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Describe an occasion when someone gave you positive advice or suggestions about your work/study: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • Who is the person?
  • What he/she said?
  • How the advice/suggestion affected you?
  • And explain how you felt about the advice/suggestions.
Show all 161 answers

Cue 1:Who is the person?

  • Introduce the person who gave you the advice, mentioning their relationship to you, such as a teacher, mentor, or friend.
  • Provide some context about their background or expertise that makes their advice valuable.

Example

The person who gave me positive advice was my college professor, Dr. Sharma. He was not only my mentor but also an expert in the field of environmental science, which is my area of study.

Cue 2:What he/she said?

  • Summarize the key points of the advice or suggestions they provided.
  • Make sure to include specific phrases or ideas that stood out to you.

Example

Dr. Sharma suggested that I focus on practical projects to enhance my understanding of theoretical concepts. He said, 'Real-world experience will make your resume stand out and deepen your knowledge.'

Cue 3:How the advice/suggestion affected you?

  • Explain how you implemented the advice in your work or studies.
  • Discuss any changes in your approach or mindset as a result of the advice.

Example

After his suggestion, I started participating in various environmental projects and internships. This hands-on experience helped me grasp complex theories better and boosted my confidence in my abilities.

Cue 4:And explain how you felt about the advice/suggestions.

  • Share your feelings about receiving the advice and how it impacted your relationship with the person.
  • Reflect on the long-term benefits of the advice on your personal and professional growth.

Example

I felt grateful and inspired by Dr. Sharma's advice. It strengthened my respect for him and motivated me to pursue my studies with more passion. I realized that good guidance can truly shape one's career.

Conclusion

    Example

    In conclusion, receiving positive advice from Dr. Sharma not only improved my academic performance but also instilled a sense of direction in my career. It reminded me of the importance of seeking guidance and learning from experienced individuals.

    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 advice received can weaken your response. Specific details help illustrate the impact of the advice and make your answer more engaging.

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    Tip

    Include specific examples of what the person said and how it directly influenced your work or study.

    2: Ignoring Personal Feelings

    Failing to express your feelings about the advice can make your response less personal. Sharing your emotions adds depth to your answer.

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    Tip

    Describe how the advice made you feel, whether it was motivated, inspired, or relieved.

    Overly Complex Language

    Using complicated vocabulary or structures can confuse the listener. Clarity is key in speaking tasks, especially for non-native speakers.

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    Tip

    Use simple and clear language to convey your thoughts effectively, ensuring your message is understood.

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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 7

    There were many occasions in my life when someone gave me advice but the most important and popular advice in my life was given to me by my maths teacher whose name was Arvind. So he gave me a positive advice that is to do more practice on notebook than just revising as I was just going through revising in my early days. This advice was given to me when I was in my 10th standard preparing for boards exam via my maths teacher. I think he gave me advice because I was hardworking or he saw some kind of talent in me that I was really going to do something big in future. After receiving advice from him, I deliberately focused all my strength and time on practicing more and more questions than just revising it and the result was very nice as I topped in my maths exam and got district rank 6 only with the help of my maths teacher. So I am very grateful to him and I felt very happy as I topped the exam and without my maths teacher I think I couldn't do anything in my life because maths is the subject in which I am dominant right now and I am trying to do many various things in future in mathematics field. So I think that my maths teacher has a very big role in my life because without his advice I couldn't do anything that I am doing now and without him I couldn't stand where I am standing right now. So I think that he is the biggest supporter of my life and also I saw him like my big brother and I think that he is the most important person in my life.

    Band 7

    So yes, I do remember one of the most beautiful and interesting advice that I received from one of my closest friends and an Instagram influencer as well, which says that you should only focus on your duty and not on the results which come from it. You should be in the present moment and not think much about what the results could be, how it could go wrong and how it could go right and rather more focus on the work itself, how you can do it rather than what it can go or how it can go. So that really impacted me a lot and since then I have applied this advice in my daily life. I have felt more productive, focused and happy. I have started to be in that meditative state that when I am doing my work or study, I am just at so much peace and I don't know what the time is, I don't know how it is going elsewhere in the world and I am purely focused in the work that I do and I enjoy that process rather than having that anxiety for the future and the results and what I am doing right or wrong, I have just started to be more at peace with myself and my work and started enjoying it a lot. Thank you.

    Band 7

    The most important advice shared by my father related to my work was that I should always remain constant and true to what my duties are regardless of how hard or how challenging the situation may become. This advice not only affected my mindset while working but also helped me to remain positive and sane during my challenging work hours or situations that may be a little serious in terms of handling them. As I work in a people-centric industry, my father's advice helped me to keep myself connected with the people to understand the problems that my team is going through and also to support them throughout their challenge and work. This positive advice has not only affected and shaped my career, my work perspective but also assists me while learning a new thing, whether it's related to my field or something that I want to learn just for as a hobby. His advice from him made me feel really nice, helped me gain a lot of confidence and also helped me to have a clear mindset which will not be able to make me a more confused person. His guidance and his advice really worked and is always helpful.

