The cue card
Describe a time when you were very busy.
You should say:
- when it was
- what you had to do
- how you managed your time
and explain how you felt during that period.
You have one minute to make notes, then speak for one to two minutes.
Band 8–9 sample answer
Written by Abroadway as a model of natural, high-band speaking (not an official IELTS sample).
The busiest period I can remember was the last three months of my undergraduate degree, which was around this time last year. Looking back, I'm still not entirely sure how I got through it. Basically, I had three major commitments landing on me at once. The biggest was my final-year dissertation, a research project on how small businesses use social media, which involved interviewing shop owners and analysing the results.
On top of that, I was tutoring two secondary school students in maths three evenings a week, which I couldn't give up because it paid for most of my expenses. And, rather foolishly, I'd also volunteered to help organise my department's annual career fair, which meant contacting companies, arranging stalls and sorting out countless last-minute problems. At first, I tried to deal with everything as it came up, and within about two weeks I was falling behind on all three. So I had to change my approach completely.
I started planning each week on a Sunday evening, blocking out fixed hours for the dissertation and treating them as seriously as lectures. I broke the larger tasks down into small, manageable steps, so instead of 'write chapter three', my list would say 'summarise four interviews'. I also cut back drastically on social media and, for once, learned to say no to invitations, which my friends weren't exactly thrilled about. As for how I felt, it was a strange combination.
A lot of the time I was exhausted, and there were a few nights when I seriously doubted I'd meet my deadlines. But I also felt oddly energised, because every day had a clear purpose. When I finally submitted the dissertation and the career fair went smoothly, I felt an enormous sense of accomplishment, and I came away with time-management habits I still rely on today.
Useful phrases from this answer
- got through it
- managed to survive or finish a difficult period
- falling behind
- not making progress as fast as you should
- cut back drastically on
- greatly reduced the amount of something
- sense of accomplishment
- the good feeling of having achieved something difficult
- blurred the line between
- made the difference between two things less clear
- take a toll on
- have a gradual harmful effect on
- on paper
- in theory, but not necessarily in reality
Part 3 follow-up questions and answers
Why do people seem busier today than in the past?
I think one major reason is that technology has blurred the line between work and personal life. Because people can be reached by email or messaging apps at any hour, many feel obliged to respond immediately, so work never really stops. Competition is another factor: in a tougher job market, people feel they need extra qualifications, side jobs or constant self-improvement just to keep up. There's also a cultural element, since being busy is often seen as a sign of success or importance. That said, I'd argue some of this busyness is self-inflicted, because a lot of time disappears into scrolling on our phones, which leaves us feeling rushed even when we haven't achieved much.
Is it good for children to have a lot of activities after school?
It depends on the child and how many activities we're talking about. Some extracurricular activities are clearly beneficial, because sport, music or art help children develop skills and confidence that schoolwork alone doesn't provide. However, I think many parents nowadays overdo it, filling every evening with tuition and classes because they're worried their child will fall behind. When that happens, children lose the chance to play freely, rest and simply be bored, which is actually important for creativity. In Bangladesh, for instance, it's common for children to go straight from school to coaching centres, and that can leave them exhausted. So a few well-chosen activities are healthy, but balance is essential.
How does a busy lifestyle affect people's health?
In most cases, I'd say quite negatively, especially if it continues for a long time. People who are constantly busy tend to sleep less, skip meals or rely on fast food, and struggle to fit in regular exercise, all of which take a toll on physical health over time. The mental effects can be just as serious: long-term stress can lead to anxiety, irritability and eventually burnout. Relationships may suffer as well, which in turn affects wellbeing. On the other hand, a certain amount of busyness can be positive, because having a purpose and a routine keeps people mentally active. The real problem arises when there's no time left for rest and recovery.
Should employers do more to help staff balance work and family life?
Yes, I firmly believe they should, partly because it's the right thing to do and partly because it's in their own interest. Staff who are exhausted or constantly worried about their families are unlikely to be productive, and they're more likely to leave. Employers could offer flexible working hours, the option to work from home on certain days, and reasonable parental leave for both mothers and fathers. Simply discouraging managers from sending messages late at night would make a difference. Of course, this is easier for large companies than for small businesses with limited resources, so the approach has to be realistic. But even small changes can show employees that they're valued.
Has technology given people more free time or less?
I'd say it has done both, which is what makes the question interesting. In theory, technology has saved us enormous amounts of time: washing machines, online banking and food delivery apps take care of tasks that used to consume hours. In that sense, we should have more free time than any previous generation. In practice, though, much of that time seems to be absorbed by other demands. Work emails follow us home, and social media and streaming services are designed to capture as much of our attention as possible. So I'd argue technology has given us more free time on paper, but whether we actually experience it as free depends on how disciplined we are.
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