IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe a bad experience

1. Describe a time when you made a complaint and were satisfied with the result
2. Describe a time you received terrible service

Maybe because I am not the picky type, I rarely felt upset about anything at all. However, there was one time I got so frustrated with this restaurant service that I almost exploded there.

It happened two months ago on my parents’ anniversary weekend. Our family decided to go to a famous restaurant in town to celebrate this special occasion. We came about 5 minutes earlier than scheduled; one waitress greeted us and showed us to our table. We were all excited as our food arrived. After taking some photos together with the table full of food like usual, we started eating. To our surprise, my sister dropped the chopsticks, with a terrifying look on her face, she trembled: “Look! There was a worm crawling out of the vegetable plate!!!”. I immediately asked to meet the restaurant manager and complained with him about the food. He kept saying sorry to us, constantly explained that this incident had never happened here before. I got so angry that I didn’t even let him explain further. I told him that I would report this restaurant for its unhygienic food preparation. In the end, the manager offered us a new vegetable dish and our bill was on the house that night. Though I was not happy with the incident since it ruined my family’s special night, I was glad that the restaurant manager had resolved our case quickly and reasonably.

(IELTS Ngoc Bach)

IELTS speaking: Describe a famous person

1. Describe a singer that you like
2. Describe a foreign star that you would like to meet
3. Describe a person you wanted to be similar to when you were growing up

I would like to talk about a famous singer whom I really admired/would like to meet since I was small, that is Alicia Keys. Keys is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and philanthropist. She was born and raised mostly by her mother in a tough neighborhood in Manhattan, New York.


I first knew about Alicia Keys through her song named “Fallin’”. At that time, I was struck by her angelic voice and started following her since then. What makes Alicia Keys different from other artists is that her music lyric is always meaningful and uplifting; especially when they are sung through her powerful yet emotional voice. Not only is she a talented singer with 15 Grammy wins through her musical career, Alicia Keys is also a great philanthropist. Keys is the co-founder and Global Ambassador of Keep a Child Alive, a non-profit organization that provides medicine, orphan care, and social support to families with HIV and AIDS in Africa and India. She actively supports the feminism wave, inspiring women all over the world through her songs as well as actions like “Make up free” movement. She has stopped wearing makeup since 2016, even when she attended events in order to promote natural beauty and embracing self-confidence among women in our society.


To me, Alicia Keys is such a good example of modern woman that I want to become in the future. I dreamed one day I would be able to meet her in real life.

IELTS writing task 2: Some students take a year off between school and university, to work or to travel. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

IELTS writing task 2: Some students take a year off between school and university, to work or to travel. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages? 

It is true these days that many high school leavers choose to start their work or take a trip before going to university. While a gap year can bring some immediate drawbacks, I am convinced that it is more likely to have long-term benefits for their lives.

On the one hand,  young students are very likely to encounter several difficulties when delaying their university study. One of these problem is the delay in academic progress caused by spending one year off school. It is understandably almost impossible for young people to enjoy their experiences in doing a job or travelling to new place but still arrange a certain amount of time for revision. As a result, gap-year takers may have to face the challenge of becoming familiar with the knowledge at school again, receiving more pressure of catching up with their peers. Besides, the life out of university campus may prove to be mentally and physically overwhelming for inexperienced school leavers. They, for instance, may be at risk of being exploited in an exhausting job or face potential dangers on their trips to a new country. If not well prepared for such possible obstacles, young high school graduates can suffer from unintended consequences.

On the other hand, I would argue that these disadvantages are outweighed by the positive effects. A gap year is an ideal opportunity for students to learn about what is not taught at university. Working with other people who are experts in a particular field can give these newcomers not only understanding of the job but also valuable practical lessons to help them become more mature. When it comes to applying for a position in a company, employer tend to favourably consider applicants who possess extensive experience in life and the occupation. Furthermore, in terms of recreation, having a year to relax can be advantageous as students can have a chance to relieve stress in study. With a comfortable and willing attitude, undergraduates can acquire knowledge more effectively in comparison with those who go to university straightaway.

In conclusion, despite some negative aspects, it seems to me that the benefits of a gap year are more significant for the reasons mentioned.

(365 words, written by Bao Nguyen)

IELTS Writing Task 2: Some people think that young people should be required to do unpaid work helping people in the community. Are disadvantages of this requirement greater than the benefits for the community and individuals?

Some people think that young people should be required to do unpaid work helping people in the community. Are disadvantages of this requirement greater than the benefits for the community and individuals?

It is true that volunteer work provides great benefits for both participants and the community. However, forcing the youth to engage in those activities maybe counterproductive, as now will be explained.

On the one hand, if young people were required to do social jobs for free, there would be certain advantages for all sides related. A vast majority of the younger population are energetic, dynamic and passionate about improving themselves, and it is the unpaid work that can satisfy that demand. Charitable campaigns such as teaching primary school children or helping the elderly with their daily activities provide the participants with not only knowledge and skills, but also a sense of community and a belief that they are a pivotal part of societies. Vice versa, the government, with the assistant from young people, has a productive workforce available for charity work without wasting money on the recruitment process.

On the other hand, I believe that the disadvantages of this are more important. Working on a volunteer basis may distract young people from their priorities. For example, students of state universities and colleges are expected to attend lessons, complete homework and even consult external academic materials. With such a heavy workload, those students should spend their little remaining time relaxing or playing sport rather than joining free social activities. Regarding those who do not go to school, vocational or internship courses are what they would seek for. Professional skills from such classes are tools for these individuals to achieve a stable later life; therefore, the community should allow them to pursue their career.

In conclusion, the youth can choose to support others, and the volunteer work should never be made obligatory.

(282 words, written by Thanh Nguyen IELTS)

IELTS Writing task 2: Advertising discourages people from being different individuals by making us want to be and to look the same. To what extent do you agree or disagree??

Advertising discourages people from being different individuals by making us want to be and to look the same. To what extent do you agree or disagree??

An often debated topic is whether advertising has a major influence on the growing similarity of people's lifestyle in the modern world. Personally, I partly agree with this opinion for a number of reasons.

On the other hand, the power of advertising is undeniable. The growth of the advertising industry has resulted in many people buying products of the same manufacture, which can be seen in the case of consumer goods. Today, the advertising campaigns of multinational companies such as Unilever have been so successful that their products almost dominate the market. Smaller enterprises tend not to be able to compete with these giant market leaders due to their disadvantages of capital poured into advertising programs. Thus, customers are often swayed to buy products of famous brands rather than those made by less well-know companies.

On the other hand, it is also true that people have the tendency to copy other's lifestyle without being affected by advertising. For example, it is valid to argue that many young people are trying to emulate the fashion styles of their idols. Many Vietnamese youths manage to purchase the same clothes, dye their hair and wear the same perfume as their stars do. People can also turn to their social relations for advice when they need to buy something. For instance, junior citizens always ask their friends before they come to a final decision on buy a smart phone.

In conclusion, it is true that advertising has bridged the gap between each individual's lifestyle in modern society.  However, I believe that it is not the sole factor that contributes to the trend.

(268 words, written by Thay Vinh IELTS)