Describe a travel you were looking forward to but was delayed IELTS Cue Card

IELTS CUE CARD TOPIC

Describe a travel you were looking forward to but was delayed

You should say:

Where you planned to travel to
Why you were looking forward to it
Why it had to be delayed
And explain how you felt about the experience

Sample 1

Being a travel fanatic, I love travelling to different places, and on some occasions, our plans get altered. One such occasion happened to me when the travel plan was delayed for a long time.

I planned to travel to the Manali Hill station in March 2020, and I was looking forward to it because it was a college reunion. Many of my friends were coming from far-off places like America and Canada. So it was an excellent opportunity for us all schoolmates to spend gala time together, but destiny had a different plan for us, and the trip got delayed. The reason was that in March 2020, there was a coronavirus pandemic outbreak.

Due to that, there was a lockdown worldwide, and my friends couldn’t come. Moreover, even my traveling distance was huge so I couldn’t leave my house due to the lockdown. I felt terrible about the experience because we had to sit at our homes without fault, and during that time, I did many things.

I planned the trip better, and we all friends remained in touch. After four months, when the administration finally lifted the lockdown, we sighed in relief and executed our plan.

My friends came from different places, so we went to Manali. We had an excellent week there, and the good time spent there will remain etched in my memories.

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 travel you were looking forward to but was delayed”.

1. What are the primary means of transport in your country?

In my country, the primary means of transport are road, rail, and air. A comprehensive road network spreads throughout the nation, connecting various states, cities, and villages. Apart from this, the rail network is also widespread. Apart from some hilly regions, the rail is everywhere. And in the last ten years, air travel has also developed a lot, with many new airports coming up every year.

2. What can the government do to improve transport in your

country?

To improve transport in our country, the government can take various measures. First, it should enhance the public transportation system in multiple states; the buses and the trains do not run on time, so it must devise a system where there should be obedience to time. It should also develop the existing infrastructure by creating more roads, flyovers, rail networks, and airports. So this way the transport system can improve gradually.

3. Do you think traveling was better in the past than it is now?

In the past, the only advantage of traveling was that there was

less traffic congestion. These days, no doubt, there is more travel congestion, but the transport system has developed. A vast road and railway network has also broadened, and air travel has also increased appreciably. Apart from this, various private sector companies have entered the domain of taxis; you have Ola and Uber, through which you can easily book a ride from your smartphone within a second. Apart from this, bike taxis are also there, and this saves a significant amount of time and energy.

4. Do you think tourist attractions help people learn about new cultures?

Yes, tourist attractions are a meeting point for people from various cultures and traditions. They come to these places, meet and interact with each other, acquire the good points of your culture, and leave the impression of their culture on your traditions. So, this leads to a friendly environment. So yes, the cultural development thrives primarily on tourism.

5. What difficulties do people often face while traveling?

People’s biggest problem while traveling is that scheduled buses and trains do not run on time, so their quality time goes to waste. Apart from that, booking concerns are also present. Sometimes, despite booking the ticket in advance, they still need to get the seat. So these are the problems people face.

6. Do you think technology makes traveling more difficult?

Technology makes traveling easy. We can book bus, train, and air tickets from our homes, which helps us a lot. Unlike when there was only one channel for booking travel, we have many options, so things have become more accessible.