IELTS speaking part 2: Describe an occasion when you were scared

Topic cue card:

Describe an occasion when you were scared.

You should say:

When and where it happened?

Who you were with?

Why you were scared?

and explain how you felt about it?

Answer:

Thank you for the interesting topic. This reminds me of an experience I can never forget.

The incident happened in the summer of my 7th grade. I went with my family to Nha Trang for the holiday. One morning, we went to the beach where it was breathtakingly beautiful. The water was so clear that you could see the pebbles in the seabed and also the fish swimming around. I got really excited to see the colorful sea creatures and started to chase after them. At that time I totally forgot about my mother’s words telling me not to go too far from the seashore and wandered off into deep water with only a ring buoy at hand.

Suddenly a strong wave came up and hit me hard, and my hand slipped off the life buoy. The buoy drifted away from my reach in another strong wave. Because I did not know how to swim, I immediately got panic and tried to move my hands and feet frantically so that I would not sink, but my reaction only made it worse – I sunk faster into the water. I drunk a lot of sea water, so salty and bitter I can never forget about it. The last thing I remembered before blacking out was the blurry vision of somebody swimming towards me.

I woke up to my mother’s teary face. She said I passed out and did not breath when I was brought to the shore. The lifeguard had to perform CPR to push out all the water in my lungs and stomach.

That time when I almost drowned was the most scary moment in my life. After that I had a better understanding of the wonder of being alive, and I tried to live my life to the fullest so that I would not regret leaving it. I also learned to swim so that I could protect myself from danger and save other people if needed. Of course I am not very confident with my swimming skill, but I think I will try my best to help when I can.

IELTS Writing task 2: More and more people wear fashionable clothes

Topic:

More and more people wear fashionable clothes. Why is it? Is this development positive or negative?

Topic analysis:

- What type of essay is it? – Positive or negative

- What is the main issue? - Key words: clothes

- What are the sub issues? - Micro key words: more and more people, fashionable clothes

- What instruction are you given? - Instruction words: why, positive or negative – asking reasons and personal opinion

Answer:

It is easy to see that fashionable clothes are becoming more and more popular these days. Although I understand that there are drawbacks of this trend, I believe that there are far more benefits. This essay will discuss firstly, the reasons for this phenomenon, and secondly, explaining my opinion about it.

The main reason for the rise of fashionable garments is that modern and classy outfits help the wearers capture the attention of the public and make them feel confident and special. For some people, especially young people, wearing costly up-to-the-minute clothing even gives them the sense of superiority and uniqueness. Besides, many clothing brands have celebrities wear their products and make them must-haves in the closet of their fans. As a result, trendy clothing is becoming more and more favored.

The downside of increased popularity of fashionable clothing is that it makes people more judging about those who do not follow the trend, whether it is because they choose not to buy or are unable to buy such clothing. People not wearing most recent styles can be regarded as outdated and are sometimes looked down on. Besides, some even buy counterfeit clothing just to make sure they do not lag behind others, which gives way to illegal manufacturers and results in negative effect to the authentic brands.

Although there are drawbacks to the tendency of wearing stylish, up-to-date clothes, I would argue that it has more benefits. The increase in consumption of contemporary garments help to boost the fashion industry and the general economy. Furthermore, people in glamorous outfits definitely beautify the life of the cities. For example, Paris is called the capital of fashion where impressive clothes are easily found on the streets and many tourists come to this city to enjoy the distinct French style of people here.

In conclusion, people nowadays favor fashionable outfits because they want to look up to date and confident. While there are possible disadvantages of the trend to favor fashionable clothing, I consider this to be a positive development overall.

(339 words)

Comment:

This topic is divided into two parts – one asking the reason why people love wearing fashionable clothes, and one asking your opinion about this development. As a result, I have to divide the body of my essay into 3 parts: part 1 discusses the reasons, part 2 talks about the negative sides, and part 3 explains the positive aspects of this trend. As I think that this phenomenon is positive in general, I put the cons before the pros.

