Describe a time you lost something important
Describe a time you lost something important
You should say:
- what it was and why it mattered to you
- when and where you lost it
- whether you found it again
and explain how you felt after losing it
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- what it was and why it mattered to you
- when and where you lost it
- whether you found it again
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How to approach this cue card
This card is a story with a turning point: something goes wrong, you react, and there is an outcome. Examiners listen for a clear sequence of past tenses, for the moment you realised it was gone, and for feeling words that are more exact than “bad” or “sad”. The “explain” line asks about your feelings after the loss, which means the emotional part is the longest part, not the facts about the object.
The easiest angle is something small enough to be believable and important enough to matter: a wallet, a phone, a key, a notebook, a bag with a laptop. A good answer says why it mattered beyond its price, perhaps because someone gave it to you or because of what was inside. If you did get it back, tell how; if you did not, say what you did instead.
Use the first part of your minute to fix three points: what, when and where. Then decide the single moment of realisation, because that is the best place to slow down and use your richest language. Finish with the outcome and one short sentence on what it changed in your habits, which gives the answer a natural ending.
Vocabulary that lifts this answer
These phrases describe loss, worry and relief more exactly than “I was very sad”.
| Word or phrase | What it means | In a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| to realise (that) something is missing | to notice that something is not where it should be | I realised that my wallet was missing as I reached my stop. |
| to retrace my steps | to go back over the way you came | I retraced my steps all the way to the terminal. |
| my heart sank | I suddenly felt very disappointed or afraid | My heart sank when my hand found an empty pocket. |
| to panic | to be so afraid that you cannot think clearly | I started to panic and could hardly speak. |
| of great sentimental value | important because of personal feelings, not price | It was of great sentimental value to me. |
| to hand something in | to give a found item to someone in charge | A driver had handed it in at the office. |
| lost property | items that people leave behind in public places | I went to the lost property office the next morning. |
| a huge relief | a strong feeling of comfort when worry ends | It was a huge relief to see everything inside. |
| to blame myself | to feel that a mistake was my fault | I kept blaming myself for being careless. |
| a lesson learned | something useful you understand after a mistake | It was a lesson learned, and I check my pockets now. |
A one-minute plan
- what and why: leather wallet from my father, student card, family photo
- when and where: last June, Friday evening, jeepney in Cebu City
- found? yes, driver handed it in, collected next morning
- feeling: panic, guilt, no sleep, then relief, more careful now
The same answer at Band 6, 7 and 8
The three sample answers below tell exactly the same story, and only the language changes between them. Hover or tap a highlighted phrase to see what an examiner would notice about it, and treat these as illustrations of what each band typically sounds like, not scripts to memorise.
Band 6
I would like to talk about a time when I lost my wallet last June. It was a brown leather wallet that my father giveTense slip: should be “gave” me when I started university, so it was very special for me. It was his old wallet, so the corners were already soft and old. Inside there was my student card, my bank card and a small photo of my family. I lost it on a jeepney in Cebu City on Friday evening, when I came back from my part-time job. I was very tired, so I fallTense slip: should be “fell” asleep for a few minutes, and I think the wallet slideTense slip: should be “slid” out of my pocket. When I wanted to pay at my stop, I can’tTense slip: should be “couldn’t” find it, and I felt, erFiller used while searching for the right word, very scaredBasic phrase; limits Lexical Resource. I looked under the seats and I asked the driver, but he said he don’t seeTense and form error: should be “hadn’t seen” anything. At home I felt very sadBasic phrase; limits Lexical Resource and I could not sleep, because I blamed myself. I also callTense slip: should be “called” the bank to stop my card, and the lady on the phone was niceBasic adjective; limits Lexical Resource, but it did not help me feel better. The wallet was a gift from my father, and I thought I will never seeTense slip: should be “would never see” it again. The next morning I went to the jeepney terminal, and a man in the office sayTense slip: should be “said” the driver found it under a seat. Everything was inside, so I felt very happy, and I gave the driver a small thank-you present. Now I am more careful, you knowFiller phrase used as a hesitation marker, and I always check my pockets.
