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Describe Something You Do That Can Help You Concentrate On Work/Study: 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?
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40 unique answers with expert feedback

Show all 40 answers

Cue 1:What is it?

  • Clearly state the activity you do to help you concentrate, such as meditation, listening to music, or taking short breaks.
  • Provide a brief explanation of what this activity involves.

Example

One activity that helps me concentrate on my studies is listening to instrumental music. I usually choose soft piano or nature sounds, which create a calming atmosphere that allows me to focus better.

Cue 2:When do you do it?

  • Mention specific times when you engage in this activity, such as during study sessions or while working on assignments.
  • Explain how often you incorporate this activity into your routine.

Example

I typically listen to music while studying in the evenings, especially when I have a lot of material to cover. I make it a point to do this every day, as it has become an essential part of my study routine.

Cue 3:How did you learn about it?

  • Share how you discovered this activity, whether through friends, online resources, or personal experimentation.
  • Mention any specific experiences that led you to adopt this method.

Example

I learned about the benefits of listening to music for concentration from a friend who is also a student. She recommended it to me during our study sessions, and I decided to give it a try. After a few days, I noticed a significant improvement in my focus.

Cue 4:How does it help you concentrate?

  • Explain the specific ways this activity enhances your concentration, such as reducing distractions or creating a positive mood.
  • Provide personal insights on how it affects your productivity.

Example

Listening to instrumental music helps me block out distractions from my surroundings, like noise from family members or traffic outside. It creates a peaceful environment that allows me to immerse myself in my studies, ultimately boosting my productivity and retention of information.

Conclusion

    Example

    In conclusion, listening to instrumental music has become a vital part of my study routine. It not only helps me concentrate better but also makes the studying process more enjoyable. I believe that finding the right method to enhance focus is essential for anyone looking to improve their academic performance.

    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 Descriptions

    Using unclear or general terms can confuse the examiner. It's important to provide specific details about the activity to make your answer more engaging and informative.

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    Tip

    Use clear examples and specific details when describing the activity. Explain what it is and how it works in your routine.

    2: Lack of Personal Connection

    Failing to connect the activity to your personal experience can make your response less relatable. The examiner wants to hear your unique perspective.

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    Tip

    Share a personal story or experience related to the activity. Explain how you discovered it and why it matters to you.

    Ignoring the Cues

    Not addressing all the cue prompts can lead to an incomplete answer. Each cue is designed to guide your response and showcase your speaking skills.

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    Tip

    Make sure to answer all the cues provided. Structure your response to cover each point clearly and logically.

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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 6-7

    Something that I do that can help me to concentrate on my work is a proper meditation routine as each and every morning before starting my day I perform a meditation for at least 10 minutes. Generally I prefer doing meditation in my bedroom's balcony but often I choose garden or any such places which belongs to nature. Meditation helps me to remain calm, focused and as well as relaxed in my entire day. Even if there is a lot of pressure on me, it helps me to get focused and feel relaxed while working. Performing a meditation for at least 10 minutes is a very simple task. You just have to close your eyes, sit down, take 3 deep breaths and then you just have to focus on your inner strength, your core strength. And just forget about whatever is happening beside you. That will help you feel so calm and so relaxed. You will feel like you have been relieved from all the stress you had. I remember it learning from a yoga teacher when I was 20 years old. I went to yoga classes and I had a very bad day regarding studies and all. It was too much for me. I was very concerned with it. So I asked my teacher what to do about it and she said that try meditation. So she taught me how to meditate and from there I have started doing it each and every morning and it is helping me really a lot.

    Band 6-7

    Yeah, so whenever I work or whenever I study, so I give more importance to how I am able to work or study because concentrating and studying for five minutes is better than studying for the sake of it for like half an hour and all. So what I do to concentrate on work is that I usually go into my room and I mean my room is like my personal space. It is pretty quiet there. So I will not experience any lack of concentration there. And so I got to know this through my teacher, one of my teachers actually during my initial years of schooling, she had taught me that when if there is a lot of disturbance around us, we will be probably responding to that disturbances rather than concentrating. So I probably also feel there is one more way that I can I do is that taking short breaks between each between few sessions of work or study. For example, if I am if I am able to sit and study for two hours, I'll make sure I will take a break of 15 minutes or 15 to 20 minutes after that. So this will probably help me in I mean, in help me in motivating to utilize correctly those two hours session because I will because my human mind works in such a way that, okay, there is break coming after this. So let me finish up to a certain point and yeah, you will usually feel satisfied.

    Band 6-7

    For me, what helps me concentrate on work is motivational videos. I actually watch motivational videos of Manali Khan, who is an Islamic preacher. He tells what Islam is and he actually educates us on what is Islam and what is actually true Islam. This actually motivates me in my daily life. Through motivational videos, I prepare myself to let myself concentrate on things. Azan, get up.

