IELTS Cue Card: Describe a day that made you happy
IELTS Cue Card: Describe a day that made you happy
Describe a day that made you happy.
You should say:
- Where you were
- Who you were with
- What you did
And explain why you were happy.
Part 3:
- Are people today happier than people in the past?
- Who do you like to celebrate with more: friends or family?
- Can money make people happy?
- Why are some people unhappy nowadays?
Part 2 — Sample Answer:
There have been a lot of really happy moments in my life, and usually I’ll try to take a photo whenever there’s a moment that I want to remember.
One that comes to mind is the day I adopted my dog. It was a fairly unplanned event and the day he came home with me was rather unexpected.
When I was a kid, I’d repeatedly ask my parents for a puppy. For one reason or another they’d say no. I was always a little heartbroken when I’d see my friends with their dogs. Whenever I could I’d pet and play catch with other people’s dogs, but I never had my own.
When I grew up I moved around quite a lot and didn’t feel like it was the right time. I knew dogs need stability, and it’s really hard to travel or move when you have an animal to care for. But I knew that one day I’d adopt a dog of my own.
That time came about six months ago. I was living in my own apartment, rather than sharing with housemates, and knew I’d be staying put for quite a while. I was confident I’d be able to give a dog the home it deserves, but the idea was still in the back of my mind and I hadn’t gotten around to going to a shelter or looking online for one.
One day I was in a department store looking for something else when I stumbled across the pet aisle. There were squeaky toys, big fluffy dog beds, and the cutest food bowls. I smiled as I ran my hand over the dog beds and had a look online for where the nearest shelter was.
I ordered a taxi to the shelter and looked at the dogs that were barking and trying to be adopted. There was one that didn’t bark, but looked up at me with the cutest puppy dog eyes. I knew he was the one I wanted.
The volunteer that was working at the shelter took him out and let us play with each other to see if we’d be a good fit. It was love at first sight and I knew this was the dog I’d been waiting for all these years.
The volunteer and I signed the adoption paperwork, took him to the vet for one last checkup before he left, and handed him to me.
I couldn’t have been more excited because I finally had a dog of my own.
Vocabulary and idioms for this answer:
Comes to mind (phrase)
If you suddenly remember something or start to think about it, it is said to come to mind.
Example: They asked for my comments, but nothing came to mind.
Adopted (adjective)
You can adopt both children and pets. If you adopt a pet, you become the owner or the caretaker of that pet, and it’s usually been adopted from a pet shelter. To adopt a child is to take on the legal responsibilities of a parent of a child that isn’t biologically yours.
Example: More people should adopt their pets from a shelter rather than buying them from a pet store.
For one reason or another (idiom)
This is a phrase that is used for saying that there is more than one reason for something.
Example: His articles are, for one reason or another, fascinating.
Heartbroken (adjective)
If you feel extremely sad and upset, you’re heartbroken.
Example: If he ever divorced her, she’d be heartbroken.
Pet (verb)
If you pet an animal, you touch it gently and kindly in a way that shows you like or love them. It’s not to be confused with the noun, which is an animal that you keep in your home and take care of.
Example: I often pet my pets.
Grew up (phrasal verb)
To change from being a baby or young child to being an older child or adult.
Example: She’s really starting to grow up now.
Move around (phrasal verb)
If you move around, you keep changing your job or keep changing the place where you live.
Example: He moved around Europe working in different jobs every few months.
Stability (noun)
A situation in which something is not likely to change or move.
Example: A loving family environment gives children that sense of stability and permanence that they need.
Came about (phrasal verb)
If something comes about it happens or starts to happen, especially by chance.
Example: That job offer came about very quickly.
Stay put (idiom)
If you remain in the same place or position, you’re staying put.
Example: I want you to stay put with the kids while I go to the store.
In the back of my mind (idiom)
If something is in the back of your mind you are thinking about it or it is affecting how you behave, perhaps without you realizing it.
Example: The thought that Chris might leave was always in the back of his mind.
Get around to doing something (phrasal verb)
If you get around to something, you find the time to do something.
Example: I meant to do the ironing but I didn’t get around to it.
Stumble across (phrasal verb)
To discover something by chance, or to meet someone by chance.
Example: I stumbled across a rare T-shirt I’d been looking for in the mall.
Aisle (noun)
A long narrow space between the rows of shelves in a store, or the narrow space between rows of seats in an aircraft, cinema, etc.
Example: You’ll find the shampoo on the aisle over there.
Love at first sight (idiom)
A cliché phrase that means an immediate love or affection for a thing or a person.
Example A: When I met my husband, it was love at first sight.
Example B: The second I walked into that apartment, it was love at first sight and I immediately knew I wanted to buy it.
Part 3 — Sample Answers:
Are people today happier than in the past?
I think in some ways yes, and in some ways no.
Social media, for example, has changed a lot about how we live. For the most part it’s helped people stay connected with their loved ones, however there is a dark side to it.
A lot of people will only post the best parts of their life on social media. They may only post their vacation photos, post about life events such as their upcoming wedding, or successes they’ve had at work. This can lead to a lot of people feeling inadequate and like they’re missing out on life, which isn’t true at all.
I think that people nowadays have it better than ever. Modern medicine can help people lead healthier and happier lives, free from diseases that would have plagued people in the past. They’re able to live life with more conveniences, and have just about everything they want at their fingertips because of the internet, which can lead to greater happiness.
