Describe an occasion when you couldn't pay for something you wanted.
You should say:- what you wanted to pay for
- why you were not able to pay
- what you did
and explain how you felt about the situation.
[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:
My recent trip to India was quite interesting. It also provided me with some of the memorable experiences of my life. I went there with my family and visited a few famous tourist spots. Unfortunately, one evening, I could not pay for the meals after dining at a local restaurant. It was a bit embarrassing for me and my family, but we tackled the situation without causing any further confusion. I would like to share this experience with you.
Initially, I could not pay for the meal that I and my family members ate because I did not have enough Indian Rupee with me. I am an Indonesian, and when I go abroad, I try to keep enough local currency with me so that I do not have to get in trouble while paying for something. Besides, I also use an international credit card. But, on that fateful evening, it was a bit troublesome when I did not have much local currency with me and I did not even notice that. So, when I found that I did not have enough Indian Rupee, I tried to pay the bill using my credit card. But they accepted only cash and that was the moment when I felt kind of helpless.
I apologized to the restaurant manager and they seemed very understanding as they had similar experiences with foreign tourists! I asked the manager to send someone with me so that I can pay the bill from my hotel where I was staying with my family. He agreed and sent one of the restaurant staffs with me. The hotel, where we were staying, was not far away. I paid the bill after exchanging some currencies and did not forget to offer some generous tips.
To be honest, it was an uncomfortable situation for us, especially for me. As I am always careful to keep enough local currency with me, it was a reminder that I should be more careful about that. It could have been much worse and far more embarrassing than it already was had the restaurant manager not been so understanding and cooperative. Luckily, it was not a big fuss except the fact that I felt really uneasy about it at first.
Model Answer 2:
Thank you so much for this excellent topic. It reminds me of an event when I could not pay the bill when I went shopping with my niece to buy something for her on the occasion of her upcoming birthday. I wanted to pay for a dress that she really liked. This was a nice-looking dress and came with an excellent design and style. And most importantly, she liked the dress. So, I wanted to pay for that only to regret it a couple of minutes later!
Usually, I do not carry much cash with me as I have a credit card that I usually use while shopping. But this time, I forgot to pay the outstanding bill and thus the card did not have a sufficient balance. So, my purchase was not honoured. It was an embarrassing experience for me. As I went out with my niece for shopping, I should have been more careful about it. But I made a blunder and felt embarrassed.
A couple of minutes later, I called a friend to bring some cash to help me, and my friend arrived within half an hour with the money. And I used the cash to pay for the dress. And that relieved me from the embarrassment a bit. Now I am careful about the credit card bill and remain updated with my outstanding bills.
Honestly speaking, I felt abashed when the salesman said the card was rejected and he said it in front of everyone there. It was a bit embarrassing and from that moment, I carry some cash to save me from such an unexpected experience.
Idea generation for this Cue Card topic:
"Describe an occasion when you couldn't pay for something you wanted."Here go some hints for an alternative answer that may prove out effective in dealing with this particular cue card question.
1. My shopaholic girlfriend took me to the nearby shopping mall the other day to shop for her upcoming birthday. After spending around three hours, I took her to a perfume selling store and purchased perfume for her. While paying the bill, the salesman rejected my visa card. It was out of balance!
2. I had to entertain some guests at home the other day, and I went to a supermarket to do some shopping for preparing meals for the guests. After getting the necessary groceries, I went to pay the bill. Unfortunately, I could not pay for it because I left my wallet at home. The manager agreed to send me the items to my home and accept cash on delivery. That was really helpful.
3. My baby boy is only four years old and I wanted to have a bicycle for him. I took him to a bicycle shop the other day, and he liked a bright red one. While paying for the bill, I found that my wallet was missing. It was an uneasy and embarrassing experience.
4. I always carry a smart amount of money with me while I am out. But that day I forgot to take a sufficient amount of cash and went to a restaurant with my fiancé. I could not pay the bill though I wanted to pay that day. My fiancé insisted and paid the bill.