IELTS Speaking 2025 Part 2&3: Describe a photo you took that you are proud of

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Card

Describe a photo you took that you are proud of.

You should say:

• Who/what you took a photo of

• When you took this photo

• What the photo is about
  And explain why you feel proud of it.

Speaking Expressions

• To be honest… (Thành thật mà nói…)

• It was a spur‑of‑the‑moment shot… (Đó là một cú chụp bộc phát…)

• I couldn’t believe my luck… (Tôi không thể tin vào may mắn của mình…)

• It turned out way better than I expected… (Kết quả còn tốt hơn tôi mong đợi…)

• I was over the moon… (Tôi vui sướng tột độ…)

Ideas & Collocations

• Golden hour lighting (ánh sáng “giờ vàng”)

• Candid moment (khoảnh khắc tự nhiên)

• Leading lines (đường dẫn trong bố cục ảnh)

• Long‑exposure shot (ảnh phơi sáng dài)

• Street vendor scene (cảnh người bán hàng rong)

Sample Answer

To be honest, the photo I’m most proud of is one I snapped of a fisherman casting his net at sunrise on the Thu Bồn River in Hội An. I was there last summer, just wandering around with a borrowed DSLR, and it was a spur‑of‑the‑moment shot—I literally saw him lift the net and instinctively hit the shutter. The golden hour lighting was insane; the sun was peeking over the palm trees, and the whole net lit up like a giant lantern. The water created these perfect leading lines straight to the fisherman, so the composition kind of arranged itself.

I couldn’t believe my luck because it was a totally candid moment—no posing, no second take. I did ask a local boat lady for a quick tip on where the fishermen usually cast their nets, so yeah, I got a tiny bit of help finding the spot, but the actual shot was all timing. When I checked the screen and saw how sharp the droplets looked, it turned out way better than I expected. I was honestly over the moon.

Why am I proud of it? First, the technical stuff: I managed to keep the subject crisp without blur, even though I was shooting handheld. Second, the story behind it—this single image captures Vietnamese daily life, tradition, and beauty without feeling staged. And finally, that picture pushed me to take photography more seriously; since then I’ve been practicing long‑exposure shots at night and trying to capture more authentic street vendor scenes around Saigon. So yeah, that one click kind of changed how I see things through the lens.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Questions

1. Why do some people like to record important things with photos?

2. What can people learn from historical photographs?

3. Is taking photos the best way to remember something?

4. Which is better: taking photos or keeping a diary?

1. Why do some people like to record important things with photos?

Speaking Expressions:

• In my view… (Theo tôi…)

• There’s something about freezing the moment… (Có gì đó ở việc “đóng băng” khoảnh khắc…)

• It speaks louder than words… (Nó nói lên nhiều hơn lời nói…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Visual memory trigger (tín hiệu gợi nhớ bằng hình ảnh)

• Instant sharing culture (văn hóa chia sẻ tức thì)

• Sentimental value (giá trị tình cảm)

Sample Answer:
In my view, people love photos because there’s something about freezing the moment that makes memories feel tangible. A picture acts like a visual memory trigger—one glance and everything floods back. Plus, with this instant sharing culture, it’s so easy to post and relive the moment with friends. It speaks louder than words, especially for folks who aren’t great at writing long captions. And honestly, photos carry sentimental value that grows over time.

2. What can people learn from historical photographs?

Speaking Expressions:

• Looking back, you can really see… (Nhìn lại, bạn thấy rõ…)

• They give us a window into… (Chúng cho ta một khung cửa nhìn vào…)

• It hits you that… (Bạn chợt nhận ra rằng…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Social conditions (điều kiện xã hội)

• Cultural norms (chuẩn mực văn hóa)

• Authentic documentation (tư liệu chân thực)

Sample Answer:
Looking back, you can really see how people lived, dressed, and interacted—those photos show social conditions and cultural norms without filters. They give us a window into events we didn’t witness, making history feel personal. It hits you that some struggles and joys are universal, just in a different era. And because old photos are usually authentic documentation, they help us question and understand the past better. They’re like time machines, honestly.

3. Is taking photos the best way to remember something?

Speaking Expressions:

• Personally, I’d say… (Cá nhân tôi cho rằng…)

• It depends on the person… (Còn tùy từng người…)

• There’s a trade‑off… (Có sự đánh đổi…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Mindful presence (sự hiện diện tỉnh thức)

• Sensory memory (trí nhớ giác quan)

• Over-reliance on cameras (phụ thuộc quá mức vào máy ảnh)

Sample Answer:
Personally, I’d say photos are great, but not always the best. It depends on the person—some folks remember better through smells or sounds, you know, sensory memory. There’s a trade‑off: if you’re glued to your phone, you miss the mindful presence of the actual moment. On the flip side, a single snapshot can bring everything flooding back years later. So I’d mix both—live it first, then snap a quick shot.

4. Which is better: taking photos or keeping a diary?

Speaking Expressions:

• On balance… (Xét cho cùng…)

• You could argue that… (Có thể lập luận rằng…)

• It boils down to preference… (Cuối cùng phụ thuộc vào sở thích…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Emotional nuance (sắc thái cảm xúc)

• Daily reflection habit (thói quen phản tỉnh hằng ngày)

• Visual storytelling (kể chuyện bằng hình ảnh)

Sample Answer:
On balance, you could argue that photos capture visual storytelling, while diaries hold emotional nuance. If you like words and reflection, a daily reflection habit in a journal might fit better. But if you think in images, snapping pictures is faster and more natural. It boils down to preference and what helps you relive the moment vividly. Honestly, the combo—photo plus a few diary lines—wins every time for me.