Describe your experience when you changed your school/college: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

Why did you change your school/college?
When was it?
Was that helpful?
What were the consequences after that?

17 unique answers with expert feedback

What challenges did you face when adapting to a new curriculum?

Initially, I struggled with the differences in the syllabus and teaching methods between ICSC and CBSE. Subjects like Mathematics and Science had different approaches, which required me to adjust my study habits. However, with time and support from teachers and classmates, I managed to overcome these challenges.

How did you make new friends in your new school?

I made new friends by participating in group activities and joining clubs. I was open to meeting new people and often initiated conversations. Sharing experiences and working together on projects helped me bond with my classmates, and soon I had a close-knit group of friends.

What was the most memorable moment from your new school experience?

One of the most memorable moments was when I received my 12th-grade results. I had worked hard to adapt to the new curriculum, and seeing my good grades was a huge relief and a proud moment for me. It felt like all my efforts had paid off, and I celebrated with my friends and family.

Band 6-7

00:00

Hello, so earlier in my school days when I was in 4th grade, I was studying in Jaisingpur Course School and lot of teachers were leaving the school which was impacting on the students resources like study classes and everything and so my parents decided to shift me into a different school and then I landed up into the Poddar International School. So after coming to the new school, I made new friends which were very friendly and very helpful, they all accommodated me among themselves, the teachers were super nice, they helped me get adapt to the new environment and there were many activities like horse riding which were not in my earlier school, there were more extracurricular and co-curricular activities which were conducted and I actively participated in those activities which helped me build my personality. So overall the decision of changing the school was very fruitful in my life which helped me make more good friends and develop myself as a person in different aspects of life. And later on I also completed my 10th grade and passed out into flying colours from my school and took an admission into a college.

Follow up questions

What challenges did you face when you first joined the new school?

Initially, I felt a bit nervous and out of place in the new environment. It took time to adjust to new teachers and classmates. However, the welcoming nature of my peers and the support from teachers made the transition smoother.

How did your new school differ from your previous one?

The new school had a more diverse range of extracurricular activities, like horse riding and various clubs. The teaching methods were also more engaging, and there was a stronger emphasis on personal development and teamwork.

In what ways did changing schools impact your academic performance?

Changing schools positively impacted my academic performance. The supportive environment and additional resources helped me focus better on my studies, leading to improved grades and a more enjoyable learning experience.

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

When I was in my first grade, my mother was shifting to Bangalore. I was accompanying her in her trip to Bangalore, which was destined to be a long period. Hence, we shifted after my final exams were over. I was then taken to a school called Innisfree, where I was expected to sit for a test. This was a completely new experience for me, from traveling from the northern region of India to the southern region. The Bengaluru is the capital city of Karnataka and lies in the southern part of India. As experience of my test is vividly still in my memory, I was asked to write about my father. I had practiced quite a lot with my mother about a variety of subjects for the preparation of composition writing. And out of the blue moon, a topic came up for which I was not prepared. However, I did write well according to principal ma'am who talked about the paper later during the meeting. This was a very helpful experience for me as I learned that I should be reading more and more books and writing more compositions because it would help me express my thoughts explicitly. I was selected for the grade 2 level. I found myself in a very fortunate position as there had been several other students who

Follow up questions

How did you feel about moving to a new city and school?

Initially, I felt nervous and anxious about moving to a new city and school. However, I was also excited to meet new friends and experience a different culture. Over time, I adapted to my new environment and began to enjoy my time in Bangalore.

What challenges did you face when adjusting to the new school?

One of the main challenges was adapting to a different curriculum and teaching style. Additionally, I had to make new friends and fit in with my classmates, which was a bit daunting at first. However, I gradually overcame these challenges with time and support.

How did your experience in the new school influence your studies?

My experience in the new school motivated me to improve my writing and reading skills. I realized the importance of being well-prepared and confident in expressing my thoughts. This led me to develop a habit of reading more books and practicing writing regularly.

Band 6-7

00:00

I changed my school when I was really small. I used to go to a school situated in Aliganj. It was near my father's place as we used to live in the campus of my father's working place. Then I changed school since we got a house constructed nearby in the same city, but the school and the house were located at a long distance. So my father decided that it was way better for us to go and change schools since there was some commotion and the school there had a lot of strength and they were not focusing on a single child alone. So we changed schools. I was in 4th grade when I changed schools. From being in a school that had a strength of 40 in a class to getting into a private school that had a strength of 28-30 students in a class and everybody was given personal attention to monitor their growth, their speaking skills, their attitude change, their personality development. Firstly, the school that I changed to gave me an experience that I am still grateful for. I never thought that I will be the person I am right now because of my school. It was a very exciting feeling for me to go change schools and get into a school that has air conditions in the classrooms and it made me wonder as to how lucky I am to have parents like mine. The major consequences that I faced during that school was when I was in the school till 3rd grade, there was no hard and fast rule to use English as the only language. When I changed here, I had to be fluent in English and the conversations happening were only in English. So there was some difficulty.

