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Describe A Time When You Picked Up An Item That Someone Else Lost: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • What was the item?
  • When and where you found it?
  • What did you do after finding it?
  • And explain how you felt about the experience.
Show all 40 answers

Cue 1:What was the item?

  • Begin by clearly identifying the item you found and provide a brief description of it.
  • Mention any specific details that made the item memorable or significant.

Example

The item I picked up was a beautiful silver bracelet. It had intricate designs engraved on it, and I could tell it was quite valuable. I noticed it had a small charm shaped like a heart, which made it even more special.

Cue 2:When and where you found it?

  • Describe the time and location where you found the item, creating a vivid picture for the listener.
  • Include any relevant details about the circumstances surrounding the finding.

Example

I found the bracelet last month while I was walking in a park near my home in Delhi. It was around 5 PM, and the sun was setting, casting a warm glow over the park. I noticed it glinting on the ground near a bench.

Cue 3:What did you do after finding it?

  • Explain your immediate reaction upon finding the item and what steps you took next.
  • Discuss whether you tried to find the owner or turned it in to someone.

Example

After picking it up, I looked around to see if anyone was searching for it. I didn’t see anyone, so I decided to take it to the park's information desk. I thought it was the right thing to do, hoping the owner would come looking for it.

Cue 4:And explain how you felt about the experience.

  • Share your emotions regarding the experience of finding the item and your actions afterward.
  • Reflect on any lessons learned or thoughts about honesty and integrity.

Example

I felt a sense of satisfaction after handing the bracelet over to the staff. It was rewarding to know I might help reunite someone with their lost item. This experience reinforced my belief in being honest and doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.

Conclusion

    Example

    In conclusion, finding that bracelet was a meaningful experience for me. It reminded me of the importance of kindness and integrity in our daily lives. I hope the owner was able to get it back, and I felt proud to have played a small part in that.

    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 answer unclear. Avoid general statements that do not provide specific details about the item or the situation.

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    Tip

    Be specific about the item you found, including its appearance and significance to you.

    2: Lack of Structure

    Failing to organize your response can confuse the listener. A disorganized answer may skip important details or jump around in time.

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    Tip

    Follow the cue card prompts in order to create a clear and logical flow in your response.

    Ignoring Personal Feelings

    Not expressing your feelings about the experience can make your answer less engaging. Personal emotions help to connect with the listener.

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    Tip

    Include your feelings about finding the item and what it meant to you to enhance 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

    In school, you casually find this happening around. One such time that I picked up an item was a calculator. It was my games hour during my high school and I was after the exercise got over, we were all playing around on the ground. While I was hiding somewhere near the school premises, I found this one calculator lying around. It was a digital calculator. I picked it up and as I turned the calculator, I saw the name, the class, the return of a student and I realized they might have dropped it here. It seemed like it has been thrown from the classes above. As soon as I got it, I reported it to my teacher and I went to give back the calculator to the person in the name. To my surprise, it was very helpful. The child was actually having an examination and wanted the calculator for his examination. He thanked me a lot and he was very happy seeing that he got his lost calculator back. It made me realize that a very small act of me just returning the calculator had a major impact on his life and also it boosted my moral skills. I usually report the items that I find to the authorities so that people do not waste a lot of time in finding the thing that they lost. I try to do it lost but this one incident has always stuck with me and has been an inspiration or motivation for me to return the things that I find or to help others find the things if they have lost it somewhere.

    Band 6-7

    When I was a child, around 10 years old, I visited the temple. While I was praying to God, I saw a woman searching for the gold she lost. I just ignored that place and moved on to another. After that, while I was sitting at the temple, I saw the gold chain on the ground. I just took the gold chain and gave it to the woman. She was very happy with that and appreciated me. She encouraged me to do different things. It was a great experience in my opinion. It was a very good experience from my end. Apart from that, I was a little motivated from that.

    Band 6-7

    Once, while I was going through the school corridors, I found a pen drive lying on the floor. I picked it up and the first thought that came to my mind was to check whether this pen drive belonged to any of the teachers, as students were not allowed to carry electronic gadgets to the school. But no teachers lost their pen drive, which proved that the pen drive belongs to a student. So I just asked my class students if they had brought any pen drive for some kind of educational purposes and they told they didn't bring it. So it was my duty to report it to the principal and to let the authority know that a pen drive has been found in the school corridor. I did not check the content of the pen drive because it will be a breach of privacy. And in the next day, an announcement was made in the school assembly that a pen drive has been found and the owner may kindly report to the school office to get it. To my surprise, it was one of the students from class 10th that had brought the pen drive. He had brought that for an educational purpose. So the school authority happily gave the pen drive.

    Band 6-7

    A particularly beautiful object that comes to my mind is a necklace. It is called deer and it is very beautiful as well as the mesmerizing. I love to wear this necklace and I was so excited to see it and when I wore it, it looks very beautiful on me and it enhanced my personality.

