IELTS Cue Card Question 42 With Model Answer:
[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you're going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]
Model Answer 1:
Meetings are always important as different necessary and vital decisions are taken in meetings. I had to miss such an important meeting for my mother’s sudden illness.
The meeting was set in the headquarters of my office and I was supposed to be one of the important participants at the meeting. But I had to miss the meeting since I completely forgot about it from the previous night of the meeting. My mother fell ill all of a sudden. She started feeling severe abdominal pain in her lower abdomen right after the midnight. I phoned immediately to the local hospital for an ambulance and then rushed to the hospital with my mother. The doctors observed her for the sometimes and then prescribed some tests immediately. By the time, it was morning and I remained busy with my mother. Suddenly I remembered that I had to attend the meeting.
The meeting was truly important for me as it was about dealing a new contract with a business giant about supplying some materials for their corporation to be used as raw materials for producing cars. My organisation usually supplies different sorts of accessories and tools as raw materials for vehicle production. Since the orders for my company reduced to some significant extent, the meeting was an important one for us. Earlier, we failed to supply the desired amount of materials to the other clients due to product shortage and thus the order slipped in the past quarter, and now we were sufficient to supply them with their required amount of materials. But unfortunately, the meeting could not be successful at the pre-set time for my absence.
I informed my immediate higher authority about the condition of my mother and how busy I was with her during the meeting day. I also told that I will meet the clients in person to make the deals on the next day and considering the entire issue, my office authority allowed me so and set another meeting with the clients at their office where I will be representing my company alone. Then I went in the next day and made the deal with them. The clients were highly pleased with my presentation and promised that they always will collect their required materials from my organisation.
When my mother fell ill, I turned highly busy with her and could not remember that I have any other tasks to do. So, I unintentionally forgot about the meeting with the other corporations. When I remembered that my absence will make a loss for my company, I politely informed the issue to my senior official and he took the necessary measures to make the deal. Initially, I felt sad as the meeting was a failure due to my absence but when there were chances of meeting the clients in person, I thought I could be able to convince them in picking us to meet their production needs. Accordingly, I was able to persuade them to us. I felt joy inside when the clients placed the order and their promise of a longer lasting trading deal with us.
Sample Answer 2:
I have a habit of forgetting the important things and often I need to face trouble with the issue. Last Monday, such an event happened with me. I completely forgot to attend a meeting at my office. So, I had to undergo some unwanted hassles from my office. Thank you for the question.
I am a sales executive at a multinational toothpaste manufacturing company here in Jakarta. I have been working here for the past one year and successfully have completed some of the assignments on me. But this time, it was my bad luck that I missed the meeting. My boss took some punitive measures about the issue later and also warned me over the issue. In fact, it was about the monthly strategy setting meeting at the office that is held on monthly basis. Everyone related to the sales and marketing team has to attend the meeting and this is a must. But unluckily, I missed it then.
The meeting was about the implementation of the monthly sales and marketing strategies for the company. The agendas also included achieving the sales target and how to improve the marketing issues. The company had been experiencing a downfall in past couple of months for some reasons. First of all, we had a new competitor with fresh strategies. They are occupying the market which is a concerning issue for us. So, the meeting also decided to discuss the preventive measures to battle with the new and upcoming competitor. Further, there were some other issues like annual increment of the employees working in this region and more other issues. So, it was an important meeting for all of us. Moreover, the meeting was also set to welcome the governing body visit in Jakarta in the next month. It discussed the necessary preparations for the purpose.
Later, my manager gave me the meeting minutes to learn about the meeting issues. He asked me to prepare a draft plan for everything. In fact, I was responsible for writing the meeting minutes and due to my absence, one of my colleagues did it. Accordingly, I made a draft proposal of monthly strategy. I added some other issues on the proposal so that it could be more effective. My manager also asked me to make a PowerPoint presentation to present some ideas about the marketing strategy for the upcoming season before the governing body members. To adjust to the changed situations, I had to study the meeting minute seriously. It was necessary for me because if someone asks anything about the meeting, and if I fail to reply to the question, it would be shameful for me. It was also given to make me updated.
The feelings were mixed. My boss had words with me about my absence in the meeting. I told him that I forgot about it and went for a market visit. The meeting was set in the morning while I returned office after the noon. I had some dealings with some of the local sellers about the market expansion. And it was also important for me and my company as we were experiencing a slip in sales. As a result, I was a bit worried and forgot to attend the meeting at the right time. My boss also failed to inform me as he thought I would be there even if I am late. So, I felt sad about it and tried to adjust to everything later.
