IELTS Speaking 2025 Part 2&3: Describe a person who openly expresses their feelings

Describe a person who openly expresses their feelings

Suggested ideas for each part

• Who this person is:
  • 🏡 A close friend (who always shares their thoughts)
  • 👨‍🏫 A teacher (who is passionate and emotional in class)
  • 🎤 A public speaker (who is very expressive)
• How they express their feelings:
  • 😂 Through facial expressions and body language
  • 📝 By writing or talking openly
  • 🎨 Through art or music
• Why they do this:
  • 🤝 To build stronger relationships
  • 🧠 To relieve stress and improve mental health
  • 😍 Because they are naturally expressive and emotional
• How you feel about their openness:
  • 😃 Inspired and comfortable around them
  • 🧐 Sometimes surprised or uncomfortable
  • ❤️ Admire their honesty and courage

Useful grammar structures

1. Present simple: My best friend always expresses her emotions openly.
2. Present continuous: She is always talking about her feelings.
3. Past simple: One time, she shared something very personal with me.
4. Present perfect: I have never met someone as expressive as her.
5. Comparisons: She is far more open about her emotions than I am.

Collocations

1. Wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve 🎭 (bộc lộ cảm xúc rõ ràng)
2. Show emotions through body language 💃 (thể hiện cảm xúc qua ngôn ngữ cơ thể)
3. Be in touch with one’s emotions 🧠 (hiểu rõ cảm xúc của bản thân)
4. Speak from the heart ❤️ (nói từ trái tim)
5. Be emotionally expressive 🎭 (biểu lộ cảm xúc mạnh mẽ)
6. Build emotional connections 🤝 (xây dựng kết nối cảm xúc)
7. Create an open environment 🏡 (tạo ra một môi trường cởi mở)

Full spoken sample (about 2 minutes)

One of the most emotionally expressive people I know is my best friend, Linh. She is the type of person who wears her heart on her sleeve 🎭, meaning she never hides her emotions. Whether she’s happy, sad, or frustrated, she expresses it openly without hesitation.

One way she shows emotions through body language 💃 is through her facial expressions. When she’s excited, her eyes light up, and she talks really fast. When she’s upset, she doesn’t pretend to be okay—she’ll sigh, frown, or even cry if she needs to. She also speaks from the heart ❤️, meaning she’s always honest about what she feels, even in difficult situations.

I think she does this for a few reasons. First, she is in touch with her emotions 🧠 and doesn’t believe in bottling things up. Second, she wants to build emotional connections 🤝 with others. She once told me that being open about her feelings helps her maintain deeper relationships because people know she is genuine and sincere. Lastly, she believes expressing emotions is good for mental health. Instead of keeping everything inside and feeling stressed, she talks about her problems and lets them out.

At first, I found her openness surprising because I tend to keep my emotions private. However, over time, I started to admire her courage. She creates a very warm and open environment 🏡 where people feel comfortable expressing themselves. Because of her, I’ve learned to share my feelings more, and I believe that has strengthened our friendship. If more people were as emotionally open as Linh, I think the world would be a more understanding and compassionate place!

Part 3: Discussion Questions

1. Is it better to express emotions openly or to keep them private?

Ideas

• 🗣️ Expressing emotions helps mental health and relationships.
• 🤐 However, some situations require emotional control.
• ⚖️ A balance is important.

Collocations

1. Bottling up emotions 🤐 (kìm nén cảm xúc)
2. Healthy emotional release 🎭 (giải tỏa cảm xúc một cách lành mạnh)
3. Socially acceptable behavior 🤝 (hành vi được xã hội chấp nhận)

Sample answer

I think both approaches have their benefits. On one hand, bottling up emotions 🤐 can lead to stress and anxiety, so expressing emotions is a healthy emotional release 🎭. However, in some situations, such as at work or in public, people need to show socially acceptable behavior 🤝 and not let emotions control them. I believe the best approach is to find a balance—expressing emotions when necessary but also knowing when to stay calm and composed.

2. Why do some cultures encourage emotional expression while others do not?

Ideas

• 🌎 Western cultures encourage openness and individualism.
• 🏯 Asian cultures value emotional control and respect for harmony.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family traditions influence how people express emotions.

Collocations

1. Cultural norms 🌎 (chuẩn mực văn hóa)
2. Emotional restraint 🤐 (kiềm chế cảm xúc)
3. Encourage self-expression 🎭 (khuyến khích sự thể hiện bản thân)

Sample answer

Different cultures have different cultural norms 🌎 regarding emotions. In many Western countries, people are taught to encourage self-expression 🎭 and share their feelings openly. However, in some Asian cultures, there is a strong emphasis on emotional restraint 🤐 to maintain social harmony. For example, in Vietnam, children are often taught to respect their elders by not showing too much emotion, especially anger or frustration. This cultural difference can affect how people interact in daily life.

3. How can emotional intelligence benefit people in daily life?

Ideas

• 🤝 Helps people build strong relationships.
• 🏆 Improves leadership and teamwork skills.
• 🧘‍♀️ Reduces stress and improves mental health.

Collocations

1. Understand and manage emotions 🧠 (hiểu và kiểm soát cảm xúc)
2. Handle conflicts effectively ⚖️ (giải quyết mâu thuẫn hiệu quả)
3. Develop empathy and social skills 💡 (phát triển sự đồng cảm và kỹ năng xã hội)

Sample answer

Emotional intelligence is extremely important in daily life. First, it helps people understand and manage emotions 🧠, allowing them to stay calm in stressful situations. Second, it helps people handle conflicts effectively ⚖️ by communicating their feelings in a constructive way instead of reacting emotionally. Lastly, emotional intelligence allows people to develop empathy and social skills 💡, which makes them better at forming friendships and maintaining relationships. In the workplace, emotionally intelligent leaders tend to be more successful because they understand their employees’ feelings and motivate them effectively.