Describe an argument you overheard: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

Who was involved?
When did it happen? What was it about?
How was it resolved?

24 unique answers with expert feedback

How did you feel when you overheard the argument?

I felt quite scared and anxious because it was unsettling to hear my parents arguing. It made me worry about the atmosphere at home and how it would affect our family dynamics. I didn't like seeing them upset, and it made me reflect on how our actions could impact their relationship.

Have you ever had to resolve a conflict in a similar way?

Yes, I have had to resolve conflicts with friends or family by sitting down and discussing our issues openly. It’s important to communicate clearly and find common ground, just like my parents did. I believe that addressing problems directly can lead to better understanding and stronger relationships.

What do you think is the best way to handle arguments in a family?

I think the best way to handle arguments in a family is through open communication and mutual respect. It's essential for family members to express their feelings without blaming each other. Setting aside time to discuss issues calmly, like my parents did, can help maintain a peaceful home environment.

Band 6-7

00:00

Well, talking about this particular question, the argument which I overheard earlier, it was argument between my two elder brothers. So they were just discussing about the event which is going to happen related to marriage. And that time my elder brother was not convinced with my one of the elder brothers, so there was argument between them. And moreover this argument continued last two hours. So that time I intervened the argument and tried to resolve it by saying that we will definitely going to look whatever that other person is saying. So if it not get, what I mean trying to say is, if the solution is not appropriate, we will definitely find that other alternatives and we should give a chance to consider their ideas. So through this way I tried to solve the argument. Apart from that I would say that whenever such argument in my family, I used to stay apart from it. What usually happens once we intervene in such argument, this become very difficult to handle it. And sometimes it happens that argument comes to us that we just trap into this argument and lose our temperament. So that's the one reason I usually stay away from such incident. Another thing I would like to say that we should all avoid doing argument.

Follow up questions

How do you usually feel when you overhear arguments?

I often feel uncomfortable when I overhear arguments, especially within my family. It creates tension and makes me anxious. I prefer to stay out of such situations to maintain my peace of mind and avoid getting involved in conflicts that could escalate.

What strategies do you think are effective in resolving arguments?

I believe effective communication is key in resolving arguments. Listening to both sides and finding common ground can help. Additionally, suggesting compromises or alternative solutions can ease tensions. It's important to remain calm and respectful during discussions to facilitate resolution.

Do you think arguments can be beneficial in any way?

Yes, I think arguments can sometimes be beneficial. They can lead to the expression of different viewpoints and help clarify misunderstandings. If handled properly, they can strengthen relationships by fostering open communication and understanding, as long as they don't escalate into hostility.

IELTS Cue Cards asked last week

Reported by Leap students who gave IELTS

Describe your favourite food at a traditional festival or a special event in your country

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 7.5

Pitampura Test Centre, New Delhi

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

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 8

Sector 34 Test Centre, Chandigarh

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.

Describe a time you were in a place where you didn't know the local language

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 6.5

Whitefield Test Center, Bengaluru

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

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 7

Begumpet Test Centre, Hyderabad

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

Reported by

Anonymous student Band 7.5

CBD Belapur Test Centre, Navi Mumbai

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.

Body shaming can lead to low self-esteem, mental health issues, and social anxiety among young people. It creates a toxic environment where individuals feel judged based on their appearance, which can have long-lasting effects on their confidence and well-being.

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Cue 1:Who was involved?

Identify the people involved in the argument clearly.
Mention your relationship to them, if any, to provide context.

Example

I overheard an argument between my two colleagues, Riya and Aman, during a team meeting. They have been working together on a project for the past few weeks, and I could sense some tension between them.

Cue 2:When did it happen? What was it about?

Describe the time and place where the argument took place.
Summarize the main topic of the argument to give a clear picture.

Example

This happened last Friday in our office conference room. The argument was about the direction of our project. Riya believed we should focus on a more innovative approach, while Aman insisted on sticking to the original plan.

Cue 3:How was it resolved?

Explain how the argument was addressed or resolved.
Mention any actions taken by the individuals or a mediator to settle the dispute.

Example

The argument was eventually resolved by our manager, who stepped in to mediate. She suggested that they both present their ideas in a more structured way, allowing the team to vote on which approach to take. This helped them find common ground and move forward.

Conclusion

Summarize the key points of the argument and its resolution.
Reflect on what you learned from witnessing the argument.

Example

In conclusion, witnessing this argument taught me the importance of open communication in a team. It also highlighted how different perspectives can lead to better solutions when managed properly.

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: Ignoring Key Details

Candidates often skip important details about the people involved or the context of the argument. This can make the story less engaging and informative.