Describe a time you changed your mind about something

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:

• I thought: online classes = useless
• before: university lectures in person only
• pandemic forced online language course
• discovered: recordings, pace, less shy speaking
• right decision: now I take online courses; doubled my learning

Band 7–8 sample answer

Something I changed my mind about is online learning. For a long time, I was convinced it was basically useless — a cheap replacement for real teaching that only worked for very disciplined people.

That opinion came from experience, to be fair. At university, a couple of my courses had optional online versions, and they were just recordings of a lecturer reading slides for ninety minutes. I'd start watching, open another tab and realise an hour later that I'd absorbed nothing. So I decided that I needed a teacher physically in the room to learn anything.

What made me change was being forced to try it properly. A few years ago, I signed up for an evening language class, and after two weeks it moved online for several months. I was annoyed at first, but this course was designed differently. There were small groups, lots of speaking in breakout rooms, and short recordings I could watch again on the bus. I also discovered that I was much less shy about speaking when I wasn't in a room full of people staring at me.

I think changing my mind was the right decision because it opened up options I'd been ignoring. Since then, I've taken two more online courses that simply weren't available in my city. I still think badly designed online classes are a waste of time — but the problem was the design, not the format. It taught me to be a bit more careful about deciding something is useless based on one bad example.

About 256 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

• be convinced (that) — to be completely sure
• to be fair — used to admit something reasonable
• absorb (information) — to take in and understand
• come round to (an idea) — to slowly change your opinion and accept something
• have second thoughts — to start doubting a decision
• an open mind — willingness to consider new ideas

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.

Is changing your mind a sign of weakness or strength?

I'd say it's usually a sign of strength. It takes confidence to admit you were wrong, especially in front of others. Of course, someone who changes their mind constantly about everything might seem unreliable, so it depends on whether the change is based on new evidence.

Why do people find it hard to accept new ideas?

Partly because our beliefs become part of our identity, so changing them feels like losing part of ourselves. People also tend to look for information that confirms what they already believe and ignore what doesn't. And sometimes accepting a new idea would mean admitting you've been doing something wrong for years.

Can social media change people's opinions?

Yes, but often in the direction of making people more extreme rather than more open. Algorithms show us content similar to what we already like, so we see the same opinions repeated. Occasionally, though, a well-made video or personal story can genuinely make people reconsider.

Should politicians be criticised for changing their views?

It depends why they changed. If a politician changes their view because of new evidence or changed circumstances, that should be respected. If they change their view only to win votes, people have every right to be critical. The problem is that it's often hard to tell which is which.

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 piece of good advice you received
• Describe a time you taught someone something

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