Describe a time when your friend damaged something you owned.: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

What was it & when did it happen?
How was it damaged?
How did you react?

41 unique answers with expert feedback

How did you feel when your friend broke your racket?

I felt a mix of disappointment and sadness. Losing the game was tough, but seeing my prized racket broken was even harder. It was a moment of shock, and I needed time to process both the loss of the game and my racket.

What did you learn from this experience?

I learned that material possessions can be replaced, but friendships are more important. It taught me the value of patience and understanding in relationships, especially during tough times.

Have you had any similar experiences since then?

Yes, there have been moments where friends accidentally damaged my things, but I've learned to communicate better and not let those incidents affect our friendship. I focus on resolving issues rather than holding grudges.

Band 6-7

00:00

So, there was this time when I was in class 9 and my dad had gifted me an expensive toy which I had bought to the school to show my friends. My friend sat beside me and we were playing games and studying in the class, whereas in between we got the time to go for a break and eat some food. After we ate our food, we came outside and we were playing with the toy I got. So, I showed him the toy I got. It was an expensive Lego toy and seeing him, he got happy and when I was playing with him, he tried to pull it from me. And when he pulled it from me, in that reality, I thought, yeah, I'll give it to you. Just wait a bit of time. But he was like, no, I need it right now. So, I was like, okay, give me two minutes. But he just didn't wait and he pulled it and it broke into pieces. My heart that time shattered because I was thinking what will I tell my parents, what will my parents think, what do I tell him right now, how expensive was it. But I was furious at that time, but I had to forgive him. So, after the next day, I apologized and I told, yeah, it's okay. It's cool. You don't have to worry about it.

Follow up questions

How did you feel when your friend broke your toy?

I felt really upset and angry at first because it was a gift from my dad and I was worried about how to explain it to my parents. It was a mix of emotions, but I knew I had to handle it maturely.

What did you learn from this experience?

I learned the importance of communication and patience. I realized that sometimes things happen accidentally, and it's essential to forgive and move on rather than holding onto anger.

Have you ever damaged something that belonged to a friend?

Yes, I have. There was a time when I accidentally spilled juice on my friend's book. I felt terrible and immediately apologized. I offered to replace it, and we talked it out, which helped strengthen our friendship.

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Band 6-7

00:00

Actually, three years back, one of my friends visited me at my house and he came along actually to have a dinner, a work dinner. And while he was rounding around the house to see the rooms, the kitchens, the living room, accidentally he hit one of the frames, image frames at my house and it fell down and broke into pieces. That image was for my former daughter who passed away five years ago and it was the only memory left from here.

Follow up questions

How did you feel when your friend broke the frame?

I felt devastated and heartbroken. That frame held a lot of sentimental value for me as it was a memory of my daughter. It was difficult to see something so precious get damaged, especially since it was a reminder of a painful time in my life.

What did your friend say or do after the incident?

My friend was very apologetic and immediately expressed his regret. He offered to help clean up the mess and even suggested replacing the frame. I appreciated his concern, but it was hard to replace something that held such deep emotional significance.

Have you been able to replace the broken frame?

I haven't replaced the frame yet. Instead, I decided to keep the broken pieces as a reminder of my daughter. I think it's important to honor her memory in a way that feels right to me, and sometimes that means holding onto the past rather than trying to replace it.

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Band 6-7

00:00

So, the thing which my friend damaged was actually a spectacle which was gifted by my dad actually on my birthday. On my, actually to be precise, on my 20th birthday, he just gave me a spectacle, okay, so that was very close to my heart because he just gifted me around, he just woke me up around 12 o'clock and he just gifted me that. And what happened was when we were in a conversation, like when in my college when we were in a conversation, my friend suddenly, like normally we were having a conversation, like he was giving some guesses and postures and by somehow, I don't remember exactly, somehow I hit my spectacle with his elbow and it just fell off. And what happened later, it just fell on the ground and the rim part has got broken actually. So because of which I was completely pissed off, the way I reacted was like, I literally, I kind of screamed in front of others and literally screamed like, why did you do this, like can't you be safe, don't you know all these things, like in this manner I was shouting at him. And at the heat of the moment, I know I was at my peak and later I just apologized as well to him because I know he was not intentionally doing that. So that really hit me hard actually. So this was a thing which happened during my college first year and yeah, that's all.

