IELTS SPEAKING CUE CARD
[PART 2]
A MISTAKE YOU MADE AND
LEARNED FROM IT
Describe a mistake you made and learned from it
You should say:
- What the mistake was
- When you made the mistake
- Why you made the mistake
And explain what you learned from it
A N S W E R
Photography and creating video content are my two favorite hobbies, so more often than not, I travel to different places to capture magnificent views either in still photographs or videos. For some reason, these kinds of hobbies give me a sense of fulfillment.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
More often than not [phrase] – usually
Still picture [noun] – a photograph
Sense of fulfillment [phrase] – the feeling of satisfaction
A few months ago, I made up my mind to visit one of the beaches that’s just a stone’s throw from our house. Of course, I took with me my essential equipment like my camera, tripod, and other accessories so I could shoot spectacular photos and videos. While I was at the beach, I enjoyed taking several shots of the waves and the sea itself which was so refreshing because of its cyan color. After doing so, I decided to create a vlog and I unashamedly filmed myself walking and talking in front of the camera. I did make so much effort to talk about some life lessons I learned while walking at the beach.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Stone’s throw [noun] – a short distance
Cyan [noun] – a greenish-blue color
Unashamedly [adv.] – openly without guilt or embarrassment
Anyway after I satisfied myself, I went back home and dived into checking my photographs and videos. I actually took plenty of them and my memory card barely had any space left. So for me to save some space from my memory card, I deleted some shots that I thought were mediocre. I kept erasing them until I could increase the amount of space on my memory card, as I neither wanted to buy a new one nor transfer my files from my camera to my computer.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Dive into [phrasal verb] – to start doing something enthusiastically
Barely [adv.] – almost not
Mediocre [adj.] – ordinary; common
Right after that, I inserted my memory card into my card reader and connected it to my PC so I could start editing. When I checked the files, I was startled and couldn’t say a word, unfortunately, and unknowingly, I deleted two most important videos for my vlog. I felt depressed instantly and got mad at myself. Because of that stupid mistake, I learned to practice transferring my files from my memory card to my computer first before deleting any file, as I didn’t want to commit the same mistake.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Memory card [noun] – a small flat flash drive used in digital cameras
Card reader [noun] – an electronic device that reads and transfers data from various portable memory storage devices
Startle [verb] – to feel sudden shock
Unknowingly [adv.] – unintentionally
PART 3
What lesson can we learn from our mistakes?
I suppose any kind of mistake we make in life – may it be serious or insignificant, we learn that we cannot be perfect no matter how hard we try. More often than not, we make mistakes and that is acceptable since that is always part of life. Through making mistakes, we learn to make ourselves better and helps us become mature. In other words, our experience in making mistakes in life teaches us valuable life lessons that are essential for our growth.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
I suppose [expression] – another way to say ‘I think’
Insignificant [adj.] – unimportant
Mature [adj.] – full-grown; adult
What should parents do when children make mistakes?
Honestly, that’s a tough question because there are so many factors that are taken into account when disciplining children if they make a mistake. So if I were a parent, I would surely educate my child about the impact of the mistake he had committed and make him understand the importance of not making the same mistake.
Some parents may not agree with me and think that my way is lenient but I can understand them since each parent has their own way of responding and disciplining their children when they do make mistakes. I believe there is no universal guideline for parenting. What I think is right, may be ineffective to other parents.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Take into account [phrase] – to consider
Lenient [adj.] – more tolerant
Ineffective [adj.] – unsuccessful
Do you think everyone deserves a second chance?
Absolutely! We are not born perfect – we all make mistakes because we lack knowledge, we are sometimes vulnerable and get tempted to do something that is not right, and sometimes we cannot control our emotions to the point that we can’t help ourselves but say hurtful words to others. All these things are part of human nature.
But in my opinion, it is our moral obligation to humble ourselves and ask for forgiveness for the person we have wronged and once we are given a second chance, we should not waste that chance and make sure to make it up to that person. By doing that, we can surely have peace of mind, which is one important factor in living happily.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Vulnerable [adj.] – capable of being wounded physically or emotionally
Human nature [noun] – the general characteristics, feelings, and behavioral traits of humankind
Humble [verb as used in the answer] – to make less important or proud
Make it up to somebody [phrase] – to do something good for someone you have upset
Peace of mind [expression] – a mental state of calmness, free from worry
Why do some people make the same mistakes again and again?
That is simply because they do not learn things by heart. If one is really serious about not making the same mistake over and over again, he will surely make an effort to learn from his mistake and change his ways for the better. For instance, it is more than common for some second language learners to commit basic grammar mistakes when constructing sentences.
If they spend a good amount of time and exert more effort in learning basic grammar, like practicing often to achieve mastery, then for sure they will not make the same mistakes in the future, but, some people are just indolent to do that, as a result, they will make the same mistakes again and again.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
By heart [idiom] – completely; by memory
Exert [verb] – make a physical or mental effort
Indolent [adj.] – lazy
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Meaning of Words and Phrases Sources: Collins, Macmillan, Cambridge, Oxford
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