Cue Cards Samples with band 8 answers
A success or an achievement in your life - Cue Card # 682
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IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.
[The topic for your talk will be written on a card which the examiner will hand over to you. Read it carefully and then make some brief notes.]
Describe a success or an achievement in your life.
You should say:
- what it is
- when you achieved it
- what you did to achieve it
and explain how you felt after you achieved it.
[Instruction: You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]
Model Answer 1:
I have read and heard about many success stories of other people, and they made me feel really good and motivated. However, I am not sure if my success story here would make anybody feel good or motivated, but it is still worth giving a good try.
Back in my university years, about 4 years ago, I developed a hobby of “gardening”. I became interested in this hobby also because I wanted to take part in a competition, organized by my own city government, in order to win the “best gardener” award of the year. Of course, the problem was that gardening required a significant amount of time and effort to become successful. Starting a new part-time job with a good salary unexpectedly, shortly after starting gardening, didn’t help my cause either. But, I just didn’t want to give up on the idea of gardening because I already spent some good money and time nurturing it.
So, I decided to work on 'better time management' by cutting short on TV watching. Then, I also started to meet my friends a lot less in order to work extra time in gardening. By the way, my garden had at least 15 different kinds of plants, including paper-bark maple, ornamental cherry, Rowans and Japanese dogwood, which required some really good care. In this way, my gardening work continued for the next year or so when I was finally ready to take part in the competition. And, my “beautiful garden” didn’t disappoint me at all as it helped me achieve the 2nd best award in the “best gardener” competition.
I felt really good after I received the award in the competition, as I wasn’t too sure about the success of my hard work. In fact, after the success, I was convinced that if we really work hard and be patient, success would come our way sooner or later. Finally, I also felt really happy and proud because of the fact that my little initiative and success would go a long way to make my city look more green and beautiful.
Model Answer 2:
Introduction:
One of the most significant achievements in my life was when I successfully completed my undergraduate degree with honours. I am sure it may sound not so not-so-successful story to many, but it is one of the few most important achievements in my life. Thank you for the opportunity to allow me to talk about this.
What it is:
Completing my undergraduate degree with honours was a major milestone for me, signifying years of hard work, dedication, and perseverance in pursuit of academic excellence. During my university years - when I was completing my honours degree, my mother passed away, I lost my best friend, and I went through two major surgeries. So you can imagine that it was not easy for me to stand still and continue my studies at a prestigious university that demanded continuous study and academic pursuits to complete the degree.
When you achieved it:
I achieved this milestone in the spring of 2024, after four years of rigorous coursework, research projects, and examinations.
What you did to achieve it:
To achieve this success, I maintained a disciplined study routine despite all odds, attended classes regularly, and actively participated in various academic and extracurricular activities. I dedicated long hours to studying, conducted in-depth research for my projects, sought guidance from professors, and collaborated with classmates on group assignments and projects. I often had to work harder than others due to my health and personal issues like losing my dear mother all of a sudden.
And explain how you felt after you achieved it:
Upon successfully completing my undergraduate degree with honours, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride, accomplishment, and fulfilment. All the hard work and sacrifices I had made over the years had finally paid off, and I was elated to see the tangible results of my efforts. I am sure my mother and my best friends would have been the two happiest people on my graduation day but sadly they were not there! Moreover, achieving this milestone boosted my confidence and instilled in me a sense of self-belief that I could overcome challenges and accomplish my goals with dedication and perseverance.
Idea generation for this Candidate task card/ Cue card topic:
This topic asks you to describe a particular success or achievement in your life. You should clearly mention what the achievement was, when it happened, what actions or efforts you took to accomplish it, and how you felt once you had achieved your goal. To make your answer stand out, it’s important to share not only the practical aspects but also the emotional impact of the success. Here are a few ideas to help you structure your response. We hope you will find this section helpful.
1. Topping the class in the final school exams:
During my final year in school, I worked extremely hard to improve my academic performance. I studied for hours each day and took mock tests regularly. As a result, I topped the class in our board exams. When the results came out, I was overwhelmed with joy and felt that all the late-night efforts had finally paid off.
2. Winning a college debate competition:
I participated in an inter-college debate competition and won first prize. I spent weeks preparing, researching arguments, and practising my delivery. The victory was special because it helped me gain confidence and made me realise my strength in public speaking.
