Describe a time you lost something important – IELTS speaking
Describe a time that you lost something important
You should say;
- What it was
- How you lost it
- Why it was important
And explain how you felt about losing it
“The most important thing I can remember losing in recent memory would have to have been my beloved mobile phone, which I lost about 6 months ago. I remember it was a holiday weekend, and myself and some old uni friends decided to meet up in the city and catch up over lunch. After having a really enjoyable lunch together we went to grab a coffee at a very well known and popular cafe. After chatting for an hour or so, we said our goodbyes, and went our separate ways.
As I was heading for the bus stop, I went to check my mobile to see what time the next bus home was, but low and behold, I couldn’t find it. My heart skipped a beat, when I quickly realised that I had left it on the table back in the cafe. Without hesitation, I sprinted back to the cafe, praying it would be where I left it or picked up by one of the staff.
To cut a long story short, it was gone and was obviously picked up and stolen by some opportunist thief. By now I was almost reduced to tears, and was beside myself with grief, not only because it was a new and very expensive phone, but I had lost so much more. I had hundreds of photos of sentimental value that were now lost forever, as well as all my contact numbers, and more.
At the end of the day, I guess I can only blame my own stupidity and carelessness for losing my phone, and am now very careful of my new phone, as well as making sure I backup all my photos and contacts.
Thank you…”
Idioms
- Low and behold
Something that you say when you tell someone about something surprising that happened.
“I was sitting having a coffee outside, when low and behold Tom Cruise walked by!”
- My heart skipped a beat
If you say your heart skipped a beat, it means that you felt very excited or nervous.
“My heart skipped a beat as I opened my final exam scores.”
- To cut a long story short
We say this to explain something in just a few words, without giving all the details.
“He always wanted to be a doctor, but to cut a long story short, he ended up being a lawyer.”
- Reduced to tears
If something reduces you to tears, it means that it made you so sad that you started to cry.
“The movie ending was so sad that it reduced me to tears.”
- Beside myself
If you are beside yourself with a particular emotion or feeling, it is so strong that it almost makes you lose control.
“I was beside myself with excitement when I found out that I had passed all my final exams.”
Describe something important that you lost – Part 3
What kinds of things do people often lose?
“Well, I guess there are some things that people tend to lose more than others, especially things we can carry in our pockets. I think keys would be a good example, and are something that so many people have lost at one time or another. It’s so easy for them to fall out of a pocket, or even get lost behind the sofa or just mislaid somewhere.
Another thing that many people have the misfortune of losing is their mobile phone, which I guess is something we can’t live without today, and is also a pretty expensive item. Oh….I guess another common thing to lose would be a wallet or purse, which again can lead to a lot of unwanted stress, especially if it contains credit cards, or an ID card which must be reported to the authorities and replaced.”
What kind of people often lose things?
“Personally , I think people who have a habit of losing things could be described as careless, forgetful, or even irresponsible. I guess some people also might have a lot on their mind, and don’t pay so much attention to something they could easily lose.
What’s more, I think a lot of people today don’t place so much respect or value on many of these items, and think nothing of replacing an expensive mobile phone, or losing some cash. It seems we really live in a consumer world, and I think very different from the past, when generally speaking people were much more careful of their belongings.”
What can people do to prevent losing things?
“Well, I guess there are certain things we can do to prevent that feeling of annoyance or frustration when we lose something. I think firstly, it’s important to be organised, and keep things where they belong, so nothing gets lost or mislaid. What’s more, we should keep small objects, such as keys, glasses, cards in a bowl or on a hook, and always in the same place. If we are going outside, perhaps we could attach our keys to our belts, making them almost impossible to lose.
On top of that, I think it’s important not to panic if you lose something, but to remain calm, and to think about what you were doing the last time you remember having the object you lost.”
What would you do if you found or saw something on the street that didn’t belong to you?
“I guess it would maybe depend on what it was, and where it was. For example, if I found a wallet on the street, I would take it to the closed police station, so it could be returned to its rightful owner, and would feel proud of myself for being a good samaritan.
However, if I picked up a bank card that someone may have dropped or forgot to take from an ATM, I would take it to the same bank that was on the card.
On the other hand, if I picked up some cash on the street, I think it would be impossible to find the person who dropped it, and would consider that my good luck!
more links to part 2 and part 3 example answers
Describe a family member you would like to work with
Describe a special day out that cost very little
Describe a time you were very busy
Describe an important river example answer
Describe an interesting neighbour – IELTS speaking
