Ielts Cue Card 4

Ielts cue card 4
Describe a place you visited that has been affected by pollution.
You should say:
 where it was
 when you visited this place
 what kind of pollution you saw there
and explain how this place was affected by pollution.
[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:
Pollution is a serious threat to the environment that our world is facing today. In fact, there is
hardly any place in this world that has not been affected by pollution in one way or another.
Today, I would like to talk about one such place which is perhaps one of the most seriously
polluted regions in the world.
The place, I am talking about, is Indonesia, which I visited about a year ago to meet a friend.
Located between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, Indonesia could easily be considered
as one of the few most beautiful countries in the world because of its mesmerizing island and
beaches. In fact, when I visited a couple of its pristine beaches and dived into them, my mind
was just blown away by their astonishing underwater scenery. But, beneath this visible beautiful
picture of Indonesian sea beaches hides a rather unpleasant sight, and that unpleasant sight is
called “marine pollution”.
And this marine pollution is taking place in the form of millions of tons of plastic trash that are
either probably local or coming from as far away as the pacific ocean. Apart from the plastics,
uncountable debris can also be found, sitting just about everywhere on some of those sea
beaches. Besides, the water masses, caused by rains and irrigation systems overflow, bring trash
in bulk which doesn’t only include plastic trash but also other domestic waste. As if the marine
pollution was not enough, I also found the same kind of debris and plastic, lying on the side
roads, not too far from the sea beaches and the rice fields, to make the situation unbearable for
the environment.
After visiting Indonesia, I found that this great country has been seriously affected by pollution
which not only is damaging their environment, both in their sea beaches and beyond, but also the
health of the living organisms, some of which are even dying, under the sea as well as the
economic structures all over the country. The pollution is getting out of control and if people and
the authority don't act immediately, it will be far more devastating than we can imagine.
Describe someone you know who does something well.
You should say:
 who this person is

 how you know this person
 what he/she does well
and explain why you think this person is so good at doing this.
Model Answer:
I have been lucky to know a good number of people who just happen to know how to take care
of things well whether they are doing it in their personal life or professional life. Today, I would
like to talk about one of these persons who is none other than a good co-worker of mine.
I have known this fellow worker of mine for more than a few years who joined our steel sheet
manufacturing company as a junior quality assurance manager. From the way he was conducting
his job affairs and taking care of the things, which he was responsible for, one could easily say
that he was very much on top of his game. In fact, after he started working for our company, we
have received very few, if any at all, complaints about our steel-made products in our area.
However, little did I know that he was not only a great quality assurance manager but also a
great employee trainer who knew how to motivate and train his fellow staff when they are
dealing with work-related stress at work. And I came to know about this when I saw him one day
conducting a training class for our junior staff members from all departments, including
accounting, production, customer service and logistics.
Later on, as a senior officer at accounting department, I asked my subordinate about how he was
learning from his new trainer, he simply told me that after attending the training session of our
new trainer, he actually now enjoys the work-related challenges and stress instead of being afraid
of it. Now, that was quite a powerful statement from a junior staff who joined our company only
a few weeks ago.
I think that this person is good at training fellow employees because he perfectly understands
their limitations. He does this training thing so well, probably also because he never stops
learning things that are related to professional development. Finally, he is good at what he does
also because he has great communication skills.
Describe a time when you took a risk that may have gone wrong but turned out
well.
You should say:
 when it was
 what type of risk you took
 what could have gone wrong
and explain how it turned out well.
Model Answer:
I have always been in the category of those people who always like to play safe. But, after
talking with Jasper, my childhood friend and also an entrepreneur, I learned that playing safe
wouldn’t take me far in life.
So, I decided to take some risk to try my luck about a few years ago when I wasn’t really
enjoying my regular 9 am to 5 pm job. I guess I was just passing through a phase of my life when
I wanted to become a bit more adventurous by setting aside the traditional thoughts and beliefs.
So, when my childhood friend, Jasper, asked me how I was doing with my life, it was no surprise
that my answer was “not too promising”.
By the way, to introduce Jasper a little, he moved to a European country after finishing his
formal education, and it was there that he found a way to build his little business “empire” by
setting up different kinds of businesses. He was doing well on all fronts, and so he thought that it
was to expand his business empire even further.
So, when he heard that rather pessimistic answer from me, he proposed me to start a restaurant
business with him in my country. He also told me at the same time that things could have always
gone wrong as there were many other restaurants in that area. But, he told me that taking such
initiative was worth the risk since it could also pay off big time. So, after considering the pros
and cons of the initiative, I finally decided to invest my savings in opening up a restaurant
business.
Anyway, to tell the truth, I am glad that I took the risk because it did turn well in the end. In fact,
I noticed to my pleasant surprise that people did like the foods that our restaurant served.
Besides, the relative success of my restaurant business actually provided me with an extra
incentive to do much better in my regular job, which, I thought, wasn’t possible. Now, I jointly
own two restaurants in my country with my friend Jasper.
Describe a situation when you were surprised to meet a friend.
You should say:
 when it was
 who this friend was
 where you met this friend
and explain why you were surprised to meet this friend.
Model Answer:
Thank you for this interesting cue card topic. I would be more than happy to describe a situation
here when I was really surprised to meet a friend of mine, about whom, I thought, I knew very
well.
It all happened about a few years ago when I went to attend a Canadian university in order to
complete my post-graduation degree. I shared this plan of mine with almost all of my friends and
relatives. I am pretty sure that I told about attending a Canadian university to this particular
friend of mine as well, but little did I know that this friend of mine was also planning to attend a
Canadian university.
By the way, this friend of mine, named “Parvez”, and I attended the same university in order to
complete our Bachelor degree. We were studying different subjects, but we still became good
friends because we lived in the same dormitory, next to each other’s room.
Anyway, after arriving in Canada, I naturally got very busy with my life, classes, homework,
grocery shopping, cooking and doing laundry, in addition to learning about the area where I was
living. In fact, I was so busy for the first couple of weeks, after arriving in Canada, that I
managed to call my parents only once to say “hello”. Then, suddenly, one late afternoon, I
noticed that someone, who looked exactly like “Parvez”, was coming towards me when I was
taking a quick snack at our university cafeteria. Initially, I thought that he was just someone who
looked like him, but when I watched him a bit carefully, I became so startled that I choked on my
food in my mouth.
Anyway, I became so astounded to see him because he never really told me before about his
intention or plan to go abroad in order to study, even though, I thought that we were good
friends. I was very surprised also because I never thought of him as a person who could stay
away from his family. Finally, meeting someone so close at a far away from home was
somewhat surprising.
Describe one of the most popular TV shows in your country.
You should say:
 what type of TV show it is

 what it is about
 what you like/dislike about it
and explain why it is so popular in your country.
Model Answer:
There are many great shows on Bangladeshi TV which I would really love to watch. But,
because of time constraints, I just can’t do it as often as I would prefer to do. However, there is
one TV show, and also one of the most popular shows, which I seldom miss. So, I will go ahead
and talk about that TV show here.
The name of this TV show is called “Ittadi” (meaning “etcetera” in plain English). It is a
television magazine programme which was first aired in the year 1989 through the “heart and
soul” efforts of one the few most charismatic and popular TV personalities of Bangladesh called
“Hanif Sanket”. Regarded also as one of the longest-running TV magazines, if not the longest
already, in Bangladesh, it is more of a satire-based entertainment programme which includes
regular segments like funny arguments, a foreign filmstrip dubbed in Bengali, country history, a
"mail" section, an audience round involving people from the audience to do something funny,
live music, dance, and plays.
Anyway, this is such a TV show which is actually kind of impossible to dislike because there is
hardly ever any dull moment in it. In other words, I like pretty much everything about this TV
show, including
its funny characters, their costumes and their funny ways of saying things. Besides, I also like
that particular segment where the foreigners act, talk and behave exactly like a typical
Bangladeshi people except, of course, they make it even more entertaining and meaningful.
Anyway, it is such a popular show in my country, primarily because it promotes the culture,
traditions and customs of Bangladeshi people, regardless of their age, race, religion and distinct
cultural identity, with such a masterful stroke. Besides, I like this show also because it always
brings new ideas and new things while also always trying to introduce new talents along with
many other existing intellectual
persons from all walks of life.

You should say:

Model Answer:
show, including

You should say:

Model Answer:
show, including

Describe an occasion when you had to wait a long time for someone or something
to arrive.
You should say:
 who or what you were waiting for

 how long you had to wait
 why you had to wait a long time
and explain how you felt about waiting for a long time.
Model Answer:
Thank you for this great topic. Today, I would like to talk about an occasion when I had to take
my mother to a doctor and wait for him for a long time to arrive at his chamber.
My mother has been suffering from a chronic orthopaedic problem for a couple of years. And for
that reason, I have to take her to a doctor every once in a while. Luckily, of course, this never
really creates any problem for us since we visit the same doctor (very much like a “family”
doctor) for her treatment whenever there is a need. In other words, I don’t really have to make
any kind of prior appointment with that doctor whenever we need to see him.
But, unfortunately, things became a bit tricky when our regular doctor needed to leave the
country for some kind of professional training in a foreign country. Of course, before leaving the
country, he fixed another doctor for us and assured us that everything was going to be fine. But,
our very first appointment and meeting with the new doctor was everything but “fine”. In fact,
our first appointment was set for 6:00 pm, but he barely made it at around 9:00 pm, when my
elderly mother was about to leave the doctor’s chamber, thinking that the doctor was never going
to show up on that night.
Of course, I kept asking the office staff there about the possible arrival time of the orthopaedic
doctor every 30 minutes or so, but they kept telling me that he was going to be late because he
needed to perform some surgical operations on a couple of patients. By the way, our new
orthopaedic doctor was also an orthopaedic surgeon.
Anyway, we felt really frustrated with the doctor because of keeping us waiting for such a long
period of time. But, then, we also told to ourselves that some other and more seriously injured
patients needed him, and so, it wasn’t exactly the fault of the doctor as we had initially thought.
Describe a special event/ moment that made you happy.

You should say:
 when it was
 what event/moment it was
 who were with you
and explain why it was a happy event/moment.
Model Answer:
We all like to rejoice every special moment that makes us happy. But, those special moments
make us happier when they arrive against all kinds of odds, and today, I would like to talk about
one such special moment.
The special moment, which made me so happy, arrived about 5 years ago when my younger
sister was trying to earn her medical practice license in order to work and practice as a medical
doctor. But, of course, it was never an easy thing to earn, and my younger sister was trying her
level best to pass the test. But, just before a few days of that important test, she suddenly fell sick
with terrible fever and cough.
In fact, she was so sick that her doctor advised her to have complete bed rest for the next one
week, which meant that she wouldn’t be able to appear for the medical practice license test.
Needless to say, she felt really sad about not being able to take her medical practice test. Of
course, we all tried to provide her with some consolation, saying that she could take the test
again after one year, but she was just too upset to listen to us. Anyway, eventually, she realized
that things are beyond anybody’s control when it comes to being sick.
By the way, to tell a little about my younger sister, she is a very emotional person, very
passionate about helping sick people all along without charging any money for it, and that’s why
she decided to become a doctor. So, she did pass her medical practice license test after one year,
not only making her happy but also me and the rest of my family.
Anyway, my sister passing the test indeed was a very special moment for me, mainly because the
years of my sister’s hard works had finally paid off. It was a happy moment also because her
success really made me proud as a brother of an honest and a truly philanthropic person.
Describe something you purchased that was difficult to use at first.
You should say:
 what it was
 why you purchased it
 why it was difficult to use at first
and explain how you had been able to learn to use it.
Model Answer:
I was never really much of a fan of setting up a toaster in our kitchen and use it, mainly because
it would make our small kitchen look even more crowded than already it was. But, my mother
disagreed with me and asked me to buy a nice looking toaster so that she wouldn’t need to toast
so many pieces of bread on a frying pan.
By the way, the majority of our family members, including me, preferred their loaves of bread to
be toasted on a frying pan because doing it on a frying pan would toast them evenly from both
sides. Therefore, buying a toaster wasn’t exactly a priority for us until my mother insisted on it.
So, the next thing was that I went to a home appliance shop and bought a perfect-shape and nice-
looking toaster to make my dear mother happy. Anyway, this toaster, I bought, was at a time
when very few people in my country knew or used a toaster as it was a long ago.
But, for a first time toaster-user like me, using that toaster proved out to be a bit difficult for all
of us in the beginning, mainly because loaves of bread usually come in different sizes and
textures, from ultra-light and fluffy, and from dense and heavy. But, on the other hand, the
toaster, I bought, had only one temperature setting, which wouldn’t always make the bread
properly toasted and crispy, both from inside and outside. Another problem with that toaster was
that it would get hot very rapidly which would create a big problem for us to take the loaves of
bread out of it without risking little burn on our hands.
But, soon we learned to use our little toaster without any difficulty. To solve the problem of crisp
issue of the loaves of bread we always tried to buy only those loaves of bread which fit perfectly
inside the toaster. As far as dealing with the heat of the toaster was concerned, we just waited a
little longer for it to the cooler before taking out the toasted bread.
Describe a type of job you tried but did not enjoy much.
You should say:
 what type of job it was

 how long you did that job
 what you had to do
and explain why you did not enjoy it.

Model Answer:
Well, ideally speaking, I would never really want to be in a position where I would try some jobs
but not enjoy it. But, unfortunately, we don’t live in an ideal world, and therefore, like many
others, I also tried a couple of jobs at some point of my life but didn’t really enjoy them much.
Anyway, one of those jobs, which I tried but didn’t like much, involved being an Information
Officer at one of the biggest amusement parks of my country. This was the second job of my
professional career after finishing my university, so I took this job really seriously.
But, as time started to pass, I began to realize that this job was not going to do any good for me.
In fact, all I was doing at my job was to read some materials on how to improve the service of
the amusement park without any scope for implementation from my part. On the other hand, my
job responsibilities actually included, but not limited to, interacting with the customers on a
regular basis in order to inform them about the benefits of each activity in the amusement park
except, of course, the park management didn’t have any guidelines to invite the guests to come
up to me and ask questions.
Of course, I tried to arrange short sessions for the incoming guests to interact with me and ask
me questions about our services, but very few people showed any interest in such information-
sharing sessions. Besides, I also needed to help the park management to settle disputes which
sometimes would arise between the junior park officers and the visiting guests. But, anyway,
after doing this for about 6 or 7 months, I decided to quit.
I guess, I didn’t enjoy the job and quit, primarily because I felt like my skills and expertise were
not being properly valued in order to make me feel like an important part of the park. I didn’t
enjoy it also because I got bored of sitting at my desk for too long and not being able to do
anything meaningful.
Describe a dinner/ dinner party that you enjoyed.
You should say:
 when it was
 where it was
and explain why you enjoyed this dinner/ dinner party so much.
Model Answer:
In this busy life, it is really difficult to take some time for our entertainment on a regular basis.
But, a few weeks ago, I luckily managed to squeeze some time out of my busy schedule which
allowed me to enjoy a lovely dinner with my family. This was a private dinner party rather than a
public one.
Of course, before attending that dinner, we actually had to use a lottery in order to decide
whether we were going to an Italian restaurant or a Chinese restaurant. While I and my younger
sister were hoping to go to an Italian restaurant, my wife and my younger brother were hoping to
head to a Chinese restaurant. But, in the end, it was my wife and the younger brother who had
the final say, and therefore, we headed to a Chinese restaurant.
By the way, it was during the weekend when we went to that Chinese restaurant, so quite
naturally, we expected it to be really busy. But surprisingly, we didn’t really see that many
people on that day, probably because they decided to stay at home and enjoy a very good cricket
match between England and Australia.
But, whatever was the reason for which they decided not to come to that restaurant, we liked it
because we didn’t have to wait at all to get our tables, and the waiters and staffs there had all the
time to make us feel good and cosy. Anyway, the dinner was served to us in no time, and we
took a long time to finish our dinner over some really good chat and laugh with each other. And
after finishing our dinner, we all felt like we had one of the best dinners of our life.
Well, we enjoyed the dinner so much because they were cooked to perfection just the way we
requested. We enjoyed it also because we were treated there like some royalties. Finally, the
dinner was so much enjoyable also because we got to spend a long time there, without being
bothered, to catch up with each other since we always remain busy.
Describe an important text message you received.
You should say:
 when it was
 who sent it to you
 what it was about
and explain why it was so important to you.
Model Answer:
Whether I like it or not, I receive tons of text messages on my mobile phone, most of which are
usually not important. But, today, I would like to talk about a text message which was really
important.
I received this text message about a year ago or so when I was travelling to another city because
of some important professional tasks. Before leaving my hometown, I already told my family
that it was going to be a while before I returned home. So, I wasn’t exactly expecting any kind of
communication on the part of my family. But, still, I was on the lookout to see if there was any
message on my mobile phone. Then, probably at around 8 pm one night, I did receive a message,
but that wasn’t from any of my family members. Instead, the message came from a dear friend of
mine who lived in abroad and who I didn’t see in more than a couple of years.
Initially, of course, I couldn’t really believe that it was indeed my friend who sent that message
to me, but then I rechecked his message and confirmed that it was indeed him. Anyway, the
message said that he was coming home from abroad and that he wanted to start a business with
me in partnership. By the way, I gave a business proposal to this good friend of mine almost 5
years ago, but at that time, he wasn’t really sure about starting that business. So, I had no other
option than to postpone the plan even though, I very much kept my hope in this business plan all
along these years.
Anyway, the message was important to me, primarily because, after all those years, I was
probably going to be able, I thought, to choose a career path and have a great degree of financial
freedom. The message was important for me also because it gave me a hope to live close to my
elderly parents, right in my little but beautiful hometown.
ELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card 398 with Model Answer:
Describe a person who is good at his/her work.
You should say:

 what he/she does
and explain why you think this person is good at his/her work.
Model Answer:
We all strive to be good at what we do, especially, when it comes to our jobs. But, unfortunately,
not all of us manage to achieve that “gold standard” of “good” for whatever reasons that might
be. But, when it comes to my distant cousin, I don’t think that there is anybody else, who I know
of, who takes care of his or her job better than my cousin.
My cousin is a teacher by profession, and he teaches at a junior high school. But, his “teaching
role” started a long time before he actually formally started his career as a teacher. In fact, he
used to teach kids and young students from high school from the time he started his university
education. In other words, he was already doing home tutoring and giving difficult math and
science lessons.
Initially, of course, he started this home tutoring thing as a means to earn some pocket money,
but as time progressed, he actually started to like teaching young students. By the way, my
cousin was a brilliant student, so naturally, we all expected that he would have some top-notch or
glamorous corporate jobs, but instead, he actually surprised everybody by having a teaching job
at a high school. After starting his teaching job, he soon proved that he wasn’t just like any other
teacher, but rather he was a teacher with his own unique style of teaching who inspired all of his
students to enjoy learning. No wonder, his unique skill sets of teaching helped him secure the
“teacher of the year” award within a very short period of starting his career as a teacher.
I think that my cousin is really good at his work, primarily because he actually enjoys the
intellectual exchange between himself and his students like no other teacher. Besides, he is good
at his job also because he is a “top-rated” children psychologist who can perfectly understand
when to teach a student and when to let him become just a “playful child”.
Describe a colourful place you have visited and liked.
You should say:
 where it was
 when you visited this place
 why it was so colourful
and explain how you felt about visiting this colourful place.
Model Answer
It can be said that colours are everywhere we look unless, of course, we don’t appreciate the
colourful world around us. But, I like visiting beautiful and colourful places, and today I would
like to talk about such a colourful place that I visited about two years ago.
The place, I visited, is called St. Jones which is situated in the Canadian state of Newfoundland
and Labrador. Being one of the most eastern places in North America, St. Jones, the capital city
of Newfoundland and Labrador, certainly is a very colourful place because it offers a perfect mix
of history, nature, culture and wildlife.
Regarded also as the oldest city of North America, St. Jones just blew my mind away by its
remarkable scenic settings. The downtown city area slopes down a steep hill into a harbour,
offering stunning views of the water. All of the cute little houses were painted in bright candy
colours like green, red, blue and yellow. By the way, I was told that these jellybean row houses
and clapboard homes were painted by their owners with leftover boat paint, which, I thought,
was super creative and cool. Also, the houses looked flawlessly colourful as if they were painted
by some skilled artist on a large canvas.
Then, of course, the experience of enjoying one of the best panoramic, if not the best, city views
along with the vast Atlantic Ocean from atop “Signal Hill” (Cabot Tower) was simply
outstanding and unforgettable. On top of that, the stunning view of bay bulls, with colourful
seabirds flying on it, and freely-roaming moose, crossing the road, were something that just can’t
be found anywhere else at the same time.
Well, after visiting this place, I felt like this place had everything to cheer up a person even if he
or she was having a very bad day. I also felt that I could actually spend the rest of my life in one
of those beautifully painted houses, standing on the sloppy St. Jones downtown, while watching
the stunning view of the waters at the bottom.
Describe an occasion when the weather forced you to change your plan.
You should say:
 when it was
 how the weather was
 what was your initial plan
how you felt when you were forced to change the plan.
Model Answer:
Weather can be very unpredictable at times, and because of this unpredictability, we also have to
change our plans from time to time. Today, I would like to talk about one such occasion when I
was also forced to change my plan.
It happened about a year ago or so when I made a plan in order to take my little 6 years old
nephew to do some fishing at a lake for the first time. My little nephew, of course, had requested
this to me a number of times in the past, but because of my busy work schedule, I just couldn’t
entertain his request. In fact, I was so busy that I even had to work on the weekend most of the
times. But, then luckily, I came to know about a rare weekend when I actually didn’t have to do
anything. So, without a second thought, I immediately made a plan to take my dear nephew to a
lake which was about 25 kilometres away from where I lived.
Needless to say, the little guy got very excited about the idea and started to organize his things
the previous day as per the “instructions” of the TV programme that he had been watching for
quite some time. But, then the weather decided not to be so kind upon us as just before 20
minutes of our scheduled road trip towards the lake, heavy rain and thunderstorm dashed our
whole plan for the day. Besides, suddenly everything around us also became dark because of
heavy cloud in the sky. So, both I and my little nephew decided that it wouldn’t be safe to go out
in that kind of bad weather.
Anyway, as we were forced to change our plan, my little nephew initially felt really sad and
disappointed. Besides, I also scolded myself a bit because of my negligence to check the weather
forecast the previous day. After all, we didn’t have to go through all these troubles if I had
checked the weather news in advance.
Describe a goal or ambition you have in your life.
You should say:
 what this goal or ambition is about

 how long you have it
 how long it might take you to fulfil it
and explain why you want to fulfil this goal or ambition.
Model Answer:
As a third-year university student, I don’t have any shortages of ambitions in my life. So, thank
you very much for this interesting cue card topic as I will go ahead and talk about one of those
many ambitions I have held in my heart for a long time.
Of course, the ambition or goal, I have in my life, is not anything very unique or glamorous as
many students of my age from my country have the same ambition which is to become a teacher
after finishing their studies. The difference, of course, here is that I actually want to go abroad
for higher education, preferably in a country like Australia or the UK, and then come back to my
country in order to work as a teacher at a rural high school.
Now, if you are wondering about why I want to teach at a rural high school, I would say that
most students in the rural area of my country don’t have much access to good and qualified
teachers as well as quality education, and my presence there as a teacher would certainly make a
difference.
By the way, I have held this ambition secretly at my heart, since the time I was attending a high
school in the rural area about 7 years ago when my father needed to move and live there for
professional reason. Before moving to that rural areas, I was attending a prestigious high school
in a big city, and it was after transferring to that high school in that rural area, I figured out the
difference in the quality of education between the schools in the rural area and city.
Anyway, I think that it would take me about 5 years to fulfil this goal, and I am determined to
achieve this goal because I really want to make a difference in the life of the rural area people,
even if it means just a little. Besides, I prefer to live in a rural area as it would allow me to live a
rather simple life, away from the hustle and bustle of hectic city life.
Describe an interesting discussion you had as part of your work or studies.
You should say:
 what the subject of the discussion was

 who you discussed the subject with
 what opinions were expressed
and explain why you found the discussion interesting.
Model Answer:
I can remember having many interesting discussions and conversations over the years, especially
at my work, but today, I would like to talk about an interesting and stimulating discussion here
that I had as a university student.
The discussion, I am talking about, took place about 4 years ago when I was a second-year
university student, and was enjoying learning about all the cool things about Physics. In fact, I
liked my subject (and of course, it was “Physics”) so much that whenever there was any kind of
arguments or discussion about any theories or laws of Physics, I would never hesitate to take part
in it, just like I didn’t hesitate to do so with two of my classmates.
By the way, the subject of the discussion among us was “time travel”, and we all argued with
each other to get our points across, based on our limited knowledge on it. However, my
argument was a bit different from my two classmates as I told them that we were and are always
doing time travelling, but our “time travel”, as I argued, is only meant to take us “forward” and
all at the same rate. On the other hands, of course, my classmates argued with the findings from
some research works that it is possible to approach the speed of light by producing a force that is
equal to the gravity at the surface of the earth. The discussion, and a very live one in that, had
continued for almost an hour, and we all agreed that “time travel” is not just a “fantasy” or some
sort of “science fiction”.
Anyway, even though, we didn’t agree with each other during that interesting discussion on time
travel, I found it very interesting because I actually learned about a lot of new things from the
discussion. Besides, it was also during that discussion that I was convinced for the first time that
time travel into the past could actually be possible someday.
Describe a time when you started using a new technological device (e.g. a new
computer or phone).
You should say:
 what device you started using

 why you started using this device
 how easy or difficult it was to use
and explain how helpful this device was to you.
Model Answer:
I have a habit of checking up on the latest technologies from time to time in order to just keep
myself informed. Of course, not that I find all types of technologies useful, as far as my needs
are concerned, but when I came to know about “digital security system” about a few years ago, I
thought that I could surely use that technology to protect my home someday when I buy my own
home.
But, for better or worse, I didn’t really need to wait for my own home in order to use that
technology as I already have it at my rented home to protect the home from theft and burglaries.
In fact, I felt rather compelled to use this digital security system to protect my home about a few
months ago when I found that a theft had occurred in the house of one of my neighbours.
By the way, it is an electronic device that can protect your home with the help of IP (Internet
Protocol) based cameras, password protected lock system and a voice recognition system. This
security system can transmit alarms, video images, and still photos anywhere you like, as long as
there is an internet connection there, and thus making it ever so simple for anybody to check up
on his or her home from the office, the airport, or from distant shores. But the best thing about
this technology, of course, is that it is not really that difficult to use, given the benefit it provides.
All one needs to do is to practice using it a few times in order to become familiar with the
technology.
Umm! this digital security system has proved out to be really useful for me because it offers a
complete sense of security to me as far as my family and home are concerned. Besides, it also
gives me a great deal of mental peace when I am away from my home.
Describe someone you know who has started a business.
You should say:

 what work this person does
 why this person decided to start a business
and explain whether you would like to do the same kind of work as this person.
Model Answer:
Most of my friends, with who I have a close relationship with, hold either private jobs or
government jobs, and show very little, if any at all, interest in starting and running a business.
But, Fernandez, my close university friend, is an exception, and today I would like to talk about
him here.
Fernandez is a good university friend of mine, but when we were studying at university together,
he wasn’t really very much into studying hard and all that like us, simply because he wasn’t
exactly interested to hold any kind of job. Instead, he would always talk to us during our
university years about how some college drop-outs in some remote part of the world had become
very successful entrepreneurs. But, of course, Fernandez luckily didn’t drop out of his university,
as he somehow managed to finish his university education and started a job at a local accounting
firm.
Anyway, when he started his job (probably because of his parents’ “consistent persuasion”), we
all, appreciated his decision, but, as expected, he didn’t take too long to change his mind. In fact,
he came to me one day about a few months ago and told me that he had started a web design and
development company. He also seemed rather excited when he gave me the news of his newly-
started business, so I didn’t really bother to ask him about the reasons behind it.
After all, I already knew that he didn’t like the “8 am to 5 pm schedule” and a
“compartmentalized lifestyle” of a job holder. Besides, he also seemed to be very interested in
learning internet technologies, and starting his web development company would offer him a
perfect opportunity to do just that.
Now, if you ask me if I would do the same kind of work, I would say “yes” because I think that
learning new technologies (be it the internet or otherwise) would be interesting. Besides, it would
also offer me an opportunity to earn some extra money by treating it as a “second job”.
Describe an experience when you searched for something that you lost.
You should say:
 when it was
 what you lost
 where and how you searched for it
and explain whether you found it or not.
Model Answer:
It was almost 3 years ago when I lost my smartphone on a day when I played basketball with my
friends at a local playground.
The weather was just perfect in this evening and when I reached the playground to play
basketball with my friends, I received a call from my mom on my Samsung smartphone. I can't
recall anything about putting the phone somewhere after that. When the dark settled, I headed to
my home but not even once did I remember to check if I still had my cell phone with me or not. I
noticed it once I wanted to call one of my friends about our classes at around 8:00 pm. But my
mobile phone was nowhere around!
As soon as I found that it was missing, I walked towards the field where we were played that
evening. After having a good 15 minutes walk, when I finally arrived at the field, no one was
there except the security personnel. I searched for my mobile phone for about 30 minutes in and
out of the playground, but it was just a resultless effort. I went to the field the next morning in
the daylight but still, there was no sign of it. Finally, I decided to give up the hope of getting it
back.
Anyway, after losing that mobile phone, I felt a bit sad and dejected because I had to save money
to purchase that cell phone. It also had many precious photos and data in it which were also lost
forever. Anyway, it was because of that incident, I realized that I needed to be more responsible
about my belongings especially those I take outside.
Describe a person who is often in the news, and who you would like to meet.
You should say:

 why he or she is often in the news
and explain why you would like to meet him/her.
Model Answer:
He is a “Magistrate” by profession, and he runs mobile court in different places, especially,

business enterprises and corrupted private and public officials, of my country and punishes them
for the irregularities and corruption, they commit. The name of this magistrate is Mr Mir
Shekhar, and I wish to meet him one day.
Anyway, I saw this magistrate about a few years ago on TV news for the first time, trying to find
out about the irregularities of a prominent business enterprise of my country. But, when I saw
him on that day, I couldn’t actually believe my own eyes because what he was doing was
essentially like challenging some of the most powerful and vested quarters of my country who
were/are controlling everything from behind the “curtain”.
By the way, I had already heard a little about the “cleansing” activities of this honest magistrate,
prior to seeing him on the TV news on that day, but little did I know that he could go to such an
extent in order to rid my country from all kinds of corruptions and irregularities. In fact, it is
because of this ‘daredevil” magistrate that the government of my country has managed to collect
a huge sum of tax money from greedy and corrupted individuals and business enterprises who
had been evading paying taxes for many years.
This powerful government official travels from one corner of the country to another, and with
him goes all the TV crews and journalists because he is a like a “celebrity” now because of his
bold activities to rid my country from all kinds of crimes. No wonder that he is always on the
news these days.
Anyway, I want to meet this person, mainly because it would be quite an honour for me to meet
such a patriotic person who risks his life almost on a daily basis for the betterment of his country.
I would like to meet him also because I would like to ask him what exactly motivated him to
become such a fearless soul.
Describe a website you have bought something from.
You should say:
 what the website is

 what you bought from this website
 how satisfied you were with what you bought
and explain what you liked and disliked about using this website.
Model Answer:
I don’t normally try to buy anything from websites for some obvious reasons even though I like
to visit them from time to time just for the sake of passing my time. But, the other day, I did use
a website to buy something, and today, I would like to talk about that website to you.
The name of the website, I used in order to buy a pair of jeans, is called www.levi.co.id. Of
course, I had visited this website a few times but never really felt the need to buy anything from
it as I am more into buying things by visiting the physical stores. But, this time, I visited the
website because I desperately needed to buy a pair of jeans that would fit me.
By the way, it is not really easy to find my size, especially, if it is a pair of jeans pants because I
am considerably thinner than the average person. So, I actually have to spend a significant
amount of time, trying to find a pair of trousers from store to store, that would fit perfectly on
me. But, this time around, I was struggling, even more, to find my size as I couldn’t find my size
even after visiting a few shops in my city, and it was at that time, I decided to visit
www.levi.co.id to find my jeans. Luckily, I found exactly what I needed as the website had a lot
more collections of jeans than I had ever imagined! I felt like the website knew exactly what I
was looking for, and thus helping me navigate through it seamlessly. So, it was indeed a very
satisfactory experience.
Anyway, what I liked most about this website was that it had a rather simple but very effective
design with very easy navigational features. Besides, I also liked the fact that it, unlike many
other websites, offered a “cash on delivery” payment option for people like me who didn’t have
any credit cards.
Describe a very difficult task that you succeeded in doing as part of your work or
studies.
You should say:
 what task you did

 why this task was very difficult
 how you worked on this task
and explain how you felt when you had successfully completed this task.
Model Answer:
Well, this difficult task, I am talking about, may not sound like a “difficult” task at all to many,
but as far I am concerned, saying “no” to a very good customer for the sake of saving some
money for my previous company was one of the most difficult tasks at work that I had ever had
to deal with.
Anyway, to give you a bit more details, I used to work as a Senior Customer Relation Manager
for a big retail clothing outlet in my country in the past. Everything was great about that previous
company of mine except that it would change the price tags on its clothes fairly regularly. Of
course, this changing of price tags wouldn’t really be much of an issue if the junior staffs were
always careful enough to get rid of the wrong price tags. But, unfortunately, the junior staffs
would fail to do so once in a while, and as a result, I would sometimes need to offer an
explanation as to why my store was charging a higher price for an item even though, it had a
cheaper price tag. This would lead to some unpleasant arguments with my customers as I would
need to say “no” to the cheaper price. Needless to say, it was a very difficult situation for me as it
was a matter of “credibility” issue for me and my company.
But, then, slowly but surely, I learned to talk firmly to the customers, explaining to them about
the policies and practices of my company in rational and understandable terms so that they
would never question our credibility and business ethics. My polite but firm talk finally helped
me and my company gain back the trust of customers.
Anyway, after succeeding in handling that ongoing difficult task, I felt really relieved. I also felt
the virtue of polite and calm conversation as it were these two things that finally helped me take
care of such a difficult task without anybody’s help.
Describe a very difficult task that you succeeded in doing as part of your work or
studies.
You should say:
 what task you did

 why this task was very difficult
 how you worked on this task
and explain how you felt when you had successfully completed this task.
Model Answer:
Well, this difficult task, I am talking about, may not sound like a “difficult” task at all to many,
but as far I am concerned, saying “no” to a very good customer for the sake of saving some
money for my previous company was one of the most difficult tasks at work that I had ever had
to deal with.
Anyway, to give you a bit more details, I used to work as a Senior Customer Relation Manager
for a big retail clothing outlet in my country in the past. Everything was great about that previous
company of mine except that it would change the price tags on its clothes fairly regularly. Of
course, this changing of price tags wouldn’t really be much of an issue if the junior staffs were
always careful enough to get rid of the wrong price tags. But, unfortunately, the junior staffs
would fail to do so once in a while, and as a result, I would sometimes need to offer an
explanation as to why my store was charging a higher price for an item even though, it had a
cheaper price tag. This would lead to some unpleasant arguments with my customers as I would
need to say “no” to the cheaper price. Needless to say, it was a very difficult situation for me as it
was a matter of “credibility” issue for me and my company.
But, then, slowly but surely, I learned to talk firmly to the customers, explaining to them about
the policies and practices of my company in rational and understandable terms so that they
would never question our credibility and business ethics. My polite but firm talk finally helped
me and my company gain back the trust of customers.
Anyway, after succeeding in handling that ongoing difficult task, I felt really relieved. I also felt
the virtue of polite and calm conversation as it were these two things that finally helped me take
care of such a difficult task without anybody’s help.
Describe something you liked very much which you bought for your home.
You should say:
 what you bought

 when and where you bought it
 why you chose this particular thing
and explain why you liked it so much.

Model Answer:
I have never really been one of those “family” persons who understand the household need of a
family, especially, when it comes to buying anything. But, still, I take my chances and buy things
from time to time, just like I did about a few months ago, which I not only liked but also, I think,
made my “fussy” mother proud.
This thing, which I really liked and still like very much now, is a sandwich maker machine.
Now, I don’t really think that the idea of buying a sandwich maker would ever come to me if I
hadn’t visited a very popular tourist spot in my country about a few months ago and saw a very
busy street food store using a very nice looking sandwich making machine to prepare her
sandwiches. After trying a sandwich, and a very tasty one too in that, from that street food
corner, I told to myself that I had to have one of those sandwich toasters. So, the same day, I
headed to a big electronics appliance store and bought the same type of sandwich maker.
By the way, the price of this machine was a bit on the more expensive side since it was made by
one of the most prestigious electronics appliance companies in the world. It looked really nice
with its shiny black colour and it had a very attractive looking handle. But, the main reason, of
course, for buying this particular thing was that it would help my mother and sisters-in-law to
make some fresh snacks and serve them to our guests instead of offering them some old and
“junk” snacks.
Anyway, I liked it so much, mainly because it could prepare some tasty sandwiches with all
kinds of fills in them in a few minutes, and thus saving a lot of hassle and time in the process. I
liked it also because it didn’t only look very fancy, but also very durable for rough use.
Describe a book that you enjoyed reading because you had to think a lot.
You should say:
 what this book was

 why you decided to read it
 what reading this book made you think about
and explain why you enjoyed reading this book.
Model Answer:
I have had the opportunity to read many books that made me think a lot. But, none of those
books really made me think on such a grand scale as the book “An inconvenient truth”, written
by former US vice president Mr Al Gore in the year 2006.
Anyway, I decided to read this book after I saw a very important documentary on TV, talking
about how my country, including many other low-lying coastal regions of the world, would
submerge under the water because of global warming and rise in the sea level while giving
references from a book called “An inconvenient truth”.
It was a 328-page book, but it certainly was a treasure-trove of information on the climate and
environmental system of our entire planet. One of the most interesting parts of this book is the
side effects that technology has on the Earth, even though it has brought so much improvement
to our life. The book also goes on to saying how a hundred and fifty years ago, before the
invention of the electric light bulb, the world at night was dark. But, of course, technology hasn’t
always been used wisely, as the book said.
Anyway, in the book, the author also talked about his personal experiences with the change in
today’s society and how it affects the world around him. But, what really made me think and also
very much worried about the information on this book is that even though, we have only one
planet as our home, each of us is actually destroying it, without even realizing it, in order to feed
our unabated greed!
Anyway, I enjoyed reading this book, mainly because it told us how dangerous we, the human
species really are, for our own good. I enjoyed reading this book also because it didn’t only talk
about the deadly climate change issues, which our planet was dealing with, but also spelt out
what each and every one of us could do to save it from complete destruction.
Describe a person who is helpful to others.
You should say:

 how you know him/her
 whether you met him/her
and explain why you think this person is helpful to others.
Model Answer:
I would first take the opportunity to thank you for this nice topic. I have someone in my mind
whom I consider a great human being who is always helpful to others.
This helpful person is Mr Albert and he is a friend of my uncle, Paul. Mr Albert is a businessman
but he seems equally interested and engaged in philanthropic works. I admire him because of his
dedication to helping homeless children and spending his own money to make sure these
homeless children get the expected education at night school. In his late 40s, he is still very
energetic and a father of two children.
Since he is a friend of my uncle, I have seen him visit our house on many occasions. In fact, I
have seen him and known him from my childhood. He is always a soft-spoken and well-behaved
person, and he taught me how to play chess when I was eight or nine years old. I have learned
more about this great person when I started high school as our headmaster told a lot about Mr
Albert and his benevolent deeds for humanity.
I think Mr Albert is a helpful person because he has dedicated his time, energy and wealth to
help others. In our society, we need more people like him who would act selflessly to help
people in need. I have seen him work for homeless people, especially homeless children, and he
still works hard to make sure these underprivileged children get some opportunity to change their
fates.
Describe a film/movie actor from your country who is very popular.
You should say:
 who this actor is

 what kinds of films/movies he/she acts in
 what you know about this actor’s life
and explain why this actor is so popular.
Model Answer 1:
There are a number of actors from my country who are very popular among the people, but very
few of them is as popular as
Keanu Reeves
. So, today, I would like to talk about this great actor who has remained a poster boy of the
Hollywood film industry for almost three decades.
Keanu Reeves is a Canadian actor, producer, director and musician who was born in 1964. After
starting his film career in 1984, he soon rose to his fame for his starring roles in several
blockbuster films, including comedies from the Bill and Ted franchise (1989–present); action
thrillers Point Break (1991), Speed (1994), and the John Wick franchise (2014–present);
psychological thriller The Devil's Advocate (1997); supernatural action horror Constantine
(2005); and sci-fi action series The Matrix (1999–present). He has also appeared in drama films
such as Dangerous Liaisons (1988), My Own Private Idaho (1991), and Little Buddha (1993), as
well as the romantic horror Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992).
Therefore, it is fair to suggest that he is one of those gifted actors who excel in all kinds of acting
and movies. Anyway, even though, Keanu Reeves has enjoyed a very successful professional
life, his personal life has gone through some tragic incidents. For example, his daughter died
only a week before she was supposed to be born. A couple of years later, he lost the woman, he
loved so dearly, in a car accident. Notably, even though, this actor has enjoyed such success in
his career, he doesn’t live a very lavish and glamorous life like many other stars.
Anyway, Keanu Reeves is so popular, mainly because he always seems to be himself and so
natural in all the movies, he acts. Besides, he lives a rather modest life for such a successful
Hollywood star. In fact, he even openly claims that he doesn’t find much happiness in luxury
mansions and expensive cars. His generosity in giving charity also makes him a very popular
person. In fact, he has set up a cancer charity while also donating $80 million of his $114 million
earning from his movie “The Matrix”.
Sample Answer 2:
I am from a little Indian town and my country is famous for making great movies. Movie actors
are highly revered in my country and they are idols for thousands of youths and adults alike.
Now getting back to my favourite actor - it has to be
Aamir Khan
who is also known as the "Mr Perfectionist". His full name is Mohammed Aamir Hussain Khan
and he is a much esteemed Indian actor, filmmaker and television talk-show host.
Well, Mr Aamir has a very diverse acting career and he has acted (and still acting) in many
genres of movies including romantic, comedy, drama, romantic comedy, historical drama, thriller
and so on. He still acts in major Bollywood films. Some of his biggest hit movies are "Qayamat
Se Qayamat Tak", "Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar", "Lagaan", "3 Idiots", "Taare Zameen Par" and
"PK".
Well, I've read a few comprehensive articles about this actor, and according to these articles, he
started acting at a very young age and his family went through financial hardship despite being
related to the film-making industry. It was so difficult a situation that he was at risk to be
expelled from school due to the non-payment of school fees. He also played tennis and became a
state-level champion. His early acting career was also challenging and once he was recognised as
a talented actor, he never had to look back. He is one of the richest actors in India now and
brand-ambassador for big brands like Coca-Cola, Samsung, Snapdeal and Tata Sky. Mr Khan is
married to Kiran Rao and the father of three children.
Due to his powerful acting and appearance in impressive films over a time of 3 decades in Hindi
movies, he has successfully established himself as one of the most popular and influential actors
in India. His standing for humanitarian, social and political causes also makes him so popular.
Khan was awarded the "Padma Bhushan" in 2010, one of the Indian government’s highest
civilian awards and mass people love him for his acting, personality and attitude.
You should say:

 what type of business he/she runs
 how you learned about him/her
and explain why you admire this business person.
Model Answer:
After learning about crony capitalism and the insane profiteering scheme of the business persons,
I try not to become too personally close to a businessman. At least, not close enough to admire
them. However, just as there always is an exception to the rule or norm, there may be some
businessmen also, who deserve our admiration.
Mr Zayed Bakht is one such business person. The only reason, for which, I have chosen to talk
about this person is that I have known this gentleman for a long time. In fact, I have known him
for more than 20 years since the time when my mother fell ill, and I needed to buy some
medicines from his pharmacy store. Since then, I have seldom visited any other pharmacy stores
in order to buy any medicines. In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to suggest that Mr Bakht is
like a family pharmacy person to us as all of my family members and most of my relatives visit
his store to buy all kinds of medicines.
Of course, a lot has changed in his business, since the time when I met him for the first time, as
today, he has more employees to work for him, in a store which twice as big today as it was
before 20 years. That actually shows how hard-working of a person he really is. In fact, many
days, I have seen him running his store all by himself from 8 am to 11 pm. Anyway, this mild-
mannered pharmacy owner has such a great memory that he hardly ever forgets about a customer
who has visited his store at some point.
Anyway, I admire this business person, mainly because I have always seen him charging much
fewer profits on his medicines than many other pharmacies in the town. Besides, he is always
respectful to the wishes of his customers, especially, when it comes to choosing the medicines of
a particular brand or company. Finally, I admire this person because he is very sincere about his
customers as he never forgets to ask them about their well beings.
Describe an important conversation that has brought a positive change in your

