground.

4. Travelling is a hobby for all of my friends. So, whenever we meet together, we try to make short trips. Every one of us owns a bicycle and we use it to explore different parts of Tokyo. During the weekends, we try to make a day-long trip outside the city.

5. I love shopping and other close friends of mine also do so! We usually meet at our home and go shopping in the streets of Thailand. In fact, many of the Thai street markets are filled with nice dresses, gadgets and other fashion items, and we love to follow trendy fashions.

6. I play indoor games when I meet my friends at my residence in London. Actually, I have a couple of very close friends and we have been maintaining our friendship since our childhood. So, when we meet, we play different types of indoor games like chess, card etc. Watching television programmes and debating about numerous topics are perhaps two other common activities for us.

7. Eating street food is a pleasant activity for us. So, we often set dates to have street foods in the street of Vietnam. The food is yummy and the price is reasonable. Moreover, street foods have varied tastes and appeals to me and my friends.

8. Playing video games is a passion for me and some of my friends. So, when they visit me or I go to visit them, we all take part in a video game tournament. This is fun indeed. We mostly play action, adventure and racing games.

Your preparation for this cue card topic will also enable you to talk about the following topics:

1. Describe a typical day in your high school days.
2. Describe what you would do with friends if you could get back to your school days.
3. Describe a memorable period or stage in your life.
4. Describe a day you really enjoyed with your friends.

How to Balance Spending Time Together in Your Relationship

Do you and your partner have different expectations for how much time you spend together? Does one of you think you should spend more time together while the other wants more alone time?

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to how much time you should spend with your significant other because every couple is different. What works for one couple might not work for another.

When spending time together, it’s important to find a perfect time balance that is going to benefit your specific relationship.

While our online couple’s therapy is scientifically proven to benefit relationships, these tips can first provide you with a solid foundation for time spent together in your relationship.

For the Partner Who Wants More “Us” Time

Do you resent the time your partner wants to spend by themselves because you think it shows that your relationship is not important to them?

This is a valid feeling, and you’re not the only person who feels like this. The more your partner wants alone time, the more you feel not cared.

You may push for more time together, which may make your partner pull away. Or, you may withdraw from the relationship to protect yourself.

Sometimes it can feel like no matter what you do, you can’t win. However, there are some ways that you can fix this problem in your relationship.

1. Reveal Your Hidden Emotions

You may feel hurt that your partner wants to spend time alone, and it is important to express how you feel. When you communicate this, try not to demand that your partner changes. Instead, try to be vulnerable and share with your partner exactly why it is important to you spending time together.

Maybe hidden emotions are playing a role or maybe natural differences are intensifying the problem. Whatever it may be, it is important to discuss what you are feeling.

2. Seek Out Your Partner’s Hidden Emotions

There’s a big difference between your partner not wanting to be with you and your partner wanting to do an activity that doesn’t involve both of you. It is easy to assume that time apart is evidence that your partner doesn’t care about you.

However, that might not be the problem at all, and you won’t know until you communicate. So, talk about it with your partner!

3. Grow Your Social Group

No one can be everything to anyone. In other words, it’s healthy to have more than one person you can open up to, depend on, and have fun with. So, if your partner is the only person who fills those needs for you, we’d recommend you try to expand your social group.

That way, if your partner needs to enjoy their alone time, you can also go enjoy your time apart with a new social group. This will create a balance between your social life and your relationship, which is necessary for romantic relationships.

4. Respect Your Partner’s Differences

People often differ on how much time they want to spend alone or with other people. If your partner needs time alone, the most likely explanation is that it helps your partner recharge their batteries.

By giving your partner their alone time, they will be more refreshed and more likely to be present the next time you spend time together. For your partner, there may be a lot of truth in the saying “absence makes the heart grow fonder”.

While you may not feel the same, it is important to recognize that no two people are exactly the same. It is also important to realize that alone time does not mean your partner doesn’t want to be around you, but that they just don’t want to be around anyone.

