Describe an activity that you usually do that wastes your time IELTS Cue-Card

In Describe an activity that you usually do that wastes your time IELTS Speaking cue card, you’ll be asked to speak about a regular task that you do inspite of it being a sheer wastage of time. You should say:

1. What it is?
2. When you usually do it?
3. Why you do it?
4. Explain why you think it wastes your time?

NOTE – You have one minute to think about what you are going to say, then you’ll have to talk about the topic for one-to-two minutes. A paper and a pencil will be given so that you can make some notes if you wish.

For easier understanding, I have divided this IELTS Speaking Cue Card into three parts – Introduction, Questions, and Conclusion.

Introduction

In all honesty, thinking about an activity that wastes my time was rather picking one activity from a long list of activities that I waste my time on.

What it is?

So, out of all those activities, I think playing video games is the one that I regret the most.

When you usually do it?

I play video games in the evening or on the weekends with my friends and younger brother.

Why you do it?

I play them to relieve my stress, but actually I end up feeling more stressed after playing them,

• The thrill of the win makes me play more and thus I end wasting hours on it, which in the end stresses me.

• Losing, on the other hand, makes me feel incompetent, which again ultimately makes me feel stressed.

• However, more than anything, I think it is wasteful because it doesn’t benefit me in any way.

Explain why you think it wastes your time?

Rather I lose out on a lot of important things in life because of playing these games.

• I feel like I would spend more time with my family if I didn’t play them.

• I could also be playing outdoor activities or going to the gym instead, which would be beneficial for me from a health perspective.

• Another hobby I had in my childhood was reading books, but because of this, I am not able to read books as well.

• And reading novels always improved my mood because I felt I gained something after reading them.

• It didn’t matter whether it was fiction or non-fiction.

• A lot of my friends also complain that in recent years I have stopped spending time with them.

• I always give the excuse that I am chronically busy, but I know that I would be able to spend plenty of time with them if I didn’t play video games.

Conclusion

However, I also believe that there are people who are really able to enjoy games and feel better after playing them.

• Then, there are others who are actually able to make money by playing video games.

• For them, it might not be wasteful, but for me it certainly is.

Follow-ups

Following are the probable set of IELTS Speaking Part-3 follow up questions that could be asked in Describe an activity that you usually do that wastes your time cue card:

How do you balance work and life?

I think balancing work and life is always a work in progress. We are always doing it and it is not something specific. For example, if we go on vacation with the family, we come back and spend extra time at work to make up for the pending work. Another rather unhealthy way, we achieve it is by cutting down on our sleep hours, but it takes a big toll on our mental and physical health.

Will you continue doing something when you are aware that it wastes your time?

I think the adage ‘bad habits die hard’ would be the best answer to this question. I think we do such things because we are addicted to them. I think it’s very hard to give up on such activities and it requires a lot of willpower. However, the realisation that the activity is wasteful is the first step, and once people have that it becomes easier to stop.

What kind of things make people pressured?

I think there are millions of things in today’s life that stress us- for example financial obligations, unreasonable work deadlines, competition with others, and maintaining relationships. The pressure each puts varies according to the stage of life- for example, competition stress is in the early stages when we are trying to get into universities or trying to secure a good job and financial stress comes a little later when we have to manage the expenses for the whole family.

Why do some people refuse to abide by the rules?

I think there is a certain thrill in breaking rules and doing whatever we want. In some ways, it is exhilarating and freeing to not care about the rules and regulations. Actually, I think it is good as long as we don’t harm others because it prevents life from becoming monotonous and boring.

Find the whole list of latest topics: IELTS Speaking Part-1 Topics (2022) ↗

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I hope it gives you some realistic idea on how to carry a conversation around Describe an activity that you usually do that wastes your time IELTS Cue card topic. However, it is strongly advised not to reproduce the same answer during the exam, as it may be used by many of our readers on the site. You should rather reformulate and personalize your answer.

If you still have any doubts, post them in the comments.

ALL THE BEST!