life.
You should say:
 whom you have had this conversation with

 how long this conversation was
 why you had this conversation
and explain how this conversation has brought a positive change in your life.
Model Answer:
Thank you for this great topic. It was a time when I had just completed high school. So naturally,
it was time for me to decide in which direction I should pursue my file. So I went to my father
for his advice as he, in my opinion, could really help me out.
My father does not rush about anything. So we started the conversation at a slow pace and he
knew I was up to something important. We talked about many options, like "business studies" if
I would want to do any corporate or bank job. If I would want to be a teacher, then I should go
for art, history, geography, even social studies. To be a doctor I should study medical science at a
medical college in my country. We talked over all these matters for over a week and after that, I
decided to go to medical college.
I was very glad to have this conversation with my father, or should I say a few conversations at
different times in a week, because it was not an easy decision for me to make. This goal required
a lot of hard work and determination. I had to pass the medical college entrance examination
which was not an easy admission test at all. Only the most brilliant students with great academic
results usually pass the tests. Besides, after passing the entrance examination, I'd have to leave
my homely environment and have to stay in the medical college's dormitory which was a big
step for me.
After I got admission to one of the medical colleges, all my hard work was paid off. At that time
I felt so blessed about the fact that I had that conversation with my dad and he advised me the
best. His words provided me with the direction which I needed for my life at that time. In fact,
the conversation helped me realize the fact that to live a quality of life, we should have a
successful career and doctors enjoy one of the best and most respected careers in my country.
Describe a radio programme that you find interesting.
You should say:
 what type of programme it is

 how often you listen to this programme
 when you listen to it
and explain why you think this particular radio programme is so interesting.
Model Answer:
After seeing the widespread use of television, I thought that radio was going to be extinct sooner
rather than later. But, with the introduction of FM radio as well as some interesting programmes,
aired by them, it looks like radio is trying to make a comeback. However, today, I would like to
talk about one such programme, which I find really interesting.
It is a programme on “improving communication skills” for young job seekers. I have been
listening to this programme for about a year, which is aired at around 7:00 pm on Saturday every
week. The programme, consisting of 3 different segments, runs for about an hour.
In the first segment of the programme, a group of successful professionals from different job
sectors joins the host of this programme where the professionals try to answer different kinds of
“communication” related questions in light of their professional experience. Sometimes,
participating professionals also try to explain different communication protocols for different
industries. In the second segment of the programme, the audience of the programme gets to ask
the guest professionals an array of professional communication-related questions which are then
answered as clearly as possible, one after another, by the participants.
In the third and final part of the program, which I like the most, a mock-up conversation takes
place in a professional set up among different professional individuals in order to highlight the
errors in communication as well as correct them in real-time. At the end of the programme, the
host leaves the programme after asking some quizzes to the followers of this programme in order
for them to be answered via mail or email in the following week.
Anyway, I think, this particular radio programme is really interesting because it has managed to
show how effective communication can change our professional life and experience. Besides, I
find it interesting also because, among many other things, this programme also teaches us that
majority of our world’s problems would have just vanished instantly if we had known how to
communicate with each other properly.
Describe a situation when someone did not tell you the complete truth.
You should say:
 when it was
 who did not tell you the complete truth
 how you later learned about it
and explain how you felt about it.
Model Answer:
I was always taught to tell the whole truth, as opposed to the partial truth, as it always minimises
the possibility of a misunderstanding. But, still, some people often go for this kind of partial
truth, just as it happened to me a few years ago.
It happened about 5 years ago, when I had just graduated from university, and I was desperately
searching for some kinds of internships or jobs. But, unfortunately, things were not looking too
bright for me as my country was going through some kind of recession back then. But, still, I
kept trying.
Anyway, while I was continuing my job search, I received a phone call from one of my
university batch-mates who informed me about a forthcoming job fair which was supposed to
take place at a local hotel in my hometown. I was really happy to hear the news, but, sadly, I fell
sick with terrible stomach flu on the day when the job fair was supposed to take place and thus
missing the opportunity to attend it.
A couple of days later, I called the person to tell him about what really had happened to me. In
response, he told me that he couldn’t attend the job fair either, but he was still able to leave his
CV at the hotel reception a day later because the companies wanted to give all the missing
candidates, who had already registered their names at the hotel reception ahead of the schedule,
another opportunity to apply. Later, of course, I found out that batch mate knew it all along
except that he just didn’t care to explain it to me.
Not sure, why my university batch-mate chose to do this, but I felt a bit betrayed and
disappointed with such behaviour. However, I also felt that I was a bit stupid on my part as well
because I didn’t care to gather all the necessary information about the job fair by asking
important questions, instead of just visiting the hotel reception to get registered for a spot.
Describe an interesting talk or a lecture you have heard.
You should say:
 when it was
 what you learned from it
and explain why you think this was an interesting talk/lecture.
Model Answer:
I have had the opportunity to hear many interesting talks or discussions in my “not-so” long life,
which were both intellectually and philosophically stimulating. But, they were not as intriguing
as this particular talk, which I am about to describe, as it had kept me thinking for a long time.
The talk place about 5 years ago, when I still was a university student, at a public library. Back
then, I used to visit a public library in my hometown almost regularly, as I loved to read different
types of newspapers and books while exchanging my views and opinions on an array of issues
with the like-minded people there. By the way, I didn’t have any access to a computer or the
internet back then to help me read news online. So, one day, when I was busy looking at the
newspaper pages, one of my “acquaintances” there asked me what would have happened if the
whole world was only one country with no border, passport or visa restrictions.
I simply stared at him as I didn’t have any clue about how to answer the question. Of course, it
was not the first time that he had asked me such a “radical” question, but I found this one to be
the most intriguing of all the questions, he had previously asked. So, I asked him back the same
question again to get some “rational” answer. In response, he told me that the whole world would
cease to exist because we would be too busy fighting with each other and destroying ourselves in
the process. Initially, I didn’t agree with him, but later on, I was convinced that he was right after
carefully ‘scrutinizing’ our violent, past human history.
It was an interesting talk because even though, on the surface, the idea of having a “border-free”
world would sound “exciting” and tempting, the reality is that this very ‘border” has put a
“check” on our “inherent and natural instinct” to overpower and destroy each other. Besides, the
talks also proved that we humans don’t necessarily always know what is exactly best for us.
Describe a time when you needed to repair a broken item.
You should say:

 when it was
 what item it was
 how you managed to fix/repair it
and explain how you felt after you had it repaired.
Model Answer:
I usually like to handle things, be them valuable or not, with great care. Therefore, it wouldn’t be
an exaggeration to say that I hardly ever need to repair anything – the things which I personally
use – except on an occasion when I needed to repair my smartphone.
It happened about a couple of years ago at a time when I was walking on the side of a busy road
in my hometown. Walking on the side of a road itself wouldn’t be much of a problem if I wasn’t
also busy talking on my smartphone at the same time. We all know how dangerous it can get if
we are not careful enough when using our mobile phones on a busy road. Anyway, so, when I
was busy talking on my smartphone, a young boy hit me from behind with his bicycle. As soon
as the boy hit me, I lost control and eventually dropped my phone. It was a strong and versatile
device, but not strong enough to sustain the “crushing pressure” of a running private car, as its
display and touch screen were both broken in seconds.
But, I wasn’t ready to let go of my little old electronic gadget, which I had kept safe for about 3/4
years, just yet. So, I decided to take it to a phone technician, only to find out that he didn’t have
any spare parts of this device anywhere in my country, as it was an old model. However, he also
told me that if I was ready to allow him extra time, he could buy the “display” and “touch
screen” from another country to fix my phone. I told him to go ahead and do whatever it would
take to fix my phone.
Anyway, after repairing my phone, I was finally able to have a “part of me” back in my life, as I
had carried the little device for a long time through thick and thin. Besides, I also told myself that
I certainly would be more careful in using my mobile phone from that point on.
Describe a sport you have watched on TV and would like to try.
You should say:
 what sport it is
 how it is played
 whether you have ever tried it
and explain why you are interested in trying this sport.

Model Answer:
I don’t really watch sports on TV much because, most of the times, they show such sports which
I don’t really enjoy. However, I do like to watch a sport from time to time, which I consider
being more “gentlemanly” game, because it doesn’t involve that much physical activity or
efforts.
The name of this sport is “pool” which is considered by many as a popular “billiards” game of
British origin. This sport is played on a rectangular, wooden-table, covered with a green cloth,
which has 4 pockets in each of its corner and two pockets in the middle of the longer sides of the
table. This game is also called a “cue sport” that originated among the British people during the
15th century.
Anyway, this “8 ball pool”, and perhaps the most popular form of “pool”, is played one against
one, and the size of the balls and tables are regulated. The table, measuring 4ft x 8ft, is just under
3 feet high while the hard balls, 15 in number, are made from “Phenolic resin”. By the way, these
hard balls are approximately 2.7 inches in diameter. In this sport, a white ball is also used to hit
the other 15 hard balls, including a solid black ball, in the pockets of the table with the help of a
“cue stick” (usually made by “wood” also). Once, 8 balls of a particular colour are sent in the
pockets by a player, he or she would need to finally drop the “black” ball ahead of his or her
opponent, in order to win the game. By the way, I have already tried this sport a couple of times.
Anyway, I want to try this sport, mainly because it doesn’t involve too much physical activities
which is very important when people can get sick if they do not maintain social distancing during
the time of Covid 19 pandemic. Besides, another great advantage of this sport is that I can
actually enjoy my favourite food or snacks while playing this sport in a rather relaxing manner.
Finally, it is a “social” game which allows us to befriend with people from all walks of life,
young and old, male and female, alike.
Describe a public facility (park, school, theatre etc) that has been recently opened
in your locality.
You should say:
 what facility it is
 when it was opened
 how important it was to have it
and explain how this facility will help people in your locality.
Model Answer 1:
I live in a rather large locality that is shared by people from all walks of life, background and
professions. While there is no shortage of civic facilities, including paved roads and streets,
sidewalks, sewers, water lines and street lighting, in my locality, it didn’t have any public park
facility. But, we got that one too recently.
As I've just mentioned, the public park has opened recently, about a couple of months ago, with
the help of our local government and Mayor. The park has a beautiful structure and a large area.
This park, covered with a huge chunk of green grass all over and many beautiful trees, is nicely
organized in different areas for different age groups. For example, on one side of the park, there
are small playgrounds for children while on the other side of the park, there are large areas for
adults to play different kinds of sports. The park also provides facilities for walking, biking and
other activities. For people, who just like to relax and have some snacks, the park also has a few
snack corners and picnic spots. However, the best thing about this park, as far as I am concerned,
is that it is close to a nice body of water (not a lake) in which, people can have some pure fun by
riding on the boats. Finally, this park is also an ideal place for feeling relaxed while looking at
the beautiful cherry flowers. After spending some time in this beautiful park, seeing how people
were enjoying their time, I realized that it was very important to have this public park.
Anyway, I am really glad to have this park because it would allow the residents in our locality to
spend some quality time in the open by becoming close to Mother Nature. Besides, this public
facility would also help us mingle with each other and socialize among ourselves without visiting
too far from our home or visiting some community centre for some recreational activities.
Finally, it would also improve our overall quality of life by ensuring a better natural environment
around us.
Describe a special day/date in your country's history.
You should say:
 what day/date it is
 what happened on that day/date
 how this day/date is observed
and explain why this is a special day/date in your country's history.
Model Answer 1:
Japan, as a nation, has a long history that has helped us become the strong “Japan” we are today.
Anyway, while there are a number of special dates in the history of my country, I would like to
specifically mention one of them here.
It is called “The Hiroshima Day”, which is being observed on the 6th of August every year since
the year 1947, in order to commemorate the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, a
major Japanese city in the southwestern Honshu region. People in Japan consider this day as one
of the darkest days in their history because an atomic bomb was dropped on us on this very day
which wiped out around 90% of the city, instantly killing around 80,000 people while also
leaving around 35,000 people injured. The effects of this destruction were so devastating that
tens of thousands even more died later on because of the radiation and burn. This terrible
incident eventually forced the Japanese government to surrender unconditionally to the allied
forces at the end of the Second World War.
The day is marked with the observation of a minute of silence at 8:15 am, because that’s the
exact hour when the bomb was dropped, followed by the speeches of the Prime Minister of
Japan, the Mayor of Hiroshima and other noteworthy figures in the presence of local citizens and
visitors, as well as the ambassadors and dignitaries from around the world. Later in the evening,
a lantern ceremony is also organized in order to lighten up an otherwise sombre occasion by
floating thousands of paper lanterns, carrying written messages of peace on a local river.
This is a special day in our history because it offers us a sense of togetherness and solidarity
among our fellow citizens. The day doesn’t only remind us about our past mistakes but also carry
forward our desire for a sense of world peace. Finally, the occasion also allows us to honour the
death of thousands of innocent people who probably had nothing to do with the most destructive
war in human history.
Describe a remote place you wish to visit in the future.
You should say:
 where it is
 when you plan to visit there
 what you plan to do there
and explain why you wish to visit this remote place.
Model Answer 1:
I wish that I had a lot of money and free time to visit the famous and beautiful places of this
world, whether they are close to my home or some remote places because they all stimulate our
minds and hearts one way or another. However, today, I would like to talk about a remote place
which I wish to visit in the next couple of years, if not earlier.
The place is called “Dubai”. Located in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula and on the
coast of the Persian Gulf, Dubai has been considered a major global city and the business hub of
Western Asia for more than a century. At first glance, Dubai, home to the tallest building in the
world called “the Burj Khalifa”, would very rightly represent itself as the face of a modern
'UAE', with an ever-changing skyline of new developments, from striking glass and concrete
towers to gracious modern buildings by combining the traditional Arabian architectural motifs
and features in perfect harmony.
Once I visit this gorgeous city, I would certainly want to explore the vast and empty desert where
the “Bedouins” once roamed freely. I would also like to get the 360-degree view of the entire
Dubai city from the world’s highest observation deck at a vertiginous 555m which is located
inside the “Burj Khalifa” tower. Then, of course, I would also like to visit the busiest mall in the
world called the “Dubai Mall” and then enjoy some fine international cuisines from the
restaurants there before hitting some famous Dubai sea beaches.
Anyway, I would like to visit this place, primarily because Dubai is probably the only city in the
world that embraces a wide variety of scenery in a very small area in such a fine yet contrasting
manner. In fact, these very contrasts offer this great city its unique flavour and personality, and
cosmopolitan society with a very vibrant international lifestyle, yet with a culture that is deeply
rooted in the Islamic traditions of Arabia unlike any other place in the world.
Describe a child with whom you had an interesting conversation.
You should say:
 who the child was

 how often you meet him/her
and explain why you think the conversation you had with this child was interesting.
Model Answer 1:
Children are constantly changing and developing new preferences, fears, thoughts and emotions.
But, for the very same reasons, they can be interesting also. Even some conversations with them
sometimes can be rather amusing. Today, I would like to talk about one such conversation with a
child which, I thought, was fascinating.
His full name is “Zulqar Seikh”, about 4/5 years old, and he also happens to be the nephew of
one of my friends. I met Zulqar about a few months ago at a local stadium when his uncle (my
friend) brought the boy with him in order to watch a football match. Since then, I have met
Zulqar (along with my friend) several times already at a local park, which I also happen to visit
almost every weekend, when he used to practice riding his tricycle. By the way, his uncle uses to
supervise his cycle riding practice. But, one day, when I was casually accompanying Zulqar and
supervising him in riding his tricycle in the park, I asked him if he really liked riding his cycle.
In response, Zulqar said that he didn’t like it as he rather preferred to fly an aeroplane so that he
could find out about the “aliens” in the sky. But, when I told him that it was not easy at all to fly
an aeroplane, and there was nothing called “aliens”, he very smartly said that I couldn’t have
possibly known about aliens because I had never flown an aeroplane into the sky before.
Needless to say, his smart response essentially “shut” me up for a while.
I think the conversation was interesting because the little boy reminded of a very popular adage
in my country which said: “no conclusion without proper investigation” in reference to the
conclusion that “there is nothing called “aliens”. Besides, I also didn’t expect a little boy of that
age to know that one would actually need to fly into the sky to find aliens instead of searching
them on the earth, which I thought was pretty smart.
Sample Answer 2:
Many people love to spend time with children and I am one of them who love to be with them
due to their extraordinary charms. Recently, I met a child on my way back home from the office
and the child was smarter than this age group, or at least this is what I thought. He was a five-
year-old boy who had a smart way of responding to every question.
Initially, I did not have any intention to engage in a conversation with the boy. But gradually, I
discovered that the baby was highly intelligent. He was replying craftily to his father’s questions
and that grabbed my attention. Besides, when I had eye contact with him, he smiled and looked
at me for a while. So I started to talk to him casually.
Well, I sometimes see the boy and his father on the bus but I do not know them socially or
personally. As for how often I meet him, I would say once in a while when coincidentally he and
his father sit next to me.
I did not have any idea that a baby of his age can discuss issues of playing cricket with friends.
He has several friends who play cricket with him. And he was planning to get some playing
gears. I asked him which one he loved and his reply was amazing. He was aware of the pros and
cons of a cricket bat and smartly selects his piece. Moreover, he also knew almost all the rules of
cricket games and it appeared interesting to me. I have never seen a boy before to be so
interested in sports, especially cricket. The conversation that I had with him lasted for around 20
minutes and I was baffled by the experience.
Describe a time when you gave someone some money as a gift.
You should say:
 when it was
 whom you gave it
 what occasion it was
and explain why you gave some money to this person as a gift.
Model Answer 1:
I like to give gifts to my family, friends and relatives on different occasions whenever I get an
opportunity. These gifts, of course, could be anything, from a nice gift card and flowers to some
fancy objects. But, today, I would like to talk about a time when I offered money as a gift.
It was about a couple of years ago when the birthday of my best friend’s nephew was
approaching. The boy was about 6 years old who I used to treat just like my own nephew. But,
he wasn’t exactly like other boys of his age as he didn’t have much liking for things like nice
shoes, dresses or expensive bicycles. Instead, he liked to collect interesting books with nice
pictures of animals from all over the world. He also liked to collect books that contained
information on beautiful places, oceans and mountains. I guess that the boy really liked “nature”
even if it means spending the whole day watching the activities of fishes and frogs in a lake.
So, anyway, when I asked the little boy what kinds of gifts he preferred for his upcoming
birthday, I was desperately hoping that he would ask for something else other than some
“unique” books because I was too busy at that time to find a nice book for him. But, the little boy
had no intention to understand my “desperation” as he decided to ask me exactly what I didn’t
want to hear. Yes, it was indeed a “book”, again. However, this time, I wanted to be a bit
“innovative” with my gift idea and decided to offer him money as a “gift”, which he didn’t mind.
Anyway, I chose “money” as a gift because I didn’t really have much time back then to go
around the book shops and look for the books which the little boy really preferred. Besides, I
also wanted the boy to act like some other kids of his age so that he also could have the ‘liberty’
to like and buy something else other than books.
Sample Answer 2:
Well, thank you for this nice topic and it reminds me of a day in September 2019 when I gave a
hundred dollar bill to my niece. In fact, she wanted a gift for her 14th birthday, so I gave her
some money as I was unable to manage time to get a gift for her and wanted to buy her
something of her choice.
Samantha is a sixth-grader at a local school in New York and she loves to play video games,
collect stamps, read books and travel with her parents whenever possible. Participating in
extracurricular activities is also something she likes a lot. On that occasion, I came to know that
she was planning to get some travelling gears that she had found online. So I gave her the money
so that she could buy something she wanted.
She is very adorable and we love her very much. So whenever her birthday approaches, we all
try to give her a nice gift. But being a university student and a part-time researcher, I need to
spend busy days. In fact, I was out of town before her birthday and when I returned just the day
before her birthday, I gave her the money so that she could buy the sports gears she showed me
online.
She was surprised and happy when I gave her the gift and told her about it. I felt so happy too.
Describe a moment when you felt proud of your friend’s success.
You should say:
 what the friend achieved

 when it happened
 how your friend accomplished it
and explain why you thought it was a success and felt proud.
Model Answer 1:
We all feel happy and honoured about the success stories of our families and friends, whether
they are big or small. But, some success stories make us even more proud because they are
achieved under some trying circumstances. Today, I would like to talk about one such success,
which was achieved by my friend about 4 years ago.
Kim Lee, my college friend, always liked to maintain a “low” profile for as long as I had known
him. So, when he told me one day that he would run for the post of a local “Councillor” in the
following local city council election, I couldn’t quite believe him. Then, he assured me that he
was really serious about his plan. But the more I reminded him about his “low profile”
personality and the lack of “popularity”, the stronger he felt about winning the election.
So, I just stopped trying to convince him and decided to join him instead to help him pursue his
“political ambition”. Anyway, we started our electoral promotion by visiting each and every
resident in our area, including people from all walks of life, background and professions. Kim
also wanted to publish “advertisements” in local newspapers as well as post some “leaflets” to
spread the election news except, of course, the problem was that he just didn’t have enough
money. On the other hand, Kim’s parents didn’t want to go along with his “crazy” plan, so he
couldn’t expect any financial help from them either. So, Kim sold his favourite “sound box” and
a few other “valuable” belongings to pay for his election campaign. Of course, it was not
enough, but, my friend still managed to win the election!
Anyway, I think it was a success because the “electability” of my friend was close to “zero” due
to the fact that he wasn’t even remotely as popular and “aggressive” as the other candidates.
Besides, it required a certain amount of funds to run for the election which my friend didn’t
have. Finally, it was a success because he turned his “low profile” personality to his advantage
rather brilliantly.
Sample Answer 2:
Success is always desired, everywhere. Everyone is after it but not all of them can achieve it. At
times, the enjoyment is even higher when someone close to us becomes successful. My close
college buddy Leonardo was successful in attaining a German scholarship a couple of years ago
and it made me excited and proud.
About a couple of years ago, Leo told me that he was going to apply for a scholarship at a
German university. I was wondering why he preferred Germany for the scholarship. In fact, we
do have some great universities here in Spain and thereby his decision to go to Germany
surprised me.
Anyway, Leo applied for a scholarship; in fact, he applied to four universities in total and owing
to a moderate academic background, it was tough for him to accommodate himself at any
reputed German university for higher studies. But, Leonardo worked really hard to prepare all
the required papers, translated them into German, learned basic German, was interviewed by
teachers over the phone and finally sent different writings to these universities. His effort was
finally paid off when he achieved a scholarship at one of the best universities in Germany.
Truly, it was a success for Leo. He had to study the German language for at least six months and
it was challenging. Besides, he cut off his online time and fought against many odds and finally,
he won the battle. He is an international student at one of the most reputed German universities
now. And he promised to get a better academic career this time, and, in fact, he is doing exactly
that! Considering all these aspects, I think it was a big success for him. Since he was a close
friend of mine, I was very happy to see him fulfil his dream.
Describe a website you use that helps you a lot in your work or studies.
You should say:
 what the website is

 how often you use this website
 what information the website gives you
and explain how your work or studies would change if this website didn't exist.
Model Answer 1:
We should absolutely thank Tim Berners-Lee, a British scientist at CERN, for inventing the
World Wide Web (WWW) in 1989. But, we should also be equally thankful to the websites like
“youtube.com” which have made the efforts of people like Tim Berners-Lee even more
revolutionizing and remarkable. But, here, I would like to talk about youtube.com, saving Mr
Tim Berners for another time.
Talking about youtube.com, it is one of the most popular video search engines in today’s world
which attract more than 2 billion users every month. In fact, youtube.com became the second-
most popular website in 2018 with more than 500 hours of video content which are being
uploaded to it every minute. Since starting its journey as a “video-sharing platform” in the year
2005, it has allowed us to view a countless number of videos, containing information on pretty
much all kinds of subjects, issues and interests, which a human could possibly think about and
imagine in today’s world.
As for me, I have been using this website for the last 8 years in order to learn an array of things,
from a particular food recipe to practising a foreign language to learning “karate”, by watching
some amazing videos on it. In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that a person can
practically learn about anything and become an expert just by watching videos on youtube.com.
This great website also offers “live streaming” facilities to its users.
I have benefitted a lot from this amazing website by learning a number of skills from its videos.
In fact, if this particular website didn’t exist, I wouldn’t be able to improve on my computer
coding skills and become a better computer programming professional. Besides, without this
particular website and some of its educational videos, my communication skills still would have
remained below standard. However, one of the best advantages of using this video sharing
platform is that I can actually keep in touch with many other like-minded professionals from the
same profession and ask for their feedback on many career-related issues.
Sample Answer 2:
I am a mobile technician based in Hong Kong and I often need to repair mobile phones for my
clients. At times, I need to check the IMEI of their devices. Without knowing the right IMEI, it is
not always possible to make the right decisions to fix those devices. So, I frequently need to visit
the www.imei.info website.
I need to use this website almost every day, seven to eight times at least, but there are no certain
counts. When my clients come with locked-in phones, I need to visit the site to know the details
of the device. I have to keep the site open on my computer for a long time sometimes due to the
rush of the clients.
This is a website that provides mobile phone related information. By visiting the website, anyone
can know about the IMEI details of any mobile phone. Besides, some additional information is
provided by this website which is handy at times. The site users can learn if the phone set is
stolen, blacklisted or comes with a country lock. You can fix software problems using the site
and within a short period of time. But you need to pay to get some premium service.
Well, if there were no such websites, it would have been tougher for me as a professional. Many
clients come with allegations that their phones are locked. In that case, I need to use this website
to unlock the phones. If this website or any other similar website did not exist, it would have
been tougher for me to work as a mobile technician.
Describe a person who has interesting ideas or opinions.
You should say:

 what interesting ideas/opinions he/she gives
and explain why you think that this person has interesting ideas/opinions.
Model Answer 1:
We all have our own ideas and opinions. However, not all of us are interested to share them with
others. But, some people are never afraid to share their ideas or opinions with others, be them
normal or radical. Today, I would like to talk about one such person who never seemed to be
short of any ideas or opinions!
He seemed to be just a regular guy. I met him rather casually at a book shop when I was trying to
buy a storybook for one of my little cousins. He started the conversation with me with a casual
enquiry about what kind of books I was buying. In response, I told him that I was looking for a
book on “fairytale” stories since my cousin was a little girl. He seemed to be a bit irritated with
my response and told me with a smiling face that I should have bought her a book on “how to
become a space scientist” instead. He also told me that books should be “free of cost” for
everyone to read so that we can build a “knowledgeable” nation instead of an “educated” one. I
didn’t feel like arguing with him because he sounded really interesting. So, he kept on going and
told me a lot of things, including how to judge a person by the “language” he or she uses, before
leaving the shop.
I think that the guy had some pretty interesting ideas as I also thought that one should be able to
get “important knowledge” or “life lessons” for free so that everyone can become a responsible
citizen. Besides, there is no proof that reading a fairytale storybook allows a person to achieve
her full potential, be it intellectually or professionally, and yet, for some “mysterious” reasons,
we keep feeding our children with such “gibberish”. As his opinion on “language”, I indeed have
found a lot of proof of that around me in the past except that I just didn’t care to find a
correlation between the language used by a person and his “level of intellect”.
Sample Answer 2:
Undoubtedly, not everyone comes with tons of amazing ideas and opinions. Only a few have an
acute sense of observation to analyze the situation and come up with remarks and ideas that are
astounding. Mac Robert is such an interesting and exceptional person who seems full of
fascinating opinions and ideas no matter when and what!
Almost three years ago, I had to visit a hardware store to purchase some materials for a new
project I was doing at university. After buying the items, I was set to leave the shop, and at that
moment, Mac Robert was entering the same store. I made room to let him in, but instead of
crossing me, he extended his helping hand to carry my goods. Usually, people are occupied with
their own business in my area and they do not bother to get involved with other people's business
except in some dire situations. But I found Robart quite different and this is how I met him and
knew him for the very first time. Later I met him on several other occasions and even worked
together on personal projects.
When he asked me about the things I had just purchased, I replied that I would use them for my
next science project. I had a plan to build a camera for surveillance that will be much cheaper
than the available cameras in the market. He then asked for my number! A week later he came to
my house and shared some innovative idea that was far better than my original idea. He
suggested many improvements and price-cut and to my amazement, he was full of unorthodox
and creative ideas.
Once I followed his plan, it was a great success. Usually, we all have our ideas but we are often
afraid to implement them. Robert is a bit different in this regard. He knows what to do and when
to do that. He not only came up with ideas at different times but also directed me to make several
projects successful. We also completed many personal projects together and some of his radical
ideas astonished me.
Describe a piece of clothing that you received as a gift.
You should say:
 what it was
 when you received it
 who gave it to you
and explain if this gift was important to you.
Model Answer 1:
In my “not-so” short life, I have received several gifts from my family, friends and relatives, and
all of them seemed to be special in one way or another. Today, I would like to talk about one
such gift, a “pair of jeans”, which was important to me.
Not sure, why people still call it a “pair of jeans” even though it is just one “piece of clothing”,
but whatever we choose to call it, I really liked my jeans pants when my uncle offered it to me as
a gift after graduating from my high school about 8 years ago. By the way, it was a rather
unexpected gift from my uncle as he was never really very fond of “jeans”. So, when I got the
gift, I actually had to ask my uncle to confirm that it was actually he who bought the pair of
jeans.
Anyway, it was great looking jeans, which came in 100% cotton and was dark navy blue in
colour. It fit me just perfectly, leaving enough space between my thigh areas in order to
manoeuvre my “bottom” part of my body freely. The pant had altogether about 6 pockets, if I
remember it correctly, and all of them were large enough and easily accessible to my rather big
palms. One of the most distinguishable features of that pair of jeans was that it was surprisingly
light in weight.
It was an important gift to me because I could wear it for any occasion. Besides, the colour of the
jeans was so “unique” that I could wear it with any kind of regular shirt or t-shirts of any colour.
Sometimes, I would even sleep in my jeans and still no ‘folds’ could be seen on it, and which
meant that I didn’t really have to worry about “ironing” it. However, the best thing about my
jeans is that I managed to wear it for a long period of time without causing any damage to it and
thus not worrying about spending any extra money on buying another pair of pants for a long
time.
Sample Answer 2:
Receiving a gift is always pleasant. Everyone loves to receive gifts and when it comes from one
of the closest buddies, the enjoyment is even more. Often the pleasure of receiving a gift is more
important than the gift itself. The same thing happened to me last Christmas when Samuel, my
close friend, presented me with an excellent t-shirt that I really liked. I was very much excited
both about the gift and the good gesture from my friend. After receiving the nicely printed T-
shirt, I thanked him generously.
I usually receive gifts on my birthdays and they come mostly from my family. So, when Samuel,
who rarely gives gifts to others, arrived at our home in Brussels, I was happy to see him just a
couple of days before Christmas. The enjoyment turned even higher when he gave me a
gorgeous looking t-shirt that he had picked for me from a branded shop.
Samuel is such a good friend and we virtually do everything together. We are undergraduate
students at Vesalius College and I know him for more than a few years. He is a brilliant student
with a sharp classy look. He is one of my best friends and we love to share lots of things.
The T-shirt that he gave me was merely a clothing item, but it was important as a token of
appreciation and affection from my friend. Samuel is a helpful and understanding person and I
value our friendship. So when he spent some time picking a gift for me just before Christmas, it
turned out to be one of the best gifts to me.
Describe an experience when you lost something.
You should say:
 what you lost

 how you lost it
 where you lost it
Model Answer 1:
Nobody really likes to lose anything, especially if it is valuable. But, despite our best efforts, we
do become careless sometimes and go through some frustrating experience of losing something.
Today, I would like to talk about one such experience.
Back in my university days, I always used to write with my fountain pen – a very nice looking
and shiny black pen – which I got, as a valuable gift from one of my uncles, after graduating
from high school. The pen had a nice and light golden colour pointy nib, and a very transparent
plastic tube feed that connected the “reservoir” (hiding the ink tube in the pen's handle).
Anyway, I used to carry my beautiful pen with me most of the time, whether I was going to the
library or just hanging out at a local café.
So, one day, about 4 years ago, when I was attending a “job fair”, I didn’t really think twice
before carrying my pen with me in the pocket of my shirt. But, after arriving at the job fair, I was
surprised to see it packed with thousands of prospective job candidates. In fact, it was so packed
that I actually had to “wrestle” with others most of the time in order to reach the “stalls” of hiring
companies. Anyway, after pushing each other at the job fair, I did finally manage to talk with a
few prospective employers. But, when I finally got out of the job fair and arrived at home, a
good 45-minute drive from the venue of the job fair, I suddenly noticed I had lost my beautiful
pen, courtesy to an hour of “wrestling” at the job fair.
Anyway, after losing my favourite pen, I felt really sad and bad. In fact, I felt like I had lost a
part of me, as I had carried it with me for a good 2 years. I also felt a bit mad at myself because I
wasn’t careful enough to keep my nice-looking pen at a safer place, such as my “handbag”, in
order to avoid the sad incident.
Sample Answer 2:
I was never really one of those organized persons, during my high school years, who would keep
things tidy and organized by putting them in the right places. So, it didn’t exactly bother me that
much if I would lose a few things here and there due to my “negligence” except, of course, when
I lost something which I really liked. It was a wristwatch that I lost, for which I regretted
vehemently, and I am going to share that story with you today.
The wristwatch that I lost was a gift from my late maternal grandfather and he gave it to me after
I graduated from high school with a very good grade.
It was one Sunday afternoon, about 6 years ago, when some of my friends asked me to play
football. And I obliged since the weather was nice with a cool and gentle summer breeze
blowing all around. So, anyway, it was just a perfect evening to sweat a little while playing and
enjoying a good football match. Of course, I was wearing my watch that evening. The funny
thing was that I was supposed to leave my watch at home!
Anyway, we started playing football with all of our spirits, at a nearby field; kicking, running
and jumping in the field, with the ball and on the ball. Not sure, for how long we played, but
when we finished, it was getting dark, and we were really tired and ready to return home. And
after I returned home, I realised that I have lost my wristwatch. I went back to search for it the
next morning but without any luck!
I felt sad, dejected and frustrated to have lost a precious gift and an item that I really liked. It was
a gloomy experience that I still remember. I guess that experience made me a little more cautious
about losing my belongings.
Describe an experience when you lost something.
You should say:
 what you lost

 how you lost it
 where you lost it
Model Answer 1:
Nobody really likes to lose anything, especially if it is valuable. But, despite our best efforts, we
do become careless sometimes and go through some frustrating experience of losing something.
Today, I would like to talk about one such experience.
Back in my university days, I always used to write with my fountain pen – a very nice looking
and shiny black pen – which I got, as a valuable gift from one of my uncles, after graduating
from high school. The pen had a nice and light golden colour pointy nib, and a very transparent
plastic tube feed that connected the “reservoir” (hiding the ink tube in the pen's handle).
Anyway, I used to carry my beautiful pen with me most of the time, whether I was going to the
library or just hanging out at a local café.
So, one day, about 4 years ago, when I was attending a “job fair”, I didn’t really think twice
before carrying my pen with me in the pocket of my shirt. But, after arriving at the job fair, I was
surprised to see it packed with thousands of prospective job candidates. In fact, it was so packed
that I actually had to “wrestle” with others most of the time in order to reach the “stalls” of hiring
companies. Anyway, after pushing each other at the job fair, I did finally manage to talk with a
few prospective employers. But, when I finally got out of the job fair and arrived at home, a
good 45-minute drive from the venue of the job fair, I suddenly noticed I had lost my beautiful
pen, courtesy to an hour of “wrestling” at the job fair.
Anyway, after losing my favourite pen, I felt really sad and bad. In fact, I felt like I had lost a
part of me, as I had carried it with me for a good 2 years. I also felt a bit mad at myself because I
wasn’t careful enough to keep my nice-looking pen at a safer place, such as my “handbag”, in
order to avoid the sad incident.
Sample Answer 2:
I was never really one of those organized persons, during my high school years, who would keep
things tidy and organized by putting them in the right places. So, it didn’t exactly bother me that
much if I would lose a few things here and there due to my “negligence” except, of course, when
I lost something which I really liked. It was a wristwatch that I lost, for which I regretted
vehemently, and I am going to share that story with you today.
The wristwatch that I lost was a gift from my late maternal grandfather and he gave it to me after
I graduated from high school with a very good grade.
It was one Sunday afternoon, about 6 years ago, when some of my friends asked me to play
football. And I obliged since the weather was nice with a cool and gentle summer breeze
blowing all around. So, anyway, it was just a perfect evening to sweat a little while playing and
enjoying a good football match. Of course, I was wearing my watch that evening. The funny
thing was that I was supposed to leave my watch at home!
Anyway, we started playing football with all of our spirits, at a nearby field; kicking, running
and jumping in the field, with the ball and on the ball. Not sure, for how long we played, but
when we finished, it was getting dark, and we were really tired and ready to return home. And
after I returned home, I realised that I have lost my wristwatch. I went back to search for it the
next morning but without any luck!
I felt sad, dejected and frustrated to have lost a precious gift and an item that I really liked. It was
a gloomy experience that I still rememb
You should say:
 when it was
 what was the occasion
and explain why you were happy about it.
Model Answer 1:
Life is full of many happy events and occasions. Thankfully, I have also been blessed to
experience some of these happy occasions in my short life, and this cue card topic offers me a
perfect opportunity to revisit one such happy occasion today.
Back in my high school days, about 10 years ago or so, I wasn’t exactly known to be a very
“strong” young lad, compared to the other young boys of my age. So, when other schoolboys
were busy, running and playing with each other in a field, I would just feel happy watching them
from a safe distance most of the time. Sometimes, I even used to ignore the requests of my game
teacher to take part in the physical activities of my school, which was frowned upon by my
fellow students and my game teacher alike. Of course, I had tried to tell them that I didn’t like
any sports, that required physical labour, but they were never in a mood to listen to me. Instead,
they all decided to ridicule me because of my reluctance to become physically active. Needless
to say, I felt hurt and embarrassed because of their unjustified “ridicule”.
Anyway, then came an opportunity to prove my value to my school one day by taking part in an
inter-school debate competition. Initially, my school authority didn’t want to include me in the
debate team, but my school advisor decided to give me a chance due to my persistent request. So,
my team and school supervisor, a person who I had always admired because of his kind words to
me, left our town to take part in the debate in another city. In that debate, my school didn’t only
win the competition, but also I became one of the top performers.
Anyway, I felt excited and blessed after winning the competition because I wanted to prove my
“worth” as a good student of my school, if not as an “athletic”. Besides, I felt very proud of my
achievement because I helped my school become a champion in the debate competition for the
first time.
Sample Answer 2:
A few months ago I won a prize in a 300-meter sprint competition at my college, and my family
and I were so happy and excited because of that. In fact, they did not expect me to win that tough
competition. So, when I returned home with the prize, they smiled at me pleasantly. I was very
excited and happy too.
I took part in this annual sports competition at the college because I thought I could do well in it.
I practised hard before the competition but others were doing the same. And when I finished as
the runner-up and returned home with a prize, it made my day.
When I returned home, I met almost every one of my family. I had my parents, uncles and aunts,
cousins and my grandmother. My grandma seems exhilarated and blessed me saying that
someday I would be a great sportsman (though I do not have such intentions). But I was pleased
to know that everyone was happy about my achievement.
I had to work hard to do well in that fierce competition. So when I ended up doing well, it was
like my hard work and dedication were finally paid off. Moreover, it brought smiles to the faces
of my family members and they were happy which was a truly great feat for me.
Describe something you bought but did not use much.

