Describe an accident you have seen or heard about – IELTS Cue Card

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

Mishappenings occur, mostly without our influence or knowledge. Sometimes the people involved in accidents are lucky enough to survive the incident with minimal damage. However, in many cases, accidents lead to the loss of property and even human life. Although I have not witnessed many accidents with my own eyes, there was a time when I had seen the aftermath of a terrible road accident. One evening, as I was riding my motorcycle through the busy streets of central Kolkata, I came across a commotion on the road. It was tough to figure out what was going on due to all the hustle and bustle but also due to the constant honking of vehicles. Eventually, I asked a bystander and came to know that there had been an accident at the traffic signal.

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Although my parents, especially my father, have always advised me to avoid such disturbances on the road and mind my own business, this time I was more curious than usual to see what had happened as this accident occurred on a route that I take on a regular basis on my way to college. As I overheard people talking about what had happened, I figured out that it was a case of reckless driving. Two bikers were trying to race each other to the signal and had crashed into a car which halted at the red light. Although the accident was not fatal to anyone involved, one of the bikers had a horrifying leg injury. The car and the bikes were absolutely wrecked and there were broken vehicle parts scattered all over the road.

I have always been a responsible driver, especially when riding a motorcycle. There have been many similar motorbike accidents in my locality where people have sustained fatal injuries due to carelessness on the road. I felt terrible for all the people involved in the accident, especially for the car driver since he was not at fault to any degree.

Later on, after I reached home, my mother asked me about the accident since it was covered by a few local news channels. That’s when I came to know that the biker who had suffered the leg injury had to get his leg amputated.

Sample Answer 2

Accidents are unwanted, and it sometimes causes severe damage to people who suffer from it. There was one such severe accident I witnessed a few months back while I was travelling by car from my office to home. The accident occurred when a bike collided with a car, and the bike rider died instantly. I was completely horrified by it.

It was approximately 5 p.m., and I was on my way home from my workplace as though it were any other working day. There were traffic jams on practically every road. I suddenly heard a number of people screaming across the road as I went on the flyover. Slowly, I made my way forward and noticed a huge crowd. I parked my car on the corner of the road out of curiosity to see why there were so many people gathered and screaming. I crossed the road and approached a man who was already there and asked why there were so many people there. He informed me that an accident occurred only 5 minutes ago. An SUV car driver was driving aggressively and, when he lost control of his speed, collided with a bike rider, who died on the spot. The car driver also attempted to flee the scene, but witnesses gathered and summoned the police and ambulance. 

I was astonished when I learnt about the accident, and I’ll never forget seeing the motorbike rider’s corpse drenched in blood. I still can’t get that out of my head.

Vocabulary

• Horrified (adj) – filled with horror; extremely shocked.
  Eg: Diana was horrified by the size of the bill.
• Astonished (adj) – greatly surprised or amazed. 
  Eg: Sam was astonished when he saw the news.
• Drenched (verb) – wet thoroughly.
  Eg: Hari is drenched in sweat.
• Collided (verb) – hit by accident when moving.
  Eg: The bus collided with the truck.
• Summoned (verb) – ask to be present.
  Eg: Jiya, after witnessing her father’s deteriorating health, summoned the doctor. 

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