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Describe a person you disliked at first but ended up being friends with: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • Who the person is?
  • When and where you met him/her?
  • Why you disliked this person at first?
  • And explain how your opinion of him/her changed and why.
Show all 104 answers

Cue 1:Who the person is?

  • Introduce the person by name and describe your relationship with them.
  • Mention any relevant background information that helps to understand who they are.

Example

The person I initially disliked is named Rohan. He was my classmate in college, and we were both part of the same study group for our engineering course.

Cue 2:When and where you met him/her?

  • Specify the time and place where you first met this person.
  • Provide context about the situation that brought you together.

Example

I first met Rohan during our first semester at university, in a crowded lecture hall. We were both attending an introductory class on computer science, and it was a bit overwhelming for all of us.

Cue 3:Why you disliked this person at first?

  • Clearly explain the reasons for your initial dislike.
  • Share specific incidents or traits that contributed to your feelings.

Example

At first, I found Rohan to be quite arrogant. He often interrupted others during discussions and seemed to think he was better than everyone else. This behavior really annoyed me, and I felt he was not a team player.

Cue 4:And explain how your opinion of him/her changed and why.

  • Describe the turning point that changed your perception of this person.
  • Explain how you got to know them better and what positive traits you discovered.

Example

Over time, I had to work closely with Rohan on a group project. As we collaborated, I discovered that he was actually very knowledgeable and passionate about the subject. He was also willing to help others, which made me appreciate him more. I realized that his confidence was just a way of expressing his enthusiasm for learning.

Conclusion

    Example

    In conclusion, my initial dislike for Rohan transformed into a strong friendship as I got to know him better. This experience taught me the importance of looking beyond first impressions and understanding people more deeply.

    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: Avoid Vague Descriptions

    Using vague language can make your answer less engaging and informative. Candidates often fail to provide specific details about the person or the situation, which can lead to a lack of clarity.

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    Tip

    Include specific examples and anecdotes about the person and your initial feelings to create a vivid picture for the examiner.

    2: Don't Overemphasize Negativity

    Focusing too much on negative feelings can create a one-sided narrative. Candidates may dwell on their initial dislike without explaining the positive changes that occurred later.

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    Tip

    Balance your response by discussing both your initial dislike and the qualities that led to your friendship, highlighting personal growth.

    Neglecting the 'Why' Factor

    Failing to explain why your opinion changed can leave your answer incomplete. Candidates often skip this crucial part, making it hard for the examiner to understand the transformation.

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    Tip

    Clearly articulate the reasons behind your change of heart, emphasizing specific interactions or experiences that influenced your perspective.

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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 7

    Initially, I found Mark to be arrogant and dismissive. He always seemed to be talking down to others and never seemed to listen to anyone else's ideas. I avoided him as much as possible, preferring to keep my distance. However, we ended up working together on a project and I started to see a different side of him. A blog post on overseas pacific seas. He was incredibly dedicated and hardworking. Often staying late to ensure the project's success, he was also surprising, funny and witty, with a dry sense of humor that I came to appreciate. Over time, I realized that his initial behavior stemmed from his passion and high standards, not from a lack of respect for others. We became good friends, bonding over shared interests and late-night study sessions. It just goes to show that first impressions can be deceiving and getting to know someone beyond their initial.

    Band 7

    During my time at a funny summer camp in my school days, I met a girl who was in a situation where she was being condescending and rude to the people around her. I met her on the first day of the camp and never really talked to her after looking at the situation that she was in. But gradually we were put in the same teams and we had to work together on various things like projects, art and sports. Slowly I got to know her and it came to my understanding that she is a very kind and a really good soul. She is a very responsible person and I realized that the situation that I encountered with her was due to another person being mean to her and she was trying to defend herself in that situation, which I found really responsible and strong. My opinion on her completely changed after spending the whole summer camp with her. We were best friends and we were inseparable. We used to have yummy lunches together at the camp and also go to the library together and read all the inspiring books and also the romance novels that we couldn't get to read at home. It was a really memorable experience in the summer camp due to a lot of friends from different schools and I got a lot of exposure there as well.

    Band 7

    At first glance, Priya was too much too loud, too opinionated, always the first to speak in meetings, even she did not have anything new to say. She didn't challenge ideas without blinking and wield a scarf like a sword. Let's just say not exactly my wife or so I thought. But then something shifted, we got paired up on a project, and over a few caffeine-fueled brainstorming sessions, I saw the layers. Her blondness came from a passion, her interruptions were usually laced with insight, and behind all that sass, a vague sense of humor and a deeply loyal heart turned out. She was not trying to steal the spotlight, she just wanted the light to shine on good ideas. By the end of the project, we were not just exchanging files, we were trading memes, grabbing lunch, and cheering each other on. That's when I learned sometimes what you resist in others is exactly what you need more of in yourself now.