You should say:
 what it was
 where you bought it from
 why you bought it
and explain why you didn’t use it that much.
Model Answer 1:
I don’t usually like to buy so many things unless I know for sure that I need them or will use
them. But, there had been some occasions, when I have bought a few things, which eventually
were left “unused” for the most part. Today, I would like to talk about one such item, which I
didn’t use much, after buying it.
It is a regular mobile phone which I bought about 2 years ago from a local electronics shop in my
hometown. By the way, the smartphones were already in the markets at that time, but still, I
chose to buy a regular phone, primarily because I wanted to spend more time reading than
browsing, chatting and playing video games. It is also worth mentioning here that I didn’t own
any mobile phone before 2 years because I wasn’t initially very comfortable with the “radiation”
of these mobile devices. But, I had to buy one later on because of some practical reasons as I
needed to keep in touch with my family and friends more frequently.
Anyway, after buying my first mobile phone, I took good care of it in order to make sure that the
phone was always running perfectly well. To keep it secure, I even bought a plastic “mobile
phone protector” in order to prevent it from getting “scratch”. Anyway, I really liked my little
handheld device because it had a rather unique colour, and it was perfect in size, as it fitted
perfectly well within my palm. But, after using it for a few months, I was forced to buy a
smartphone so that I could check my emails on the go as I needed to do so for my professional
purpose.
Anyway, I didn’t use my regular mobile phone, primarily because I bought a smartphone and
started to use it more often. After all, my regular phone didn’t offer me an option for internet use,
and it also didn’t look as fancy as my new smartphone. Besides, I didn’t use it that much also
because I disliked the idea of carrying two mobile phones at a time.
Sample Answer 2:
Thank you very much for the time you have given me to talk about something I have purchased
but hardly used. I will tell you about the mobile phone that I bought six months ago which I have
barely touched so far.
The mobile phone that I purchased was from the Samsung brand and I got it from a 'Samsung
Smartphone Cafe'. The store is located a few blocks away from my home and I purchased a
Samsung smartphone
(model Samsung Galaxy M 32)
which cost me nearly $450.
I already have a smartphone that comes with better features and configuration than the one I
recently purchased. However, my daughter, who is barely 4 years old, often used to grab my
mobile phone to watch her favourite cartoons on YouTube. Sometimes, I needed the phone to
check my emails or make a phone call while she was expecting to watch cartoons at the same
time. I had been in a great quandary as it was hard for me to say no to my little angel to let her
use my phone while I needed that for important tasks. That's when I decided to buy a second
smartphone to solve my dilemma.
So basically, I bought the phone so that I could use it as my backup phone and let my daughter
use it to enjoy her favourite cartoons online. However, within a few months, my daughter no
longer was interested to watch her cartoons on the screen of a smartphone. She chose a bigger
screen for that- our TV. Since I do not want to carry two mobile phones with me and my
daughter no longer watches videos on that smartphone, it is left unused at home. However, I
charge it from time to time so that it runs without problems.
Describe your experience of a stressful event.
You should say:
 what the situation was

 what you did
 how other people might have behaved in this situation
and explain how you felt about it later.
Model Answer 1:
I think we would hardly find a person who hasn’t gone through some stressful situations at some
point in his or her life. I am no exception either, as I have also experienced a number of stressful
events in life, and I am about to talk about one of them here today.
It was on a fine August morning about 5 years ago, when I was about to go to my job, which I
had just started a couple of months earlier. As it was my new job, I made it my habit to arrive at
my office well ahead of the schedule. However, on that fine morning, I wanted to arrive at my
office even earlier because my company “Chairman” was visiting to meet us, especially the new
company recruits like us, from the corporate headquarter, and I just didn’t want to be late on my
first meeting with him.
So, as usual, I took a direct bus to my office that morning also. Everything was going well until I
suddenly noticed that all the traffics were being rerouted to another road because of some kind of
emergency road construction service works. Initially, I thought that it was not such a big deal,
but as I was falling behind my schedule to arrive at my office on time, because of huge traffic
ahead of me, I started to take stress on me. I even tried to call my office to inform them about the
possible delay with my arrival, but my supervisor wasn’t very pleased with the news, no matter
how hard I tried to convince him, by getting very frustrated at one point, that it was not my fault.
Well, I have a feeling that other people might have behaved the same in such a situation.
Anyway, later on, I felt that I shouldn’t have gotten so frustrated with my supervisor as he was
also trying to do his job. I also realized that my supervisor was only wishing well for me because
he also didn’t want me to be late for my first meeting with our company chairman.
Sample Answer 2:
Having a nasty quarrel with my husband last month was a highly stressful event for me. I was
unable to control my temper and it was one of the most nerve-racking events for me in a long
time.
He started the fiasco and I protested the attitude he was showing. I was not silent as well and the
situations turned from bad to worse and from worse to the worst! Finally, after two days, we both
admitted our guilts and then everything went back to normalcy. But I experienced a very
stressful two days that was one of the worst I have ever experienced.
When I was blamed for something I knew nothing about, I tried to control my temper. But later
with the heated debate, I lost my patience and got involved in the quarrel. We usually do not
quarrel and that's why when we do, it makes me very frustrated and mad. I was angry with my
husband and me.
I think quarrels and heated arguments in a relationship, especially among couples, are not so rare.
But certainly, it is different for different couples. Many people I know, I believe, would have
reacted the same way that I did. And obviously, a few very intelligent and sensible women I
know who might have handled it better than I did.
Since we rarely have quarrelled in our seven years of married life, I feel so dejected and sad
whenever I get involved in an argument or altercation with my husband. This time the aftermath
of the quarrel was even longer- whole two days, and that's why I felt more depressed and
unhappy.
Describe a tall building in your hometown that you like or dislike.
You should say:
 where this building is

 what it looks like
 what it is used for
and explain why you like or dislike it.
Model Answer 1:
There aren’t exactly too many tall buildings in my hometown, as far as I know, but there are a
few of them which, I think, deserve some attention. Here, today, I would like to talk about one
such tall building in my hometown which got my attention.
The building is conveniently located at the heart of my hometown, close to a major intersection,
which can be easily accessed from all directions. The building is 25 storeys tall, with a size of
about 14,000 square feet on each floor, which is built with all kinds of modern building
materials, including fine limestone gravel, river sand, bricks, tiles, fibre cement sheets, metal
rods, concrete, cement and glasses among many other things.
This is a curved-shape building and its exterior is fully made of fibreglass and Aluminum
composite sheet while the entire interior floor and walls are made of very high-quality tiles. The
building is also fully air-conditioned. There is a large patio/terrace in the mid-section of the
building, which is hanging separately from the front side and attached to the building by itself for
people to relax. The building also has a huge parking space in front of it. Having a great
architectural design, this building is mainly used as one of the prime business centres of the
town. It also houses many offices of some big corporations and companies. There is also a huge
conference centre in this building, which occupies the whole 6th floor. Finally, this building is
also served by 24 hours lift/elevator facility.
Anyway, I like this building, primarily because it has a very nice architectural design. In fact,
this building is designed and erected with such a nice architectural design and at such a unique
location that one can actually get a view of it from at least 6/7 kilometre away. Finally, I like this
building also because I can get the perfect view of my beautiful hometown, especially during the
nighttime, from the top-most floors of this building.
Sample Answer 2:
Thank you so much for this nice topic. I really am proud to have the chance to live in the city of
Malaga in Spain. This is one of the oldest cities in the country and is adorned by numerous
structures which make it one of the most beautiful cities in the whole country. Recently we got a
large building in the southeast corner of the city which is basically is a mega shopping mall that
has different brands and local shops.
The architectural design of the building is attractive. The outer of the entire building is made of
glass. The 14-story building also looks gorgeous in the early part of the day. The sunlight
reflection on the building is wonderful. The tower-like shape is able to arrest attention from
everyone while the central heating control system provides comfort to the visitors.
The building is a shopping mall, and this is the largest one in the surrounding area. A wide
number of shops are available there. Almost every renowned brand could be found there and
besides, some of the local stores in the mall offer gorgeous and traditional local products. The
collection of local and imported products will equally amaze visitors and shop lovers.
Well, I like the building for its stunning outlook and facilities. But it hurts me to think that a
large portion of the natural environment was damaged during the construction of this large
building. So I have mixed feelings about this building. I love it for its look and facilities but I
also hate it for the fact that a large portion of the natural environment was damaged to construct
it.
Describe an expensive hobby you can’t pursue daily.
You should say:
 what it is
 why it is expensive
 why you wish to pursue it more regularly
and explain when you are planning on doing it in the near future.
Model Answer 1:
Although I like to consider “expensive” as a relative term, I do think that there is a thing called
“expensive hobby”, simply because I am just not able to pursue them on a daily basis. Anyway,
today, I would like to talk about one such expensive pastime activity that I really like but can't do
on a daily basis.
The name of this hobby is “flying”. Now, I am not sure how in the world I started to like this
“expensive” hobby, but I guess it must have something to do with too much reading about the
hobbies of celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Tim McGraw, Dr Phil and Tom Cruise, who
incidentally are celebrity pilots.
Anyway, “flying” is expensive because lessons on flying an aircraft may cost thousands of
dollars, and getting a proper license can cost thousands of dollars even more. But, that’s not the
end of costs at all as I would also need to pay a handsome amount of money, maybe not as much
as the costs to take flying lessons or get a flying license, but still, it is a large sum of money.
Finally, where I live, there is also a cost for medical check-ups on a fairly regular basis, when
flying an aircraft, in order to make sure that I am fully physically fit to fly a “steel bird”.
Anyway, I like to pursue this particular hobby once in a blue moon because I really want to be
able to get a first-hand experience of viewing our beautiful planet from above the ground.
Besides, the adrenaline rush, associated with flying and roaming freely in the sky, seems to be
unmatched with any other “worldly” experience.
Anyway, I am planning on doing it after a few years when I will hopefully be able to save up
some money to learn and practice my expensive hobby. I might even manage to do it quicker if
one of my good friends, who is also a commercial pilot himself, is able to provide me with some
early lessons on flying. So, I guess, I will just have to wait and see! Until then, please just wish
me luck!
Sample Answer 2:
Hobbies define who we become and how we choose to live our life. It nurtures creativity and a
man without a hobby is like a garden without a flower. I would like to thank you for letting me
talk about a hobby I cherish but cannot follow on a regular basis.
I like travelling and it revives my spirit to a great extent. This is a hobby I wish I could pursue
daily! But the reality is that I have to work and get back to my regular life once a tour is
complete.
This hobby is expensive in terms of the money and time it requires. I love to explore different
parts of the world and the prerequisites for a tour is overwhelming. I follow a few travel blogs
and they are flooded with vivid travel stories and fabulous travel destinations. A travel enthusiast
like me often finds contentment with reading about a place rather than being able to visit all
these places. Travelling is not a pastime activity like drawing, collecting stamps or blogging that
I can always manage, especially on a tight budget. Travelling involves a lot of preparation,
expenditure on accommodation, food, transport and so on. However, I will take it more regularly
when I get older and wiser!
Travelling is my way to refresh my mind and get away from the routined life for a while. It helps
me adapt to different cultures and understand the people and places. It always opens a new
horizon to me and fills me with unparalleled joys. It has enhanced my confidence and self-
reliance and I am happy to have grown a passion for travelling.
Describe a time when you had to go to a hospital or see a doctor.
You should say:
 what was wrong with you

 how you felt at that time
 what happened at the hospital or doctor's chamber
and explain what treatment you were given to help you get better.
Model Answer 1:
It is not really any fun to fall sick. Even more frustrating can be the fact that you actually have to
wait to get an appointment with a doctor who you can trust with your health. But, this is life, and
we have to run to a doctor, whether we like it or not, just like I also had to see a doctor for my
cough problem about a few years ago during the wintertime.
It’s not like I had fallen sick and had to visit a doctor for the first time that winter. In fact, I have
had a cough problem a number of times before, but it just went away either by itself or after
trying some home remedies for a few days. But, in that winter, I was coughing continuously for
more than a week with no sign of relenting. I was also getting weak as I was not having enough
sleep. The situation got even worse when a high fever also started to torture my already-frail
health. No home remedies or any “over the counter medicines” were working to subdue my
cough, so I was feeling really terrible.
Finally, I decided to visit a good doctor in his chamber. The doctor checked my blood pressure,
pulse and breathing. He didn’t seem to find any issue with them initially, so he ordered me to do
a chest x-ray and blood testing. When the test reports were available, I took them to the doctor in
the same evening. After checking all the reports, the doctor told me that I have a minor lung
infection. He also told me that I had nothing to worry about.
It really felt great to hear the kind words from the doctor. However, he also prescribed me some
medicines for about two weeks, in order to relieve my pains and fever. He also told me to take
some kinds of “decongestants” to help loosen mucus. Finally, he also advised me to take a lot of
rest and drink plenty of fluids if I really wanted to feel better quick.
Sample Answer 2:
I would like to thank you first to let me talk about this topic. Well, I personally hate seeing
doctors and wish to remain healthy so that I can avoid going through diagnosis and treatment.
Visiting someone at a hospital is entirely different from getting admitted there for treatment.
Regrettably, I had to see a doctor recently, around a month ago. Due to the changes of season
and my exposure to public places at that time, I got a severe cold and viral infection. It was
accompanied by continuous sneezing, occasional fever, heavy head and a running nose which
left me in great discomfort. I was sick and had suffered great pain for two days. I could barely
keep my eyes open due to the developing stress. After no more resistance, I decided to see Mr
Alfred, a doctor in our locality.
I had to wait around 45 minutes outside his chamber and when I finally met him, he asked me
how I was feeling. He then checked my pulse, body temperature and possible infections in my
throat. He then asked me how long I had this condition and whether I had taken any medicine or
not. After some time, he concluded that I have developed a flue, probably due to the temperature
changes, dust and my exposure to different places.
He finally took his prescription pad and prescribed me a few medicines and recommended me a
test. He advised me to avoid cold water and beverages. On top of that, he asked me to avoid
going out in the dirt. I asked how long I might take to heal completely, and he beamed at that. He
then said that it will take another three to four days.
I visited him again sometime later. He told me that nothing was serious and I should take some
bed rest and hopefully get well soon. Fortunately, I recovered within two days and could
concentrate on my daily work without any running nose or a headache.
Describe something you have recently bought and felt happy about.
You should say:
 what you have bought

 why you have bought it
 how much it cost you
and explain why you felt happy about it.
Model Answer 1:
There are things, which we buy because we need them and there are things, which we buy, not
only because we need them, but also because they make us feel happy. Today, I would like to
talk about something, which I recently bought and felt really happy about it.
It is a brand new smartphone, which I bought about a few months ago. I bought it at a discounted
price, which came with all the latest tools and technologies, in order to ensure the best services.
The smart device has a very unique and shiny navy blue colour, and it is about 7 inches in size.
Unlike my old and regular mobile phone, it also came with a beautiful “protector” in order to
prevent it from getting damaged. The wireless handheld device has so many features that I am
still learning about them. Of course, it was a bit difficult to handle the device initially, as it was a
“new” thing for me, but as time passed, I became more and more familiar with its features.
Anyway, I bought this smart device, mainly because my old phone was getting “worn and torn”.
In fact, I had used my old phone for such a long time that the mobile phone technicians
sometimes called it an “ancient” machine as they were really struggling to fix it. Finding spare
parts to fix my old phone was also becoming an issue. Besides, I bought this phone also because
it was selling at a very low price. In fact, I paid only $200 for it while its regular price was more
than $300. Finally, I bought this phone because I didn’t want to be considered an “old school” to
my friends anymore.
I felt happy about buying this phone because I could actually use it, not only to make and receive
phone calls but also to use it as a "portable mini-computer" that came with pretty much all the
features of a computer. Besides, I felt happy also because I bought it at a very affordable price,
unlike my other friends.
Sample Answer 2:
Recently I have bought a personal computer for myself and I have spent a good amount of
money to get this. It comes with all the latest configurations and I really like it. The overall
performance of the computer is impressive.
I've purchased this desktop personal computer because the previous one almost stopped working
and was giving me trouble. I do not know how it happened but it was a stroke of bad luck for me.
I stored all of my necessary data on that computer. Besides, that device contained a notable
number of movies and documentaries too. Since the old one was almost unusable, I decided to
buy a new one.
The new computer came with the latest configurations and it was a bit costly. I had to spend
around 1400 euros to get this electronic device. I took a four-terabyte hard disk with 8 GB ram. I
went for the latest configuration so that I could use it for the next couple of years without any
performance issues.
I felt happy with my computer, particularly because its performance was splendid. The former
one was extremely slow and gave me some other troubles too. This new computer has no such
issues and I can complete my tasks faster. Due to these reasons, I was excited to have this new
computer.
Describe your idea of a perfect home.
You should say:
 where it would be
 how big it would be
 what it will look like
and explain why it would be the perfect home for you.
**Model Answer 1:**To tell the truth, the idea of a perfect home has eluded me for a long time
because the idea doesn’t stick in my mind for too long. If I have one idea today, it is replaced
with another the next day. But, still, I will try my best to describe my perfect home today without
sounding too much “incoherent”.My perfect home should be preferably located in the
countryside and close to a tulip garden. It should be a duplex home with at least 4 rooms on one
side of the building while the kitchen and living room should be located on the other side. Each
room should be at least 350 square feet each with one balcony for each room.
All the rooms should have corridors, leading to each door, in order to ensure enough privacy for
everybody. The home should have enough ventilation facilities so that the fragrance of the tulip
garden can enter the home. It should also have large windows so that a perfect view of the tulip
garden can be captured from inside the duplex.
The duplex should be about 4500 square feet with all kinds of modern amenities, such as internet
and satellite TV network. The kitchen should be spacious and fully equipped with all kinds of
modern amenities, including dishwashing and laundry facilities in a master closet. Besides, I
would also prefer the colours of all the furniture and fittings inside the duplex to be matching the
colour of the wall painting. Finally, the balconies of my home should also be spacious enough to
accommodate a few large flower pots to render a natural look to my home.
This is a perfect home for me, primarily because it is spacious enough to organize all my things
in an artistic manner. I would consider it my perfect home also because it would allow me to
remain close to mother nature in the countryside while watching the beautiful tulip garden.
Besides, it is a perfect home for me also because it will ensure enough privacy for occupants of
all the rooms due to its good layout.
Sample Answer 2:
First, I would like to thank you for providing me with this topic. This is quite an interesting one
and I will describe my inner feeling of mine regarding a house that I dream to have.
I believe that a house is a place where happiness lives. I can picture a house filled with inner and
outer happiness. It would be at a wonderful location but I would prefer an area with plants and
foliage. It would be best for me if I can manage space adjacent to any countryside as it usually
provides sensational natural views. I want to enjoy the fresh breeze around me and only the
countryside can render that.
I will possibly live alone and that's why I do not need a large house to live in. There should be a
bedroom, a guest room, a kitchen, a storage room and a living space. Of course, the house should
also come with a small library and a music station. Reading books while also playing soft music
is a hobby I enjoy.
The outlook of the house needs to be wonderful. Though many people may oppose my views, I
would not step down from my stance to have a tally-built roof. It also should be a single-storied
house that must have a garden in front of it. As a matter of fact, enjoying solitude amid the
greeneries will render a pleasant feeling. Besides, there should be a small swimming pool near
the garden where I will swim every morning.
If all the things could be arranged, it would be a perfect home for me. As it is said earlier, a home
is the abode of happiness; I want that happiness to surround me all the time I stay there.
Model Answer 3:
Thank you a lot for the opportunity to let me talk about the house, sort of a dream house, that I
consider perfect for me.
Well, I love nature and want my home to be close to nature. It should be out of the city crowd. It
would be better if it is located near a lake and if a mountainous region is visible from the house.
The home should be moderate in size and shape. There should be two bedrooms, a living area
with ample space. It should also come with a modern kitchen and two spacious bathrooms. I
would like to utilize natural light, so the ventilation system needs to be quite good.
Honestly, I am not a fashionable man and this is reflected in my daily life. I do not want my
home to look like something extraordinary. The outlook will be simple but the inner decoration
needs to be gorgeous. I will have a minimum number of furniture. And obviously, it should be a
single-storied house with a garden in front of it. It would be a plus if the house faces south.
If I can manage everything, it would be a perfect home for me. The moderately spacious house
will allow me to move freely and the garden will help me grow fresh fruits and vegetables. This
would be a great opportunity to live near mother nature and enjoy life as it should be - far away
from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Describe a problem that a friend of yours had and you solved it.
You should say:
 what type of problem it was

 who have had this problem
 how you knew about it
and explain how you solved it.
Model Answer 1:**
I wouldn’t exactly like to call “Shaun Lee”, my friend, a “computer illiterate” person, but that’s
exactly how he acts sometimes. But, that doesn’t prevent him from using his newly-bought
laptop computer 24/7, no matter how “clueless” he sounds at times when he faces any problems
with his computer.So, it happened again. Shaun Lee “very successfully” had managed to shut
down his laptop again by attracting some “virus”. Of course, this kind of “abrupt shut down” had
already taken place a number of times in the past as he made it almost a habit to visit
“questionable” websites in order to download music, movies and numerous other kinds of
videos. However, the problem was, while he was eventually able to turn his computer back on
again on previous occasions by trying some “basic” computer tricks like “booting from the safe
mood” or “scanning for viruses by using a live CD”, he didn’t succeed around this time.By the
way, I knew just about enough, if not a lot, about computer glitches and how to fix them without
any outside help, as I had already taken a short course on "computer repairing" in the past. Shaun
also knew about my ‘skills and expertise’ to trust me enough with his laptop. So, when none of
his tricks was able to turn back his computer on again, he eventually decided to call me and ask
for my help.Anyway, I visited my friend and tried some of my own tricks to start his laptop, but I
also failed. Then, I thought that his hard drive had crashed, and so I took his hard drive out of his
laptop and put it on my laptop. But, the hard disc was working just fine on my laptop.
Eventually, I realized that it might have been the operative system that had crashed. And, I was
proved out to be right since as soon as I installed a new operating system, after buying a new
CD, his laptop started to work just fine like there was no problem ever again.
Model Answer 2:
The problem that I solved to help a friend was related to the way she used his mobile phone and I
would like to talk about this event. My friend, Maria, was experiencing some issues with her
mobile phone and it was crashing frequently. At that time, she was using an iPhone 6S and she
came to me for a solution.
Maria and I used to live in the same neighbourhood in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. She told
me that she had been facing problems with her phone for the past couple of days. She could not
use the phone at all.
I knew about the problem because I am also a long-time iPhone user and I have been using the
brand since 2005. Moreover, I have solved similar problems that a few of my other friends had.
This time, it was not a big deal for me too. I solved the problem within a short time.
The phone set actually needed a software update. She had no idea that the phone needed software
updates at a regular interval for better performance. For all these reasons, the phone set was
malfunctioning. Using my WiFi network, I updated the phone's software. The phone restarted
several times during the update process. Some other apps were updated too in the process.
Finally, it was working fine and she was happy with the solution.
Describe a problem that a friend of yours had and you solved it.
You should say:
 what type of problem it was

 who have had this problem
 how you knew about it
and explain how you solved it.
Model Answer 1:**
I wouldn’t exactly like to call “Shaun Lee”, my friend, a “computer illiterate” person, but that’s
exactly how he acts sometimes. But, that doesn’t prevent him from using his newly-bought
laptop computer 24/7, no matter how “clueless” he sounds at times when he faces any problems
with his computer.So, it happened again. Shaun Lee “very successfully” had managed to shut
down his laptop again by attracting some “virus”. Of course, this kind of “abrupt shut down” had
already taken place a number of times in the past as he made it almost a habit to visit
“questionable” websites in order to download music, movies and numerous other kinds of
videos. However, the problem was, while he was eventually able to turn his computer back on
again on previous occasions by trying some “basic” computer tricks like “booting from the safe
mood” or “scanning for viruses by using a live CD”, he didn’t succeed around this time.By the
way, I knew just about enough, if not a lot, about computer glitches and how to fix them without
any outside help, as I had already taken a short course on "computer repairing" in the past. Shaun
also knew about my ‘skills and expertise’ to trust me enough with his laptop. So, when none of
his tricks was able to turn back his computer on again, he eventually decided to call me and ask
for my help.Anyway, I visited my friend and tried some of my own tricks to start his laptop, but I
also failed. Then, I thought that his hard drive had crashed, and so I took his hard drive out of his
laptop and put it on my laptop. But, the hard disc was working just fine on my laptop.
Eventually, I realized that it might have been the operative system that had crashed. And, I was
proved out to be right since as soon as I installed a new operating system, after buying a new
CD, his laptop started to work just fine like there was no problem ever again.
Model Answer 2:
The problem that I solved to help a friend was related to the way she used his mobile phone and I
would like to talk about this event. My friend, Maria, was experiencing some issues with her
mobile phone and it was crashing frequently. At that time, she was using an iPhone 6S and she
came to me for a solution.
Maria and I used to live in the same neighbourhood in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. She told
me that she had been facing problems with her phone for the past couple of days. She could not
use the phone at all.
I knew about the problem because I am also a long-time iPhone user and I have been using the
brand since 2005. Moreover, I have solved similar problems that a few of my other friends had.
This time, it was not a big deal for me too. I solved the problem within a short time.
The phone set actually needed a software update. She had no idea that the phone needed software
updates at a regular interval for better performance. For all these reasons, the phone set was
malfunctioning. Using my WiFi network, I updated the phone's software. The phone restarted
several times during the update process. Some other apps were updated too in the process.
Finally, it was working fine and she was happy with the solution.
Describe a person you would like to study or work with.
You should say:

 what this person does
 how long you have known him/her
and explain why you want to study/ work with this person.
Model Answer 1:
I have been really lucky to have a number of friends, relatives, acquaintances and co-workers
who are wonderful people both personally and professionally. While I would like to work with
all of them in a professional set-up, the name of one particular person should be specially
mentioned here.He is none other than my own uncle. He is in his late 30’s, but, after knowing
him for about 25 years, since my early childhood, I have no hesitation to describe him as an
“evergreen” person, who never gets tired of working. Of course, some people would say that
there are many people among us, who never get tired of working, and therefore, there is nothing
really so special about my uncle. Well, there is indeed something special about my uncle because
I have seldom seen him running late for his work (when leaving his home) or returning home late
in his last 10 years of professional life as a Senior Accountant.Now, if such a sense of
punctuality and great time management don’t make him special, then organizing some of the
most “untidy” rooms in the world, courtesy to some “unruly” nephews like me, for about an hour
after his work, surely would. If, even this type of sense of ‘caring’ doesn’t make him a perfect
candidate to be considered as “special”, then doing grocery every other morning, before hitting
the road for office, for a family of 15 persons (yes, we live in a joint family), would almost
certainly make him special.Now, do I need to mention even some more reasons, other than the
fact that he has a great sense of time management, responsibility and caring, for which, I would
like to work with this person? Well, if the answer is "yes", I would say that his ever-smiling face,
positive attitude to life, high level of self-confidence (but not “boasting” about anything),
honesty/truthfulness, tactfulness (but not “shrewd”), and remaining calm in hostile situations are
also some of the reasons, for which, I would certainly like to work with my uncle.
Model Answer 2:
Mr Robertson is the CEO of my office and a hard worker. I have never seen such an active
person so far in my career. He has an outstanding skill to impress people with his speeches and
he never argues with people even if they are wrong. Though he works in the same company
where I am employed, I would like to work closely with him as I believe it would give me a
valuable opportunity to learn many things from this exemplary person.
I work in a local manufacturing company in New York City and Mr Robertson takes care of the
company. Though I've seen him only a few times, I do not doubt that he is a great leader. He is
also an influential member of the local business association. So, he passes a very busy time.
I have known him for almost five years now. In fact, it is my first job at his organization after my
graduation, and I have been continuing here without looking for any other job. And I wish to
work here as long as I can. During this time, I have met him a few times. Each time I've met him,
I have learned something new.
Working with Mr Robertson will enrich my knowledge and skills. Besides, he is supportive of
his staff and loves to share his experience. Finally, I want to work with Mr Robertson to learn his
leadership and visionary qualities.
Describe your favourite fruit.
You should say:
 what it is
 where it is grown
 how often you can eat it
and explain why this is your favourite fruit.
Model Answer 1: I just love to eat various kinds of fruits during different seasons because of
their diverse but necessary nutritional values. However, if there was one particular fruit, which I
would just love to eat for the rest of my life every day, then it would be “peaches”.Yes, it is
absolutely obvious by now that “peaches” by far is my favourite fruit, which stimulates my taste
bud unlike any other fruits in this world. And, as I have already mentioned that I would never get
tired of eating this fruit except, of course, this soft and juicy fruit, with a lot of flesh, can be
expensive, depending on where you live. However, where I live, this beautiful and tempting
fruit, with pinky-orange skin, is rather expensive because, unfortunately, my country doesn’t
grow them, and as such, we have to import them from other countries for our consumption. If
this fruit would have been a bit more affordable for me, I wouldn’t mind eating them one every
single day.Anyway, this soft, round, slightly furry fruit, with sweet yellow flesh and pinky-
orange skin, usually grow best in warm countries. But, if you want to be more specific about
which countries grow this wonderful and healthy fruit, the list would include China (by far the
world’s leading producer), followed by Spain, Greece, Italy and the United States. But, as far as
the environment is concerned, the peace tree grows best in lands that receive full sun for at least
6 hours a day and has good airflow. Besides, a site with a well-drainage system and moderately
fertile soil is also very suitable for growing peaches.Anyway, this is my favourite fruit because
of the sweet taste of the juice, the firm tenderness of the flesh and the soft textured feel of the
skin of this “Prunus persica” (meaning “Persian plum”, as it is closely related to the “plum”)
makes it the perfect fruit of all seasons and for everybody to enjoy. I like peaches also because
they are high in fibre, vitamins, and minerals, and they contain beneficial plant compounds like
antioxidants.
Model Answer 2:
A wide range of fruits are available across Spain and I like orange the most among these fruits.
This is one of the most important citrus crops that are available in our country and I love this
fruit for its taste and nutrition values.
Valencia, a city in Spain, produces more orange than any part of the country and interestingly, it
happens to be my hometown. Some of these oranges taste quite sweet while some others are
sour. And there are types of oranges that are neither too sweet nor too sour.
The Orchard of Spain - a nickname that was given to Valencia due to its high production of
orange made this city famous. The fresh scent of orange is everywhere during the summer days
if someone walks near the coastline. "Seville" also produces plenty of oranges in Spain. Though
the oranges there are larger in size and shape, they are not as sweet as Valencia's oranges are.
Orange is not available around the year. It is a seasonal fruit. So, I can eat oranges during a
certain time of the year. During March every year, oranges are found in plenty across the country
and this is the time when I eat them the most. Preserving oranges is a great challenge and that is
why I need to taste and enjoy this fruit during the season.
Orange is my favourite fruit because it tastes delicious and it has good nutritious value. It comes
in different sizes, tastes, and skins. It is available in my country and I like the sweet aroma I get
whenever I visit a coastline or countryside where oranges are about to ripe.
Describe an experience of teaching your friend or family member.
You should say:
 whom you taught

 when it was
 what subject you taught
and explain how you felt about teaching this friend or family member.
Model Answer 1:
I have never really taught any “arts” to anybody in my entire life, nor have I ever taken any art
class after my elementary school in order to claim myself as an “artist”, but still, my 4/5 years
old niece somehow got the idea that I could actually give her some “drawing” lessons for her
elementary art class.
And, she was never relenting in her pursuit, no matter how hard I tried to convince her that I
would be her worst “drawing” teacher ever. So, why exactly she got the idea that I would
actually be able to teach her “arts’, to begin with? Well, it might have something to do with the
fact that about a few years ago, I was casually learning to do some image editing practice in the
process of learning some “image editing software” and graphic design. But, the more I was
trying to convince her that drawing something with hands is not the same as drawing something
on a computer, the more stubborn she was becoming.
Anyway, after failing to come to any reasoning with her, I finally decided to give it a try. But,
before anything, it was me who needed some “drawing lessons” first. So, I started to do some of
my own practice by drawing basic things like trees, animals, nature, houses and other kinds of
stuff around us. But, it wasn’t as easy as I had initially thought because just drawing something
with some lines, circles and dots was not enough. Rather, the drawings also needed to look
“natural” and “live” with some perfect colour schemes, as my niece had demanded all along. So,
after some more practice, I was finally able to give some good drawing lessons to my niece.
Anyway, after teaching drawing lessons to my niece, I felt really happy as I thought that I was
actually able to keep the good faith of my little niece who thought that her uncle wouldn’t
disappoint her. Besides, those drawing lessons allowed me to enjoy some really fun and priceless
moments with my niece which, I don’t think, would otherwise be possible.
Sample Answer 2:
Recently, I had to teach my younger sister - Julee, and it was an amazing experience for me. In
fact, it was the very first teaching experience of mine in my life. I am a college student in Milan
in Italy and science is my major. So, my mom asked me to help my younger sister with Physics
who is in her ninth grade and was struggling with the subject.
Julee was supposed to appear in her final exam and her progress in physics, an academic subject,
was not good enough. And then it was my turn to help her with the subject a few weeks before
the final exam. Completing the course and helping her with the intricate topics of physics in a
few weeks was not an easy task at all.
But I took the challenge and started teaching her. Though physics was my favourite subject, it
was not for her. She did not understand difficult equations or theories and that is why I had to
revise from the beginning. I taught her for about five to six weeks and she did really well in the
exam. In fact, I advised her to study for at least a couple of hours if she wanted to do well in the
exam and she obliged.
In the beginning, it was challenging for me to teach her because I was not an experienced
teacher. It was more difficult because my sister was not attentive to learning initially. But when I
tried to grab her interest by telling her many intriguing facts about renowned physicists, the
universe, nature and how it works, she got interested to learn a little. After a couple of weeks'
struggle and hurdle, she became attentive and dedicated and I started realising what approach to
use to teach her. It was a fabulous experience and I am no longer afraid to teach someone as I
was before that experience.
Describe something that you have achieved and you are proud of.
You should say:
 what you have achieved

 when you have achieved it
 what was difficult about achieving it
and explain why you are proud of this achievement.
Model Answer 1:
I have always considered myself an “under-achiever”. Therefore, talking about my achievements

doesn’t exactly thrill me much because I just don’t have many of them to talk about. But, I will
still go ahead and try to find one to talk about that made me feel proud.
About 7 years ago, learning about computer repairing skills or getting a certification on this
important trade skill wasn’t exactly an easy thing in my little old town, where I used to live,
because there weren’t just many good IT or technical institutes there to teach the skills on a
professional level. Of course, there were some recognized and good institutes in the big cities,
but my parents weren’t exactly that much interested to leave me alone in those big cities as they
were being a bit too “protective” about their young son. Complicating my plan to get the
certification was also the fact that there weren’t too many good textbooks on the subjects that
were written in my native language. So, the only option left for me was to get enrolled at an
‘average’ IT technical institute in my little old town and buy a good textbook on the subject,
written in English, if I was to really get a certification.
But, the problem was that my rather “mediocre” English linguistic abilities were not just good
enough either to “decipher” all the necessary information by reading a book, written in English.
Still, I went ahead and did all the necessary things to finally succeed in achieving my success.
Anyway, I was proud of this achievement, mainly because attending the computer classes during
the late evening time, after finishing my regular high school studies and after travelling a
distance, could be really physically tiring at times. Besides, I also needed to spend a significant
amount of time trying to find the meaning of many “technical terms” by digging into the
dictionary, as my English language skills were not up to the mark back then. So, the whole thing
was indeed challenging for me, and that’s why I was so proud of my achievement.
Sample Answer 2:
Before joining as a mathematics lecturer at a local college in Spain, I was afraid of public
speaking. I felt a bit embarrassed to speak in front of the audience and it constantly irritated me.
But now, I am a good public speaker or at least I am no longer afraid to speak in public. I believe
I have achieved the quality by practising hundreds of times and by lecturing in front of my
students in the college.
So, overcoming the fear of public speaking is a great achievement for me especially because of
my career choice. When I was offered the position of a math teacher at the college exactly three
years ago, I was in no way comfortable about it but I liked the idea of teaching young students. I
thought about all the positive and negative aspects of it and I decided that if I can overcome the
fear of public speaking, I could become a great teacher.
Well, it took me at least 4 months of practice and another 2-to 3 months of teaching experience
to get comfortable speaking in front of others. Once I became conformable about speaking in a
class, I found that I was more fluent and natural in teaching my students and the whole process
took me no less than two years, I would say.
The process of achieving it was far more difficult than I had anticipated. It took countless hours
of practice, many hours of frustration and hurdle to at last have it conquered. The most difficult
part was that when I thought I would be able to speak in front of others because I have practised
in front of a mirror the previous day, I found that I was unable to do so. The experience was so
heart-breaking that I often thought of abandoning it completely. It was utterly frustrating because
when I thought I would be able to do something, the next moment I found that I will have to start
from ground zero!
I am proud of this achievement because I can speak freely anywhere and at any time. Now, I am
confident and can discuss even complex issues. Since teaching is the profession I have chosen, I
need to speak in public on various occasions and lecture in a class full of students every day.
Besides, what could be more frustrating than not being able to explain something to my students
when I am paid for that! So I consider it a great achievement.
Describe a time when you were not allowed to use your mobile phone.
You should say:
 when and where it was

 why you were not allowed to use your phone
 what you wanted to use your phone for
and explain how you felt about not being able to use your phone.
what you're going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]
Model Answer 1:
In today’s world, the idea of living without a mobile phone would certainly seem to be an absurd
one to most people, who are used to relying on these little communication devices on a regular
basis. But, today, I would like to talk about a time when I was not allowed to use my mobile
phone.
It was about a couple of years ago, when one of my close friends was seriously injured in an
accident, and I needed to see him in a hospital. When I heard the news about the accident, I was
working in my office. So, it wasn’t really possible for me to know exactly how serious the
accident was until and after I had arrived in the hospital. Anyway, when I arrived at the hospital,
I found out that the accident was rather serious. In fact, I was told that the doctor was treating my
friend in an emergency room. So, I just decided to wait outside of the emergency room with a
few other family members of my injured friend, in case they needed me.
My friend had lost a significant amount of blood, and I was also informed that he might have
needed some blood later on. Anyway, while waiting for my friend, I almost forgot to inform my
family that I would be late to return home as I was visiting my friend at a hospital. But, when I
wanted to call them, I found out that there was no mobile phone network. I was also informed
that the hospital authority wanted to stop the use of a mobile phone inside the hospital building
in order to reduce unwanted noise.
Anyway, I was a bit disappointed initially after failing to call my family, but later on, I actually
became glad of the fact that the hospital authority was actually trying to ensure a better treatment
environment for all its patients. Besides, I also realized that making a phone call from hospital
premises should never be a priority for the visitors if they really wish well for their friends and
families.
Sample Answer 2:
A few months ago, I went to attend a written test as part of a job interview in a position in a
multinational company. I was not allowed to use my mobile phone in the exam room in this
office. Though some of us initially thought that it was not necessary to ban the use of mobile
phones in the exam hall, the authority did not take any risk about the security and fairness of the
exam, I guess. The test was held in the regional branch of the company in Alice Springs in
Australia.
I heard that a few candidates tried to cheat on the exam by using the internet on their mobile
phones on a previous occasion and that is why the authority had decided to prohibit the use of
any mobile phone or handheld device in the exam room. Consequently, I was unable to use my
phone. I wanted to call my mom before I handed over the mobile phone to the exam coordinator,
but when I tried to dial my mom, I was told to immediately turn off the mobile phone.
I did not know that the authority decided to ban the use of any mobile phone because some
dishonest candidates tried to cheat on the exam in some unfair ways. So I felt frustrated when I
was ordered to switch my mobile phone off. But after I knew the real reason behind it, I felt that
the decision was fair. I called my mom after I left the office after the test to let her know that I
was doing fine. At that time no bad feeling about not being able to use my mobile phone lingered
with me.
Idea generation for this Cue Card topic:
"Describe a time when you were not allowed to use your mobile phone."
Here are some other hints for this cue card task that would be helpful for the candidates to
answer this question in a different way.
1.
While driving my car to my office the other day, I needed to call my supervisor but I could not
because I was obliged by the traffic law that forbids the use of mobile phones while driving. In
fact, the driving law in my state strictly forbids the driver to refrain from using mobile phones
while driving a motor vehicle.
2.
My intimate friend's father died suddenly last month of cardiac arrests and I attended the funeral.
A large sign was placed inside the church to switch off the mobile phone during the funeral. So, I
had to switch the phone off for the rest of the funeral.
3.
I was sent to an important workshop from my office that continued for four hours at a stretch.
Using a mobile phone was prohibited there, and thus I was unable to use the phone at the
workshop venue.
4.
I recently enjoyed a movie with my fiancé at a theatre where I could not use my mobile phone. In
fact, the theatre authority wanted to reduce disturbance during the show and asked everyone
either to switch off the phone or to use it in silent mode.
5.
I work for a local restaurant as a part-time employee and my employer asked me to switch off
my mobile phone at the job. So during my working hours, I am not allowed to use my cell phone.
6.
I attended a social welfare meeting organised by a community and all participants were requested
to turn off their mobile phone or at least enable the silent mode.
7.
Recently, I went to visit a relative in the hospital and I turned off my cell phone as a large notice
prohibited anyone to use their mobile phone inside the hospital.
Describe a shop that recently opened in your hometown/area.
You should say:
 what type of shop it is

 what type of people go there
 what it sells
and explain whether you will shop there or not.
Model Answer 1:
I live in a rather small town. So, whenever there is a new opening of anything or any new
activities in my little old town, I come to know about them one way or another. Today, I would
like to talk about one such new opening of a new shop in my area.It is a “super shop” (some
people would prefer to call it a “grocery store”), a self-service store, offering a wide variety of
food and household items, organized into different departments. They named the shop “At your
service” which has an opening hour from 7 am to 11 pm. I would consider the new shop as a
large shopping outlet because it has a size of as large as 7000 square feet, with a huge parking
space in front of it.It sells a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and dry food such as grains,
biscuits, cereals, loaves of bread and cake among many other local and imported food items. It
also has different departments for frozen foods, fish, meat, kitchen appliances and cleaning
products. Another special feature of this new super shop is that it has a completely separate
section for “organic” foods (foods which are grown without pesticides). They have only recently
opened the shop, but I have already found out that the shop has already become popular among
the city dwellers.In fact, I have seen that different kinds of people, including family men,
businessmen, young students, professional people and regular persons, are visiting this nicely-
decorated super shop for their daily needs. From what I have seen so far, I would say that most
of the products, sold at the store, are of good quality and affordable.Anyway, I like the shop
because it looks fairly clean and nicely organized, so I would definitely go shopping there.
Besides, I would like to visit the new place in order to buy some of their organic foods because I
have found that they sell at a much lower price than many other stores in my town.
Sample Answer 2:
Recently, a shop, named "The Upscale Shoppers" has been opened in my area, Perth, Australia,
where I live. This shop mainly sells baby items, food items, fruits & vegetables, perfumes,
cosmetics and toiletries. It appears to me that this is a super shop on small scale. I am happy to
see it on my block and I go there to get the necessary things whenever I need to buy them.
This shop is suitable for all types of people who live nearby. Many local people, especially
females, go there to purchase cosmetics and toiletries and fresh fruits. I also visit the shop to get
some branded perfumes and toiletries for my family and I like the fresh fruits and vegetables
they sell.
The shop sells various types of products. Almost all the products belong to reputed local brands
and some of those are imported as well. The shop sells perfumes, different types of cosmetics,
toiletries, bathing accessories, baby items, makeup accessories, food items, fruits, vegetables and
many more. They sell all products at a reasonable price and in case of any defect, they exchange
the faulty product with a new and fresh one without any delay or excuse.
Of course, I will shop there. In fact, I already shop there from time to time. I like their product
range, price and customer care service. The price is reasonable and there is no hidden charge.
Besides, it takes only a few minutes from my house to reach there. So shopping from there is
convenient for me.
Idea generation for this Cue Card topic:"Describe a shop that recently opened in your
hometown/area." You can approach with some alternative answers for this cue card topic.
Some of the answer hints are -1. I went to have some groceries from the shop located opposite
my residence in Perth, Australia the other day and I liked it very much. I heard that it opened a
couple of weeks ago. The shop is good for its quality products and good customer relations and
aftersales service.
2. I went out to purchase a pair of shoes for myself and that's when I realised that a new and large
shoe store has recently opened in my area. They have a great collection and I was happy to see
this store where I believe I would go from time to time to buy shoes for me and my
family.3. Lisa is my classmate and she is considered a 'foodie' by many. She loves to taste
various types of foods wherever she can. So, I invited her to taste some traditional foods at a
local food shop newly opened in my city, Munich a couple of months ago. She loved the food
and the shop and became a great fan of their coffee.4. My experience with a local vegetable
selling shop was splendid. I went there to get some fresh vegetables. A relative of my wife’s
family came to visit us and my wife told me that he was a vegetarian. Thereby, I rushed to get
some vegetables from the shop located on the opposite block of my residence in Nice, France.
The shop started its journey in the area recently and became popular for fresh vegetables and
fruits.5. I was looking for a particular book recommended by my college professor but I could
not find it after looking into many bookselling shops. Finally, I found the book at a newly
opened bookstore in the middle of the street where I live in Naples, Italy. I was looking for the
book to prepare for my next assignment but did not get the book in other libraries after spending
a couple of hours. Luckily, a bookseller suggested me to visit the library next to my home. And I
got the book there.6. Finding a pet is not easy if someone lacks the proper knowledge of a pet. In
some cases, the pet shop owners suggest a pet to someone after hearing the requirements and
residential status of the person. So, I visited the Pet-Café, which opened recently in my city,
Osaka, in Japan. It was a nice experience. The shop owner suggested me to have a cat as a pet.
Describe a decision made by someone in your family that you disagreed with.
You should say:
 who made this decision

 what it was
 how you expressed your disagreement
and explain why you disagreed with this decision.
**Model Answer 1:**I have been blessed to have a very understanding and supportive family
around me. However, there had been a few occasions in the past when I had to disagree with
some of their decisions. Today, I would like to talk about one such decision of my family that I
disagreed with.During my early university days, I was so passionate about owning a motorbike,
mostly because I grew up riding on an old motorbike with my old but very “active” grandpa.
Actually, my grandpa and I had such a loving and warm relationship that whenever he needed to
visit any place with his motorbike, I was his “natural” company. But, unfortunately, my
grandfather died one day, with nobody to take care of his old motorbike, when I was still a high-
school boy.
By the way, I really loved the old motorbike of my grandfather. So, whenever my parents tried to
“get rid” of that old motorbike or sell it to someone, I would have staunchly opposed the idea.
But, after buying my own motorbike, when I was still a university student, the issue of “getting
rid” of the old motorbike revisited us once again as finding a suitable spot to “park” my newly-
bought motorbike became difficult.
In fact, we were living in a small flat back then, and the only suitable and “secured” place for my
motorbike was under “the stairs” of our small flat. But, the little spot was already occupied with
my grandfather’s motorbike. So, my father decided to sell the old motorbike to make a place for
the new one, no matter how much I disagreed with the decision, even though I don’t blame my
parents for it. After all, they didn’t have any other option at that time.
Anyway, I disagreed with the decision, primarily because that old motorbike had a really fun
history and emotional values for me. I also disagreed with it because it was a very strong and old
“machine”, and I wanted to “preserve” it as an old “antique” in order to share its story with my
own family and kids in the future.
Sample Answer 2:
Thank you for this opportunity to let me talk about this topic. I live in a joint family in Haryana,
a state in the northern part of India and recently, I experienced a situation when I had to disagree.
An uncle made a decision which I could not agree with. I will describe the event here in brief.
My uncle said that any female member of our family is not allowed to work outside. Although
some of our female members were highly educated, my uncle, the senior-most member of our
joint family, imposed a barrier for them to do any job.
I politely opposed my uncle’s opinion and decision. I appreciated his concern about the safety of
the women but not letting them get involved in any productive activities is not a wise decision.
So, I opposed the idea instantly in the family meeting. There was a mixed reaction when I
opposed the idea.
We live in a modern age and not allowing females to work outside points that we are wasting
half of our human resources. Security is not a concerning issue anymore in the country and many
of the women are representing our country. If the females of my family do not pursue their
careers and dream jobs, they will lag behind in the race. And so, I strongly disagreed with the
decision that my uncle made.
Idea generation for this Cue Card topic: ****
"Describe a decision made by someone in your family that you disagreed with."
Here are some other ways to talk about this same topic:
1.
Deciding a major subject in college was a big decision for me but my dad interfered with that.
He wanted me to take physics as the major while I preferred chemistry. I had to disagree with
him this time and later I apologized to him and tried to explain why I love chemistry and why I
have taken it.
2.
We shifted to Mumbai earlier this year and I had some disagreement with my parents over the
selection of the colour of our new house. My mother wanted to have blue in the base while I
suggested some other colours like green or white in the living room and also suggested the
orange colour for the kitchen. But she was unwilling to pay attention to my suggestions.
3.
I do agree that marriage makes life complete and so my parents wanted me to get married to the
person they selected. But I focused on my studies and wanted to complete my post-graduation
before the marriage. The matter created a disagreement between me and the other family
members including my parents.
4.
My father suffers from diabetes and follows an unhealthy routine. So, I wanted to take him to a
doctor but he refused. I tried to make him understand the complexities his diabetes may cause
but he disagreed on the issue. Later, I invited the doctor to my home which made my father
dissatisfied with me and also disagreed to meet the doctor. However, the doctor neutralized the
situation.
5.
Jim is my younger brother and wastes his time by gossiping with friends for at least 5-6 hours a
day. So, I asked him to develop some good habits like reading and exercising in his regular life.
He disagreed and advised me not to interfere in his private life.
Describe an enjoyable day that you spent in the countryside.
You should say:
 when and where you went

 who you went with
 what you did there
and explain how much you enjoyed it.
**Model Answer 1:**Spending time in the countryside can indeed be a very relaxing and
memorable experience for anybody who likes to live close to "Mother Nature". I also like to
enjoy my day in the countryside whenever I get an opportunity, and today I would like to
describe such an enjoyable day that I had spent about a few months ago.This place was not really
very far from where I lived nor was it really that difficult to get there. It was a very beautiful and
scenic valley with lots of green around it. And a flowing river with clear water made it even
more beautiful. I could see some healthy cows also, roaming around and eating grass, a bit far
away from us.
By the way, my elder brother and my sister-in-law also accompanied me on that day, and we had
just no idea that the valley could look so beautiful on winter noon. With the sun, shining with
such a bright and smiley face, and a perfectly blue sky over our heads, the day just couldn’t be
any more perfect for enjoying the countryside.
Anyway, after arriving there, we settled down very close to the valley in order to relax and enjoy
the natural view around us first. Then we decided to rent a boat and ride it a little deep into the
river to do some fishing practice, and luckily, we did manage to catch some big fish! Then, we
decided to take a little walk in the beautiful valley where we ended up discovering a huge flock
of birds, which were also probably visiting the area just like us. We tried to count how many
different kinds of birds there were, but we failed as they were just too many. A little later, we had
a little barbecue to deal with our hungry stomachs.
I really enjoyed our day out because it brought me real close to a very peaceful and natural
environment, away from the hectic city life. Besides, the experience of enjoying a barbecue with
the fishes, which we actually caught with our own hands, was simply priceless!
Sample Answer 2:
Last year, I went to Salado, a small village in Texas and this was a charming place where I
passed some leisurely moments with my family and friends. I enjoyed the day-long trip in Salado
and participated in a few attractive activities which made the day more memorable. This is a
great candidate task topic for me and I would like to thank you for that.
I went there with my parents and three siblings as well as Tom and Bill, two of my intimate
college friends. I study with Tom and Bill in college and we made a plan to visit the countryside
in the state and accordingly picked this small village to spend a day. So, we made the trip and it
was an exciting event for all of us to spend a day in the countryside, far away from the hustle and
bustle of city life.
We did many enjoyable things together. Fishing on Salado Creek was perhaps the most exciting
of them all. Frying the fishes we have caught, eating a delicious lunch under the open sky,
strolling on the village streets and enjoying the calm nature were some unforgettable activities
we did. We also took breakfast at one of the local restaurants, Stagecoach Inn, and we were
served a traditional menu.
The visit was enjoyable for many reasons. It was a relief for us from the monotonous city life.
So, an exciting break from urban life was much needed. Accordingly, after making the plan, we
materialized it and we loved it. The memories of the trip will last for a long.

