Talk about a thing you complained about something (but finally got a good result): IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

What did you complain about?
Who you complained to?
When it happened?
What was the result and why you were satisfied with the result?

15 unique answers with expert feedback

How do you usually handle disagreements with family members?

I try to express my feelings calmly and listen to their perspective. It's important to communicate openly and find a compromise that respects both sides.

Have you ever regretted not listening to someone's advice?

Yes, there have been times when I didn't take advice from friends or family and later realized they were right. It taught me to be more open-minded and consider their opinions.

What role do you think fashion plays in self-expression?

Fashion is a powerful way to express individuality and personality. It allows people to showcase their creativity and can influence how others perceive them.

Band 6-7

00:00

I had a complaint regarding my physics teacher because I usually don't understand physics I hate the subject of physics I complained this to my parents that I couldn't score more marks because I feel the physics subject is very tough but they said that no if you work hard you can really get it and at last during my public exams compared to all other subjects I have scored well only in physics subject that is because of the bonding which I have with the teacher in the last one month she used to convey me all that she used to clear all the concepts she was not thorough I had I got the help from my friends also that was really helpful to me and I should thank my friends for helping me

Follow up questions

How did your teacher help you improve in physics?

My teacher took extra time to explain the concepts in a way that made sense to me. She used different teaching methods and provided additional resources, which helped me grasp the subject better. Her patience and dedication made a significant difference in my understanding.

What role did your friends play in your improvement?

My friends were instrumental in my improvement. They formed study groups with me, where we discussed difficult topics and solved problems together. Their support and different perspectives on the subject made learning more enjoyable and less intimidating.

What advice would you give to someone struggling with a subject?

I would advise them to communicate their struggles to someone they trust, like a teacher or a parent. It's important to seek help and not be afraid to ask questions. Additionally, forming study groups can be very beneficial, as learning with peers can make challenging subjects easier.

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

Back in my school when I was younger, my school organized a camp in which the military training was to be given. Me and my other friends were actively participant in this camp. When we reached the camp, we noticed that our rooms were very dingy and they were not clean enough. Although it was our military drill to clean the rooms ourselves, so we happily organized them. After a while, when we got our lunch and we ate happily, we tried to use the washrooms of that dorm. Sadly, to our disappointment, the washrooms weren't clean at all. Those washrooms were infested with insects, the taps were leaking, and the floor was muddy. Our friends and us, as our rooms were to the close vicinity of the washroom, couldn't survive the smell or the odor of that washroom. After the first day drill, we complained about the dirty washrooms that were bothering us all day. We, as a student, formed a union and sat outside the designated officer's office. As a result, we all wrote a letter and we got it signed from a higher official of that district. The result was that the washrooms were cleaned within 3 days and all the candidates were very happy as we were facing a lot of difficulty. We all were highly satisfied as it was our first batch that rebelled against this problem and got it solved. All in all, I think that it is basic awareness to complain about this issue and we should raise voices whenever we get a chance.

Follow up questions

How did your experience of complaining affect your relationship with your friends?

Complaining together strengthened our bond as we united for a common cause. It made us feel empowered and closer, knowing we could stand up for our rights and support each other in addressing issues that affected us.

What do you think is the importance of voicing complaints in a group?

Voicing complaints in a group amplifies our concerns and shows that the issue affects many people. It creates a sense of solidarity and can lead to quicker resolutions, as authorities take collective complaints more seriously than individual ones.

Have you ever faced a situation where complaining did not lead to a positive outcome?

Yes, there have been instances where complaints were ignored or dismissed. It was frustrating, but it taught me the importance of persistence and finding the right channels to address issues effectively.

Band 6-7

00:00

Three years back, I was a bit of skeptical about attending Bible classes in my church. They offered various programs related to Bible convention and moreover they offered youngsters with loads of opportunity to attend classes related to various chapters in the Bible. But I was little, as I said, skeptical, dubious about should I attend the classes because I complained about this to my mother because I never felt it would kind of rejuvenate me in the future. But with a half-minded manner, I attended the classes and it turned out to be so reconstructive for me because those Bible classes fostered various creative and inquisitive skills in me which I never imagined would create such a great effect in me. I never really believed that classes would be held in such a manner which would align with our schedules of our classes in college. I got to experience a whole lot of peaceful atmosphere.

Follow up questions

What specific skills did you develop from attending the Bible classes?