I am reading some instruction on writing IELTS essays using a 13-sentence structure. I will try to follow the instruction in future essays to see if there is any improvement to my writing.

IELTS Speaking part 2: Describe a skill that you need a long time to learn

Topic cue card:

Describe a skill that you need a long time to learn. You should say:

• what the skill is

• when you learnt

• why you need a long time to learn.

Answer:

Most recently I learned about using the Adobe Illustrator software, and it really took me a long time to partially master it.

I have a great love for fashion designing and dressmaking, and I have been making garments for sale as a part-time job. Some hobbyists even came to me and asked for my sewing patterns and I was thinking of selling them along with my dresses. I found out the demand for sewing patterns was increasing over time.

A few months ago, my friend recommended that I should think of becoming an indie designer – the kind of fashion designer who doesn’t belong to any company. I thought that it was a really good idea and started to look for information about it. And then I came over an article about selling digital sewing patterns online and immediately decided that I wanted to do this. In order to start my sewing pattern shop, I need to know about drafting patterns using computer software, and Adobe Illustrator is recommended by most indie designers. As far as I know, using computer in pattern designing can save me a lot of time and effort, and the digital patterns can be used over and over again.

At first I thought Adobe Illustrator was simple, just like Microsoft Word or Excel, but I was completely wrong. The software comes with a complicating set of tools and commands, and it took me about one week just to get a bit familiar to it. This software also required users to have knowledge about mathematics and geometry, which was not my strong point. It took me another few days to learn how to draft my first simple basic blocks and at some point I was so discouraged that I thought I am no good with digital pattern drafting. However, as stubborn as I have always been, I continued to learn how to use the software, and I gradually master it. And now, a few months later, I can draft digital patterns at ease. Of course, there are always new updates and new functions added to the software every day, so I need to continue learning and working on it so that I will never be out of date.

I can now export my digital patterns to pdf format and post them for sale on an online marketplace called Etsy, in which my digital patterns can reach customers all over the world. I have sold some of the patterns and am happy with the revenue. I think I will continue to use Adobe Illustrator to realize my dream of being an indie fashion designer.

Comment:

This answer is based on my true story. I think that it would be much easier to talk about your own experience, and you will not run out of vocabulary for a familiar topic that you use every day.

IELTS Speaking part 2: Describe a young child who you know well

Topic cue card:

Describe a young child who you know well. You should say:

• who the child is

• how you know him/her

• how you act with the child

• and explain why you like/ dislike this child.

Answer:

I am going to describe my own son – he is the young child that I know best of course.

My son is now over 1 year old, and I think he is the most adorable baby in the world, you know, a baby is always the best in his mother’s eyes.

I named him Tue Lam, which means the jewel of wisdom, with the hope that he would be intelligent and insightful. Although it’s still too early to know how he will turn out to be in the future, he seems quite smart at this time. He started talking quite early, around the eleventh month, and his first word was not “mama” but “Cua” – his nickname at home. We were really surprised to see him pointing at himself and saying out loud his name repeatedly until we all applauded. Now at fourteen months, he has a vocabulary of over 10 words and can sing along with his favorite songs, although the words are still not very clear. His speaking is improving quickly day by day.

My boy is super curious – he loves to look at everything with his round bright eyes, and points his tiny hands at things that he feels interested. I often take him outside, to the park, the zoo or the supermarket and tell him about things so that he can learn about the world around him. He loves animals, dogs, cats, birds, fish, or any thing that moves and he is excited every time I take him to the zoo or the aquarium. He is never tired of running around looking at colorful animals there.

My son is a very active kid – he never stops moving, and he is exceptionally good at climbing: he could climb the stairs when he was 8 months old, and sometimes it is very dangerous so everyone in my family has to keep an eye on him at all time. It is an exhausting job to look after him, but I would never be tired to be with him. He is my biggest love and source of joy now.