    Band 7

    It's been ages that I left my studies but something just came up in my mind and I thought of giving an exam which is basically teaching exams that you have to give in order to be able to become a teacher. So I told this aspiration of mine to my husband and he was quite supportive and he told me I must definitely give it a try and chase my dreams. So I just opted for this exam and started preparing and I actually passed the exam with colourful marks and my husband was really supportive and he motivated me further to pursue my career in teaching. So I'm really glad that it happened. I don't know what struck in my mind and how this thought came to my mind of starting my career all over again because after my daughter was born I actually thought that this is the end of my career and I can no longer pursue my professional life and this is the life I need to carry on with and move on with but I'm so thankful to my husband that he encouraged me, motivated me and now I am actually a professional teacher. I am teaching in a very reputed institute. It is an inter-college and I teach English in that college and I'm so glad that I actually chased my dream and never looked down on myself and I had lovely people around me who motivated me and I am so fortunate and I've...

    Band 7

    I am a veterinarian and it was during my internship that I had met Dr. Rajinikanth Sir. He had played a very important role in me becoming a veterinarian. So it was I think day 5 or 6 that I started in his center. We had a case in which we had done treatment. Even though it was just a treatment, after a while Dr. Rajinikanth did call me to his office and said that, what made you think that treating this is the proper way? I said, well, it was a very sure shot diagnosis because it had a set of symptoms that was very indicative, very clear, indicative of a disease. He said that, yes, even though it is a very clear and indicative disease, that doesn't mean that you should investigate further. But it was the first time that anyone, not even my teachers back in college, had ever seen this. He had started to say that, always listen to what the client is saying. Always observe the patient when he is brought, not when he is put up on the table for examination. You need to keep your eyes on the patient at all times. Always rely on your hands, always rely on equipment, even if it is a very basic equipment like a stethoscope. And always, when communicating with the clients, try to put yourself in their hands, in their place. Always ask yes or no questions, be specific. Ask detailed questions because you might be knowing the technical know-how, the disease and you might think in a certain way, but the client might not know all of this. And from the day, from the very next day onwards, I had started to implement all of this and right now I can pretty much say that I am a better veterinarian than I was when I was working with him during my internship. And it in turn has also helped me.

    Band 7

    The advice was given to me about studying by my maternal uncle after I finished my 10th board exams. He said that while you choose which stream you want to take, whether humanities or the sciences, remember you should take up something that interests you. He said that interest is the thing that will take you along, will take you far because you will have to read voracious amount of the same stuff day in and day out. If you are not interested in something, you can't excel. And that advice I have followed throughout my career. I choose something, I choose, I choose a job depending upon my interest. When I'm interested in the job, I am able to excel. Excellence comes from your ability to like what you are doing. And I take that advice along in every step of my life, whether education or work.

    Band 7

    Okay, so it was my professor who taught me in college who actually advised me to consider taking my masters instead of continuing with my job. The moment I passed out from my college, he asked me to consider higher studies instead of going to work. But at that point of time, I was more focused or I was more interested in earning or being more independent in life and my priorities were different. Moreover, I was really excited or I was really excited at the concept of having a job myself. I've seen grown-ups make their own money, live their life like how they wanted it to be and things like that. So I've always felt that getting a job was the ultimate aim of my life at that point. But then when I started working and I reached a certain point, that's when I actually realized that it is high time I actually pursue my higher studies. And I felt that it was because my tutor had already seen the potential inside me that he advised me about this earlier, even though I was a little late to take the advice. I understood that it was what I actually wanted to do in my life. I needed a more technical, a more exposure in the academic side. I was more into studies. I like to learn new things. It was something that helped me to resign my job and continue.

    Band 7

    One occasion I clearly remember was when I was just starting my freelance journey. As a virtual assistant, I focused only one completing task quickly, but not thinking about communication and client relationship. One of my clients gave me advice to improve the communication. He said, Taslim, don't focus only on how much labours is left, instead break it down into daily goals. Focus on consistency, not perfection. That advice really helped me. I started planning small achievable tasks for each day instead of worrying about the full labours.

    Band 7

    Now, when I was in my 9th standard, I was just an ordinary student. Maths was something that I disliked. At that time, my mathematics teacher encouraged me to keep practicing. He taught me a famous proverb that says, practice makes a man perfect. This helped me to keep striving towards my goal, to basically do my best. He not only encouraged me, but also encouraged my parents and gave us hope, stating that by the time I would come to my boards, I would flourish in my exams. And that's exactly what had happened. I kept striving towards my achievement. Initially, I found it tough, but under the guidance of my mathematics teacher, whose name is Mr. Arun, a brilliant teacher and a good support, under his guidance, I was able to clear my exams successfully. I still stay in touch with him, since he has always been a very big support to me at a very crucial point of my life and has been often encouraging me.

    Band 7

    The person who gave me great advice about my studies was my mother. She is an obstetrician herself. As a result, she understands what struggles a medical student goes through. Moreover, she understands how mental health is affected in the struggles. I remember her telling me that there are some methods of studying you should try out. For instance, Pomodoro method. This method basically consists of setting a target for 4 hours and taking breaks after every hour. So you know that you can at least focus for an hour without disturbing yourself. And you can have 15 minutes of break time guilt-free. Because you know that you have studied for an hour perfectly. My mother has been a great inspiration for me. Obviously, because I look up to her. I want to be like her. And every decision I have taken has always been affected by her. I always make sure that I receive advice and implement it in my life. She has been a great role model for me. I love her personally.
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