    Band 6-7

    Well, concentrating on work and study, for this I do many things daily so that I can particularly concentrate on the given task of the day. All this started when I was in my 11th class and I did not have the mood to study for exams and I was very lazy, I couldn't wake up on time for college, my mom was scolding me every time. But to overcome this, I watched a YouTube video by Tyrant Lannister where he explained me how to overcome laziness and concentrate on my work or studies. In that, he explained me about doing meditation for 10 minutes a day and taking at least 4 liters of water would help me to overcome laziness. It took around 2-3 months to have a good practice of this and it really worked out for me. But I couldn't see that impacted me to concentrate on my studies, but it just helped me in overcoming laziness. So, I even scrolled few more videos and there was one video by Robert Baratheon, he explained me about how to particularly concentrate on a topic that I choose for the day and he explained me how to be disciplined, how to be consistent, he even said that 5 am is the best time to wake up and concentrate on work and with lot of struggle, I think I practiced it for 21 days and it really worked out for me and I am still happy that I could overcome my laziness and do the work I wanted. I am thankful to these two YouTube stars who helped me in developing all this work day by day and I would recommend for people also who are lazy to...

    Band 6-7

    A thing that I do when I cannot concentrate on my study and work, I just stop studying and start listening to music because it helps me soothe and I find myself at peace when I listen to music and it is great listening to slow music because it soothes my mood and also I am able to distract my concentration from my studies for few hours and again I start studying and I feel more energized after listening to music. I researched it on YouTube and many people find it beneficial to take a break from study and listen to music and it also helps to increase the concentration, additionally I practice it since my childhood when I had examinations and during exams I listened to music when I woke up in the morning and it helped me a lot and reduced my tension during examinations and moreover I am fascinated about music a lot and it helps me to regain my concentration again and therefore it is beneficial for everyone and I think everyone should try it.

    Band 6-7

    As someone who has a problem with anxiety whenever some of the important assignment is due or whenever the exam is coming, I have a lot of anxiety at that period and at that time I lack a bit of concentration. So I have learnt this technique of breathing. It's a technique of yoga known as pranayama. I learnt this technique surprisingly from a movie. I watched Hasi to Fasi where the protagonist lady also had similar problem like me. So what the technique is basically is to take a deep breath twice, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale and at the end of it exhale again. It helps me to calm down and it reduced my anxiety in a significant amount. I also had a great result of this technique as I have scored well in my exams and it helps me to concentrate at my work very well. As someone who comes from psychology background, it is quite easy for me to learn and understand this technique. And whenever I feel in a stressed out situation, I use this technique.

    Band 6-7

    When I was a studying student, usually I would get bored or lose my concentration while studying. So, I come up with a solution to leave my studying place, go drink some water, walk around, talk to my mother or my brother, get some refreshment and then I continue my studying. I learnt that because concentrating and studying for a long time might not be a good idea. It might lead to a lot of tension later on. So, all you need to do is unwind for a little bit and then you can carry on with your work. So, I learnt that trick on my own. I usually do it now also when I am working. If I have a tight work schedule or calls back to back, I take some time off, get rid of the computer, go out, take some fresh air and come back and continue with my work.

    Band 6-7

    Something I do whenever I need to concentrate on my studies would be eating walnuts and watching some videos like some YouTube videos with an educational content that helps me to motivate and concentrate on my studies. Well, moreover I heard from some random people discussing about the tricks and tips to concentrate on your studies or how to improve your thinking skills and memory. And besides I watch some tips in the internet whenever I was scrolling social media content I used to watch some tips like eating walnuts or soaked almonds every day in the morning on an empty stomach and this would help you to increase your memory power and increase your thinking skills and helps you to concentrate more on your studies or its work. It helps me in different ways like whenever I feel like there is some important work or there are some important exams I need to attempt so at that time a few days before the exam or work I start watching some motivational videos or following some remedies like I have said before that definitely helps me to improve myself on hard working and makes me a better person to work hard. Yeah, that's how it works.

    Band 6-7

    Concentration is very important when we think about study or work. In order to keep concentration on study or work, we have to keep ourselves in a way that we can achieve the task. Especially, I used to prepare the working area very neat and clean and tidy so that I may feel to be there and enjoy in my work. The file management, light and temperature system affect our mood. I used to keep my office neat and clean and air-conditioned. If we are not comfortable, we cannot work comfortably. So, I used to make my office in a way that I would like to be there relaxing and concentrating on the work. Furthermore, I prepare the room in a way that unwanted interference will not take place in my workplace. So that I may able to continue my work and I may finish it on time. Many times, because of the outside interference, we may not be able to complete the work on time. So, in order to avoid such kind of disturbance, it is better to keep our work air-conditioned.

    Band 6-7

    Yeah, I do regular yoga and meditation which help me improve my concentration. I started doing it around four years back regularly and that really helps. One more thing I do is to write down whenever I read something, the important points that helps me understand better and improve my concentration. And other than that I don't have anything else to say. I have to speak for two minutes on that. Also reading long paragraphs helps in concentration. Regular reading habit is very good. Reading in general topics helps your vocabulary and also improves your speed of reading and that also helps in improving your concentration.
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