Follow up questions

How did you feel about your friend's actions after some time?

After some time, I realized that my friend didn't mean to break my spectacles. I felt guilty for overreacting and understood that accidents happen. It taught me to be more patient and forgiving, especially since it was a mistake and not done intentionally.

What did you learn from this experience?

I learned the importance of communication and staying calm during unexpected situations. It also made me appreciate my belongings more and understand that material things can be replaced, but friendships are valuable and should be prioritized.

Have you ever damaged something that belonged to a friend?

Yes, I once accidentally spilled a drink on my friend's favorite book. I felt terrible about it and immediately offered to replace it. It was a learning moment for me about being careful with others' belongings and the importance of taking responsibility for my actions.

Band 6-7

00:00

I recall that my friend when I was in 10th standard borrowed a beautiful white attire that I had got for my sister's wedding and she had borrowed it for a family function that she had but when she returned it back to me it had a huge ice cream stain on it and when I saw it initially I was pretty livid and contacted her and called her up asking her how it had happened initially since the stain was brown I couldn't really figure out what it was but then she told me that it was an ice cream stain I was able to remove it after two or three washes but still I did not talk to her for a few days but later my mother explained it to me and I realized that it was quite a bad move on my part because in the past as well I had given her a lot of my belongings like a piece of jewelry or a piece of or a pair of slippers to wear for different occasions and she had returned them to me without any damages apart from this I feel she had also shared with me her belongings whenever I required them so I realized that friendship in itself as a whole is a relationship of giving and of gratitude and sharing so realizing the vital importance of such a relationship I decided to forgive her and forget about it

Follow up questions

How did you feel about your friend's actions after some time?

After reflecting on the situation, I realized that my initial anger was misplaced. I understood that accidents happen, and my friend had always been considerate in the past. This helped me to forgive her and appreciate our friendship more.

What do you think is important in a friendship?

I believe that trust, communication, and the ability to forgive are essential in a friendship. It's important to support each other and understand that mistakes can happen. Sharing and being there for one another strengthens the bond.

Have you ever damaged something that belonged to a friend?

Yes, I once accidentally spilled a drink on my friend's favorite book. I felt terrible and immediately apologized. I offered to replace it, but my friend was understanding and said it was just an accident. This experience taught me the importance of empathy in friendships.

Show all 41 answers

Cue 1:What was it & when did it happen?

Begin by clearly identifying the item that was damaged and provide context about its significance to you.
Mention the time frame of the incident, including the location and the occasion during which it occurred.

Example

It was a beautiful ceramic vase that my grandmother had gifted me on my birthday. This incident happened about six months ago during a small gathering at my house.

Cue 2:How was it damaged?

Describe the specific actions that led to the damage, ensuring to highlight your friend's involvement.
Explain the circumstances surrounding the incident, including any distractions or accidents that contributed to the damage.

Example

While we were playing a game, my friend accidentally knocked the vase off the table while reaching for a snack. It fell to the floor and shattered into pieces.

Cue 3:How did you react?

Share your immediate emotional response to the incident, whether it was anger, sadness, or understanding.
Discuss how you communicated with your friend about the damage and any steps taken afterward to resolve the situation.

Example

At first, I was really upset because it was a cherished item. However, I quickly realized it was an accident, so I took a deep breath and reassured my friend that it was okay. We cleaned up the mess together, and I appreciated their willingness to help.

Conclusion

Summarize the overall impact of the incident on your friendship and any lessons learned.
Reflect on how such experiences can strengthen relationships through understanding and communication.

Example

In the end, this incident taught me that accidents happen, and it’s important to handle them with grace. Our friendship grew stronger as we learned to communicate better and support each other during mishaps.

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. It's important to provide specific details about the item and the incident to engage the listener.

Tip

Use descriptive language to clearly explain what was damaged and the circumstances surrounding the event.

2: Lack of Emotion

Failing to express your feelings can make your story less relatable. Sharing your emotional reaction helps to connect with the examiner.

Tip

Include your feelings about the damage and how it affected your relationship with your friend.

Ignoring the Timeline

Not mentioning when the incident occurred can confuse the listener. A clear timeline helps to structure your response effectively.

Tip

Start by stating when the event happened to provide context for your story.

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