IELTS Speaking Part 2 sample: Describe a time when you worked in a team

Surely, all of us have experienced the feeling of teamwork, right? Maybe just a few times, or maybe so many times we can't even count. You have to work in a team at school, at your job, or in recreational clubs. So, the topic "Describe a time when you worked in a team" shouldn't be difficult for you. Just draw from your own experiences to "chat" with the examiner in the Speaking test!

Additionally, you can refer to the sample answer for the IELTS Speaking Part 2 topic "Describe a time when you worked in a team" below to practice effectively at home!

I. Cue card: Describe a time when you worked in a team

Describe a time when you worked in a team. You should say: 

• What the activity was

• Who you worked with you

• How easy or difficult it was

And explain how you felt about being part of this team.

II. IELTS Speaking Part 2 question and answer: Describe a time when you worked in a team

The IELTS Speaking Task 2 samples of "Describe a time when you worked in a team" are compiled by the teachers at PREP - The Smart Test Preparation Platform. Refer to the sample below to effectively practice the Speaking test at home!

The term "teamwork" may now become a haunting word to many students from all levels, especially to a university student like me so when this question pops up, I can think of many interesting teamwork experiences. But I would like to point to the time when I had a team project in the International Trade Policy course in which we had to research the effect of a trade agreement.

I have acknowledged the importance of our teammates in teamwork, in such a painful way because some of my team projects had gone to the dogs because of "not-so-helpful" teammates - just an euphemism. So this time I chose to work with my best friends in university – a group of nine people. And bingo! My choice of teammates immediately proved to be the best choice ever because the team project for this course was really complicated.

Normally we would do a project like this with qualitative methods based on logic and facts. However, our lecturer expressed her clear preference for projects done by quantitative methods, which meant that we had to conduct the research based on numbers and econometrics - what a nightmare for all of us!

But with this team, I felt like living in a safe haven because they genuinely set their heart on making it through the situation, which became a motivation for me to do my utmost with them because I am not that kind of irresponsible teammate. Together, they instructed me on data analysis and econometrics that we had not been taught before and I also took advantage of my writing skills for IELTS Task 1 to interpret the numerical data and come to the final remarks.

During the process, gratitude just overwhelmed my mind because of how knowledgeable and helpful my teammates were. No wonder we completed the project with flying colors, making all of us feel a real sense of relief and accomplishment.

After each teamwork experience like this, the lesson of the need for responsible teammates and self-devotion will be even more deeply ingrained in my mind.

Note: In addition, the IELTS Speaking Part 2 answer "Describe a time when you worked in a team" can also be used for some other topics such as: Describe a time when you worked in a group, Describe a time you worked as a team, Describe a team project that you worked on, Describe something that you did with a group of people, Describe a team where you were a member, ...

III. High-scoring vocabulary

Remember the high-scoring vocabulary used in the IELTS Part 2 Speaking examples "Describe a time when you worked in a team" and add it to your vocabulary notebook so you can easily memorize and apply it to your actual test: 

• pop up (v): to appear

• go to the dogs: to go downhill

• euphemism (n): a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt

• bingo!: exactly right

• qualitative method (n): a method of research that gathers non-numerical data

• quantitative method (n): a method of research that gathers numerical data

• feel like living in a safe haven: feel like living in a peaceful, protected place

• set one's heart on: be determined to do something

• make it through (v): to succeed in dealing with or surviving something

• do one's utmost (v): to try as hard as possible

• with flying colors: with great success

• a sense of accomplishment (n): a feeling of having successfully completed a task

• deeply ingrained in one's mind: strongly and permanently established in one's mind

IV. Conclusion

This article has provided the most complete IELTS Speaking Part 2 sample topic "Describe a time when you worked in a team". Refer to it to effectively practice IELTS at home and achieve a high band score in the actual Speaking test!