Describe An Important Decision You Made: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

What was it?
When did you make it?
What music does he/she like?
What was the result?
Explain how you felt about it.

45 unique answers with expert feedback

Top Answers How to Answer

Band >7

00:00

An important decision that I made was to take a break from my job and start studying. An important decision that I made was to take a break from my job and start studying. Continue A significant decision that I made was to take a break from my job and continue studying for the next two years. This decision is very important to me because I have always wanted to experience the campus life of a college. In the past few years where I attended my college, I wasn't fully able to enjoy the life at our campus as we had our lectures online due to the pandemic. So I took this decision because I once in my life want that experience of offline lectures. And this decision made me very delighted after I took that deserving break from my job. It was a difficult decision to make but I am sure that the results are going to be satisfactory. And in addition to this I am going to make sure that I utilize this opportunity to the best of my capability.

Band 7

00:00

Today I would like to talk about a very important decision that I made regarding my life. This is a decision that I made to secure my future. The decision was my college decision, the country that I want to study my further education in and also the exams that I need to give along with that decision. So I was speaking with my mother and my counselor last month when she told me that I need to make a decision now as I would like to start my college next year. So it is an important decision for me from the perspective of my future as a student it is extremely important for us to gauge our scope of professional opportunities and also self-growth in our own career. A career is something that is extremely important for me in terms of money, in terms of self-growth and also how I would like to present myself to the world. I wanted to work, I still want to work in the field of aerospace engineering and for that I need to find opportunities that help me gain global exposure, have multiple peers in different kinds of field, have peers from different world backgrounds and also gain exposure in a lot of different environments that are maybe challenging technologically or even emotionally. The decision to take IELTS was one of the important decisions that came along in this journey since the aerospace field is very booming in the United States and along with the continent of Europe. It is important that I give this IELTS exam so that I can go over there and work with this opportunity.

Band 7

00:00

The most important decision that I have ever made was starting my own home bakery which is Noor Bakes. The name derives from my own name which is Harnoor and I feel that it added a very good personal touch to my bakery as it is truly a part of my heart. I started this bakery in January of 2024. While it had been on the back of my mind for more than 8 years, I always have enjoyed baking. Even as a kid I used to bake all these cakes for my family and friends and it was always my passion. But I always thought that I would want to take up a corporate role or you know take up an administrative role in my career. I never thought baking could be something that could become my profession. This decision did come after months of deliberation, research and talking to my friends and family who motivated me. I finally decided to take the risk of chasing my dream which was less daunting than the regret of never trying. While it was a scary decision, the results were nothing more than transformative. Both personally and professionally, I was no longer just doing something that had no meaning. I was doing something that I genuinely cared about and loved. Every cookie I have made, every cake I have made has gotten me the satisfaction and seeing people enjoy my food has given me comfort more than I have ever known. Noor Bakes had started as a very small home bakery that I started through Instagram but now I am customizing cakes and different confectionery items for more than 200-300 people per month. There have always been challenges because I do not come from a professional pastry background but I have overcome all through the master that is the internet and I feel a huge mix of excitement and terror leaving a regular salary to get

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Band 7

00:00

Decision to shift my career from software to career counselling 5 years ago after volunteering for job fairs. Instead of music, helping people land dream jobs gave me immense satisfaction. Successfully helped over 10,000 people get hired. Fulfilled, purposeful and happy with my career choice. Ladies and gentlemen, today I want to share with you a life changing decision I made 5 years ago. I chose to shift my career from software development to career counselling and recruitment. It happened after I volunteered for job fairs in my community. Seeing people struggle to find employment resonated deeply when I helped some land their dream jobs. I felt immense satisfaction. One candidate thanked me with tears in her eyes saying my guidance changed her family's life. That moment solidified my purpose. Fast forward 5 years I have successfully helped over 10,000 people get hired across various industries. My work impact lives daily. This career choice fills me with fulfillment, purpose and happiness.

Band 7

00:00

It was 2019 when I had to take a very important decision in regards to my career. It was about changing my college and reapplying to a new college in India. I actually applied to the University of South Australia and I also got my offer letter and letter of acceptance. However, it was during COVID, so it was not reasonable to go to a different country, move there and start a life during that period because we all know what happened during COVID and how we all were suffering, so it was not convenient. So I had to take admission in India and I got admitted to university in Punjab. It was great, the decision made me choose a different course and it really helped me throughout my college life. I learned so much about management and technology because my course was Bachelor of Business Administration and Information Technology. Although I made this decision in my own terms, I would still think about it now and be happy that yes, it was a good decision and also very wise. I have now exposure to many things that I wasn't able to get through, but now I have understood the variety of work that is there in the corporate life and it has really helped me to take more wise decisions in the future and I'm very grateful about this decision that I made. Thank you.

Show all 45 answers

Cue 1:What was it?

Clearly state the important decision you made, providing context to why it was significant.
Include details about what led you to make this decision.

Example

The important decision I made was to pursue my master's degree abroad. After completing my undergraduate studies in India, I realized that further education would enhance my career prospects and provide me with a global perspective.

Cue 2:When did you make it?

Mention the time frame when you made this decision, including any relevant events leading up to it.
Explain how you felt at that moment and what influenced your timing.

Example

I made this decision in early 2022, just a few months after graduating. I had been contemplating my future and discussing options with my family and friends, which helped me finalize my choice.

Cue 3:What was the result?

Describe the outcome of your decision, including both positive and negative aspects.
Share any specific experiences or achievements that resulted from this decision.

Example

As a result of my decision, I was accepted into a prestigious university in the UK. This experience not only expanded my knowledge but also allowed me to meet people from diverse backgrounds, enhancing my interpersonal skills.

Cue 4:Explain how you felt about it.

Share your emotions regarding the decision before and after making it.
Discuss any challenges you faced and how you overcame them.

Example

Initially, I felt anxious about leaving my comfort zone and moving to a new country. However, once I arrived and started my studies, I felt a sense of accomplishment and excitement. Overcoming the challenges of adapting to a new culture made me more resilient.

Conclusion

Example

In conclusion, making the decision to pursue my master's degree abroad was a pivotal moment in my life. It not only shaped my career but also contributed significantly to my personal growth, and I am grateful for the experiences I gained during that time.

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 Specificity

Being vague about the decision can make your answer less engaging. Specific details help the examiner understand your experience better and showcase your language skills.

Tip

Focus on providing clear details about the decision, including the context and your thought process at the time.

2: Ignoring Emotional Impact

Failing to express how you felt about the decision can make your response less personal and relatable. Emotions add depth to your story.

Tip

Include your feelings before, during, and after making the decision to create a more compelling narrative.

Neglecting the Outcome

Not discussing the result of your decision can leave your answer incomplete. The outcome is crucial for understanding the significance of your choice.

Tip

Clearly explain the results of your decision and how it affected your life to provide a full picture.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.