"Describe an enjoyable day that you spent in the countryside."
You may also have some other ways to complete this cue card task. A few sample answer hints
provided below may help you to reach your goal.
1.
My visit to Mui Ne was remarkable indeed. The place is located near Ho Chi Minh City in
Vietnam and now has become a great weekend destination. I was amazed by the natural beauty
of the place and the bay area it has. The wind from the bay took my heart and mind away as it
gave a soothing and relaxing feeling.
2.
Kitashiobara is a small town in Japan and is primarily famous for its mountainous forest. I went
there with my family members to pass the weekend and enjoyed it a lot. The overall scenic view
is wonderful and attracts everyone. The natural lake is the key attraction in this place and it
changes colour naturally, which is something I found fascinating when I first witnessed it.
3.
Carmel-by-the-Sea is in the lovely countryside in California. The place is also known as Carmel
and is famous for its picturesque views. Hiking on the sandy beach is truly exciting while the
foods of the place are yummy. I had spent an entire day in this place and explored the major
tourists spots. Many tourists gather there for the beach festival.
4.
Finding the right countryside in the UK is not difficult if someone has the direction or address. I
am not an exception to it and got such a place in Suffolk in the UK. In fact, East Bergholt is a
nice place to visit for its local history and beauty. The locality is famous for the Impressionist
Movement and provides a lucrative view to visitors.
5.
Chernivtsi is locally known as Little Vienna in Ukraine. I paid a day-long visit there to get to
know about the local cultures and customs. I enjoyed my time in this countryside where natural
beauty is abundant.
Describe a bicycle tour that you took.
You should say:
 when you had this trip

 who went on this trip with you
 what you did during this trip
and explain how far you enjoyed it.
Model Answer 1:
Do you know what is the best thing about taking a bicycle tour? Well, you never feel obliged to
take the same route when you are on a cycle path. At least, that’s what I did when I took a
bicycle tour about 4 years ago from now.
When I was a university student, I was really passionate about riding a bicycle, either with my
friends or alone. However, the problem with riding alone was that I never felt as energized as
riding with my friends. So, one day, I, along with several other friends of mine, decided to hit the
road on a day-long bicycle tour from our university.
We, a group of 5 friends, decided to start our tour on a fine Saturday morning and return back to
our university before the sunset. Of course, as I have already mentioned earlier, we didn’t take
the usual route as we wanted to visit different pockets of the city and the beautiful countryside
along the way. We did everything to make our bicycle tour a very enjoyable and memorable one
which included making a video of our “competition” with a running train, taking pictures of the
playing rabbits on the streets and helping a baby bird to get back to its nest. We also rested
ourselves by the side of a beautiful lake while counting the number of different species of wild
birds in it. We didn’t forget to enjoy some delicious foods on our way either. I believe that we
travelled about 50 kilometres before returning to our hostels at the end of our tour.
I enjoyed every minute of my bicycle tour because I felt like I didn’t really have to worry about
finding a way or getting stuck unnecessarily in some bad traffic. Besides, having an opportunity
to see the life and activities in and around the city from up close for the first time was indeed a
unique experience for some young students like us. Finally, being able to enjoy the beautiful
nature of the countryside on this bicycle tour was indeed very refreshing for our restless young
minds.
Sample Answer 2:
A few months ago, I went on a day-long bicycle tour with some close friends from Kandy to
Colombo in Sri Lanka. It was a far distance for a bicycle ride, but we enjoyed the ride anyway. It
was an interesting and adventurous experience for every one of us. It took about six hours for us
to reach Colombo. This is a great cue card topic and I will describe the experience in brief now.
I made the trip with some of my local college friends in Kandy, which is a city in Sri Lanka. In
fact, they were planning to make such a day-long bicycle tour for a long. After finalising the
plan, we were seven members of this team and brought our bicycles to take the longest ride of
our life. We started the journey early in the morning and planned to get back to the city before
the sunset and we were successful in doing so.
The trip was amazing. We did many things during the tour and taking photographs was the most
common of them. Besides, we mostly ate delicious street food, took some time off in beautiful
places. Sometimes we had to slow down as the streets were broken in some parts of the city.
Finally, we also sang various songs during the tour.
I enjoyed the tour from the very beginning to the end. In fact, it was the longest bicycle ride for
me and I could not believe that I would be able to ride such a long distance (it was over 75
kilometres). When I returned home in the dusk, I felt a great sense of accomplishment despite a
horribly tired feeling.
"Describe a bicycle tour that you took."
A candidate may want to talk about this cue card topic using a different idea. Hence, here are
some suggestions to support them in finishing the cue card task in some other ways.
1.
I was very much attracted by a guided bicycle tour offered by a local travel agency in Sri Lanka.
The tour was a part of a promotional offer from the newly opened travel agency. Though they
took a smart amount of money in exchange for the guided tour, it was free this time, probably for
their publicity.
2.
Taking part in a day-long campaign for some noble purpose is interesting and fulfilling. I had
such an experience and it was a bicycle tour to create awareness about breast cancer marking the
‘World Breast Cancer Day’. Gladly I took part in the event and enjoyed the bicycle tour very
much.
3.
Making a solo tour on a bicycle is adventurous indeed. I had made such a tour recently. I went to
Vrindavan in India by riding a bicycle. The journey was interesting and took about six hours for
me to complete the entire trip. Though it was difficult to make a solo trip, I enjoyed it
nevertheless.
4.
I went to Yokohama from Tokyo last week to meet some emergencies and I took a bicycle ride
for that tour. It took me about one hour to reach Yokohama. I had to visit the city to meet a
friend who fell sick all of a sudden. I took the two-hour bicycle ride though it was not a much
pleasant event after all.
5.
Greece is a heaven for bikers and there are numerous places to ride bikes in this country. I have
travelled to different parts of Crete and enjoyed the experience so much. Teaming up with a
couple of college friends, I made the trip. And we visited the most notable places there. We also
have a plan to make such trips in the future.
Describe an appointment that was put ahead of the schedule.
You should say:
 what type of appointment it was

 when it was
 why it was brought forward
**Model Answer 1:**There is an “unwritten” rule in my own “book of the law” which says that
if you have an appointment, you must try your best to keep it. But, the problem is, I couldn’t
follow my own rule sometimes from my end because the other parties either had to cancel an
appointment or change its schedule.It was about a few years ago, when I was suffering from
some chronic abdominal pain, and I needed to see a specialist gastroenterology doctor. But, the
problem was that getting an appointment with a good doctor was never an easy thing because
there were just too many patients waiting to see the same doctor. Besides, my office schedules
also made it a bit difficult for me to see the doctors according to their own schedules.
However, after making some phone calls and visiting some hospitals, I finally managed to make
an appointment with a very qualified gastroenterologist. I even informed my immediate
supervisor about my doctor’s appointment in order to get his permission in advance. The
appointment was set for 5 pm on a Thursday evening. I even made a list of the problems, which I
was having, in order to share them with the doctor. So, I was really ready to see my doctor. But,
the evening before, on Wednesday, I received a call from the doctor’s assistant and got a
message which said that I would need to see the doctor at 3 pm, instead of 5 pm, the next day.
When asked about the reason for the rescheduling, the assistant told me that the doctor would
need to attend an “important” family matter around 5 pm on the same day.
After getting the message about the schedule change, I initially felt a bit disappointed as I would
need to reschedule some of my own work assignments at the office. I also wasn’t very happy
about it as I would also need to inform my supervisor again about the new appointment schedule.
However, I also felt a little relief of the fact at the same time that my appointment wasn’t at least
cancelled.
Sample Answer 2:
I had an appointment with a professor at Dortmund University in Dortmund, Germany and it was
about taking his interview on his current research. I had to take it before the scheduled time for
some reason and managing everything was challenging for me. Somehow, I managed everything
and I was proud to be able to conduct it smoothly.
I took the interview in March last year though it was set to be held at the end of April, almost a
month later. I also planned to publish the interview on the Science and Technology page of a
local newspaper marking the 60th birthday of the professor. So, I had to manage the time to take
the interview at his workplace. Had the interview taken place at the scheduled time, I think it
would have been better for me to handle everything without making any rush.
The schedule was brought ahead of time as the professor had to attend an international
conference in the Netherlands in April. So, the professor called me one day and requested me to
schedule it a month earlier.
I understood the situation and knew that I had to interview the professor before he leaves for the
conference. So, despite a hurry and lack of preparation, I took the challenge and did everything
within a short period of time. I was later very proud of my work when the interview was a
success.
"Describe an appointment that was put ahead of the schedule."
1.
A few months ago, my father wanted to have a routine checkup with his doctor. Accordingly, I
took an appointment but suddenly before the scheduled date, the doctor's secretary called me. He
told me that the doctor has to go out of the city on the appointed day and requested me to meet
him the day before. It was big trouble to reschedule everything but at last, I managed and took
my father to see the doctor.
2.
Last month, I had an appointment with my supervisor to discuss some important issues about our
sales target and achievements so far. Experiencing some difficulties in his schedule, my
supervisor asked me to reschedule the appointment for Monday, a week earlier than the
stipulated date. Accordingly, I had to change all my plans and keep the appointment with my
supervisor.
3. Attending an official meeting is sometimes boring and if the schedule is put ahead of the date,
the situation turns worse. I experienced a similar event last month. A meeting was set to be held
on 29th of last month but that was rescheduled on 26th, as the Chairman of the company was
busy on 29th of last month.4. I am fond of my immediate supervisor in the office for his
innovative approaches but this time I was in trouble for his sudden decision. He had set a team
meeting with some other staff at the end of this month and informed everyone. I also had set my
schedule accordingly. But the unexpected change in schedule made things difficult for me.5. My
daughter's school authority issued me a letter to meet them. They wanted to have some
discussions with me about her class performance. But later, they issued another letter
apologizing that they were unable to meet on the day that they told and now had set another date
ahead of the earlier day.
Describe an occasion when everybody smiled/laughed.
You should say:
 what happened that made you smile

 when it happened
 who were there
and explain why everyone smiled/laughed.
**Model Answer 1:**Seeing other people laughing always makes me happy just as much as
sharing a story of laughter. I also believe that people should always try to laugh as much as they
can, whenever there is a reason for it because laughter makes us feel happy and alive. So, it is
indeed a pleasure for me to talk about this cue card topic.It was about a couple of years ago when
one of my cousins was getting married. All of our family members, friends, relatives and many
other distinguished guests had come to attend the marriage ceremony. It was also attended by a
number of little children. However, having the most fun at that marriage ceremony was a “gang
of children” who seemed to be “fearless”.
Immediately after arriving at my cousin’s place, they made sure that they were announcing their
“loud presence” everywhere by opening the “gift boxes”, playing with the flowers of wedding
decorations and running to the kitchen, among many other things. Sometimes, they could also be
seen “posing” for pictures to the wedding photographer.
Anyway, after finishing the formal activities of the wedding ceremony and enjoying the delicious
food, there finally came time for watching wedding videos. And, the videos were being played
on a big screen through the use of a projector so that everybody was able to enjoy them. The
guests got busy watching the videos (videos of important events and activities of the wedding
ceremonies) while enjoying some light snacks also at the same time. Then, suddenly, everybody
burst into laughter, and it had continued for about a minute. By the way, I think, it was one of the
most natural and “contagious” laughter, I had ever heard in my life.
Anyway, everyone burst into laughter because the particular “gang of children”, causing
“mischief” at the wedding ceremony, could be seen secretly carrying the big wedding cake, away
from public eyes, at a corner, and then eating it like there was no tomorrow! Well, the wedding
guests couldn’t possibly have expected to see any funnier video of children than this, could they!
Model Answer 2:
Thank you for this nice cue card topic. While taking a photograph at a family event, everyone
had to smile at me as I pointed the camera at them. In fact, without smiles, photographs remain
incomplete, at least these days. So, to make the photos complete and better, a smile is a must.
And the people who posed for the picture smiled at the camera to get their happy faces clicked.
This cue card question reminds me of the day when I took a beautiful picture for some of my
relatives.
The event was arranged marking the 19th birthday of Adaliz, my cousin. The event was held on
the rooftop of their house and the place was decorated nicely. Some traditional food items were
prepared for celebrating the event. And finally, it was time to take photos. Some took group
photos while some took selfies. I took a group picture of some of my relatives and they smiled at
me because I was holding the camera.
It was more than a birthday party. A family gathering would be the best term to explain the
event. The event was participated by almost all the relatives of my family. I went there with my
parents and other siblings. Everyone was asking me to take their photos and I was gladly meeting
their needs.
Unhappy faces are unexpected and so people smile when they pose for photos, especially in a
happy event like a birthday party. So, when I said that I will take group photos, everyone agreed.
When they posed, they smiled so that they look beautiful in the photo. When the photos were
printed, the smiling faces really looked beautiful.
Sample Answer 3:
Thank you for this interesting topic. Due to our busy and modern lifestyle, it is indeed rare to
have time and laughter together with friends and family. We cannot manage enough time for us
due to the hefty schedule we follow. But last month, we all celebrated and smiled as I was
offered a position for the senior executive at a multinational bank in Malaysia.
I went to attend the final interview with a reputed bank operating in Kuala Lumpur on the 24th of
last month and I was able to reach the last round of the interview. The interview was held around
10.30 am and it lasted for around an hour. The interview board consisted of five members. One
of the members was the Vice President of the bank. As it was a senior position, some other bank
high-ups were present in the interview session. Everyone present on the board was happy with
my overall performance and so I was offered the job.
So later this evening, I invited some of my friends and relatives in a restaurant to celebrate this
happy occasion. Every one of us laughed and enjoyed to our fullest. We enjoyed our food and
smiled even every funny and not-so-funny joke.
"Describe an occasion when everybody smiled/laughed."
Here are some alternative ways to help you generate ideas to address this cue card topic:
1.
My baby boy was born last January. Interestingly, he got my look and smiles whenever he sees
us cuddling him. Seeing him smiling, everyone present at the hospital also smiled back. In fact,
my boy was smiling and he looked like an angel. I was happy to see him smiling.
2.
My niece turned eight this month and I was invited to her birthday party. I took a pet for her as a
birthday gift. She smiled at me. I noticed that everyone surrounding her also smiled at this event.
It was a great moment for me. Everyone smilingly thanked me for the birthday present. I loved
the way they accepted the gift and their smiling faces made my day.
3.
I made a snowman last winter in front of my house in Georgetown in Colorado. It was a nice
structure. One fine morning, I found that a couple of tourists were passing by my house and one
of them urged all to take a picture of this nice snowman. Everyone posed with the snowman and
they were smiling. I was happy to see them smiling.
4. Entertaining guests is difficult if you do not know how to cook delicious food. But my guests
from my in-law’s family were happy with the traditional food that I made marking their arrival. I
loved their smiling faces when the food was put on the table. My mother-in-law was the happiest
person of them all.5. While walking down the road the other day, I saw that a woman
accidentally dropped a purse but did not notice the matter. She was walking with a man and they
were busy in a conversation. I rushed after her, took the bag and gave that back to her. Both of
them smiled nicely at me. They also thanked me a lot for caring for the purse she dropped.
Describe a couple you know who have a happy marriage.
You should say:

 who they are
 how you know them
 what they usually do together
and explain how you feel about their marriage.
Model Answer 1:
Mr and Mrs Saad live in the opposite apartment of mine at the Safwa City in Saudi Arabia and
they are a couple who have a very happy marriage, in my opinion. They have been married for
over 20 years and still, they are like teenage romantics- if you observe them closely. This is a
great candidate tasks card for me, and I am delighted to have the chance to describe this
blissfully married pair.
I first met this duo when my parents purchased the apartment currently we are living in. As
neighbours, they paid us a visit on the very first day and I was introduced to them formally.
However, due to their friendly attitude and amiable and frank behaviour, we become close within
a few months. I started visiting them frequently and they loved me like their own daughter
though they did not have their own children. They even began to have a weekly party with my
family and they started to become like our relatives.
This couple does a lot of things together like cooking, watching movies, playing chess, taking
their dog outside and so on. But I liked the way they care for each other the most. They also go
outing together in different parts of the country and outside of the country and they have so far
visited 23 countries. Shopping for themselves and their relatives and neighbours during festivals
is an important task for them and they spend a hefty amount each year for this.
They have a happy marriage, without any doubt. I believe it not just because I have seen them
happy from outside but also because I have observed them closely for many years. They are each
other's soulmate and their love for each other is genuine. They are the epitome of a perfectly
married couple and I think people who know them should envy them!
Cue Card Answer 2:
Thank you for the opportunity you have given me to describe a happily married couple. Mr Jim
and his wife Mrs Rita share strong bondage and in my opinion, they are a great example of a
happily married pair. They are a famous photographer duo in the city where I live. They have a
small family with a baby boy of three-years-old. I love to talk to them whenever I go to visit
them. Actually, they are the nicest couple I have ever met in my life.
I came to know them during a photo exhibition a years ago. I went to visit the exhibition with my
fiancé and it was a nice place to visit. There we met the couple - Jim and Rita, who were
interested in buying a piece of artwork that we had just booked back then. We allowed them to
have it and they were so grateful. At one part of the conversation with them, I realised that Jim
was a friend of my cousin, Alfred. We became friends afterwards and we often visit their house.
Both of them are professional photographers. They have travelled to different parts of the world
as part of their assignments and professional needs. Being freelance photographers, they are able
to work together. In their leisure hours, they cook, read books and have parties together. They are
more like two best friends who are also happily married and that made me realise how strong
their relationship is.
I feel happy for this couple who share special bondage. They have been married for about eight
years now and they are a perfect example of how married couple should be friendly, caring and
compassionate to each other. Their actions prove that they care for each other to a great extent
and they would travel to the end of the world to make each other happy. I wish I have such a
relationship when I get married.
"Describe a couple you know who have a happy marriage."
As an IELTS candidate, you can also follow some other approaches to complete the answer to
this cue card topic. Some of the clues to answer this topic are given below.
1. My meeting with Mr And Mrs Jones was quite interesting. They own a small restaurant beside
my office. Gradually I came to know that they have a very happy marriage. I was glad indeed
knowing the fact. They always love to be with each other. In fact, they are a model for every
married couple.
2. While visiting India last year, I found a small family in a remote village – only two members,
a husband and his wife. They do not have any other family members but they live in peace. They
lost other family members in a tragic road accident. I felt sad for them. But it was a great relief to
know that they are happily married for the last ten years.
3. Married for the past 10 years, Annie and John make a good family. They are blessed with two
kids too. Being a neighbour of them, I also feel proud. The key reason behind their happy
marriage is that they do not go bed angry. They resolute all the troubles and go to sleep.
4. The saying goes that forgiving is the best way to show love. The saying fits in the marriage
too. I know a happily married couple in my neighbourhood. They are happy because they forgive
each other no matter what. The wife once said to me that they forgive each other because they
love each other. That was amazing. In fact, if we can't forgive someone we love, our love is not
real.
5. My parents are a happily married couple whom I personally envy for their unconditional love
for each other. They have a great understanding between them and I have never seen them shout
at each other. They also love each other so much. My parents also share household activities
together like a team. I love them very much and wish that we, their children, have happy lives as
they have.
Describe an invention that has changed people’s life.
You should say:
 what it is
 who invented it
 when it was invented
and explain how it has changed people’s life.
Model Answer:
The use of the Global Positioning System, also known as GPS, has become so common in our
modern life that we sometimes even forget that it exists. This invention and technology, I believe
has changed people's life to a great extent.
This is a relatively recent invention that helps to pinpoint any specific location with the use of
satellites. It helps people determine a location, find a place they are looking for, monitor
movement and interestingly enough measure time. We use it in our everyday life and our
smartphones are constantly using it.
The masterminds of this invention are – Roger Easton, Ivan Getting, and Bradford Parkinson. In
1973, the GPS was introduced in the USA to solve the navigation problems, though the
development began in the 1960s. by the US Department of Defense. About 24 satellites were
used in the initial stage with the aim to support the US Military. But the highest development of
the system was done in 1995.
Now, this is used by almost everyone for commercial, military and individual purposes. After the
invention of GPS, exploration, and travelling has become easier than ever before. I can recall a
time when I was lost in a foreign country, but thanks to the GPS technology, I had been able to
find my hotel without even asking someone about my hotel's location as I used Google Map,
which use GPS technology to pinpoint a location. Every time we drive our car, hail a taxi, share
a location, we actually use this technology.
The use of GPS has brought a revolution in people’s life. When someone uses GPS, there are no
chances to get lost in a new and unknown location. Besides, many people use this technology
with their vehicles so that they can track them. It also helps to plan a travelling or exploration
route too. Further, a GPS device also helps to monitor resources and ensure their proper
optimization.
"Describe an invention that has changed people’s life."
Following are some hints to help you complete the cue card task in a different way. Here are
some hints that would be helpful for you to generate ideas for this cue card topic:
1.
The invention of computers has revolutionised the way people lead their life, do businesses and
work at their workplaces. The use of computers is so prevalent that we sometimes cannot
imagine what life would be without it. From simple math to complex designing and space
exploration, everything that we do in our modern life is directly or indirectly related to the use of
computers. Charles Babbage originated the concept of a programmable computer and he is
considered the "father of the computer".
2.
The wireless charging system is a modern invention. With this process, a mobile phone user does
not need connecting the charged cable to the phone. By placing the mobile phone in a particular
device, it will be charged. I am happy with this invention and planning to purchase the phone
with wireless charging feature. Besides, charging is made faster with such technology. This
technology is still not widely used and I believe with the popularity of electric cars in recent
days, this technology will become quite popular.
3.
Application of solar panel is often seen in many places and in my opinion, it is a great invention.
It helps preserve solar power and then converts the power into electricity. Actually, the sun is a
great source of renewable energy that we need to start using sooner or late. And it would be of
great use to people across the world because the non-renewable energy
Describe your favourite pastime activity.
You should say:
 what it is
 why you enjoy it
 how long you have it as a pastime activity
and say why this is your favourite pastime activity.

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think
about what you're going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]
Model Answer 1:
Thank you very much for this great topic, and I would be elated to share my favourite pastime
activity with you.
I love to collect stamps- various kinds of postal stamps that are. Some people find it very
difficult to believe that I have this hobby as an adult as they consider it a childhood hobby. In
fact, I started collecting stamps when I was only 8 or 9 years old, and the memory is still very
lucid to me, and I still enjoy this hobby of mine.
Around that time, my grandfather went to the UK and brought gifts for all of us. My share of this
gift was a very attractive looking stamp album that contains around ten brand new stamps from
the UK. This was an inspiring event for me to become a philatelist in my life.
This hobby entertains me, excites me and gives me a great opportunity to learn about different
countries and their prominent historical events and cultural aspects. This is a fabulous pastime
activity mainly because I consider it a perfect hobby as there is a never-ending stream of new
stamps all around the world and a collector feels a zeal to have as many of them as possible. I
have made two friends from the USA only because they collect stamps and we believe this is a
very positive hobby to have. A country represents its history and distinctive feature through the
stamps it publishes and with the steady popularity of postal service in the nineteenth century
onward, this has become a hobby of sheer excitement for many across the globe.
I am 26 years old now and have been engaged in this pastime activity since I was 9. I would say I
have been collecting stamps and researching them, mostly online research to fulfil my thirst for
knowledge about a new stamp, for more than 15 years.
I do not have many hobbies, and I enjoy what I have been doing for more than a decade- stamp
collecting. I have several interesting and loving memories regarding my experience of collecting
and researching postage stamps. This activity gives me opportunities to learn about different
countries, their significant historical events, unique culture and way of life. Besides, I feel a kind
of excitement whenever I get a new stamp. This is incomparable to anything else. I also collect
stamps and enjoy this hobby due to the learning opportunities it offers.
Model Answer 2:
Many people in the world love to read books and reading is their favourite hobby. In fact, I also
love to read books a lot in my free time. It is my favourite pastime activity and here I will talk
about it.
Many different types of pastime activities are available among people around us. But not all of
them are suitable for each of us, and sometimes people are reluctant to participate in them for
various reasons. But reading books is a simple yet useful pastime activity that I enjoy to a great
extent.
I enjoy this activity for various reasons, and the most important aspect of it is that it helps
enhance my knowledge. It also helps me understand the world, our life, culture, history and
emotions, in general. Besides, it widens our outlook and enhances our tolerance towards
differences. I believe that reading books assists in constructing our mental faculty and gives us
meaningful insights into the history of the world. Fictions enable us to travel in an imaginary
world to ignite our imagination which helps us become more creative.
I have been reading books as a pastime activity since my childhood - perhaps since when I was
in grade three. In fact, many of my friends, classmates and relatives had termed me as a
bookworm for my extensive reading habit. I still read books whenever I get some free time.
Reading books gives me immense pleasure as they take me to a world where everything is
possible!
I prefer reading as my favourite pastime for so many reasons. First of all, books are the best
friend of people. They will remain your constant companion for as long as you want. They also
make you a bit wiser and mature than you are now. The feeling of reading a good book in my
free time is just incredible, and it can not be expressed in words.
Describe a situation when you waited for a bus or a train.
You should say:
 when it was
 where you were
 how long you waited
Model Answer:
A few weeks ago, I had to wait for a bus to reach my university, and it was a horrible experience
for me. For this topic, I will describe the situation and my experience with it.
I had a class to attend at the university at 3:30 in the afternoon that day. So I left home at around
2:10 pm and walked to the bus stoppage which was a walking distance from my home. It usually
takes 5 to 10 minutes for a bus to arrive and another 25 minutes or so to reach my university. But
on that eventful day, nothing went according to plan! I waited for more than 35 minutes and not
a single bus to any route arrived! I was waiting anxiously as I was getting late. I tried to get a
sense of the situation but nobody could give any accurate reason for that unfavourable and
unusual event.
I could see many worried passengers were also trying to understand what was really happening,
and some of them were taking ride-sharing services like Uber instead of waiting for their bus to
arrive. After waiting for around an hour, I also hauled a taxi and hoped to reach my university in
time. Since the roads were empty, perhaps due to the fact that no public buses were on the roads,
I reached my class just in time.
Later I heard that the bus owners’ association called for a sudden and unannounced strike as
some of their demands were not fulfilled. So, they did not allow the buses to ply on the roads.
But I felt angry because we, the ordinary citizens, knew nothing about it and suffered to a great
extent for no apparent faults of ours!
The whole experience was so unfortunate and it gave me a bitter feeling. I was so sad to learn
that ordinary people were the pawn for the bus owner's demands to be fulfilled and the local
authority or law enforcing agencies did nothing about it, not even when the news went public.
However, I was a bit relieved that I could join my classes and take the class test that was
conducted by the teacher on that day.
Describe a challenging profession you know about.
You should say:
 what profession it is
 what challenges it involves
 if you want to be in this profession
and explain why this is a challenging profession.
Model Answer 1:
I think that any profession can be challenging, given the adverse circumstances and
surroundings, for a person. But, there are some professions which are just challenging by their
very nature and definition, and today, I would like to talk about one such profession.
The profession of a “Firefighter” is what I am talking about, and the people, who are involved in
this profession, work with fire, speaking literally, day in and day out, to put out the fire and save
lives. These firefighters are just some kind of “machines” who just don’t seem to get bored or
tired. In fact, they just can’t afford to get tired or bored of their jobs because then they would
have to risk some unimaginable destruction of life and property.
By the way, they also have to deal with other occurrences like industrial accidents, car accidents,
suicides, and sick/injured/dead people, and that too from the very first day of their jobs, which
also probably could very well be their last day on duty, because they could lose their lives very
easily in seconds.
But, still, so many people take the challenge to do this job to serve their people and country, and
I salute them for their unparalleled courage and commitment. One indeed has to be very noble to
accept the challenges of such a dangerous job. But, if I was ever to be offered such a challenging
role, I would have to decline the offer very politely because I just don’t have the kind of courage
to perform the duties of such a dangerous profession. Besides, one has to have a certain level of
physical and emotional fitness to do such a challenging job, which I just don’t have.
So, the job of a firefighter is indeed very challenging, not only because they have to work
tirelessly to save lives and properties, often in very adverse conditions, but also because they
could lose their lives on duty, at any time. Besides, they also have to go through some terrible
emotional turmoil because of the loss of life and properties that they have to see on a daily basis.
**Model Answer 2:**Umpiring in cricket is one of the most challenging professions I have ever
known. In fact, this is one of the toughest professions I have come across in my life. Thank you
for such a nice topic, and here I will describe how being an umpire in cricket is so tough and
challenging.Umpires are usually ex-cricketers or experts in this sport who are responsible for
making important decisions throughout the competition and their decisions make the game fair
and enjoyable. It is such a challenging profession because it demands extensive knowledge of
cricket, adherence to guidelines imposed by ICC, the governing body of international cricket,
utmost patience, nonchalant attitude and unaltered precision. There is hardly any scope for
distractions or mistakes as a single mistake can make an umpire a villain or subject to criticism
from millions of people in just a few seconds! Moreover, they need to keep their focus on
everything and that makes things more challenging. The umpire is also responsible for looking
after the stepping of the bowlers which requires sharp eyes. Declaring a batsman out is another
challenging task for them.To be frank, I am not eligible for the position of a professional umpire
in cricket. This is an intricate job, and I lack the skills and expertise that are required to be an
umpire. Even though I have played some cricket in my locality, I have never been a player in
professional cricket. So, this is not a profession for me.I have already given some reasons why
becoming an umpire and being successful in it is so hard. I will give a few more reasons why this
is one of the most difficult professions I know about. First, umpiring is a challenging profession
because they need to decide everything in no time. There is no scope for taking some time and
then making a decision. It had to be instantaneous and of course correct as there is no scope for
an error. A few mistakes can ruin their whole career. Moreover, this is not a career where people
can come with some basic training or skills. It takes years of experience, keen eyes, great mental
faculty and sound knowledge of cricket to become an umpire.
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LabelsCandidate Task CardIELTS Cue CardProfession-or-career
Describe a story that is popular in your country.

You should say:
 what it is
 how you heard it
 what lesson or moral it teaches
and explain why possibly this is a popular story in your country.
Model Answer:
Telling lies is never appreciated and a mean vice. To prevent people from lying to each other a
good number of stories are found across my country. The story of a "Tiger and a Cowhand" is
such a popular story, and I would like to talk about it here.
The story is about a young cattleman who used to tell lies to other people for no apparent reason.
To him, it was an entertaining act to make others fool by telling them outrageous lies. The story
was, perhaps, taken from the short moral stories of legendary Greek fabulist Aesop.
One day, the liar rancher started to shout about being attacked by a tiger. When other cowhands
and village people rushed to help and rescue him, he made fun of the rescuers as there was no
tiger, and he made the whole event. He was so delighted that he could make others look utter
fools. A few days later, he staged a similar drama and yet the benevolent and compassionate
people came to his rescue only to find that there was no tiger and the liar cowhand made the
whole even just to trick them and have silly fun. The rescuers were utterly disappointed by these
deceitful events, and they were heartbroken as well. So, one day, when the liar and stupid
cowhand was attacked by a real tiger near the woods and he cried for help, no one came forward
to save him. Everyone thought that it was another staged event to make fun of them. The tiger
killed the liar cattleman, and he was not helped by anyone even though everyone heard him
begging for help and shouting "Tiger! Tiger! Please help! Please save my life".
The story ends with a great lesson that "never tell a lie. If you lie, people would not believe you
even when you tell the truth." In fact, telling a lie may bring some temporary satisfaction or gain
in life, but in the long run, it ruins life.
I heard this story for the first time from my grandmother in my childhood, perhaps when I was
just 4 or 5 years old. Later, when I was at school, I found the story in my textbook.
This is a popular story in my country to cite an example of the consequences of a liar. It is

widely used to convince others not to lie as it is perhaps the meanest vice of all. Since most
people know this story and its lesson, they like to reference it as a model to emphasize the bad
consequences of telling a lie.
Describe a fruit that is popular in your country.

You should say:
 what it is
 how popular it is
 whether you like it or not
and say why possibly this is a popular fruit in your country.
Model Answer:
Greece - my beloved country is also a land of diversity. People here love to eat various types of
fruits after almost each of their daily meal. And a large number of fruits is available all around
the country, and most of them appear in different seasons. Watermelon is one of the very popular
seasonal fruits that is loved by all. For this nice topic, I would like to talk about watermelon
which is very popular in Greece.
Watermelon is widely available during the summer season and it is perhaps one of the top three
favourite fruits in my country. Some people like watermelon more than any other fruits. A major
part of the fruit contains water and helps people hydrate their body during summer. The fruit
gained popularity also for its amazing taste and refreshing quality. Since the fruit contains fewer
calories and it is also enriched with vitamins and other healthy compounds, people of all walks
of life love it, and so this fruit is hugely popular in our country.
Of course, I like watermelon. In fact, this is one of my favourite fruits during the summer time. I
like its exquisite taste, delightful smell and refreshing quality. A glass of freshly made
watermelon juice revives me to the fullest.
Watermelon is a popular fruit in my country for many reasons. In summer, people need to remain
hydrated and watermelon is good option for that. Moreover, it has a delicious flavour and
satisfying taste that people love. Since it is widely available all over the country, it has gained its
popularity as a delicious, healthy and savoury fruit.
Describe a new year celebration that you still remember.
You should say:
 when it was
 what you did
 who was with you
and explain how you celebrated this event.

Model Answer:
Usually, the new year is celebrated amid great festivity in Australia. Many people get out of their
homes to witness this grand event and welcome the new year with great expectations and
renewed hope. I can remember such a celebration to welcome 2017. I was an undergraduate
student at the University of New South Wales in Sydney back then. Thank you for this nice
topic, and I will describe the event now.
Since we were supposed to graduate from the university before 2018, we thought it was our last
chance to enjoy the new year celebration as classmates in Australia. We knew many of us would
return to our homeland and perhaps never meet each other again. So we planned to make the new
year celebration of 2017 something special. We did enjoy this event as much as we could. We
did not make any plan as we were too excited to celebrate it. However, we planned that we will
do things together and stay out till late.
As I recall we were 8 persons altogether from our class. All of us were there to celebrate the
event. Stephen, Chan, Morrison, Rahul, Gomez, Nima and Emma were with me that day to
celebrate this exceptionally enjoyable event.
We gathered at a place near the Sydney Opera House before 7:00 pm. We ate our lunch at a
nearby restaurant at around 8:00 pm, exchanged some gifts with our classmates and friends, sang
some songs and even danced like some bohemian people. We counted down together till the
clock hit 12:00, and after it was officially 2017, we shouted aloud to welcome the new year. The
surrounding atmosphere was stunning and everybody was enjoying and shouting. We also
arranged for some fireworks. The display of the fireworks was outstanding and it attracted a
remarkable number of people to enjoy it with us. We stayed out till 3:00 in the morning and then
returned to our houses.
Describe an experience you have had with a type of foreign food.
You should say:
 when you first ate it

 where you ate this food
 how you felt about it
and say if you liked or disliked it.
Model Answer:
Usually, I do not prefer to eat outside food as I believe homemade food is far more nutrient and
hygienic. But when I travel to a different city or an entirely new country, I try outside food as
cooking at home is no longer an option then. Almost a year ago, I went to Mexico to attend an
international conference where I tried a variety of food. For this topic, I will describe my
experience with Mexican food in Mexico.
I attended the conference in September last year in Tijuana as a representative from my

university. I flew to Mexico city first, and from there, I went to Tijuana. I tasted various types of
foreign food during my three days stay there. The experience was amazing as the type of
Mexican food I tried was delicious and flavourful. As I can recall, I tried Chilaquiles, Tacos,
Mexican fried rice with chicken, Burritos, Enchiladas, Stirred Fish, different types of soups and a
few other traditional Mexican food. A particular type of Mexican food, which I liked a bit more
than most others, is called "Burritos".
A burrito is basically a cylindrically rolled flour tortilla stuffed with different ingredients of
choice, often a stew. Some food vendors told me that the most popular burrito in Mexico is the
fried bean burrito with cheese and the machaca burrito. I was in love with this Mexican food and
tried as many variations as I could during my stay there.
Well, I was excited about the conference and my solo travel to a long distance. So everything
was a bit new for me and the food was no exception. Overall, my experience with the Mexican
food is that they are quite delicious and rich. Some of them contains so many and so much spices
that I could not taste them even after I wished to take a bite.
I would say that I liked most of the food I tried there. Not to mention the burrito which was my
personal favourite due it its delicate taste, amazing flavour and the variation of ingredient
choices.
Describe something you do to help others.
You should say:
 what you do
 how long you have been doing it
 how you started doing it
and explain why you think this is helpful for others.
Model Answer 1:
I like to help suffering people whenever I can with whatever little abilities I have. In fact, I am
planning to open up a “support centre” for poor and elderly people, in the future. But, that
discussion should better be left for the future, as today, I would like to talk about something
which I am currently doing to help others.
I am collecting clothes every winter to help poor and elderly people who just don’t have the
means or financial abilities to get warm clothes during the winter time. This idea of helping other
people wear warm clothes during the winter hit me about 7/8 years ago when I still was a
university student. And it was winter time too with a bone-chilling cold. In fact, I think that it
was one of the coldest years in the winter history of my country.
So, anyway, as it was really cold, I decided to take out my warmest and heaviest jacket to shield
myself from it except, of course, I found that the jacket had some rusty and dark spots because of
laying in the wardrobe for a long time, unused. Initially, I wanted to wash that jacket to get rid of
those dark spots, but some people told me that the fabric of my jacket would most likely get
damaged if I tried too hard to clean it off. They advised me to give that jacket to some people
poor people, instead, and that’s how I got this idea. Since then, I have been collecting warm
clothing from every corner of my city and handing them over to the poor and needy people.
I have understood how difficult it can get for poor and old people to survive in a very cold
winter, so I think that what I am currently doing is helping them immensely. In this way, I am
not only supporting the poor and helpless people to have a piece of warm clothing but also
helping to avoid a lot of wastage of clothing which would otherwise get thrown in the garbage
bins.
Model Answer 2:
I often offer technology-related support to people like troubleshooting a computer or fixing a

router, and some people have opined that it has greatly helped them. Actually, I am a tech
enthusiast and like to help others whenever possible. For this topic, I would like to tell you how
my support to fix people's computers and other electronic devices render great help to them.
I have been a passionate computer user since my early school days, perhaps when I was just 6 or
7 years old. Due to my experiments and interest in electronic devices and computers, I have
found that I could repair them and solve almost any operating system-related issue. Since then I
have helped others to fix such problems and I still help others this way. A couple of months ago,
I fixed a minor issue with one of my neighbour's microwave woven and she was very happy with
it.
How did I start doing it? Well, I was just 11 years old when I went to visit my maternal uncle's
house and found that their computer was dead and needed some expensive servicing or parts
replacement. I asked my uncle if I could look at it. He was really surprised to hear that but was
even more amazed when I had been able to fix the computer within an hour. All I did was put the
RAM into a different slot and then reinstall the operating system, and the computer was up and
running. It was a marvellous experience for me and this was the first time when I realised how a
little help could save people from lots of frustration and money. I have tried to help others this
way ever since.
I believe the thing I do is helpful to others as numerous times I've found that whenever I could
fix someone's problem with an important electronic device or computer, it brought smiles to their
faces. The way they appreciate me each time I help them is genuine. I can recall that several
times I helped some students to fix their computers or laptops when they could not fix them due
to money problems or time constraints, and they mentioned how grateful they really were. I am
happy to be able to help them when they need it the most.
Describe a sport that you would like to learn to play.
You should say:
 how you plan to learn it
 how difficult you think it would be to learn
and explain why you would like to learn to play this sport.
Model Answer:
Thank you for this great topic and the opportunity to let me talk about a sport that I would like to
learn to play.
Well, I love to take part in different indoor sports and games, and I am considering learning
"table tennis" soon. It is an excellent sport, and it requires a set of skills to play well. In my view,
table tennis is an exciting sport, and it is a good way of doing daily exercise as an extensive
amount of movement is required to play it.
I am planning to learn it at the university where I am currently studying. In fact, our university
has a nice arrangement to learn and play table tennis. A good number of students take part in it
every day, and among them, I have some of my classmates as well. They have assured me that
they would spare some time each day to teach me how to play it, and offer me some tips on how
to play well and win the game. I am actually counting on them. Besides, I am planning to watch
some YouTube video tutorials on how to play table tennis properly.
I believe learning the basics to play table tennis would not be much difficult for me. But I am
also convinced that playing like a professional is quite tough as it requires dedication, a lot of
practice, and skills. For now, I would be happy to be able to compete with my classmates and
that would be moderately tough, I guess. I think I will need at least six months' practice and
commitment to reach that level.
I would like to learn to play table tennis primarily because it is a popular sport among my friends
and classmates. As it requires extensive movements and physical exertions, it is also a good way
of completing daily exercise which I need urgently as I am gaining some extra pounds. Finally, I
would enjoy playing this sport for sure and I would love to become good at it.
Describe a natural calamity that you fear or you are afraid of.
You should say:
 what it is
 why you fear it
 how it affects people’s lives
and explain how you think the damage of it could be reduced.
Model Answer:
We often fall victim to natural calamities, and many of us are afraid of such natural catastrophes
that can wreak havoc. Personally, I fear earthquakes as I have seen the devastating impacts of the
earthquake at an early age.
An earthquake is a natural disaster that may occur at any time and claim lives and damage
properties on a large scale. In my country, I think earthquakes are more frequent than any other
natural disaster. When it appears with a high magnitude, it damages properties and ends people's
life to an extent that could be apocalyptic.
And, I am afraid of this natural disaster because I have personally experienced the devastations
of an earthquake and have seen how damaging the aftermaths of it could be. I learned that it can
destroy a town and city within just a few seconds. I was afraid of my life and my parents were
afraid of my life as well as theirs when all of a sudden an earthquake hit our town in the middle
of a night almost 14 years ago. The fear ingrained in my young mind, and the thought of an
earthquake, even today, gives me a mortifying feeling.
A small scale earthquake is often unnoticed by ordinary people while a medium scale one can
scare them to death. And when a large scale earthquake takes place, it shattered the affected area
and the result is pure destruction. For instance, the 2001 Gujarat earthquake had just 7.7
magnitudes and yet it killed as many as 20 thousand people, injured another 167,000 people and
destroyed nearly 340,000 buildings. Earthquakes dislocate millions of people, destroys their
livelihood, kills their cattle, destroy their houses and make them destitute. Even it takes months
to remove the debris and bring out the dead bodies. The earthquake in Nepal in 2015, for
instance, killed almost 9,000 people and the damages were unfathomable. It took years for the
nation to recover from the losses.
I am not an earthquake specialist, so, I will give you some general ideas about how to decrease
the damages caused by an earthquake. First, I think an earthquake-resistant building code should
be followed while building any new construction. The scientific community, on the other hand,
should be able to predict the exact time and location of the possibility of an earthquake so that
people could be relocated to a safer area before the earthquake hit. Finally, trained and well-
equipped professional rescuers and volunteers should be ready to conduct the rescue work in
earthquake-prone areas.
Describe a well-paid job that you think you would be good at.
You should say:
 what the job is

