IELTS Speaking 2025 Part 2&3: Describe a piece of technology that you find difficult to use.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Card

Describe a piece of technology that you find difficult to use.

You should say:

• When you got it

• What you got it for

• How often you use it
  And explain how you feel about it.

Speaking Expressions

• To be honest… (Thành thật mà nói…)

• I had no clue what I was doing… (Tôi chẳng biết mình đang làm gì…)

• It nearly drove me nuts… (Nó suýt làm tôi phát điên…)

• I was like, “Seriously?” (Tôi kiểu: “Thật luôn hả?”)

• Long story short… (Nói ngắn gọn là…)

• At the end of the day… (Cuối cùng thì…)

Ideas & Collocations

• Steep learning curve (đường cong học tập dốc)

• Firmware update (cập nhật firmware)

• Bed leveling (cân chỉnh mặt bàn in)

• Filament jams (kẹt sợi nhựa)

• YouTube tutorial rabbit hole (lạc vào hố đen video hướng dẫn YouTube)

• Trial and error (thử và sai)

• User manual in tiny print (sách hướng dẫn chữ li ti)

Sample Answer

To be honest, the bit of tech that still freaks me out is a 3D printer I bought last summer. I wanted it for a school project—printing custom parts for a STEM club—but when it arrived, I had no clue what I was doing. The user manual in tiny print didn’t help, and the first time I tried a print, the nozzle clogged—hello, filament jams—and the whole thing froze mid‑way. It nearly drove me nuts because every fix seemed to need another firmware update or some mysterious setting.

I went down a YouTube tutorial rabbit hole, pausing every two seconds to copy what the guy was doing. Then there was bed leveling; if it’s off by a hair, the print turns into spaghetti. I was like, “Seriously?” every time I pressed “Start” and heard the dreaded clicking sound. After weeks of trial and error, I managed to print a decent phone stand, but it took hours of tweaking temperature, speed, and re-slicing the file.

Now I only use it once or twice a month—mostly when I really need a custom piece—because firing it up feels like prepping for surgery. Long story short, the steep learning curve makes me respect people who do this daily. At the end of the day, I’m glad I learned the basics, but I still feel a mix of pride and mild trauma every time it successfully finishes a print. It’s powerful, yeah—but also painfully unforgiving.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Questions

1. What types of technology do people use nowadays?

2. Why do big companies frequently introduce new products?

3. Why are people so keen on buying new iPhones, even if they are similar to the previous versions?

4. Do you think older people find it harder to adapt to new technology? Why?

5. How has technology changed the way we live and work?

Question 1

Speaking Expressions:

• These days… (Dạo này…)

• You name it… (Bạn kể tên đi…)

• It’s everywhere… (Nó ở khắp nơi…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Wearable devices (thiết bị đeo)

• Smart home gadgets (đồ gia dụng thông minh)

• AI-powered tools (công cụ chạy bằng AI)

• Cloud-based collaboration (hợp tác trên nền tảng đám mây)

Sample Answer:
These days, people use everything from smartphones to wearable devices that track sleep. At home, smart home gadgets turn lights on and off by voice—it’s everywhere. In offices, cloud-based collaboration lets teams edit the same doc in real time. Creative folks rely on AI-powered tools for design or writing. You name it, there’s a gadget or app for it now.

Question 2

Speaking Expressions:

• Let’s be real… (Nói thật nhé…)

• They’re chasing hype cycles… (Họ chạy theo chu kỳ “hype”…)

• Keep the buzz alive… (Giữ cho dư luận rần rần…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Market saturation (bão hòa thị trường)

• Revenue stream refresh (làm mới nguồn doanh thu)

• Incremental upgrades (nâng cấp nhỏ giọt)

Sample Answer:
Let’s be real, big companies launch products constantly to refresh the revenue stream. When the phone market hits market saturation, they need incremental upgrades to keep people buying. They’re also chasing hype cycles—new launch, new headlines. Plus, if they don’t innovate, competitors will. Bottom line: keep the buzz alive, keep the cash flowing.

Question 3

Speaking Expressions:

• FOMO is real… (Sợ bị bỏ lỡ là có thật…)

• Brand loyalty kicks in… (Lòng trung thành thương hiệu trỗi dậy…)

• It’s more about status than specs… (Quan trọng là “đẳng cấp” chứ không phải thông số…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Ecosystem lock-in (bị khóa trong hệ sinh thái)

• Trade-in deals (chương trình đổi máy nâng cấp)

• Shiny new toy effect (hiệu ứng “đồ mới lấp lánh”)

Sample Answer:
FOMO is real, so people queue for the newest iPhone even if it’s 90% the same. Brand loyalty kicks in—once you’re in that ecosystem lock-in, you stay there. Carriers throw in trade-in deals, making upgrades feel cheaper. Honestly, it’s more about status than specs for many folks. The shiny new toy effect still works, year after year.

Question 4

Speaking Expressions:

• In many cases, yes… (Trong nhiều trường hợp là có…)

• It’s not about intelligence, it’s about familiarity… (Không phải do thông minh, mà do quen thuộc…)

• The interface feels alien… (Giao diện thấy “lạ hoắc”…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Digital natives vs. digital immigrants (thế hệ sinh ra trong kỷ nguyên số vs. nhập cư số)

• Cognitive load (tải nhận thức)

• Fear of breaking things (sợ làm hỏng thứ gì đó)

Sample Answer:
In many cases, yes—older people struggle more because the interface feels alien. It’s not about intelligence, it’s about familiarity; they’re digital immigrants, not digital natives. New apps pile on cognitive load, so they freeze up. There’s also a real fear of breaking things, clicking the wrong button. Patience, good design, and training make a huge difference.

Question 5

Speaking Expressions:

• Honestly, it’s flipped everything… (Thật sự, nó đảo lộn mọi thứ…)

• We’re “always on”… (Chúng ta luôn “trực tuyến”…)

• Work-life lines are blurry… (Ranh giới công việc – đời sống mờ đi…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Remote work culture (văn hóa làm việc từ xa)

• Gig economy platforms (nền tảng kinh tế gig)

• On-demand services (dịch vụ theo yêu cầu)

• Smart automation (tự động hóa thông minh)

Sample Answer:
Honestly, it’s flipped everything—from remote work culture to ordering dinner with two taps. We’re “always on”, replying to emails at midnight, so work-life lines are blurry. On-demand services changed how we shop, travel, even date. Gig economy platforms let people earn money flexibly, but also without stability. And smart automation means some jobs vanish while new ones appear. Big trade-offs, big convenience.