5. Make the Most of Time Spent Together

When you’re together, try not to worry about when it will end. Be present in the moment and recognize enjoying time spent with your partner. Your partner will appreciate how relaxing your time spent together is, which might increase the likelihood of it happening more often!

For the Partner Who Wants More “Me” Time

Do you feel that you need to take time for yourself or else you may begin to resent your partner? Do you feel that the more your partner pushes you to spend time together, the more resentful you feel?

These are emotions are not unheard of in relationships. A common reaction to these emotions may be to just simply withdraw yourself from the situation to avoid conflict.

However, that might not be the best way to handle this problem in your relationship. Instead, try implementing some of these tips to help you handle how much time you spend with your partner.

1. A Deep Understanding

Remember your deep understanding, natural differences, emotions, external stress, and communication patterns play a role in your relationship. For example, if your partner is wanting more time together, their hidden emotions may pop up when you don’t make that time.

Try to put yourself in your partner’s shoes and recognize where their hurt feelings are coming from. Validate your partner by communicating that you appreciate how much the relationship means to them.

2. Compromise

You may need time for yourself to recharge your batteries, but you should also prioritize time together with your partner. Identify instances during the week when you and your partner can spend uninterrupted time together.

It isn’t always about what you do when you spend time with your partner. The important part is that you are making an effort to spend time with your partner. You could even consider involving your partner in some of the activities you currently do by yourself or with your friends. Just taking that initiative to include them in your life can make all of the difference.

3. Be Specific About Your Needs

It is completely understandable if you want to take time to yourself. However, when you do take time for yourself, make sure to communicate why you need time so your partner understands it is not because of relationship problems.

You may say something such as, “I am feeling stressed or overwhelmed and a few hours by myself will make me feel better so that I can be better when we spend time together next.”

Again, taking that initiative to show that you are putting in effort can make all of the difference.

4. Be Specific About Spending Time Together

It’s important not only to spend more time with your partner, but also to be on the same page about spending time together. If one of you thinks an activity counts as time spent together while the other one does not, then the lack of communication could be damaging to your time together.

You and your partner don’t have to have the same exact interests as each other. In fact, differences in opinion and free time choices are often encouraged in order to diversify your relationship. Instead of trying to find something that both of you want to do, take turns letting each other choose the date, movie, or restaurant.

Without the added fighting, you’ll each be able to better enjoy your time together.

Balancing Spending Time Together

Remember that it’s important to consider your partner’s view and why they feel strongly about the issue. Also, start by making your own changes first as this will increase the likelihood that your partner will also make changes.

When spending time together, make sure it is quality time. The more you increase the quality of the time spent together, the more your relationship will grow, even if the amount of time spent together is not as frequent as one of you may like. Let your partner know how much you appreciate the time spent together.

Learn How to Improve Your Relationship!

How Much Time Should You Spend With Your Partner?

Do you and your partner have different expectations for how much time you spend together? Does one of you think you should spend more time together while the other wants more time doing their own thing? If so, this activity will help you identify how to address this concern. Conflict over time spent together vs. apart is a common relationship problem. Couples often find themselves in the “Me Time Vs. Us Time” cycle.

Your partner may want to do more activities by him/herself, which may make you feel that he/she doesn’t care enough about you. Or maybe your partner wants more time together, which makes you feel crowded or claustrophobic. You might find it harder to enjoy the time that you do spend together because you are upset you do not get enough time for yourself. You can read more about this cycle below.

The Partner Who Wants More Us Time

“I resent the time my partner wants to spend by him/herself as it shows our relationship is not important to him/her.”

The more your partner wants alone time, the more you feel not cared for. You may push for more time together, which may make your partner pull away. Or, you may withdraw from the relationship to protect yourself. Tips to change these situations:

1. REVEAL YOUR HIDDEN EMOTIONS

You may feel hurt that your partner wants to spend time alone, but, when you communicate this, try not to demand that he/she changes. When you express your feelings, try to be vulnerable and share with your partner why it is important to you that you share more time together. Do hidden emotions play a role? Are natural differences intensifying the problem?

