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Describe A Travel You Were Looking Forward To But Was Delayed: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • Where were you going?
  • Why was it important for you?
  • Why was it delayed?
  • What happened in the end?
Show all 42 answers

Cue 1:Where were you going?

  • Begin by mentioning the destination you were excited to visit.
  • Include details about what attracted you to this place, such as its culture, scenery, or activities.

Example

I was looking forward to visiting Goa, a beautiful coastal state in India known for its stunning beaches and vibrant nightlife. I had planned this trip for months because I wanted to relax by the sea and experience the famous Goan culture.


Cue 2:Why was it important for you?

  • Explain the personal significance of this trip, such as a special occasion or a much-needed break.
  • Share your feelings about the anticipation and excitement leading up to the trip.

Example

This trip was particularly important for me because it was my first vacation after a long year of working hard at my job. I was feeling quite stressed, and I believed that a few days in Goa would help me recharge and enjoy some quality time with my friends.


Cue 3:Why was it delayed?

  • Describe the reason for the delay, whether it was due to external factors like weather or personal circumstances.
  • Make sure to convey your disappointment and how it affected your plans.

Example

Unfortunately, my trip was delayed because of unexpected heavy rains in Goa. The weather forecast predicted a storm, and my flight was canceled just a day before we were supposed to leave. I felt really disappointed as I had been looking forward to this getaway.


Cue 4:What happened in the end?

  • Discuss how you handled the situation and whether you were able to reschedule your trip.
  • Share any positive outcomes or lessons learned from the experience.

Example

In the end, I managed to reschedule my trip for the following month. Although I was initially upset, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the weather was perfect during the new dates. I had an amazing time in Goa, and it was worth the wait!


Conclusion

    Example

    Overall, while the delay was frustrating, it taught me the importance of patience and flexibility in travel plans. Sometimes, things don’t go as expected, but they can still turn out wonderfully in the end.


    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: Lack of Detail in Description

    Candidates often provide vague answers without enough detail. This can make the response less engaging and informative, leading to a lower score.

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    Tip

    Include specific details about the destination, your feelings, and the significance of the trip to make your answer more vivid and interesting.


    2: Ignoring the Delay Reasons

    Some candidates forget to explain why the trip was delayed, which is a key part of the cue card. Omitting this can leave the answer incomplete.

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    Tip

    Clearly explain the reasons for the delay, whether it was due to weather, personal issues, or other factors, to provide a full picture.


    Rushing Through the Conclusion

    Many candidates rush their conclusion, failing to summarize what happened in the end. This can leave the listener unsatisfied.

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    Tip

    Take a moment to reflect on the outcome of the trip and share any lessons learned or feelings about the experience to wrap up your answer effectively.


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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 6.5

    So, the trip that I was really looking forward to was my trip to Pondicherry. Pondicherry has always been one of my favourite places that I've looked online. It's just so beautiful and so nature-centric that just makes me go in awe whenever I look at it online. And I was really, really looking forward to go to that place for real and experience it myself. I'm a morning guy who likes to go on bike rides and doing some yoga, so imagining my morning rides and yoga at the beaches of Pondicherry watching sunrise was way too good to be true and I wanted it to be true, so I really wanted to be there but my flight got rescheduled due to the weather conditions and my flight got rescheduled to the next week because flights to Pondicherry are very rare and there are very lesser numbers, so it got rescheduled to next week and hopefully if I'm free for next week, I can go to Pondicherry and visit it but if I'm not, unfortunately I have to let it go. The trip would have to wait a little bit more time.

    Band 6.5

    A travel experience that I was really looking forward to was going to Udupi in Karnataka. It is a very lovely coastal town and I had planned to go here with a couple of my friends, however it was delayed because there were a lot of scheduling issues. So the reason this was so important for me was because I really enjoy beaches, however I have always lived around city areas with not a lot of coastal areas and coastal waters. I have always really enjoyed going to a beach, however less frequented that may be. And eventually this trip was delayed because I was not able to come to a consensus about when and how we should go to the place with my friends. Finally this issue was resolved and at the end I was able to go to Udupi with my friends. It was a 3 day trip and we went from Bangalore via a bus which was overnight. It took us around 9 hours to reach there and as soon as we reached we all had a lovely lovely mood. We had a lot of issues in terms of living there because there were a lot of language barriers between the locals and us, however we all persevered and were able to have a great trip at the end.
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