I know that a lot of times people view depression as something which has a very negative effect on others, but I think my depression shaped me in a very good way. I was 14 when I was first diagnosed with depression. I was going to therapy twice or thrice a week and I had my therapist with me. Going to therapy at such an early age, especially in the Indian context, helped me become a better person. It created a perspective that not a lot of my peers had access to. Basically, the therapist had taught me to separate my feelings and my understanding of the world and my thoughts. That had actually created a pathway to me becoming a better person in the future. I am able to regulate my emotions much better than a lot of people that were around me. It also made me understand that my family is going to be with me and support me for the first time. I had always thought that I am the black sheep of the family, but when I went through these episodes and my mom stayed with me during the entire session, sitting outside the clinical room that the therapy sessions were conducted in, I understood how dedicated my mom was, how supportive she was, and how understanding she was. That changed a lot in my life. Also because of that, I researched into a lot of topics like mental health, feminism, gender equality, etc.

Band 7

00:00

The time that changed a lot about my life would be once I took a break here for my entrance coaching preparation. It was back in 2021 when I was just 18 years old. So I was at home and at a coaching center for a year, studying the same topics again and again, and going through multiple number of tests and being compared with a lot of kids state-wise. So that was a hard time for me. But that time actually has contributed a lot to who I am today. It would be a quintessential example of growth that happens when you are in adverse situations. So I've grown up a lot emotionally, personally, psychologically and socially. I am much more empathetic, I'm much more proactive and I'm much more serious about my life. And the outlook about my life has changed a lot. I was very briefly depressed for that while, but I have started appreciating my life more. I've started finding positives in every situation. I have been doing a lot better in my life. I've become very grateful and I've adopted a very positive mindset for my life. I appreciate everything that happens. I'm very grateful for everything that I have. I'm very well aware about the privileges that I hold as an individual, where many people struggle on a day-to-day basis with basic things. I have everything that I absolutely need. So I'm very well aware about how privileged I am. And I think life also indicates this to me many times. I had the opportunity to visit Ames with my friend for one of their personal adventures and I got to see a lot of people struggling with basic things in life. So that was a period in my life when I had struggled and has led to a lot of growth.

Show all 38 answers

Cue 1:When and where it happened?

Begin by setting the scene with a specific time and place that is significant to you.
Mention any relevant details that make the moment memorable.

Example

It was in the summer of 2019, during my final year of college, when I attended a motivational seminar in my city. The event was held at a local auditorium, filled with students eager to learn about personal development.

Cue 2:What happened?

Describe the key event or moment that had a profound impact on you.
Include any specific speakers or activities that stood out during the event.

Example

During the seminar, a renowned speaker shared his journey of overcoming failures and achieving success. He emphasized the importance of resilience and self-belief, which really struck a chord with me. His story inspired me to rethink my own approach to challenges.

Cue 3:How you felt about it?

Express your emotions during and after the event, highlighting any changes in your mindset.
Share how the experience resonated with your personal aspirations.

Example

I felt a surge of motivation and hope as I listened to him. It was as if a light bulb went off in my head, and I realized that I had been too afraid to pursue my dreams. I left the seminar feeling empowered and ready to take action.

Cue 4:And explain how it changed your life in good ways.

Discuss the specific changes you made in your life following the event.
Highlight any positive outcomes that resulted from these changes.

Example

After the seminar, I decided to start my own small business while completing my studies. This experience taught me valuable lessons in entrepreneurship and time management. It not only boosted my confidence but also opened up new opportunities for me, leading to a successful venture that I continue to manage today.

Conclusion

Example

In conclusion, that seminar was a turning point in my life. It taught me the importance of resilience and pursuing my passions. The positive changes I made have not only shaped my career but also my outlook on life, making me more determined and optimistic about the future.

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 Specific Details

Avoid being vague or general in your response. Specific details make your story more engaging and relatable, helping the examiner understand your experience better.

Tip

Include specific names, dates, and locations to create a vivid picture of your experience.

2: Neglecting Emotional Impact

Do not overlook how the experience made you feel. Emotions are key to connecting with your audience and showing the significance of the change.

Tip

Share your feelings during and after the event to highlight its importance in your life.

Failing to Connect to Life Changes

Avoid missing the link between the event and the positive changes in your life. Clearly explaining this connection is crucial for a complete answer.

Tip

Outline specific ways your life improved, such as new opportunities or personal growth, to demonstrate the impact of the change.

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.