Describe a time you taught someone 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:

• taught my mum to use online banking
• last year, she was afraid of "pressing the wrong button"
• wrote steps on paper, let her do it, didn't touch the phone
• took 3 Sundays; now she pays bills alone
• successful: patience + she did it herself

Band 7–8 sample answer

I'd like to talk about the time I taught my mother how to use online banking on her phone, which happened last year.

My mum is very capable in most areas of life, but she's always been nervous about technology. Her biggest fear was pressing the wrong button and accidentally sending all her money to a stranger. So for years she queued at the bank every time she needed to pay a bill, which often took an hour. When her local branch closed, she didn't really have a choice anymore, and she asked me for help.

The first time, I made a classic mistake: I took the phone and did everything myself very quickly, saying 'see, it's easy'. Of course she didn't learn anything. So the next Sunday I changed my approach. I wrote the steps on a piece of paper in big letters, and I made a rule that I wasn't allowed to touch the phone — I could only explain. It was slow and sometimes frustrating for both of us, but she was the one doing it, which made a huge difference.

After about three Sundays, she could check her balance and pay bills on her own. I'd say it was successful mainly because I stopped trying to be fast and let her make mistakes in a safe way. The best part came a few months later, when she phoned me — very proudly — to explain how she'd helped her neighbour do the same thing.

About 248 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

• capable — able to do things well
• a classic mistake — a very common mistake
• change your approach — to try a different method
• step by step — gradually, one stage at a time
• get the hang of — to learn how to do something
• on her own — without help

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.

What skills should parents teach their children?

Practical life skills, mainly — cooking basic meals, managing money, and how to look after themselves. But also social skills: how to apologise, how to listen and how to deal with disappointment. Schools can teach a lot, but these things are mostly learned at home.

Is it easier to learn from a friend or a professional?

It depends on the skill and the person. A friend is more relaxed and you're less afraid of looking stupid, which helps with things like using technology. For complex or risky skills, like driving or swimming, a professional is better because they know how to teach safely and systematically.

Should older people learn new technology from younger people?

Yes, and it can be good for both sides. Younger people are usually more confident with technology, and teaching their parents or grandparents builds a stronger relationship. The key is patience — younger people tend to go too fast, as I discovered.

What makes something easy or hard to teach?

Something is easier to teach when it can be broken into small, clear steps and practised safely. It gets harder when it depends on judgement or experience, like leadership or cooking without a recipe. The learner's confidence also matters a lot — fear makes almost anything harder to learn.

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 piece of good advice you received

→ All 45 IELTS cue cards · Random cue card generator with a timer · IELTS Speaking mock test