Describe a time you got lost: cue card and sample answer

Cue card

Describe a time when you got lost.

You should say:

where you were
how it happened
what you did

and explain how you felt about the experience.

You have one minute to prepare and should speak for one to two minutes.

Try it before you read the sample. Answer this card out loud with our AI examiner and get an estimated band.

Practise with the AI examiner

Sample answer

About 256 words, or roughly two minutes of speaking.

I'm going to talk about the time I got lost in an old city abroad, on the first evening of a holiday with a friend. It was about three years ago.

We'd arrived in the afternoon and left our bags at a small guesthouse in the old town, which is a maze of narrow streets with no cars. In the evening my friend was tired, so I went out alone to find something to eat. I didn't take a map, and I'd left my phone charging in the room. I remember thinking that I'd only be ten minutes.

The streets all looked the same, with high walls and wooden doors, and after a few turns I had no idea where I was. I tried to go back the way I'd come and made it worse. It was getting dark, the shops were closing, and I realised that I couldn't even remember the name of the guesthouse, only that it had a blue door.

In the end I went into a bakery and tried to explain. The owner didn't speak English, but his teenage son did. I described the blue door and a fountain I'd noticed nearby, and he knew the place at once. He walked me there himself, which took about fifteen minutes, and refused to accept any money.

At the time I felt foolish and, honestly, a bit frightened. Looking back, though, it's my favourite memory of the trip. Since then I always take a photograph of the place I'm staying before I go out.

Why this works: it covers every point on the card in order, gives specific details and a short story rather than general statements, and ends by explaining the feeling or reason, which the last line of the card asks for.

Useful vocabulary

a maze of narrow streets: many small streets that are confusing to walk through
made it worse: caused the situation to become more difficult
at once: immediately
refused to accept: said no when offered
looking back: when I think about it now
a sense of direction: the ability to know which way to go

Rounding-off question

After you finish, the examiner may ask one short question, such as:

Do you have a good sense of direction?

Part 3 questions: Finding your way

In Part 3, the examiner asks more abstract questions linked to the cue card topic. Give an opinion, explain why, and add an example.

Do people rely too much on their phones for directions?

I think many people do, including me. Following a blue dot on a screen means you never really look at the streets around you, so you don't build a picture of the area in your head. That's fine until the battery dies or there's no signal. I wouldn't give up the technology, but it's worth sometimes finding your own way.

Can getting lost ever be a good thing?

Definitely, as long as you're not in danger. When you're lost you stop following a plan and start paying attention, so you notice shops, buildings and people you would have walked straight past. Some of the best places I've found on holiday were ones I came across by accident. It also teaches you that asking for help is usually enough to solve a problem.

Now say it out loud

Reading a good answer helps, but speaking is what improves your band. This set includes this cue card, Part 1 questions on travelling and shoes, and a Part 3 discussion.

Start this Speaking test

This sample answer was written by TestWise Prep to show language that scores well. It is not official IELTS material. Use it for ideas, not to memorise, because examiners mark rehearsed answers down.