Describe a subject you used to dislike but now have interest in 

In the IELTS Speaking section, one of the most common question types is the Cue Card Speaking prompt. The IELTS Cue Card topics will prompt you to formulate a response and speak on the given topic. To attempt this question, you must narrow down the essential questions on the given topic to answer within the given time. Consider the sample Cue Card below. Study the types of questions that have been formulated based on the cue card and how to go about with your response:

Sample Answer 1

Almost every other subject held my attention but History back in the days. Somehow, this particular subject never interested me and bored me to death. However, today, I stand here with a completely different perspective on this subject.

In my 10th standard, History came to me as a full-proof, individual subject. Until then, I studied a mix of everything in the Social Studies book. Also, despite its monotony, I retained this subject in my 11^th and 12^th standards. Thus, I had to bear with it for three consecutive years.

One of the reasons I never found my preference in History was that I lacked the consciousness to comprehend what happened in the past. I was never fond of memorizing historical events, whether a war or a revolution. Although the school had issues with thorough, profound books in History that carried all of the information in an easy-to-read format, I never paid heed to these books. I avoided every situation to come in contact with it.

However, when I think of all those mesmerizing events that have occurred in the past, it boosts my knowledge. I feel this undying thirst for learning more about everything that the warriors had to deal with to give us the present world. Today, more than feeling the compulsion to memorize the dates, I find it intriguing to understand the mindset of those who initiated revolutionary events and how. That is why I have developed my interest in History.

Sample Answer 2

Click on the audio to listen to the sample answer above. Pay attention to the intonation and pronunciation of the words

It would probably be English. I used to dislike and even fear this subject so much that I felt a lot of pressure in English lessons. There are many things about this language that frustrate a person like me. For example, English has a very different system of sounds, grammar, and vocabulary, making it very hard for us to get correct pronunciation, remember words, and form sentences.

I used to struggle a lot too but with some persistence, I managed to get past the most difficult period. After that everything gradually became easier. Especially when you start to understand English movies or articles, you have this huge sense of achievement and that moves you forward even faster.

So my advice for anyone who struggles to learn a new skill is, to invest a lot of effort at the beginning and push through it. The moment you get the hang of something, you’ll be motivated and just keep going from there.

Vocabulary

• Dislike:  to not like someone or something
  Eg: Rose disliked her bad-tempered boss. 
• Persistence: the fact that someone or something persists 
  Eg: John had shown a lot of persistence. 
• Gradually: in a gradual way; slowly; by degrees. 
  Eg: The old man’s health gradually improved. 
• Achievement: something that a person, company, etc. has done or finished successfully 
  Eg: Winning that competition is a great achievement
• Motivate: provide (someone) with a reason for doing something 
  Eg: Rose was motivated to pursue her passion. 

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