I always try to spend time with him as much as possible because I know a kid’s development depends a lot on the relationship with his parents. I believe if I shower him with love and attention, he will grow up to be not only smart but also kind. Of course, I do not put too much expectation on him – I don’t want him to grow up with pressure. I want him to be a happy normal person rather than a stressed superman.

Comment:

I always try to develop a longer answer for the topic in part 2 of IELTS speaking test. I tend to be nervous and can’t think of any ideas whenever I face the examiner, thus I need to accumulate as many ideas as possible during the preparation process. Anyway, you will not get low band score for having a long answer which is interrupted, your score will be low if your answer is short – IELTS speaking is different from IELTS writing after all.

IELTS Writing task 2: Some people think that large international sporting events only brings drawbacks, and that it is not worth hosting them

Topic:

Some people think that large international sporting events only brings drawbacks, and that it is not worth hosting them. Do you agree or disagree?

Topic analysis:

- What type of essay is it? - Agree/disagree

- What is the main issue? - Key words: sport

- What are the sub issues? - Micro key words: large international sporting events, drawbacks, not worth hosting

- What instruction are you given? - Instruction words: agree or disagree – give personal view

Answer:

There are different opinions about the pros and cons of large international sporting events. While some people think that they are not worth hosting because of many drawbacks, I believe the advantages of these events totally outweigh the disadvantages and hosting them is beneficial to both the host country and the people.

Many people are against international sporting events because they consider the costs are too much in comparison with what they receive from them. To host such large events, the host country must invest in infrastructure – stadiums, roads, accommodation and other facilities – while the revenues from tourism and services are uncertain. Greece is an example of a country suffering from great deficit after a spectacular sporting festival: they fell into financial crisis not long after the Olympic Games in 2004 and had to request for financial assistance from the European Union. From the perspective of sport fans, travelling to the host locality, which may be far from their home country, to attend an international sporting event, means that they need to pay not only for tickets, but also transportation, hotel, food and various miscellaneous expenses. Many believe that their money should be used on profitable activities rather than wasted on this kind of entertainment.

Although the above mentioned arguments are understandable, I believe international sporting events bring about more benefits than drawbacks. First, if calculated correctly, the host country can promote the economy with revenues from the event and other activities associating with it while spending the minimum amount of public budget. The United States only invested in basic infrastructure to meet the requirements of the Olympic Games 2002 and they generated multiple times the amount they spent through increased tourism and services. Second, for sport fans, travelling abroad to the event gives them the chance to enjoy the atmosphere of the event, and get know the life and culture of the host community. Besides, they can make friends and set up relationships with people from around the world who share their love for sports. People can never have this experience if they do not come to the host country in person, so spending money on this is totally worthy.

In conclusion, although large international sporting events have some drawbacks, they are still worth hosting because of many benefits that they bring to both the host countries and the people attending the events.

(394 words)

Comment:

This essay is 393 words long, and I know that it is too long for 40 minutes. I am thinking of making a shorter version for it but still keeping all the details inside.

IELTS Writing task 2: Some people think that people who are over 60 years old should not work and retire earlier

Topic:

Some people think that people who are over 60 years old should not work and retire earlier. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Topic analyzing:

- What type of essay is it? - Agree/disagree
- What is the main issue? - Key words: people over 60

- What are the sub issues? - Micro key words: should not work, retire earlier

- What instruction are you given? - Instruction words: agree or disagree - give personal view on how much you agree/disagree

Answer:

It is often considered that people should not work after they turn 60. While I understand that it is necessary for elderly people to retire, I believe the age of retirement may vary depending on the circumstances.

People at a certain age should retire, not just for their own benefit, but also for the sake of others. The more aged a person is, the less physically healthy he becomes, and at some point he will not be able to fulfill the tasks assigned, especially heavy duties like in the construction or transportation industry. Besides, old people should leave their positions and make room for younger ones in the employment market, which is full of new graduates every year. Only by this way can the labor force be refreshed and the unemployment rate be reduced.

