Describe a Time You Made a Decision to Wait for Something IELTS Cue Card

IELTS CUE CARD TOPIC

Describe a Time You Made a Decision to Wait for Something

You should say:

When it happened?
What you waited for?
Why you made the decision?
And explain how you felt while waiting.

NOTE – The examiner gives you one minute to plan your answer, and to help you prepare for the topic, the examiner provides you with a pencil and a notepad. You’ll have to answer the questions given on the topic for one-to-two minutes

Sample Answer 1

Introduction

The gospel truth is that time is the most important resource at our disposal. We leave no stone unturned to save it, and due to this, society is becoming impatient.

However, there are a few situations where waiting is a prudent approach.

I have had a few occasions where I preferred to wait, and one such instance is worth mentioning.

When did it happen?

It happened last year when I waited for one month so that I could get the best deal to save money.

What you waited for?

I am a college student, and my work thrives primarily on my laptop because it helps me to search for information quickly.

Due to my brother’s negligence, my laptop broke down. I repaired it, but its performance was not up to the mark.

At that time, I decided to buy a new laptop, but I planned to wait for one month.

Why you made the decision?

I made this decision because the Black Friday sale was just one month away. Companies like Amazon and Flipkart provide huge discounts on this day.

Due to that, I decided to wait so that I could save some money to buy another thing of my choice.

And explain how you felt while waiting.

Although the waiting period was only one month, I found it hard because the slow speed of the laptop was a worrisome factor for me.

Somehow I waited for one month and finally when the laptop reached my place I sighed a relief.

I got a decent discount, and it was worth waiting for.

Vocabulary from Sample Answer 1

1. Leave no stone unturned

Meaning: Make use of every possible course of action to do a task.

Sentence: Although I didn’t have much work to do while staying indoors during corona pandemic, I left no stone unturned to create new opportunities through the internet.

2. Worth mentioning

Meaning: Important enough to require a comment.

Sentence: The role of the internet during corona pandemic is worth mentioning. Billions of students worldwide gained immense knowledge by taking online classes.

Sample Answer 2

Introduction

There is no denying this conviction that making informed decisions is a daunting task. In life, we come through enormous circumstances where making a prudent choice becomes challenging.

In such a scenario, we have to consider many factors while arriving at a decision.

I have had a situation where I decided to wait.

When did it happen?

Last year I purposely waited and halted my decision for two months.

What you waited for?

I wanted to join my college after the first wave of the corona pandemic, but after reading the experts’ reports in October 2020, I realized that the 2nd wave of the Corona Pandemic could come at any time. Due to that, instead of going to college, I attended all classes online and waited for the 2nd wave to get over.

Why you made the decision?

I decided because wave one of the corona was no doubt over, but the 2nd wave was starting, so staying indoors during such a challenging time was prudent.

Because the probability of catching the virus was high by staying outdoors, I could have jeopardized my family’s life by going to college.

And explain how you felt while waiting.

The wait was not easy because staying indoors for a long period harms your physical and mental health.

I gained enormous weight, and my stress level rose considerably. But the wait helped me because, in Feb 2021, the 2nd corona wave was at its peak, but my family and I remained safe by staying indoors.

Sample Answer 3

Introduction

In our life, we have various plans, and we try our best to give them a practical shape. However, on some occasions, waiting is a worthwhile proposition.

When did it happen?

Last year I wanted to launch my website for selling online products. But just before lunch, the 2nd wave of the corona pandemic made inroads in our lives.

What you waited for?

Due to the corona pandemic, the government imposed a stringent lockdown, and only essential services were available. During that time, launching the website was an imprudent approach.

So I decided to wait for the pandemic to be over.

Why you made the decision?

Because during challenging times, people have this habit of spending on necessities and refrain from using funds on luxuries.

As the products I wanted to sell were not necessities, I halted the launch.

Another reason was the non-availability of the staff members due to the lockdown. I wanted to initiate my startup by recruiting and training a team of freshers. And there were restrictions on the opening of the offices.

And explain how you felt while waiting.?

The time spent waiting was challenging for me. I wanted to launch my website as soon as possible, but destiny had a different plan for me.

On the one hand, I was upset about the delay of my project. On the other hand, I was happy that I did not waste my money by launching the website during the lockdown.

When the administration finally started the unlocking process, I sighed in relief and launched my website with pomp and show.

Sample Answer 4

Introduction

There is no denying this conviction that our success pivots around our gone or bad decisions.

Due to this reason, sometimes it is worthwhile to wait to make a wise choice.

When did it happen? And What you waited for?

After passing my graduation, as I had a responsibility on my shoulders to earn for my family, I appeared for interviews with many companies. Being a fresher, I faced a lot of rejections because most companies were looking for experienced people.

My three-month hard work finally bore fruit when I received the offer letter from two companies. Both the offers were lucrative, but the job profile was not my choice. As I was going through a severe financial crunch, I chose the one close to my home.

However, later on, I changed my plan and decided to wait for a job with a profile of my choice.

Why you made the decision?

I decided because when you are in your job, you should give your full efforts with determination, dedication and discipline, and this is possible when you get the work of your choice.

Doing a job just for money is an imprudent approach because, ultimately, it is counter-productive for your career. After all, you have to do half-hearted work.

Due to this, I made a prudent decision to wait.

And explain how you felt while waiting.

The ait was not easy because of financial troubles, but I kept myself busy by working on my physical and mental fitness.

Finally, the wait was over when I got a job profile of my choice with a decent salary package.

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 You Made a Decision to Wait for Something”.

1. What do people in your country often do while waiting?

In the contemporary epoch, most people spend a boatload of time surfing social media applications on their phones, especially when they are free or waiting for someone. People wish to remain in touch with the ongoing trends and be aware of the new trend, and they gain instant gratification through such applications.

2. Why do some people like a slow-paced life?

I believe some people in society love a slow-paced life because they know the significance of focus and patience. Unlike others, they refrain from indulging in the rat race of acquiring a boatload of money; instead, they choose to spend a simple life that encourages them to think beyond the conventional domain.

3. Is being patient good for people? Why?

In the modern era, technology has made inroads in our lives, empowering us to do tasks quickly. Due to this, modern society has become impatient.

People often lose patience with trivial matters and turn angry, which disturbs their personal and professional lives.

Being patient helps to handle conflicts adroitly during difficult times by exhibiting emotional intelligence. On the other hand, impatient people have this uncanny knack for inviting troubles into their lives.

4. Are people less patient now than people in the past? Why?

There is no denying this conviction that the current generation exhibits less patience than people of the old times. Technological advancements have empowered them to do tasks at the click of a button. For example, washing clothes used to be a daunting task in the past; however, it has become fairly easy these days due to the availability of washing machines.

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