3. Getting a scholarship for university:
After high school, I received a fully funded scholarship to a reputed university. It was the result of consistent academic performance and an impressive personal essay. This achievement relieved my parents of financial stress and made me feel proud and responsible.
4. Learning to swim as an adult:
I was afraid of water, but I decided to learn to swim in my twenties. It took me months of lessons and mental strength to finally become comfortable in the water. When I swam across the pool for the first time, it felt like conquering a lifelong fear.
5. Launching a small online business:
During the pandemic, I started a small online business selling handmade crafts. I created an Instagram page, promoted my products, and managed deliveries. The first few sales were slow, but within months I gained regular customers. It felt amazing to build something from scratch.
6. Completing a marathon:
I trained for over six months to complete my first 10K marathon. Waking up early for training and maintaining a healthy lifestyle was challenging. But crossing that finish line was a moment of immense pride, both physically and emotionally.
7. Publishing a short story in a magazine:
I always enjoyed writing fiction, and I submitted a story to a local magazine. It got published! Seeing my name in print for the first time was surreal. It boosted my motivation to write more seriously and share my stories.
8. Helping a friend pass an exam:
I tutored a friend who was struggling with math. We studied together almost every day for a month. When he passed the exam, he thanked me sincerely. It felt like a shared achievement and reminded me of the joy of helping others succeed.
9. Losing weight through discipline:
A few years ago, I was determined to adopt a healthier lifestyle. I followed a strict diet and regular workout routine. I lost 12 kilograms in six months. This achievement improved my physical and mental health and gave me a new level of self-discipline.
10. Getting my first job:
After graduation, I applied to several companies and attended numerous interviews. When I received my first offer letter, I felt a sense of independence and validation. It was the first big step into adulthood and career life.
Vocabulary for this Candidate task card/ Cue card topic:
When describing a success or an achievement in your life, using empowering vocabulary can effectively convey the nature of the accomplishment, the effort involved, and your emotional response. Thoughtful word choices will help you articulate the significance of the achievement and its lasting impact on your feelings, making your response both inspiring and genuine. Here are some relevant words and phrases:
Milestone: – A significant stage or event in the development of something.
Example: Achieving that certification was a major milestone in my professional journey.
Triumph: – A great victory or achievement.
Example: Completing the marathon felt like a personal triumph against all odds.
Breakthrough: – A sudden, dramatic, and important discovery or development.
Example: My research led to a significant breakthrough in understanding the problem.
Perseverance: – Persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.
Example: It was through sheer perseverance that I managed to overcome every obstacle.
Diligence: – Careful and persistent work or effort.
Example: My success was a direct result of consistent diligence and hard work.
Dedication: – The quality of being committed to a task or purpose.
Example: It required immense dedication, often working late into the night.
Overcame obstacles: – Successfully dealt with difficulties or challenges.
Example: I felt proud because I had to overcome numerous obstacles to reach that point.
Sense of accomplishment: – A feeling of pride and satisfaction from having achieved something.
Example: After receiving the award, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment.
Validation of efforts: – Confirmation or recognition that one's hard work was worthwhile and effective.
Example: The achievement served as a powerful validation of all the efforts I had invested.
Exceeded expectations: – Performed better than anticipated or required.
Example: Not only did I achieve my goal, but I felt I had truly exceeded expectations.
Boosted my confidence: – Made me feel more self-assured and secure.
Example: The success significantly boosted my confidence to pursue even bigger goals.
Euphoric: – Characterized by or feeling intense excitement and happiness.
Example: I felt utterly euphoric, a feeling of pure elation that lasted for days.
Profound impact: – A significant and lasting effect.
Example: That achievement had a profound impact on my self-belief and future trajectory.
Inspired renewed determination: – Stirred up a fresh and stronger commitment to a task or goal.
Example: The success inspired renewed determination to continue striving for excellence.
If you prepare for the topic "Describe a success or an achievement in your life", you should be able to talk about the following topics as well:
1) Describe a success in your life that you are proud of.
2) Describe something you have achieved in your life that you are proud of.
3) Describe a success or achievement that you have had in the past.
4) Describe a success or achievement that your friend has that you are proud of.
5) Describe something you want to achieve in your life.
6) Describe something you have not done but want to do in the future.
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