IELTS Cue Card Sample Question  – Describe One of the Busiest Days of Your Life

Sample Response 1: 

“From time to time, we all get busy when there is an exam, a family member’s illness, completing assignments, meeting deadlines, and so on. One such hectic period in my life that I recall vividly was the moment when I had to submit my thesis paper for the final time in my university’s final year. I had around two months to finish the thesis, however, I lost almost two weeks owing to work pressure.  I had classes to attend, exams to study for, and an office job to do. I just had a few hours left for personal matters, and I was afraid of falling behind on my thesis paper submission deadline. 

The thesis was complicated, and I had to visit libraries, search the internet, participate in group discussions and meetings, and think a lot in order to organize the writing for the thesis. In addition, I had to visit a few local offices to gather statistics for my thesis. Those days went so hard, and I was so busy that at times, I only slept for 4 hours at night. Work burden, pressure, heavy schedules, targets, going from place to place, lessons were all a part of my daily life. 

I consider myself quite fortunate to have finally completed and submitted my thesis on time. Surprisingly, I landed an ‘A+’ on my thesis, kept my job, and did well on my finals. But I had to make a lot of sacrifices and stick to a rigid schedule to do so. Furthermore, in order to accomplish everything on time, I had to put a halt to a lot of my customary hobbies. As a result, I was able to deal with the stress and deadlines. I owe a debt of gratitude to several of my instructors, students, and friends, without whom I would’ve not been able to do everything correctly and on time.”

Follow-up Question 1: 

How has life’s pace changed over the decades? 

Response 1: 

“Well, I think that life’s pace has changed a great deal. We are living in a fast-paced world now and everyone is busy either because of work, studies, and lifestyle. Three or four decades ago, everything was so simple and everyone worked just to get by. But now, it’s completely different. I think everyone is not just surviving to stay alive, but to meet a specific lifestyle they want to achieve. I’m not saying it’s not good, I’m just saying it’s different.”

Follow-up Question 2:

How do you treat and pamper yourself after a tiring and busy day?

Response: 

“That’s actually an interesting question, and the answer is I go to a spa and have a relaxing massage. After that, I eat at my favorite restaurant. That’s how I pamper and reward myself after a long and busy day. If I don’t have time that particular day, I do it on the weekend.” 

Sample Response 2:

“I work part-time as a sales executive in a multinational computer hardware showroom. I had to stay active last month, on the 24th to be exact, because there was a lot of pressure on sales. In reality, it was the biggest sale of the year, as the company announced a 50 percent reduction on all of its products to commemorate its 50th anniversary.

The sale started the morning after the shop opened. People flocked to the showroom. A large number of customers came to the store and bought what they needed. They were pleased with the reduced prices of merchandise. It was a very joyous event for them because they were able to get the expensive things for half the price.  It was difficult for me to keep track of everything. In reality, I grew tired of executing the tasks one after the other. First, I examined the CCTV monitors to make sure everything was in order. When I discovered no unusual activity, I exited the monitoring room. The second step in my responsibilities was to meet and greet the clients. My job was done when they chose their required product or appliance, and I turned them over to another sales representative.

Initially, I felt a need for relief. However, there are some intriguing advantages to being a busy person. When someone is preoccupied with any task, time seems to fly by. Furthermore, meeting new people and explaining the benefits and characteristics of the items was really intriguing and fun. I truly enjoyed the hectic working hours and wish to be as busy as that day all the time.”

Follow-up Question 1:

How important do you think is it for someone to like and enjoy their job?

Response:

“In my perspective, enjoying the job that you do is highly important. We all want a profession that will give us satisfaction and fulfillment, regardless of how much money we make. If we are not happy with what we do, I think it is time that we find another job that will make us happy.”

Follow-up Question 2: 

How important is salary to you when it comes to job satisfaction? 

Response: 

“It’s actually tricky and it all differs from one person to another. But since you’re asking me, I don’t think it’s that important, as long as I think I’m being paid enough. What is more important to me is the people I’m working with and the growth and development I will have while working. As long as I have these two, then I’d be happy.”