Describe a time when you received money as a gift (birthday, wedding) You should say: • when you received this money • who gave it to you • what the occasion was • and explain why receiving money as a gift was special or useful to you.

One time I received money as a gift was on my 18th birthday, just before I started university. My parents gave me an envelope with some cash inside, and although it wasn’t a huge amount of money, it felt very meaningful because it marked the beginning of a more independent stage in my life. The occasion was a small family dinner at home. After we had eaten, my parents gave me the envelope and told me to use the money wisely. At first, I thought it was just a normal birthday gift, but then my father explained that they wanted me to buy something useful for my studies rather than something I would forget about after a few weeks. In the end, I used most of the money to buy a good-quality backpack and some books for my first semester. That made the gift special because it wasn’t only a symbol of their love, but also a practical form of support. I felt trusted, because they allowed me to decide how to spend it, and it taught me to be more responsible with money.