Skip to main content

A time you needed to use your imagination

IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card 288 with Model Answer:

Describe a time when you needed to use your imagination.

You should say:
  • what the situation was
  • why you needed to use imagination
  • what the difficulties were
and explain how you felt about it.

[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:
In high school, I had to attend literature classes twice a week, and I really enjoyed doing so. The teacher often tried to inspire us to tell our own stories, write a few poems and even try writing short stories, and most of the time, I had to rely on my "imagination" for that. During this course, I learned how our imagination power could save us and even make us a bit more creative than we think we are!

In our literature classes, the teacher used to tell us stories, explain the meaning and context of poems and discuss the literary works of different writers. One day, just after explaining the life of a famous poet and his poem writing style, the teacher asked us to produce a 12-line authentic poem to mimic this writer's style. That was really difficult, and I had to rely on imagination.

I needed to use imagination because writing a poem requires imagination power to be fully utilised. This time it was even more difficult because I had to follow a particular style and could not just write a few lines to make a poem. The whole thing got even more complicated because we were asked to produce the writing instantly in the classroom and we did not have enough time to think and write.

However, as usual, I came up with something. This time, I picked a theme for the poem that actually happened. The writer - whose writing style we were supposed to mimic - lost his younger brother in his childhood, and I imagined how that experience could really be and how to pen down the experience of that event from the writer's perspective. I think the poem that I came up with was not so bad. After all, the teacher, who was not easy to satisfy, praised the poem in front of the whole classroom.

I was very relieved when I noticed that the teacher was happy about my writing. It was also a great achievement, and it boosted my confidence in writing about a totally unknown situation when I had had no clue whatsoever.


Sample Answer 2:
Making an effective presentation is tough for those who do not have a solid idea about the topic or the theme. Being a junior employee, I recently had to undergo such a situation in my office. I am a fresh sales analyst for a reputed "table fan" making corporation in Bolivia. For this topic, I will describe the situation when I had to apply my imagination.

Though I have to remain busy with my usual official tasks at the office, a couple of months ago, my manager asked me to prepare a presentation for him. He only verbally explained the theme of the presentation to me, and I could not understand all of it! So, I had to use my imagination and prepare that for him.

It was extremely difficult for me to create a presentation when I did not have a solid idea of what to do or how to do it. Moreover, my manager wanted the presentation within the next 5 days! It was like an impossible situation.

This presentation was nothing like adding some statistical data and visually presenting them in front of an audience. It was about our immediate plans to boost our sales and beat our competitors. Now that I know what my manager tried to do, I am happy that he gave me the opportunity. My manager planned to find out how good a planner and analyst I really was and that's why he gave me as little idea as possible. So I had to do some digging into our sales and financial data and use my imagination to complete the presentation. I must say that the internet helped me a lot in my endeavour to complete the presentation.

At that time, I was intimidated. I also thought that my presentation was not presentable to my higher management. But as soon as I presented it to them and noticed their expression, I was relieved. I immediately knew that it was a great success and they loved my ideas. It boosted my confidence, and from that point onwards, I am never scared to use imagination and solid data to make a presentation.

Popular posts from this blog

Describe a small business you would like to start

IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card   592   with Model Answer: Describe a small business you would like to start. You should say: what type of business it is what preparation you think you need to start it when you plan to start it and explain why you want to start this small business. [You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.] Model Answer 1: Thank you so much for this interesting topic. For this topic, I'd like to talk about a small business that I've often dreamt of starting - which is a sustainable and locally sourced artisanal bakery and café. I am so glad to be able to talk about it here. The core of this business would be a bakery that focuses on producing high-quality, handcrafted bread, pastries, and cakes using locally sourced, organic ingredients whenever possible. Alongside the bakery, there would be a small, cosy café space where cust...

An interesting activity that you enjoy doing

IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card   587   with Model Answer: Describe an interesting activity that you enjoy doing. You should say: what type of activity it is how often you do it who you do it with and explain how much you enjoy it. [You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.] Model Answer: Thank you so much for this interesting topic. I'd love to share an activity I thoroughly enjoy, and this activity is collecting coins from different countries. It's a fascinating hobby that combines my interests in history, culture, and travel. It’s a hobby that I find both fascinating and rewarding. I believe, collecting coins is a unique and educational pastime. It involves acquiring coins from various countries, each with its own distinctive design, historical significance, and cultural value. Collecting coins, or numismatics, as some call it, is more than ...

A person from your country who has won a prize, award or medal

IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card   591   with Model Answer: Describe a person from your country who has won a prize, award or medal. You should say: who this person is which prize, award or medal they received what they did to win this and explain whether you think it was right that this person received this prize, award or medal. [You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.] Model Answer 1: Thank you very much for this interesting topic, which allows me to talk about a remarkable individual from my country who has received significant recognition. The person I'd like to describe is Professor Muhammad Yunus, and the prestigious honour he received was the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. Professor Yunus, an economist and social entrepreneur from Bangladesh, is globally renowned for pioneering the concepts of microcredit and microfinance. He realised that...

Describe a trip you took by a motorbike

IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card   590   with Model Answer: Describe a trip you took by a motorbike. You should say: when and where the trip was who you went with why you made the trip on a motorbike and explain how you felt about it. [You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.] Model Answer: One of the most memorable trips I ever took was a motorbike adventure along the scenic coastal roads of central Vietnam last summer. We started our journey from the vibrant city of Da Nang and headed south toward the historic town of Hoi An, riding along winding roads that hugged the breathtaking coastline. My travel companion on this journey was my closest friend, Andrew, who, like me, has always had a passion for exploring off-the-beaten-path locations. We had been planning this road trip for months, sharing dreams of navigating Vietnam’s coastal highways ...