A changed-your-mind card is built on before and after: the old opinion, the event that changed it and where you stand now. The past perfect ("she'd joined the club") and phrases like "it turned out" are its main tools.
The cue card
Describe a time when you changed your mind about something.
You should say:
what you changed your mind about
what your original opinion was
why you changed your mind
and explain how you feel about it now.
One-minute notes
- what: joining the university debate club
- before: arguing for its own sake; terrified of speaking in public
- why changed: roommate dragged me along, members had practised, kind feedback, first win
- now: help run the club; confidence can be built; calmer in speaking tests
Model answer (about 2 minutes)
I'd like to talk about the time I changed my mind about joining my university's debate club.
When I first heard about it in my first year, I was completely against the idea. I thought debating was just people arguing for the sake of arguing, and, to be honest, I was terrified of speaking in front of an audience. Even answering a question in class made my hands shake, so voluntarily standing up and arguing with strangers sounded like a nightmare.
What changed my mind was my roommate. She'd joined the club and kept telling me how much it had helped her, and eventually she just dragged me along to one session to watch. I noticed that most of the members weren't natural speakers either; they'd simply practised. A few weeks later I agreed to try a practice round, and although my first speech was a disaster, the feedback was so kind and so useful that I came back the next week.
About two months later, my team won our first small competition, and I remember feeling that something in me had changed. I'd always thought confidence was something you're born with, but it turned out to be something you can build.
Now I'm actually one of the people who run the club, and I'd say joining it was one of the best decisions I've made at university. It's also the reason I feel much calmer about speaking tests like IELTS.
Useful words and phrases
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| be against the idea | be against the idea |
| for the sake of | for the sake of |
| terrified of | terrified of |
| drag someone along | drag someone along |
| natural speakers | natural speakers |
| a disaster | a disaster |
| something you're born with | something you're born with |
| it turned out | it turned out |
How to answer
- Paint the old opinion strongly: "I was completely against the idea".
- Tie the change to a person or an event: "What changed my mind was...".
- Use the past perfect for what came before: "She'd joined the club", "they'd simply practised".
- "I'd always thought..., but it turned out..." is the strongest closing shape.
Practise this topic now
The AI examiner asks you these questions, listens to your answers and shows your mistakes.
Part 3: follow-up discussion questions
Why do people find it difficult to change their minds?
Partly pride. Changing your mind can feel like admitting you were wrong, and nobody enjoys that. People also tend to look for information that supports what they already believe, so they rarely hear the other side properly.
Is changing your mind a sign of weakness or strength?
Strength, I'd say, as long as it's based on new evidence or experience. Someone who never changes their mind isn't strong; they've just stopped learning.
Who influences young people's opinions most?
Can social media change people's opinions?
Part 2 strategy: the cue card guide. Next step: the Part 3 guide.
Practise this topic now
The AI examiner asks you these questions, listens to your answers and shows your mistakes.
