Describe a situation (or time) when you received some useful advice – IELTS Cue Card Sample Answers

This article contains the Describe a situation (or time) when you received some useful advice Cue Card Sample Answers.

During Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking test, you will have exactly one minute to prepare and speak on a specific topic. This is the IELTS cue card task. You can learn how to communicate clearly and successfully by reviewing sample answers.

This IELTS cue card gives you an opportunity to share one of your memories of a situation or time when you received some useful advice.

Practise IELTS Speaking Part 2 by referencing the Cue Card Sample Answers below.

Before you start, improve your IELTS Speaking test skills and fluency with the guide below!

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For more Cue Cards, take a look at IELTS Speaking Part 2 | Topics, Questions and Samples Answers.

Sample Answer 1

• what the situation was
• who gave you the advice

We often find ourselves in situations where we feel inexperienced and even directionless. During such circumstances, we often wish to have a mentor who would guide us through the ups and downs. If we are lucky enough to find such a mentor, the challenges of life become significantly easier to overcome. A similar situation I would like to talk about is when I failed my Mathematics exam in high school and received some great advice from my Maths teacher.

• what the advice was

It happened during the final year of high school, and I was unable to score decently on my mock Mathematics paper, even after rigorous preparation. This period was extremely stressful, as my board exams were only a couple of months away. Failing the Mathematics exam made a huge dent in my confidence, and I was ready to give up and drop the subject. However, after I received the mock Mathematics paper results, our Mathematics teacher sat down with me and talked with me for quite some time.

Initially, he asked me some questions about my preparation approach and if I was facing any difficulties. Eventually, he understood what the problem was and told me that the only reason I was unable to perform well was because of my fear of failing. He made me realize that I knew all the concepts and was well prepared, but during the examination, my panic and nervousness led me to forget key information. He asked me not to worry about the board exams and only focus on the upcoming mock tests.

• and explain how this advice was useful to you

After I listened to the advice given by my Mathematics teacher, I felt a sense of rejuvenation and confidence in myself. I made up my mind to perform well in the exam without any fear of failing again. Fortunately, I scored above average, which helped me boost my confidence even further. Later on, I achieved quite a high score on my Mathematics paper during my board exams, all thanks to the guidance of my Mathematics teacher.

Sample Answer 2

Here is the sample for “describe a situation (or time) when you received some useful advice” topic

• what the situation was
• who gave you the advice

It was 5 years ago when I was in my junior year of college, I was struggling to find out what career would I follow in the future. As juniors, we had to choose courses related to our business concentration such as marketing, finance, human resources or management. At that moment, I was confused since I did not specifically like any of them.

As the deadline closely approached, I had to quickly make my decision. I decided to talk with my father, a wise man, about my problem. Different from many other parents who always make decisions for their children; my father guides me to the answer and lets me choose what I want.

• what the advice was

He asked me what I would like my life to be like when I graduated, then analyzed my personality, discussed my strengths and weaknesses. He also showed me some career paths I could follow if I chose certain options.

• and explain how this advice was useful to you

After an hour of talking to him, everything had become clearer and I finally made my decision to follow a career in finance. Thanks to the conversation that day, I understood more about myself. Five years have passed, I am now a financial analyst for an entertainment company and I have never regretted my decision.

Sample Audio

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

Vocabulary

Here are the vocabularies for “describe a situation (or time) when you received some useful advice” with examples:

• Career: Your profession, the type of employment you will likely have for a long period of your life or perhaps your entire life;
  Eg: She was happy to have chosen a career that suited her personality perfectly.
• Related to: Having to do with, having an association with; in this context the student needs to take courses that are related to business;
  Eg: She is tired of taking courses related to her major; now she just wants to take classes for fun.
  
• Deadline: A time when something is due, when it has to be done;
  Eg: I am hoping that we will finish this project by our deadline.
  
• Closely approach: To get closer and closer to a certain point or destination in a short amount of time; when something is closely approaching it means you are very near to that time;
  Eg: The baby’s due date is closely approaching and we still aren’t prepared.
  
• Guides me: To guide is to help someone by showing them a way or by giving specific information or assistance without actually doing the task for them;
  Eg: The teacher guides us in how to learn proper study techniques.
  
• Analyzed my personality: To examine, assess or evaluate your personality from different points of view; you can take a personality test like the Meyers-Briggs to help see your patterns and propensities;
  Eg: My mother is a psychologist and she loves to analyze people’s personalities to see what makes them tick.
  
• Regret: To feel sad, repentant, or disappointed over (something that has happened or been done, especially a loss or missed opportunity).
  Eg: He regretted not having attended college sooner.

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