Describe a time when you forgot something important: IELTS Cue Card Sample 114

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

Well, I would like to talk about a recent interesting incident. It so happened that I had my final exam on January 24th. I had to travel almost 20km to appear for my math exam.

In my head, I had kept everything in my bag and was ready to take on the examination. However, upon reaching the examination hall, I was dumbstruck when I explored my bag. I realised that I had left the pouch in the home.

It was imperative as it had all of my stationery in it. I had neatly placed everything essential in that pouch, right from pens to pencils, scale, erasers, compass, and everything else. Now, I was sitting on the bench, utterly clueless about what to do next. On a typical day, I would have managed without it as I could have asked my classmates for a pen and other things. However, that day, I was already stressed regarding the final exam. On top of that, this blunder created a messier situation.

Initially, I was angry with myself. But, since there was no time to go back home and no other way to get it. I went to the invigilator and told him everything like a scared cat. Fortunately, he was kind enough to arrange the stationery, and I completed my exam calmly.

Sample Answer 2

My memory is like a sieve and has let me down many times. But there is one incident that happened when I was in school, which made me go crazy. 

I always travelled on the school bus. It was exam time then. I was tense and nervous, even though I was thorough. I reached the bus stop was waiting for the bus to arrive. Since it was the Maths exam, I carried my geometry case and checked it over a hundred times. The bus arrived on time, and I found a seat near the window and rechecked if I had the geometry box with me. Soon, my friend came, and we were discussing questions. On reaching school, we got down and headed towards the exam hall.

I had totally forgotten about the geometry case. Only upon receiving the question paper, did I realise the need for it. I searched frantically, but in vain. I had left it on the bus. 

I informed the teacher. She was annoyed but let me share the stationery with another student. I had to wait for the student to complete the questions that involved protractors and compasses and then take it from her. I lost quite a lot of time and in my hurry to finish, did not care for the correctness of the answer. 

After this incident, I realised that forgetfulness is not a joke. Henceforth, I decided to be more careful.

Sample Audio

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

Vocabulary

• Incident: an individual occurrence or an event. 
  Eg: Although I was 4 years old, I clearly remember that incident which happened in 2004. 
• Nervous: easily agitated or alarmed
  Eg: When the police questioned him, he became nervous and didn’t answer anything. 
• Recheck: an act of checking or verifying again
  Eg: After completing the exam paper, I rechecked it. 
• Headed: going in a particular direction 
  Eg: Pooja headed to the park. 
• Realize: become fully aware of (something) as a fact; understand clearly. 
  Eg: Rose realized her mistake and asked for forgiveness. 
• Frantically: in a hurried, excited, or disorganized manner 
  Eg: As I was late to the exam, I rushed to the exam hall, frantically. 
• Annoyed: slightly angry or irritated 
  Eg: Since her best friend didn’t attend her birthday party, Rose was annoyed with her. 
• Forgetfulness: lapse of memory. 
  Eg: forgetfulness is the inability to remember things. 

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