Describe a time when you were very afraid – IELTS Cue Card

Sample Answer 1

Well, I believe that everyone encounters an event that causes them to feel feeble and afraid at some point in their lives. Many things in our surroundings frighten us as humans. As children, we used to be scared of giving exams or even going into dark rooms. Similarly, as adults, we are afraid of a variety of different things. For me, the terrifying period was when Coronovirus was declared a pandemic, which was followed by a rigid and unprecedented lockdown.

A one-day curfew was declared on March 24, 2020, followed by a 21-day lockdown on March 26, 2020. No one believed anything like this could happen when the lockdown was declared. My family was in Bhopal, and I was living alone in Pune. We made the decision to wait until the lockdown was lifted. However, when I heard reports that Covid is spreading at a breakneck speed and individuals are dying all around the world within a few days. I felt terrified and intimidated. The news that several of my neighbors had been afflicted with this incurable but frequently lethal illness aggravated the situation. I was fearful, and the psychological strain was too much for me to endure.

I was worried about the situation’s unpredictability and my elderly parents. The prospect of being touched and subsequently infected by the Coronavirus and the rising financial strain on me. This was perhaps the one moment in my life when I felt ghastly stuck and helpless for weeks and couldn’t do anything about it.

Sample Answer 2

Throughout my childhood, I have had this fear of supernatural phenomena. The reason behind this dread was an infrequent incident that I encountered. And since then, I could not overcome the terror.

Presently, the house where I am residing with my family was constructed by my great-grandfather. And, my entire clan has been living here for ages altogether. Trees and foliage surround this abode in the backyard. One night, while playing around in the garden with my friends, I saw something unnatural. There was a vast, sparkling white unidentified object behind a tree. I took a step toward it out of curiosity and found it floating an inch above the ground. I cried loudly and ran towards the house. Everybody came to my rescue, and I explained to them what had happened.

After this incident, I heard the elders of my family talking about all the rumors that he had heard so far about our garden. Apparently, the land where our house is built was cursed as there were butcheries in the past years.

After this incident, I got a high fever and couldn’t stop shivering out of fear during the night. Looking at my deteriorating condition, my parents decided to take me away for a few days until the fear subsided.

Sample Answer 3

Everyone loves traveling and similarly I do, too. However, when I was in college, I had to travel alone from Pune to Assam. The memories of that trip are still imprinted in my mind. 

Traveling in India is simple and can be done by anyone, but it was my first solo trip. Nonetheless, I had to travel alone because it was my cousin’s wedding. My family went to Assam directly from home, and I was asked to travel from my college i.e, from Pune to Assam. I didn’t expect things to be that difficult, though. I got a cab to the airport, and there was a lot of traffic, and I was running late for my flight. So I persuaded my cab driver to take certain shortcuts, to get to the airport as quickly as possible.  Unfortunately, I left one of my bags in the cab when I arrived at the airport in a rush. Though the cab driver left the bag at the airport after I contacted him, I had to leave without my luggage.

After that episode, I was horrified since everything seemed to be going wrong. It was a six-hour journey with a lot of turbulence. It continued for at least 30 to 40 minutes. My heart was pounding like a drum in my chest. As I was alone, I became afraid of this experience. Finally, at 9 p.m., I arrived at the Assam airport, but all of my family members had already arrived, so my dad came to pick me up. Overall, I was terrified for the duration of multiple travels.

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Vocabulary

• Persuade (verb) – induce (someone) to do something through reasoning or argument.
  Eg: My father always tries to persuade me to opt for law as my profession.
• Terrified  (verb) – cause to feel extreme fear.
  Eg: Den is terrified of dogs.
• Turbulence (noun) – violent or unsteady movement of air or water or some other fluid.
  Eg: The flight passengers experienced turbulence due to the storm. 
• Pounding (noun) – repeated and heavy striking or hitting of someone or something.
  Eg: When I saw Rita, she ran until her heart started pounding. 
• Imprinted (verb) – impress or stamp on a surface. 
  Eg: The plot of this movie will forever be imprinted in my mind.

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