2. SEEK OUT YOUR PARTNER’S HIDDEN EMOTIONS

There’s a big difference between: a) our partners not wanting to be with us and b) our partners wanting to do an activity that doesn’t involve us. You may be assuming that time apart is evidence that your partner doesn’t care about you when it doesn’t mean that at all. So, talk about it with your partner!

3. GROW YOUR SOCIAL GROUP

No one can be everything to anyone. In other words, it’s healthy to have more than one person you can share with, depend on, and have fun with. So, if your partner is the only person who fills those needs for you, we’d recommend you try to expand your social group.

4. RESPECT YOUR PARTNER’S DIFFERENCES

People often differ on how much time they want to spend alone or with other people. If your partner needs time to him/herself, the most likely explanation for this time alone is that it helps your partner recharge. By giving your partner some time alone, he/she will be more refreshed and more likely to be present the next time you spend time together. For your partner, there may be a lot of truth in the saying “absence makes the heart grow fonder”.

5. MAKE THE MOST OF TIME SPENT TOGETHER

When you’re together, try not to worry about when it will end. Be present in the moment and recognize the enjoyment. Your partner will appreciate how relaxing your time spent together which might increase the likelihood of it happening more often!

The Partner Who Wants More Me Time

“I need to take time for myself or I resent my partner.”

The more your partner pushes you to spend time together, the more resentful you feel. You may withdraw to avoid conflict.Tips to change these situations:

1. A DEEP UNDERSTANDING

Remember your DEEP understanding-natural differences, emotions, external stress, and communication patterns play a role! For example, if your partner is wanting more time together, his/her hidden emotion may pop up when you don’t make the time. Try to put yourself in your partner’s shoes and recognize where hurt feelings are coming from. Validate your partner by communicate that you appreciate how much the relationship means to him/her.

2. COMPROMISE

You may need time to yourself, but you should also prioritize some time together with your partner. Identify some times during the week when you and your partner can spend uninterrupted time together. Or, consider involving your partner in some of the activities you currently do by yourself or with your friends.

3. BE SPECIFIC ABOUT YOUR NEEDS

When you do take time for yourself, communicate why you need time so your partner understands it is not because of relationship problems. You may say something like, “I am feeling stressed or overwhelmed and a few hours by myself will make me feel better so that I can be a better when we spend time together next.”

4. BE SPECIFIC ABOUT YOUR TIME TOGETHER

It’s important not only to spend more time with your partner, but also to be on the same page about HOW you spend your time. If one of you thinks an activity counts as time spent together while the other one does not- for example, when watching TV together- you may find yourselves fighting over how you want to spend your time together. Especially until this problem resolves, check in with each other about what you want to do and try to compromise so that you each feel you are getting your needs met. Without the added fighting, you’ll each be able to better enjoy your time together.

Learn How to Improve Your Relationship!

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Зачетный Опарыш

You have 30 minutes to do this task. You have received a letter from your English-speaking pen friend, Ann. …Oh, my friend is so charming! Everybody in the class is ready to help her. But, you know, I sometimes think she’s just using people to get what she wants… …What kind of person is your best friend? When and where did you meet? How do you spend time together?… Write her a letter and answer her 3 questions. Write 100–120 words. Remember the rules of letter writing.

Лучший ответ:

Васян Коваль

I’m sorry that I haven’t written you for a long time but I was very busy. Now I have some time to drop you a line.

My best friend is Jimmy. He’s very fun and kind. We met two years ago in our school. I’m very glad to spend time with Jimmy. We usually play computer games. Jimmy is a very good player. He also studies well. Sometimes he helps me with this or that subject. We also go jogging in the mornings together.

And how are you? What do you think about my friend? Would you like to meet with Jimmy?