Although it is necessary for the elderly to retire when the time comes, I think in many professions skills and knowledge increase with age, and it would be a great loss when an experienced worker retires at the age of 60. For example, in education, a professor with over 30 years of research and teaching is undoubtedly a valuable asset to any university or institute, and if his health still allows him to continue working, it is definitely a waste of human resource to let him retire. Besides, many people are enthusiastic to their job and want to continue working even when they get old, and these people should be encouraged to further contribute to the society with their work.

In conclusion, although I agree that people should not work and retire when they get old, I believe the time of retirement can be different based on the conditions and wills of the workers.

Comment:

I have to underline the word ‘how much’ in the topic analysis, because it is the trickiest part in this kind of essay. It is easier to totally agree or disagree with the argument given in the topic, but it is much more difficult to write an essay when you partially agree or disagree. Unfortunately, I find myself only partially agree/disagree most of the time I see such kind of topics.

I divide my essay into two parts: part 1 discusses why I agree with the argument and part 2 explains why I think the argument is not totally right. I try to explain as clearly as possible, but could not extend my answer further than this with only 40 minutes. I would be grateful to receive comments from you to improve my writing skill.

IELTS Speaking part 2: Talk about someone that helped you

Topic cue card:

Talk about someone that helped you by providing something that you required the most.

• what it was

• who gave it to you

• why it was important for you

• How did you feel after getting it?

Answer:

I am going to talk about the time I received help from a neighbor.

Because my husband works overseas, most of the time I have to look after our one-year-old boy by myself. I also have a full time job and it is quite difficult to balance between job and baby. When I go to work, I send the baby to daycare and I take him back after work. Doing all of the housework and taking care of him is really tiring, I do not have time for myself. I even have to cook one pan meals for weeks.

One day about a month ago, my baby suddenly had a high fever at midnight. He cried non-stop and threw up every thing in his stomach. As he was my first child, I was so inexperienced that I panicked and did not know what to do. I tried to calm him down but failed, and after the longest one hour in my life I got so desperate that I burst into tears.

Suddenly I heard a knock on the door. I did not know who came over at this late night but still went over to open it. Then I found the old lady next door standing there with a worried look on her face. She told me she heard the baby crying out loud for hours and wanted to see what happened. When she saw me looking exhausted and messy, she offered to lend me a hand. She helped to sooth the baby while I cleaned up myself and the floor, and then she taught me some experience about what to do when a baby was sick. Fortunately, my boy recovered quickly and did not have to go to the hospital.

After that day she often comes over to help me look after my boy while I do housework or cook for him. Sometimes she even cooks extra serving and brings over to me. We become good friends despite our age difference. My son also grows attached to her and is always happy to see her.

I am really grateful of that lady next door. She gave me a hand when I needed it the most and really saved me from breaking down.

Comment:

This answer can be adjusted to a similar topics, for example:

Describe a time when you helped of someone.

• When you helped

• How you helped

• How you felt after giving help

or

Describe an event that made you happy recently.

• When this event was

• Where it happened

• Who you were with

• Explain why it made you happy.

(You can talk about the time you helped someone and then describe your happy feeling when the one you helped expressed their gratitude to you.)

or

Describe a story you have been told.

• Who told you the story
• What the story is about
• How it affects you.

(Talking about the story of helping and receiving help and add details about how you feel about giving help to others)

IELTS Speaking part 2: Describe a useful math lesson that you remember learning as a child

Topic cue card:

Describe a useful math lesson that you remember learning as a child.

• What it was
• How you learnt it
• You like math now
• It was easy/difficult to learn.

Answer:

Thank you for giving me this interesting topic. I had a math lesson that was really impressive to me and I still remember it clearly today.

That was one day when I was in my 6^th grade, my old math teacher retired and a new teacher came to take over the class. After introduction, he gave us a challenge and promised that if anyone could solve it, he would give that student full mark for the mid term exam. My classmates and I immediately got excited at this promise.

