The cue card
Describe an important decision you made.
You should say:
- what the decision was
- when you made it
- who helped you to decide
and explain why it was an important decision.
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).
I'd like to describe a decision I made just after my HSC exams, which was choosing to study environmental science instead of trying for medical college.
For as long as I can remember, my family had assumed I'd become a doctor. My father had always wanted to be one himself but couldn't afford the training, so in a way the ambition had been handed down to me. The problem was that, by the end of college, I knew deep down that my real interest lay elsewhere. I'd grown up in Khulna, not far from the Sundarbans, and I'd spent years reading about climate change, rising salinity and the threats facing the mangroves. Biology lessons about ecosystems excited me far more than anything to do with anatomy.
The whole thing came to a head in the summer after my exams, when I had to choose which admission tests to sit. In the end, two people helped me more than anyone else. One was my older cousin, who had studied geography and patiently talked me through what an environmental science degree would actually involve and what jobs it might lead to. The other was my biology teacher, Mrs Haque, who told me something I've never forgotten: that people rarely excel in a field they're only half-hearted about. She even offered to speak to my parents, which turned out to be crucial, because my father was initially quite disappointed.
Looking back, it was important for two reasons. Firstly, it was the first major choice I made for myself rather than to please other people, and it taught me to trust my own judgement. Secondly, it set the direction of my life. I'm now involved in a small research project on coastal flooding, and I genuinely look forward to my work, which I'm not sure would have been the case if I'd followed the path everyone expected.
Useful phrases from this answer
- deep down
- in your true, private feelings
- came to a head
- reached the point where a decision had to be made
- talked me through
- explained something to me carefully, step by step
- half-hearted
- without real interest or enthusiasm
- trust my own judgement
- believe that my own decisions are good ones
- set in their ways
- unwilling to change their habits or opinions
- weighing up the options
- comparing different choices carefully
- the final call
- the final decision
Part 3 follow-up questions and answers
What important decisions do young people in your country have to make?
The biggest one is probably choosing what to study after the HSC, because in Bangladesh that choice tends to shape your entire career path, and switching later is quite difficult. Closely linked to that is whether to stay in the country or try to study abroad, which has become an increasingly common dilemma for middle-class families. Later on, young people face decisions about their first job, and often about marriage, which in many families still involves considerable input from parents. What makes these decisions especially stressful, I think, is that they're often made very early, at eighteen or nineteen, when many people don't yet know themselves well.
Should parents make important decisions for their children?
I'd say parents should guide rather than decide, at least once their children are adults. Parents obviously have more life experience and often know their children's strengths and weaknesses very well, so their advice deserves to be taken seriously. However, if they impose a decision, for instance by pushing a child into a particular degree, the child may end up unmotivated or resentful, and they're the one who has to live with the consequences. Of course, with young children it's different; a ten-year-old can't be expected to make sensible decisions about health or schooling. So the balance should gradually shift from control towards trust as children mature.
Do people make better decisions as they get older?
To some extent, yes, because experience teaches you to recognise patterns and anticipate consequences. Someone who made a few bad financial decisions in their twenties is likely to be more cautious in their forties. Older people also tend to be less impulsive and less swayed by peer pressure. However, I don't think age guarantees wisdom. Some people become set in their ways and resist new information, which can lead to poor decisions in a changing world, especially regarding technology or the job market. Younger people, meanwhile, are often more open-minded and more willing to take risks, which is sometimes exactly what a situation requires.
Why do some people find it difficult to make decisions?
I think the main reason is fear of making the wrong choice. Some people are perfectionists who dread regret, so they keep weighing up the options and end up paralysed. Ironically, having more choice can make things harder; when you're choosing between dozens of universities or hundreds of products online, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Personality and upbringing play a role too. If someone grew up with parents who made every decision for them, they may simply lack practice and confidence when they finally have to decide for themselves. And of course, some decisions are genuinely complex, with no obviously right answer.
Should important decisions in a company be made by one person or by a group?
I'd argue a combination usually works best. A group brings a wider range of perspectives and expertise, which reduces the risk of one person's blind spots leading the company astray, and employees are more likely to support a decision they've helped to shape. On the other hand, groups can be slow, and sometimes discussions go round in circles or settle on a weak compromise just to keep everyone happy. In a crisis, a company needs someone who can act decisively. So ideally, leaders should consult widely and listen carefully, but in the end one person should take responsibility for the final call.
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