    Band 7

    This is a really close friend. We attended college together, but during that time I did not really like her. There were various reasons to not like her. First, she was not that friendly. She was not social, so she never used to go and talk to people. And I am a very extroverted person, so I feel that that was a kind of misunderstanding that I had, that because she did not talk, she was a very mean person. But I think she wasn't. After years of not liking her, we got to know each other this year really well. There was an occasion where we sat and we talked for hours, and then we both were very surprised and we asked each other why we did not like each other. And my perspective really changed about her. She is one of the sweetest, most genuine people I have ever met in my entire life. And now I am really grateful to have her in my life. Sometimes you just go back and think about how judgmental we as human beings are. But I think we both have come around and there was pretty misunderstanding between us.

    Band 7

    The person I initially disliked was actually my classmate. I met her when I was in my undergrad. We were sitting in the same bench. Now the reason why I disliked her was because of my own insecurities. For instance, any girl who was really good looking and really attracted to men made me really jealous and I was not a mature person. I was not proud to say that I thought badly of her. However, my opinion of her changed because I came to know that she was really matured and took time to develop relationships with any man. Also, she was quite intelligent. She knew how to respond rather than react. The person of interest would be one of my best friends. She is not only my classmate in my undergrad course but also my roommate. I met her on the third day of my university days when I was not able to find a place to sit. She welcomed me to sit next to her. Now the reason why I disliked her in the beginning was because of my own insecurities. For instance, she was a really good looking girl. She invited a lot of proposals from many men. I used to get jealous of her because I thought that was a privilege. However, over time I came to know that she was really mature. She took time to develop relationships. She was able to absorb red flags from any guy who would encounter her and come up with their proposals. Also, she was a very intelligent person because she knew that beauty came with a price. So, she was not too proud. She was instead very humble and she even said that I needed to be confident in myself. So, I think these qualities made me change my perception of not only her but also other women around me. Till now, we have been best friends for life. We still maintain contact despite being miles apart. It has been many years. However, our bond is growing slowly.

    Band 7

    My friend Mahajan BK is that friend who I disliked in the beginning and later on I have established a good relationship with this person. Initially, during my undergraduation course, Mahajan and I were appointed the class representatives. And it is important to remember that it was at a time when the classes were online due to COVID. So, I have never seen Mahajan before and I only had his contact details. When I contacted him with respect to class representative responsibility, he was very unresponsive and was very avoidant when it came to the responsibilities of a class rep. So, that is why my initial impression of this person was very bad. However, when I met Mahajan on campus, I came to know him on a personal level and he is a great friend. He was always there to help around and is someone I can rely on whenever I am encountered with a difficult situation back in college. What I really like about him is that he never thinks twice before lending his hand. So, that's why he's right now one of the best friends, one of my best friends that I have. He's one of my best friends, yeah.

    Band 7

    Honestly, I disliked my colleague, Thirumal, but now we both are good friends. Initially, I met him in my first board meeting, where he came very shabbily dressed and the way he spoke, the mannerisms he had. Later, I changed my perception due to so many incidences, where he proved himself to be a learned man, the way he gave the presentations and the philosophy changed me to think so. Thirumal is a good example how a human being should be. He has helped so many orphans for studies, their clothing and for the daily living. He collected funds from other members.

    Band 7

    One person I initially disliked but later became good friend with is a girl named Anju, who was my classmate during my college days. At first, I found her very arrogant and unfriendly. She rarely spoke to anyone and always kept to herself. Whenever someone tried to talk to her, she would respond in a very serious or blunt way which made me feel she didn't want to be friends with anyone. However, everything changed when we were paired up for a group project. We had to spend a lot of time working together and during that period, I could know her better. I realized she was not rude or arrogant at all. She was just shy and took time to open up. In fact, she was very hardworking, intelligent, and had a good sense of humor once she felt comfortable. Slowly, we started talking more, even outside of class. I found her to be very supportive and trustworthy. Over time, we became close friends and even after college, we are kept in touch. This experience taught me an important lesson. Never judge someone too quickly. Sometimes, people are just different in their personality and once you understand them better, you might discover a beautiful friendship.

    Band 7

    So, I met Saroja like last to last week and at first I was really intimidated by the confidence she was showcasing when it comes to her work, when it comes to her ethos and I was taken back. But later on, I started realizing that she is a very grounded person and the confidence which she showcases, which threatened me at first, was just her way of safeguarding herself and being with her, I realized that I can be better. I can actually develop myself rather than treating her like a competition, I started treating her like a friend who is pushing me to be better and we started gelling up a lot and when it comes to work, we have started helping each other and I really admire her for her proactive nature and the way I was flabbergasted by her, I was flabbergasted by her initially but now I am really in good terms with her.

    Band 7

    The person that I disliked at first but ended up being friends with is my friend named D.S. Chaudhary. We met around 6 years ago in my chemistry class at Sharavati Kulkarni's class. At first I thought of him as a very over smart guy who tries to manipulate people very much but also he was a naughty boy also. Now I think of him as honest and friendly but now I see him as a very hard working person. Now as we are physiotherapists, he works around 12 hours a day starting from 7 am in the morning and he works till 12 pm at a clinic then he goes to do some home visits for 2-3 hours and after that he goes home and studies for his masters program which he is taking online. Now I really like to go on long weekends and trips with him and my favourite memory of a trip with him is when we went to Goa last year. We went on motorcycles to Goa. We had a great time and it required around 8 hours to reach Goa. We had a lot of fun there and came back after visiting Belgao on the way.
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