Describe a journey that didn't go as planned.: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

What was the destination?
With whom were you going?
What went wrong?

34 unique answers with expert feedback

How did you feel about the trip cancellation?

I felt really disappointed and sad because it was supposed to be a memorable trip with my friends. We had been looking forward to it for a long time, and it felt like a significant moment in our college life that we missed out on.

What would you do differently if you could plan the trip again?

If I could plan the trip again, I would make sure to book the flights and accommodations much earlier. I would also have a backup plan in case some friends couldn't make it, so that we could still go and enjoy the trip together.

Have you had any other trips that didn't go as planned?

Yes, I have had a few other trips that didn't go as planned. For instance, once I planned a hiking trip, but bad weather forced us to cancel. It taught me to be more flexible and to always have a Plan B for my travel plans.

Band 6-7

00:00

I was traveling with my family to Bural which is a district in Bhoj Bhoj and we planned on going through a particular route that would help us reach the place faster but due to some construction work on the highway we had to change our route and take a different route that was congested because it went through the narrow lanes of the village this is why our journey didn't go as planned but we reached our destination on time

Follow up questions

How did you feel when your journey didn't go as planned?

Initially, I felt frustrated because we had a specific route in mind that would save us time. However, as we navigated through the village, I started to appreciate the scenery and the local culture, which made the experience more enjoyable despite the delay.

What did you learn from this experience?

I learned that flexibility is important when traveling. Sometimes, unexpected changes can lead to new experiences and discoveries. It taught me to be more adaptable and open to changes in plans, as they can lead to pleasant surprises.

Would you choose a different route next time?

Yes, I would consider exploring alternative routes even if they seem longer. The journey through the village offered a unique perspective and allowed us to see things we wouldn't have otherwise. I believe that sometimes the journey itself can be just as important as the destination.

IELTS Cue Cards asked last week

Reported by Leap students who gave IELTS

Describe your favourite food at a traditional festival or a special event in your country

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 7.5

Pitampura Test Centre, New Delhi

Answer

I like to taste different types of cuisine. Here I would like to talk about my favorite dish at my traditional festival of Onam which is Sadya. Sadya is popular in my city. We are experimenting these cuisines on Onam festival day. Onam is a famous festival in my city. All family members get together in my home and we make a delicious Sadya. There are many ingredients includes that Sadya. Moreover, we make a big feast that day as well as we create a lot of memories together and we wear that day the traditional dress called Sari and men wear the Dhotis. That festival is really important to us because the whole day we are conducting different kinds of games at our homes and all the family members came together. It's a memorable day in my life. This is the festival. We are making the Sambar and Aviyal. These all the kinds of foods are making with the vegetables.

Talk about a toy you liked in your childhood

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 8

Sector 34 Test Centre, Chandigarh

Answer

The toy which I liked in my childhood was a panda doll, which makes me pleasant and makes me more blush. The pandas are the most beautiful creatures of the world, which looks gigantic and has pooshy cheeks and they are like stars in the clouds and they dream in me. Furthermore, these have been given by my father. My father is a very very beautiful artistic person, who makes me think of that. Every day you will face every difficulties and make you suffer and move forward. Pandas are always seen in Japanese countries. It is my lifelong dream to visit a Japanese country and click a photo with the original pandas, which makes sounds better.

Describe a time you were in a place where you didn't know the local language

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 6.5

Whitefield Test Center, Bengaluru

Answer

As India is a very large country full of diversity, so there are many places which have their own language and speak their native language. The place which I visited and I didn't know about their language was Leladakh, which is about 300 km away from my hometown and it is a very good place as it consists of different kind of trees, animals and have many scenic views and I visited over there last year in summers as it was the best time to visit because it has many, it was cold over there and we had summers in our area so it was the best time to visit over there and I went over there with my whole family.

Describe a time when your friend damaged something you owned

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 7

Begumpet Test Centre, Hyderabad

Answer

When I was a kid, I had a little pencil box which had these four buttons which gave the pencil box an operative use. When you press the button, the box would open up. When you press the second button, a little part of it would slide out. Basically it was just a little electronical and a fun thing to have and I owned it when I was in 6th. One day after break, I was standing and talking there with one of my friends and another friend of mine was running through the hallway and accidentally she pushed my shoulder and my pencil box hit the ground and it broke into multiple pieces to the point that it was not functional anymore.