    Band 6-7

    I would like to talk about a seashell jar that I took along the beach side. So the story was, in the last year, I went to the beach along with my family, and every time we go to the beach, me and my sister plan to pick up seashells along with the sea sands in a jar and take it back home as a showpiece. But whenever we get ready and go for the beach, we forget to take a jar to the beach. So we often miss making this showpiece. Then on that day, while returning, we stopped by a tea shop near the beach road. And when we were in the beach shop, we found a jar of seashells and the sea sands arranged, and it was very beautifully made, and we found it on the bench of the tea shop. So me and my sister looked around if there were anyone looking for it, but unfortunately there was no one coming for it. So we happily took it and we took back to our home. We made some little alterations. My sister is an artist, and she painted little outside the jar. She painted it blue with some designs, and it's been a year, but it's still the same in our home. It has been like a souvenir, although it is not from a different city or place from our town. It is from exactly the same place where I belong to. So I felt like it was a gift. Though we missed taking the jar to make our own collection to the beach, we found one that was readily available for us. Me and my sister were really happy.

    Band 6

    I do have a situation where I got a lost item. It was like two years back I was visiting a temple nearby and it was a festival there and so it was so crowded. I was walking around the temple praying and seeing all the lamps and lights over there when something stuck to my footwear and when I look at it when I looked at it it was a piece of jewelry. I couldn't when I when I asked people who are nearby what have they lost it or is it them. Yes, I do remember an incident few years back. I was visiting a temple nearby and it was a festival over there and so it was crowded. In addition, it was also a weekend and a beautiful evening so the crowd was too much. When I was walking around the temple watching all the lights and decorations over there something stuck in my leg. I think it's in my right leg I don't know but I when I looked at it it was a piece of jewelry and when I asked the people near me they said it was not theirs. So I was looking for someone who was who had ownership on that but nobody even cared to answer my question because it was too crowded. I was with my family so I asked my mom what should I do with that and she told me there is a lost and found in the reception and we thought we would hand it over to them. I think it was a gold chain or something but it was small I think that belonged to some child and when we got to the reception lost and found section I saw people who were complaining about us they were searching for their jewelry and when I got to them and gave them the piece of jewelry they were so happy and and it made me really happy you know I never had expected that to happen but you know God gave me a big positive mind that's it

    Band 6

    As I remember once when I was 12 year old school going girl, I found a feather of peacock lying on the school bus floor. I never knew who it belonged to. I really tried searching and finding out who it really belonged but I really couldn't make it out. The moment I had the feather in my hand, I was very fascinated from the texture of the peacock feather. It made my heart smile and eyes filled with happiness. I never knew I needed a peacock feather to be this happy. I know it might sound too exaggerated or cringe but that was a real feeling. My friends told me that keeping the peacock feather in the books brings lot of luck and marks in academics. So I didn't plan of passing that peacock feather to anyone else later.

    Band 6

    Once I found a government document of a person named Sneha. I found it while I was walking in the park. It was laying beside the footpath in between the grasses. It was covered by the grasses but suddenly my eyesight went there and I got that. It was Aadhaar card. I tried finding whose Aadhaar card it is. I searched on Google how to find out the contact number of the Aadhaar card. From there I got few guidelines and then I somehow found that girl's number and then I contacted her. After connecting to her, I told her that I am speaking and I have found your government document laying in this park. Whenever you will be free, you can meet me and I will give you the document. That's it. At least I may have impacted in her life by giving her that important government document which is necessary, which is important to every individual. I felt like I have helped someone in a good way. Thank you.

    Band 6

    Here, I would like to talk about a time when I picked an item that someone else lost. The lost item is gold bracelets. You know, today's gold rate is very high. So I know the feeling of someone who lost such good items because I have the same experience when I was studied in my school days. Here, I would like to talk about that incident has happened when I was studied in my second year degree. I usually travel by bus for commute to my college. So that day, the bus has overcrowded and very rush. And I cannot stand in the bus properly. After I reached the bus stand, I found a gold bracelet under the seat. Immediately I picked up that item and I asked everyone is this yours or someone. Everyone replied that's not them. So I don't know that time what to do. I shared these items to the bus driver because he is my neighbor. I know that person. He kept that items with himself. And he told me you're such a good girl because when someone bring or take such gold item, they never told anyone about that item. So that time I felt proud and astonished because I did great.

    Band 6

    One day I found a ring on the premises of my church. When I found the ring I just looked around nobody was there so I went to the church priest and handed it over to him and after a few minutes of time the priest called me and informed me that a person came and identify the ring as hers and he also explained that the person was very happy that she got it back it was a wedding ring gift which was exchanged by her and her partner during their wedding so she felt really happy about it and I felt great that I have made someone happy that day
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