Describe a time when you were in line for a long time.: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

When & where was it?
Why were you there?
How did you feel about it?

14 unique answers with expert feedback

How did you feel while waiting in line for so long?

I felt a mix of anxiety and excitement. I was anxious about missing my farewell, but also excited about the future. The long wait made me reflect on my school years and the friendships I had built, which added to the emotional weight of the moment.

What did you do to pass the time while waiting?

I tried to distract myself by chatting with others in line. I also thought about my farewell and what I would wear. I took out my phone to check social media and text my friends, hoping they were having a great time without me.

Have you had any other memorable experiences waiting in line?

Yes, I remember waiting in line for a concert ticket once. It was a long wait, but the excitement of seeing my favorite band made it worthwhile. The atmosphere was lively, and I made new friends while waiting, which made the experience enjoyable despite the wait.

Band 6-7

00:00

The time when I stood up in a line for a long period of time was when I visited Tirupati temple which is located in Chittoor district. I can even say it is the most famous temple of Andhra Pradesh. When I was in my middle school, I visited Tirupati with my parents and also my cousins joined me. We went there, people usually get to Tirupati and start their walk towards the main pilgrim which is Lord Venkateshwara temple and as usually, we started walking towards the temple and along the way, there was a huge line of people and the crowd was very huge. So we entered the line and stood up for too long and that exhausted me. But instead of all the suffering and pain I felt throughout the line, when by the time I saw the main temple, all of my suffering and exhaustion went away and turned into excitement. So I think that's the time when, but I felt very relieved after that and went to take rest in my hotel room which my father booked for us.

Follow up questions

How did you feel while waiting in line for such a long time?

While waiting in line, I felt a mix of exhaustion and impatience. The long wait was tiring, and I could see many people around me feeling the same way. However, I tried to stay positive, thinking about the experience I would have once I reached the temple.

What did you do to pass the time while waiting?

To pass the time, I chatted with my cousins and parents. We shared stories and talked about our expectations for the temple visit. I also observed the surroundings and the people in line, which made the wait feel a bit shorter.

Would you visit the temple again despite the long wait?

Yes, I would definitely visit the temple again. The experience of seeing the temple and the spiritual atmosphere made the long wait worthwhile. I believe that such experiences are part of the journey, and they add to the overall significance of the visit.

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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

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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.

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Anonymous student Band 6.5

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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

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Anonymous student Band 7

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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

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Anonymous student Band 7.5

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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.

Yes, I learned the importance of planning ahead and being prepared for unexpected situations. It taught me to manage my time better and to always carry essentials like water and a charger, especially during events where waiting is involved.

Show all 14 answers

Cue 1:When & where was it?

Begin by setting the scene, mentioning the location and time of day.
Include details about the event or occasion that led to the long wait.

Example

It was a Saturday afternoon at the local bank, and I was there to open a new savings account. The bank was unusually crowded that day, and I found myself standing in line for over an hour.

Cue 2:Why were you there?

Explain the purpose of your visit and why it was important to you.
Mention any specific reasons that contributed to your decision to go at that time.

Example

I needed to open a new savings account because I had recently started a new job and wanted to manage my finances better. I chose that day because it was my only free time during the week.

Cue 3:How did you feel about it?

Share your emotions during the wait, whether it was frustration, impatience, or acceptance.
Reflect on how you coped with the long wait, such as engaging in activities or thoughts.

Example

At first, I felt quite frustrated as the line seemed to move so slowly. However, I decided to use the time to catch up on some reading on my phone, which made the wait feel less tedious.

Conclusion

Summarize the experience and any lessons learned from it.
Mention how this experience might affect your future decisions regarding similar situations.

Example

In the end, although the wait was long, I learned the importance of patience. I also realized that sometimes, waiting can provide unexpected opportunities to relax and reflect.

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: Being Too Vague

Candidates often provide unclear or general answers without specific details. This can lead to a lack of engagement and lower scores.

Tip

Include specific details about the location, the reason for being there, and your feelings to create a more vivid picture.

2: Ignoring the Cues

Some candidates forget to address all the cues provided, which can result in incomplete answers and missed opportunities to showcase their language skills.

Tip

Make sure to answer all three cues: when and where, why you were there, and how you felt about it.