When you made a promise to someone

IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card 480 with Model Answer:

Describe a time when you made a promise to someone.

You should say:

• what promise you made
• whom you made this promise
• why you made this promise

and explain how you felt about making this promise. 

[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.]

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Model Answer 1:
I always try not to put myself in a situation where I have to make some kind of promise, even though I don’t always succeed in doing that. So, yes, I also have to make promises sometimes, despite the fact that it makes me feel uncomfortable, just like I did with one of my distant cousins.

Now, before I tell you what kind of promise I made and why, let me tell you a little about my cousin. My cousin was a very brilliant student and very serious about his studies. Since we both were close, I started to notice some changes in his behaviour – changes like he stopped meeting me every weekend and avoiding study-related talks with me – when he was a 2nd-year university student.

Oh, by the way, both I and my cousin attended the same university and we both were living in dormitories. But I was senior to him by 2 years. Then one day, I got a piece of very shocking news: my cousin was expelled from the university dormitory because he had failed to maintain satisfactory academic results at the university.

So, later, I asked him how possibly a brilliant student like him could be expelled from the student hostel because of unsatisfactory academic results!? In response, he told me that he was going to tell the truth, but he also requested me to promise that I wouldn’t disclose that bad news to his parents. Needless to say, I was a bit reluctant to promise, but then I agreed, mainly because my cousin had also promised me to give up “the terrible habit” that was hindering his studies.

Anyway, I didn’t really feel very comfortable about making the promise because it felt like I was also being an “accomplish” to his wrong actions and behaviour. Then again, I didn’t also want to embarrass the parents of my cousin and break their hearts by disclosing that terrible news to them since there was a chance that the news would put a serious dent in his trust.

Sample Answer 2:

What promise you made:
When it comes to promises, one particular event comes to my mind that I would like to share here with you. It was the time when I promised my younger sister to take her to a famous beach that she had always wanted to visit. It would be about three or four years ago.

Whom you made this promise:
It was during the summer break a few years ago when my sister expressed her wish to visit a beach located a few hours away from our home. She was very keen on exploring the area and spending some time on the beach. At first, I was hesitant, considering the distance and the fact that I had other commitments. However, seeing her enthusiasm and excitement, I decided to make a promise that we would go together.

Why you made this promise:
I made this promise to my sister because I wanted to make her happy and give her a memorable experience. Besides, I thought it would be a great way to bond with her and spend some quality time together. I knew that I could not back out of this promise, and I was determined to fulfil it, no matter what.

And explain how you felt about making this promise:
At the time, making this promise felt like the right thing to do, and it gave me a sense of responsibility and purpose. I felt happy that I could make my sister happy and be there for her. However, at the same time, I was also a bit apprehensive about fulfilling this promise, as I was not entirely sure how I would manage everything. Nevertheless, I decided to take on this challenge and do my best to make the trip happen.