[SEP – DEC 2021] Describe an occasion when you wanted to (or, tried to) impress others (or another person)

IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe an occasion when you wanted to (or, tried to) impress others (or another person) IELTS Cue Card

You should say:

• who you wanted to impress
• what you did
• how you hoped to impress them
• and explain why you wanted to impress them.

Sample Answer

Well, everyone wants to be in someone’s good books at each stage of life, and I’m no exception. When I was in school, I wanted to be the pet of all my teachers. I was usually the topper in the class. But when we were in the eighth grade, our school gave us an option to elect any foreign language. I opted for French.

(who you wanted to impress) (what you did) (how you hoped to impress them) (and explain why you wanted to impress them) Our French teacher was from the Alliance Franẹaise. I was overconfident about my skills and did not pay much attention to the classes initially. There was a boy in the class whom she was impressed with. She always praised him for his French pronunciation. As the course progressed, she informed us that she was about to conduct the drama of Tenilarama in French. I was fascinated by the idea. But I knew her first choice for Tenilarama would be that boy. I wanted to do something to win that role. I put in a lot of effort for my pronunciation, went through various texts on French Grammar, and in a week, I was very confident. So I was hopeful that she would become impressed by my skills.

Every day she would pick one of us randomly and ask us to read the lesson aloud. I was praying to God so that I must be selected on that day. And I was indeed asked to read. I read the text with proper pronunciation, managed the variations in tone, and tried to sound just right. As I sat down, I noticed her eyes. She seemed happy and surprised. Much to my delight, she asked me to meet her in the staff room to offer the role to me.

Vocabulary for IELTS Speaking Part 2

In someone’s good books (idiom) – in a state in which one is liked or are treated nicely by someone

Eg: Tom tried to be in his client’s good books.

pet ( noun ) – a person who is treated with unusual kindness or consideration Eg: Sita was the pet of the principal.

pronunciation (noun ) – the way in which a word or a language is spoken

Eg: “ You must work on the pronunciation of difficult words”.

randomly (adverb) – proceeding, made, or occurring without definite aim, reason, or pattern: Eg: The cards were arranged randomly.

delight (noun) – great pleasure.

Eg: The children cried in delight.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 (Discussion)

1. Do you think children today face many challenges?

(Give a direct answer to the question) (Explain your reason or reasons) Yes, of course. They are burdened with homework and pressured to compete with other kids. With both parents working, they have no opportunity to share their feelings. Sometimes they have trouble getting along with other children. Some children may find the syllabi very difficult. For example, in India, there are many boards in operation. When a child from CBSE is put in an ICSE, ( due to transfer of a parent ), he or she may find it challenging to cope up with the new curriculum.

2. What do you think children can learn from (facing) challenges?

(Give a direct answer to the question) (Explain your reason or reasons) They can become mentally strong. (Give an example) For example, an Indian student travelling to a foreign country, may initially find it difficult to adapt to the new environment. But after he/she has learnt to manage it, they will become more confident. A child may struggle to make friends initially. After he has won over his inhibitions, he will become very optimistic.

3. In general, what do parents in your country do to try to reduce (or protect their children from) the difficulties their children have?

(Give a direct answer to the question) (Explain your reason or reasons) Parents help in many ways. For instance, there may not be good schools in the area where the parents work. So they may have to put their child in a boarding school. But most parents change their residence near to the school and take the pain of travelling in the heavy traffic. Another example would be the case of a child who is not performing well in math. Parents arrange tuitions or extra coaching to help their children. Some parents also go to the extent of spoon-feeding their children.

4. Do you think failing to achieve a goal is a serious matter?

(Give a direct answer to the question) (Explain your reason or reasons) Every person should indeed be goal-oriented. But they should not be taken very seriously. The reason is that the person will start considering himself worthless and surround himself with negativity. Some people lose the courage to give another try. So, it’s ok to fail. It is far more essential to be assertive and take the next course of action.

5. What do you suggest people could (or, should) do to help them achieve their goals?

(Give a direct answer to the question) (Explain your reason or reasons) People should develop perseverance. Many people quit in the face of the first failure. They must learn to analyse the mistakes and try to do better in the next attempt. Also, they must appreciate the wisdom they have gained out of their failures. They must connect themselves with people who have successfully achieved their goals and learn from their experiences. They must also be tolerant of the delays and hurdles in their way of achieving the goals.

Vocabulary for IELTS Speaking Part 3

Syllabus (idiom) – the subjects in a course of study or teaching.

Eg: Tom was not able to complete the syllabus.

inhibitions ( noun ) – a feeling that makes one self-conscious and unable to act in a relaxed and natural way.

Eg: Sita soon lost her inhibitions and started talking hilariously.

Spoon feed (noun ) – provide (someone) with so much help or information that they do not need to think for themselves

Eg: “ Don’t expect me to spoon feed”

assertive (adj) – having or showing a confident and forceful personality.

Eg: The company promoted employees who were assertive.

Perseverance (noun) – persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.

Eg: The teacher’s perseverance earned her good results in the board exams.