Describe a piece of good advice you received

In IELTS Speaking Part 2 you get this card, one minute to prepare and up to two minutes to speak. Below: the notes a strong candidate might make in that minute, a natural Band 7–8 answer, the words that make it work, and the Part 3 discussion the examiner usually moves on to.

The cue card

One-minute notes

Notes in the preparation minute should be keywords, not sentences — one line per bullet, plus the one detail that makes your story yours. Something like:

• "Say yes to things that scare you a little"
• my first manager, at my first job (age 22)
• followed it: presented at a conference
• nervous, but led to new projects + confidence
• good: "a little" — not reckless, just outside comfort zone

Band 7–8 sample answer

The best piece of advice I've ever received was quite short: 'Say yes to things that scare you a little.' It came from my first manager, at the first proper job I had after university, when I was about twenty-two.

I was very quiet in that job, and I think she noticed that I avoided anything that involved being visible — meetings with clients, presentations, that sort of thing. One day she asked me to present our team's project at an industry conference. I immediately tried to suggest someone else, and that's when she gave me that advice. She added that the word 'little' was important: she wasn't telling me to do dangerous things, just things slightly outside my comfort zone.

I did follow it, although not happily at first. I spent three weeks preparing a twenty-minute presentation and practised it so many times that my flatmates could probably have given it for me. On the day, my hands were shaking, but it went fine. More importantly, two people from other companies approached me afterwards, and one of those conversations led to a project I worked on for the next year.

I think it was good advice because it's simple enough to remember and use in almost any situation. Whenever I'm unsure whether to accept something — a new role, a trip, a difficult conversation — I ask myself whether it scares me 'a little' or 'a lot'. If it's only a little, I usually say yes, and I've rarely regretted it.

About 252 words — roughly two minutes at a relaxed pace. Notice what it does: one specific story instead of general statements, every bullet covered, natural spoken linking rather than "firstly… secondly…", and the "why" part of the card answered properly at the end — that is where many candidates run out of things to say. Use it to see the structure; don't memorise it. Examiners are trained to spot memorised answers, and your own story will always sound more fluent.

Useful vocabulary

• comfort zone — situations where you feel safe and relaxed
• put yourself forward — to offer yourself for a role or task
• approach (someone) — to go and speak to someone
• lead to — to cause or result in
• take advice — to follow what someone recommends
• words of wisdom — wise advice

Part 3: questions and model answers

After your two minutes, the examiner moves to a discussion linked to the card's topic. These questions are more abstract: give an opinion, a reason and an example, and it's fine to say "it depends" — as long as you explain on what.

Who do young people usually ask for advice?

Friends and the internet, mostly. Parents are still important for big decisions, but many young people feel more comfortable asking friends or searching online first. For specific issues like careers, some turn to teachers or people working in the field they're interested in.

Is advice from professionals better than advice from friends?

For specialist questions — health, law, money — professionals are clearly better, because they have training and responsibility. But friends know you personally and understand your situation and personality. So I'd say professional advice is better for facts, and friends are better for personal decisions.

Why do people sometimes ignore good advice?

Often because good advice requires effort or change, and it's easier to keep doing what's familiar. People also tend to ignore advice when it comes from someone they don't respect, even if it's correct. And sometimes people only want reassurance, not advice, so they ignore anything that challenges them.

Should people trust advice they find online?

Only with caution. Online advice can be very useful, especially from forums where many people share experiences. But anyone can claim to be an expert, and some advice is simply selling something. It's sensible to check where the advice comes from and compare several sources before acting on it.

More cue cards about experiences and events

• Describe a journey you remember well
• Describe an important decision you made
• Describe a time someone helped you
• Describe a goal you achieved
• Describe a time when you were very busy
• Describe an interesting conversation you had
• Describe a change that improved your life
• Describe a time you were late for something important
• Describe a celebration you enjoyed
• Describe a time you changed your mind about something
• Describe a time you taught someone something

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