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Describe an important thing you learned (not at school or college): IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • When did you learn it?
  • How did you learn it?
  • Why did you think it was important to learn it?
  • How you felt when you learnt it?
Show all 89 answers

Cue 1:When did you learn it?

  • Mention a specific time frame when you learned this important thing, such as a few months ago or during a particular event.
  • Provide context about what was happening in your life at that time to make it more relatable.

Example

I learned this important lesson about financial management about six months ago when I started my first job. It was a significant transition for me as I was moving from being a student to a working professional.

Cue 2:How did you learn it?

  • Explain the method or source through which you learned this lesson, such as through a book, a workshop, or advice from someone.
  • Share any specific experiences or activities that helped you grasp this knowledge.

Example

I learned about financial management by attending a workshop organized by my company. The workshop was conducted by a financial expert who shared practical tips on budgeting and saving.

Cue 3:Why did you think it was important to learn it?

  • Discuss the reasons that made this lesson significant for you, such as future goals or personal circumstances.
  • Connect the importance of this lesson to your life or career aspirations.

Example

I thought it was crucial to learn about financial management because I wanted to ensure that I could save for my future and manage my expenses wisely. As I was starting my career, I realized that understanding finances would help me achieve my long-term goals.

Cue 4:How you felt when you learnt it?

  • Describe your emotions when you grasped this lesson, whether it was excitement, relief, or empowerment.
  • Reflect on how this knowledge has impacted your confidence or mindset.

Example

When I learned about financial management, I felt empowered and relieved. It was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders because I now had the tools to take control of my finances, which made me feel more confident about my future.

Conclusion

    Example

    In conclusion, learning about financial management was a pivotal moment in my life. It not only equipped me with essential skills but also changed my perspective on money and savings, setting a solid foundation for my future.

    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 Responses

    Avoid giving vague or general answers. Specific details make your response more engaging and memorable. Candidates often lose points for not elaborating on their experiences.

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    Tip

    Use specific examples and details to illustrate your learning experience. Mention exact moments or feelings to make your answer more vivid.

    2: Ignoring the Cues

    Not addressing all the cues can lead to an incomplete answer. Candidates may miss important aspects of their learning experience, which can affect their score.

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    Tip

    Make sure to answer all the cues provided. Structure your response to cover when, how, why, and how you felt about your learning.

    Overly Complex Language

    Using overly complex vocabulary or grammar can confuse the listener. It's important to communicate clearly and effectively, especially in a speaking test.

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    Tip

    Use simple and clear language. Focus on expressing your ideas clearly rather than trying to impress with difficult words.

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    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
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    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 7.5

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    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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    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 8

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    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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    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 6.5

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    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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    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 7

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    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
    anonymous person icon

    Reported by

    Anonymous student Band 7.5

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    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.

    All Answers

    Here are all the answers by real-users practicing speaking for IELTS Cue Cards on our IELTS Prep App.

    Band 6-7

    Well, there are multifarious things that I learned from my mother, some from my parents, some from my friends and some from my relatives. But here today, I would like to talk about one of the important things about cooking that I learned from my maternal grandmother. I learned how to make rice pudding as it is a traditional Punjabi dish in my nation. And I really like the flavor of it as it is made on the traditional stove, which is called Chula in Punjabi. And I learned that when I was in the 7th standard, I remember that it was summer holidays and I went to my maternal grandmother's home and she taught me this recipe, this dish in a very good way as I still remember the recipe. And I felt over the moon when I tried this recipe as it is made from the sweetened milk, dry fruits and rice, especially my favorite pistachios. And when I make this dish, everyone appreciates my efforts that I make this dish really well. And everyone repays that this is a dish that I found in my maternal grandmother's home and it is none other.

    Band 6-7

    Recently one thing that I've realized is being kind is more important than being polite. People are often confused by these two terms and they interchange the meaning and use it in everyday context. So I have a lot of people telling me that I am rude or I am mean or I am aggressive but lowkey I am one of the most kind people that they would ever come across. I am not just telling this, everybody around me believes the same and this particular thing that I have learnt is from Mumbai, the city that I live in. You are never going to find a human being who is polite to you but you are always going to find them being kind to you. There are random ladies in the train who would literally yell at you to not lean outside the door. What are they going to get from that? No, they won't get anything but rather correcting you and saving you from a mishap is what they want. So yes, being kind is the most important thing that I have learnt so far in my life. I thought it was something confined to me but everybody in Mumbai is the same. You may find them rude or mean but they are actually very kind, they are just not polite and one thing that I have heard about people abroad, I don't know to what extent this is true but people outside the borders are more polite, honey drops out of their mouth, they are that polite.

    Band 6-7

    One important thing that I learnt was living on your own. I think it's very important for every youngster to learn the life lesson of living on your own. Well, I have just passed out from my master's degree and the next day I got a job near my college. I had no accommodation, my friends had gone and the accommodation was provided by the school which was alone. Nobody was there around that residential area. My friends had gone, I was there all alone for the first time I was living on my own. For the first time I was stocking my own groceries and I was paying electricity bills. Well, I believe that it's very very important for each youngster to learn living on your own. Secondly, to handle money. I believe that all our life we have been given a certain amount of money by our parents. We spent it without thinking of the month end which we get learnt when we make our own money. When we have to buy our own groceries, we have to pay our own bills. I think that is a moment in our life that makes us understand the value of money, the value of time and of course the value of our family. I believe that in addition to that I would say that I learnt it in a very beautiful way. I wouldn't say that it was hard for me to be on my own because I was in direct contact with my parents. I always listened to them, I believed whatever they said to me. Although in the start of the month I had a lot of issues regarding where to spend my money, how to save my money. Still I was able to make right decisions after few months. It's very easy for everyone to say that living home is a very good decision, a wise decision. I wouldn't say it's a wise decision.

