IELTS Speaking 2025 Part 2&3: Describe a promise that you made to someone

Describe a promise that you made to someone

Suggested ideas for each part

• What the promise was: 🎓 To study hard and get a high IELTS score / 🏋️ To exercise regularly with a friend / 🏡 To visit grandparents more often
• To whom you made it: 👩‍👩‍👧 Parents / 👩‍🏫 A teacher / 👫 A close friend
• Whether it was easy or difficult to keep: ⏳ Difficult due to time management / 💪 Challenging but rewarding / 😊 Easy because it was meaningful
• Why you made it: 🤞 To prove I was responsible / ❤️ To make someone happy / 🏆 To achieve a personal goal

Useful grammar structures

1. Past simple: I made a promise to my mother that I would study hard.
2. Past continuous: At first, I was struggling to keep my promise because I was too busy.
3. Past perfect: I had never been so determined before.
4. Conditionals: If I had broken my promise, I would have felt really guilty.
5. Future intentions: In the future, I will try to keep all my promises.

Collocations

1. Make a heartfelt promise 💖 (hứa chân thành)
2. Stick to a commitment 🎯 (giữ lời cam kết)
3. Face challenges along the way ⛰️ (đối mặt với những thử thách trên đường đi)
4. Stay motivated and determined 💪 (giữ động lực và quyết tâm)
5. Build trust and credibility 🤝 (xây dựng sự tin cậy và uy tín)
6. A rewarding experience 🏆 (trải nghiệm đáng giá)
7. Break a promise ❌🤞 (thất hứa)

Full spoken sample (about 2 minutes)

One of the most important promises I have ever made was to my mother. I promised her that I would work really hard to improve my English and achieve a high IELTS score 🎓. This was a very heartfelt promise 💖 because she always encouraged me to do my best, and I wanted to make her proud.

At first, it was not easy to stick to my commitment 🎯 because I was juggling a lot of responsibilities. I had schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and sometimes, I just wanted to relax instead of studying. However, I reminded myself why I made this promise, and that helped me stay motivated and determined 💪. I created a strict study plan, attended extra classes, and practiced speaking every day.

Along the way, I definitely faced challenges ⛰️. There were times when I felt frustrated, especially when I couldn’t see quick progress. But instead of giving up, I found ways to make learning fun, such as watching English movies and talking to friends in English.

After months of hard work, I finally achieved my goal! When I received my IELTS certificate with a high score, my mother was incredibly happy, and I felt a huge sense of accomplishment. It was truly a rewarding experience 🏆 because I not only kept my promise but also improved myself in the process.

This experience taught me the importance of building trust and credibility 🤝. If I had broken my promise, I would have felt really guilty. But by keeping it, I made my mother proud and proved to myself that with dedication, I can achieve anything I set my mind to.

Part 3: Discussion Questions

1. Why do some people fail to keep their promises?

Ideas

• ⏳ Lack of time management
• 🧠 Forgetting or losing interest
• 🤥 Making unrealistic promises

Collocations

1. Overpromise and underdeliver 📉 (hứa quá nhiều nhưng không thực hiện được)
2. Lack of self-discipline 🏋️‍♂️❌ (thiếu kỷ luật bản thân)
3. Fail to live up to expectations 😕 (không đáp ứng được kỳ vọng)

Sample answer

Some people fail to keep their promises because they overpromise and underdeliver 📉. They might make promises without fully considering whether they can fulfill them. Others lack self-discipline 🏋️‍♂️❌ and struggle to stay committed. Additionally, some people simply forget or lose interest over time, causing them to fail to live up to expectations 😕.

2. Do children keep their promises?

Ideas

• 🧸 Children are innocent and try their best
• 🍭 But they might forget easily
• 📖 Parents teach them the importance of keeping promises

Collocations

1. Short attention span ⏳ (khả năng tập trung ngắn)
2. Learn moral values 📚 (học các giá trị đạo đức)
3. Follow through with commitments ✅ (thực hiện cam kết đến cùng)

Sample answer

Children often try to follow through with commitments ✅, but because they have a short attention span ⏳, they may forget their promises. However, as they grow up, they learn moral values 📚 from their parents and teachers, which helps them understand why keeping promises is important.

3. Do parents in your country make promises to their children?

Ideas

• 🎁 Parents promise gifts for good behavior
• 🎡 Promise family trips or rewards
• 💡 Teach children about responsibility

Collocations

1. Motivate children with rewards 🏆 (động viên trẻ bằng phần thưởng)
2. Set a good example 🌟 (làm gương tốt)
3. Encourage responsibility 🎯 (khuyến khích tinh thần trách nhiệm)

Sample answer

Yes, parents in Vietnam often motivate children with rewards 🏆, such as promising toys or trips if they do well in school. They also try to set a good example 🌟 by keeping their own promises. This helps children develop responsibility 🎯 and understand the importance of honesty.

4. What kinds of promises do people often make?

Ideas

• ❤️ Promises in relationships (marriage, loyalty)
• 🎯 Self-promises (exercise, studying)
• 🤝 Work-related promises (deadlines, commitments)

Collocations

1. Make a lifelong commitment 💍 (hứa hẹn gắn bó cả đời)
2. Set personal goals 🎯 (đặt mục tiêu cá nhân)
3. Keep professional integrity 💼 (giữ uy tín nghề nghiệp)

Sample answer

People make many kinds of promises, such as making a lifelong commitment 💍 in relationships, setting personal goals 🎯 like exercising regularly, or maintaining professional integrity 💼 by meeting work deadlines.

5. Is it useful to write down promises?

Ideas

• ✍️ Helps people remember
• 📆 Acts as a commitment
• 🧠 Makes people take it seriously

Collocations

1. Stay accountable 📖 (giữ bản thân có trách nhiệm)
2. A constant reminder 📌 (lời nhắc nhở thường xuyên)
3. Strengthen determination 🔥 (tăng cường quyết tâm)

Sample answer

Yes, writing down promises helps people stay accountable 📖. It serves as a constant reminder 📌 of what they committed to, and it can strengthen determination 🔥, making them more likely to follow through.