A time when you waited for something.

 Cue Card-41

A time when you waited for something. 

• Where did you wait? // When did this happen? // Who you were with? // Explain why you had to wait. 

I had to wait at a hospital. // This happened in the freezing month of December. // I was with my mother and uncle. // I had to wait because my maternal aunt had to be operated.

I generally go prepared to wait and usually carry a book or something with me to pass my time but the one occasion when I had a very unpleasant waiting experience was when my aunt had to undergo a surgery in the freezing month of December. My mother, my uncle and I reached the hospital at 8 am as my maternal aunt was to be operated for a gall bladder condition at 8.30 am. However, to our surprise, this time was not for her and the doctor was caught up in an emergency. My aunt was given some medicine which made her feel sleepy and my mother starts praying whenever she is free. My uncle went to his workplace to be back shortly and this wait went on not only till the afternoon but further into the evening. It was what I would call a very unpleasant wait because the atmosphere of the hospital was disturbing as there was death, blood, sickness, disease and I get upset at the sight of such things. Therefore, I hated this wait and I was not even able to read a book because I found the atmosphere disturbing. Finally, the wait was over and around 5:15 pm she was taken to the operation theatre for her surgery. To conclude, I would not want to experience this kind of a wait again. 

Follow ups: 

1. Why do you think patience is important? (Patience is important because actions performed and decisions taken in haste are likely to fall.)

2. Why is it tough for children to be patient? (Children are immature and always excited, so they find it tough to be patient.)

3. Do you feel angry easily when told to wait? (I remain calm when I am made to wait because I believe that people don’t make others wait deliberately.)

Best Part of the Day. Cue Card.

 Cue Card-40

Best part of the day. 

• Which part of the day? // What do you do? // Why you like it the most? 

My favourite part of the day is the morning. // I get up and go for a walk and come back and greet my prayers after bathing. // I love this time because of the fresh air, everthing is bright and beautiful and nature is blooming.

The day is divided in four parts morning, afternoon, evening and night. Morning is my favorite part of the day. It is the time when sun rises as a symbol of hope and strength to keep moving. The atmosphere is calm and peaceful. I get up to pray, walk and then get ready for my work every day. It is wonderful to see people going to the temple to offer prayers, some are exercising, in the garden, Birds sit on trees and chirp melodiously, insects also make various kinds of sounds. Children flock to school carrying colourful bags and bottles, which reminds me of the days when life was free of stress and responsibility. I prefer getting up as early as I can so that I can enjoy the beauty of every morning. 

Follow ups:

1. Do youngsters get up early by choice or out of compulsion? (These days youngsters get up early in the morning due to compulsions like schools, jobs etcetera.)

2. Do you enjoy the other parts of the day as much as morning? (No, I do not enjoy other parts of the day as much as morning because I feel most energetic and lively in the morning.)

3. Why do some people prefer to study in the morning? (Some people prefer to study early in the morning because the mind is rested and fresh and it is easy to retain things for a longer period of time.)

A tall building you saw. Describe a historical monument. IELTS Speaking Cue Card.

 Cue Card-39 

A tall building you saw

• Which building is it? // Where is it? // Who you went with? // What did you do? 

The tall building that I visited is the Qutub Minar. // It is situated in Delhi. // I had gone there with my family. // I admired the architecture and clicked photos. 

India has been a land rich in culture and heritage and is a home to many beautiful monuments and buildings. The tall building that I visited last month with my family is the Qutab Minar in Delhi. It was built in 1193 by Qutub-ud-din-Aibak after whom, it is named. It is a marvelous structure which has stood the test of time for so many years and still stands as it was built. It is a 73-metre high tower. The tower was started by Qutub-ud-din Aibak who in his lifetime was only able to complete the base and his successors got the 5 stories made. The different styles of architecture are clearly visible in this building. Apart from the tower, the complex comprises of the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, the first ever Mosque built in North India and is an attraction for thousands of tourists every year. It has an Afghan style of architecture and is a charming structure of red marble. It is also called the marble tower of success. Qutub means justice and due to this, it is known as a symbol of Islamic justice. On my visit, I clicked several pictures and it was a great learning experience as I saw something that I had read about only in books, everything was there for me to see live. I saw the great architecture and enjoyed a lot. 

Follow ups:

1. Have you seen many tall buildings in your country? (Yes, there are many tall, multi-storied buildings in my country which are called sky scrapers.)

2. What are some advantages of tall buildings? (Some advantages of tall buildings are that they occupy less ground area and accomodate more people in proportion to the ground area covered, living in tall buildings gives easy access to sunlight and fresh air.)

3. What are some disadvantages of tall buildings? (Tall buildings may block sunlight of other places near them, construction of tall buildings is hazardous for the people building them. During the construction phase there is high risk of the structure falling apart which can be fatal for a lot of people.)

4. Do you like to live in a tall or short building? (I prefer to live in a short building as for me open space with a lawn and flowers is more important.)

Related Question: Describe a historical monument.

First time you used a foreign language to communicate

 Cue Card-38

First time you used a foreign language to communicate.

• Where it happened? // When it happened? // Who did you talk to? // How you felt about the conversation?

The first time, I used a foreign language to communicate was with a lady in a train to Mumbai. // It happened when I was 8 years old. // I spoke to a woman from London who was my co-passenger in a train. // I felt pleasant about the whole conversation in general. 

Language is a medium of communication that allows different people to convey their thoughts, ideas and beliefs. I studied at a school where three languages were taught Hindi, English and Punjabi. Punjabi is my mother tongue and Hindi is the national language of my country so I knew both but English was a foreign language. I remember how my parents and teachers worked to help me learn this language. I used to communicate in broken sentences at home with my parents but the first proper communication I had in English was with a foreign traveller sitting next to us when I was on a train to Mumbai with parents and siblings. It was when I was 8 years old. I spoke to a foreigner sitting beside me in the train. She started a conversation with me beginning with general questions like my name, school’s name and what grade I was in. After I spoke to her, I came to know that she was from London and had come to visit several parts of India after being attracted to its culture and heritage through photographs, books etcetera. She spoke to me for about 15 to 20 minutes and I do not recall the entire conversation but I remember most of it. It was a pleasant experience which I will never forget and I remember the lady’s face as if it happened yesterday. 

Follow ups:

1. What do you think about children learning a foreign language? (I think it is very good for children learn a new language as it makes them more informed and enhances their knowledge.)

2. Why some people learn languages fast and others slowly? (The learning of a language depends upon the internet and capability of an individual and based on these, a person learns a language fast or slowly.)

3. Does one’s age affect learning of a language? (It is easier to learn a language at a young age, because when we are young we are open to learning and our minds are sharp. Our speed of learning and acquring knowledge decreases with age.)

4. What can be a good way to learn a foreign language? (A language course from an institute and a person proficient in that language are good sources of learning a foreign language.)