Describe a speech you gave IELTS Cue Card

IELTS CUE CARD TOPIC

Describe a speech you gave

When and to whom you gave the speech
What was the speech about
Why you gave the speech
How did you feel about it

Sample 1

Introduction

Although I have given many speeches in my life, one is unique and worth mentioning.

When and to whom you gave the speech

Two years back, the school where I spent my budding years as a student invited me to deliver a speech. I immediately accepted the proposal.

What was the speech about

The topic was how to gain success in life. The school principal wanted me to instil a sense of determination, dedication and decline in school students so they could pass their coming exams with flying colours.

I started my speech by telling the students that we need not take significant steps to achieve something substantial in life. Rather our central focus should be on making minor improvements every day. I further told them that whatever changes they would make to become successful would benefit them more than their school or parents.

I concluded the speech by telling the students about the power of consistency in our lives. First, we can make substantial gains by doing our tasks regularly without breaks. It helps us to remain ahead of our competitors. Moreover, it leads to a ripple effect after a certain period. Lastly, it guides our lives towards an impressive growth trajectory.

Why you gave the speech

I gave the speech because my school gave me unabated support during my education, and I took it as my duty to support the school students.

How did you feel about it?

I felt good about it because the school students gave me big applause. Moreover, my wonderful experience there will be permanently etched in my memories.

Sample 2

Introduction

Although I am afraid of public speaking, on one occasion, I jumped out of my comfort zone and delivered a speech.

When and to whom you gave the speech?

Two years back, I got an invitation from a local club to deliver a speech on how to remain fit and healthy. Being a fitness enthusiast, I immediately accepted the proposal.

What was the speech about?

The speech was about how to maintain health and fitness. The audience consists of mostly overweight people. I started the discussion by telling the science behind weigh-loss that thrives primarily on a combination of diet and exercise.

After that, I told the audience that maintaining an ideal weight when we eat and how we eat is more important than what we eat. Hence it is imperative to eat our food in a cheerful mood and try to take all meals between 9 am to 7 pm. This strategy is known as intermittent fasting, and it improves our metabolism because our digestive system becomes efficient.

Apart from this, I discussed the significance of physical workouts. I explained that three exercises are walking, swimming and cycling. They can include any one of these to have a fit and healthy body.

Why you gave the speech?

I gave the speech because I believe it is my bounden duty to help others. Sharing, the knowledge I have can transform other lives, and this makes me feel good.

How did you feel about it?

I felt good because the audience liked my content. After the speech was over, I saw a massive surge in the number of my Instagram followers because most people who listened to my speech became my subscribers.

Sample 3

Introduction

Although I am afraid of public speaking, on one occasion, I delivered a speech worth mentioning.

When and to whom you gave the speech

It was last year during the occasion of World Environment Day when our local Rotary Club invited me to deliver a speech on the grave concerns related to our surroundings.

What was the speech about

The speech was about the air pollution problem, its causes, effects, and solutions to overcome it. Firstly I explained the primary reason, which is the rampant use of fossil fuels like oil and gas. There is no denying this conviction that burning fuels like petrol and diesel is detrimental;l to the environment.

After that, I apprised the audience regarding the disastrous repercussions of air pollution, like breathing problems.

At the end of the speech, I provided many solutions to them to handle the air solution adoringly. The only remedy I discussed was switching to alternative energy sources like solar and wind energy.

Why you gave the speech

The primary person behind giving the speech was to create awareness among the general public regarding the harmful aftermath of air contamination. It is the need of the hour to make informed decisions as soon as possible because delay could jeopardize the lives of not only the current generation but also the posterity.

How did you feel about it?

I felt good because the audience listened to my speech with determination, dedication, and discipline. Moreover, I spoke confidently, and my fear of public speaking went a toss.

Sample 4

Introduction

Being a public speaker, I have given many speeches, one of which is worth mentioning.

When and to whom you gave the speech

I gave the speech at a health club in my neighbourhood. The audience was club members.

What was the speech about

The speech was about eating habits. I started by comparing today’s eating patterns to the past. About 100 years back, when most parts of the world did not have electricity, people used to take meals in the day time that is between 6 am to 6 pm. However, things changed after the invention of the light bulb by Thomas Edison.

And now most people have this uncanny knack for taking dinner as late as 11 pm. It is detrimental to our health because, after 6 pm, our digestive system slows down, making it challenging for our gut to digest food. Hence it is imperative to take all meals between 6 am to 6 pm.

Moreover, I discussed the way to eat food. Most people eat in an instant and tend to overeat. On the contrary, we need to eat with patience and chew properly. This way, our digestive process becomes robust, and we can have our favorite food without gaining weight.

Lastly, I told the audience to refrain from eating junk food because it is addictive; moreover, it contains a lot of carbohydrates and empty calories, which leads to weight gain.

Why you gave the speech

I gave the speech because in the last few years, I have amassed immense knowledge related to food and nutrition, and I take it as my bounden duty to pay the information I have to others so that they can also benefit from it.

How did you feel about it

I felt good because the audience applauded my performance.

Sample 5

Introduction

Recently I delivered a speech in front of a beautiful audience worth mentioning.

When and to whom you gave the speech

I delivered the speech in a college in front of MBA students.

What was the speech about

The speech was about how to become successful. I started it by telling the importance of discipline. Many capable people need to reach their full potential because they lack specialization.

Our capabilities are of no use if we do not channel them properly. Hence it is prudent to nurture our talent by following a fruit with determination, dedication, and discipline.

Moreover, we must use our willpower effectively because it is a limited resource. As our day progresses, the daily quota we have of will power, declines and our performance at work goes for a toss. Hence, to use willpower judiciously, we must refrain from indulging in unnecessary arguments and divert our energy toward the most critical tasks. Moreover, we must spend our time on something other than menial tasks.

