Cue Card: Describe something you broke
You should say:
- What it was
- When and where you broke it
- How you broke it
- And explain what you did afterwards
🗣️ Band 9 Sample Answer
One thing I broke that I still remember quite vividly was my mother’s favourite ceramic coffee mug. It wasn’t particularly expensive, but it had a lot of sentimental value because my father had given it to her on their wedding anniversary.
It happened about two years ago on a rather hectic Sunday morning. I was at home, rushing around because I was already running late for an appointment. My mother had just made herself a cup of coffee and placed the mug on the kitchen counter. While I was looking for my car keys, I accidentally knocked against the counter with my elbow. The mug fell to the floor and shattered into several pieces.
For a few seconds, I simply stood there in disbelief. The sound of breaking ceramic was followed by an awkward silence, and I immediately knew I had made a terrible mistake. What made me feel worse was seeing my mother’s reaction. She wasn’t angry with me, but I could tell from her expression that the mug meant much more to her than I had initially realised.
I felt terribly guilty and apologised to her straightaway. Instead of simply throwing the broken pieces away, I carefully collected them and tried to see whether the mug could be repaired. Unfortunately, it was damaged beyond repair.
A few days later, I surprised my mother by buying her a similar handmade mug. I also wrote a small note and put it inside the box, telling her how sorry I was and how much I appreciated everything she had done for me.
Looking back, it was a small accident with a surprisingly big emotional impact. It taught me that some objects may have very little monetary value but can carry enormous sentimental significance. Even today, whenever I handle something that belongs to my family, I am much more careful because you don’t always realise the value of something until it is gone.
🔥 Band 9 Vocabulary & Phrases
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| sentimental value | emotional importance rather than financial value |
| a hectic morning | a very busy and rushed morning |
| knocked against | accidentally hit something |
| shattered into several pieces | broke into many pieces |
| stood there in disbelief | was too shocked to react immediately |
| felt terribly guilty | felt very bad about what you had done |
| beyond repair | impossible to fix |
| a surprisingly big emotional impact | something small that caused strong emotions |
| monetary value | financial worth |
| carry enormous sentimental significance | have great emotional importance |
đź’ˇ Powerful Ending
“You don’t always realise the value of something until it is gone.”
