Describe a time when you borrowed something from others

IELTS Cue Card Sample 462 – When you borrowed something from others

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

Describe an occasion when you borrowed something from others.

You should say:

• what you borrowed
• when you borrowed it
• whom you borrowed it from

and explain why you borrowed the thing.

Model Answer 1:
I can’t really recall many occasions when I needed to borrow something from anybody. But, during my high school years, I needed to borrow something on a couple of occasions, and today, I would like to talk about one of those occasions here.

It was about more than 10 years ago when I still was a high school student. Back then, I just loved to play football/soccer. But, as far as my parents were concerned, they didn’t really like me becoming so much interested in playing football. In fact, they rather wanted me to focus solely on my school studies. Therefore, it was only quite natural that they wouldn’t offer me enough financial support when it had come to buying any kind of football jerseys or boots.

Of course, I didn’t mind this lack of financial support that much since I could always save up some money from my daily tiffin allowances in order to carry on playing football as a member of my high school football team.

Anyway, everything was going fine until suddenly, one day, I noticed that my boots looked too old and worn out. In fact, they looked so worn out that I felt that they wouldn’t last the next two matches. But, on the other hands, I desperately wanted to play those two matches since the matches were against two high profile teams of our district. Seeing no other alternative, I decided to talk to a senior brother from my high school and borrow his boots. Luckily, he understood my situation, as well as the passion I had for football, and decided to give his boots to me for a week.

I borrowed the boots from that senior brother from my high school, mainly because using my old and worn out boots would jeopardize the safety of my legs. I wanted to borrow it also because it would help me perform better in the field and win the matches.

Sample Answer 2:
Well, I can think of many occasions when I had to borrow important things from others and for this cue card topic, I will talk about such an occasion when I borrowed a pen from an unknown person when I was in a bank.

I had to borrow a pen to correct the amount I wrote on a cheque leaf and to add a new signature below it. This was an ordinary gel pen that I bowed from a person who was also in the bank to withdraw money. I can’t recall his name but he was standing just behind me at the cashier counter.

It was probably 6 or 7 months ago when I went to my bank to withdraw some money. I wrote the cheque and signed it from home and went to the bank to withdraw the amount. I waited about 20 minutes in the queue and when I handed over the cheque to the cashier, she informed me that my current balance does not cover the amount I have written on the cheque and my savings account does not permit over-limit. She requested me to rewrite and figure so that she can give me the allowed amount. After she returned the cheque leave which I was supposed to correct, I found that I totally forgot to bring a pen. I asked the cashier if she had a spare pen and she told me that she had lent a pen to a customer and could not find it. I was quite embarrassed and had no other option but to ask the person for a pen who was standing behind me. He smiled and borrowed me a pen that I used to correct the cheque. After I finished with the correction, I thanked that person and showed my gratitude for lending me the pen. I asked his name and it was probably Richard or Ricardo, which I am not quite sure now.

Borrowing something in desperate moments is something we cannot avoid and I think there are several occasions when I had to do it. The particular even I talked about is a moment I needed the pen and had no other way than to borrow it from someone.

Sample Answer 3:
Enjoying a walk in the Grand Canyon National Park was a dream for me and I made the dream come true last month. But I had to borrow a car from Robin, my best college buddy. Since he was unable to go, he allowed me using his car.

I am an undergrad student at the University of Arizona. Before moving to the university in Arizona this year, I used to live in Arkansas with my parents and other family members. So, I did not have the chance to visit the Grand Canyon National Park before. Besides, being an undergrad, I have to handle extreme academic pressure. Considering all the issues, I was unable to manage time. Finally, everything was set but I needed a car. Robin Campbell borrowed his car to me to make the trip.

Actually, the academic pressure in the university goes round the year but it is a bit tolerable in the last quarter of the year (October – December). So, I made the plan to visit the Grand Canyon National Park and will stay there for a day. Accordingly, I made the plan, gathered some partners and arranged everything except a car. I could not realise before that this is an issue to be considered. In such a situation, my buddy came forward to borrow his own car. In fact, he had bought this 2016 FORD Explorer a few months ago for travelling out of the city but could not use the car for academic engagement. So, he allowed using the car but under certain strict conditions.

Robin Campbell is one of my best buddies in the university. He lives in downtown with his parents. He loves surfing and taking part in outdoor activities and most importantly travelling. Both of us had made lots of planning to move here and there in the state but hardly could manage time for the short trips. Robin wanted to move to the Grand Canyon for a couple of days, in fact, he wanted to have some camping on the spot. But the others did not agree to stay at night under the open sky. Then it was decided that we will start early in the morning and come back by evening. Robin will drive the car and we will be his passengers.

I had to borrow the car for some specific reasons. Firstly, I did not plan for the car in my original planning for the trip. Secondly, I have my own Fiat and have left that at Arkansas for my sister’s use. Besides, moving inside the park without a car is almost impossible. Using public transport may help us reaching near the park, but we need our own vehicles to move into this huge area. Robin suddenly felt some abdominal disorders on the trip day. So, he was unable to drive and actually he was not ready for the trip at all. His physical condition made him unfit for the day. So, considering all the issues, I asked him to borrow the car and he willingly did. It was a memorable trip for us all indeed.

More Ideas to talk about this Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card topic:

Topic: Describe an occasion when you borrowed something from others.

1. Last  month, I attended a wedding ceremony here in Adelaide. I had to borrow a tie clip to hold my tie perfectly. I borrowed the clip before going to the ceremony. Actually, I lost my tie clip a few days ago and did remember to get another one. So, I borrowed it from Andrew. When I use my coat, I do not need the tie clip but when I am without a coat, I use the clip to hold the firm position of the tie. And since the coat was sent for a dry wash, I had to go without it. So, I needed to borrow that tiny thing.

2. Attending a viva is a matter of luck here in Mumbai because the number of unemployed people is on the rise. So, I went to attend a viva and borrowed a leather bag to carry all my necessary documents. I borrowed it the night before the viva, 27th September this year, at a multinational company. I borrowed the bag from my cousin, Arvind. Actually, it was my very first viva for a job and I did not have any idea how to get prepared for it. Arvind told me to use a bag to carry the documents and lent me his one.

3. My colleagues were all set to visit my home and so, I had to borrow some decorative artworks. I borrowed the artworks at noon while they were set to arrive in the evening. Mr Simpson is my neighbour and a nice person indeed. He lent me the large piece of artwork to hang in my living room. I borrowed the piece because my living room was almost empty. I have rented the apartment recently and could not manage time to decorate it perfectly.

4. Celebrating the birthday of my younger sister was enjoyable but I had fallen into trouble with the cake stand. I forgot to bring it and so, had to borrow a cake stand from our neighbour Ms Julia. I borrowed the stand a few minutes before the arrival of the guests. In fact, if I had not borrowed the cake stand, it would be uncomfortable to cut the cake and distribute it among the guests. So, I needed to borrow the stand.

5. On the last day of my college, I wore a diamond necklace and I borrowed it from my mom. I borrowed the necklace in the early morning of the day and also asked her to lend it to me a couple of days ago. So, mom did not object to letting me use the necklace on that special day. But she told me to be careful with the piece as it was an expensive one and a gift from my grandparents. Actually, I needed the necklace because I picked a dress which would only suit with diamond jewellery. Since I do not have my own, I borrowed it from mom.

If you prepare for this cue card you should be able to answer the following cue cards as well:

• Talk about an event when someone helped you.
• Describe a time when you borrowed something from an unknown person.
• Describe an occasion when you forgot about something important.
• An occasion when you borrowed something from a friend or a relative.