IELTS Band 8 Sample: Describe an interesting conversation you had with a stranger

Describe an interesting conversation you had with a stranger

Who this person was

What the conversation was about

Why you had this conversation

How you felt about it

(Who this person was) Well, I’m going to tell you a moment when I had a chat with a women selling beverage during my very first trip to Bangkok, Thailand. It just happened 2 months ago I can still remember it quite well.

(What the conversation was about) I was just an 18-year-old boy back then, and I was unable to find my way to the Bus Station where I was about to hop on a bus and go to Pattaya. However, Google Map’s wasn’t as popular as it is nowadays, so the only way I could figure out the way was by asking a local. Luckily, there was a lady who was selling beverage at a food cart near where I was standing. I resorted to the lady and asked if she would be so kind to tell me the way to the Bus Station and she kindly replied by pointing to a building across the road and saying ’it’s over there’. Without her help, I could not possibly have completed my trip in Thailand.

(Why you had this conversation) I was talking to my friend in Vietnamese that moment, and suddenly she replied to me in Vietnamese. It turns out that she was also from Vietnam. And then, I decided to sit down and order a drink from the old lady and have a chat with her. So we ended up chatting for ages about our lives and about how and why we had come to Bangkok.

(How you felt about it) Well, I just simply found the conversation so enjoyable and inspiring since the lady was such a gentle women. Despite having quite a tough life, she still managed to have such a nice personality to overcome her struggles.

1. Find one’s way

Example: He was an expert at finding his way, even in strange surroundings.

2. Local (adjective)

Example: You should talk to the locals to make new friends.

3. Resort to (verb)

Example: I had to resort to violence/threats to get my money.

4. Gentle (adjective)

Example: He’s very gentle with his kids.

5. Tough (adjective)

Example: You have to be tough to be successful in politics.

6. Struggle (noun)

Example: It was a terrible struggle for him to accept her death.