Describe an occasion when you heard someone complaining about something in a restaurant/ store or other business places: IELTS cue card

Bhargavee Sisodia

02 Jul 2024

There are two main versions of the International English Language Testing System, or IELTS test, depending on why the test is being taken. The exam comes in two flavors: Academic IELTS exam and General Training IELTS exam. There are minimal variances in the study materials, but the main ideas and format of both IELTS test formats are similar. The speaking test is the same for both versions. 

First up on the IELTS speaking test is the General Interview section. Your educational background, personal preferences, interests, and professional objectives are just a few of the topics the examiner will ask you in this portion. 

This is the icebreaker round before they go on to the harder portions of the speaking test. Make sure you have a brief introduction ready for this portion of the IELTS speaking exam while you indulge in your IELTS exam preparation. 

The final and following round of the speaking test is the section with follow-up questions. The questions the examiner will ask you in this round will be mostly based on the cue card topic or response in the IELTS speaking topic section. This IELTS speaking section typically lasts five to six minutes and consists of seven or eight questions. 

A candidate must go over all of the frequently asked IELTS speaking topics, as well as each IELTS speaking question and IELTS exam sample answer, in order to properly prepare for the IELTS speaking test. To score well on the IELTS speaking test, it is imperative that you take the IELTS sample test on a regular basis. 

You should also take the IELTS practice test on a daily basis to become familiar with the structure and tone of the IELTS speaking questions and IELTS speaking topics. Make sure to give the following aspects of your IELTS preparation adequate attention in order to get your target band on the speaking test: pronunciation, lexical resources, power of articulation, and fluency. These aspects of your speech are the basis for your IELTS speaking test scoring, so be careful to satisfy these criteria during your IELTS exam preparation. 

IELTS exam sample 1: Describe an occasion when you heard someone complaining about something in a restaurant/ store or other business places

To answer IELTS speaking topics like this you need to understand the topic first. This topic requires you to go deep into your memory and find out experiences that match the topic. It is not necessary that you must have experienced such events in your life, but all you need to do is draw out similar experiences and structure your answer in the most related manner. The IELTS speaking topics like the above can be divided into the following points :

• When and Where did it happen: Where and when did you see/hear someone complain? Describe the situation when it happened.
• Who was/were complaining: Discuss the person/people who were complaining and how they were complaining.
• What was the reason for the complaint: What was their reason for the complaint? Describe the exact reason
• How was it resolved: How was the complaint resolved by the store/restaurant? How fruitful was the solution? 
• Concluding thoughts: End with your opinion on the whole incident.

Let's now look directly at the first IELTS exam sample where we have followed the same sequence in forming the response.

When and Where did it happen

A month ago, I went to a restaurant with a couple of my friends to celebrate the promotion of one of them. It was a quiet restaurant with a very soothing ambiance and aesthetic decor. I had read about the restaurant on social media and had insisted on visiting it with my friends. We ordered some side dishes and hot beverages and were immersed in our chatter when we heard a distant commotion. We instantly stopped talking and looked here and there to find out the noise source, when we realized it was coming from a table in the left corner of the restaurant. 

Who was/were complaining 

Soon we realized that the noise was due to a couple of dissatisfied customers who had some problems with the food the restaurant had served them. They were very vocal with their complaint and pretty angry at the manager of the restaurant due to the inconvenience.  

What was the reason for the complaint? 

After listening to their conversation carefully, we deduced the reason behind their complaint. Apparently, the food served by the restaurant to the customers had some problems. The man had ordered a chilly guava drink while the lady had ordered a watermelon smoothie. But the problem was that the watermelon smoothie they served had the taste of chilly in it which was irritating the lady’s throat. She was coughing while complaining about her drink. The man had deduced the reason behind the problem they were facing. He asked the waiter whether they had made both the drinks in the same container, to which the waiter agreed. That was the main reason behind the problem. The remnants of the chilly guava drink got mixed with the watermelon smoothie and that was the root cause of the whole issue. 

How was it resolved

The restaurant took the complaint very seriously and instantly got a cup of chamomile tea to soothe the lady’s throat. After drinking the tea, the lady stopped coughing instantly and breathed a sigh of relief. Soon the manager brought a fresh glass of watermelon smoothie which was “on the house” and apologized to the couple for the inconvenience. By that time the situation had calmed down and the couple finally left with smiles on their faces. 

