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Describe a time when you had a problem with using the computer: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • When did it happen?
  • Where did it happen?
  • What was the problem?
  • How did you solve the problem in the end?
Show all 118 answers

Cue 1:When did it happen?

  • Mention a specific time frame, such as a particular day or month, to give context to your experience.
  • Explain any relevant circumstances that led to the problem occurring at that time.

Example

It happened about three months ago, during the peak of my final exams. I was preparing for my computer science paper, and I had planned to complete my project that evening.

Cue 2:Where did it happen?

  • Describe the location where you were using the computer, such as your home, a library, or a friend's place.
  • Include details about the environment that might have contributed to the situation.

Example

I was at home, sitting at my study desk in my room. It was a quiet evening, and I had all my study materials spread out around me, creating a focused atmosphere.

Cue 3:What was the problem?

  • Clearly state the issue you faced with the computer, such as a software crash or hardware failure.
  • Explain how this problem affected your ability to complete your tasks.

Example

Suddenly, my computer froze while I was running a crucial software program for my project. I panicked because I hadn’t saved my work in a while, and I was worried about losing everything.

Cue 4:How did you solve the problem in the end?

  • Discuss the steps you took to resolve the issue, including any troubleshooting methods or help you sought.
  • Mention the outcome and what you learned from the experience.

Example

I took a deep breath and decided to restart my computer. Thankfully, when it rebooted, I found that the auto-recovery feature had saved my work. I also learned the importance of saving my work frequently and started using cloud storage for future projects.

Conclusion

    Example

    This experience taught me valuable lessons about technology and the importance of being prepared for unexpected issues. Now, I always make sure to back up my work regularly, which has made my study sessions much less stressful.

    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 Descriptions

    Using vague language can make your response unclear. Avoid general statements that do not provide specific details about the problem or the situation.

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    Tip

    Be specific about the time, place, and nature of the problem. Use clear examples to illustrate your experience.

    2: Ignoring the Cues

    Not addressing all the cues can lead to an incomplete answer. Each cue is designed to help structure your response effectively.

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    Tip

    Make sure to answer all the cues in order. This will help you stay organized and cover all important aspects of your experience.

    Lack of Problem-Solving Detail

    Failing to explain how you solved the problem can make your response less engaging. It's important to show your thought process and actions.

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    Tip

    Describe the steps you took to resolve the issue. Highlight any challenges you faced and how you overcame them to add depth to your answer.

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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 6-7

    Here I am going to talk about a time when I had to face obstacles regarding my own computer. Actually it happened one month ago when I was free at my home and I was preparing for my model which was given by my college teacher. And I was working on my computer till the midnight and I slept. And when I woke up in the morning then I saw that my computer was broke down because it fall down on the floor. At that time I was extremely shocked because it was very awful situation for me. And immediately I went to the market and I asked to the shopkeeper who is a specialist for the repairing of computer. And he told me that it had a problem with its screen damage. So I requested him to please maintain my computer and within few days because I had really need of this to complete my project. And a day after that the shopkeeper made a call to me and I went again to the shop and I asked about my computer from the shopkeeper. And he said that it is now completely fine and you would like to use it as same way. At that time I felt over the moon because in the starting I thought it could not be maintained and renovate but luckily I got a chance to repair it.

    Band 6-7

    So, it was around 2-3 months back when I had a problem doing coding in Python. So, suddenly I usually use a simulator while I solve codes like Python or SQL. So, I was doing an online class at IIT Guwahati and we were solving some codes in Python and running some codes in SQL as well. And suddenly my computer was just not working. It just remained static. I was unable to perform any functions. So, I got tensed because my classes are going on high and I love to be up to date with the assignments and everything. My teacher started asking me if I am responding. Then I had to abruptly close my session and thanks to the introduction of AI and thank god I have subscriptions like Perplexity app. I asked them my query and to my surprise that search engine said that many students across the world are having similar problem using the simulator. So, instead I should download the original app which is compatible to my laptop. So, I asked the AI what are the processes. So, I got the steps to download Python and I had to download it from scratch. And then after 1-1.5 hours I was able to download Python and continue my class. It was kind of hectic and stressed me out because initially I was having minor problems. But for the last 3 or 4 days leading up to this big problem, it seemed to be increasing, adding up. And I was really worried because I thought to download or to take a subscription of...

    Band 6-7

    When I was in second grade, I bought a new computer with the help of my father and at that time, the computer was very alright, but six months later, which was in the year 2011, I found out that my computer was constantly getting shut off for various, I don't know, for random reasons and we did not have any clue on what was going on. So we tried different methods like restarting the laptop or the computer, hitting the computer, which was not a very good idea, I think, and I even called my father to help, but he also didn't know what to do as the computer was very new at that time and my father was also not a technical expert at the problem. So we called a technical expert from a cafe nearby to help us resolve the problem. He himself was having very difficult, he was facing difficulties solving the problem. So he told that he would take my computer for a day to know the problem. One day later, he told that there was a problem in our CPU which needed some weeks of repair. So we took our computer for a week and then we got it back and henceforth, the computer didn't have any problem like switching off for a year at least.

