Details

Written by IELTS Mentor

IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.

Describe a person who has apologized to you.

You should say:

• when it was
• who the person was
• why this person apologized to you

and explain how you felt about it.

[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.]

Model Answer 1:
People make mistakes. But the burden of such mistakes doesn’t weigh too much on the mistaking persons if they sincerely apologize to the affected persons. Today, I would like to talk about one of those sincere persons who apologized to me about a few months ago.

He was a cashier in a super shop – a super shop which I have been visiting quite frequently for the last couple of years or so. But, the cashier, I am talking about, was a newcomer since I saw him for the first time on that eventful day when I bought a lot of groceries. In fact, that new cashier checked me out on that day.

However, interestingly, when I made the payment to the cashier, I felt like I was paying a little extra than what I normally used to pay for roughly the same quantity of merchandises on the previous occasions. But, I chose to keep quiet, thinking that perhaps I bought some additional merchandise items, or the prices of some of the grocery items had changed. So, I just took my grocery and left the shop.

But, after reaching my home, I became a bit too curious and checked the prices of my grocery items. Suddenly, I noticed that one of the merchandises was over-priced on the receipt which was handed to me by the cashier before leaving the shop. Luckily, the super shop was not far away from my home. So, I went back to the cashier the next day in a relaxed mood and told him about the wrong price, he charged me for one of my grocery items. After learning his mistake, he immediately apologized to me very sincerely, telling me that he had just started his new job on that day.

To be honest, I wasn’t exactly expecting him to apologize to me like that since it was not such a big deal to me. Besides, I knew very well that this kind of mistake could happen, especially, by a person who was new at his job. Nevertheless, I felt glad that he actually genuinely apologized to me.

Model Answer 2:

For this interesting topic, I'd like to share an incident when a close friend of mine apologized to me, and the experience left a lasting impression on our friendship. As soon as I looked at this topic, the incident came vividly into my mind.

It happened about a year ago during a period of misunderstanding and miscommunication between us. Though it happened a year ago, it seemed like just a few weeks ago!

The person who apologized was my friend, Alex, with whom I've shared a strong bond since our college days. We were like-minded individuals who usually understood each other well, but every relationship has its ups and downs.

The reason behind the apology was a series of misunderstandings that had accumulated over a few weeks. Small miscommunications and assumptions had snowballed into a tense situation, leading to a strain on our friendship. Alex realized the growing distance and decided to address the issue.

When Alex approached me to apologize, I was initially surprised but also relieved. It takes courage to acknowledge mistakes and express regret. Alex sincerely explained the situation from their perspective, and it became evident that it was a case of unintentional misinterpretation. The apology was not just a formality; it was heartfelt, and that made me appreciate the friendship even more.

Receiving an apology, especially when it's genuine and timely, can mend relationships and strengthen the bond. The incident ultimately brought us closer, and the sincerity of the apology deepened our friendship.

• IELTS Cue Card
• Candidate Task Card

• Prev
• Next