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Describe a time when you broke something that belonged to someone else

Try the card on the exam timer first, then read the band-8 sample answer and the Part 3 questions that follow it.

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Part 2 · Candidate task card

Describe a time when you broke something that belonged to someone else.

You should say:

  • what you broke
  • how it happened
  • what you did afterwards

and explain how you felt about it.

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1 minute to prepare, then 2 minutes to speak. It switches on its own.

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Band 8 sample answer

258 words · about 2 minutes at a natural pace · Phrases from the vocabulary list are highlighted.

I'd like to talk about the time I broke my friend's laptop screen, about three years ago. My friend Rustam had lent it to me for the weekend, because mine was being repaired and I had an urgent assignment to finish. He was a bit reluctant, because it was quite new and he'd spent months saving up for it, but he trusted me.

On the Sunday night, I was working at my desk with the laptop beside me, a cup of tea in one hand and some papers in the other. When I stood up to get something from the shelf, my sleeve caught the edge of the screen, and the laptop slid off the desk. I watched it fall in what seemed like slow motion, and it hit the floor with a terrible noise. The screen was cracked across the middle.

For a few minutes, I just sat on the floor feeling sick. I considered not telling him, but I knew that was not an option, since I'd need to return it the next day. So I called him that night and told him exactly what had happened. Rustam was quiet for a moment, then said that he was disappointed, but that he appreciated my honesty.

I offered to pay for the repair, and over the next two months I did, which cost me most of my salary. I felt incredibly guilty. Fortunately, our friendship survived, but I learned to be much more careful with borrowed things, and I now keep drinks far away from any electronics.

What to notice

  • It takes the points on the card in order, so the examiner can follow it.
  • Each point gets a specific detail or a short story, which is what keeps a talk going for two minutes.
  • The "explain" line at the end gets the most time, because that is where you give an opinion and show your range of language.

We wrote this answer for practice; it does not come from IELTS. Take its structure and phrases and tell your own story, because examiners notice memorised answers.

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Useful vocabulary

PhraseMeaning
by accidentwithout intending to
smash into piecesto break into many small parts
owe someone an apologyto need to say sorry
make up for itto do something to correct a wrong
fragileeasily broken
feel guiltyto feel bad about something you did

Plan it in one minute

Choose what to talk about in the first ten seconds, then write two or three key words for each point. Full sentences take too long to write and to read back.

Who or what you could talk about

  • Breaking a friend's phone or laptop
  • Breaking a vase or dish at someone's house
  • Breaking a window as a child while playing

How to spend the two minutes

  1. 25 swhat you broke
  2. 25 show it happened
  3. 25 swhat you did afterwards
  4. 45 sand explain how you felt about it.

Part 3 questions

In the exam these come straight after your talk, on the wider subject: Responsibility and accidents. Answer each in 3–4 sentences, with your view, a reason and an example.

  1. Why do accidents happen at home?
  2. Should people always admit when they have caused damage?
  3. How should parents react when children break things?
  4. Do you think people are careful enough with other people's belongings?
  5. What is the best way to say sorry?
  6. Is it important to replace something you have broken?

Frequently asked questions

How should I describe an experience in an IELTS cue card?

Tell it as a story in the past: set the scene (when, where, who), what happened, how it ended. Then explain what you felt or learned. Past tenses used accurately are part of what the examiner is listening for.

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