Describe a book you recently read

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 7.5

CBD Belapur Test Centre, Navi Mumbai

Answer

It Ends With Us is a book I read recently. It's by the author Colleen Hoare. It's mainly a story about two teenagers, Atlas and Lily, and how they just handle their life going through high school, adolescence, and just domestic violence at home. Both of them come from very, very different families. However, they have one common determining factor between them, which is domestic violence. The abuse that they've seen their moms go through is just insane, and they connect through that on a different level. They're actually in the same high school, but they never speak to each other until Atlas actually crashes into an empty house next to Lily's villa. When Atlas is homeless and he doesn't have anywhere to go, he just comes and breaks into the house next to Lily's, and Lily helps him with all the daily necessities like clothes and food, medicines and stuff. Furthermore, their friendship blossoms into love, but it doesn't really fructify as Atlas has to leave. This book really gave me a lot of knowledge about domestic abuse and how to deal with it.

Band 6-7

00:00

When I was in 10th standard, our school organized a school tour to Vandrala. Actually, me and my friend were so excited to go to Vandrala. We reached Vandrala at 8.30 am. In the morning, it was okay and we enjoyed a lot. We got into so many rides. After that, when we went to the swimming area, when my dress got wet, I just wanted to change my dress. I went to the dressing room. The floor was a little slippery. When I went to the dressing room, I just fell down. My hand was broken. At that time, I didn't tell anyone because I didn't want to disturb the others. I just controlled my pain so that I couldn't go to any other rides. I wasn't able to enjoy with my friends. It was such a heavy pain for me. After two hours, I just literally couldn't control my pain. When I informed the teacher, they admitted me to a nearby hospital. All other students also came with me.

Follow up questions

How did your friends react when they found out about your injury?

My friends were really concerned when they found out I was hurt. They rushed to my side and were very supportive. They kept asking if I was okay and if I needed anything. It was nice to see how much they cared, even though I tried to hide my pain initially.

What lessons did you learn from this experience?

I learned that it's important to speak up when you're in pain, even if you don't want to disturb others. I also realized how quickly things can change during a fun day. It taught me to be more cautious and to prioritize my health and safety over trying to keep up with everyone else.

Would you go on another school trip after this experience?

Yes, I would definitely go on another school trip. While this experience was unfortunate, I don't want it to overshadow the fun I had before the injury. I think I would just be more careful and maybe choose safer activities next time.

Band 6-7

00:00

Thank you for this wonderful cue card. It reminded me of one of the most lovely experience. I have been lucky enough to have a number of memorable journeys over the years. This journey is one of the most memorable journey of life that took place after I got married. I had gone to honeymoon with my husband far away from my hometown. So naturally, I was very much excited. The excitement grew even bigger when we decided that we will travel by flight since the travel time will be reduced. We were told that the flight will take approximately 2-3 hours to reach Chandigarh and we will have to hire a cab from Chandigarh to Shimla which is approximately 50 km from Chandigarh airport. Honestly, this was a whole new experience for me and I just could not wait to board the flight. I was super excited to travel by flight since travelling by flight has always been my favourite mode of commute. The objects outside the flight felt that they were just coming at our sight and vanishing like some ghosts within a fraction of a second. Anyway, I remember every minute of this journey so well because this was my first trip with my husband. Furthermore, mainly because we felt joy in exploring the city and enjoying the wonderful weather and most delicious foods I have ever eaten with an affordable price. The only thing that went wrong was the motion sickness I felt during the flight. However, same was resolved within few minutes after I took the medicine. So, this is one of the most memorable journeys I have ever had in my life.

Follow up questions

How did you feel about the motion sickness during the flight?

Initially, I was quite worried about the motion sickness, as it was unexpected. However, I quickly took some medicine, which helped alleviate the discomfort. It was a bit of a setback, but I tried to focus on the excitement of the journey and the beautiful destination ahead.

What other memorable journeys have you experienced?