 what qualifications are required for this job
 how this job is different from other jobs
and explain why you would be good at this job.
Model Answer 1:
Managing a decent and well-paid job is often difficult in our country as the number of educated
youths is much higher than the employment opportunity that our country has created. However,
when it comes to a job with a higher salary at which I would be doing good, I can think of the
job as a marketing manager in a multinational company. In fact, I am currently executing the role
of a marketing executive at a local company, and I firmly believe that, with time, I will be doing
really good as a marketing manager in a large company that would pay really high.
The job of a marketing manager that I am talking about requires a good academic record in
majors like marketing, business administration and management. An MBA degree, majoring in
marketing is often preferable. Besides, the position requires at least 5 to 10 years of experience in
the marketing sector. Without necessary experience, you can't expect to be hired by a good
company that will pay you well. As different advertisements for the post suggest, great computer
and online marketing skills, smartness, management skills, team-building skills, sharp sense,
instant decision-making ability, and public relations are the key qualifications in line with
someone's academic activities and experience for this job.
The job of a marketing manager is a bit different from many traditional jobs as it involves
creating a bold presence of a brand in the market, managing other sales executives, creating an
impact in the market and not to mention reaching the sales target in each quarter. In fact, the job
of marketing manager seems like an easy one from the outside, but it is a challenging job. It
requires a special set of skills and expertise. For instance, if you are responsible for promoting
any product, you need to make sure that you follow the right strategy. In many cases, people are
reluctant to buy new products or take a new service. So, it is up to the marketing manager to
make it happen.
I would be good at this position as I've got the relevant academic qualifications and skills to do
this job. I have been working in this sector for the last five years. Thus I have come to know
about many factors that can help me perform my responsibilities perfectly. Furthermore, I have
acquired the necessary skills to set effective marketing strategies considering the needs of the
potential consumers at any specific locality. Based on the grounds, I believe that I would be good
at this job.
Sample Answer 2:
Every one of us wants to have a good job and a great salary package to lead a standard life. Thus,
they are in a race to get a good job. I am not an exception to this career race either. I have been
trying to be a legal advisor (or simply a lawyer, a really good one, in fact) and I believe I would
be great at this job.
The position of a legal advisor is an enviable job in our country, and a notable number of people
are after it because it provides a great career opportunity and pays very well.
Being a legal advisor requires a higher academic qualification in legal affairs. Besides, you will
need to pass some specialised exams to be able to work as a legal adviser. In it, you need to learn
and understand laws pretty perfectly and present others to the court of justice. I believe, as a
legal advisor, someone will need to be intelligent and apply analysing capacity to bring out the
right solution to any legal problem. A higher level of knowledge on national legal issues and
important laws and acts is a must for a legal advisor.
Advising people and organisations on their legal issues is completely different from many other
traditional jobs we know about. Most of the time, the laws and acts forbid activities of various
corporations or persons with the charges of violation of laws while the legal advisors try to bring
a neutral, remarkable and favourable solution by representing documents and evidence in support
of their respective clients. So, to bring the solutions, they need to work hard and analyse the
available resources and documents. It is a great job in terms of serving people, society and
organizations and their interests while also maintaining a balance in society and the state.
My grandfather was a renowned lawyer while one of my uncles is still a defence lawyer. So,
from my childhood, I had a passion for this career. Besides, I can analyse anything critically and
apply my ready wits and knowledge to get a proper solution. Most importantly, I am a post-
graduate student in legal affairs, and I have completed my graduation from the same discipline.
So, I firmly believe that if I can keep practising for a couple of years, I could become a very
good lawyer or legal advisor by using my skills and expertise.
Describe a family picnic or tour you have had.
You should say:
 when it was
 where you went
 what you did
and explain if this was a memorable event or not.
Model Answer 1:
Usually, we make arrangements for an annual family picnic at the end of each year. So, last year
we went to Philopappos Hill, and this was a great experience. Thank you for this nice topic. I
will describe the event here.
The family picnic took place in December 2020 - just when our country was recovering from the
Covid-19 pandemic. Since we could not go to any public places for that purpose the previous
year, we were all eagerly waiting for this event.
I can remember the day very clearly. It was not a foggy day. Instead, the sun was shining
brightly. But the environment was cold, and we were enjoying the sunlight. We reached the
picnic spot within three hours, and we enjoyed the remaining day to a great extent. It was a
magnificent place to have a picnic and sightseeing. I was in love with the natural scenarios of the
location. The day began with a light snack in the car. After reaching the spot, I distributed the
responsibilities of cooking and serving food while also having enough time to enjoy the
surroundings. Finally, everything was done in the right manner.
I was one of the organisers of this picnic. So, I had to be very busy with all the booking,
shopping, cooking and other arrangements. Besides, I was also responsible for buying some gift
items for the family members based on their age and gender. I was accompanied by a cousin who
helped me greatly. After we ate our lunch at around 12:45 pm, we walked and enjoyed the
surroundings and took many pictures.
It was a memorable event. I went to the spot for the first time in my life, and it was a grand
experience. My family members are the beats of my life. So, I enjoyed every second at the picnic
spot with them. Besides, I also enjoyed the natural scenes and view of this place which was
breathtaking. Just before dusk, we left the place with a great impression and experience.
Sample Answer 2:
Generally, my family does not arrange any family picnic outside of the home. In fact, our family
is a bit conservative. But this year, we made a great family gathering which I will remember for
many years. Thank you for the nice topic, and I will describe the entire event now in brief.
We made it at the end of February this year and visited a nice picnic and recreational spot in
Mumbai. We did not have any plans to arrange the picnic at that time. It was my brother-in-law
who convinced everyone to have it. He wanted to make a blast. In fact, he wanted to arrange the
picnic marking his third marriage anniversary with my younger sister. He was so enthusiastic
that my family could not refuse his idea.
We all went together on our private vehicles at the picnic sport and passed the day amid fun and
festivities. We selected Elephanta Caves for the picnic venue. This was a great location to spend
the day. It is located on Elephanta Island and we selected the place because it was only 30
kilometres away from Mumbai city where we live in. The island holds both Hindu and Buddhist
caves. Besides, the caves are sculptured in rock-cut stones. They have a great look. The
sculptures are dedicated to Shiva, one of the Lords of Hinduism.
None of our family members had been there before. So, it was a different kind of experience for
them. Everyone was happy to be there. The kids were extremely glad to have a chance to visit
the caves. They had heard about the caves many times but this was the first time they were
seeing them in person. So, their joys knew no bounds. We cooked a meal at a corner and we took
prior permission for the cooking. We reached the place in the morning and returned home at 8:00
pm. It was a nice day for all of us.
It was a memorable event for me and everyone else. And we were grateful for the whole
experience. The location was nice, calm and quiet. So, we had a wonderful day away from the
hustle and bustle of the city. It helped us to get recharged and refreshed. It will definitely be a
memorable experience for all of us.
**A few more ideas to develop your own answer for this cue card topic:**Spending time with
family members is a great way to strengthen the family bond. So, people often arrange family
gatherings. This is a good idea indeed to develop a healthy relationship among family members.
Few hints here should help candidates to generate ideas for the same cue card/candidate task card
topic.
1. I went on a tour with my family members in Japan last year. We visited many places in this
beautiful country, and also liked the experience we have had there. We had a far better
experience than our initial expectation, and we will never forget the Japanese food that we
enjoyed.2. My short trip to Universal Studios in Singapore with my family was outstanding. We
visited this theme park for the first time and the experience was amazing. We enjoyed the park
and particularly the "show" that is something we do not have in our country. We all enjoyed our
time and we all agreed that we would need to visit that place again.3. Our latest family picnic
was held at the Ha Long Bay a few months ago. We all had great fun there. All the activities
were entertaining, particularly swimming on the emerald water and hiking on the islands is
something we will never forget. Besides, the boat tour was exciting for us. Every one of the
family enjoyed it a lot.
4. A visit to the Grand Canyon was a memorable event in my life. I had visited there with my
parents. I wondered at the amazing geographical location and the iconic beauty of this place. I
explored the area and came to know about historical information from the guide. Driving a
dirtbike was another interesting experience there.5. The Statue of Liberty is one of the greatest
masterpieces that I have seen so far. I went to visit one of my uncles in the USA. I went there
with my parents a couple of years ago. And it was a family outing that day and my uncle
recommended that we should visit this place and take a guided tour. It was a fabulous
experience.6. I took part in a family picnic in Yorkshire in the UK six months ago. The place
was naturally adorned and I fell in love with the lakes, water and surrounding beauty. Sitting by
a picturesque lake was the most enjoyable thing for me and for the rest of the family members.7.
A picnic beside the Taj Mahal in India is the finest memory of my life. I had the picnic with the
participation of my cousins and a few other family members. We enjoyed the traditional Indian
food and also took hundreds of pictures.
Describe a letter you wrote to someone.
You should say:
 when it was
 who you wrote to
 what the letter was about
Model Answer 1:
When I was a teenager, I think I was barely fourteen years old back then, I used to write letters to
a girl of my age. In fact, I was deeply in love with her. So, to express my feelings, I chose to
write letters to her. However, writing the first letter was the most difficult of all. Thank you for
the topic that reminds me of the early part of my life and the first letter that I wrote to her.
Before telling you any further about the event and my first letter to her, I would like to mention
that the girl is now my better half, and we are happily married for the last eight years. She has
kept all the letters I have written to her so far - both before marriage and after marriage.
I used to write those letters to Aditi - a girl from our locality who was just one year junior to me.
She is now the proud mother of my kids and we are a happy family with two babies. The first
letter that I wrote to her took me around three days - mostly because I did not know how to
express my feeling about her in writing without sounding too desperate or foolish.
I could not talk to her in person to express my feeling about her - I believe I was so nervous
about it. This is why I decided to write a letter to her. After I wrote her the first letter, she told
me that my handwriting was excellent - a sign that she liked me too. Afterwards, I often wrote
letters to her. The first letter to Aditi that I wrote was about my feeling about her. I wrote about
how she was constantly in my mind, how much I liked her and finally, I mentioned that it was
okay if she did not like me or have someone else in her mind.
How did I feel about writing this letter? Well, at that time, it was a herculean task -I believe I
could rather conquer Everest easily than finish writing this letter. It was intimidating, perplexing,
daunting and yet, it gave me a sense of satisfaction when I finished writing it. Delivering it to
Aditi was another complicated task. However, when I think about this even these days, it seems a
pretty sweet thing to do, and I often laugh with a sense of happiness whenever I remember this
event and my experience.
Sample Answer 2:
Nowadays, I hardly write any letters that I post to someone, and I think this is primarily because
we have a much more convenient way to do that with the help of the technology called "Email".
However, recently, I've written a letter to one of my friends who lives in a different state, far
away from my living place. Marking the death anniversary of his father, I wrote the letter. I
wrote it because I wanted my friend to know that I care about him and his family.
It was the beginning of March last year when I wrote this letter. My friend's dad diest two years
ago, and the death anniversary was on the 9th March. So, I finished writing the letter a week ago
and posted it immediately so that my friend could get the letter in time.
I wrote this letter to Graham, one of my close friends from high school. We have so many happy
memories together and we spent some of our golden years in the same neighbourhood and
school. We spilt when we started attending two different colleges located in two distant states.
However, we called each other over the telephone during the first three years or so, but that too
became infrequent with time.
The letter that I wrote to Graham was about condoling him on his father's death anniversary. I
also wrote how good a person his father really was and how he will be remembered as a kind and
honest person. I met his father several times, and in my opinion, he was an excellent person. It
was not easy to finish writing this letter because I had to be very precise with my word selection.
I also apologised in the letter for not being able to attend the funeral of his father. Finally, I
invited him to visit our home the next summer.
It was a bit difficult for me to write that letter, and, in fact, it took me several hours and a couple
of sittings to finish it. I had mixed feeling about the whole event. I felt sad that my friend's dad
left us even before his 60s, and I wondered how hard it must have been for my friend. I also felt
apologetic for not being there with Graham when his father died as I was travelling to Australia
at that moment. However, I was also happy when I could send the letter as I thought it would
convey a positive message to Graham and his family.
Describe an event you felt unhappy about.
You should say:
 when it was
 what happened
 where were you then
and explain why you felt unhappy about this event.
Model Answer 1:
Everyone wants to score well in their examination, and when they cannot get the desired score,
they feel unhappy. It is quite natural, and that's exactly what had happened to me almost three
years ago. I felt miserable because I thought I did well in that particular exam, but the test result
was dismaying, to say the least. I am going to share this unhappy experience with you.
It was at the end of 2019 when I appeared in my 9th-semester final examination of my

undergraduate course at Texas State University. The result was published two weeks later. Till
that exam, I'd been able to maintain a CGPA over 3.5. But the result of that semester, despite my
confidence that I did moderately well in it, was below 3.0 - an all-time low in my university life.
My parents were also displeased with my score. So it made me sad to a great extent.
I had spent a moderately good amount of time on my studies and thus expected a good result in
my 9th semester. But everything was out of my control at the end of that semester. It all went
wrong due to an unexpectedly bad result that semester.
I was in Texas when the event took place. In fact, at that time, I used to live near my university
and worked as a part-time sales executive for a local sales office to support my educational and
other expenses. I was in my room and checked my test result online, and it was so hard to believe
that I scored so poorly.
I felt unhappy about the event for many reasons. First of all, my CGPA dropped to a significantly
low level due to this bad test result. Moreover, I had to think about my parents, who expected me
to score really good. I was anxious that they must have had felt discontented. The tension,
anxiety, regret and unhappiness that I felt were so great that the memory is still vivid in my
mind. I am happy that I could have increased my CGPA during the next few semesters for which
I had to study even more rigorously and dedicatedly.
Describe an irritating person you know about.
You should say:
 who is he/she
 what he/she does
and say why you think he/she is an irritating person.

Model Answer 1:
It's hard to think about a person whom I think is "irritating" since I know that as humans we all
have our faults - one way or another. However, I'll still go ahead and talk about such a person
who could be a bit more bothersome person at times than most other people I know about.
I work in a multinational company that manufactures computer hardware in Malaysia. In my

office, Mr Andrew Peterson is a colleague of mine, and he sometimes appears to be a really
annoying person. He is my reporting manager and I know him since the day I started working for
this company, which would be almost 4 years by now.
I admit that Mr Andrew Peterson is a competent employee as he works hard and takes his
professional responsibilities very seriously. But his nosiness and over-enthusiasm about other
people's personal life are the most irritating issues for many employees like me. As a manager,
he is responsible for taking care of the weekly and monthly production and sales while also
supervising his team.
Mr Peterson thinks that as a manager he has the right to know everything about his teammates
and subordinates. So he interferes with the personal matters of the employees which are
extremely intolerable for many of us. He could have been an interesting person had he not shown
such undue interest in the affairs of others. He also does not like to listen to his teammates as if
they are no good for any creative or innovative ideas. As a manager, he should have been more
responsive to his teammates. I believe this is my assessment about this person who I believe
could be irritating to some extent.
Describe a time when you were forced to do something against your will.
You should say:
 what it was
 what/who forced you to do it
 when it was
and explain why you were forced to do it.
Model Answer 1:
I usually do not do anything against my will except for the occasions when I need to keep the
honour of others. This topic reminds me of an occasion when I did something against my will
that I was not very comfortable doing.
It happened about a few months ago as I could not say ‘No’ on that occasion. It took place
during the annual university festival last January. I was asked to host the last day of the event as
the student who was selected to host the programme became sick all of a sudden. So, they picked
me as the host, and it was so sudden that I could neither deny to host it nor manage enough time
to prepare for the event.
The cultural association of the university organises the show every year. As part of the annual
activity, it has also organised the cultural show this year. Everything was in order. They offered
me to host the event in the beginning, but I humbly denied the request as my semester final
exams were approaching fast. But when the main host became sick, finding no other way, a
professor came to me to request me to host the programme. I did not want to host the
programme, but I knew it was very sensitive and my teacher's honour depends on it. So, despite
my total unwillingness, I agreed to do it.
I would not say that I was forced to do it, but it was kind of a situation when you can't say 'No'.
So for the sake of my teacher, who came to request me, and for the reputation of my university, I
agreed to host the event for the day. Overall, I did well in hosting the event even though I was
not very enthusiastic about it.
Model Answer 2:
A few months ago, I went on a vacation in Kauai, the oldest island in the Hawaiian region, and it
was an annual family trip. But, during that vacation, I was forced to do something that I did not
want to. For this topic, I will share with you this unpleasant experience.
I am not a professional photographer. I do not even consider myself to be a photographer. But I

was forced to click all the photos of my family members who were also visiting the island. We
were six people in the group and they were all convinced that I possess great photography sense,
which is contrary to the truth. In fact, photography is not my cup of tea, and I wanted to enjoy
the trip rather than hanging around others and taking their pictures all the time! Being requested
over and over again and then being kind of forced by them, I had to click the photos. It was not a
delightful experience!
One of my paternal uncles had got a new and expensive camera at that time that came with some
special functions and features. So, everybody wanted to test how the camera capture their
photos! They all wanted to be in the picture and needed a cameraman who could use the features
of the camera to capture great photos, and they selected me for that task! Finding no other way, I
had to take photos of them.
Generally, my family takes a week-long vacation at the end of the year. This year, we decided to
visit this island and pass a few days in tranquillity. As part of the plan, we moved here and had
spent a splendid week. Almost all the family members were present on the trip. And the event
took place exactly during this time.
I am the youngest member of our family, and I am familiar with different technology and
electronic devices which our senior members often find difficult to understand. So, they believe
that I have a sharp sense of technology. Moreover, on different occasions, I had taken some
photos and they were nice. So, my family members thought of me as a quality photographer.
Hence they all requested and kind of forced me to take their pictures on this new camera!
Describe a person who leads an exemplary life.
You should say:
 who is he/she
 how old is he/she
 what he/she does for a living.
and explain why you think he/she leads an exemplary life.
Model Answer 1:
Leading a meaningful and exemplary life may seem very much attainable, but it is not such an
easy feat for most people. It requires a lot of patience, virtue, humane qualities and mental
strength. Mr Peter Strauss, among the people I know, is one such man who leads an exemplary
life. For this topic, I will describe him here.
I live in an apartment in the new part of Nafplio in Greece, and Mr Peter Strauss is my good
neighbour. He is a retired university professor and lives with his wife. He is a tall man with an
amiable presence who can motivate people around him. Both of them have a very good
relationship with their neighbours. I have known Mr Strauss for more than 5 years.
Mr Strauss is over 65. But even at his age, he looks fit and fine. In fact, he exercises regularly
and follows a strict but balanced diet. Mr Strauss also loves to take part in adventurous activities.
He often moves for hiking and other outdoor activities with me and some other people from our
locality. The spirit he owns and shows is incredible.
He was a history professor at the University of the Aegean. He retired from his job a couple of
years ago. However, he is still a part-time professor at a local college in our town and writes for
a local newspaper. He also owns a small gift shop jointly with his wife. His wife primarily looks
after the gift shop while he goes to the shop just after the evening to take charge of the sales and
customer care.
I think Mr Strauss leads an exemplary life because he is a successful teacher, a loving father, a
great husband, a skilled writer, an honest man with an acute sense of morality. He owns
considerable wealth but had chosen to move to a coastal and beautiful area, away from the hustle
and bustle of the city area. Instead of accumulating more wealth and making things more
complicated, he had preferred to lead a life that has meaning. I heard that more than 50% of his
earnings go to charity, and that is something that has really touched me. The way he and his
lifestyle inspire people to be happy and contended instead of being rich is something I take as a
sign for an exemplary life, something greater than just monetary success.
Model Answer 2:
I would like to thank you for this great topic. I believe that life is short and we have just one life
to lead. This is why it is important that we make it meaningful and exemplary so that in the end
we can leave the world with satisfaction, not with disappointment. A life that is exemplary to
others is worth living but not all of us have the same expectations from life or the same way of
thinking about life. This is why not all of us can lead a worthy life.
I know a man named Roberto Julius who leads an exemplary life. He began his life as a small
businessman in Italy, and his determination, honestly, hard work and good qualities have helped
him reach the peak of success - both financially and personally.
Mr Roberto, in my view, is a living example of patience, honestly, benevolence and struggle. I

know him since my early childhood when he used to live in our neighbourhood in Verona. Mr
Roberto is now around 53 years old. But he is extremely fit even at this age.
Mr Roberto is a businessman. In fact, he is a very successful businessman. He started his career

as a small vendor, selling local-made gift items to tourists. With his talent, hard work, honesty
and determination, he now owns at least 30 medium to large stores all over the country that sell
many different types of products. He even owns three hotels in Italy - all located at prime tourist
spots. However, he could still be found dealing with local gift items - the thing that he started his
career with.
People adore the stories about him - stories about his struggling, honesty and determination to
reach success, and they often cite them to inspire others to do something better in life. This is not
a small achievement as a person, in my opinion. He used to sell small gift items, handicrafts and
other knick-knacks to tourists and locals as a young boy, and he even helped poor people at that
time when he was one of them. This is an example of a great mind. Mr Roberto Julius is a name
of inspiration for the people who want to start entrepreneurship in Italy and help people by
creating employment for them. He is a living legend in his locality. He now owns a substantial
number of properties and a great amount of wealth. But he is still the same person he used to be
when he was humble and poor.
Describe something your friends have but you don't.
You should say:
 what it is
 how many of your friends own it
 if you want to own it
and explain what you would do once you own it.

Model Answer 1:
A smartphone is no longer a luxury; rather, it has become a necessity in this modern time.
Almost everyone has a smartphone in my surrounding, but, I do not have a smartphone of my
own. My family is yet to buy me one as they think I should not have it until I turn 18. Since
almost all of my friends have one or more smartphones, I think I should also have one as soon as
I turn 18 - which is just a year away from now.
Having a smartphone is very common in our country, even for young students who are just over
12 years old or so. Many parents view a smartphone as an essential tool to keep in touch with
their children. As a result, almost all of my friends and classmates have a smartphone. Most of
them use their phones to talk to their family and friends, browse the internet, play games and
maintain their social profiles - among other things. But, my family consider having a
smartphone is a distraction from academic studies and outdoor activities. Perhaps, my father is
not in favour of allowing me to own a smartphone while I am still young, and I have not argued
with them on this issue.
Definitely, I want to have a smartphone of my own. But I would not want to hurt my parents'
emotions by owning it without their consent or support. I'm over 17 already, and if I wait a year
or so, I will be able to own it without causing any hard feelings to my parents, who have decided
not to buy me a smartphone for the sake of my own good.
I think I will do a lot of things once I have my own smartphone. First and foremost, I will use the
built-in high-resolution camera to capture some nice pictures and then upload them to my
Instagram account. Then, I will download and install some useful applications that would help
me keep in touch with my family and friends. Perhaps I will also install a couple of games to test
them out. Not to mention, I sometimes play games on my friend's mobile which seems really
interesting to me. So I will download and play some games, I guess. Finally, I will browse the
internet to learn new things and get help on my academic subjects.
Sample Answer 2:
I am a student at a local college in our city, and the college is far away from my residence. Some
of my friends, whose houses are also far away from the college, use motorbikes or bicycles to
commute to and from college while I have to rely on public transportation for that purpose.
Considering the freedom of having a vehicle of my own, I am planning to have a bicycle soon.
Thank you for giving me this nice topic, and I will tell you why I want to have a bicycle, how
many of my friends have it, and finally, what I will do once I have it.
A bicycle is a great mode of transportation considering its eco-friendliness. It also keeps the rider
fit and healthy. So, many people ride a bicycle to commute safely while also having some
physical exercise each day. At least twelve of my friends and classmates in my college own a
bicycle, and they use them regularly. They do not need to wait for a bus or other public
transports the way I do, as a result.
Considering all these reasons, I think I should have a bicycle of my own. I have already told my
father about it, and he replied that he is going to buy me a nice bicycle in a few weeks time.
If I could get a bicycle, I will use it for numerous purposes. First of all, I will use it for
commuting to and from my college. My trouble to ride in a public bus will be over. Moreover,
I'll be able to travel anywhere inside the city easily whenever I want. There will be no time
barrier like I have now when I borrow my friend’s bicycle. Finally, riding a bicycle is a great
physical exercise. So, it will help me to be healthy if I ride it every day. These are my initial
plans to do with a bicycle.
Describe a restaurant that has recently opened in your town.
You should say:
 where it is
 what types of food it offers
 how it looks
and explain what you think about this new restaurant.
Model Answer 1:
Paris is a multicultural city, and people of various nations live here in harmony. As a result, the
number of cafes and eateries is on the rise in this city. I live in the southeast corner of the city,
and a new Asian restaurant has recently opened its branch here. For this topic, I will talk about
this newly opened restaurant.
The restaurant belongs to a business person from a South Asian country named Bangladesh, and
it is his 7th branch of the same restaurant. The owner gave it the name Sonar Bangla (Golden
Bangla) Restaurant. It sells various types of traditional Bangladeshi foods. The restaurant is
located at the southeast corner of Paris - which is a residential and semi-commercial area. A few
weeks ago, I visited the restaurant with my fiancé and had a great experience there.
The restaurant offers a good number of different Bangladeshi foods. But most of the dishes they
offer are spicy and hot for our taste. Some of the foods looked extremely spicy, and we did not
dare to try them. When I had been there, I ordered beef kebabs and traditional parathas with
seasonal salads for me. I asked the cook to make it less spicy than usual. The kebab was so soft
and delicious. My fiancé, on the other hand, ordered plain rice, chicken curry and salad. She told
me that she liked the food and it was tasty. The restaurant menu included many other traditional
items, many of which I did not even understand! I could recognise items like steamed rice, beef
curries, mutton curries, beef and chicken kebabs, traditional drinks, vegetables, salads and some
desserts.
The restaurant had a cosy and welcoming ambient. The exterior of the restaurant had a traditional
and exotic look. The interior had a classic look - a combination of European and Asian styles.
People say that serving the food is an art, and it seems to me that they know this art pretty
perfectly. Finally, I liked the way they tried to keep tables away from each other to give their
customers some privacy.
My impression of this new restaurant is that it is a splendid restaurant. Everything appeared

great. I also liked the hospitality that the staff offered us. Besides, the quality of the food was
also superb. Furthermore, the location where the restaurant is situated is convenient for me. I
think the restaurant will serve people in a professional and friendly manner and do well in the
future.
Sample Answer 2:
Indians love to try different foods, and they have a fascination for traditional and international
dishes and cuisines. As a result, a substantial number of restaurants and eateries are available
across the streets wherever you go in our country. I live in Chennai in Tamil Nadu, and a new
Chinese restaurant has opened its branch in our city just a couple of months ago. Thank you for
this topic, and for it, I'll describe this newly opened restaurant.
The restaurant is called "Xialing" that has opened a new branch in our city, more specifically,
near my locality - the northern part of Chennai city. The restaurant has a few more branches
across the country, and they are quite popular. The restaurant that has opened in our area sells
quality food at a reasonable price. Moreover, their service quality is also very good.
The restaurant mostly offers different Chinese foods and beverages. They offer a good number of
dishes like Chow Mein, Fried Rice, Roasted Duck, Spring Rolls, Wontons, various types of
vegetables and soups. The foods are delicious, and I am a frequent visitor to this restaurant for
their tasty foods. They prepare the foods only after the customer place orders. So, the visitors
need to wait a bit for the food preparations, but they are always served fresh and delicious food.
The outlook of the restaurant is excellent. The entire design and decoration are done with the
reflection of the traditional Chinese style. The interior design and excellent lighting system
inside the restaurant have created a magnificent look and feel. Moreover, they organised the
tables and chairs in a professional and cosy manner that gives a positive impression.
The restaurant is great from every perspective. You can have your favourite Chinese dishes from
there and also relax the entire time. There is nothing to hurry about. I have visited there
numerous times with my family and friends and I liked their professional and friendly attitude,
delicious food, reasonable price and relaxing ambient. What more to expect from a restaurant? I
hope they will do better and bigger business in the coming days and get more popular.
Describe a rainy day you can remember.

You should say:
 when it was
 what you did on that day
 how long it rained
and explain how you felt about the day being rainy.
**Model Answer 1:**In mid-November last year, I experienced a rainy day, which was quite
uncommon, and it rained all day long. In fact, it was an unusual experience for me. Thank you
for this interesting and fun topic. I am glad to have a chance to describe my experience of this
rainy day here.In November, the cold is acute in our country, and rain is the last thing that people
have in their minds. In fact, rain during this period is unheard-of in our country. So, nobody
expects a few drops of rain at this time of the year, let alone torrential rain. But nature had other
plans for us and decided to pour rainwater on us the whole day!I am an undergraduate student at
a local university and my major is Social Science. On that day, I needed to remain busy with my
academic events. In fact, I had to attend an important class on that day and take a class test. Due
to such heavy rain, the traffic condition deteriorated, and I had to face difficulty getting a taxi or
a bus to reach my university. Moreover, I was not prepared for the rain as it started when I had
already left my home. Without proper dresses, I felt a chilling cold the whole time I was out of
my home. After I returned, I took a hot shower and went directly inside my warm and cosy
blanket. It felt so comfortable!It rained the whole day, perhaps it started at around 8:45 in the
morning and ended just after dusk. It was drizzling at first, but after a while, it was torrential rain
that we witnessed. The rain did not cease, but its power and intensity changed almost every hour.
I thought that it might stop in the noon, but the rain did not stop.I had a mixed feeling about the
day and the rain. At first, it seemed interesting, but when I was struggling to get any
transportation, I was worried that I would be late for the class, and naturally, the rain was to be
blamed! After a while, I started feeling very cold as I did not wear enough clothing for such
weather. But when I returned home and got in the conform of my bed and started watching some
of my favourite TV programmes, and learned that my mother was cooking some of my favourite
dishes; the rainy day suddenly seemed a blessing!
**Sample Answer 2:**A rainy day is dull and gloomy to many and exciting and enjoyable to
others. For me, it all depends on the condition of the day! A couple of weeks ago, I experienced
such a rainy day, but it was not a dull day by any means. I will describe the day and my
experience of it here.It was perhaps the second week of February. In our country, it usually does
not rain at this time. But due to global warming and climate changes, the weather, nowadays,
behaves so strangely. So, the rainfall was completely unexpected to everyone. But we should not
have been so startled about it because the weather and nature are changing.Personally, I enjoyed
the day to a great extent. It was a kind of great relief for me to do many fun activities with my
family after a long. I could not go to my office and decided to cook some of our favourite foods
at home. Later, we played some indoor games and watched two movies. When the rain stopped,
we went to the rooftop and enjoyed the view. We went outside in the evening to take a stroll and
the nature was so beautiful all around us. We ordered some delicious food from a restaurant at
night and enjoyed our family dinner together.The rain lasted for more than 8 hours, I guess. It
started early in the morning and stopped at around noon time. During these 8 hours, interestingly,
the intensity of the rain did not get weak and the heavy pour of the rain brought a chilling cold all
around us.I did not feel well at first as I could not go to my office due to the rain. Then I took the
day off and felt that I should make the day more enjoyable for all of us. After a while, when I
finalised my plan and started materialising all of them- I felt so great and happy about the day
being rainy all of a sudden.
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LabelsA dayCandidate Task CardDescribe an experienceIELTS Cue Card
Describe an animated movie you recently enjoyed.
You should say:
 what movie it was

 when you watched it
 with whom you watched it
and explain why you liked/ enjoyed this animated movie so much.
**Model Answer 1:**Watching animated movies is one of my favourite pastime activities. I

often enjoy animated movies more than other types of films. For this topic, I'd be happy to
discuss a movie that I have recently watched.The movie I watched recently is called "Kung Fu
Panda 3". This is the latest instalment of the series and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. This
episode has a different plot than the earlier parts. This part shows that Po - the main character of
the movie and our hero panda, meets his people – the other pandas at the Panda Village. But he
experiences a big problem and has to play the role of saviour again. Accordingly, he teaches and
forms his own soldiers to fight against evil, and finally, wins the battle.I watched this movie a
couple of weeks ago. On that day, I could not attend college due to fever. As I had to stay home
whole days, and felt better in the evening, I decided to enjoy some television shows. While
browsing the television channels, I found that one of the channels was telecasting the movie. So,
I just sat tight and enjoyed the movie.I love to watch movies with my friends and family
members. But this time, I was alone. Though one of my friends was supposed to come to meet
me, he could not join me. As a result, I alone enjoyed the movie.I liked and enjoyed this
animated movie because it had all the ingredients of a perfect animated movie. It is funny,
humorous, educative, sometimes serious and deals with important lessons of life. It gives so
many important messages. Moreover, the characters (though created by computer animation) are
superb. The movie was so fascinating that I did not know when it started and then ended. Despite
my illness, I was glued to the TV screen and did not feel the heat of the illness as long as I was
watching it.
Describe a day when you stayed home all day long.
You should say:
 when it was
 why you did not go outside the whole day
 what you did at home
Model Answer:
Staying home all day long is not an easy task, especially for people who like the outdoors and
nature. In fact, this is one of the toughest tasks for me as I love to go out and enjoy the outer
world more than staying home. But it does not matter if I like it or not, I have to stay home the
whole day sometimes, and for this topic, I will share one of such experiences.
It happened last December and I had been home more than 30 hours as I got stuck at home for
the sudden and excessive snowfall.
I live in Montreal, Canada, and this place often has heavy snowfall during the winter season.
However, this time it was very sudden as if it came without any warning. So, on that fateful day,
I could not go outside for the heavy snowfall. It snowed all around the city and the weather
forecast report showed that the situation would deteriorate. Since I was already under the
weather, I decided to stay home considering the weather condition and my health.
The feeling of staying home for the whole day was significant this time because I was all alone at
our home. My family went to visit a relative, and I decided to stay. But little did I know that the
weather would betray so terribly, and I would be stranded at home all day. Anyway, I cooked
some food, watched a movie, read a magazine, listened to some music, and browsed the internet
while I was not sleeping or working. I also called my family to learn how they were doing.
I did not feel good being trapped at the house for such a long time. The experience was not
something that I would describe to be pleasant. It was quite the opposite! I wish the weather was
not so terribly bad and I could go out and enjoy at least the evening time. But nature had some
other plans for me!
Describe a time when you played with a child.
You should say:
 when it was
 who the child was
 how long you played with this child
Model Answer 1:
I generally like to play with children as they are so innocent and adorable. However, with my
busy schedule, I can hardly manage any time to play with children. But I can remember an event
when I spent almost an entire day with a child and played different games and sports with this
lovely kid. For this topic, I will share my experience.
I had to attend a birthday party a couple of months ago, and it was the birthday event of my
colleague Mr Robert Perera's child. It was his 6th birthday. The child was barely 6 years old, but
the attitudes and acts he showed were much more mature compared to his age. In fact, after
spending a few hours, talking to him and playing several games and sports with him, I grew a
fondness for this charming little boy who was very smart.
The child, Robert Junior, whom I am talking about, is extremely intelligent. He loves to read
books and play games that invite mental challenges. It was pretty interesting.
I had many hours to spare and play with this boy. The birthday event was in the evening but I
reached my colleague's house before noon. I reached there early to help my colleague with the
preparation but instead, he and her wife insisted that I take care of their child and they do the
rest. So I agreed and spend the hours till the evening with the boy.
I asked the boy to bring something to play with and to my utter surprise, he brought a chess set to
play with me! He played really well. He later took me to their backyard and we played cricket
for a while. Again, to surprise me, he told me a lot of information about this sport which was
unlikely for a five or six years old kid. I thought he was just a gifted child.
I was pretty glad to have a chance to spend the day with this remarkable child. Spending some
time with children always gives me pleasure, and this time it was even greater as the kid was
very gentle, amiable and talented. I felt happy to be present and get to know him on his birthday.
I wish to visit and spend some time with this kid again.
Describe an interesting song you like.
You should say:
 what it is
 which country the song comes from
 what story the song tells
and explain why you think it is interesting.
Model Answer 1:
Music and songs are quite an integral part of our life, and interestingly, it is also important to our
culture and tradition. While some songs are entertaining, some others are patriotic, and spiritual
in nature, while many others are romantic, or come with deep meaning. Today, for this topic, I
would like to talk about a song that I think is a bit unique and interesting which I like a lot.
The song title is roughly translated to "Listen to what I wanna say to you" in English. The origin
of the song could not be pinpointed and could be found in more than three or four languages in
different Asian countries. The lyric of the song is about a conversation among four family
members in a nuclear family just before the time when the father is going out in the sea to catch
some fish though a storm is looming around. It evokes the role of different family members in a
nuclear family and how they all sacrifice for the family. It also highlights the importance of a
family.
The song tells the story of the "father" first - who tells his wife and two children why he has to
go to a wild and angry sea to catch fish despite the unfathomable risks. The mother then tells her
children what she does for the family and how she and her husband keep the family together.
Afterwards, the children keep on expressing how much they love the family and their parents,
and how they will keep this relationship intact. It ends with the father promising that he will be
careful and return to the family safely within a couple of weeks.
This song is interesting to me because it has very unique and impressive lyrics and a great
storyline. It evokes a great emotion within us and gives us an excellent opportunity to think
about other family members in our family and how much they love us and care for us. It is
fascinating also because it has a piece of charming music and tone that surely would thrill
listeners of all ages and demography.
**Sample Answer 2:**Last month, I heard a song about the struggle and sacrifices of people for
their right to their mother tongue. As soon as I listened to the song, I thought it was
fascinating.This special song was composed marking the language day of a South Asian country
called "Bangladesh". The song is titled "Amar Bhiayer Rokte Rangano Ekushey February, Ami
Ki Bhulite Pari" which roughly translates to "My brother's blood-spattered 21 February, Can I
forget the twenty-first of February incarnadined by the love of my brother?".The song is about
the martyrs of the language movement day on 21st February in 1952. As far as I came to know -
there had been a language movement in Bangladesh in 1952. The majority of the people spoke
Bengali as their first language while the then government of West Pakistan tried to impose the
Urdu language upon them. But the Bengali-speaking people protested against the decision, and
police open fired on them. As a result, many protestors - mostly young university students, died.
To commemorate the event, the day is observed as International Mother Language Day, and this
song evokes the emotion of that day.The song tells the story of the martyrs who gave their lives
for the rights of people's mother language. The song is also about the griefs of a sister, a mother,
and their families about their losses of brothers and sons. The song begins with the statement that
a brother's life has been sacrificed and that their sacrifices will always be remembered.This song
appears really interesting to me. First, it evokes a great patriotic feeling. It mourns the lost son,
brother and thus it touches the hearts of millions of people. It has a very different tone, lyrics and
meaning. It creates a sense of sadness inside our hearts. After listening to the song, it appears that
I have also lost someone near and dear in 1952 - which is a powerful sentiment to tell the least.
In this sense, it is a very powerful and intriguing song.
Describe a time when you needed to use your imagination.
You should say:
 what the situation was

 why you needed to use imagination
 what the difficulties were
**Model Answer 1:**In high school, I had to attend literature classes twice a week, and I really
enjoyed doing so. The teacher often tried to inspire us to tell our own stories, write a few poems
and even try writing short stories, and most of the time, I had to rely on my "imagination" for
that. During this course, I learned how our imagination power could save us and even make us a
bit more creative than we think we are!In our literature classes, the teacher used to tell us stories,
explain the meaning and context of poems and discuss the literary works of different writers.
One day, just after explaining the life of a famous poet and his poem writing style, the teacher
asked us to produce a 12-line authentic poem to mimic this writer's style. That was really
difficult, and I had to rely on imagination.I needed to use imagination because writing a poem
requires imagination power to be fully utilised. This time it was even more difficult because I
had to follow a particular style and could not just write a few lines to make a poem. The whole
thing got even more complicated because we were asked to produce the writing instantly in the
classroom and we did not have enough time to think and write.However, as usual, I came up with
something. This time, I picked a theme for the poem that actually happened. The writer - whose
writing style we were supposed to mimic - lost his younger brother in his childhood, and I
imagined how that experience could really be and how to pen down the experience of that event
from the writer's perspective. I think the poem that I came up with was not so bad. After all, the
teacher, who was not easy to satisfy, praised the poem in front of the whole classroom.I was very
relieved when I noticed that the teacher was happy about my writing. It was also a great
achievement, and it boosted my confidence in writing about a totally unknown situation when I
had had no clue whatsoever.
Sample Answer 2:
Making an effective presentation is tough for those who do not have a solid idea about the topic
or the theme. Being a junior employee, I recently had to undergo such a situation in my office. I
am a fresh sales analyst for a reputed "table fan" making corporation in Bolivia. For this topic, I
will describe the situation when I had to apply my imagination.
Though I have to remain busy with my usual official tasks at the office, a couple of months ago,
my manager asked me to prepare a presentation for him. He only verbally explained the theme of
the presentation to me, and I could not understand all of it! So, I had to use my imagination and
prepare that for him.
It was extremely difficult for me to create a presentation when I did not have a solid idea of what
to do or how to do it. Moreover, my manager wanted the presentation within the next 5 days! It
was like an impossible situation.
This presentation was nothing like adding some statistical data and visually presenting them in
front of an audience. It was about our immediate plans to boost our sales and beat our
competitors. Now that I know what my manager tried to do, I am happy that he gave me the
opportunity. My manager planned to find out how good a planner and analyst I really was and
that's why he gave me as little idea as possible. So I had to do some digging into our sales and
financial data and use my imagination to complete the presentation. I must say that the internet
helped me a lot in my endeavour to complete the presentation.
At that time, I was intimidated. I also thought that my presentation was not presentable to my
higher management. But as soon as I presented it to them and noticed their expression, I was
relieved. I immediately knew that it was a great success and they loved my ideas. It boosted my
confidence, and from that point onwards, I am never scared to use imagination and solid data to
make a presentation.
ELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card
287
with Model Answer:
Describe a short journey that you disliked.
You should say:
 where you went

 who you went with
 what you did
and explain why you disliked this journey.
Model Answer 1:
A journey inside a city like Mumbai is often not so pleasant for a female commuter like me.
Moreover, traffic congestion makes the journey dull and annoying. So, I often have to experience
an unpleasant short journey within this city. For this topic, I would like to share one such
experience - which was perhaps more bitter than others!
A few months ago, when I was commuting to my university - located in the central part of
Mumbai city - I took a bus. The bus I rode into was "overcrowded", and I could not manage to
get a seat. It was during the summer season and the sun was shining mercilessly. On top of that,
the humid weather made things worse for all -especially for those who were outside travelling in
a crowded bus! To make the experience more ominous for all of us, the engine stopped in the
middle of nowhere and we had to walk for at least 15 minutes in this excruciating heat to reach a
nearby bus bay! A horrid day indeed. Due to this, I was late for an exam that started at 10:30 am.
I was travelling with a friend of mine who happens to study at the same university where I study.
Though we got on the bus together, we could not stand nearby due to the heavy crowd. However,
it was a relief that he was with me when the bus's engine malfunctioned and we had to walk in a
deserted area.
After we reached another bus station, we had to wait for more than 25 minutes to take another
bus. During this time, I was worried that I would miss my exam, and it made me feel sick. The
unbearable humid weather and high temperature were unbearable.
Naturally, the bad experience of the journey, the tension to miss the exam, the agonising weather
and my helplessness in that situation made the experience a nightmare, and I did not like it at all.
Describe an important skill you learned when you were a child.
You should say:
 what this skill was

 when you learned it
 how you learned it
and explain why you think it is an important skill.
**Model Answer 1:**In childhood, we learn many important skills, like walking, talking,
reading and so on, and sometimes without even noticing that we are learning a new skill. On
contrary to that, during our teenage time, many of us try to learn different skills in order to make
ourselves look cool and important to other people around us. Today, I would like to talk about
one such skill which, I think, was important and that I learned as a child.
This important skill, I learned, was running a video camera and doing the recording and finally
editing it on a computer. I became interested in learning this skill when my maternal uncle gave a
video camera to my family as a gift about 15 years ago or so. By the way, I was just ten years old
at that time.
If I remember correctly, I was in grade three at that time, and I had a great deal of interest in
shooting videos just the way moviemakers would shoot a movie. So, when my uncle handed that
camera over to my family, I felt like I was the happiest person in the world.
Anyway, as I got the camera, I started to play with it even though, my parents were nervous
about it initially. After all, they didn’t want this new camera getting damaged by some “careless”
child like me. But, when they saw that I was handling that camera with utmost care while also
recording different kinds of things and events at home, they felt that their camera was, after all,
in a safe pair of hands. Slowly and slowly, thereafter, I became a rather confident and skilled
(“skilled” for a 10 years old child that is) about doing videos by experimenting with different
colour balance, field depth, frames per second, lighting schemes and view angles. Later on, I
even went to events, like birthday parties and award-giving ceremonies of my friends, with my
camera to do the video recording.
Well, learning this skill was important for me, mainly because it could keep me occupied in
doing good things instead of wasting my time on unnecessary stuff. It was important also
because it allowed me to capture many rare and important events of my life so that I could watch
them at a later time. Finally, I had to spend a lot of time editing on a computer and it enhanced
my skills in using a computer as well.
Model Answer 2:
I learned to cook various types of meals in my childhood, and my mom inspired me to learn this
important skill. As the only daughter of my parents, I liked to spend most of my time with my
mother as my father had to be outside. My mother used to cook for the family. As a result, I
learned this skill from her. Thank you for this nice topic, and I would like to describe this
cooking skill that I learned as a child.
Cooking is often considered a great art form, and I am lucky that I had been able to learn it when
I was only 10 or 11 years old. It took me at least a year to be able to cook a few items and get
some credits as a cook from my parents!
I did not have any siblings or playmates at home. This is why whenever my mother was in the
kitchen, I used to follow her there. Initially, I used to help my mom in the kitchen. After a while,
when my mother discovered my interest in cooking, she started showing me how to cook
different items. Gradually, I developed a sense of cooking different meals by following my
mother. The whole credit goes to my mother whom I consider an excellent mentor. She
painstakingly taught me how to be a good cook.
Learning the skill of cooking is important because it enables us to be more cautious about the
means we prepare and eat. It also enhances our knowledge about the nutritious values of
different food items. People who know nothing about cooking often rely on junk foods and get
health complications as a result. Moreover, cooking is an excellent hobby that enables me to
enjoy this great art from time to time while also cooking some delicious meals for the family to
bring joy to their faces.
Describe an item/gift that you received and became happy with.
You should say:
 when you received it

