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Describe A Time When You Were Stuck In A Traffic Jam: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • When and where it happened?
  • How long you were in the traffic jam?
  • What you did while waiting?
  • Explain how you felt when you were in that traffic jam.
Show all 29 answers

Cue 1:When and where it happened?

  • Begin by specifying the exact location and time of the traffic jam, such as a busy road or a specific city.
  • Mention any relevant details about the day, like weather conditions or events happening nearby.

Example

It was a Tuesday evening around 6 PM, and I was driving home from work in Bangalore. The roads were particularly congested due to a local festival, which always attracts a lot of traffic.

Cue 2:How long you were in the traffic jam?

  • Clearly state the duration of the traffic jam, using specific time frames like minutes or hours.
  • You can also mention if it felt longer or shorter than expected.

Example

I ended up stuck in that traffic jam for nearly an hour. At first, it felt like it would be a quick delay, but as the minutes passed, it seemed to drag on forever.

Cue 3:What you did while waiting?

  • Describe the activities you engaged in while waiting, such as listening to music or making phone calls.
  • Mention any thoughts or reflections you had during this time.

Example

While I was waiting, I decided to listen to some music to pass the time. I also called a friend to chat, which helped distract me from the frustration of being stuck.

Cue 4:Explain how you felt when you were in that traffic jam.

  • Share your emotions during the traffic jam, whether it was frustration, boredom, or something else.
  • You can also reflect on how you coped with those feelings.

Example

I felt quite frustrated at first, especially knowing I was missing dinner plans. However, as time went on, I tried to stay calm and reminded myself that getting upset wouldn’t change the situation.

Conclusion

    Example

    Overall, being stuck in that traffic jam was a test of patience. It taught me to be more mindful of my travel times and to always have a backup plan for busy days. Despite the inconvenience, I managed to turn it into a moment of relaxation by listening to music and connecting with a friend.

    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 less engaging and informative. Specific details help the examiner understand your experience better.

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    Tip

    Include specific details about the location, time, and circumstances of the traffic jam to make your answer more vivid.

    2: Neglecting Emotions

    Failing to express your feelings during the traffic jam can make your response less relatable. Emotions add depth to your story.

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    Tip

    Share how you felt during the traffic jam, whether it was frustration, boredom, or something else, to connect with the examiner.

    Lack of Structure

    A disorganized response can confuse the listener. A clear structure helps convey your message effectively.

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    Tip

    Follow the cue prompts in order, discussing when and where it happened, how long you were stuck, what you did, and your feelings.

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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

    Traffic jam is a common problem in big city. Here I talk about a time when I stuck in a traffic jam. It happened last year when my cousin wedding. My cousin was invited me on her wedding. The wedding was held in Ludhiana, Big Marriage Palace. I was going to marriage with my family. When I reached Ludhiana city, then I stuck in a traffic jam. The traffic jam because of the road working and other accident ahead on the road. I think I stuck in a traffic jam two hours around. Then I called my cousin. I called one of my friend who name is Jasmine. I called her and also I watch out of window again and again. My father was checking the road. Then I was worry about the delay because my cousin wedding is very special for me. After two hours, the traffic jam was over. When the car was started going, then I feel relax. Then I learn this experience.

    Band 6

    This happened in Bangalore, when I was in Bangalore, I wanted to go to a Kaban Park, a place that is a little far from the apartment that I live, but usually it takes like a one hour travel, but on that day, it took about two and a half hours to reach the Kaban Park. The traffic jam was insane, the city is usually busy, and during weekday ends, it is completely packed, so likewise, it was a Saturday, so it was completely packed, it was traffic jam, we were stuck in a car, in a road for about two and a half hours, in the same road, so I had my family members around in the car, so I was talking to them, we were having fun, we were discussing about a lot of things, about our family, about our friends, about our work, and all of that, so we were discussing what's going on with us in recent times, we also started listening to music, first, it was irritating for us, we were all very tired, and it was irritating, but later, I accepted the fact that it's gonna be like that, so we have to accept and move, and enjoy, instead of spoiling my mood, I started enjoying it, so I started listening to music, I was scrolling my Instagram, I made sure I also spent time with my family, I made sure even they were all laughing, and we all had so much fun in the car, while waiting for the traffic jam to move.

    Band 6

    so this traffic jam happened like two years back and I was in a bus on from Bangalore to back to my hometown and in this nearly took this traffic jam took place for like two hours not even kidding and I had no idea what what I had to do and it started off like me at 8 p.m. actually and I started off from Bangalore and I thought by in two hours I'd be reaching like a resting place where I can eat and buy some drinks and then the bus driver bus conductor was told like there's a traffic jam and we can't go move forward not even a bit I looked out the window looked out the window and like was the biggest traffic jam machine in my life and I really wanted to go back to home fast but I couldn't so I had little charge in my phone and a power bank for which could have lasted for like two hours two to three hours so I just plugged that in and started watching Stranger Things it's a really good series and I enjoyed it for the next two hours I just started the season one then it went like I saw like three episodes of it after which I saw outside and it the traffic jam really was going smoothly and yeah

    Band 6

    Yesterday I was stuck in the traffic jam for about damn one minute. Initially I was very irritated and I was seething as I have an meeting scheduled at the office. Therefore I had to reach in time. So I was very anxious and I was being paranoid but at that moment I calmed myself down and took some deep breath and I kept telling myself that well I can wait, maybe I can just listen some music, I can just watch nature, just being into that moment. So in this way I spent my time in the being in traffic jam and while in traffic jam I discovered that there are so many peoples who don't have home, who don't have food to eat. They are very, they are like very economically regressive people in our country. However we need to look out for these people and help as much as possible in our capabilities.