    Band 6-7

    In our daily life, we face technical problems while using the gadgets. If I recall one such time when I had problem with using the computer. So when I was in my college, in third year of my college, I had to give presentation. I was all ready for the presentation including with my PowerPoint PPT. And on the day of the presentation, I was just transferring, I was transferring the data from my PowerPoint PPT.

    Band 6-7

    I used to have problems using a computer when I was a child, as there was only one computer in our family, it was in my auntie's house. I used to find it very difficult to type certain sentences which were long, as I was keep finding the keys in the keyboard, and I had to spend a lot of time searching for each key which I was trying to press, but as I was so intrigued by the computer and using it and making it more useful and just spending time with it, I was gradually got better with it as I was continuously trying to practice typing and doing the small, small activities with the keyboard. By that now, I have been able to generate and achieve a typing speed of 70 letters per minute, and it was just by those times in practice when I was a child, it's paying a dividend for me these days as I am working as a typewriter in the translation department.

    Band 6-7

    During my academics, where being in the standard 9, it was mandate to have a subject like computer. So when I went for the first time in the computer lab, I was struggling a lot with opening the tools such as pens, words and excel files. Additionally, when teachers used to say to surf the internet through web browser, that was really difficult for me. Consequently, my friends and teachers being helpful in nature, they not only tried to overcome from this situation, but also guided me and even helped me to inculcate the basic knowledge of the computers, where how handy can I use the excel, pens and many more tools. Additionally, when I was in the first year of the college, when I was doing my first project, that time these ideas really helped me a lot and even somewhere around when I was studying there, so the people have guided me and also that project was very successful and even we all were rewarded for the same. So I believe there was a lot of involvement of teachers and students.

    Band 6-7

    It happened not so long ago. It happened just two years ago. And it happened at my first workplace where I was a fresher and I didn't have any clue of how to operate the system or how to operate the excel sheets using the formulas. And that happened to me in such a place where I had no clue of how to operate things and how to execute my ideas. So I had to reach my seniors at my workplace and learn how to execute the formulas so that I can get the output I wanted or I desired. So in such a way I did it as one arrow and two targets. That way I got to bond, grow the bond with my senior as well as I got to learn new things. So in my point of view, it was such a win-win. And I learned many new things from that senior which was helpful for the work as well as the personal life. So I really do remember how it went on that day. And it is really helpful for me even these days. I got to learn many new things. And it was so embarrassing at first but then I realized, okay, it's my learning time and there

    Band 6-7

    Lately, I have been having a lot of problems with my computer because I have filled up the storage. But this problem arose when I was in the third year of my college, which is two years ago. I was doing programming in the computer lab for a 3D model, and when I was trying to adjust the dimensions, I couldn't move the cursor. I talked with a lot of friends about how I should resolve this problem on the phone. They told me a lot of different solutions to the problem, none of which was effective. After struggling with it for more than three hours, I called my roommate, who was in the other room, and he solved the problem in less than five seconds. Turns out, it was just the problem of the mouse, and I had to click the scroll in the right position to resolve the issue. After the problem was resolved, I was able to resume my work, but the encounter left me wondering how efficient I am going to be while handling computers in the future. I tried to resolve other problems on my computer on my own, and taking a little bit of the internet's help. Nonetheless, I am trying to educate myself about technology more and more as...

    Band 6-7

    When I am a child, I have faced various problems related to the computer. In my childhood, I have not much enough knowledge about the computer and I am not capable to use the computer. But after my 5th class, I am promoted to 6th class. In my school, there are various computer classes are held by my school. At that time, I was learning various parts of the computer and various functions of the computer. Now, I can easily use the computer. Apart from that, I also learn various languages which are related to the computer. Like C++, Java, JavaScript. Moreover, at that time, I am also facing various problems like due to new technology, I am not capable to use that technology because I have not much knowledge about that.

    Band 6-7

    I was not handy to use a computer in my school days. When I was in grade 5th, my first class was, a new course was introduced to us, that is computer class. And in computer class we went, we went excited, with full of excitement. But we were not able to use computers, like how to operate it. Then we took help from our teachers to how to operate it. And she was so genuine and cooperative that she teaches each of us how to open the computer and close accordingly. Because some students were closing the computer appropriately, that was not allowed in our class. And as currently I am working as a software developer, now my daily routine is to work on computers and laptop only. Because I tend to get projects over there only, I need to operate it, I need to have more experience now and should be handy as well. And I sometimes get back to that, thinking of that days, when I didn't know how to operate it. And that was so
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