 what the item/gift was
and explain why you felt happy upon receiving it.
Model Answer 1:
I have recently turned 21, and my parents arranged a fabulous birthday party for the occasion. On
this birthday, I received some great gifts. One such birthday gift that my father gave me was one
of the best gifts in my life, and for this speaking topic, I'll talk about this item.
I am a big fan of Apple's electronic devices, and the latest iPhone model is something I have
been dreaming to have for many days. But it was not cheap, especially, for a student like me. So,
despite my desire for the latest iPhone, I had to settle for something else - a cheap old model that
is. But it all changed when my father gave me exactly what I had been dreaming to own - the
latest, the sleekest, the smartest iPhone!
I think my father could understand my desire and fascination for this device and decided to
present me with this gift on my birthday. I was quite amazed - and not to mention exhilarated - to
get the gift.
I was delighted with the item after I received it. It was a kind of unexpected gift for me, and it
came from one of the people whom I like and love the most; so it had great sentimental value as
well. I knew what I would be doing with this phone since I had long been planning about them.
So, this increased my excitement and happiness even more.
Describe a sports stadium which is important in your city.
You should say:
 where it is
 how often you go there
 what people do there
and explain why you think it is important.
Model Answer:
Kathmandu - the city where I was born and have been living in for the last two decades - is a
beautiful city and has many special places. This city has a remarkable sports stadium, and it is
mainly used for several sports-related activities. I have been to this stadium several times, and
for this nice topic, I would like to talk about it.
The name of this sports stadium is "Dasarath Stadium". "Dashrath Chand" is a martyr of Nepal,
and the name came after this great hero. I believe it is quite important for our city as it hosts
many important national and international sporting events which are watched by millions of
people. The stadium is located at the heart of Kathmandu, Nepal, and it can accommodate over
18,000 spectators at a time.
I only go to this stadium when our national football team plays against another nation and when I
believe the match is going to be interesting. Nepalese people love football, and I have been to
this stadium at least 7 or 8 times to watch football competitions in the last five years. I also had
been there once to enjoy a music concert which took place in this stadium a few years ago.
When we have an important match, the stadium and its surrounding area transform to become a
lively place. The surrounding area takes a festive look, and people of all walks of life go there in
thousands. The area remains illuminated all night. Nepalese citizens go there to enjoy the sports
and show their support for our national team while many foreigners from neighbouring countries
also come to enjoy the match and support their teams. During a sporting competition, this place
becomes full of passionate sports lovers.
This is an important place for our city for many reasons. Firstly, it brings people from all parts of
Nepal together, and they cheer and shout with a passion to support the national team. This brings
people together and allows them to show their patriotism. It is also a great place for organising
different other important events like music concerts and the National Day Parade. The stadium
makes the surrounding area beautiful, and this is why it is perhaps one of the most important
parts of our city.
Describe a creative inventor or scientist you know about.
You should say:
 who this person is/was

 what this person does/did
and explain why you think this person is a creative scientist or inventor.
Model Answer 1:
Mr Yushuki Kawatara is an emerging scientist in Hong Kong and is well-known for inventing
alternative sources of energy for various purposes. He is not world-famous, like many other
celebrated scientists or inventors in the world, but he still has great contributions to Hong Kong
and neighbouring regions. For this topic, I will describe this scientist whom I have known for a
long, and whom I admire a lot.
We need energy in our everyday life, and we must pay for it. This energy is mostly fossil fuel,
and it harms the environment to a great extent. So, an alternative source of energy, which would
be cheap and environment-friendly, is, perhaps, the best solution to our quest. Mr Yushuki
Kawatara mostly researches renewable energy. The concept is nothing new, but Yushuki
Kawatara has shown some promising success in the field of alternative energy sources, also
known as green energy. He has improved the existing solar plants, made the water a source of
energy for automobiles, and advocated a great deal to inspire people in Hong Kong to use solar
energy in their homes. He is a professor at the Hong Kong Metropolitan University and is well-
known for his research and inventions.
I have known him for more than five years. He was my professor at the university, and he taught
us Physics. Later I learned about him from different news articles and science magazines that
have highlighted his work and research.
I think he is a very creative person, a talented scientist and a successful professor and researcher.
He is creative in the sense that he has already invented renewable energy from water which is a
great feat. He has also made the solar plant far more cheaper and accessible for ordinary people
to use on their rooftops. He has more than 20 patents in his name which shows that he works and
researches relentlessly besides teaching students at the university.
Describe a tall building in your hometown you like or dislike.
You should say:
 where this building is

 what it is used for
and explain why you like or dislike this building.
**Model Answer:**The number of high-rising buildings is on the rise in my country, and we

have many tall buildings with great architects and outlooks. This is a residential town in the West
Region of the country, and tall edifices are abundant all around this city. For this topic, I will talk
about no other structure than a 40 storied multi-purpose building in which I live.The building
that I am talking about is gracefully called "Sky Lotus", which is located in a residential area in
the West Region of Singapore. It is just 15 minutes walk away from the nearest metro rail, and
just two blocks away from the city museum. Though this building mostly houses residents, it
also has many other amenities and commercial entities like restaurants, libraries, supermalls,
swimming pools, gymnasiums, shops and so on.The building has a wide and spacious structure
and it looks like a futuristic watch tower; as if right from a sci-fi movie. The inside of the
building is well decorated and there are ample spaces for diversified purposes. It has a large
garden on its 24th floor while a large park on its top floor. The building designers have made
every effort to make it as much comfortable as possible with modern facilities, and the provision
of natural lights. If you live here, you will hardly feel the need to get outside. It is a small city
within a city.The building is meant for multipurpose use. The first five floors and three
underground floors are for parking, and the next ten floors are for commercial entities like shops,
restaurants, libraries, and so on. The number of shops in this building is staggeringly high. You
can find everything you need. I can tell that I have dined at least in twenty different varieties of
restaurants so far and this is just a portion of the total. At least two thousand people live in this
building in its more than 300 apartments.As much as I like the idea of living in an individual
house under the open sky, and close to the ground, it is not a practical expectation in a country
like ours. So I would say I like the building because it is where my home is situated. This
building is well-planned, meticulously maintained and offers a great variety of facilities and
experiences. So overall, I love it.
Describe a childhood activity that you used to do after school.
You should say:
 what it was
 how long you did that
 how often you did this
and explain why you no longer do it.
**Model Answer:**Childhood is a memorable part of our life, and perhaps the best part for
many. Our childhood is full of joy and boundless possibilities. Like many others, when I was 10
or 11 years old, I used to play with my schoolmates and friends after school hours. We played a
wide number of outdoor sports but cricket was the most common sport that we played at that
time. I am glad to recall these days here for this great topic.Most of the time, I used to play
cricket in the local school playground after school. Cricket was (and still is) the most popular
sport in our country and it was natural that we loved to both play this sport and watch it on
TV.Our school used to begin at 10:00 in the morning and end at 3.00 pm. So after returning
home, having lunch and taking a nap for a while, we used to go out to play in the evening hours.
We usually played from 4:30 pm to 6.30 pm. As far as I recall, we played the whole time we
were in our school which would be around 6 years - from my 10th year of age till I turned
16.How often did we do this? Well, we played cricket almost every single day of the week unless
it was torrential rain or we were ill. In fact, we used to ignore some light rainfall and played
anyway in a wet field which seems pretty challenging as I recall those days.I no longer
participate in such activities (or play cricket to be more precise) for many reasons. Firstly, I do
not get enough time in the evening to play it. I remain busy in my office and I mostly leave my
office after dusk. Second, I do not have the same passion for playing this sport that I used to
possess in my childhood and teenage time. Finally, even if I sometimes want to play this sport, I
do not know where and with whom to play it.
Describe your favourite place/location for swimming.
You should say:
 where it is
 how often you visit this place
 who do you go there with
and explain why this is your favourite place/location for swimming.
Model Answer:
Swimming is good exercise and essential for keeping good health. So, I regularly swim at a local
swimming club here in my city. The swimming club is not far away from my home. For this
topic, I am going to talk about this place, which is also my favourite place to swim, where I often
go swimming.
The club has three outdoor and two indoor swimming pools which are accessible only by its
members. It is located around 400 metres north of my residence. I can walk this distance and I
often walk there in the early morning to swim for around 30-40 minutes. Conveniently located in
our area, it has more than 150 members.
I use this swimming complex almost every single day- rain or shine, I go there to swim and get
ready for the rest of the day's challenges and tasks. I have made it a daily routine to swim there
for at least half an hour. Sometimes on the weekends, I swim for more than an hour.
I have been a member of this swimming club for more than three years now, and when I began, I
hardly knew anyone. A year later, a couple of my neighbours and friends joined there. I have
made acquaintances with some members also. So I pretty much meet someone I know every day
who happens to swim there as well.
I can hardly manage time for different physical activities due to my job and work. We all know
that health is wealth but knowing it alone would not take us anywhere if we do not abide by the
rules of a healthy lifestyle. So, I thought to join this swimming club about three years ago, and it
was a great decision - I believe. This is my favourite location for swimming because the
swimming pools that the club has are well-maintained and give a great experience to its
members. The administration makes sure every single hygiene and safety rule is strictly
followed. So I can swim there without worrying much. Moreover, having this swimming
complex nearby has helped me do some exercise every day and remain fit.
Describe a time when you had to disagree or oppose your manager at work.
You should say:

 why you had to disagree or oppose your manager
 how you felt after that
and explain what the outcome of this was.
Model Answer 1:
Introduction:
In our professional life, there come situations when we have to rely on our instincts even if it
means that we need to contradict or oppose our superiors. Today, for this topic, I will talk about
one such event when I had to oppose my manager in my office.
What it was about:
It was about two years ago, and I was working under my manager - Mr David, in a
manufacturing company as a junior executive. Even though I was capable enough, and I believe I
had proved that several times, my manager thought that I was better off from my main duty and
act as his personal secretary. I, in fact, had been doing exactly that for the past six months back
then, and I was planning to move on to the next level and contribute more and learn from my
work. However, my manager did not believe that someone, no matter their skills and passion, is
capable of doing so before they gain at least one year's experience. So I had to oppose him and
strongly suggest to him that I was ready to start doing some real work.
Why you had to disagree or oppose your manager:
I still believe that my manager was a great person and a very skilled employee, but he was a bit
traditional when it comes to treating junior employees. After joining this company, I just worked
on my manager's personal stuff like preparing something in MS Excel, sending a few emails,
making meeting agendas and passing notes to other departments. Those were necessary work but
as an engineering graduate, I was not supposed to do only that. So when I felt that I was not
allowed to perform my real duty and that would harm my future career, I opposed my manager's
decision politely but strongly.
How you felt after that:
When I planned that I would disagree with my manager on that issue, I was very nervous and a
bit intimidated too. So I took a few days, tried to persuade myself and then talk to my manager
when two other superiors were also present. After I did confront my manager and expressed
myself, I was a bit worried that he could fire me, but I also felt relieved that I could stand for
something I thought was logical and important.
And explain what the outcome of this was:
And as an outcome of this event, I was transferred to one of our factories where I could work
with the production team, contribute to my company through my work and skill, and be satisfied
with my day-to-day work as I was learning every day. Later, I had a very frank discussion with
my manager - Mr David, and we had a great relationship till I worked in this company.
Describe a science subject that you studied and liked in school or college.
You should say:
 what it was
 why you chose it
 how can you use it in your life
and explain what you liked the best about this subject.
**Model Answer 1:**In my school, I studied chemistry, and I liked the subject very much. In
fact, I was fascinated with this science subject which opened a new avenue of knowledge for me.
Studying this subject gave me great pleasure. Thank you very much for this interesting
topic.Chemistry, as a school subject, mostly deals with the composition and properties of
materials or substances, molecules, atoms, chemical bonding of matter or substances, how they
change in different situations when an external force or heat is applied, how chemical reactions
take place and how it can help up understand matter and materials around us. The subject also
deals with chemical and material theories and concepts.When I was asked to take three core
courses in science, I picked this one as my first choice. I did so because it was always one of my
favourite subjects in school and college. Besides, I loved to spend time in a chemistry lab where
I could experiment a lot, and it has always given me immense pleasure. Once a teacher told me
that chemistry is everywhere. He suggested that I study chemistry carefully and it will reveal the
inner mysteries of the world to me. As a result, I became more curious and wanted to learn more
about this subject.The application of chemistry is interesting in real-life situations. But to
comprehend things, we, sometimes, need to understand the formation of matter, atoms,
molecules and chemical reactions. The subject shows the interaction of each matter with the
others. It also shows how energy emits from its sources and how we can benefit from the emitted
energy in our lives. It also tells us why the colours are different, why the things are not similar,
how an insect can fly or can walk on the water and so on and on. Chemistry also reveals what is
inside the food and drinks we intake and how they interact when taken together, how we can
avoid dangerous materials and how we can use little things around us to make life
easier.Chemistry has a vast area to study and it deals with numerous sections. Hence, it is
difficult to prefer any specific part of the subject over others. However, I had a preference, while
studying the subject, and I found "organic chemistry" the most interesting. Organic chemistry
deals with natural matters. It deals with living things. In fact, it tells the source of life, how life is
created and how it advances and is finally destroyed to give birth to new lives. Fascinating - isn't
it?
**Model Answer 2:**This is, indeed, a nice topic to talk about, and I'd like to thank you first for
the opportunity to let me talk about a science subject that I studied and liked.In my college days,
I studied "zoology", and I was fascinated by this subject. I'd say, it was an excellent science
subject for me as I came to know about lots of things about living creatures including "us" - the
human.Picking zoology as a science subject in my college was not actually my choice. It was
added to the curriculum by default, and initially, it did not appear so interesting to me. But, in the
later phase of the course, I read the book for passing some leisure moments, and I came to know
about many fascinating things about microscopic creatures like viruses, bacteria, small to large
insects and animals and humans. Since then, I started liking this subject and fell in love with
it.The subject is utterly useful in our daily life. It enhances our understanding and knowledge of
life, evolution, common diseases, how to prevent them, how to care for creatures around us and
how to take the best care of our body and mind for that matter. After studying zoology, I learned
about lots of things that I did not have any idea about. Moreover, I still can apply the earned
knowledge in my day-to-day life. I now know better about how to lead a healthy life. I also know
how life form was created and how they have evolved with time.While studying zoology, I liked
human anatomy the most. It was meant to make us familiar with the human body and our internal
organs. So, when I read the chapter, I learned something new yet very important. As a result, my
knowledge about our body and mind increased to a notable extent. It helped me better treat my
body and lead a healthy life. **Idea generation for this Cue Card topic:**Science has a very
wide branch and a remarkable number of subjects that are taught in schools and colleges. But
they are interesting to study for various reasons. This topic is about describing a preferred
science subject that you studied in your school or college. Here are some hints for you to
generate ideas to talk about this topic:1. When I studied at a local university in Ukraine, I came
in touch with Geology. The subject deals with the study of earth and rocks – how they have been
formed or why they change. Studying Geology was interesting and I attended all the
classes.2. The University of Marburg in Germany offers Space Science and Astronomy, and I
picked the subject to know about outer space and celestial bodies that have always fascinated me.
In fact, I was interested in space travel and want to know more about it.3. Zoology is the best
subject to know about the animal kingdom of the planet. I picked this subject in college because I
wanted to know about animal classification, their behaviour, evolution and so on and on. This
subject helped me greatly.4. I was in love with biology when I was in school. It was the most
interesting science subject for me. I loved the practical classes that taught us numerous things
about living creatures that are all around us.5. Social science helped me greatly to know about
the branches of social and human development. In fact, it was necessary for my career
development, and every now and then, I apply the knowledge to deal with situations in my social
and professional life.6. I fell in love with Physics in college after knowing its practical and
theoretical applications after reading a book written by a famous scientist. It describes physical
matter, how they are formed, their motions through space-time, and how we can better
understand the universe in which we live in by studying it. I had no idea that things could be so
interesting and wonderful before getting in touch with physics in college.7. Botany is the science
of plants, and it proved to be a helpful subject when I started planting in my private garden. I had
to study botany during my college and I can remember its usefulness and apply them to make the
garden beautiful.8. Working as a data scientist needs extensive knowledge of statistics. I learned
the subject in my college and university in the UK, and also pursued some professional courses.
Honestly, I live with statistics now. I love this subject so much.
Describe a time when you were very busy.
You should say:
 when it was
 what you had to do during that time
 how you managed it
and explain how you felt about being so busy.
Model Answer 1:
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk about a time when I was very busy. It was
during my final year of university when I had to balance a full course load with a part-time job
and various extracurricular activities.
I remember feeling constantly overwhelmed by the amount of work I had to do. In addition to
attending classes and completing assignments, I was also involved in several student
organizations and volunteered regularly in my community. On top of all that, I had to work part-
time to support myself financially.
Despite the chaos of my schedule, I managed to stay organized by prioritizing my tasks and
creating a schedule for myself. I used a planner to keep track of my deadlines and commitments,
and I made sure to allocate time each day for studying, working, and pursuing my other interests.
While I often felt stressed and exhausted during this period, I also felt a sense of pride in my
ability to manage so many responsibilities at once. I learned a lot about time management and
prioritization, and I gained valuable skills that have helped me in my career and personal life.
Overall, I believe that this experience taught me a lot about my own abilities and limitations, and
helped me to develop the resilience and determination that have served me well in my post-
university life.
Sample Answer 2:
I am a part-time sales executive at a large computer hardware selling showroom in our city. I'm
often busy, but a couple of months ago, more specifically, last December, I had been terribly
busy. For this cue card topic, I will share the experience with you.In fact, our company
announced a big sale, the biggest during my time with them, on many of its products marking its
30th anniversary. Since I am in the sales department and the sales increased by almost 250%, I
became extremely busy in my office. Coupled with that, my MBA final term exams at the end of
December just made the situation worse! At least this is what I thought.I had to leave for my
office early in the morning and start my professional duty for at least 9 hours a day. The pressure
of the customers, their queries and the sales process occupied me so much that sometimes I
hardly had time to eat my lunch! I often had to talk to my supervisor about dispute resolution,
and go to the delivery centre of our office to make sure the customers are happy with the delivery
process. Somedays were busier than others. For example, one day a customer claimed that he had
been given the wrong laptop which had a different configuration. In the end, we found that the
configuration of the laptop was okay but the colour was not! Such were the days. And for the
night, I had to prepare for my upcoming exams. As a result, I could sleep barely 3 to 4 hours.I
think no matter how difficult the situation was and how busy my days and nights were, I
managed things very well. All I tried to do is concentrate on my work and studies and never get
disappointed or frustrated. I knew that both my job and exam were important, and that's why I
paid my utmost dedication to both of them.I think, now I feel pretty proud that I had done so
excellently during such a busy and hectic schedule. From now on, whenever, I will have a tight
schedule or busy routine, I will always know that I'd be able to handle them. In this regard, this
busy December has boosted my confidence and self-belief.
**Sample Answer 3:**This is a great topic to talk about, and thank you for this. Last summer, I
had to arrange a college cultural festival. So, I had to be fully occupied during the whole week. I
remained busy from dawn till dusk this week. In fact, arranging a cultural fest is not easy.
Though some fellow students helped me, I had to take care of most of the aspects of the festival,
and that is why I was so terribly busy.Initially, I was assigned to make a plan and select a team to
complete the tasks. But, I could not get the right candidates to help me out with the process. As a
result, I had to take on more responsibilities.Managing the entire event was very difficult and
time-consuming. I faced difficulties with the arrangement of guests and participants. Besides, I
had to plan for the prizes, and I took the necessary steps to get them ordered and delivered right
before the prize-giving ceremony. Further, I was also responsible to fix the venue inside the
college campus. Finally, everything was done but there was some lack of coordination.The
feeling was mixed. At a stage, I thought to give up everything as no one assisted me during the
planning and preparation process. But I did not give up and did the thing with my determination.
So, it was a success. And the most important thing is that I was awarded for my effort and
endeavour later and was highly praised. But I admit it was a terrific week for me indeed. Only
my mental strength and willpower kept me keep going during the entire event.
Idea generation for this Cue Card topic: "Describe a time when you were very
busy." Everyone passes busy moments in their life and actually, there are no specific times or
reasons to be busy. This cue card is about describing such a time when you were busier than
normal. Here are some other answer hints for the candidates to generate their own ideas and
answer the cue card efficiently.1. The night before my semester final exam earlier this year was a
busy night for me. I had passed a sleepless night and tried completing the revision work. But you
know, this is really hard to complete all the lessons overnight. It was one of the busiest nights of
my life so far! I had no time to sleep.2. I went to a picnic at my college but could not enjoy it. It
happened because I had to be very busy organizing everything. I also had to supervise some
other teams related to picnic preparation. Therefore, I had to be very busy during the week of the
picnic.3. Inviting guests is enjoyable but entertaining them is terrible. I had to cook food for
some of my relatives from India and I could not pass quality time with them due to my busy
hours in the kitchen. They wanted to have some traditional Indian food items, and I prepared
these items at home. I had to pass very busy moments for cooking.4. I work for a daycare centre
which takes care of children during the daytime in absence of their parents. I work five days a
week, and last week I had to spend a busy day during the weekend. I attended the office for some
special meetings and it was some sort of emergency.5. Driving cars is my passion but last
weekend, I had to spend some busy time with my car. It needed servicing and I took it to the
nearest service centre. Unluckily, it took more time than I expected, and I had to be busy
assisting with the servicing process. It took more than 5 hours.6. My boss asked me to make a
presentation about our future marketing strategies. He gave me some necessary documents to
prepare the presentation. I had to overwork that day and passed very busy moments after office
hours to complete the presentation.7. I always complete my homework and assignments in due
time. But this time, I forgot to take them in college. It happened a few weeks ago. Consequently,
I had to complete them in front of the teacher after class hours. The moments were too busy that
even I could not attend phone calls until the tasks were done.
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LabelsCandidate Task CardDescribe a timeDescribe an experienceIELTS Cue Card
Describe an incident from history that has influenced you.
You should say:
 what it was
 when and where it happened
 how you heard about this incident
and explain how this event influenced you.
**Model Answer 1:**One incident from history that has had a profound influence on me is the
civil rights movement in the United States, particularly the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This
pivotal event took place in Montgomery, Alabama, during the mid-20th century and played a
crucial role in the fight for racial equality and justice.The Montgomery Bus Boycott began on
December 5, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, after Rosa Parks, an African American woman,
refused to give up her seat to a white person on a city bus. Her courageous act of resistance
sparked a series of events that led to a massive boycott of the city's bus system by African
American residents.I first learned about the Montgomery Bus Boycott during my high school
history class. Our teacher was passionate about civil rights history and made sure to highlight its
significance as a turning point in the struggle for racial equality in the United States. She shared
powerful stories of courage, resilience, and determination displayed by civil rights activists
during the boycott.The Montgomery Bus Boycott profoundly influenced me by exposing the
power of collective action and peaceful resistance in the face of injustice. Learning about Rosa
Parks' refusal to give up her seat and the subsequent boycott made me realize the impact an
individual can have on society when they stand up for what is right.This incident taught me the
importance of using one's voice to challenge inequality and the significance of fighting for
justice even in the face of adversity. It demonstrated that change is possible through nonviolent
means and that even a small act of courage can ignite a movement for social change.**Model
Answer 2:**Thank you for the opportunity to let me talk about an event from my country's
history that has influenced me. To be honest, I was overwhelmed by the news that my country
has become Malaria Free. Earlier, malaria was one of the most prevalent health issues that
claimed lots of lives each day. But now the declaration of the state being free from the disease
was a historical event for the nation.The declaration came in 2016, and my country formally
received a certificate from the World Health Organization regarding this. This was really a
remarkable achievement for the nation. Anti-malaria campaign in the country was successful.
Mobile malaria clinics played a great role in this case and those were deployed in the Malaria
prone areas. Immediate treatment and destruction of the mosquito hotbeds mostly reduced the
prevalence of the disease in my country.I was not much aware of the incident. But later the issue
was highlighted in mass media and thus I came to know about the matter. Our nation had long
been affected by this disease, so, when the declaration came from the WHO, it was a matter of
joy for everyone including me. The news was telecasted on almost all television channels and
appeared on the newspaper front pages because it was an amazing achievement for the
nation.Malaria elimination from our country was one of the greatest achievements for us. I was
greatly influenced by this news. A couple of years ago, one of my family members got affected
by this disease. Hence, the news was of great importance to me. I know how exactly it feels to
struggle with the disease. I was overwhelmed with joy.**Model Answer 3:**I can recall the
earthquake of 2009 that took place in central Italy, and for this topic, I would like to talk about it.
It had some devastating impacts on the local people of my country while I was abroad for some
business purposes. Some of the adjacent villages near the epicentre suffered the most during the
shake. A notable number of people lost their lives, and many properties were damaged.I was in
England to have some deals with an English company to expand our business there. So, I came
to know about the event on a television broadcast. In fact, I came to know about the event around
two hours later. My family tried to call me about the incident but they could not reach me right
then as the telecom network was damaged too. Later on, I made the call and knew all the
details.In 2009, the L’Aquila earthquake hit Abruzzo. The magnitude of the earthquake was too
heavy for the local structures to cope with. It was a 5.9 magnitude earthquake and the epicentre
was near L’Aquila. Since this is a remote place and surrounded by villages, most of the
properties belonged to the villagers. Though there were a large number of foreshocks, people did
not have the idea that it would be so devastating.I was moved by the death incident. Over 300
deaths were filed and thus it became one of the deadliest earthquakes in the history of Italy. The
event shook me to the core and I could not believe that it claimed so many innocent lives all of a
sudden. Besides, there were criticisms of the poor infrastructure across the areas. Everything
influenced me to a notable extent as I thought about the event and the victims over and over
again. Idea generation for this Cue Card topic: "Describe an incident from history that has
influenced you." Historical events sometimes shape the world and bring joy to many. But they
are not always pleasant. These events teach us important lessons. And sometimes cast an
influence on them as well. This topic is about describing such an event that influenced you at
some point. So, here are some hints for you to develop your own answer.1. Atomic bombing of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan in 1945 was an important event in the history of the country.
It claimed around 150,000 lives and the people had to bear the negative impacts of the event for
a long time.2. During the cultural revolution tenure, the Great Famine took place in China. It
had a detrimental impact on society. An enormous number of people starved. 3. The death of
Osama Bin Laden was an important historical event in the USA. A Navy SEAL team killed him
that brought a wave of peace to every American’s heart.4. The reunification of Vietnam was a
great event in Vietnam's history. Economic solvency appeared after the unification which is the
best benefit of the process. 5. The French Revolution was one of the most impressive events in
French history. The 10-year-long revolution reformed the ruling system and discarded the feudal
ideas and absolute monarchy of Louis XVI. The brave French people changed the entire political
scenario.6. The German Student Movement in 1960 created a different way of thinking among
German students. The students protested against the universities to focus on their needs. Before
the movement, universities delivered degrees alone.7. The independence of India from British
colonial rule was the greatest event for the country. It was in 1947 India earned independence.
This is a cherished moment for Indians and I enjoy the Independence Day celebrations to the last
minute.
Describe a piece of clothing you have that was given by someone.
You should say:
 what it was
 when you got that
and say whether you liked this piece of clothing or not.
Model Answer 1:
This is a great topic to discuss. I have recently received a special gift and it was a Kashmiri
shawl. The shawl was brought for me from India.
This is a local shawl produced in the region of Kashmir which has a border both in India and
Pakistan. Actually, a shawl is a kind of chador which is used to cover up the body in winters. The
Kashmiri shawl is very useful during winter as it provides a mild heat that is required to protect
people from the cold. I am glad that the shawl is comfortable and comes with a unique and
attractive design. The length of the shawl is moderate and it is easy to use. I like its design –
coloured in white a bluish shed which makes it look uncommon. I am very happy that this was
given to me as a gift. This is one of the best gifts for me.
My maternal uncle, Xzhao Xing went to India last month for some of his business purposes and
he brought the shawl from there. In fact, the Kashmiri shawls are not available in Thailand.
Some of the clothing stores sell them on a limited scale but with a higher price. Since the sellers
are to import the shawl from India, the prices become higher. As a result, everyone cannot afford
them. Once I asked for such a shawl to uncle as he visits different countries for his business and
if India is in his trip plan. But it was really a wonder to me when he gave me the shawl on. In
fact, he loves me much and brought the shawl for me as promised. Now I use it for different
purposes and do not need any other warm clothes when I am out at night.
I got the shawl on last Monday. We had a family gathering at our home where my parents invited
almost all the relatives living near us. My mum prepared a dinner and everyone attended at the
pre-scheduled time. My uncle was a bit late. He attended in the last moment. When I opened the
door for him, he just wrapped me in the shawl. I was surprised by such behaviour as he never did
before. But suddenly I realised that I am wrapped by the shawl that I dreamt for. He made the
dream come true. I hugged him tightly. Everyone in the room praised the shawl for its colour and
uniqueness. They have also never seen such an eye-catchy shawl before.
Definitely, I like the shawl. Being a student, I am unable to pay the price to have this shawl for
me. Even I was unable to save baths to buy this shawl. So, I was highly happy having the shawl.
The colour, the design, the length and width everything was perfect for me. I thanked uncle for
such a wonderful gift for me. But he warned me to sue the shawl in the right manner. He also
said that the shawl should be cleaned carefully and if it gets damaged, the beauty will get
shattered. So, I am careful about it.
Model Answer 2:
Thank you for this wonderful candidate task card topic. Last winter, a friend of mine gave me a
double-breasted jacket. I liked the jacket so much not only for its style but for the colour it has. It
was dark blue and also had some shades in it. Moreover, the appearance was outstanding as well.
I was highly impressed with the fabric quality and its brand value was adorable too. The jacket
came with a special cover that protects it from dust.
William is one of my closest buddies and recently went to Germany. He bought the jacket for
me. In fact, he presented it to me marking my 21st birthday. He missed the event and pledged me
to bring something special for me. He kept his promises and I was surprised after receiving the
coat. It was perfect for me in size and shape. Moreover, I liked the colour and style of the jacket.
Considering everything, it was a nice one for me.
I got the jacket in the early morning on the first day of December last. This is one of the coolest
months of the year. So, it was the right present for me. I was surprised at the warmness of the
coat. In fact, I passed the entire season last year wearing this. And it was comfortable for me too.
I did not have an idea that William would come to visit me with the jacket in the first hour of the
day.
Of course, I liked the jacket. So far, it was the best one I have ever been presented by a friend. I
use it for my ordinary purposes and really appreciated his attempt. I am in love with the jacket
for several reasons and became too grateful to my friend for this priceless gift to me.
"Describe a piece of clothing you have that was given by someone."
Clothing is considered a basic need for every human being. Hence, there are different types of
clothing available and the choices vary from person to person. And often this is given as a gift.
This cue card is about describing a clothing that the candidate received as a gift. Here are some
additional hints for the candidates to help them develop their own answers and deal with this cue
card topic.
1.
In my last birthday, my uncle gave me a nice jacket. He brought the jacket from the USA on his
last trip. The jacket fitted me perfectly and I was happy with that.
2.
My dad bought me a nice jeans pant from a branded shop here in Delhi last week. In fact, he
picked the right thing for me. I loved the style and colour of the pant.
3.
The V-neck sweater is my favourite clothing. In fact, my mom gave it last month to protect
myself when I would be out of the home in winter. The sweater is comfortable to wear and warm
too.
4.
I have got an overcoat for women for my last birthday. My boyfriend presented me with the coat.
It looks nice with a beautiful checkered style. I was amazed at the weight of the coat – it is too
light than I expected.
5.
I received a top and a formal pant from my husband. He brought the dresses for me to wear
during my office hours. Both the top and the pant fitted me well. I was happy with the clothing
and thanked him greatly.
6.
Astonishing events are happening with me. A friend of mine brought a T-shirt and a jeans pant
for me and there was no apparent reason for that. Later, I came to know that he wanted to
surprise me with advanced birthday gifts. I was excited too.
7.
I got a pullover hoodie last day and it was given by my elder brother. Actually, he brought the
hoodie for me from his newly opened clothing shop in a local shopping mall here in Singapore. I
was glad to have the clothing.
Describe a useful plant you know about.
You should say:
 what it is
 where it is available
and explain how this plant is useful.
Model Answer 1:
Tulsi (also known as holy basil) is one of the most common plants in India and it is used for
various purposes. It is also known as the queen of herbs and popular for its healing
characteristics. This is a kind of herbal plant that offers many benefits. Tulsi is a sacred plant in
Hindu belief and many people in my country have this plant at their home. I think this is a great
cue card topic for me and I will answer the remaining questions happily. Thank you for the
opportunity to let me talk about this useful plant.
Tulsi is available across all the regions in India. Due to its sacredness in Hindu belief and
medical benefits, a higher percentage of Indian homes have them. This plant needs plenty of
natural light, air and water to grow. Some city dwellers grow this plant in their balconies as well.
Tulsi or basil is a small green plant and their leaves look bright green. they can grow in pots as
well. The leaves are small and are adorable to look at. Four types of Tulsi are available across
India and each of them has different herbal qualities.
Basil leaves are often used to produce herbal tea which is popular among many tea lovers.
Another type of basil is used to extract oil to produce herbal toiletries. Tulsi oil is beneficial to
control insects while its leaf juice is effective to cure respiratory disorders, coughs, common
colds and fever. Often Tulsi is referred to be used during indigestion or preventing insomnia. So,
it appears that the plant is really useful for people.
Sample Answer 2:
Talking about a plant is not an easy task as there are literally many plants available around us
and picking just one among these many options is indeed hard. But, I'd feel comfortable with the
question as I just know a useful plant that I am going to talk about. This beneficial plant is called
"feverfew", which seemed very strange to me when I first heard the name. I will talk about this
beneficial plant for this cue card topic.
This plant is also known as "bachelor’s button", a strange name indeed! Some like to call it
"featherfew" and many others "featherfoil". The plant has great medical values and it is
frequently used to remove arthritis or headaches. Besides, it is also applied for treating fever and
I think the name "feverfew" has emerged from its fever battling quality.
Well, this is mostly a medicinal plant and is native to Asia Minor and the Balkans, but is now
common throughout the world. A large number of such plants are found in the European
continents. Some parts of the USA also have these plants to some limited extent. Besides, the
plant is also seen in a few places in the African region.
The plant looks beautiful especially when flowers bloom. Its flowers look like a mini version of
the sunflower to me. But some people find more similarities with daisies than sunflowers. The
plant is truly gorgeous to look at and they are often planted for beautification purposes.
The feverfew plant is useful in different ways. First of all, the plant has some herbal properties
that help treat different health issues including fever. Any herbal plant is treated with great care
due to its benefits to human and this plant is not an exception. Besides, the beauty of this flower
is celestial. Every time I look at these beautiful flowers, I feel like they are so refreshing and
extraordinary.
Cue Card Answer 3:
Thank you for this interesting topic. In Canada, a large number of plants are available and many
of them are useful and important for many reasons. "Wild Leek" or "Ramp" is one of them and is
useful in several ways.
The Ramp plant mostly grows in marshy areas, across the woodlands of eastern Canada and in
some parts of the USA. Recently, commercial cultivation of the plant has also begun in many
places due to its demand among the vegetarians. Besides, the herbal benefits of this plant are also
notable.
This plant is vibrant green and is a wild onion type species which is widespread across Canada.
Wild Leek or Ramp leaves are identical to onion leaves. The size of the plant is average, much
like an opinion plant, and all the varieties of this plant are of green colour.
Interestingly, this is an edible plant which is mostly used for preparing salads and juice and is
preferred by many vegetarians. The white lower leaf stalks, as well as the broad green leaves of
this plant, are edible. The juice that is prepared from the plant is healthy and nutritious. Many
people even use it to prepare their favourite soups. This plant contains fibre, vitamins, and
minerals. It has important medicinal values as well. Some people eat the plant as a spring tonic,
for colds and croup. They also use the warm juice for earaches. From all these perspectives, this
is an important plant.
"Describe a useful plant you know about."
Here are a few other ways to answer the same cue card topic. These hints have been given to
help you generate ideas for this topic.
1.
Drinking tea is beneficial for our health. In fact, almost everyone in my country like to drink a
cup of tea at least once a day. Thus tea plant, which grows in plenty in our country, is important
and useful. This is a small plant and needs good care to grow. Besides, the plants grow well in
the African region and some parts of Asian belt including Sri Lanka, China among others. Ths
plant needs enough sunlight, rainfall and hilly areas to grow.
2.
"Yarrow" is considered a herbal plant for its amazing quality to stop bleeding. This is a nice
looking small flower plant with clusters of flowers. The umbrella-like flowers are formed in
clusters. This plant is beneficial to remedy colds, prevent diarrhoea and even stomach ulcers. It is
available across North America.
3.
Everyone adores "Lavender" for its medicinal benefits. The plant is useful to decorate residential
houses, party centres and they look stunning in the garden. Lavender is mostly used for its health
benefits and works great as an anti-depressant. The lavender oil is used by many as a skincare
item.
4.
I love spinach. This is an edible vegetable plant and available across Central Asia. It contains
some of the essential vitamins needed for the human body. People prefer this plant as it helps
boost the cardiovascular system and improves the eyesight. Cholesterol is a big problem in the
present day and spinach helps control the rising cholesterol level.
5.
Have you ever wondered why "Lady Ferns" are used to decorating home? The answer is simple.
Lady Ferns have some decorative values. It is used for treating some health issues as well. This
plant looks beautiful.
Describe a class rule that you liked in your school/college.
You should say:
 what rule it was

 who imposed this rule
 how you felt about this rule
and explain how this rule helped the class.
Model Answer:
Thank you very much for the opportunity to let me talk about a class rule that I liked. The rule
was about being punctual, that is, being present at the class at the right time and never being late.
This was a great rule that I liked in my school days in Nha Trang – a big city in Vietnam. This
habit helped me a lot to be punctual in everything in my later stages.
The rule of being punctual was imposed by the school authority and every single class teacher
and administrative officer in our school followed it religiously. It was a private English medium
school and it followed various rules and regulations. After the acceptance test, parents of the
pupils have to sign a bond that they and their children will follow all the rules of the school.
Honestly speaking, I was irritated at the beginning about rigorously following this rule. I was
even late for a few days and every time I was late, I had to give them a valid reason for that. It
took me about a month to become punctual.
This particular rule helped me and most of the students of our school, primarily because it taught
us punctuality, which is an important quality to succeed. Moreover, we also learnt about
managing time and dealing with deadlines and finishing tasks on time as we were taught to be
punctual at the beginning of our student life.

"Describe a class rule that you liked in your school/college."
In your IELTS speaking part 2/ candidate task card test, you can answer the same question from
different perspectives. Few of the useful approaches are here to make you decide the best one. Or
you can also develop your own answer.
1.
I loved the way teachers took our attendance in our primary school in Allahabad, India. Teachers
used to call the roll numbers of the students sequentially and we had to reply loudly to ensure our
presence in the classroom. It was a good system and I liked it very much.
2. Teachers in colleges usually do not give homework but we got a teacher in our college who
did exactly that. He asked his students to submit homework every other day in his class. Though
some of the students did not like the rule, I loved it. In fact, homework from this teacher helped
us in many ways that now we understand.3. I hated to attend the physical exercise classes two
times a week in our school but as I am a little wiser and a bit more health-conscious, now I
realise it was a great rule. It was mandatory to attend those classes and I wanted to play with my
classmates rather than attending those classes at that time.
4. Students were not allowed to leave the classroom when teachers delivered lectures in our high
school and it was something I really liked. I believed, and I still believe, being attentive to the
class lectures is a good way to learn new things. This rule helped many students become more
attentive in the class.
Describe your idea of starting a new business in your area.
You should say:
 what business it will be

 how you have got this idea
 what preparation and planning it would require
and explain whether you would personally start it or not.
Model Answer 1:
I was always under the impression that starting a business was never an easy thing. Then, after
seeing how one of my distant cousins has thrived financially by starting a small business, and
that too within a short time, I also started to entertain the thought of starting a small business
myself and trying my luck!
I am planning to open a “handicraft shop” where I would be able to sell all kinds of nicely-
designed and decorated objects that are genuinely made by hand. By the way, I used the word
“genuinely” here because I have noticed that even though, nowadays, many shop owners or
businesses claim that their products are completely “hand-made”, I have found their claims to be
rather “dubious”. In fact, I, with my little investigative mind, found that many of these “so-
called” handicraft items are actually made by machines rather than hand.
I particularly got interested in this business idea when I learned, after reading a very well-written
business article in a newspaper, that a significant percentage of households in my country prefer
simple, “hand-made” products to beautify their drawing rooms ( also called living rooms or guest
rooms) over other “luxury” items.
I've shared this business idea with my family members and some of my close relatives, and they
seemed okay with it. All I need to do now is to buy some simple but effective “tools” to make
handicrafts items. I would also need to contract with some reliable furniture-making businesses
or wood merchants who would be able to provide me with some fine and strong wood regularly.
Then, finally, I would also need a few passionate handicrafts persons to actually put their
creativity into action.
However, while sourcing some fine handicrafts-making tools and wood may not really be that
difficult of a task, finding some passionate handicrafts persons at an affordable cost can be a bit
challenging, especially, when I am a bit tight on my budget. But, if I somehow manage to
convince some fine handicraftsmen to work for me, I will definitely go ahead with starting my
business. So, please wish me some luck!
Model Answer 2:
Well, I am planning to start a business in our town and I think this is a good business idea for
anyone to start in our area. I will finance the business while one of my cousins would look after
it. The business idea is that we will start a store that will sell cosmetics and perfumes along with
some other necessary household items. Initially, it would be a small store and I hope someday it
will grow big.
I have completed my graduation a few months ago and I am searching for a suitable job. In the
meantime, I want to start a small business that would become a steady income source for me. A
few months ago, I noticed that our town has a huge demand for branded and locally made
perfumes and cosmetics but only a handful of stores sell them. I had to order online a perfume I
was looking for a few months ago, and at that time, I thought it would be a good business idea to
establish a perfume and cosmetics store in our area.
Some planning and preparation are needed to start the business. First of all, I would need a large
sum of money in my account so that I can finance the business. Then I would need a business
location for the store. Actually, the hardest part of the plan is to manage an office or a store in a
prime location. However, I also would need to invest in advertisements, legal papers and
decorating the store. I've done my homework about the prospect of the business and I am
convinced that if everything goes according to the plan, the business would start doing good after
a couple of months from now.
This is a great business idea and I am going to start it. Hopefully, I would be able to start it
within the next couple of months. Please wish me luck.
"Describe your idea of starting a new business in your area."
The idea of starting a new business might be different based on someone's perspective, aim and
situation. So, some other hints would prove to be helpful for many candidates. Here are a few
other similar ideas for your convenience.
1. Starting a computer repairing shop could be a good business idea in our town. If someone
knows how to repair a computer and laptop, and can start a business, he or she would
definitely do better. The number of computer users is increasing rapidly in our town and
we have only a couple of such computer repair shops. This is why I believe the business
prospect is good.
2. At present, the necessity of editorial service is emerging. Only a few agencies offer this
service in our area. So, my new business plan is to provide editorial services to my clients
based on their needs. I will provide editorial services professionally like ghostwriting,
copy editing, proofreading, web page content generation and so on.
3. In Australia, people remain too busy to plan for an event. So, I think there are huge
prospects of event planners if someone can take it professionally. But before moving to
the business, I would have to plan in detail about it. Visiting the event location is also
important to plan for an event. Database preparation would be another task to kick off the
business.
4. Many real estate companies are searching for a perfect interior decorator for their projects
and I have a plan to start a business as an interior decorator. I still need comprehensive
planning to start it.
5. People are busy these days and they need some sort of relaxation to feel better and remain
recharged. Considering this fact, I believe that a professional yoga centre could be a great
business idea in our locality. Though I think that it is an excellent business idea, I would
not want to start a yoga centre primarily because I do not have any prior experience in it.
Describe an occasion when you received good service from a company or a shop.
You should say:
 who provided this service

 what service it was
 when you received this service

Model Answer:
I received excellent service from "Citimart" in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam a few months ago
and I would like to talk about it. I went there to purchase a gift marking the upcoming birthday of
my daughter. The service that I received in this store was exceptional.
I was looking for a great birthday present for my daughter in Citimart, but I did not know what
type of gift item to buy for her. So, I was looking for something randomly once I was in the
shop. A salesgirl approached me and politely asked if I needed her assistance. When I said "yes",
she started showing me different items while also explaining the origin, use and price of the
products. By the way, before showing any gift item, she asked me about my daughter's age,
preference and expectations which was very professional in my opinion. Besides, she was very
helpful, cordial and patient. But to my surprise, the store manager also came to me after a while
and showed me some good gift items after inquiring about my daughter's age and preference.
It was in the middle of the last year, possibly, between 14th to 17th July, nearly a week before
my daughter's birthday who was turning to seven last year.
I was impressed by the support the salesperson and the manager offered. They both showed the
utmost professionalism, salesmanship, and care which I really liked about this store. The
manager even offered me a discount when I checked out. With their help, I had been able to pick
a perfect gift for my daughter and I really felt good about the service.
"Describe an occasion when you received good service from a company or a shop."
1. I wanted to prepare some food items marking the birthday of my daughter here in Munich. But
I could not cook many food items due to the time constrain and my lack of expertise in cooking.
So, I took help from a professional chef. The chef rendered a great service. I sought help from a
professional chef service providing company. It was a nice experience for me.
2. My baby boy is only one year old and he needs diapers every month. I contacted a home
delivery service to deliver diapers on a certain date of the month. They have been rendering an
excellent service for the last twelve months of so. They did not miss a date. And often they
provide some small gifts for my baby too. This is an exceptional experience. I like their service
very much.
3. Greece, as a travel destination, is awesome if you have the right tour company to give you the
service. I had a chance to take service from a local tourism company when I travelled to Greece.
They came with the mind-blowing service. The guide showed me all the historical and beautiful
places. I was truly happy with their service.
4. I was truly frustrated when I lost my dog a couple of years ago. After a few days' futile search,
I hired a professional investigating agency for finding my dog. They found my dog and I must
say they gave me a great service for the money I paid them. The investigators proved their worth
and found my pet within a couple of days.
Describe a transportation problem in your city/town.
You should say:
 what the problem is

 what the causes of this problem are
 how it affects you
and explain how you think it might be solved.
Model Answer:
Traffic congestion is a big problem in Hong Kong. In line with the increasing passengers, the
number of vehicles is also growing at a fast pace and it is worsening the situation. Traffic jam is
perhaps the most severe transportation problem in hong Kong and I would like to talk about it
here.
The main causes of traffic problem in Hong Kong is higher population density, increasing
number of vehicles and a limited number of roads. The roads are narrow in some points where
cars and other vehicles cannot move smoothly. It gets worse when pedestrians also cross the
streets at the same time. Finally, the number of private cars that run on the street is staggering
which contributes to traffic jams.
Like many other citizens here, I am also negatively affected by this problem. Reaching office in
time becomes difficult due to traffic gridlocks and it kills my valuable time each day. I have to
wake up early and leave home earlier than usual to beat the soaring traffic jam. I have to spend
hours on the streets that I could have spent with my family. Finally, I often get tired due to the
traffic jam and it reduces my productivity as a person and as an employee.
I believe several steps could be taken to address this issue. Most of the streets are not wide
enough. They should be widened and alternative routes should be introduced. The increasing
number of private cars is also a reason for the situation. So, if the number of private cars could
be controlled and the streets could be made wider, I think the problem would be solved to some
extent.
"Describe a transport problem in your city/town."

