Scorify.uzThe cue card
Describe something you lost and then found again, or never found.
You should say:
- what you lost
- where and when you lost it
- what you did to find it
- and explain how you felt about losing it
Band 7 sample answer
I would like to talk about the time I lost my wallet in a shopping centre last winter. It was a brown leather wallet that my sister gave me for my birthday, and it contained my student card, some cash and my bank card.
I realised it was missing when I went to pay at a cafe after walking around for about two hours. I checked my pockets and my bag three times, and my heart started beating fast. I tried to remember where I had last used it, and I decided to go back to the shop where I bought a scarf. The shop assistant had not seen it, but she advised me to ask at the information desk.
I was already thinking about the trouble of blocking my card and getting a new student ID when the staff member opened a drawer and showed me my wallet. A cleaner had found it near the escalator, and everything was still inside, even the money. I was so relieved that I thanked everyone about five times and left a small thank-you note for the cleaner.
That day I felt both stressed and grateful. It taught me to be more careful, so now I keep my belongings in a zipped inside pocket. It also restored my faith in honesty, because the finder could easily have taken the money. My sister laughed when I told her the story, and she promised to buy me a chain for the wallet next time. I haven't used it yet, but I did write my phone number inside, just in case it ever disappears again.
About 269 words, roughly 2 minutes of natural speech.
Key vocabulary
- misplace — put something somewhere and forget where
- retrace my steps — go back along the same route
- lost and found — place where found items are kept
- to my relief — feeling happy that a problem ended
- valuables — expensive or important items
- honest — truthful and not stealing
- sentimental value — emotional importance of an object
Tips for this cue card
- Create a little suspense, then reveal the outcome.
- Explain your emotions step by step.
- Say what you changed afterwards.
Part 3 follow-up questions
Why do people lose things so often?
Idea: Stress, distraction and phone use make us less aware of where we put things.
Is it right to keep something you find?
Idea: No, you should try to return it, especially important documents or valuables.
How can technology help people find lost items?
Idea: Trackers, phone location services and online lost-property groups make recovery easier.
More discussion questions with full answers: IELTS Speaking Part 3 topics.
Study guides
How Is IELTS Scored in Speaking and Writing? Criteria, Weighting and Rounding
The short answer first, then the Speaking and Writing criteria tables, how Task 1 and Task 2 combine and how the overall band is rounded.
IELTS Speaking Band Descriptors Explained in Plain English
The IELTS Speaking test is marked on four criteria. Here is what each one means at bands 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, with short examples you can compare with your own answers.
IELTS Speaking Part 2: How Many Minutes to Speak (With a Practice Timer)
How long Part 2 lasts (1 minute to prepare, 1–2 minutes to speak), a practice timer, a four-step structure and a model answer.