    Band 6-7

    Two months ago I was gone to my college for the admission process and I was really late there because of my secondary works. I was really not that serious to go to college on the time and I thought that okay it would be okay if I go 15-20 minutes late there but I think that was really my biggest mistake because of my this carelessness I didn't get the appointment at the time and I have to came back 300 like I was really disappointed at that day because I wasted my time also and their time also and I feel it is really something everyone should understand as I have learnt that discipline and being serious about where to go on the time for the appointment or meeting is really important as your first impression is all about your dressing sense and the discipline the timings you are taking care of but I lacked that before and I have learnt now that how should I manage my time I just write things up so that I can be on time and so I can manage my schedules so it is something really important because for my first impression so I should not waste my time from further appointments and I can be a person which everyone admires and have a good impression on so yes.

    Band 6-7

    The thing or an important skill to be precise, I learned during my lifetime is emotional boundaries, how to keep emotional boundaries. I learned it in an organization, to be precise from my mentor in the organization, he used to teach me things, how to have a line between your professional and your personal life, which helped me in many different ways, particularly in my professional life, which made me enhance my communication, which helped me approach people, and which is an excellent tool to help in networking, and it also provided the data to build myself, and in addition to it, it helped me in a lot of ways, which keeps my emotions intact, when I am in the professional level, and in my personal level, it helps me analyze it, and go through it, and acknowledge my emotions, which is an important skill, or an important thing I learned throughout my life. These skills are helpful in a particular way, because they have been, there are many problems or conflicts I have faced in my life, but this skill or this thing enhanced me, go through it and overcome all the obstacles and all the things in my life.

    Band 6-7

    Well, there are so many things that we learn from educational institutes as well as from our parents and our idols. And there is one, the most prominent thing that I have learned is doing hard work in my life from my favorite singer whose name is Daljeet Dosanjh. He belonged to a very normal family but by burning midnight oil, he became one of the most popular celebrity in the world right now. And I have learned doing hard work from his work and also I have learned so many other type of things from him such as how to promote your culture and also how to respect other's culture. In addition to it, he always promotes respect to others and I have started doing the same thing.

    Band 6-7

    So, I learned writing when I started being creative with my words and when I started to look at the thought process of our own words and writing has helped me to convert and try to understand how we think. Writing is a great tool that we can use to think in a more deep manner and all the ancient people like the scientists and the philosophers of this universe and this world have always been great writers. With writing you are going deeper into the words and the abstraction of the words to incorporate different ideas and understand different things. So, I learned writing by being creative with it all. By simply putting a pen on the paper and starting to think with the aid of this pen and paper I was able to somehow magically create words on the paper. And this was a very mind-shifting experience for me because I have never been able to escape thinking with such elaboration and with deliberateness.

    Band 6-7

    The thing that I learnt in school in 8th standard was personal development via workshop. I was sitting in the workshop and the teacher told us how it is important to develop oneself not just physically but also mentally and emotionally. Once physical fitness is really important to fight diseases but also mentally and emotionally stability is important to not succumb into sadness and depression. Physical development is very important to improve in a social setting and also for oneself to know how they operate as a person. It is also however important to become a better version of oneself and to know where they are lacking. I was actually relieved to know at such an early age it is not just important to be physically fit but also mentally and emotionally.

    Band 6-7

    Okay, thank you a lot for this question. So, the thing that I learned was about prioritizing myself. When I was a little kid, it was always people in school and my family, my relatives, no one they gave importance to my point of view. So, it was a time when I realized that it's you who have to be the sound. It's you who have to take the serious for yourself because it's your life. And it was my mother who supported me. I was kind of a person who was an average student as well. Like I was shy, I was introvert and as nobody supported my views, I was a very shy kind of a person as well as in my schools to ask my doubts. I felt teacher would scold me or would be rude with me. So, it was a time when I was a lot very shy. Now, how it shaped my life is since then from class 8, I started indulging in all those things. I started anchoring. I gained the public speaking skills. Then, I started my academic graph. It rose and I became the topper and since then I am the topper of the classroom. So, even though now my family always takes my views before taking any kind of a decision and it makes me feel that yeah, it was a decision of myself to respect my own views and listen to my inner sound. So, that's why I think it was...

    Band 6-7

    The most important thing that I learned in school, the most important thing that I learned is teamwork. I participated in many hackathons and several competitions that taught me the importance of working together. It's not just about collaboration, but about clear and effective communication and coming to the same page as everyone in the team are. It provides great skills, not just for the specific program or competition, but to collaborate with others in future, be it a big company project or a get-together party. Collaboration teamwork plays a very crucial role in developing individual's personality. It gives us freedom to put our points forward and have a great idea about it, implementing it with the team members and working on to it additionally, adding your own perspectives and taking constructive feedback from others. Moreover, teamwork has played important role in my life as it taught me how great communication can solve any problem despite of any arguments and unclared perspectives that we keep in our mind. I was an introvert and being a part of teams made me realize that how an introvert can also be a part of great team.
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