People commute every day to different places and thus need different types of transports in their
day to day life. This cue card topic could be answered from some other point of views. The
following hints would be effective to get ideas on how to approach this cue card topic.
1. Every weekday, I have to face and fight traffic congestion in Mumbai city, where I live. This
is a big city and it accommodates a huge number of population. Traffic congestion is a common
issue here and it kills our valuable time. To solve the problem we need to restrict the number of
private vehicles on the road and introduce strict traffic-related laws.
2. The town where I have been living in for the last seven years or so has no metro rail and fast
transportation system despite being a large town with a high number of population. This is a
severe problem for people like me who need to travel at least 80 kilometres per day. Establishing
metro trail or subtle train system could be a good solution to this problem.
3. I live in a large city and public transportation in this city is not up to the mark. Since I have to
commute daily and use public transportation, this is a big problem for me and many others like
me. I think the government should invest money for improving the roads and public transports in
our city.
Describe a popular sport in your country.
You should say:
 what equipment is needed for this sport
Model Answer 1:
We love cricket, and this is perhaps the most popular sport in our country. The whole nation
enjoys this sport as if it is in our blood.Cricket is played between two teams, and each team
consists of 11 players. It is an outdoor sport and requires cricket bats, ball, bails, stumps, gloves,
boundary lines, protective gear, scoreboard and sight screens. If children play it in a small
playground, just bat, ball and stumps are enough for them.This sport has three popular formats -
Test Matches, One Day Internationals, and Twenty20. The rules of the game and how it is played
largely depend on the format of the game. In "one day international" cricket tournaments, two
teams compete and the team that decides to bat first plays for 50 overs and set a target score. The
second team then chase this run. If the second team can exceed the run, they win. If the first team
can bowl out all the players of the second team before they can pass the run, or the second team
fails to reach the target, the first team wins. If the score is equal, which is rare but not unlikely,
the match is tied. The Twenty20 games follow the same rules except that it has 20 overs, instead
of 50. Finally, the Test Matches are the longest format of the game and can span to several
days.Our national team has been playing cricket for many years, and they have commendable
achievements in international cricket tournaments. Some of our cricket players are
internationally renowned, and whenever they play, the fans feel an adrenaline rush. The nation is
mad about watching and enjoying cricket and see their favourite sportsmen perform in the
international arena. Every playground and many streets are filled with young players who enjoy
this sport even more than our national sport. So it is only natural that we, as a nation, love this
sport so much and it is highly popular.
Sample Answer 2:
Saudi Arabia is a country of diversity, and most people remain busy around the clock. But they
take part in recreational activities as well, and sports are gaining popularity as outdoor and
recreational activities nowadays more than ever before. Football has become the most popular
sport in this country and the whole nation love this sport.
Playing football is easy and it requires only a ball and two goalposts to be played. A large
playground is used when professional football tournaments take place but some people play it in
whatever capacity they have regarding the playground around them which they can access. When
someone is playing at a large stadium or in any international match, it is a must to wear shoes,
necessary jersey and other protective gears.
A football match is played between two teams, each of which has 11 players. There are different
positions in the field and these players play the role of attackers, defenders, and one player acts
as the goalkeeper. Both teams try to score goals within 90 minutes by sending the ball to the
opposite team's net while the designated goalkeeper tries to save his or he team from conceding
goals. After 90 minutes of gameplay, the team that scores more goals wins the match. If both
teams score equal goals, then extra time and finally tiebreaker is allowed to decide a winner.
Football is a popular sport in my country for many reasons. First and most importantly, it is an
exciting game. When an international match is held in our country, spectators rush to the stadium
to enjoy the competition. Our national team plays at the international level and that has made the
sport even more popular in our country.
Describe something you remember from your school or college days.
You should say:
 what it is
 what actually happened
 how you felt about it
and explain why you remember this event.
**Model Answer 1:**During my college days, there was an event that I remember vividly. It
was the annual college fest that was held every year. It was a two-day event, and the whole
college was involved in it. The event was a culmination of several weeks of planning and
practice, and everyone was excited about it.On the first day, there were various competitions
held such as debates, extempore, singing and dancing. There were also stalls put up by various
clubs of the college, selling food, drinks and merchandise. The atmosphere was electric, with
music playing in the background and students milling around, trying to participate in as many
events as possible.The second day was even more exciting, with a fashion show, a band
performance and the highlight of the event - the DJ night. The DJ night was the most popular
event of the fest, with everyone looking forward to it. The organizers had arranged for a well-
known DJ to perform, and the entire college turned up to dance the night away.I remember this
event so vividly because it was the first time that I had participated in an event of this scale. I had
never danced in front of such a large audience before, but I took part in the dance competition
and performed with my team. We didn't win, but it was an amazing experience and I felt so
proud of myself for having the courage to get up on stage. The college fest was a memorable
event that I will always cherish. It brought the whole college together and gave us a chance to
showcase our talents and have some fun.Sample Answer 2:
Thank you for this nice cue card topic. When I was a student at Hong Kong International School,
located in Repulse Bay, I made a huge mistake and was deeply embarrassed about that. This is a
memorable event for me as I was ashamed and also learnt from my mistake. This topic reminds
me of my school days in Hong Kong and I will try to describe the event that I still remember
vividly.
On one occasion, as a grade ten student, I did not complete my homework. The night before I
played video games and did not touch my homework. The next day the teacher asked me why I
had not brought the homework and I said I mistakenly left the homework at home. It was a pure
lie and I now understand how big a mistake it was to lie to my teacher. The teacher smelled
something fishy and asked me to get back home to bring the homework.
As it was a lie and I had not touched the homework, I was in deep trouble. I left the classroom
and started to feel deep remorse and humiliation at the same time. I knew that what I did was
severe and I would be punished for that. I strolled around the school aimlessly for a few minutes
and waited for the teacher to finish his class. Afterwards, I went to his room and told him the
whole story. He was so shocked that he did not tell me anything and asked me to leave his room
very calmly. It was even harder to bear than any other punishment and I made a vow to myself
never to lie to my teachers ever again.
I still remember this event as it was utterly humiliating and embarrassing. Besides, it was a great
lesson for me. From that day on, I have always told the truth to my teachers no matter what. I
remember it also because, on that very day, I learned how our teachers hate us when we lie to
them as they love us very dearly.
Sample Answer 3:
Introduction:
I am so excited to have this topic to talk about. Here, I will share a memorable day from my
school days.
What it is:
Frankly speaking, one thing that I remember vividly from my school days is the annual sports
day event. Our school sports days were always special and we enjoyed them so much.
What actually happened:
Every year, our school would organize a sports day event where all the students would
participate in various sports activities and compete against each other. There were events such as
relay races, long jump, high jump, shot put, and many others. The atmosphere on the sports day
was always very lively, with students cheering and encouraging each other.
How you felt about it:
I always looked forward to the sports day event as it was one of the most exciting days of the
year. As a child, I loved playing sports and competing, so participating in these events gave me a
sense of satisfaction and pride.
And explain why you remember this event:
I remember this event so well because it was one of the rare occasions when the entire school
would come together and celebrate. It was a day filled with fun, excitement, and healthy
competition. Even after so many years, I can still remember the feeling of exhilaration and joy
that I experienced on those sports days.
"Describe something you remember from your school or college days."
1. I forgot to bring my homework one day and thought to bunk the class in my high school. In
fact, the teacher was a bit angrier than the other teachers. Fearing his punishment, I was planning
to disappear from the class and spend some time at the library. Luckily I was saved on that day.
The class was cancelled due to the teacher's illness and I did not have to face this angry teacher
for not bringing important homework on that day.
2. My life at the Trinity College School in Ontario, Canada was awesome. I have yet to see such
a nice place with so many nice people before or after. I clearly can remember my academic years
there. The last day at my school was a sad day for me and my classmates and it was hard for us
to think that we would no longer be part of this school from that day on. It was filled with tears.
These days, whenever I get a chance, I visit this school premises where I have spent some of my
golden days in my life.
3. European School Bergen in the Netherlands is a great place and I was lucky to have been a
pupil there. I can remember the very first class at this school. My dad took me there and I was
welcomed warmly. I have had some new friends in the class. The class party was outstanding. I
was glad about everything in this new school.
4. Scoring the highest mark in Physics is a matter of pride indeed. And when I was a student at
the Canadian Academy in Japan, I was happy with my scores. In fact, I was the best girl in the
class and used to get the highest scores in Physics. I was awarded a prize for my achievement
and I still remember that day which was filled with joy and happiness.
5. Before attending college, I could not think that I would meet my best friend there. I met
Amanda at Royal College in Colombo, Sri Lanka. She is still my best friend and we are best
buddies for more than seven years. I can still remember the day I meet her in college. She
entered the class, sat beside me in the first row and started talking. I was irritated at first but later
everything went so well that we started to grow our friendship.
Describe a place that has a special meaning to you.
You should say:
 what kind of place it is and where it is

 what memories you associate with it
and explain why that place has a special meaning to you.
**Model Answer 1:**This is quite an interesting topic as it brings back some very special
memories in my heart. After all, a special place has to have some special memories, attached to
it, doesn’t it?This special place, I want to talk about today, is a “river shoreline” which was not
too far from the village where I grew up as a child. In fact, the people of my village would need
to walk only about 6/7 minutes to reach that river and its shore. This river shore wasn’t exactly
sandy, like a sandy sea beach, but it wasn’t made of some kind of “sticky clay” either. In other
words, the soil there was a perfect mixture of sand and moisturized clay which was perfect for
walking and playing. But, the best thing about this river shore to me was that it was completely
flat with spots of grasses here and there. To me, it was a perfect landscape, which drew me again
and again, up until the time I stepped outside of my village.Anyway, there are just so many
memories associated with it. One of those memories was that it was on this river shore that my
dearest late grandfather taught me how to ride a bicycle. Besides, in this place, I used to have
numerous running races with my grandfather and other children of my age, only to confirm a
bitter truth again and again that I was never a good sprinter! Many a time, I used this place as my
“hideout” also in case my parents ever chastised me badly.There are just too many nice
memories like the ones I just mentioned above which I would probably never forget. In fact, I
managed to make some of my life-long friends from this very place when I was a child. This
place has a special meaning to me also as it helped me develop a very special bond between me
and my dearest grandfather who had taught me the value of enjoying life at every opportunity – a
pleasant lesson which I still hold very dear to my heart.
Model Answer 2:
Thank you very much for this great topic. To me, "Riyadh" is a special place, which is a global
city and the capital of Saudi Arabia. It has an enriched history beginning from the pre-Islamic
era. I have a special attachment to this city, and I consider it very special.
"Riyadh" is a spacious city that has several districts and municipalities under its authority. A
wide number of commercial, entertainment, shopping and dining facilities are available there.
The night view of the city is stunning. There are some prominent landmarks and tourist facilities
there that attract a large number of people every day. This is like an oasis in the desert and truly a
beautiful city.
I have many happy memories in this city, and this is the city where I have spent some of my
happiest days in life. So this is perhaps the most important place for me as a person. I was born
and brought up in Riyadh and still live here. Besides, I can recall my school and college days
here which were filled with excitement and happiness. While living in the old part of this
majestic city, I used to travel downtown of the city with my friends and schoolmates. The happy
memories still linger in my brain, and I often remember how innocent and carefree those days
were.
I like this city for many reasons. The most important thing about the city is that it is my
birthplace where I also spent my childhood and teenage days. So, I have a different type of
attraction to it. The modern facilities and the living standard of the city also make it a special
place for me. Wherever I go, and whichever city I travel to, I feel a special bond with my
birthplace.
"Describe a place that has a special meaning to you."
Most of us have our preference for places that attract us where we want to go back over and over
again. Here are a few other hints to help the IELTS test takers to answer this cue card topic.
1.
Marine Drive in Mumbai is the place that attracts me the most. I have been born and brought up
near this boulevard and have observed the changes that shaped this place. Marine Drive is special
to me as it reminds me of a wide place where I used to sit with my friends and spend hours after
hours. I also have many other happy memories related to this place which would always be
special to me.
2.
Photography is an art and I am trying to be a professional photographer. I travel to different
places to get photos. Rainbow Mountains in China is my favourite place to get some
extraordinary photos. Actually, the mountain is known as Danxia landscapes, which is a perfect
place for photography. The striking mountain, colours and surrounding environment have made
it a heavenly place for me.
3.
I have visited many cities in the world but none of them is as appealing as Amsterdam is. This
capital city of the Netherlands is adorned with a wide canal system and I am in love with the
stunning lakes the city has. The city owns an enriched historical background. And I also met with
my beloved wife in this city when I migrated here from Malaysia. Life is going on since then and
I want to spend the rest of my life in this city.
4.
My honeymoon, which took place around six months ago, at Cat Ba island in Vietnam was
extraordinary. It was different from most honeymoon destinations, and I loved this place very
much. We camped on the rocky island and explored it as long as we could. I heartily enjoyed
sunrises and sunsets from the island which thrilled me to a great extent. I would like to go back
to the island in the future whenever I get a chance.
5.
I love skiing, and 'Sochi', in Russia, offers me the best opportunity and a perfect gateway to
enjoy this activity with some like-minded people. I eagerly wait for the season, and whenever
winter comes, I jump off to the ski resorts. Krasnaya Polyana Mountain Cluster is a memorable
place for me. Last year, I enjoyed some of the best times of my life there. I love this place for its
outstanding skiing facilities.
Describe a part of the world you would like to visit.
You should say:
 where you would like to visit

 what you already know about it and how
 what you would like to do there
and explain why you would like to visit this part of the world.
Model Answer:
Europe is often considered by many to be the most attractive and beautiful place in the world,
and if I have a chance, I would like to visit some of the European countries. To be more precise,
I would like to visit countries like the UK, Germany, Spain, Greece, France, Italy, Turkey, Spain,
Portugal and a few more countries in the European Union. These countries offer unique cultural
features and so diverse lifestyles that I do not want to miss them.
What I already know about this place? Well, I know the history of these countries to a certain
extent like how they were the political and cultural capital of the world, how they pioneered
scientific discoveries and inventions, how they were the world leader in fostering arts, how wars
devastated the whole of Europe, and finally how diverse their cultural aspects really are. I also
know what the most beautiful beaches there, what historical monuments attract thousands of
tourists each day and where to stay to get a glimpse of a true European lifestyle. And I have
learned about these aspects because I want to visit there soon.
I came to know about many interesting places in Europe from books, stories from my friends,
movies, and magazines. Later, I did some extensive searches on the internet and learnt about
these countries even more.
I would like to visit Europe only when I have more than two weeks or three weeks' vacation. I
have to have a solid travel plan as I will be in many different countries instead of just one. I will
enjoy the beautiful countryside of these countries, enjoy my time in local cafes and enjoy local
food, try to get a peek at the local tradition and lifestyle, explore dazzling cities, relax on
beaches, meet new people and visit museums and historically famous places.
Europe bears the mark of world history very prominently. To understand many political,
historical, scientific and cultural aspects that the world has now, we have to travel to different
parts of Europe, and that's why I want to visit Europe. Also, Europe is so beautiful to miss in our
lifetime and I want to be there to witness the beauty that Europe has for its travellers.
"Describe a part of the world you would like to visit."
Travelling is quite advantageous both for learning and pleasure. So, people travel around the
world but the places or destinations may vary based on individuals. Here are some other hints for
the IELTS candidates to deal with this cue card task.
1.
I love sailing, and the Mediterranean beaches are the best places just for that. I would like to visit
any of the beaches in this region and sail for a few days. Also, I would prefer to sail alone and
enjoy the beauty around me. Necessary foods and water should be preserved on the small boat
and I will take some books so that I can read them when I will not sail. My previous experience
of sailing was filled with thrill and I want to have it now as well.
2.
People in Asia have a great reputation for maintaining their own culture and customs. I have a
plan to experience their culture. Next summer I will go to visit Asia, particularly some of the
large Asian countries like China, India etc. Hope it would be a nice visit.
3.
I enjoy natural views more than anything. Greece mainly consists of islands with natural views.
And so, I am planning to make my next trip to any scenic islands of Greece. I have also informed
a few of my friends about this plan and they agreed to go there as well.
Describe a place you know that has a beautiful environment.
You should say:
 where it is located
 when you first went there
and explain why you think this place has a beautiful environment.
Model Answer 1:
The surrounding area of Mount Maunganui has a wonderful environment that is stunningly
beautiful. The place is located in New Zealand, and it is locally known as "The Mount". This is a
great area for people who live there. Besides, spending leisure hours there could always surprise
you with new adventures. Despite being a place renowned for a great residential area, and
various activities, like commercial, industrial and recreational ones, this is a delightful place with
a lovely environment.
The white sandy beaches of this place invite travellers and locals alike. Besides, the mountains
are also eye-refreshing sights to look at. The sheltered bay in the inner harbour is a great place
for relaxation activities and when I had been there for the first time, I was awe-stricken about its
serenity and harmony. Moreover, being a beach town, this city has everything an adventurous
tourist can look for.
I went there for the first time two years ago, and instantly, fell in love with this place. I took part
in surfing, boat riding and many other water sports which were both thrilling and new to me. I
also enjoyed the natural views of the locality and I must mention that the people in this area were
so great and hospitable. The tip of the peninsula mountain is another attractive place and many
young people take the challenge to reach there just to enjoy the view and get some adrenaline
pump.
This is a beautiful place, without any doubt, and you will never get bored being there. It appeared
that peace, happiness and harmony are the three main ingredients of this place which really
attracted me towards it. The calm breeze from the sea, the large lava dome, the delicious and
exotic foods, friendly people, sandy beaches, and stunning scenery have made this place so
beautiful.
"Describe a place you know that has a beautiful environment."
The world is filled with numerous beautiful places but describing them in words is not easy.
Here are some other hints for the IELTS test-takers to have some new ideas in dealing with this
candidate task card topic.
1.
Tropical forests and sandy beaches in Brazil are so beautiful and alluring. They look adorable in
almost every season. The country is blessed with freshwater fishes, rainforests, many plants and
other natural beauties. As a result, the country attracts a huge crowd every year. Visitors around
the world love to visit the Amazon forest and other rivers near the forest.
2.
The Solovki Islands in Russia looks amazing. Over hundreds of small and large islands have
made this archipelago near the Arctic Circle. The surrounding environment is picturesque, and
the forests among the lakes are hidden jewels. The islands accommodate some small villages
with well-constructed dams, roads and other establishments.
3.
Egypt is filled with many beautiful places. Elba National Park is one of them. It is an artificial
park and covers a huge area. The beautiful park is also known as Gabal Elba. Since its
inauguration in 1986, the park has been playing the role of unifying the nature of the country.
The location is attractive for beautiful plants, animals and stunning views. The environment here
is just wonderful.
4.
The environment of the northeast part of Romania is just perfect in my eyes. The locality is filled
with natural beauties. Some of the painted monasteries have added more beauty to them. The
monasteries are made with colourful frescos. They have been surviving since the 15th century
and are described in many stories. The surrounding localities near the churches are magnificent
and beautiful.
5.
Surrounded by a couple of seas, Borneo in Malaysia is a lovely place. This is an island and
homes to a good number of species and plants. It even accommodates some of the rare species.
Visiting this place and enjoying the surrounding beauties could be a life-time experience for
many.
Describe an occasion when you couldn't pay for something you wanted.
You should say:
 what you wanted to pay for

 why you were not able to pay
 what you did
and explain how you felt about the situation.
Model Answer 1:
My recent trip to India was quite interesting. It also provided me with some of the memorable
experiences of my life. I went there with my family and visited a few famous tourist spots.
Unfortunately, one evening, I could not pay for the meals after dining at a local restaurant. It was
a bit embarrassing for me and my family, but we tackled the situation without causing any
further confusion. I would like to share this experience with you.
Initially, I could not pay for the meal that I and my family members ate because I did not have
enough Indian Rupee with me. I am an Indonesian, and when I go abroad, I try to keep enough
local currency with me so that I do not have to get in trouble while paying for something.
Besides, I also use an international credit card. But, on that fateful evening, it was a bit
troublesome when I did not have much local currency with me and I did not even notice that. So,
when I found that I did not have enough Indian Rupee, I tried to pay the bill using my credit
card. But they accepted only cash and that was the moment when I felt kind of helpless.
I apologized to the restaurant manager and they seemed very understanding as they had similar
experiences with foreign tourists! I asked the manager to send someone with me so that I can pay
the bill from my hotel where I was staying with my family. He agreed and sent one of the
restaurant staffs with me. The hotel, where we were staying, was not far away. I paid the bill
after exchanging some currencies and did not forget to offer some generous tips.
To be honest, it was an uncomfortable situation for us, especially for me. As I am always careful
to keep enough local currency with me, it was a reminder that I should be more careful about
that. It could have been much worse and far more embarrassing than it already was had the
restaurant manager not been so understanding and cooperative. Luckily, it was not a big fuss
except the fact that I felt really uneasy about it at first.
Model Answer 2:
Thank you so much for this excellent topic. It reminds me of an event when I could not pay the
bill when I went shopping with my niece to buy something for her on the occasion of her
upcoming birthday. I wanted to pay for a dress that she really liked. This was a nice-looking
dress and came with an excellent design and style. And most importantly, she liked the dress. So,
I wanted to pay for that only to regret it a couple of minutes later!
Usually, I do not carry much cash with me as I have a credit card that I usually use while
shopping. But this time, I forgot to pay the outstanding bill and thus the card did not have a
sufficient balance. So, my purchase was not honoured. It was an embarrassing experience for me.
As I went out with my niece for shopping, I should have been more careful about it. But I made a
blunder and felt embarrassed.
A couple of minutes later, I called a friend to bring some cash to help me, and my friend arrived
within half an hour with the money. And I used the cash to pay for the dress. And that relieved
me from the embarrassment a bit. Now I am careful about the credit card bill and remain updated
with my outstanding bills.
Honestly speaking, I felt abashed when the salesman said the card was rejected and he said it in
front of everyone there. It was a bit embarrassing and from that moment, I carry some cash to
save me from such an unexpected experience.
"Describe an occasion when you couldn't pay for something you wanted."
Here go some hints for an alternative answer that may prove out effective in dealing with this
particular cue card question.
1.
My shopaholic girlfriend took me to the nearby shopping mall the other day to shop for her
upcoming birthday. After spending around three hours, I took her to a perfume selling store and
purchased perfume for her. While paying the bill, the salesman rejected my visa card. It was out
of balance!
2.
I had to entertain some guests at home the other day, and I went to a supermarket to do some
shopping for preparing meals for the guests. After getting the necessary groceries, I went to pay
the bill. Unfortunately, I could not pay for it because I left my wallet at home. The manager
agreed to send me the items to my home and accept cash on delivery. That was really helpful.
3.
My baby boy is only four years old and I wanted to have a bicycle for him. I took him to a
bicycle shop the other day, and he liked a bright red one. While paying for the bill, I found that
my wallet was missing. It was an uneasy and embarrassing experience.
4.
I always carry a smart amount of money with me while I am out. But that day I forgot to take a
sufficient amount of cash and went to a restaurant with my fiancé. I could not pay the bill though
I wanted to pay that day. My fiancé insisted and paid the bill.
IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card
327
with Model Answer:
Describe a popular musical instrument in your country.
You should say:
 what musical instrument it is

 what sort of music it can play
Model Answer 1:
A notable number of musical instruments are popular in India, and the flute happens to be one of
them. The use of flute has long been present in the history of Indian music and almost all types
of music can be created using this magical musical instrument. Various types of flutes are
available in India, and our country has produced some of the greatest flutists in the world.
Playing the flute is often easier than playing other types of complex musical instruments. The
musician can create really melodious sounds with it, and the music often touches our hearts due
to its extraordinary quality and appeal. A flute creates music or sound when a stream of air
moves against the edge of a hole, causing the air within the body of the flute to vibrate. Some
flutes are held vertically by the musicians and are played by blowing air against the edge of a
hole at the end of the flute. Other flutes are held horizontally and are played by blowing air
against the edge of a hole in the side of the flute.
Anyway, the flute belongs to the woodwind group musical instruments. It basically produces
tunes using air that vibrates inside the body of the flute and leaves through the hole. The air that
flows inside the cylindrical tube is controlled in a couple of ways to produce a musical sound.
A flute can play different types of music. However, the common use of this musical instrument
includes classical, baroque, orchestral, romantic, and even pop music. According to some people,
the flute can create out of world music that touches everyone's heart and that is why they prefer
the use of this instrument whenever there is a need to make a deep impact while playing music.
The flute is popular in India for many reasons. First, this instrument has become a part of our
local culture and tradition. It has also become an integral part of our religious belief. Finally,
Indian classical music without a flute cannot be imagined. So, the flute has become so popular in
our country.
Model Answer 2:
Thank you so much for the chance you have given me to talk about a famous musical instrument
in my country - Italy. Several popular musical instruments are available in Italy, and Mandolin is
one of them.
This is a guitar-shaped musical instrument, and it generally has 8 strings, although 10 strings and
12 strings versions also exist. Playing this instrument is not difficult, and it can create any sort of
rhythm and music. In fact, when the mandolin is in the right hand, it can create some heavenly
tunes. Various types of mandolins are available in Italy, but three types of mandolins are
considered the finest by musicians and experts.
A mandolin needs to be plucked for creating tunes. The plucking on the strings helps create the
sound. Actually, the vibration on the strings is the key to producing the sound and the player
needs to stroke the strings in the right manner to produce the melody.
The mandolin can produce any types of music through the use of strings. The instrument is also
able to produce both classical and traditional music. This is a great tool for music-lovers, and the
playing style is almost similar to a guitar, and this is also a common instrument in some other
countries like the USA. Country music goes pretty well with this musical instrument.
The key reason for the popularity of this particular musical instrument in my country is its easy
availability, great music quality and diverse usages with various types of music. Besides, playing
the mandolin is not so difficult, so people often take an interest to learn and use it. Besides, this
is a very common musical instrument which is used almost on every occasion in Italy. And
gradually it gained a huge popularity across the country.
"Describe a popular musical instrument in your country."

People, around the world, love different types of music, and their choice for musical instruments
vary as well. Preference for musical instruments differ from country to country and sometimes
even within a country. Some hints are given here for the IELTS test-takers who are dealing with
this cue card topic so that they can generate their own idea and answer.
1. Taiko or large drums are popular musical instruments in Japanese culture. The drums are used
to produce music marking different religious and social events. They create some thrilling
sounds which most people love to listen to.
2. The use of Raban is common in many musical performances in my country. This is a kind of
one-sided drum and it is played by one hand. Usually, Raban is made with animal hide and
wood. And two types of this instrument can be seen widely in our country – one is held in the
hand while the other is held on a bench.
3. Classical music is a heritage of the Indian subcontinent and Sitar is an undeniable part of this
music genre. The player has to tune the sitar for each raga and sitar balancing needs
perseverance. This is a great musical instrument in our region and is loved by all music lovers.
4. The USA has some modern musical instruments and the guitar is one of the most notable ones.
It basically has six strings and could be played in different ways to create different types of
music. Presently, the application of the guitar is a must for almost all types of music.
5. The French Horn is a notable musical instrument in Germany. It is also simply known as a
horn. Playing the horn to create melodious sounds requires skills and practice. The player needs
to place the mouthpiece right on his or her lip’s centre. The use of these horns is found in
professional bands and orchestras in many parts of Germany.
6. Playing the piano has become a part of status in Qatar when it comes to playing music. A
notable number of musicians in the country play this musical instrument. This is a great musical
instrument and needs good skills to play it. Besides, the piano has a grandeur look and the tone is
heavier than ordinary musical instruments.
Describe life in a particular period of history.
You should say:
 which period it is
 what was so great about living then
 what were the main drawbacks then
and explain if you would like to have lived then.
Model Answer 1:
Life in the Middle Ages was completely different than we see it today. Some reflections of the
life of that period are found in history books and TV documentaries but they are just a glimpse,
not the whole picture. People often say that the Middle Ages or the medieval period was filled
with social classifications and the feudal system, people used to believe in many superstitions,
and medical science was not advance at all.
From some perspectives, living in the medieval period was advantageous, at least some people
think so! To begin with, life for most ordinary people was simple, technology was not prevalent
and social tie was strong. People used to live close to nature and pollution was not an issue at all.
Perhaps the other important benefit of living in this period was that people did not have to face
such cut-throat competition that they face nowadays.
But things were not all rosy and simple at this period either. Social classifications were so severe
that they refused any potentials that young people had. A boy or a girl of a poor peasant was
never destined to be someone important in society, and poverty for many was a life-long
companion. The so-called noblemen in society used to rule people in whatever way that suited
them and could do whatever they wished. This made life for ordinary people often miserable.
Moreover, the scope of entertainment was very limited and the lower parts of society had no or
very little access to many social amenities.
I would like to have lived in that period of time for a couple of months or at most a year, just to
get a first-hand experience of it, but I would not agree to live my whole life then. I enjoy my life
the way it is now, and I would not like to take a risk of living in a completely different epoch
when I know technology had not made its way yet and there were very few amenities to enjoy.
Model Answer 2:
Thank you very much for this nice topic. I am a Chinese citizen, and I have learned that China
went through different epochs. As a country, it was ruled by a notable number of rulers and its
life was different in different periods. The French ruled this territory during the mid-19th
century, and it was a remarkable period in the history of the country. I would like to talk about
this specific period of our country's history.
I believe that there were very few benefits of living at that time although the country had a long
history of a traditional and simple lifestyle. Some employment opportunities were created
because of the opening of some ports for European trade facilities and someone might have
enjoyed working in such beautiful areas. I think Chinese people used to live a more traditional
and simple lifestyle at that time about which I am often curious.
Since China was under colonial rulers then, I believe, living at that time in China must have been
quite difficult. Foreign soldiers used to occupy the country and they ruled people the way they
felt would benefit them. Sometimes skirmishes and small-scale wars took place which claimed
many innocent lives. The territory was under foreign domination and it took away freedom from
the Chinese people.
I am not sure if life at that time would have been something that I would have enjoyed. I would
surely like to know more about the lifestyle of people and how things were then, but living at a
period when the country was under colonial rulers is something that I would take seriously and
say "no" to living at that period.
"Describe life in a particular period of history."
Life began on earth even before history was recorded. Human civilization has changed during
the course of time and experienced different ages. This cue card question asks you to describe
how life was in a particular period of history and here are some other hints to answer it.
1.
Life in the Stone Age was really tough for humans. They did not have any modern tools and
hunting was their main way of managing food. They even did not learn to harvest and that made
their life really challenging. The age is also divided into several periods, and it is thought that the
concept of family and socialization began at this period.
2.
The invention of some very basic mathematics was the best achievement for the humankind in
Bronze Age. The Age is named so due to the rise of bronze tools and their widespread usage.
This is an important period in human history.
3.
The application of iron-made materials and tools began in the Iron Age, and this is an important
age in the expansion of human civilisation. People in this epoch started using iron massively in
their day to day life. Many advancements of human civilisation took place in this age. It also lay
the foundation of industrial progress.
4.
The civilization of ancient Egypt plays an important role in human history. The duration of this
civilization was between 3000 and 300 BCE, and it mostly expanded beside the Nile. The age is
remarkable for technological, military, cultural and religious advancements. Pharaohs controlled
the states and we know many historic aspects of this era through history books and
documentaries.
5.
A large part of the world was under the domination of the Roman empire during the 1st century.
Christianity appeared in this century and it gave birth to many other political and religious
events. Expansion of literature was a remarkable achievement in this age.
6.
The 15th century is considered the foundation for the renaissance, middle age and modern
period. Fall of empires, mapping of the world, development of renaissance etc. are the key events
of this century that shaped the world that we know today.
7.
The 20th century- also known as the rapid expansion of technological advancements is a
remarkable time in human history.
Describe the best holiday/vacation you have had.
You should say:
 where you went

 what this place was like
 what you did
and explain why it was the best holiday/vacation you have had.
Model Answer 1:
My family went to Kuwait last summer to spend a vacation and I was with them during this
wonderful vacation. It is one of the most memorable experiences for me so far. During this trip,
we went to a beach named Messilah and enjoyed ourselves a lot. This is a great topic and I would
like to thank you for the opportunity to let me talk about it.
Kuwait is a beautiful country but I did not have the chance to visit it until last year. We stayed in
a four-star hotel near Messilah beach which offered us a fabulous view. Messilah is one of the
biggest and grandest beaches in the entire country and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay there. The
beach is filled with white sands where we often walked for an hour or two along the seashore to
enjoy the beautiful surroundings. The deep blue seawater was a beautiful sight to look at during
the day time, and at night it reflected the moonlight -that made the place heavenly. Our
experience was amazing, to say the least.
This was a great place to be with my family and I really liked the fact that everybody enjoyed
being there. Besides, there was a swimming pool just for junior members who were unable to
swim on the beach.
During our visit to Kuwait, I mostly spent my time near the beach. In fact, my parents went to
visit the city and did some shopping, but I avoided doing shopping by all means. I preferred to
take part in different water sports and took some boat trips on the sea as well. I tried to dive
under the sea but later discarded the idea as I was not an expert swimmer
It was the best holiday for me as I spent it with my family after a long. I also did not have seen
such beautiful seabeaches before. My parents also allowed me to move alone to different places
and enjoy myself all alone for the first time in my life. The natural views of the beach were
outstanding and I loved the seafood. So, I think it was the best holiday for me so far.
Model Answer 2:
This is a great topic to talk about, and thank you for it. Last summer, I probably had the best
holiday of my life when I went to Tenerife in Spain with my family. I had the biggest splash of
my life there.
We stayed at Tenerife in Spain for two weeks and had lots of fun activities, including trying local
foods, visiting different places, and enjoying night parties. I will remember these days for a long
time. Moreover, the natural views were so charming that I had a hard time believing that they
were real. Considering everything, this was the best holiday I have ever spent out of my country
and I still feel lucky for that.
Tenerife Island is the largest of the Canary Islands in Spain. It also has some special locations
that are breathtakingly beautiful. The exotic beaches were the other attractive places that drag
thousands of visitors each week. The high-end restaurants and their special dishes also play an
important role to make it a favourite tourists spot.
I did lots of things there. Spending an entire night on the beach was a special experience for me.
I had the desire to participate in the Carnaval de Santa Cruz but missed that as the event was set
to be held at a later date. Spending a night under the starry sky and listening to the sea waves
thrilled me to the fullest extent possible. It was an out of the world experience for me. Walking
through the boulevards, visiting the National Park, bating on the sea – all of them had been
special to me.
This was the best holiday experience for me so far as I did spend some of the best days of my life
there. I enjoyed the beautiful natural sceneries, wondered about the vastness of the sea, ate exotic
seafood and experienced a very unique European lifestyle that I was not accustomed to. This was
an experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
"Describe the best holiday/vacation you have had"
People go on to enjoy holidays to get away from the routined life, feel relaxed and get back
refreshed. People travel to different parts of the world to have some of the wonderful holidays
they dream about.
Some other hints would be applicable in answering this particular cue card task. Here they go.
1. Travelling is my favourite hobby and a passion I cherish. Recently I went to Cape Sounion in
Greece to enjoy my holidays. I heard about the place from a friend and I was captivated after
visiting the place. The location was surrounded by seas on three sides. I enjoyed the sunset
scenes to a great extent. It was the best holiday of my life so far.
2. My wife wanted to visit Nepal last year for the Christmas holidays. Accordingly, we went
there and visited all the noted places including Boudhanath Stupa, Swayambhunath Temple,
Poon Hill, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Pashupati Nath, 55 Window Palace, Kathmandu Durbar
Square and more. This is the most memorable tour that we have ever taken since we enjoyed our
days to the fullest.
3. Qatar offers some amazing destinations to its visitors. I went on a holiday in this beautiful
country last year, and it was one of the best tours that I have had so far. I have visited some of
the most notable places there and was deeply impressed with the enchantments of these places.
The museums, food courts and beach walks were the greatest of them.
4. The old towns and resorts in Romania are highly recommended for American tourists. I never
thought that I would enjoy a distant part of the world, especially an old town so much. Staying at
a local resort was an unforgettable experience for me. I explored some of the most secluded parts
of the country during this holiday. I must say loved this trip.
5. I am a passionate traveller and whenever I get a good chance, I set out for some trips. It was
not an exception when my office allowed me a five-days leave last summer. I made a tour and
went to different parts of India, and mostly it was a rail journey. Two of my friends accompanied
me and we explored some notable places in India by train. It was a nice holiday indeed.
6. My last holiday in Las Vegas was excellent, in fact, one of the best. I did not know that this is
a small resort town and it offered so much fun. Everything amazed me inside this city, and
particularly I enjoyed the musical fountain. The star-rated hotels and restaurants gave their best
service which I will remember for a long time.
7. As a student of archaeology, I was excited to get a chance to visit different archaeological sites
in Egypt. I loved the large pyramids and other past relics. It was so amazing an experience that I
will never forget this tour.
Describe a leisure activity (a game, hobby, or sport) that is popular in your

country.
You should say:
 what this activity is

 where people usually do it
 why people enjoy doing this activity
and explain what you like/dislike about this activity.

Model Answer 1:
There are a number of leisure activities in Canada, my native country, and people there get
involved with these leisurely activities to enjoy their times with friends and families. But, as far
as my leisurely activity is concerned, I like to play basketball.
Basketball is a rather popular leisurely activity in Canada since people from all walks of life and
from all over Canada like to get involved with it in order to pass their times, be it on the
weekdays or the weekends. However, even though this sport is enjoyed by people from all walks
of life, it is more popular among the college and university going young people.
Anyway, to explain a little about this sport, basketball is a low-cost game which can be played
either alone or in a team. In professional basketball, two teams, consisting of 5 players each, play
against each other in a rectangular court, usually indoors. Each team tries to score by tossing the
ball through the opponent's goal, which is an elevated horizontal hoop and net called a “basket”.
Of course, this sport can also be played in the front yard of a house if people just want to have
fun and pass their time with their friends and families. After all, this leisurely activity doesn’t
exactly require a large space.
But, whether it is played alone or in a team, people actually enjoy doing this leisurely activity
because it is a rather easy and fun way of passing time which doesn’t exactly require too much
efforts or time.
Finally, what I really like about this leisurely activity or sport is that it is a low-maintenance
game. In fact, all you need to enjoy this activity is a ball, a net and the little amount of energy to
throw the ball into the basket. What I also like about this sport is that I can actually play it with
my friends and my families in our privacy just in the frontyard or backyard of my home.
Model Answer 2:
At present, people in my country can enjoy more leisurely hours than at any time in the past. So,
people have taken up a good number of different pastime activities which they enjoy a lot.
Interestingly, playing video games is a popular leisure activity among the people in my country.
This activity is more popular among teenagers and young people. Almost every house in our
country contains different electronic devices and gadgets, and playing digital games are
becoming hugely popular with the increasing use of smartphones.
Usually, people play video games inside their home and on their personal device. Sometimes,
they play games on their mobile phones and other times, they connect their gaming gadgets to a
large-screen television and play games on their TV. Some of the games are available for
specialised gaming devices like Xbox or PlayStation. However, it is not uncommon for many
young people to play such games while they are travelling or sitting somewhere outside
especially because they carry their phones and tabloids wherever they go.
I believe spending too much time playing video games can be detrimental while playing it once
in a while to enjoy and learn could be beneficial. So some people like it, particularly those who
play them, while many parents are worried that their offspring spend too much time playing
electronic games on their devices. Since digital games are often addictive, they can be harmful to
young students as they might find playing games more fascinating than concentrating on their
studies and that's one aspect I dislike about this activity. However, if good games are selected
and played, it could help young people learn new things, which I consider a great way for
cognitive development at a young age.
Finally, such games are a good way of spending leisure time, but it is also true that spending too
much time playing such electronic games are never beneficial as they kill valuable time and
dissuade people from having other important social activities.
Personally, I am not against playing video games, but they should be played sensibly.
Model Answer 3:
Thank you so much for this nice topic. In Ukraine, my homeland, boxing is a popular form of
sport and people take part in it during their leisure hours. This is an exciting sport as the sports
galleries get filled with spectators during the boxing matches. Moreover, the number of
supporters of this sport is increasing day by day.
Boxing is mostly an indoor sport and particularly participated by men. This is mostly held in
indoor venues, and a notable number of indoor venues are available in our country. Sometimes,
young women also take parts in it and enjoy it as much as men's do.
Sometimes, it becomes quite hard to manage tickets during international matches. People try to
get their tickets in advance so that they do not need to wait in queues prior to the match. These
days, the number of such events is on the rise. The local boxers are performing very well in
different international matches as well.
For several reasons, people enjoy boxing matches in our country. First, it contains so many
elements to thrill the audience. The audiences eagerly wait for the contestant to be the winner
they support. The boxers try to demonstrate their best during the matches. Moreover, many
national and international brands and businesses advertise their products through sponsorship of
this sport.
I like several aspects of this popular leisurely activity. But I don't like it absolutely. Sometimes,
the boxers get severely injured with the blow from the opponent. And often the injuries lead to
minor to major disabilities which seems quite crazy to me.