I've had several memorable journeys, including a road trip with friends to the mountains and a cultural trip to a historical city. Each journey has its own unique experiences, but the honeymoon stands out because it was a special time with my husband, filled with love and exploration.

How do you usually prepare for a journey?

I usually prepare by researching the destination, making a checklist of things to pack, and planning the itinerary. I also like to read about local cuisine and attractions to make the most of my trip. Preparation adds to the excitement and ensures I don't miss out on anything important.

Band 6-7

00:00

I'm going to share my experience of a trip from college to Hyderabad. We were all excited for the Hyderabad trip. It was the talk of the town for weeks and when it finally came upon us, we were ecstatic. We spent a great load of time packing our suitcases and telling each other how incredible the journey was going to be. Even though one of us could not make it, we were incredibly excited to come back and tell her the whole story of how the trip went. On the first day of us reaching there, everything was normal. We reached the hotel, we unpacked, we were talking about where we were going to go, how we were going to go, what we were going to do and we did. We saw the Charminar, we walked along the streets of Charminar, we took in the sights, we drank Irani chai, the whole nine yards. Everything started to derail as soon as two of my friends started to get into an argument. To be completely honest, I don't know what the argument was about. It was something very petty but the argument escalated into something huge that tore our group of eight into two.

Follow up questions

How did the argument affect the overall trip experience?

The argument created a tense atmosphere among us, making it difficult to enjoy the sights. We spent a lot of time trying to mediate and resolve the conflict, which took away from the fun we had planned. It felt like the trip was overshadowed by the disagreement.

What steps did you take to resolve the conflict?

We tried to talk to both friends separately to understand their perspectives. Eventually, we organized a group discussion to clear the air. It took some time, but we managed to get everyone to express their feelings, which helped us to move past the argument.

Would you do anything differently if you could redo the trip?

If I could redo the trip, I would encourage open communication before any issues arise. I would also suggest setting some ground rules for discussions to prevent arguments from escalating. Overall, I would focus more on maintaining a positive group dynamic throughout the journey.

Show all 34 answers

Cue 1:What was the destination?

Begin by clearly stating the destination of your journey, making it relatable and specific.
Provide some context about why you chose this destination, such as its significance or your expectations.

Example

I was supposed to travel to Manali, a beautiful hill station in Himachal Pradesh, known for its stunning landscapes and pleasant weather. I had been looking forward to this trip for months, as it was my first vacation after a long time.

Cue 2:With whom were you going?

Mention the people you were traveling with, highlighting your relationship with them.
Share a brief insight into why this group was significant for this journey.

Example

I was going with my college friends, who I hadn't seen in years. We had planned this trip as a reunion to relive our college days and create new memories together.

Cue 3:What went wrong?

Describe the specific issues that arose during the journey, ensuring to convey your feelings about the situation.
Explain how these problems affected your plans and the overall experience.

Example

Unfortunately, our bus broke down halfway through the journey due to engine failure. We were stranded for hours in the middle of nowhere, and by the time we got a replacement bus, it was too late to reach Manali before nightfall. This unexpected delay turned our excitement into frustration.

Conclusion

Summarize the overall impact of the journey on you and your friends.
Reflect on any lessons learned or how you adapted to the situation.

Example

Despite the setbacks, we made the best of our time together, sharing stories and laughter while waiting. This experience taught us the importance of patience and adaptability, reminding us that sometimes the journey is more memorable than the destination itself.

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: Lack of Detail in the Journey

Providing vague information about the journey can make your answer less engaging. Specific details help the examiner understand your experience better and keep their interest.

Tip

Include specific details about the destination, the people you traveled with, and the events that unfolded during the journey.

2: Neglecting Emotional Impact

Failing to express how the journey affected you emotionally can make your answer feel flat. Sharing your feelings adds depth and personal connection to your story.

Tip

Reflect on your emotions during the journey and share how the unexpected events made you feel, whether it was frustration, disappointment, or humor.

Ignoring the Structure of the Answer

A disorganized response can confuse the listener. It's important to structure your answer clearly to ensure it flows logically and is easy to follow.

Tip

Use a clear structure: start with the destination, introduce your companions, describe what went wrong, and conclude with your reflections on the experience.