Describe Something That Helps You Concentrate: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

What is it?
When do you do it?
How did you learn about it?
How does it help you concentrate?

6 unique answers with expert feedback

How often do you practice meditation?

I try to meditate daily, usually in the morning before starting my day. It helps me clear my mind and set a positive tone for the day ahead. Even if it's just for 10-15 minutes, I find it makes a significant difference in my focus and productivity.

What other techniques do you use to improve concentration?

Besides meditation, I also use techniques like the Pomodoro Technique, where I work for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break. This helps me maintain focus without feeling overwhelmed. I also limit distractions by turning off notifications on my phone.

Have you noticed any changes in your concentration over time?

Yes, definitely! Since I started practicing meditation and using concentration techniques, I've noticed a significant improvement in my ability to focus on tasks. I can now study for longer periods without getting distracted, which has positively impacted my academic performance.

Band 6-7

00:00

Concentrating on things is quite difficult but for me the game-changer was to introduce meditation into my day-to-day life. It changed the way how I have progressed into making myself better and to give my 100% focus on to a certain thing that I am doing at the present moment. Meditation is something that helps to bring out the best in you. It encourages the positive attitude towards a certain thing even if you believe that it is not possible. I like to do meditation 2 times a day in shorter durations in the morning as soon as I wake up and during the evening after a certain amount of workout. I feel so relaxed after doing meditation. It allows me to focus more on myself. It also has a lot of health benefits improving your cardiovascular system, respiratory system and many all. In India also many research which includes Ayurveda research especially has thousands of papers which have published the power of meditation. I was lucky to be introduced to this by my parents who are keen believer in meditating. It has not only helped them with their health but also they have overcome many of the problems that they were suffering due to their increasing age. For instance my mother is a diabetic person and she has successfully reduced her diabetic stances. It helps me to focus more, stay calm, stay in a positive mindset always.

Follow up questions

How did you first learn about meditation?

I first learned about meditation from my parents. They have always practiced it and shared its benefits with me. They encouraged me to try it out, and once I did, I realized how impactful it could be for my concentration and overall well-being.

What challenges did you face when starting meditation?

Initially, I found it hard to quiet my mind and stay focused during meditation. It took time to develop the habit and to learn techniques to manage distractions. However, with practice, I became more comfortable and started to enjoy the process.

Have you noticed any changes in your daily life since you started meditating?

Yes, since I started meditating, I've noticed significant improvements in my focus and stress levels. I feel more present in my daily activities and can handle challenges with a calmer mindset. It has positively influenced my productivity and relationships.

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.

Band 6-7

00:00

I usually do suffer with low concentration. Once in a while when I'm working I just have to lose focus and stop working and just procrastinate. This happens to me quite often and I've found a way to avoid this and I've come to terms with me just having to lose concentration. How I came about this has been through constant development and reiterations of how I change my habits. When I first noticed that I lose concentrate and focus that was because of the multiple distractions that I was exposed to. Having as low as distraction possible around you while you're working is crucial to maintaining concentration. I have found a way to eliminate the distractions in my life. One of the few of the major distractions would be my phone and the notifications, internet and everything that is boosting my concentration is lost because of the phone. I avoid using phone when I'm doing concentrated work and put it away, silence it. Apart from this I also meditate that helps me build focus. Before I begin my work I also note down points that I need to work upon so that I can make a performance as a checklist. As I get through each task it helps me stay motivated which also builds on my concentration. Apart from this workout and exercise is another thing that you should incorporate in your daily life that could really change the perspective of concentration and decrease procrastination on a day-to-day basis. When you're exhausted to consume content otherwise you would have more time to concentrate on the work. Concentration is really important and it should be built upon.

Follow up questions

What specific techniques do you use to meditate for better concentration?

I usually practice mindfulness meditation, focusing on my breath and clearing my mind. This helps me center my thoughts and reduces distractions. I try to meditate for at least 10 minutes before starting work, which prepares my mind for concentration.