"Describe a leisure activity (a game, hobby, or sport) that is popular in your country."
People love spending leisurely hours doing things that they feel passionate about and accordingly
have invented numerous activities for that. Here are a couple of other hints to answer this cue
card in a different way. Hope you will get the necessary ideas in developing an answer for this
cue card topic.
1.
Skydiving
in our country is an exciting leisurely activity. A notable number of people take part in this
adventurous pursuit. Due to its thrilling nature, it has occupied the list of most popular free-time
activities among people in our country. It is popular among adult and young people alike.
2.
Denver, in the USA, is a heaven for rock climbers and
rock climbing
is gaining its momentum these days. In fact, a large number of climbers crowd in this city to
climb on rocky shelves. Professional assistance in rock climbing is also available here. This has
become a popular leisurely activity in past decades.
3.
Japanese people love
to play badminton
, and this game has gained huge popularity. Professional players participate in different types of
national and international badminton competitions. But people mostly play badminton to enjoy
their time, do some sort of exercise and spend their leisure hours effectively.
4.
Swimming
is one of the most popular free-time activities in India. People love swimming and many modern
swimming pools, as well as natural rivers and ponds, are available across the country. Many
people take part in it as their daily ritual which is quite interesting and unique to our culture.
People of all ages do this whenever they feel like doing it.
5.
Kite flying
is a form of competitive sport and one of the most popular pastime activities in China. People
often arrange huge events to fly kites and this gives the area a festive mode. They have invented
various types of kites and when they fly their kites in the sky, it looks amazing. In fact, kite
flying is a traditional pastime for the Chinese people and I like it very much.
6.
Americans love
camping
. It is an outdoor activity which is one of the favourite pastime activities for people. People take
the camping equipment and use tents to stay out for two or three nights consecutively. It is most
popular among young people who love outdoor adventures. The thrill of camping, cooking food,
staying in nature and sleeping under the open sky is so addictive that some people do it often. I
like it due to the sheer excitement it offers.
7. Playing lawn tennis
is an entertaining activity for the Vietnamese people and perhaps one of the most popular
pastime activities for them. They love participating in Tennis. They mostly prefer lawn tennis to
table tennis. In fact, after a hefty day, they want relaxation and tennis is perfect for that. It also
allows people to spend some quality time with their dear ones.
8.
Brazilians love to enjoy their leisure time, and
enjoying cinemas in a theatre
is a popular activity in Brazil. Many people visit theatres to enjoy a movie in small or large
groups. Perhaps this is the only activity that people do so passionately and regularly.
Describe a minor accident that you had in the

past
316
with Model Answer:

Describe a minor accident that you had in the past.
You should say:
 how the accident happened

 what you did about it
 how long it took you to recover
and explain how you felt about the accident.
Model Answer 1:
This topic reminds me of the day when I was riding a bicycle on a small street inside my
apartment block around five years ago and got involved in an accident.
I was so engrossed riding my bicycle that I could not notice what was happening around me!
Suddenly a car entered the apartment block compound, but I did not notice it. There was a head-
on collision with the car and my bicycle, and it was a very unfortunate event that took place on
that day.
I lost control and fell abruptly. Luckily, it was a minor accident as the driver of the car had been
able to stop the car in due time. I did not get seriously wounded, but there were some minor
injuries that I could not avoid. Apart from physical injury, I was mentally shocked. I blamed
myself for the accident as I should have been more careful. Using loud horns inside the
apartment compound is prohibited, and so the car driver could not use it. All I can remember is
that I saw a speeding car when I was riding my cycle and I tried to stop but could not avoid the
collision with the car.
I suffered a few minor injuries on my feet, elbow and hands. I took my bicycle, felt very sad
about the whole event and apologised to the driver, who, by the way, was a nice man. He also
apologised to me and offered to take me to a doctor. But I went home and my mom took me to a
doctor.
It took around a week for me to recover from the injuries. The doctor whom I saw prescribed a
few medicines and bed rest so that the wounds heal quickly.
It was a pathetic event for me, and the accident was entirely my fault. The physical injury was
less severe than my mental state. But my mom spent some quality time with me for a couple of
days as she took leave from her office. My dad was also worried and asked me to be more
careful while riding a bicycle.
LABELS: IELTS CUE CARD

Describe your favourite shop
323
with Model Answer:
Describe your favourite shop.
You should say:
 where it is
 what types of products/items it sells
 what sort of people go there and shop
and explain why you like the shop so much.
Model Answer 1:
Thank you very much for this nice candidate task card topic. "Zara's Home" is my favourite shop
where I often go and shop for various items. It is specialized in making and selling home
decoration objects and furniture. Their collection is huge, and I even love to browse the beautiful
items they have on display.
The shop is located in a shopping mall named Mall of Arabia in Juhayna Square in Cairo. This is
a great shop for purchasing home decoration items and modern furniture. It sells a wide range of
products and the range of products include - different showpieces, souvenir items, duvets,
pillows, cushion pads, duvet covers, bedsheets, pillowcases, quilts, blankets, cushions, rugs,
curtains; bath accessories like towels, bathmats, bathrobes, baskets, shower curtains; table
accessories like tablecloths and napkins, table runners, placemats, kitchen textiles, dinnerware,
plate charger, bowls, mugs, serving dishes, glassware, cutlery, trays, napkin ring; loungewear,
home fragrances and more. Among the furniture items, they have wooden beds, sofa sets, dining
tables, chairs, bookshelves and so on.
Many local people as well and foreign tourists flock to the shop every day. Souvenir items are
famous among foreign tourists whereas local shoppers mostly go there to purchase home decor
items, culinary tool and furniture. Since this is an exclusive shop that has many rare and
expensive items, mostly upper-middle-class and rich people go there to shop. In terms of the
gender of the customers, I believe this shop attracts more female shoppers than their male
counterpart.
I like this shop due to its superior product quality and unique collection. Their after-sales service
is also great, and they have a customer-friendly return policy. Since I have been visiting this shop
and purchasing different products from them for more than 5 years so, the owner knows me
personally and often offer me a cup of coffee whenever I go there. This makes me even more
fond of the shop. In fact, this is my favourite shop. What more a customer can expect from a
shop when he or she is treated well by the owner and get quality products from there! It has to be
my favourite shop.
Model Answer 2:
Thank you very much for this great topic. Madrid has many different brand shops but when it
comes to footwear, I prefer Coimbra. This is a special shop which is also my favourite.
The brand outlet, which happens to be my favourite shop, is located in the centre of the city and
has a huge collection. Since the outlet is situated at a convenient location, it is accessible from
any part of the city. It remains open from 9:00 in the morning till midnight and it is perhaps the
largest shoe-selling store in the whole city. I am not sure when it was launched, but for as long as
I remember, it was always there. I went there for the first time with my father, which would be at
least 20 years ago.
The shop is renowned for selling various types of footwear including boots, heels, loafers,
sandals, roller skates, slippers, sneakers, tennis shoes, track shoes, work boots, party shoes and
many other formal and casual footwear. In fact, it has a rich collection of numerous types of
shoes for children, male and female. They come in different styles and shapes. Moreover, the
shop sells quality products and the price is reasonable. The shop has become specialised in
footwear in the surrounding areas.
Well, everybody loves this shop because it has something to offer to everyone. If someone is
looking for really expensive party shoes, hiking shoes or a cheap pair of casual sandals, this
place is for them. This is why people from all walks of life and all ages rush there when it comes
to buying a nice pair of shoes. It is most popular among athletes, students, executives and
fashionable women.
I like this shop very much because it sells the types of shoes I like - be it a pair of sandals or a
pair of boots. They have an uncanny ability to blend fashion and comfort in every pair of shoes
they make or import. Their collection is rich, without a doubt, and their salespersons are very
cordial. Furthermore, they have a standard return policy, ambient environment, and good
customer care system which I like very much.
Describe your favourite shop.
You should say:
 where it is
 what types of products/items it sells
 what sort of people go there and shop
and explain why you like the shop so much.
Model Answer 1:
Thank you very much for this nice candidate task card topic. "Zara's Home" is my favourite shop
where I often go and shop for various items. It is specialized in making and selling home
decoration objects and furniture. Their collection is huge, and I even love to browse the beautiful
items they have on display.
The shop is located in a shopping mall named Mall of Arabia in Juhayna Square in Cairo. This is
a great shop for purchasing home decoration items and modern furniture. It sells a wide range of
products and the range of products include - different showpieces, souvenir items, duvets,
pillows, cushion pads, duvet covers, bedsheets, pillowcases, quilts, blankets, cushions, rugs,
curtains; bath accessories like towels, bathmats, bathrobes, baskets, shower curtains; table
accessories like tablecloths and napkins, table runners, placemats, kitchen textiles, dinnerware,
plate charger, bowls, mugs, serving dishes, glassware, cutlery, trays, napkin ring; loungewear,
home fragrances and more. Among the furniture items, they have wooden beds, sofa sets, dining
tables, chairs, bookshelves and so on.
Many local people as well and foreign tourists flock to the shop every day. Souvenir items are
famous among foreign tourists whereas local shoppers mostly go there to purchase home decor
items, culinary tool and furniture. Since this is an exclusive shop that has many rare and
expensive items, mostly upper-middle-class and rich people go there to shop. In terms of the
gender of the customers, I believe this shop attracts more female shoppers than their male
counterpart.
I like this shop due to its superior product quality and unique collection. Their after-sales service
is also great, and they have a customer-friendly return policy. Since I have been visiting this shop
and purchasing different products from them for more than 5 years so, the owner knows me
personally and often offer me a cup of coffee whenever I go there. This makes me even more
fond of the shop. In fact, this is my favourite shop. What more a customer can expect from a
shop when he or she is treated well by the owner and get quality products from there! It has to be
my favourite shop.
Model Answer 2:
Thank you very much for this great topic. Madrid has many different brand shops but when it
comes to footwear, I prefer Coimbra. This is a special shop which is also my favourite.
The brand outlet, which happens to be my favourite shop, is located in the centre of the city and
has a huge collection. Since the outlet is situated at a convenient location, it is accessible from
any part of the city. It remains open from 9:00 in the morning till midnight and it is perhaps the
largest shoe-selling store in the whole city. I am not sure when it was launched, but for as long as
I remember, it was always there. I went there for the first time with my father, which would be at
least 20 years ago.
The shop is renowned for selling various types of footwear including boots, heels, loafers,
sandals, roller skates, slippers, sneakers, tennis shoes, track shoes, work boots, party shoes and
many other formal and casual footwear. In fact, it has a rich collection of numerous types of
shoes for children, male and female. They come in different styles and shapes. Moreover, the
shop sells quality products and the price is reasonable. The shop has become specialised in
footwear in the surrounding areas.
Well, everybody loves this shop because it has something to offer to everyone. If someone is
looking for really expensive party shoes, hiking shoes or a cheap pair of casual sandals, this
place is for them. This is why people from all walks of life and all ages rush there when it comes
to buying a nice pair of shoes. It is most popular among athletes, students, executives and
fashionable women.
I like this shop very much because it sells the types of shoes I like - be it a pair of sandals or a
pair of boots. They have an uncanny ability to blend fashion and comfort in every pair of shoes
they make or import. Their collection is rich, without a doubt, and their salespersons are very
cordial. Furthermore, they have a standard return policy, ambient environment, and good
customer care system which I like very much.
"Describe your favourite shop."
This cue card topic could also be dealt with in some other ways. A few of the hints are here to
assist the IELTS test takers.
1.
Shopping at 1LDK Apartments is quite fun, and this is why it is my favourite shopping place.
The shop is located in Kamimeguro, Meguro-Ku in Tokyo. The shop sells various types of
products and clothing is the most sold item here. People rush there to get trendy clothes and
fashion items. The shop also ensures quality.
2.
"American Vintage" is a large branded shop in 4teen, Qatar. I love to shop from this store
because of its quality products and after-sales service. This is, in fact, my favourite shop. It is a
perfect place for young people in Qatar for hanging out with friends while also doing some
shopping. And they will get all the necessary fashion accessories from this shop. I like it and I
often go there.
3.
"Helen Lee" is a brand shop from which I like to shop often. If someone wants to have authentic
Chinese products, he or she can visit the shop. I instantly loved the shop when I went there for
the first time.
4.
Located in Lahore, "Fashion Avenue" is the shop that I like the most. It sells women's clothing
and they have a huge collection of classic, traditional and latest clothing items. If someone wants
to have elegance in attires, visiting the shop would be highly recommended.
5.
I love the pet shop - "Yours Truly", located in the southern corner of the residential area in
Melbourne, where I live. The shop is quite popular in our area and sells different pet animals that
people can buy. I have got a pair of birds, parrots to be more specific, from the shop for my
daughter a couple of years ago. The shop owner even called me twice afterwards to know
updates on the birds I purchased. I have visited there many times, mostly to purchase bird food,
and I started liking the shop a lot.
Describe a serious environmental problem in your country.
You should say:
 what it is
 what the effects of this problem are
 what causes that problem
and explain what can be done to solve this problem.
Model Answer 1:
Air pollution in our country is one of the most serious environmental problems, and many major
cities in our country are affected by it. Increasing carbon emission from industries and
automobiles makes it worse every day. Other harmful particles produced from burning fossil fuel
have made the situation graver.
The effects of air pollution are really dangerous. Air pollution in my country is responsible for
many health-related problems among citizens, and also kills many people every year. It is liable
for causing respiratory disorders and many people get sick who are exposed to air pollution for a
long time. The usual short-term problems include difficulties in breathing, bronchitis, heart
ailments and so on while it can lead to cancer or even death in the long run. Unfortunately, air
pollution in our country is reducing the life expectancy of many people.
No doubt, air pollution is a global problem now, and in my country, fossil fuels and rapid
industrialisation are the primary reasons behind it. The excessive use of machinery and
motorised vehicles ignites the rise of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Increasing dust
particles make things more damaging.
Air pollution is a burning issue for our country now. Some cautionary measures should be taken
to check the air pollution level. The most important step to reducing air pollution is to reduce
carbon emissions. So we need to reduce the use of gas, oil and other fossil fuels. Alternative
energy or green energy like solar energy, hydroelectric power and wind power should be used
more extensively. A massive awareness among ordinary people about air pollution is also
required to curb the problem.
Model Answer 2:
Deforestation is a big problem in Thailand, and it is threatening the environment seriously. In

some cases, a wide range of forestland is burnt down to grow crops, particularly mushroom
which has a high demand in the market. A notable number of farmers are involved in the act
which is posing grave threats to the nation’s environment.
Many forests are being destroyed indiscriminately and as a result, the impacts of climatic
disorders are appearing in the country. In fact, a country needs at least 30% forestlands to
maintain a balance in the environment, but by the process of burning down the forests, we are
inviting dangers for us. If there is not enough rain in the country, we would be responsible for
that. Trees and forests play an important role in maintaining a balance in the ecosystem and we
are hampering it. It would only lead to unexpected floods, droughts and other environmental
disasters.
I would say that greed for money is the key reason for this problem. Many people want to gain
financially by destroying the forests. They grow mushrooms on the lands as those are
economically lucrative. So, the growers in some parts of the country deliberately burn the forests
and grow crops. The lack of proper monitoring is another reason behind this problem.
A preventive measure like fixing a certain time of the year for mushroom cultivation should be in
place. The state authorities should take punitive measures against the farmers who grow the crop
other than the season set by the authority. Tree plantation on a massive scale throughout the
country is another potential solution to this problem, I believe.
"Describe a serious environmental problem in your country."
Environmental degradation is a concerning issue all around the world. The IELTS applicants can
have some answer hints for this cue card topic other than the one presented as a sample answer
above. A couple of hints would be a plus for them. And here they go...
1.
Amid numerous environmental issues in India, garbage pollution appears to be a serious one to
me. I have many bitter experiences with garbage management and waste disposal. Littering is a
common problem, and walking down the streets becomes difficult for ordinary people for the
bad odour that is produced from that garbage.
2.
Air pollution is a serious headache for China. The key pollutants are the manufacturing
industries, vehicle fumes, and the burning of fossil fuels. As a result, the air quality has degraded
and various symptoms of an unhealthy environment are becoming acute.
3.
Nobody seems like cares much about the issue but marine pollution is going on silently in the
USA. This is a serious environmental problem that we need to address right now. Ship oils,
plastics and industrial wastage are mainly responsible for the pollution. A huge number of
commercial and non-commercial vessels that run on water cause damage to marine lives as well.
4.
Deforestation is a big problem for Malaysia. Currently, many forests are being cut down to make
places for cities, roads and new constructions. Consequently, it is causing the extinction of many
wildlife, and damaging the environment. Detrimental effects of deforestation are already visible
in many parts of the country.
5.
At present, climate change is a concerning issue for Australia. The local climate is changing
gradually and people are suffering from the sudden change. In fact, the situations were less
severe only a decade ago. The temperature rise is an indicator of climate change here.
6.
Unplanned urban areas in Vietnam are causing serious environmental disorder in the country.
Due to poor planning, urban areas are becoming more congested and contributing to many types
of pollution. People now suffer from air pollution, water pollution, litter problems and things are
getting worse every passing day.
7.
The recent appearance of acidic rain is a sign of a serious environmental disorder in South
Korea. The situation has turned worst during the past couple of years. Besides, it is hard to
breathe in the dust while people go out for work or other purposes in some particular areas of the
country.
Describe a family event you are looking forward to.

You should say:
 what the event is

 where it will be held
 what you will do at this event
and explain why you are looking forward to this family event.
Model Answer 1:
The celebrChristmas is perhaps the largest festival that people celebrates in Russia, and I am
looking forward to celebrating the next Christmas with my family. It also happens to be the
largest family gathering for us, and marking this day, all my family members get together at my
grandparent’s house. Actually, we wait for the day eagerly as it brings happiness, joy and reasons
to celebrate as a family.
We will celebrate next Christmas in our grandparents' house - Vyatskoe in Yaroslavl, as it

mostly happens. My grandparents moved there from Moscow at least a decade ago, and they
love to see us during this time of the year. Since my parents and two of my uncles work in cities,
they plan to visit our grandparents and other relatives during the great festival of Christmas. I
also eagerly wait to see all my family members, especially my cousins and grandparents since I
do not see them much throughout the year. Moreover, Christmas and its festivity and religious
fervour bring joys and blessing to every single of us.
I get leaves from my school for about two weeks for the occasions of Christmas and New Year.
This year, I have plans to buy gifts for my cousins, uncles, aunts and not to mention, my
grandparents. I will also decorate the Christmas tree, help my grandparents do some necessary
shopping and finally enjoy the days doing different fun activities with my cousins.
Christmas is always an exciting celebration for me as I get lots of gifts at that time, can spend the
time in a beautiful suburban area where my cousins are with me to do many exciting and
amusing activities, and most importantly, I do not have to live a routine life. So it is a kind of
relief from the hustle and bustle of city life. Moreover, this is the only time of the year when all
my family members gather together. Hence, I am looking forward to enjoying this family event
very much.
Model Answer 2:
Thank you so much for this wonderful topic. Recently, my elder brother, who lives in the USA,
has been blessed with a baby boy. A few days ago, he informed us that he would come to visit us
with the newborn and his wife sometime during the Winter season. So, every one of my family,
including me, is waiting for their arrival. In fact, my family has already planned a fabulous get-
together party marking the event. So, I am looking forward to that event and counting the days.
We live in a two-storied building in a large city in our country. The event is planned to be held at
our house. We have invited many relatives and a few neighbours to attend the party. In fact, it
would be a large gathering in our house after a long time.
I have my own plans for this event. I would like to invite a few of my brother's friends and that
would surely be a big surprise for my brother who has not seen his friends for many years. I
would also like to spend some time with my sister-in-law and her newborn baby to get to know
them better. The baby is going to surprise and exhilarate all, I am sure. Besides, my mother has
assigned me the duty to plan for the decoration of our house and it is going to take a lot of effort
and time, I assume. Finally, I will help my parents to organise the party so that everybody can
enjoy the gathering and the food.
My brother and his family will visit us for about a month after seven years. By this time, he got
married and had been blessed with a baby boy. We have seen the photos of the baby and my
sister-in-law. But now, every one of the family will meet them in person and this is really a
matter of great joy for us. For all the excitement and joy, I am eagerly waiting for this.
"Describe a family event you are looking forward to."
A family is the most important part of someone's life, and thus the celebration of important
events with family members is extremely enjoyable. Here are some hints for the IELTS test-
takers to generate ideas in developing some answers for the same cue card topic.
1. All of my family members are waiting expectantly for the marriage ceremony of my elder
brother. It will be a great family occasion to celebrate for all of us. In fact, I will have many
responsibilities for the celebration and I am enthusiastically looking forward to celebrating and
enjoying this important occasion which will be help on our hometown about three months later
from now.
2. My parents have planned to enjoy our next holiday in Bali, an island in Indonesia. I am
eagerly waiting for the vacation to arrive as I have many plans to enjoy my days on this great
island where millions of tourists enjoy their vacation each year. I hope this would be a
memorable family vacation for us.
3. Spending time with family is a kind of reward for me. So, I have planned to spend the next
public holiday with my parents, wife, and kids. I have another plan, and that is to make a tent
while camping at a park with my family. I have not shared my plan with my family as I want to
surprise them.
4. A birthday celebration is always delightful and I've planned to celebrate the upcoming
birthday of my younger child with great festivity and joy. I have thought to invite some of my
relatives and a few friends of my son from his school. I hope that would be a memorable
celebration where everyone will enjoy to the fullest.
5. I had been in the USA for more than 7 years for my study and job and now I have returned to
my homeland - Italy. I am planning to arrange a get-together party with the rest of my extended
family members. It would be a nice reunion, I believe and I am looking forward to it.
Describe a particular event in which you were successful, e.g. an exam, sports
event etc.
You should say:
 what type of event it was

 when and where it happened
 what preparation of yours was involved in it
and explain how you felt about achieving success in it.
Model Answer 1:
I was granted admission at the University of Tokyo last year as an international student with a
full bright scholarship, and it was a great achievement for me. In fact, I am the only member in
the family to get a chance to do my higher study outside of our country. I applied to various
universities in many different countries, and finally my hard work was paid off. This is a nice
topic for me to talk about.
The beginning of the event was in my home country a few months ago. After completing my
bachelor degree and a diploma, I was seeking for a chance for a higher study abroad.
Accordingly, I started choosing universities and going through their application processes. It
took many days, effort and patience for me. I even got a bit frustrated initially when no
university was replying to my emails. But with some perseverance and dedication, finally, I was
selected by the University of Tokyo, which was a great success as it also included a scholarship
which is considered prestigious by many.
Since I was an international student applying from abroad, the procedures were a bit relaxed for
me. I did not have to appear on the admission test. Rather, I applied with the required documents
that the university authority wanted from me. I sent the scanned and attested copies and they also
made some investigations with the help of their local agents.
Honestly, it was a great success for me. I was not quite positive that I would be able to get
admitted to such a large and renowned university. It was like a dream come true. All my family
members were also happy and they celebrated the event as well. In fact, my father was the
happiest person in the family and prayed for my overall success. I also felt glad when everyone
congratulated me.
Model Answer 2:
I must say that this is an excellent topic. And, I would like to thank you for allowing me to talk
about one of my successes in an event or competition.
Well, to begin with, I never thought that I would be able to take part in a table tennis tournament
and become a winner at my university in Singapore. In fact, I did not have any prior plan to
participate in the tournament, but I, as well as some of my friends, thought that I should try my
skills and luck. Earlier, I had some experience of playing table tennis with my friends and they
thought that I was good at it, but my skill was never put to a test in a serious tournament! In fact,
this time it was the peer pressure that forced me to actively take part in the competition as I was
advised by my friends to try my skills and luck. Surprisingly, I won a prize in the tournament,
and it is something that I still cherish.
The tournament was organized by our university in Singapore three years ago, and it was the
annual indoor sports programme of the university that lasted for two days. On the third day, it
was the prize-giving ceremony. There were several matches and a good number of students took
part in those competitions. However, the excitement of the spectators was noteworthy and
probably the most important aspect of this tournament.
I did not get enough time to prepare for the competition apart from playing a couple of friendly
matches with my friends. And it was hard for me to beat the competitors who were basically
much better prepared than me.
When my name was announced as a winner at the table tennis competition, I felt really glad.
Since my performance at the competition was good enough to be one of the winners, it was not a
surprise to me and my friends. But it was definitely good news.
"Describe a particular event in which you were successful, e.g. an exam, sports event etc."
Life is full of challenges and we need to face those challenges as part of our life. But not
everyone becomes the winner.
This candidate task card topic wants to know about a challenge or a particular event in which
you were a victor. A few potential hints here will give the candidates some ideas to develop their
own thoughts to answer the questions.
1.
Appearing on a really difficult written test for being selected for a job where hundreds of others
competed is difficult in every sense. Luckily I was able to cross such a barrier a few months ago.
I stood 4th in the written exam for the position of Junior Executive. It was a big success for me
as it allowed me to start a lucrative job.
2.
I never really liked to participate in sporting events as it goes against my introverted nature. But
with the inspiration of my friends in college, I took part in a chess competition. Surprisingly, I
defeated three of my powerful opponents and won a prize. I still cannot believe that I did such an
outstanding task. It is still inspiring for me.
3.
Singing was something I have always felt passionate about but never could do in public. But I
had to sing at a family event that took place a few months ago. It was the marriage ceremony of
my elder brother. Everyone was enjoying the marriage event, and I sang a nice wedding song
there. Everyone praised me highly and it made me feel proud and gave me a much-needed boost
in my confidence to practice singing even more seriously.
4.
I have always been a good cricketer, but I did not have much confidence in my ability that I
would be able to score a century in a cricket tournament. But I became the man of the match just
for that at the inter-college cricket completion that was held in our city last year. I was the
highest scorer (I scored unbeaten 146) in the match and I consider it a big success. Due to my
score, my team won the match. It was another important achievement for me.
5.
This topic reminds me of a science project in my college. In it, I made a robot that could work as
programmed using solar energy. Initially, a teacher dumped the idea to present it at the annual
science competition. Later, he inspired me to move with the idea and finally, it was a success. I
still feel very proud about it. I want to complete my higher studies in robotics and I believe that
my success in this competition had somewhat shaped my mind about that.
Describe a dream you remember well.
You should say:
 what type of dream it was

 what you thought about this dream
 how you felt about the dream
and explain why you remember this dream so well.
Model Answer 1:
A couple of months ago, I had a dream at night, and it was about missing a train that I was
supposed to catch. It could have been a banal dream, just like other dreams that I dream and
forget, but since I thought about it deeply and tried to relate it with my life, I thought it meant
something. It was a kind of dream that gives you a feeling that it was almost real.
I felt that the dream was something indicative to me because I could remember every detail of
the dream and tried to find the reason for it. But I could not get the meaning right. Later I thought
that it could be a sign of my negligence to study properly. I thought so because I believe that
dreams are often reflections of our thoughts and actions. As it bothered me a bit, I started
focusing on my academic studies more seriously as I wanted to make my parents proud as well
as score high in my final exam.
It was a kind of mixed feeling for me as I thought about the dream. In fact, for the past few
months, I had not been concentrating on my academic studies as seriously as I should have. So,
when I had the dream, I started feeling guilty. It was my subconscious mind that told me to
concentrate more on my academic studies to reach my goal.
In the dream, I saw that I missed my train as I was a bit late to reach the station. As soon as I
reached the station, the train started its engine and began to move. I tried to catch the train, ran
for a while but could not get close. In the dream, the event gave me a melancholy feeling as I
was supposed to take that train and go to a place where my presence was important. Since it was
a very lucid dream and made me thought about it a lot, I still remember it clearly.
Model Answer 2:
Thank you very much for this interesting candidate task card topic. A couple of months ago, I
had a dream, and I cannot term it a good dream. In fact, it was a very bad dream. It was about the
death of a dear friend whom I like a lot. However, it was merely a dream, nothing more than that.
When I woke up in the morning, I felt really sad. I felt a sense of emptiness inside me even
though the feeling remained just for a minute or so. It was like a nightmare to me and I felt a rush
to drink a lot of water as I was thirsty. I also thought about our life and death and that was a bit
melancholic for me. However, I recovered soon and tried to think rationally. Next morning, I
called this friend and I was relieved to hear his voice. This assured me that I had nothing to
worry about.
I had experienced some bad events including the death of two relatives before I had this dream.
So, I guess, I had been thinking about our life and death back then, and the dream was a result of
these thoughts. Moreover, I was a bit depressed back then. So, my subconscious mind clutched
the matter, and accordingly, the event appeared in my dream.
This is not the type of dream I often experience. The clarity and experience of the dream seemed
so real. I was caged with sadness and could not sleep well the whole night; it was such impactful.
Also, it all happened during a time when I was not having a good time. It made things worse, I
believe. For all these reasons, I can still remember it so well.
"Describe a dream you remember well."
Dreaming is natural for us, and people often dream when they are asleep. So, the way to answer
this cue card task and the response might be different for each individual. Just try to remember
something you dreamed of and describe it here. Describe as if you are telling a story to someone
you know.
Here are some of the hints for the IELTS test takers to answer this cue card topic in other ways.
1. I can clearly remember a dream in which I was the king of a large kingdom. It was a strange
and unique dream as I had never witnessed anything like that in my dream before. I guess I
experienced the dream because back then I read a couple of storybooks in which the main
characters were kings, queens and such powerful persons. I thoroughly enjoyed being the king in
my dream. But alas! it was merely a dream.
2. I fell in love with a beautiful lady whom I admired so much. She also was deeply and madly in
love with me. Gradually we got married and had a happy family with a couple of kids. Suddenly
I was petrified that the house I used to live in was empty, and all of them were suddenly gone! I
was shocked and so sad. I could not find them anywhere. Then I woke up to realise that it was
just a dream!
3. I usually don't dream about my exams and college, but the other day, I had a wonderful dream
just about it. In real life, I am not so good at Physics, but in my dream, I found that I scored the
highest mark in college and won a prize for that. Everyone was congratulating me on my brilliant
success. I also could not believe it. Suddenly I came to reality and realized that I was dreaming. I
wish it was true in my real life as well!****
4. I had a nightmare last week, and it was about terrible-looking dogs that were chasing me and
trying to bite me. I am afraid of dogs and try to keep away from them as I had a frightening
experience with the dog-bite in my early childhood. In the dream, I was running to save my life
but I could not run fast. I felt so helpless in the dream. The situation and the experience were
horrific. Finally, I woke up from sleep and found myself sweating profoundly.
5. I went on a nice trip with my friends to a great location in Bali, Indonesia. We had camped
there and did many enjoyable activities. Everyone present there was glad and had a remarkable
trip indeed. But it was just a dream that I still remember. I have shared this dream with a couple
of my close friends and they have agreed that we will make this trip to Bali someday, just the
way it was in my dream.
6. Thank God for saving my life as I was driving a car over 140 km per hour, and found that the
brake of the car was not working. Luckily it was just a dream. It was almost impossible for me to
stop the car in my dream no matter what I did, and whichever tricks I tried. After the dream was
over, I realized that I had been playing the racing game a bit longer than I should have!
Describe a pet that you once had.
You should say:
 what kind of animal it was

 what type of care it needed
 what you liked/didn't like about it
and say whether it is a popular pet to own or not.
Model Answer 1:
I once had a cat which I really liked, and perhaps he had been the most favourite pet of mine
ever. His name was Tom, and the name was given by my little sister who thought our cat looked
like the famous cartoon character "Tom". I loved this cat for its amiable nature, affection and
funny behaviour. Tom was a calm and quiet pet and did not have any bad habits.
Tom tried to take as much attention as he could from me and my sister. He often behaved as if he
was unhappy when I was busy with other works. Since I liked him so much, I gave him my
attention and affection whenever I could. Besides, I used to feed it and sometimes take it outside
in the evening. He was such an attention seeker that if I did not pay attention to him due to some
important work at home, he used to come to me and kept on making a ‘meow’ sound until I took
him on my lap and talked to him for a while. He did not need much care except for cleaning and
feeding regularly. In his 6-year time when he was with me, I never had to take him to a pet
doctor. He was quite an exceptional pet, I would say.
Tom was my beloved pet, and I liked him so much for his gentle nature, loving quality and his
love for us. I had heard that some cats steal food and create many nuisances for the owners. But I
never had to face such troubles with Tom. When Tom needed food, he came to me, and I
understood that I need to feed my cat. My smart cat understood my instructions and also learned
to use the toilet with very little training and effort. He was such a great pet to have.
Of course, a cat is a popular pet to own in my country and most parts of the world. It is a
common choice when it comes to deciding to take a pet. I believe people love cats as pets
because they are adorable - both the way they look and behave. We can cuddle them, feel their
soft furs, play with them, make fun with them, and they love to seek our attention. For all these
reasons, they are often the number one choice as a pet for many.
**Model Answer 2:**Thank you so much for the opportunity to let me talk about a pet I once
had. I love to have pets, and I had a canary bird when I was a teenager. It was a small yet
charming bird that I loved so much. I did not keep it in a conventional cage, rather, I built a small
hut for it.The bird needed lots of care. Whenever it saw me, it started chirping, as if it expressed
its happiness this way. The seller of the bird gave me some tips when I purchased the bird from
him, and I tried to follow these tips as long I had the bird. I was required to give food to the bird
in time, and I preserved some grains in its hut so that it could get food whenever it was hungry. I
also stored a small jar filled with water for it to drink. I used a small artificial room-heater inside
the bird’s shelter during the winter season to keep the room warm for the bird.I liked the chirping
melody of the bird so much. It was so refreshing, or at least that is what I thought. I had many
imaginary conversations with this bird. In fact, I liked to believe that it felt glad whenever it saw
me and expressed its happiness through its language or sounds. Moreover, I loved to feed it. But
cleaning the wastage from the hut was a bit troublesome. When the bird dies due to an unknown
reason, my heart was filled with great sadness.Canary is not so popular as a pet in my country. I
guess it is not native to our country and not available in the pet market. Moreover, someone
needs serious patience to pet it. Considering all the reasons, I guess people often opt for other
birds when they want to have a pet bird.
"Describe a pet that you once had."
Having a pet is a hobby for many, and they have various kinds of experience while keeping a pet.
We hope, some potential hints here will help the candidates to answer the cue card topic from a
different perspective.
1.
In my childhood, I adored pets- almost all kinds of pets as they looked adorable. My dad bought
a parrot for me as a pet when I was 9 years old. The parrot was able to imitate my voice and
often talked to me. That was an amazing experience for me as a kid. I was deeply in love with
the bird. Passing some moments with the bird in the evening was a regular routine for me.
2.
Raising a cat is not easy if you do not have the patience and passion. Luckily, I had a cat and I
got it when it was only nine years old. I nurtured the cat and had a great friendship with it. So, it
was painful for me to leave the cat behind when I had to leave the town to stay in school
boarding when I turned 14 years old.
3.
House rabbits are the best kind of pets, in my opinion, as they are quiet and peace-loving pets. I
got a pair of house rabbits on my 17th birthday, and I still have them. They are so adorable and
need little care. I believe it is not a very common type of pet in my country.
4.
I used to love having pets and had a couple of fish as pets when I was just 14 years old. I kept
them in a small-sized aquarium and took good care of them so that they could live comfortably. I
was shocked to see that one day these two fishes were stolen. I could not trace back who did this
heinous act. Since then, I gave up the hobby of having fish as a pet.
5.
Riding a horse was my hobby during my teenage years. My dad arranged for me a horse and I
made the horse my pet and a companion. In fact, the horse did not allow anyone else to ride on
him except for me. I did not have to take much care of the horse as we had a paid employee to
look after it.
6.
Pigeons were my best friends in my childhood. Though they were my pets, I treated them as my
buddies. I fed them, took other necessary cares and spent a great deal of time with them. I felt
glad when they flew in the sky.
7.
Having a rat as a pet may sound strange to many. But I had two rats at my home and I considered
them as my pets. Though my mom did not prefer rats, I had them anyway and I mostly avoided
bringing them in front of my mom. But feeding the rats and cleaning their wastes were the most
difficult tasks for me. Yet I owned them for a long.
Describe an advertising photo/image/banner/billboard you have seen, and you

think was effective.
You should say:
 where you saw it

 what it was advertising
 what it showed
and explain why you think it was effective.
Model Answer 1:
I am no marketing or advertising expert, but I think that I have come across some really creative
and effective advertising campaigns that kept me interested for a long time, and today, I would
like to talk about one of them.
The advertising campaign, I am talking about, was run by using a huge billboard. Now, I am not
too sure if the billboard was made with any kind of metal or wooden materials, but from a
distance, it looked like it was made by using some kinds of angle iron frames which were painted
in all white.
By the way, I said “from a distance” because it was hanging on two poles, high above the
ground, at least 70/80 feet away from the highway on which I was driving in order to travel to a
major city in my country. The billboard was advertising a soft drink that is local to my own
country.
On that billboard, the advertising company placed an image of their signature bottle, with their
soft drink in it, which had multiple straws in it. Not only that, but also it showed how people of
all ages, races, and genders were drinking from that bottle by taking those straws into their
mouths. Finally, what really impressed me about that billboard ad was that it had such a nice and
contrasting colour scheme that anyone would mistakenly take that image of the bottle as a real
deal! In fact, after looking at that ad campaign, I suddenly started to have the urge of drinking
one of those soft drinks!
Of course, I didn’t have that drink on the way, later on, because I was trying to avoid all kinds of
foods and drinks with added sugar for some health reasons, but you got the idea. In other words,
the billboard was so effective that it actually gave me the urge to have one of these drinks! The
ad was effective also because it didn’t only catch the attention of a “fast lane”, highway driver
like me, but also managed to force me to think about it for a long period of time, later.
Model Answer 2:
I think this is a pretty nice cue card topic for me, and I am happy to have it in my share.
Well, I saw an advertisement banner for a newly released movie on a street near my college
about 4 years ago, and it caught my eye both because of the design and the message. It was an
effective advertisement from the moviemaker, and a good number of students were attracted to
the banner and went to watch the movie at a theatre. From this perspective, it was effective.
The banner was advertising an action-comedy movie that was released a couple of days ago. And
the advertisement was a success because a notable number of students and local people went to
watch the movie. The banner also advertised a newly built movie theatre that had lately been
built and requested the audience to be there in order to enjoy the movie in the newly opened
theatre.
It was a large and colourful banner. It was hung with a rope in the air. The banner showed some
selected shots from the movie. One of the scenes showed that the hero of the movie was beating
the villains while the other scene shows some comic elements intended to make the audience
laugh. Some descriptions were also given in text forms like the name of the hero, heroine, the
production house, director, and other special artists. The largest text on it read "This is a story
that we all know, but it still has many elements of surprise".
It was a successful banner in several terms. The banner pulled attention from several quarters. A
wide number of people saw this banner and felt interested in the theatre and the movie. It was
effective to communicate and advertise the message it intended to do. I can say that because after
looking at the banner, I thought I should visit the newly-built theatre and enjoy the movie.
Describe a minor accident that you had in the past.
You should say:
 how the accident happened

 what you did about it
 how long it took you to recover
and explain how you felt about the accident.
Model Answer 1:
This topic reminds me of the day when I was riding a bicycle on a small street inside my
apartment block around five years ago and got involved in an accident.
I was so engrossed riding my bicycle that I could not notice what was happening around me!
Suddenly a car entered the apartment block compound, but I did not notice it. There was a head-
on collision with the car and my bicycle, and it was a very unfortunate event that took place on
that day.
I lost control and fell abruptly. Luckily, it was a minor accident as the driver of the car had been
able to stop the car in due time. I did not get seriously wounded, but there were some minor
injuries that I could not avoid. Apart from physical injury, I was mentally shocked. I blamed
myself for the accident as I should have been more careful. Using loud horns inside the
apartment compound is prohibited, and so the car driver could not use it. All I can remember is
that I saw a speeding car when I was riding my cycle and I tried to stop but could not avoid the
collision with the car.
I suffered a few minor injuries on my feet, elbow and hands. I took my bicycle, felt very sad
about the whole event and apologised to the driver, who, by the way, was a nice man. He also
apologised to me and offered to take me to a doctor. But I went home and my mom took me to a
doctor.
It took around a week for me to recover from the injuries. The doctor whom I saw prescribed a
few medicines and bed rest so that the wounds heal quickly.
It was a pathetic event for me, and the accident was entirely my fault. The physical injury was
less severe than my mental state. But my mom spent some quality time with me for a couple of
days as she took leave from her office. My dad was also worried and asked me to be more
careful while riding a bicycle.
Describe a leisure activity (a game, hobby, or sport) that is popular in your
country.
You should say:
 what this activity is

 where people usually do it
 why people enjoy doing this activity
and explain what you like/dislike about this activity.
Model Answer 1:
There are a number of leisure activities in Canada, my native country, and people there get
involved with these leisurely activities to enjoy their times with friends and families. But, as far
as my leisurely activity is concerned, I like to play basketball.
Basketball is a rather popular leisurely activity in Canada since people from all walks of life and
from all over Canada like to get involved with it in order to pass their times, be it on the
weekdays or the weekends. However, even though this sport is enjoyed by people from all walks
of life, it is more popular among the college and university going young people.
Anyway, to explain a little about this sport, basketball is a low-cost game which can be played
either alone or in a team. In professional basketball, two teams, consisting of 5 players each, play
against each other in a rectangular court, usually indoors. Each team tries to score by tossing the
ball through the opponent's goal, which is an elevated horizontal hoop and net called a “basket”.
Of course, this sport can also be played in the front yard of a house if people just want to have
fun and pass their time with their friends and families. After all, this leisurely activity doesn’t
exactly require a large space.
But, whether it is played alone or in a team, people actually enjoy doing this leisurely activity
because it is a rather easy and fun way of passing time which doesn’t exactly require too much
efforts or time.
Finally, what I really like about this leisurely activity or sport is that it is a low-maintenance
game. In fact, all you need to enjoy this activity is a ball, a net and the little amount of energy to
throw the ball into the basket. What I also like about this sport is that I can actually play it with
my friends and my families in our privacy just in the frontyard or backyard of my home.
Model Answer 2:
At present, people in my country can enjoy more leisurely hours than at any time in the past. So,
people have taken up a good number of different pastime activities which they enjoy a lot.
Interestingly, playing video games is a popular leisure activity among the people in my country.
This activity is more popular among teenagers and young people. Almost every house in our
country contains different electronic devices and gadgets, and playing digital games are
becoming hugely popular with the increasing use of smartphones.
Usually, people play video games inside their home and on their personal device. Sometimes,
they play games on their mobile phones and other times, they connect their gaming gadgets to a
large-screen television and play games on their TV. Some of the games are available for
specialised gaming devices like Xbox or PlayStation. However, it is not uncommon for many
young people to play such games while they are travelling or sitting somewhere outside
especially because they carry their phones and tabloids wherever they go.
I believe spending too much time playing video games can be detrimental while playing it once
in a while to enjoy and learn could be beneficial. So some people like it, particularly those who
play them, while many parents are worried that their offspring spend too much time playing
electronic games on their devices. Since digital games are often addictive, they can be harmful to
young students as they might find playing games more fascinating than concentrating on their
studies and that's one aspect I dislike about this activity. However, if good games are selected
and played, it could help young people learn new things, which I consider a great way for
cognitive development at a young age.
Finally, such games are a good way of spending leisure time, but it is also true that spending too
much time playing such electronic games are never beneficial as they kill valuable time and
dissuade people from having other important social activities.
Personally, I am not against playing video games, but they should be played sensibly.
Model Answer 3:
Thank you so much for this nice topic. In Ukraine, my homeland, boxing is a popular form of
sport and people take part in it during their leisure hours. This is an exciting sport as the sports
galleries get filled with spectators during the boxing matches. Moreover, the number of
supporters of this sport is increasing day by day.
Boxing is mostly an indoor sport and particularly participated by men. This is mostly held in
indoor venues, and a notable number of indoor venues are available in our country. Sometimes,
young women also take parts in it and enjoy it as much as men's do.
Sometimes, it becomes quite hard to manage tickets during international matches. People try to
get their tickets in advance so that they do not need to wait in queues prior to the match. These
days, the number of such events is on the rise. The local boxers are performing very well in
different international matches as well.
For several reasons, people enjoy boxing matches in our country. First, it contains so many
elements to thrill the audience. The audiences eagerly wait for the contestant to be the winner
they support. The boxers try to demonstrate their best during the matches. Moreover, many
national and international brands and businesses advertise their products through sponsorship of
this sport.
I like several aspects of this popular leisurely activity. But I don't like it absolutely. Sometimes,
the boxers get severely injured with the blow from the opponent. And often the injuries lead to
minor to major disabilities which seems quite crazy to me.
"Describe a leisure activity (a game, hobby, or sport) that is popular in your country."
People love spending leisurely hours doing things that they feel passionate about and accordingly
have invented numerous activities for that. Here are a couple of other hints to answer this cue
card in a different way. Hope you will get the necessary ideas in developing an answer for this
cue card topic.
1.
Skydiving
in our country is an exciting leisurely activity. A notable number of people take part in this
adventurous pursuit. Due to its thrilling nature, it has occupied the list of most popular free-time
activities among people in our country. It is popular among adult and young people alike.
2.
Denver, in the USA, is a heaven for rock climbers and
rock climbing
is gaining its momentum these days. In fact, a large number of climbers crowd in this city to
climb on rocky shelves. Professional assistance in rock climbing is also available here. This has
become a popular leisurely activity in past decades.
3.
Japanese people love
to play badminton
, and this game has gained huge popularity. Professional players participate in different types of
national and international badminton competitions. But people mostly play badminton to enjoy
their time, do some sort of exercise and spend their leisure hours effectively.
4.
Swimming
is one of the most popular free-time activities in India. People love swimming and many modern
swimming pools, as well as natural rivers and ponds, are available across the country. Many
people take part in it as their daily ritual which is quite interesting and unique to our culture.
People of all ages do this whenever they feel like doing it.
5.
Kite flying
is a form of competitive sport and one of the most popular pastime activities in China. People
often arrange huge events to fly kites and this gives the area a festive mode. They have invented
various types of kites and when they fly their kites in the sky, it looks amazing. In fact, kite
flying is a traditional pastime for the Chinese people and I like it very much.
6.
Americans love
camping
. It is an outdoor activity which is one of the favourite pastime activities for people. People take
the camping equipment and use tents to stay out for two or three nights consecutively. It is most
popular among young people who love outdoor adventures. The thrill of camping, cooking food,
staying in nature and sleeping under the open sky is so addictive that some people do it often. I
like it due to the sheer excitement it offers.
7. Playing lawn tennis
is an entertaining activity for the Vietnamese people and perhaps one of the most popular
pastime activities for them. They love participating in Tennis. They mostly prefer lawn tennis to
table tennis. In fact, after a hefty day, they want relaxation and tennis is perfect for that. It also
allows people to spend some quality time with their dear ones.
8.
Brazilians love to enjoy their leisure time, and
enjoying cinemas in a theatre
is a popular activity in Brazil. Many people visit theatres to enjoy a movie in small or large
groups. Perhaps this is the only activity that people do so passionately and regularly.

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Describe a place you visited that has been affected by pollution.

You should say:

and explain how this place was affected by pollution.

Describe someone you know who does something well.

You should say:

 who this person is

You should say:

and explain how it turned out well.

You should say:

and explain why you were surprised to meet this friend.

You should say:

 what type of TV show it is

and explain why it is so popular in your country.

persons from all walks of life.

You should say:

 what type of TV show it is

and explain why it is so popular in your country.

persons from all walks of life.

You should say:

 what type of TV show it is

and explain why it is so popular in your country.

persons from all walks of life.

You should say:

 who or what you were waiting for

Describe a special event/ moment that made you happy.

and explain why it was a happy event/moment.

Describe something you purchased that was difficult to use at first.

You should say:

You should say:

 what type of job it was

and explain why you did not enjoy it.

Describe a dinner/ dinner party that you enjoyed.

You should say:

Describe an important text message you received.

You should say:

and explain why it was so important to you.

Describe a person who is good at his/her work.

You should say:

 who this person is

Describe a colourful place you have visited and liked.

You should say:

You should say:

Describe a goal or ambition you have in your life.

You should say:

 what this goal or ambition is about

and explain why you want to fulfil this goal or ambition.

Describe an interesting discussion you had as part of your work or studies.

You should say:

 what the subject of the discussion was

and explain why you found the discussion interesting.

You should say:

 what device you started using

and explain how helpful this device was to you.

Describe someone you know who has started a business.

You should say:

 who this person is

You should say:

and explain whether you found it or not.

You should say:

 who this person is

and explain why you would like to meet him/her.

He is a “Magistrate” by profession, and he runs mobile court in different places, especially,

Describe a website you have bought something from.