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Describe A Difficult Decision That You Made And Had A Good Result: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • What was the decision?
  • When did you make the decision?
  • How long did it take you to make the decision?
  • Explain why it was a difficult decision to make.
Show all 93 answers

Cue 1:What was the decision?

  • Clearly state the decision you made, providing context about the situation.
  • Mention the potential outcomes of the decision to highlight its significance.

Example

The difficult decision I made was to leave my stable job in a multinational company to pursue my passion for photography. I had been working there for over three years, and while it provided financial security, I felt unfulfilled.


Cue 2:When did you make the decision?

  • Specify the time frame when you made this decision, such as a particular month or year.
  • Share any relevant events that led up to this decision to give it more context.

Example

I made this decision in early 2022, after attending a photography workshop that reignited my passion. The workshop made me realize that I wanted to turn my hobby into a career.


Cue 3:How long did it take you to make the decision?

  • Discuss the duration it took you to arrive at this decision, emphasizing any internal conflict.
  • Mention any discussions you had with friends or family that influenced your decision-making process.

Example

It took me about two months to make this decision. I spent countless nights weighing the pros and cons, and I also spoke to my family and friends, who encouraged me to follow my dreams.


Cue 4:Explain why it was a difficult decision to make.

  • Describe the fears or concerns you had about making this decision.
  • Explain how the fear of failure or uncertainty contributed to the difficulty of the decision.

Example

This was a difficult decision because I was afraid of financial instability and the fear of failing in a competitive field. Leaving a secure job felt risky, and I worried about what others would think of my choice.


Conclusion

    Example

    In the end, I took the leap and started my own photography business. It was challenging at first, but I am now thriving and feel more fulfilled than ever. This decision taught me the importance of following my passion and believing in myself.


    Following this structure will ensure you cover all the essential points while providing a clear and engaging response to the cue card topic.


    Tips to answer this Cue Card

    1: Vague Responses

    Providing vague or unclear answers can make it difficult for the examiner to understand your experience. Specific details help create a clearer picture of your decision-making process.

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    Tip

    Use specific examples and details when describing your decision to make your response more engaging and informative.


    2: Rushing Through the Explanation

    Rushing through your explanation can lead to missing important points. It may also make your answer sound unstructured and less convincing.

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    Tip

    Take your time to explain each cue clearly, ensuring you cover all aspects of the decision-making process.


    Neglecting Emotional Impact

    Ignoring the emotional aspects of your decision can make your response less relatable. Emotions often play a significant role in difficult decisions.

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    Tip

    Include how you felt during the decision-making process to add depth and connect with the examiner.


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    All Answers

    Here are all the answers by real-users practicing speaking for IELTS Cue Cards on our IELTS Prep App.

    Band 5-6

    The most difficult decision that I made in my life is getting going start preparing for master's because after completing my college I got placed into a core I got placed into my core company Tamil Nadu Petro Products Limited so after gaining experience of about eight months over there

    Band 5-6

    According to me the difficult decision which I have ever made was my study abroad decision because I was so confused regarding this decision whether to study in India or to study abroad but I finally made a decision of studying in other country. So I planned differently to study there, I did all kind of research and the most difficult decision according to me was because I had applied for different universities like UCD, TCD and DCU but I was actually waiting for the offer from UCD but I couldn't get any offer from them so I had unconditional offer from DCU so had to accept that which was actually the difficult decision according to me because I was not that interested to go to DCU but I did not have any other option so I had to do that. So according to me that was a difficult thing and I think it would give me a good result because even that is not, even that is a great university as far as I know so I think it would be a good decision.

    Band 6.5

    One of the most difficult decisions that I have taken in my life, which did have a great impact and a good impact on my personality was going to college far, far away from home. It was around 800-900 kilometers from my hometown. I had to make the decision within 10 days because since the day I got the offer from the university, they give you around a week or two to decide if you want to join the university or not. So it was quite a tough decision, but I am very happy with this decision. Since I completed my engineering a year ago, going to a university far away from my hometown needed me to stay in a hostel and while you live in a hostel, you have to make compromises, you have to socialize and you have to get to know other people and their ideas, their thoughts, their opinions, which greatly impact your own personal beliefs, opinions and help you become a better person than you were when you entered that hostel.

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