Concluding opinions

I was very impressed with the way the employees of the restaurant handled the difficult situation. Instead of arguing with the customers, they genuinely apologized for the inconvenience and tried their best to resolve the problem and serve their customers with the best solution. It was a satisfying ending to an agitated situation. 

IELTS exam sample 2:  Describe an occasion when you heard someone complaining about something in a restaurant/ store or other business places

When and Where did it happen

Last Diwali, I went to shop for my clothes with my parents at the nearby mall. I was done with my shopping and decided to wait for my parents at the cash counter since there were big queues at the counter. The line was hardly moving and I heard a heated conversation from the beginning of my line. 

Who was/were complaining 

I peeped to see what the problem was about when I saw an old lady frantically complaining to the cashier. She was very agitated by the inconvenience she faced at the store and thus started voicing her displeasure. After listening to their conversion, I understood the cause of the problem. 

What was the reason for the complaint?

The old lady had arthritis and she was in great pain because she was standing in line for more than forty-five minutes. She was very angry at the lack of proper management of the store. She pointed out that although the store had five cash registers, only two of them were open. That was the reason behind the huge queue. She sternly urged the management to open up all the cash registers and moderate the line because it was a rush hour due to Diwali. Many people behind her agreed with her urges and supported her claims. 

How was it resolved

Fortunately, the manager of the store was very calm and composed during the whole commotion. He urged one of his employees to bring the lady a chair to sit on and a bottle of water to drink. As the lady slowly calmed down, he prompted his employees to open up all the cash registers and re-distribute the customers on the line. Soon, all the cash registers were opened and the line started moving much faster. Within the next few minutes, my parents arrived and we purchased our clothes faster than ever. 

Concluding opinions

The lady was satisfied with the solution and accepted the apology of the store manager wholeheartedly. The rest of the customers of the store were happy as well since they got to buy their favorite clothes for Diwali without having to stand in line endlessly. All in all, it was a happy ending to a genuine problem. 

Follow-up IELTS speaking questions for the IELTS speaking test

The IELTS speaking follow-up questions portion is found in portion 3 of the speaking test. Candidates may respond to a series of IELTS speaking questions in this segment that are supplied by the examiner, based on how they answered the IELTS test cue card portion. As the follow-up section aims to evaluate the applicant's conversational and communication skills, you should practice your responses to the IELTS speaking questions as part of your IELTS preparation. Let's now look at some follow-up questions about the IELTS exam sample that was previously mentioned. 

What might be the main reason behind people complaining at a restaurant? 

Answer: People might complain at a restaurant due to several reasons. In my personal experience, I have seen customers complain about the quality of food, the ambiance of the restaurant, its unflattering lighting, and even the extravagant prices of dishes. Typically speaking, there can be several reasons behind the discomfort of a diner at a restaurant. But what matters is the ways of resolution for the particular problem the restaurant goes for. It is important for a restaurant to acknowledge the discomfort of their customers and provide them with effective solutions.

Do you think people should voice their discomfort in public places? 

Answer: Certainly. A customer should always voice their displeasure from a particular service for which they were paying. It is not about the money, but about ethics. If a person is using their hard-earned money for a particular service, then they deserve to get the best possible amenity from the service provider, be it a restaurant, a store, or any other public place of business. It is also important to point out the shortcomings of such places to the management so that they can aim for a higher quality of service. 

What are the ways a restaurant or store can reduce public complaints? 

Answer: Restaurants or stores or any public business places should first determine their target audience and then decide their functionalities and services, based entirely on the needs of their customers. In that way, they would attract quality customers who would be fully satisfied with their service and repeatedly visit the palace for their service. A proper market study is essential in this context. Also, they should include anonymous suggestion boxes where customers can voice their opinions about their service and suggestions, without being recognized. That would enable a lot of timid customers to contribute their opinions for the betterment of the restaurant or store. That way, public complaints can be reduced to a minimum. 

Conclusion

In addition to opening up work chances overseas, passing the IELTS test is a requirement for admission to the majority of colleges. You could be able to better focus on the areas that require improvement by using an IELTS sample test and IELTS practice test to determine your strengths and weaknesses. By introducing you to IELTS speaking topics, IELTS exam sample questions, and IELTS speaking questions, we at D-VIVID hope to provide you with thorough and personalized guidance during the IELTS exam. Our team of certified teachers at D-VIVID is dedicated to providing effective IELTS exam preparation, which includes IELTS exam coaching, IELTS test materials and question-answering sessions, to help you get high band test scores. So don’t waste your time and get in touch with us today, to avail a hassle-free IELTS exam preparation journey.