IELTS Speaking 2025 Part 2&3: Describe a person whom you were surprised to meet

Describe a person whom you were surprised to meet

Suggested ideas for each part

• Who this person was: 👩‍🏫 A former teacher / 🎤 A celebrity / 👨‍💼 An old friend you lost contact with
• Where and when you met them: ☕ At a café / 🏙️ While traveling abroad / 🎤 At a random event
• Why you were surprised to meet them: 😲 Hadn’t seen them for years / 🌎 Met them in an unexpected place / 📺 Only saw them on TV before
• How you felt about the meeting: 😊 Excited / 🎉 Nostalgic / 🫂 Grateful for the reunion

Useful grammar structures

1. Past simple: Last year, I ran into my childhood best friend in an airport.
2. Past continuous: While I was having coffee, I suddenly saw my old teacher.
3. Present perfect: I hadn’t seen her for almost ten years!
4. Conditional sentence (Type 3): If I had arrived five minutes later, I would have missed her completely!
5. Relative clause: The person who surprised me the most was my high school English teacher.

Collocations

1. A blast from the past ⏳ (một điều bất ngờ từ quá khứ)
2. A chance encounter 🎭 (một cuộc gặp gỡ tình cờ)
3. Completely out of the blue 🎇 (hoàn toàn bất ngờ)
4. Catch up on old times 🗣️ (ôn lại chuyện cũ)
5. A walk down memory lane 🛤️ (hồi tưởng những kỷ niệm xưa)
6. Long-lost friend 🫂 (người bạn đã lâu không gặp)
7. Once-in-a-lifetime experience 🌟 (trải nghiệm hiếm có trong đời)

Full spoken sample (about 2 minutes)

One of the most surprising moments in my life happened about a year ago when I unexpectedly met my high school English teacher 👩‍🏫 at a small café in Ho Chi Minh City ☕. She was someone I truly admired, as she had inspired me to love English and work harder in school. I had lost contact with her after graduating, so it was completely out of the blue 🎇 to see her again after so many years!

I remember that day vividly. I was sitting at a café, enjoying a cup of coffee, when I suddenly noticed a familiar face at the next table. At first, I wasn’t sure if it was really her, since she looked a little different from what I remembered. But then, as soon as she smiled, I knew for sure! I hesitated for a moment, but then I gathered the courage to walk over and say hello. To my surprise, she recognized me immediately and even remembered my name!

We ended up talking for over an hour, catching up on old times 🗣️ and sharing updates about our lives. She told me she had retired recently and was now spending her time traveling and writing. It was a walk down memory lane 🛤️ as we recalled funny classroom moments and all the lessons she had taught us. I also had the chance to thank her for everything she had done for me, which felt incredibly special.

This chance encounter 🎭 reminded me how small the world can be sometimes! It also made me appreciate how certain people leave a lasting impact on our lives, even if we don’t see them often. If I had arrived five minutes later, I would have missed her completely, so I feel truly lucky that our paths crossed again!

Part 3: Discussion Questions

1. Why do people sometimes meet others unexpectedly?

Ideas

• 🌎 The world is small, and people travel often
• 🏙️ Big cities have many random encounters
• 🏫 Schools, workplaces, or social events bring old connections together

Collocations

1. A small world 🌏 (thế giới nhỏ bé)
2. Cross paths 🔄 (tình cờ gặp nhau)
3. An unexpected reunion 🎉 (cuộc hội ngộ bất ngờ)

Sample answer

I think people often meet unexpectedly because the world is actually a small world 🌏! With so many people traveling and moving around, it’s easy to cross paths 🔄 with someone from the past. For example, many unexpected reunions happen in airports, shopping malls, or public places. Social gatherings and special events also make it more likely to meet someone we haven’t seen in years.

2. Do you think social media has made it easier for people to reconnect?

Ideas

• 📱 People can find and message old friends easily
• 👨‍💻 Online communities help reunite people
• 🤝 Some people reconnect online and then meet in real life

Collocations

1. Stay connected 🔗 (giữ liên lạc)
2. Rekindle old friendships 🫂 (hâm nóng lại tình bạn cũ)
3. Reconnect with lost contacts 📞 (tái kết nối với những người từng mất liên lạc)

Sample answer

Absolutely! Social media has made it incredibly easy for people to stay connected 🔗 and rekindle old friendships 🫂. Nowadays, with platforms like Facebook and Instagram, people can reconnect with lost contacts 📞 even after many years apart. Sometimes, an old friend might randomly send a message, or you might come across their profile and decide to reach out. Many people who reconnect online even end up meeting in real life!

3. Have you ever met someone famous unexpectedly?

Ideas

• 🎤 Met a celebrity at an airport or café
• 🎬 Saw a famous actor while traveling
• ⚽ Ran into a sports star at an event

Collocations

1. A starstruck moment 🤩 (khoảnh khắc bối rối khi gặp người nổi tiếng)
2. Bump into a celebrity 🎬 (tình cờ gặp người nổi tiếng)
3. A once-in-a-lifetime encounter 🌟 (cuộc gặp hiếm có trong đời)

Sample answer

Yes! I once bumped into a celebrity 🎬 completely by accident. It happened a few years ago when I was at the airport waiting for my flight. Suddenly, I saw a famous Vietnamese singer walking past with his team. At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, but then a few fans started taking pictures, so I knew it was really him! It was a starstruck moment 🤩, and I was so excited that I nervously asked for a selfie. He was super friendly and even chatted with me for a minute. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime encounter 🌟 that I will never forget!