Skip to main content

An occasion when you couldn't pay for something you wanted

IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card 328 with Model Answer:

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.

Popular posts from this blog

Person in your family who you most admire

IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card 10 With Model Answer: Describe the person in your family who you most admire. You should say: what his/her relationship is with you what he/she has done in your life what he/she does now and explain why you admire this person the most. [You will have to talk about the topic for 1 to 2 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 mother is the person in my family whom I most admire. She is not only my mother but also my role model and best friend. I would like to thank you for this excellent topic that enables me to talk about the person I love and admire the most. My mother has done many things in my life that have made me admire her. Firstly, she has always been there for me, no matter what. Whenever I am going through a difficult time, she listens to me and offers advice or support. Additionally, my mother has always encouraged me to pu

Describe your family

IELTS Cue Card Question 44 With Model Answer:  Describe your family. You should say:  how many members your family has what they do how close you are and explain why your family is important to you. [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 family is incredibly important to me, and I'm fortunate to have a loving and close-knit family. We have a total of four family members, including my parents, my younger sister, and myself. I am so glad that I have got this topic as it would allow me to talk about something that I love so much. My father is a software engineer, and he works for a reputable IT company. He's always been my role model when it comes to hard work and dedication. His job involves creating computer programs and solving complex technical issues. Despite his busy schedule, he always finds time to h

Describe a shop that recently opened in your hometown

IELTS Cue Card/Candidate Task Card 348 with Model Answer: Describe a shop that recently opened in your hometown/area. You should say: what type of shop it is what type of people go there what it sells and explain whether you will shop there or not. [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: I live in a rather small town. So, whenever there is a new opening of anything or any new activities in my little old town, I come to know about them one way or another. Today, I would like to talk about one such new opening of a new shop in my area. It is a “super shop” (some people would prefer to call it a “grocery store”), a self-service store, offering a wide variety of food and household items, organized into different departments. They named the shop “At your service” which has an opening hour from 7 am to 11 pm. I would consider

Describe a happy childhood event you remember

IELTS Cue Card Question 105 With Model Answer: Describe a happy childhood event you remember. You should say: what it is when it happened how you felt at the time and explain why you remember this particular occasion. [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: Childhood is the best time of one’s life and most of the adults want to get back on the childhood days. I was given a novel as the first prize in my school in my early childhood which was a happy event for me and I still remember it very vividly.