My teacher drew nine points on the blackboards. They were evenly spaced and formed what looked like a square. He asked us to connect the dots using the least numbers of straight lines. The students eagerly copied the dots on paper and tried to draw lines connecting them together. Most of us ended up with 5 lines and we thought that 5 was the smallest number possible.

To our surprise, our teacher smiled and said that we did not get the right answer, which made us really disappointed. Then he encouraged us to continue trying, and gave us the hint of using only 4 lines. We tried again and again but the most we could do with 4 lines was to connect 8 points only.

When we all surrendered, our teacher finally gave us the answer. He drew what looked like an umbrella which connected the 9 dots with exactly 4 straight lines, and the lines went beyond the square shaped by the 9 dots. We were really impressed to see him drawing the lines on the blackboard – it was so easy yet no one could think of!

After solving the problem, our teacher told us that we should not limit ourselves when facing a problem and look for the answer outside the box instead. This way of changing perspective would be a great way in tackling not only mathematic problems but also any challenges in life. We were really moved to listen to his speech – it was not only the math lesson anymore, it became a lesson about life.

Over fifteen years have passed and I still remember clearly what my math teacher said that day. Whenever I get stuck in what seems like an unsolvable problem, I’ll try to look at it from different perspectives and sometimes the answer is surprisingly simple. I am truly grateful for my math teacher who gave me the lesson that day.

Comment:

This answer can be adjusted to use in similar topics, for example:

Describe an interesting lesson which you learnt at school.

• What was it
• Who taught it and how was it
• When did you learn
• Please mention why do you find interesting.

or

Describe an interesting talk or lecture I heard recently.

• when and where you heard it

• what the talk or speech was about

• who was the speaker

• why you think it was interesting.

IELTS writing task 2: Some people think that rest and sleep are the best methods to relax while others think that it can be done by involving in some activities like sports

Topic: 

Some people think that rest and sleep are the best methods to relax while others think that it can be done by involving in some activities like sports. Do you agree or disagree and give your view?

Topic analyzing:

- What type of essay is it? - Agree/disagree
- What is the main issue? - Key words: methods to relax - this is the general topic for the essay

- What are the sub issues? - Micro key words: rest and sleep, sports - the essay should discuss these specific aspects of the general topic, do not write about the general topic

- What instruction are you given? - Instruction words: agree or disagree - give personal view 

Answer:

Many people choose rest and sleep as their method of relax, while others prefer doing activities like sports to wind down. Although both opinions sound logical, I believe that a balance between the two methods would be best for mental and physical health. 

Resting and sleeping may be the first choice when people feel exhausted, they help to relieve the stress hormones accumulated in their body after a long day of work or study. While a person rests in a cozy quiet place, the brain releases chemicals that makes him feel drowsy and fall into sleep, and the body recovers during this time. It is not strange when one feels full of energy after a good night’s sleep because he has been refueled during the night. However, too much sleep can make people tired and less flexible as the body stays too long in an inactive state.

Involving in activities is another way to get rid of tiredness and stress. Yoga and other moderate sports like jogging can help people relax both physically and mentally and improve their performance. For example, doing some exercise in the short break between two classes would help students to focus better on their following lectures. On the other hand, highly intensive activities would further exhaust a tired person, so physically demanding sports are not recommended if one wants to relax. As a result, I think a balanced combination between resting and exercising is the best way to have a quality relaxation time.

In conclusion, it is up to a person to choose their methods for relaxation, whether it is sleep or sport, but in my opinion, one should balance between these two methods to get the most out of his free time.

(288 words)

Comment:

This essay requires candidates to express their own opinion (please note down the words "Do you agree or disagree"). If you do not put "I, me, my" in the essay, the examiner will think that you do not hit the bull's eye and answer the question correctly and won't give you more than 6.5. Try your best to answer just what the topic requires. Do not write more or less than what you are required to do. You won't earn extra points for writing a long essay with irrelevant matters.

That's what I was told when my friend gave me some tips about the IELTS exam. I am sharing it here with you. If you have any comments about my essay, please leave your words! I hope we can help each other to improve our band score.