IELTS Speaking 2025 Part 2&3: Describe a person you met at a party and enjoyed talking with.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Card

Describe a person you met at a party and enjoyed talking with.
You should say:

• What party it was

• How you met this person

• What you talked about
  And explain why you enjoyed the conversation

A. Speaking Expressions

1. What party it was

• To set the scene… (Để giới thiệu bối cảnh…)

• It was this lively / low-key / unforgettable party… (Đó là một bữa tiệc sôi động / ấm cúng / khó quên…)

• Right in the middle of Tet/New Year/housewarming season… (Đúng vào mùa Tết/Năm mới/tân gia…)

• Hosted by a mutual friend of mine… (Do một người bạn chung của tôi tổ chức…)

• Packed with people from all walks of life… (Đông đủ người từ mọi tầng lớp…)

2. How you met this person

• As luck would have it… (Tình cờ là…)

• We just happened to stand next to each other… (Tình cờ chúng tôi đứng cạnh nhau…)

• A mutual friend introduced us… (Một người bạn chung giới thiệu chúng tôi…)

• One thing led to another… (Chuyện này kéo theo chuyện kia…)

• We hit it off straight away… (Chúng tôi hợp cạ ngay lập tức…)

3. What you talked about

• We got onto the topic of… (Chúng tôi chuyển qua chủ đề…)

• Before we knew it, we were deep in conversation about… (Chưa gì chúng tôi đã nói chuyện say sưa về…)

• We started bouncing ideas off each other… (Chúng tôi bắt đầu tung hứng ý tưởng với nhau…)

• It spiraled into a discussion about… (Cuộc nói chuyện lan sang…)

• We compared notes on… (Chúng tôi so sánh trải nghiệm về…)

4. Why you enjoyed it

• What really struck me was… (Điều khiến tôi ấn tượng là…)

• It felt like talking to an old friend… (Cảm giác như nói chuyện với bạn cũ…)

• Time just flew by… (Thời gian trôi vèo…)

• It was such a breath of fresh air… (Đó thật là một luồng gió mới…)

• I felt genuinely heard and understood… (Tôi cảm thấy thật sự được lắng nghe và thấu hiểu…)

B. Ideas & Collocations

What party it was

• Housewarming party in District 7 (tiệc tân gia ở Quận 7)

• Company year-end party (tiệc tất niên công ty)

• University reunion at a café rooftop (họp lớp đại học ở quán café rooftop)

• Wedding reception at a banquet hall (tiệc cưới ở nhà hàng tiệc cưới)

How you met

• Standing in the buffet line (đứng xếp hàng ở quầy buffet)

• Clinked glasses during a toast (cụng ly khi nâng ly chúc mừng)

• Mutual friend circle (nhóm bạn chung)

• Got seated next to each other (ngồi cạnh nhau)

What you talked about

• Startup ecosystem in Saigon (hệ sinh thái startup ở Sài Gòn)

• Street food hunting spots (địa điểm săn đồ ăn vặt)

• Work–life balance in big cities (cân bằng công việc – cuộc sống ở thành phố lớn)

• Travel stories around Vietnam (chuyện du lịch khắp Việt Nam)

Why you enjoyed it

• Hit it off right away (hợp cạ ngay lập tức)

• Lose track of time (quên mất thời gian)

• Refreshing perspective (góc nhìn mới mẻ)

• Felt genuinely heard (cảm thấy được lắng nghe thật sự)

C. Sample Answer

To set the scene, it was this lively housewarming party in District 7, hosted by a mutual friend of mine who had just moved into a new apartment. The place was packed with people from all walks of life, and the music was buzzing in the background while everyone hovered around a long buffet table.

As luck would have it, I just happened to stand next to this guy named Khoa while we were both eyeing the last few spring rolls. A mutual friend quickly introduced us, and we hit it off straight away. We clinked glasses during a toast, and one thing led to another, we found ourselves moving to a quieter corner of the balcony to chat.

We got onto the topic of the startup ecosystem in Saigon, because he’s a software engineer dabbling in a social enterprise on the side, and I’m curious about tech. Before we knew it, we were deep in conversation about how young Vietnamese are juggling work–life balance in big cities. Then it spiraled into a discussion about our favorite street food hunting spots, from midnight cơm tấm stalls to hidden bánh mì carts in District 4. We even compared notes on cheap but meaningful travel routes across Vietnam—like taking the train from Saigon to Quy Nhơn just for the coastal views.

What really struck me was how open-minded and articulate he was. It felt like talking to an old friend, even though we’d just met. Time just flew by—we looked at the clock and realized nearly an hour had vanished. It was such a breath of fresh air to meet someone who could bounce ideas off me without judging, and I felt genuinely heard and understood. His perspectives were a refreshing perspective on careers and community work; they sparked my curiosity and made me reflect on my own goals.

All in all, that conversation turned the party from just another social obligation into a memorable night. I left thinking, “Wow, I need more chats like that,” because moments where you lose track of time and genuinely connect with someone are pretty rare these days.

