IELTS Cue Card
Describe a time when you got incorrect information.
You should say:
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What the information was
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Who gave it to you
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How you found out it was incorrect
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And explain how you felt about it.
Once, I heard incorrect information about my school teacher’s academic achievements, which led to an embarrassing situation. A friend confidently told me that our English teacher, Mr. Sharma, had a doctorate in English Literature from Oxford University. I was impressed and used this information in my English project, where I had to write about someone I admired.
In my project, I praised Mr. Sharma’s teaching skills and highlighted his “Oxford doctorate” as one of his greatest accomplishments. I even told a few classmates about it, feeling proud of my well-researched work. However, during the project review, Mr. Sharma noticed the incorrect detail. Smiling gently, he corrected me, saying he had completed his Master’s degree from Delhi University and had never studied at Oxford.
I was both surprised and embarrassed. Apologizing, I explained where I had heard the misinformation. Mr. Sharma was understanding and appreciated my effort in writing the project. However, he emphasized the importance of verifying facts, especially when presenting someone’s achievements.
This incident taught me a valuable lesson: never rely on unverified information. It also made me realize how easily misinformation can spread, even with good intentions. From then on, I became more careful and thorough in my work.