Lastly, we must be open to multiple jobs and always search for side hustles to increase our income considerably. In this modern era, technology has made inroads in our lives, and there are plenty of options like blogging, video editing, freelancing, etc., through which we can earn substantial money from the comfort of our homes.

Why you gave the speech

I gave the speech because the knowledge I have amassed through my learning and experience will remain underutilized if I do not share it with others.

How did you feel about it?

I felt good about it because the audience liked my content, and I got applause.

Sample 6

Introduction

Last month I got an invitation to deliver a speech which I accepted immediately.

When and to whom you gave the speech

I delivered this speech last month at the Rotary Club

What was the speech about?

The speech was regarding the growing traffic congestion in the cities. Firstly I talked about the causes of an exponential rise in traffic woes. The prominent reason I discussed was the easy availability of loans. Two decades back, getting a loan to buy a car was daunting, and only a tiny part of the population could afford the higher interest rates. However, these days, finance companies leave no stone turned to woo customers. They have various schemes going on, and prospective car buyers do impressive purchasing of cars, and due to that, the number of vehicles on the road is rising exponentially. It is the main reason for traffic congestion in the cities.

Apart from this, people are moving to countryside areas for employment due to the lack of opportunities in the rural areas. And due to the persistent rise in the city, pollution there is a lot of traffic congestion.

Further, I discussed the steps the government could take to tackle the problem of traffic congestion. The actions that higher authority can take are the development of rural areas so that people from the countryside do not shift to the cities. The government must also develop a public transportation system so people use their cars less.

Why you gave the speech

I gave the speech because, in my opinion, traffic congestion is a pressing problem, and we must leave no stone unturned to mitigate it,

How did you feel about it

I felt good because I did something for the betterment of the society.

Follow-ups

Here are some examples of follow-up questions that the examiner might ask during your speaking part 3 related to the cue card “Describe a speech you gave”.

1. Why do people get nervous when they speak in public?

Public speaking is the most common fear among people. There are many reasons why people feel nervous when speaking in public. It may be due to a lack of confidence or knowledge about the subject or the topic, hesitation due to the feeling that they are being judged, or it may be because of shyness or an introverted nature.

2. How can they improve their public speaking skills?

People can enhance their public speaking skills by better understanding the topic or the subject. It helps in building up confidence. They can practice with near and dear ones, who can support them in enhancing their speaking skills by providing feedback. We can utilize technology efficiently by recording and watching our speech multiple times and practising with determination, dedication, and discipline before the event benefits the confidence to speak in front of an audience.

3. What different kinds of speeches or lectures have you attended?

I have watched numerous types of speeches and lectures on multiple platforms. In school and college, I attended lectures from my professors or guest speakers regarding miscellaneous topics and matters. Apart from this, I have listened to numerous motivational speeches concerning essentialism, minimalism, optimistic thinking, etc. There are numerous religious speeches that I have listened to at religious congregations. I have also listened to speeches of political leaders, especially before the elections. Lastly, I have listed two awareness speeches on the pressing problems of society like drug abuse and juvenile delinquency,

4. What qualities (attributes) should these visiting speakers have?

There are numerous qualities/traits needed to make a mark as a good speaker, like belief, in-depth understanding of the topic, exemplary memory, and the ability to make the discussion interactive so that the audience does not feel bored. Moreover, to sustain people’s interest, the speaker must crack jokes to create guffaws of laughter. Lastly, a good command of the language is the need of the hour in this field, and the person should speak with clarity and confidence.

5. Why do many people find it hard to give a talk to young children?

It is challenging to give a talk to young children because they usually run after instant gratification, and their attention span is also less. They have a plethora of distractions at their disposal, and it is significant to keep them regularly involved and entertained during the speech. They need more maturity, and in their opinion, what they know is the best, and listening to a speech or talk is a tedious activity for them.

6. Why do you think many people are nervous before they give a speech?

Numerous people get nervous before delivering a speech because of stage fear because they think that if they commit any mistake, they will tarnish their image in front of the audience. Moreover, they seek perfection, and due to that, they always think that they are under-prepared.

7. Why do people give speeches to children?

The primary reason for delivering a lecture or a speech to kids is to enrich them morally so that they respect social values. Moreover, the other purpose is to provide details about a particular matter or topic. Educators also give speeches encouraging children to accomplish better or evolve as planned people.

8. Who makes people do so?

In most cases, the parents, the school/college authorities, local NGOs, higher authorities, like the cyber police, etc.

9. How media relates to the speech to children in school?

In this contemporary epoch, media plays a significant role in everyone’s life. For example, the speeches delivered to children in schools can be posted in newspapers or broadcasted on TV, which further benefits in spreading the message or creating awareness among other schools/educational institutions and the kids.

10. How to become a good public speaker?

Practice is vital for becoming an excellent public speaker. Begin by studying influential speakers and their methods. Create a straightforward message and organize your speech accordingly. Rehearse speaking in front of a mirror or record yourself to determine areas for modification. Work on your body language, keep eye contact, and use gestures to improve your speech. Focus on your voice, changing tone and speed to entertain your audience. Use visual aids prudently to reinforce your message. Learn to control nerves by deep breathing and optimistic self-talk. Finally, welcome every prospect to speak in public, as experience is the supreme teacher.

11. How can individuals improve their non-verbal communication skills, such as body language and gestures, to enhance their public speaking?

For significant improvement in non-verbal communication during public speaking, one should leave no stone unturned to practice confident posture, maintain eye contact to make the speech more interactive, use expressive gestures to convey your message and align body language with the message to keep the audience engaged and connected.