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📙 Part 2: Describe a toy you liked in your childhood

Rory tells a heartwarming story about a childhood gift from the tooth fairy. Listen as Maria deconstructs his answer, revealing key phrases and grammar you can use to impress the examiner.

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📙 Part 2: Describe a toy you liked in your childhood
IELTS Speaking for Success
0:00 / 0:00
Objects and PossessionsBuying TimeSelf-CorrectionNarrative TensesPassive VoiceDescriptive LanguageIdioms

This episode's vocabulary

Milk teeth (noun phrase) – The first set of teeth that grow in young mammals, which are later replaced by permanent teeth. → *Children start to lose their milk teeth around the age of six.*
A one-off (noun) – Something that happens or is made only once. → *The reunion concert was a one-off event, so I'm glad I didn't miss it.*
To cuddle (verb) – To hold someone or something close in your arms as a way of showing love or affection. → *He likes to cuddle his teddy bear when he goes to sleep.*
As far as I recall (phrase) – To the best of my memory; if I remember correctly. → *As far as I recall, the meeting is scheduled for 10 AM tomorrow.*
Embroidered (adjective) – Decorated by sewing patterns onto fabric with thread. → *She wore a beautiful jacket embroidered with golden thread.*
Furry (adjective) – Covered with fur or a fur-like substance. → *My cat is a small, furry creature who loves to sleep on my lap.*
A nice reminder of (noun phrase) – Something that makes you remember a pleasant person, event, or time. → *This old photograph is a nice reminder of our happy childhood.*
Quote unquote (phrase) – Used to show that you are repeating someone else's words, often with a sense of doubt or sarcasm. → *He said he was a, quote unquote, "expert", but he couldn't answer basic questions.*
Versatile (adjective) – Able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or activities. → *Lego is a very versatile toy because you can build anything you can imagine.*
Ecstatic (adjective) – Feeling or expressing overwhelming happiness or joyful excitement. → *She was ecstatic when she heard she had won the competition.*
Over the moon (idiom) – Extremely happy and excited. → *He was over the moon about being accepted to his first-choice university.*
Make believe (verb) – To pretend that something is true or that a particular situation exists. → *As children, we used to make believe that we were pirates on a big ship.*
It's a pity (phrase) – Used to express regret or disappointment about something. → *It's a pity you can't come to the party on Saturday.*

Questions and Answers

Maria: Describe a toy you liked in your childhood. You should say what kind of toy it is, when you received it, how you played with it, and how you felt about the toy. Rory, give us your story.

Rory: Oh, wow. I used to have a teddy bear that came everywhere with me from about, I think it was the age of seven. I still have it actually, though he doesn't come to work or on holidays. Well, since I'm a grown up and I don't really need that anymore. But he sits in my home office with another bear that was also given to me as a gift, as it happens. That's how I got him originally. I woke up one day with him after a visit from the tooth fairy. Usually children are given money when their teeth fall out or their milk teeth, I should say. And usually I did too, but this was like a one-off change. I'm not exactly sure why that particular change happened, but I was pretty happy to have a bear at the time and I didn't question it. When it comes to how I played with it, well, it's a bear. So he was just something to cuddle when I was in bed or in the car, and just to make those occasions a bit more comfortable. And that did work rather well, at least as far as I recall. I'm not sure what material it's made of, but it's very soft and fluffy. I think it's like rabbit down or something like that. He actually has his name embroidered on the sole of one foot as well with thread. But that's the only non fluffy part, really. In terms of how I felt about it, like I said, I was quite happy to have a furry friend as a child and I'm sure it made me feel better at the time, and it still does actually. It's a nice reminder of the past and I'm glad I kept it. If I hadn't been given that, well, I suppose I would have been equally happy to have been given the money, but it was only like a pound coin back then. So I think that that's not really equal to the value of all of the good memories I have with that particular toy. So I'm glad that the, well quote unquote tooth fairy made that choice.

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