Sample Speaking Part 2: Describe an event that changed your life

For many candidates, "Describe an event that changed your life" is relatively difficult. The difficulty doesn't lie in not having ideas to talk about, but rather in not knowing how to organize those ideas to accurately, sufficiently, and achieve a high score. Understanding the challenges you face, below is a suggested outline, ideas for development, and effective note-taking strategies in the test room, as well as a detailed sample answer. Refer to the following article to effectively prepare for your exam!

I. Task: Describe an event that changed your life

1. Cue card

The topic "Describe an event that changed your life" is one of the most interesting themes in IELTS Speaking. Let's refer to the prompt from prepedu.com:

Describe an event that changed your life forever. You should say:

• what the event was
• why it changed your life
• where and when it occured

And explain who was with you when it happened.

2. Part 2 Outline

II. Sample IELTS Speaking topic: Describe an event that changed your life

I’ve had quite a few defining events in my life so far, but when it comes to the most memorable, the one I want to tell you about would be none other than my acceptance to a university overseas. 

It was in the form of an admission letter from them a couple of years back. At the time, I was about to graduate from high school, so I tried to apply to multiple schools abroad. I fancied my chances of entering an international university, but it still took quite a while before I would be admitted. One of the places that I sent my application to was Springfield University in the United States, which sent me an invitation letter several weeks after I submitted my form.

I informed my Mom and Dad once I finished reading the email. I could recall that they were as ecstatic as I was, just short of jumping for joy like children. It was in the afternoon too, so we put off our plans for the rest of the day to go to a restaurant to celebrate. It was a meal that I don’t think I’d ever be able to forget too, but that’s for another day.

That letter was the beginning of my journey as an international student. Without such a start, I would’ve never become the person I am today. I could have lived very differently, so differently that it wouldn’t be me sitting in front of you at this very moment.

Below is the vocabulary to score points used in the topic "Describe an event that changed your life" in IELTS Speaking Part 2:

• Defining (adj.): prominent
• Memorable (adj.): worth remembering
• None other than sth (n.): nothing other than
• Admission letter (n.): acceptance letter
• Fancy one's chances (v.): have confidence in one's abilities
• Invitation letter (n.): invitation
• Ecstatic (adj.): ecstatic, overjoyed
• Just short of (adj.): almost, nearly

Note: You can apply the sample essay "Describe an event that changed your life" to other topics such as "Talk about a thing/an event that has changed your life," "Talk about an event in your life that has affected your self-identity," "Describe someone who changed your life," "Describe an important change in your life," etc.

For more information, refer to the article:

• Sample Speaking Part 2, 3: Describe a law on environmental protection
• Sample Speaking Part 2, 3: Describe a person you follow on social media
• Sample Speaking Part 2, 3: Describe your favorite season of the year

This article has provided a sample IELTS Speaking topic "Describe an event that changed your life" shared by teacher Nhat Pham. PREP wishes you effective exam preparation and success in achieving a high band score in the actual IELTS test!