Describe a time when you took a break from work/study IELTS Cue Card

IELTS CUE CARD TOPIC

Describe a time when you took a break from work/study

When was it?
Why you took a break?
What did you do during that time?
Why did you like/dislike it?

Sample Answer 1

Introduction

There is no denying this conviction that taking breaks from work is an integral part of our life. Recently I took a break from my work which is worth mentioning.

When was it? And Why you took a break?

I had to take a break from work due to the Corona pandemic. Last year, the government announced a lockdown to curb the spread of the deadly virus.

As my company didn’t have the work-from-home option, all employees had no option but to quit their jobs. So, for six months, I stayed at home.

What did you do during that time?

During that time, I was free. But unfortunately, the first month was a total waste because I squandered the quality time at my disposal by watching Netflix and other OTT platforms.

After a while, watching TV was monotonous for me, and I decided to learn something new. So I asked for opinions on what to learn from my near and dear ones, and my elder brother advised me to learn digital marketing.

I decided to learn digital marketing and watched many videos on Youtube, but I needed more. So after that, I joined an online course in which I worked under the aegis of a seasoned trainer and with his unabated support, I became a digital marketing expert in three months.

Why did you like/dislike it?

I liked the break from work because it brought a paradigm shift. Due to my busy work schedule, I could not acquire a new skill, but the break brought a paradigm shift in my life by allowing me to learn a skill in huge demand these days.

Follow up Questions

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 time when you took a break from work/study ”.

1. Do you think taking breaks is important?

In my opinion, taking breaks is a prudent approach as it empowers us to recharge ourselves and think beyond the conventional domain to handle the conflicts in our lives adroitly.

2. What skills people should acquire during breaks?

In this modern era, technology has made inroads in our lives, and with its unabated support, we can lead our careers towards an impressive growth trajectory. Therefore, during breaks, we should gain knowledge on burgeoning skills like digital marketing, content writing, artificial intelligence etc.

3. How do you feel when you do regular work and do not get breaks?

For me getting breaks is important, and when I work regularly, my performance nosedives, and I fail to think beyond the conventional domain.

4. Does taking breaks to decline our performance?

In some cases, when we take breaks at regular intervals, it declines our performance because it deprives us of consistency.