IELTS cue card also known as task card is a round in the IELTS exam where the candidate is given a topic along with three areas they should cover in their talk, followed by a follow-up question round where the examiner asks you questions related to the topic.Â
The candidate is expected to speak for 2-3 minutes on the given topic while 1 minute is allowed for preparation. To help you improve your IELTS cue card, we have covered another topic ‘Describe a time you successfully did something difficult.
Dance Competition: Describe a Time You Successfully Did Something Difficult
Introduction
Difficulties are a part of our life. Students have to face difficulties in academic life while a businessman faces difficulty in his business. I’m going to describe a time when I successfully did something difficult.
When was it?
Here I am going to talk about a difficult task I had to do when I was in grade 5 at school. My class teacher finalized me for a solo dance competition and I had no idea how to dance.
What did you do?
Our school’s annual function was approaching and every class needed to present one solo dance. My class teacher assigned me the task of representing my class in the solo dance competition. I had little knowledge of dancing so I decided to get help from the Internet. I selected a song and watched some excellent dance tutorials on YouTube.I finalized one tutorial that seemed easy yet enjoyable and started practising on it. My teacher and parents guided me through the process. It was a difficult task for me. I practiced numerous times in front of my parents and teachers. A few days before the annual function I was ready to present my class in the solo dance.
Where did it happen?
This happened in our school’s multi-purpose hall. On the day of the final performance, I was nervous. I went to school along with my costume and makeup. My teacher helped me get ready. As I went up to the stage, my legs started shaking as soon as I saw the huge audience in front of me but with the motivation of my parents, I was able to give an outstanding performance. Everyone’s eyes were on me and I received a standing ovation from the guest of honour.
And explain how you felt about it.
I was proud of myself as I did something I considered difficult. This incident helped boost my confidence a lot. The appreciation I received from people made me happy. My parents were also proud of me for successfully doing something difficult for me. In the end, I was thankful to my teachers for assigning me this task. After the performance on the annual day, I felt a pull towards dancing and joined a dance class. The task which I considered difficult appeared so easy to me. Everyone should at least try to do the things they consider difficult.
Example 2: Describe a Time You Successfully Did Something Difficult
Introduction
Everything seems difficult until we try to do it. In the beginning, it could look difficult but as one starts to get hold of the task, it will not seem difficult anymore. Today I am going to talk about a time when I was in a similar situation and successfully did something difficult.
When was it?
Here, I am going to talk about a time when I had to prepare for an exam I was afraid of. This happened 5 years ago when I was taking my 10th board exams. I had to prepare for my math examination and it was similar to moving a mountain for me.
What did you do?
My board examination for class 10th was approaching and I was prepared for every subject except math. I never liked studying math. It seemed difficult to me. Every year I tried hard just to pass my math test while I got straight A’s on all the other subjects. Since this was board I did not just want to pass it I wanted to ace this exam by scoring good marks. So I decided to study hard irrespective of how difficult it appeared to me. I asked my elder sister who is a math professor in college for help and she asked me to study on YouTube.I must say it was the best advice I got because as soon as I typed the name of the chapter an ocean of videos appeared on the screen. They all explained the topics so easily I was able to understand and solve problems easily. I got some help from my school teacher as well. One month before the exam, I was completely prepared.
Where did it happen?
It happened in my school auditorium as it was the place where board examinations were conducted. On the day of the exam, I woke up early to do some last-minute revisions. I went to school and in the examination hall while I was waiting for the question paper I felt a surge of panic in me. It took every ounce of willpower to calm myself down. I received the question paper and was relieved as I was already prepared for all that was asked in the question paper.
And explain how you felt about it.
I began solving the questions as soon as the timer started. I was nervous at first but as soon as my mind went into solving those questions, all the nervousness was forgotten. I was the first to submit the answer sheet. I felt a strong feeling of satisfaction within. I was proud of myself for trying so hard to do the thing that appeared so difficult to me. I would like to say that not all tasks are as difficult as they may seem at first. One must always try before giving up. I enjoyed learning math when I tried to do so. If I had not tried, I would have always considered math as a difficult task. And now I enjoy learning it very much.
Example 3: Describe a Time You Successfully Did Something Difficult
Everything appears difficult until we give it a try things start getting easier for us when we start practising them. Here I am going to talk about one such incident when I did successfully do something I considered difficult.
Introduction
When did it happen?
It happened a few years ago when I joined a coaching centre. The classes began at 7 am and the difficult task for me was to wake up early. I was a night owl and I never woke up before 11 am. But this time I had to wake up at 6 to attend the class at 7.
What did you do?
As stated earlier I had to wake up early. To do so the first thing I did was to ask my mother to wake me up at 6 am. It is a commonly known fact that there’s no better alarm than a mother. After that, I set up two alarm clocks in my room. That night I decided to sleep early as well instead of mindlessly scrolling through my phone. It was difficult and I was not able to fall asleep for a long time. The urge to pick up my phone was strong. I suppressed the urge and tried to sleep. The initial days were difficult as I was never in a habit of waking up early. I faced difficulty falling asleep and getting out of bed was the difficult part. But when I got out on the road each day at 6 am, the fresh breeze on my face made it all worth it. Soon I was successfully able to finish the task I considered difficult. I was able to wake up without any alarm.
And explain how you felt about it.
After I started getting up early every day, it got easier. At first, I felt tired the whole day, but now I felt fresh and my days turned out to be more productive. I was proud of myself for easily doing the task I considered difficult. After this incident, I realized that not everything is as difficult as it may seem at first. One must give it a try before giving up.
Other IELTS Cue Card:
Describe A Resolution You Made In The New Year
Describe Something Important That You Lost
Describe A Time When You Needed To Use Your Imagination
Follow-up questions for IELTS Cue Card Topic ‘Describe a Time You Successfully Did Something Difficult‘
1. Name a few jobs that require people to be confident.
In today’s competitive world, every job requires individuals to be confident. Jobs like doctors, police and lawyers require people to be confident because their one mistake can ruin the other person’s life.
2. Are there any difficult tasks in the world?
I believe that all tasks are difficult if one doesn’t give them a try. Trying makes the task easier. However, there are difficult tasks such as being a doctor or a policeman. These tasks can only be done by experienced professionals.
3. Do children need to be encouraged?
Yes, children do need to be encouraged at every step of their life. They should be encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities even if they fail. Encouraging them at such an age helps build their confidence which will help them in future.
4. How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by watching lectures by successful people. They help in boosting confidence a lot. In addition to this, I also read self-help books and practice meditation daily.
5. Have you ever felt under-confident in life? How did you manage it.
I felt under confident once when I had to deliver a speech in front my school.I had stage fright so i felt nervous and wanted to give up.Then I recalled how much I worked on my speech and how hard my parents helped me to prepare for the day.That is how I regained my confidence.
Neha Sharma is an IELTS faculty with a decade of experience in teaching IELTS. She holds a PhD in English from Stanford University, USA. Excelling in tailoring her teaching to individual student needs, she has helped over 50,000 students achieve their target scores. Actively involved in research, she ensures that her methods remain effective and innovative.