I developed my creative thinking and critical analysis skills. The discussions encouraged me to think deeply about various topics and express my thoughts clearly. Additionally, I learned to appreciate different perspectives, which has helped me in my studies and personal life.

How did your mother react to your initial skepticism about the classes?

My mother was very supportive. She encouraged me to give it a try, reminding me that sometimes new experiences can lead to unexpected benefits. Her belief in the value of the classes helped me overcome my doubts and ultimately attend them.

Would you recommend Bible classes to others? Why or why not?

Absolutely! I would recommend them because they not only provide spiritual growth but also foster personal development. The environment is welcoming, and the skills learned can be applied in various aspects of life, making it a worthwhile experience for anyone.

Band 6-7

00:00

After my placement to a company from my college, I was placed with a company named Forvia. They had their thing called employment bond for two and a half years and I complained the human resource department of that company for it because the bond was mentioned that we cannot leave the company until and unless we have completed 2.5 years there or else we have to pay a bond amount of 2.5 lakhs. I think it is quite big and this happened just after my college and it was really new experience for me to have employment bond and that's why I was complaining it to them that the young people should get more opportunity to look for different opportunities in the various sectors so you cannot offer us bond of 2.5 years. But yeah at last I think that it was really helpful for me over the period of 2.5 years I studied a lot of different things, we had multiple trainings related to various softwares like CATIA and SOLIDWORKS also. I learned related to the design of the automotive car interiors, not only the design but also how production of the automotive vehicle takes place so it was really great experience. So I think it was for better future of young generation so that they will get to know more things in 2.5 years so that was a good thing about it.

Follow up questions

What specific skills did you gain during your time at Forvia?

During my time at Forvia, I gained valuable skills in software like CATIA and SOLIDWORKS. I also learned about automotive design and production processes, which enhanced my understanding of the industry and prepared me for future opportunities.

How did your complaint about the employment bond impact your relationship with the company?

Initially, I was worried that my complaint might create tension, but it actually opened up a dialogue with HR. They appreciated my feedback and explained the rationale behind the bond, which helped me understand their perspective and improved my relationship with them.

Would you recommend a similar employment bond to other companies?

I think employment bonds can be beneficial if they are structured to support employee development. However, companies should ensure they offer sufficient training and growth opportunities to justify such commitments, especially for fresh graduates.

Show all 15 answers

Cue 1:What did you complain about?

Clearly state the issue you faced and why it was important to you.
Provide some context about how this issue affected you personally.

Example

I complained about the poor quality of service at my local grocery store. I often found expired products on the shelves, which not only wasted my time but also raised concerns about food safety.

Cue 2:Who you complained to?

Mention the person or organization you approached to voice your complaint.
Explain why you chose to complain to this particular person or entity.

Example

I decided to speak to the store manager directly. I felt it was important to address the issue with someone who had the authority to make changes and improve the situation.

Cue 3:When it happened?

Provide a specific timeframe for when you made the complaint.
Mention any relevant details about the circumstances surrounding the complaint.

Example

This happened about two months ago, during my regular shopping trip on a Saturday afternoon. I had just discovered another expired item, which prompted me to take action.

Cue 4:What was the result and why you were satisfied with the result?

Describe the outcome of your complaint and any actions taken by the store.
Explain why this result was satisfying and how it positively impacted your shopping experience.

Example

After I raised my concerns, the manager was very receptive and promised to improve their stock checks. A week later, I noticed that they had implemented a new system for checking expiration dates. I was satisfied because it showed that my complaint was taken seriously, and I felt more confident shopping there.

Conclusion

Example

In conclusion, complaining can sometimes lead to positive changes. My experience taught me that voicing concerns can not only help improve services but also enhance my own experience as a customer.

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 unclear answers. Being too general can make your response less engaging and informative, which may lead to a lower score.

Tip

Provide specific details about your complaint, including what it was about and the context, to make your answer more compelling.

2: Lack of Structure

Failing to organize your response can confuse the listener. A disorganized answer may skip important points or lack coherence.

Tip

Follow the cue prompts in order, addressing each one clearly to create a logical flow in your response.

Neglecting Emotions

Not expressing your feelings about the situation can make your answer less relatable. Emotions help to engage the listener and add depth to your story.

Tip

Share how you felt during the complaint process and why the final result made you satisfied to enhance your narrative.