Vocabulary and idioms for this answer:
For the most part (idiom)
A phrase used for saying that something is mainly true, but not completely true.
Example: For the most part we were happy to live with each other.
Loved ones (noun)
Someone that you care about very much, usually a member of your family.
Example: People love celebrating the holidays with their loved ones.
Dark side (idiom)
The dark side of something is the negative aspect, or the troubled part of someone.
Example: I’d never seen the dark side of Mary before, but I’d heard lots of stories.
Upcoming (adjective)
Something that’s going to happen soon.
Example: Tickets are selling well for the group’s upcoming concert tour.
Inadequate (adjective)
Something that isn’t enough, or not good enough for a particular purpose.
Example: We are trying to provide basic education with inadequate resources.
Miss out (phrasal verb)
To miss out is to not use, or to not have, an opportunity to experience something good.
Example: By leaving early, you missed out on all the celebrations.
Plagued (verb)
If something plagues you it causes continual trouble or ill health.
Example: He’s been plagued with ill-health for years now.
At your fingertips (idiom)
If you have something at your fingertips you can get it and use it very easily. Usually it’s related to information.
Example: He has all the information he needs at his fingertips.
Who do you like to celebrate with more: friends or family?
I think it’s important to celebrate with both, and I certainly enjoy both my friends and family pretty much equally. However, I live thousands of kilometers away from my family, and this makes it difficult to celebrate all but the most important events with them.
I have a broad circle of friends where I live, and so it’s easy to have a party with them, or congratulate a friend on an important milestone.
I do feel like I’m able to let my hair down and relax with my friends more than I can with my family. I’ve always felt like I had to be a little bit reserved around some of my aunts and uncles, but never my close friends.
Vocabulary and idioms for this answer:
Circle of friends (noun)
A number of friends who usually do things together.
Example: I have a close circle of friends that I’ve known since high school.
Milestone (noun)
An important event in someone’s life, or an important stage in a company’s, country’s, or organization’s development.
Example: Graduating from college was an important milestone in her life.
Let your hair down (idiom)
To relax and enjoy yourself because you’re in a comfortable environment.
Example: I only feel like I can truly let my hair down around my family.
Reserved (adjective)
Someone who is reserved tends not to talk about or show their feelings or thoughts.
Example: Mark is more reserved than his brother.
Can money make people happy?
Absolutely. I think if someone doesn’t have enough money it can lead to a lot of stress and anxiety. A lot of broke or poor people are really quite unhappy and having money would make them feel more stable and secure in life; it would alleviate a lot of the problems they’ve been having.
Money itself doesn’t make people happy, but if you have a lot of it you’ll have a lot of options that poorer people won’t. Wealthy people will be able to afford more luxurious vacations and will be able to dine at classier restaurants. I think it’s what you do with money is important, and using it wisely can lead to happiness.
Vocabulary and idioms for this answer:
Anxiety (noun)
A worried feeling you have because you think something bad might happen.
Example: Children normally feel a lot of anxiety about their first day at school.
Broke (adjective)
If you’re broke you don’t have enough money.
Example: I can’t afford to go on holiday this year because I’m broke.
Alleviate (verb)
To make pain or problems less severe.
Example: The medicine did nothing to alleviate his discomfort.
Why are some people unhappy nowadays?
I think it’s for a lot of reasons. As mentioned before, there are lot of people who see the seemingly perfect lives of friends on social media and feel left behind. They don’t realize that it’s just the best parts and these friends will never post about the bad days they have, or the more mundane aspects of their lives.
I think also a lot of people are really stressed out and under a lot of pressure. They feel a lot of anxiety because of their job and end up working harder and harder just to keep up. Maybe they feel like they’re falling behind at university or aren’t achieving certain life milestones at the right times.
Personally I think people on the whole are happier than they were in the past, and the society we live in right now is better than ever.
Vocabulary and idioms for this answer:
Seemingly (adverb)
Something that appears to be true, even though it probably isn’t true.
Example: Heidi was seemingly relaxed when she was taking the test.
Mundane (adjective)
Something that’s not very interesting or exciting, especially because it happens too regularly.
Example: She finds paying bills and shopping for food extremely mundane.
Stressed out (adjective)
A feeling of being very worried and nervous.
Example: I’ve been really stressed out since I started my new job.
Keep up (phrasal verb)
If you keep up, you make progress or learn at the same speed as someone or something.
Example: By studying hard she managed to keep up.
Fall behind (phrasal verb)
If you fall behind, you fail to do something fast enough or on time.
Example: He was sick for six weeks and fell behind with his schoolwork.
On the whole (idiom)
A phrase that’s used fo talking about a general situation.
Example: It was a pretty good conference on the whole.
How long will these questions be valid?
At least until the end of April 2020.
Three times a year the British Council changes many of the topics and questions they ask. Sometimes they decide to keep a topic for another four months, but oftentimes they decide to replace it. This one is very likely to be replaced with a new topic at the beginning of May 2020, but it won't be known for sure until then.
Just to let you know, there are 49 possible part 2/3 topics on the current exam. Sometimes there are more, sometimes there are less, and this number changes when the British Council updates the questions.
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March 11, 2020