    Band 6

    Traffic jam. It is very common in urban areas. As I live in a rural area, I rarely expose this kind of traffic jam. But when I did my internship in Bangalore, I went to Bangalore for that. I accommodate a room and stay in the place where it is nearest to my company. Even though it is the nearest and easiest way, I stuck in a traffic jam for about more than 2 and half hours. It's just as an kilometer of 22 kilometer. But I really shoot there for 2 and more hours. During the free time, I did all my internship activities such as to recheck the sales and distribution of the food products and to recheck the analysis of my own readings. And also I learned what to do and how to perform piping of plating culture of microbial culture as it is important for my internship. I only watch videos that are related to enhance my personal growth on the development in the field I work. Overall, I have an awful and ineffective experience in Bangalore traffic. This is the fastest traffic. I never experienced such delay in my work. I have never stuck in a traffic in my whole life. Due to the traffic in Bangalore, I really lost half of my attendance. I also lost my valuable time.

    Band 6

    I got struck in a traffic jam in Hyderabad. It is on October 16 of 2024. We got struck in a traffic for two long hours where me and my friends were in the car, got struck in a traffic for two long hours. We were traveling to Warangal from Hyderabad. We thought we were wasting a lot of time in this traffic jam. We were very much hesitated and tired too. But we made the time to be very much productive. Me and my friends have planned to watch a web series which is already downloaded. We put down the car, we offed the engine of the car so that we can save our petrol too. And we ate our snacks and continued to watch a Netflix series to make it more productive. And we enjoyed a lot in the car with my friends. We thought the time is not wasted in the traffic jam. Anyhow, we have enjoyed in the traffic and we got, we got a well, spent, we spent a well time, time well in the car during the traffic jam. So I think it is not, it is not for wasting of our time. We made it very much productive in the traffic jam. And the next situation and scenario is when we were returning from Warangal to Hyderabad. We got same traffic jam in Harimkonda traffic where we got struck for 5 more long hours. And we were slept, meanwhile we were taken asleep for 2 long hours and we had completed our dinner during while we were in the traffic jam. So we have saved some time for our sleep as well as for our dinner. And it made us to move on for next 6 hours in our journey from Warangal to Hyderabad smoothly. And we have completed our dinner in the car and we played games and we continued to chat with each other meanwhile.

    Band 6

    Well, in my life I stuck in a traffic jam once. I still remember the time that last month I had an appointment with my doctor in Patiala city. So I wanted to go there with my father and I had to reach there at about 9. But unfortunately when I was on the road, my father and I stuck in a traffic jam and we stuck in there for about an hour. And while stuck in the traffic jam, I was feeling really bored. So at last I had a great conversation with my father. We talked on various topics. We were having conversation about childhood and our hobbies and even we also talked about the life about future, like what I want to do in my future and where will I be in 2030. So it was an interesting topic. But I was feeling really bored at first. However, after having conversation with my father, I felt happy and light. So indeed, that was the time when I was stuck in traffic jam with my father.

    Band 6

    So the time I was stuck in traffic, I have a very memorable experience. It was a terrible experience. It was my first or second day to work actually and I had taken a bus. So I was sitting in this city public bus and I was on my way to home from work and I was stuck in an extremely heavy traffic. It took me almost an hour or more, one and a half hour to reach home and all I could do was just sit there in the bus. I was already worried about the commute and I was afraid because my work was quite far from my home so I was worried about the time and since this was my second day, I was even more horrified thinking that this is how my routine is going to be and this is how much time I am going to have to spend in the future. Later fortunately, I realized that that particular day was especially heavy and that is not how usually it is. So to my relief, I don't have to be stuck in traffic one and a half hour every day. But that day, it was terrible. My phone's battery ran down so I had nothing to do except just sit there and wait and I felt extremely agitated, irritated and frustrated and I was doing nothing but just waiting for the traffic to get over and for myself to reach home in time. I remember when I reached back home, I felt relieved. I was really rethinking traveling by bus and going to work every day. I was really wishing to or hoping to get remote work option if possible because I was really scared of this traffic and having to spend this much time of my day every day in traffic.

    Band 5-6

    airplane I am traffic Heard and my car is the center because full on the traffic full traffic on the road that traffic signal is 30 seconds and before my car many vehicle to ride and I am hurry in the way because my friend is accident so I am hurry because I reached the hospital she was very injured and needed person and for the traffic my reach reason because also

    Band 5-6

    There are lots of times when I was stuck in a traffic jam like when I go for Dabad, Baroda and Mumbai city but in last two months ago we were going to the Ahmedabad for my medical checkup in KD hospital at that time we went around 9 am and we reached at Ahmedabad city at 10.30 am and we are stuck in traffic jam in the city around 20 to 30 minutes we stuck in the traffic so I scroll down my phone and search for the search for the search for many I have searching in Google and I search on distance between the I open the Google map and search on the main point and I listening songs whenever I waiting for the traffic so I feel very exhausted because I reach at 11 am and there are process are started at that time so I am very exhausted during this time.
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