Describe a situation when you forgot about an important meeting.
You should say:- when it was
- what the meeting was about
- what you did about it later
[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you're going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]
Model Answer 1:
The meeting was set in the headquarters of my office and I was supposed to be one of the important participants at the meeting. But I had to miss the meeting since I completely forgot about it from the previous night of the meeting. My mother fell ill all of a sudden. She started feeling severe abdominal pain in her lower abdomen right after the midnight. I phoned immediately to the local hospital for an ambulance and then rushed to the hospital with my mother. The doctors observed her for the sometimes and then prescribed some tests immediately. By the time, it was morning and I remained busy with my mother. Suddenly I remembered that I had to attend the meeting.
The meeting was truly important for me as it was about dealing a new contract with a business giant about supplying some materials for their corporation to be used as raw materials for producing cars. My organisation usually supplies different sorts of accessories and tools as raw materials for vehicle production. Since the orders for my company reduced to some significant extent, the meeting was an important one for us. Earlier, we failed to supply the desired amount of materials to the other clients due to product shortage and thus the order slipped in the past quarter, and now we were sufficient to supply them with their required amount of materials. But unfortunately, the meeting could not be successful at the pre-set time for my absence.
I informed my immediate higher authority about the condition of my mother and how busy I was with her during the meeting day. I also told that I will meet the clients in person to make the deals on the next day and considering the entire issue, my office authority allowed me so and set another meeting with the clients at their office where I will be representing my company alone. Then I went in the next day and made the deal with them. The clients were highly pleased with my presentation and promised that they always will collect their required materials from my organisation.
When my mother fell ill, I turned highly busy with her and could not remember that I have any other tasks to do. So, I unintentionally forgot about the meeting with the other corporations. When I remembered that my absence will make a loss for my company, I politely informed the issue to my senior official and he took the necessary measures to make the deal. Initially, I felt sad as the meeting was a failure due to my absence but when there were chances of meeting the clients in person, I thought I could be able to convince them in picking us to meet their production needs. Accordingly, I was able to persuade them to us. I felt joy inside when the clients placed the order and their promise of a longer lasting trading deal with us.
Sample Answer 2:
I have a habit of forgetting the important things and often I need to face trouble with the issue. Last Monday, such an event happened with me. I completely forgot to attend a meeting at my office. So, I had to undergo some unwanted hassles from my office. Thank you for the question.
I am a sales executive at a multinational toothpaste manufacturing company here in Jakarta. I have been working here for the past one year and successfully have completed some of the assignments on me. But this time, it was my bad luck that I missed the meeting. My boss took some punitive measures about the issue later and also warned me over the issue. In fact, it was about the monthly strategy setting meeting at the office that is held on monthly basis. Everyone related to the sales and marketing team has to attend the meeting and this is a must. But unluckily, I missed it then.
The meeting was about the implementation of the monthly sales and marketing strategies for the company. The agendas also included achieving the sales target and how to improve the marketing issues. The company had been experiencing a downfall in past couple of months for some reasons. First of all, we had a new competitor with fresh strategies. They are occupying the market which is a concerning issue for us. So, the meeting also decided to discuss the preventive measures to battle with the new and upcoming competitor. Further, there were some other issues like annual increment of the employees working in this region and more other issues. So, it was an important meeting for all of us. Moreover, the meeting was also set to welcome the governing body visit in Jakarta in the next month. It discussed the necessary preparations for the purpose.
Later, my manager gave me the meeting minutes to learn about the meeting issues. He asked me to prepare a draft plan for everything. In fact, I was responsible for writing the meeting minutes and due to my absence, one of my colleagues did it. Accordingly, I made a draft proposal of monthly strategy. I added some other issues on the proposal so that it could be more effective. My manager also asked me to make a PowerPoint presentation to present some ideas about the marketing strategy for the upcoming season before the governing body members. To adjust to the changed situations, I had to study the meeting minute seriously. It was necessary for me because if someone asks anything about the meeting, and if I fail to reply to the question, it would be shameful for me. It was also given to make me updated.
The feelings were mixed. My boss had words with me about my absence in the meeting. I told him that I forgot about it and went for a market visit. The meeting was set in the morning while I returned office after the noon. I had some dealings with some of the local sellers about the market expansion. And it was also important for me and my company as we were experiencing a slip in sales. As a result, I was a bit worried and forgot to attend the meeting at the right time. My boss also failed to inform me as he thought I would be there even if I am late. So, I felt sad about it and tried to adjust to everything later.