IELTS Speaking Part 3

1. On what occasions are people more willing to meet new people?

Expressions (+ nghĩa VN)

• More often than not… (Thường thì…)

• When the mood is festive… (Khi không khí vui vẻ…)

• People let their guard down… (Mọi người bớt đề phòng…)

• It’s a perfect ice-breaker… (Đây là chất xúc tác phá băng hoàn hảo…)

Ideas & Collocations (+ nghĩa VN)

• Networking events and workshops (sự kiện kết nối, hội thảo)

• Company team-building retreats (chuyến team-building của công ty)

• Tet fairs and charity runs (hội chợ Tết, chạy bộ từ thiện)

• Weddings and year-end parties (đám cưới, tiệc tất niên)

Sample Answer
More often than not, people are more open to meeting strangers when the mood is festive, like at year-end parties or Tet fairs. In those settings, people let their guard down, so starting a chat feels natural. Networking events and workshops are also great, because everyone’s there with the same goal—to connect. Even company team-building retreats act as perfect ice-breakers, forcing people from different departments to mingle in a relaxed environment.

2. Where do people usually get to know new people?

Expressions

• These days, you can’t ignore… (Thời nay không thể bỏ qua…)

• Both online and offline… (Cả online lẫn offline…)

• A common ground is crucial… (Cần có điểm chung…)

• It boils down to shared interests… (Cốt lõi là sở thích chung…)

Ideas & Collocations

• Co-working spaces (không gian làm việc chung)

• Volunteer drives and community projects (chiến dịch tình nguyện, dự án cộng đồng)

• Facebook groups / Zalo communities (nhóm Facebook/Zalo)

• Language exchange meet-ups (các buổi trao đổi ngôn ngữ)

Sample Answer
These days, you can’t ignore digital spaces—Facebook groups or Zalo communities help people bond over shared hobbies. Offline, co-working spaces and volunteer drives are hotspots because a common ground is crucial. I’ve seen many friendships form at language exchange meet-ups, where it boils down to shared interests in culture and communication.

3. How do people start conversations?

Expressions

• Break the ice by… (Phá băng bằng cách…)

• A simple compliment goes a long way… (Một lời khen đơn giản cũng hiệu quả…)

• Asking open-ended questions… (Hỏi câu hỏi mở…)

• Pick up on something they mentioned… (Bắt lấy điều họ vừa nói…)

Ideas & Collocations

• Comment on the food/music/venue (nhận xét về đồ ăn/âm nhạc/địa điểm)

• Use a light-hearted joke (dùng một câu đùa nhẹ nhàng)

• Refer to mutual friends (nhắc đến bạn chung)

• Share a quick personal story (kể một chuyện cá nhân ngắn)

Sample Answer
Most people break the ice by commenting on something around them—“The food is amazing, isn’t it?” A simple compliment goes a long way, especially about someone’s outfit or presentation. Then you can ask open-ended questions to keep the chat flowing. Another trick is to pick up on something they mentioned and relate it to your own experience.

4. Is it difficult for Vietnamese people to talk to foreigners?

Expressions

• To be fair, it depends… (Công bằng mà nói, còn tùy…)

• The language barrier is real… (Rào cản ngôn ngữ là có thật…)

• Once they warm up… (Khi đã ấm lên…)

• Cultural curiosity kicks in… (Sự tò mò văn hóa trỗi dậy…)

Ideas & Collocations

• Fear of making mistakes in English (sợ nói sai tiếng Anh)

• English-speaking clubs / cafés (câu lạc bộ / quán café nói tiếng Anh)

• Friendly expat communities (cộng đồng người nước ngoài thân thiện)

• Tourist hotspots like Bùi Viện (điểm du lịch như Bùi Viện)

Sample Answer
To be fair, it depends. For some Vietnamese, the language barrier is real, so they hesitate. But once they warm up, many become quite chatty, especially in English-speaking clubs or cafés. In tourist areas like Bùi Viện, cultural curiosity kicks in, and people are more eager to interact with foreigners to practice their English.

5. Why are some people unwilling to start conversations?

Expressions

• Some people just shy away from… (Một số người né tránh…)

• Afraid of being judged… (Sợ bị đánh giá…)

• They’re introverted by nature… (Họ vốn hướng nội…)

• Overthinking every word… (Suy nghĩ quá nhiều từng câu chữ…)

Ideas & Collocations

• Social anxiety (lo âu xã hội)

• Fear of awkward silences (sợ khoảng lặng khó xử)

• Past negative experiences (trải nghiệm tiêu cực trước đây)

• Preference for sticking to their circle (thích ở trong vòng quen biết)

Sample Answer
Some people just shy away from initiating chats because they’re afraid of being judged or making a fool of themselves. Others are introverted by nature and overthink every word. Social anxiety and fear of awkward silences also play a part. Plus, if they’ve had past negative experiences, they’d rather stick to their circle.

6. Is it difficult for adults to talk to children?

Expressions

• Bridging the gap can be tricky… (Thu hẹp khoảng cách có thể khó…)

• You need to get down to their level… (Cần hạ mình xuống đúng “tần số” của trẻ…)

• Use simple, vivid language… (Dùng ngôn ngữ đơn giản, sống động…)

• Keep it short and sweet… (Ngắn gọn, dễ hiểu…)

Ideas & Collocations

• Short attention span (khả năng tập trung ngắn)

• Screen-time habits (thói quen dán mắt vào màn hình)

• Storytelling with visuals (kể chuyện kèm hình ảnh)

• Interactive games to engage (trò chơi tương tác để thu hút)

Sample Answer
Bridging the gap can be tricky because kids have a short attention span. Adults sometimes talk in a complicated way, so you really need to get down to their level and use simple, vivid language. Keep it short and sweet, maybe include storytelling with visuals or a quick game to keep them engaged, especially nowadays when screen-time habits make them less patient.