Describe a period when you were busy IELTS Cue Card

IELTS CUE CARD TOPIC

Describe a period when you were busy

You should say:

• When it was
• What you did during the period
• What made you busy
• And explain how you felt about the experience

Sample Answer

In my life, I have been busy many times. At that time, I was very stressed and worried about what I wanted to do. But one of them was very special.

For me, it was four years ago. When I came back from Singapore to India for a one-month vacation with my husband, at that time, my father-in-law fixed my brother-in-law’s marriage.

So, we needed more time to do everything for the marriage because we had only 20 days to do everything. And apart from that, I don’t have a father-in-law.

So, all the responsibility is on my and my husband’s shoulders. So, we faced many challenges because we were swamped.

And we had made a lot of arrangements for the wedding day. We booked the marriage hall. And we booked the decoration people to decorate the whole hall.

And apart from that, we booked catering people to make food for all the guests. We also gave invitations to all the near and dear ones on that particular day. And we did a lot of shopping for everyone.

And we gave the presents to the people who came to the wedding. And at that time, it was hectic for us because we didn’t have much time.

But some of my relatives helped us to arrange all the things. At that time, I was thrilled because we got a good compliment from our relatives for the decoration and the arrangement.

We did it on that particular day because everything went very well. And the special day for my brother-in-law was full of happiness and pleasure.

And the guests gave blessings to the newly married couple. So, at that time, I was swamped. But then we got a new family member in our house. Then we were delighted. 

Follow-ups

Do you prefer a busy schedule or a relaxed schedule?

 It depends on the situation. Because if the work has to be done within some time and is essential, then we cannot do it in a hurry because we have to think about it. But at that time, we have to take some more time to fix things. Apart from that, I can do it if it’s normal like we have any function, or if there is anything we can arrange within some time. So, it depends on the situation for me. 

How do you manage your time daily? Do you use any specific tools or techniques?

 Yes, I make my plans for everyday work. If we don’t have a household chores plan, we cannot go to work on time.

So, in the morning, I also plan what time I have to wake up and what I have to finish before going to work. When I return from work in the evening, I also have some fixed time to finish my daily chores. It is easy if you have a schedule to do your work on time.

Do you feel stressed by your schedule? And in case that happens, how do you cope with that?

 No, I don’t feel stressed from my schedule because I manage my schedule very well. Because if we manage our schedule daily, then the work goes smoothly. So, it’s manageable for me. 

It’s a very smooth way to do my work daily. 

What are some of the advantages of having a busy schedule?

 We have a lot of advantages to having a busy schedule. First, we know the value of time in finishing the work on time. And apart from that, we will be punctual about our work and jobs. Apart from that, we will be disciplined by saving our work so that we can do the work within some time.

Are there any disadvantages of having a busy schedule?

 It depends on the person. If I talk about myself, I have no disadvantages because of my busy schedule. But if the person cannot take too much of a burden or can’t do too much work within some time, then they feel mentally and physically tired from it. It could also reduce their productivity because they can quickly make some mistakes. 

Is it essential to have a good balance between work and leisure time? 

Yes, of course. We should have a balance between work and leisure time. We feel mentally and physically tired if we do all the work every day and don’t have free time to live according to our interests or hobbies. We should manage our free time and work time. We have to manage it and balance it every day.