Band 7
I’d like to talk about a time when I lost my wallet last June. It was a brown leather wallet that my father had given me when I started university, so it meant a lot to me. It had been his own for years, so the corners were soft and worn. Inside were my student card, my bank card and a small photo of my family. I lost it on a jeepney in Cebu City on a Friday evening, on my way back from my part-time job. I was exhausted, so I dozed off for a few minutes, and I think the wallet must have slipped out of my pocket. When I went to pay at my stop, I couldn’t find it, and I felt a wave of panicPrecise, natural noun phrase for the feeling. I looked under the seats and asked the driver, but he said he hadn’t seeVerb form error: should be “hadn’t seen” anything. At home I couldn’t sleep because I kept blaming myselfPast continuous idea expressed with a reason clause. I’d also rung the bank to block my card, which only made the whole thing feel more real. The wallet was a gift from my father, and I was convinced I’d never see it again. The next morning I went to the jeepney terminal, and a man in the office told me that the driver had found it under a seat and handed it inPhrasal verb in the right tense, natural register. Everything was still inside, so I was really reliefWord form error: should be “really relieved”. I thanked the driver with a small box of biscuits. Now I’m much more careful, and I always check my pockets before I get off.
Band 8
I’d like to talk about a time when I lost my wallet last June. It was a brown leather wallet that my father had given me when I started university, so it carried a lot of sentimental value. It had been his own for years, so its corners were soft and worn. Inside were my student card, my bank card and a small photo of my family. I lost it on a jeepney in Cebu City on a Friday evening, on my way back from my part-time job. I was exhausted, so I dozed off for a few minutes, and the wallet must have slipped out of my pocket. When I went to pay at my stop, I couldn’t find it, and my heart sankIdiomatic expression of sudden dread. I looked under the seats and asked the driver, but he said he hadn’t seen anything. At home I couldn’t sleep, partly because I was panicking and partly because I kept blaming myselfParallel clauses with “partly” give a balanced, precise explanation. I’d also phoned the bank to block my card, which brought the whole thing homeIdiomatic phrase for making a fact feel real. The wallet was a gift from my father, and I was convinced I’d never see it again. The next morning I went to the jeepney terminal, where a man in the office told me that the driver had found it under a seat and handed it inNatural phrasal verb in the right register. Everything was still inside, and the relief was almost overwhelmingPrecise collocation for an intense feeling. I thanked the driver with a small box of biscuits. Looking backDiscourse marker introducing a reflection, I’m much more careful now, and I always check my pockets before I get off.
What moved the band
- Band 6’s tense slips (“my father give me”, “I fall asleep”, “the wallet slide out”) become accurate past forms in Band 7 (“my father had given me”, “I dozed off”) and stay clean in Band 8.
- Band 6 relies on “very scared” and “very sad”; Band 7 says “a wave of panic”; Band 8 uses “my heart sank” and “almost overwhelming”.
- Band 6 closes with “I felt very happy”; Band 8 explains the sleepless night in two balanced parts, “partly because I was panicking and partly because I kept blaming myself”.
Common mistakes on this card
- Describing the wallet, phone or bag at length but giving the feeling after the loss only one sentence.
- Choosing a loss that is not believable or that you cannot describe, so the details run out by the second bullet.
- Skipping the third bullet and never saying whether you found it again.
- Mixing present and past tenses at the moment of discovery, which is exactly where the story needs to be clearest.
Part 3 questions that often follow
After your turn of one to two minutes, the examiner usually moves into a related Part 3 discussion — these are the kinds of follow-up questions that commonly come up around this topic.
- Why do people tend to lose things when they are in a hurry?
- How can technology help people keep track of their belongings?
- Why do some objects matter more to us than their price would suggest?
- What should people do when they find something that belongs to someone else?
- Do you think people are more careless with their belongings today than in the past?
Frequently asked questions
Does the lost thing have to be an object?
No. It can be an object, but it can also be a pet, a document or an important file on a computer. Choose whatever you can describe with real detail, and remember that the card still needs you to say why it mattered and how you felt, not only what happened.
What if I never found what I lost?
That is a perfectly good answer. The third bullet asks "whether you found it again", so you may say that you did not and explain what you did instead. A sad or unresolved ending can show strong emotional language, as long as you describe the feeling clearly and keep your tenses consistent.
How do I avoid sounding dramatic about a small loss?
Keep the facts calm and put the emotion in one or two precise words, such as "panicked" or "relieved". Examiners reward exact feeling vocabulary and a clear order of events far more than a big story, so a small loss told well is a strong answer.
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