Follow up questions

How did you feel about changing schools at such a young age?

At first, I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. I was eager to experience a new environment but also worried about making new friends and adapting to a different teaching style. However, the positive atmosphere of the new school quickly made me feel comfortable.

What were some challenges you faced in your new school?

One of the biggest challenges was the language barrier. I had to quickly adapt to speaking only in English, which was difficult since I was used to speaking in my native language. Additionally, adjusting to the new teaching methods and making new friends took some time.

What positive changes did you notice after changing schools?

After changing schools, I noticed significant improvements in my confidence and communication skills. The smaller class size allowed for more personalized attention from teachers, which helped me develop my speaking abilities and overall personality. I felt more engaged and motivated to learn.

Band 6-7

00:00

So, after my 10th standard, to pursue higher education, that is 11th and 12th, I changed my school from Nagarjuna Vidyaniketan to MES Kishore Kendra, that is in Malaysia. The change was, and I had to change my school because my previous school, I had to change institutions because my previous school did not have 11th and 12th. And so, to take up BCMBA and take my education forward, I changed from there to MES Kishore Kendra. It was, I had been studying in my previous school for almost 13 years. And so, when I finally moved to a different institution, it was quite a unique and new experience for me as I had to make new friends, talk to many people and get adjusted to the new culture of the BU college that I was in. It was quite an experience. Initially, I found it very challenging having been in the same school for a very long time. However, eventually I found my group and after that, we got through the two years there seamlessly. This change of school really helped me focus on my studies, which was quite essential for 11th and 12th. And so, I believe that was a wise choice for me to move to a different institution that is more.

Follow up questions

What challenges did you face when adjusting to the new school?

Initially, I struggled with making new friends and adapting to the different teaching styles and culture. It was overwhelming to be in a new environment after being in the same school for so long. However, I gradually adjusted and found my group, which made the transition easier.

How did your new school differ from your previous one?

MES Kishore Kendra had a more diverse student body and different extracurricular activities. The teaching methods were also different, which required me to adapt quickly. The overall environment was more competitive, which motivated me to focus more on my studies.

What advice would you give to someone changing schools?

I would advise them to stay open-minded and be proactive in making new friends. It's important to participate in activities and engage with classmates to ease the transition. Also, focusing on studies and setting clear goals can help make the change more rewarding.

Show all 17 answers

Cue 1:Why did you change your school/college?

Explain the reasons for your decision to change, such as seeking better opportunities or a different environment.
Mention any specific issues you faced at your previous school/college that influenced your choice.

Example

I decided to change my college because I was looking for a program that offered better specialization in my field of interest, which is computer science. My previous college had limited resources and outdated curriculum, which made it difficult for me to learn the latest technologies.

Cue 2:When was it?

Provide a clear timeline of when you made the change, including the year and semester if applicable.
Mention any significant events or feelings you experienced during this transition.

Example

I changed my college in the summer of 2022, just before the new academic year began. It was a big decision for me, and I felt a mix of excitement and anxiety about starting fresh in a new environment.

Cue 3:Was that helpful?

Discuss how the change impacted your academic and personal growth.
Share specific examples of improvements you noticed after the transition.

Example

Yes, changing my college was incredibly helpful. I found a more engaging curriculum and access to modern labs and resources. My grades improved significantly, and I felt more motivated to learn. I also made new friends who shared my interests.

Cue 4:What were the consequences after that?

Reflect on the long-term effects of your decision to change schools/colleges.
Consider both positive and negative consequences, if any.

Example

The consequences of changing my college were mostly positive. I gained valuable skills and knowledge that helped me secure an internship. However, I did miss some of my old friends initially, but I quickly adapted and built a new social circle.

Conclusion

Example

In conclusion, changing my college was a pivotal moment in my life. It opened up new opportunities for me academically and personally. I believe that sometimes, taking a bold step like this can lead to significant growth and success.

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

Providing vague or unclear answers can make it difficult for the examiner to understand your experience. This can lead to lower scores in fluency and coherence.