How do you handle distractions when they arise during work?

When distractions occur, I take a short break to reset my mind. I might step away from my workspace or do a quick physical activity. This helps me regain focus when I return to my tasks. I also remind myself of my goals to stay motivated.

Can you share more about your checklist method for staying organized?

I create a checklist of tasks I need to accomplish before I start working. This helps me prioritize and stay on track. As I check off completed tasks, I feel a sense of achievement, which boosts my motivation and keeps my concentration sharp.

Band 6

00:00

Personal development, it is a kind of development in which a person develops or makes growth in their self. It is a way when a person can grow and make their life success in future. It also enhance their personality and personality and looks. Personal development is very much important in everyone's life. It also, a person those have high personality or have good personal development, they get more respect in the society. As personal development is all about individual's development in themselves, we all should develop something good on regular basis in ourselves. It will enhance our confidence and makes a man wise and good. So personal development, by developing one's personality, we can achieve our goal in our life. Also, we can also contribute to our nation and helps our family to grow up too. Thank you.

Follow up questions

What specific activities do you engage in for personal development?

I engage in various activities such as reading self-help books, attending workshops, and practicing mindfulness. These activities help me gain new perspectives and improve my skills, which ultimately contribute to my personal growth.

How do you measure the success of your personal development efforts?

I measure success through self-reflection and feedback from others. I set specific goals and track my progress over time. Achieving these goals and receiving positive feedback from friends and family indicate that I am on the right path.

Can personal development impact your career? How?

Absolutely! Personal development enhances my skills and confidence, making me more effective in my job. It helps me communicate better, take on leadership roles, and adapt to challenges, which can lead to career advancement and opportunities.

Band 6

00:00

Well, there is a technique named as the Pomodoro technique. This technique really helps me to concentrate because it is a studying technique because as we know majorly we are required to be focused and concentrated when we have to study or do things related to that. So this technique suggests that you should have 30 minutes and you should do your work with complete focus for about 25 minutes and after that a bell will ring and then you will have a five minutes break. And similarly, you will have four slots like this. So in this way, for two hours, you will have 25 minutes of work and five minutes of break. I recommend this technique to all of my friends. I learned this technique from YouTube and I really find it really impressive because it made me concentrate better, increased my focus and it really helped me to stay consistent. And after 25 minutes, when you have those five minutes for the break, you really feel that dopamine hit that I have done something for 25 minutes without any distraction. So it gives you that feeling of being more productive and this is how you can practice to concentrate for longer period of time. Gradually, you can increase this time of 25 minutes to 45 minutes and this is how this will help you increase your concentration.

Follow up questions

What other techniques do you use to improve your concentration?

In addition to the Pomodoro technique, I sometimes use mindfulness meditation. It helps clear my mind and enhances my focus. I also try to minimize distractions by keeping my study area organized and using apps that block distracting websites during study sessions.

How do you feel after completing a Pomodoro session?

After completing a Pomodoro session, I feel accomplished and energized. The short breaks help me recharge, and I often find myself more motivated to tackle the next session. It creates a sense of progress and productivity that keeps me engaged in my work.

Have you shared the Pomodoro technique with others? What was their feedback?

Yes, I've shared the Pomodoro technique with several friends. Most of them found it helpful, especially those who struggle with focus. They appreciated the structured approach and the idea of taking breaks, which made studying feel less overwhelming and more manageable.

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Band 6-7

Band 6

Nowadays, language learning has an important role in our world for business and all categories. It is most important one. So I think concentrating on the language learning help us to grab a good job in future. And also I decided to learn language fluency or language courses from LeapScholar so that I want to buy more plans for IELTS preparation courses in this LeapScholar basis. It will create or help me to succeed in my language fluency courses with a good marks and skills upgradation. This is the main problem which arises nowadays so I will concentrate it on more. Moreover, I also want to know pronunciation and grammar mistakes which frequently happens to me. This LeapScholar course will help me to rectify my errors and achieve it and make me fluent in English language.

Band 6