IELTS Speaking 2025 Part 2&3: Describe a Situation When You Had to Spend a Long Time in a Traffic Jam 🚗🚦

Describe a Situation When You Had to Spend a Long Time in a Traffic Jam 🚗

Suggested Ideas for Each Part

• When and where the traffic jam happened 🚦

  • During rush hour on a busy road or highway 🛣️
  • In a city center or near a popular area 🏙️
  • While traveling during a public holiday or special event 🎉

• What you did while you were in the traffic jam 🕰️

  • Listened to music or a podcast 🎧
  • Made phone calls or sent messages 📱
  • Got frustrated or tried to relax 🧘‍♀️

• How you felt about having to spend time in the traffic jam 😤

  • Annoyed and frustrated 😡
  • Bored and wishing the traffic would clear up 🚗💨
  • Sometimes, relaxed if I had time to do other things 😌

• What problems the delay caused you ⏳

  • Missed an important appointment or meeting ⏰
  • Felt stressed because of the wasted time 🏃‍♀️
  • Made me late for personal commitments or social events 🕒

Useful Grammar Structures

1. Past Simple for events that happened

   • I got stuck in traffic last week when I was going to a meeting.
   • We waited in the traffic jam for over an hour.

2. Past Continuous for describing an ongoing situation

   • While I was sitting in the traffic jam, I was listening to music.
   • I was getting more and more frustrated as time passed.

3. Conditionals for hypothetical situations

   • If I had left earlier, I wouldn’t have been stuck in the traffic jam.
   • If there were more public transport options, people might not use their cars as much.

Collocations

1. Get stuck in traffic 🚗 (bị kẹt xe)
2. Rush hour traffic ⏰ (giờ cao điểm)
3. Long delays ⏳ (trì hoãn lâu dài)
4. Traffic congestion 🚙 (tắc nghẽn giao thông)
5. Wasted time 🕰️ (lãng phí thời gian)

Full Sample Answer (2 Minutes) 🎤

A few weeks ago, I had to spend a long time in a traffic jam when I was driving to a meeting in the city center 🏙️. It happened during rush hour, around 8 a.m., and the road was packed with cars 🚗. I had left my house a bit late, so I wasn’t expecting such a long delay.

While I was in the traffic jam, I tried to stay calm by listening to some music 🎶 and checking my phone for emails 📱. It helped pass the time, but honestly, I was getting more and more frustrated as the minutes ticked by ⏳. I was really annoyed because I had an important meeting, and I knew I would be late ⏰.

I ended up being late by almost 30 minutes 😤, and I felt really stressed about how much time I had lost. This delay also caused me to feel rushed and unprepared when I finally arrived at the meeting. I wasn’t in the best mood, and I knew that this delay would affect the way I was presenting myself.

It was a frustrating experience, and it reminded me how unpredictable traffic can be. I really wish there were better ways to avoid these kinds of delays, especially during busy times like rush hour.

Part 3: Discussion Questions & Sample Answers

1. Which vehicles are more likely to be in a traffic jam, cars or buses? 🚙🚍

Ideas

• Cars are more likely to cause traffic jams because there are so many of them 🚗
• Buses are larger but less frequent, so they contribute less to congestion 🚌
• However, buses can still be stuck in traffic, especially in busy cities 📍

Collocations

1. Increase in the number of cars 🚗 (tăng số lượng xe ô tô)
2. Public transport capacity 🚌 (khả năng vận chuyển công cộng)
3. Major traffic congestion 🚦 (tắc nghẽn giao thông nghiêm trọng)

Sample Answer

Cars are definitely more likely to be involved in a traffic jam compared to buses. The increase in the number of cars 🚗 on the roads is one of the main reasons for traffic congestion. While buses are larger vehicles, they usually have less frequent routes, which means they don’t contribute as much to traffic. However, during rush hours, even buses can get stuck in traffic, especially if the road is too crowded 🚌.

2. If you were in a traffic jam, would you prefer to be in a car or a bus? 🚗🚌

Ideas

• Being in a car offers more personal space and comfort 🚗
• On a bus, you can relax without worrying about driving 🚌
• However, a car might be more frustrating when stuck in a jam because of the close quarters ⏳

Collocations

1. Private vehicle 🚗 (phương tiện cá nhân)
2. Public transportation options 🚌 (lựa chọn phương tiện công cộng)
3. More comfortable ride 🚙 (chuyến đi thoải mái hơn)

Sample Answer

If I were stuck in a traffic jam, I would prefer to be in a car 🚗. While buses are great for public transportation, they often stop more frequently and can get crowded. In a car, I can have my own space, listen to music, or make calls without being interrupted. However, being stuck in traffic in either a car or a bus can be equally frustrating, especially if you’re in a private vehicle where you’re surrounded by other cars and feel confined.

3. What do you think of people who always drive their car, even when they could just as easily use public transportation? 🚗🚌

Ideas

• People like the comfort and privacy of their car 🚙
• They might have personal reasons, like convenience or safety, for driving 🚗
• Public transportation can be crowded and less convenient in some areas 🚶‍♀️

Collocations

1. Use of personal cars 🚗 (sử dụng xe cá nhân)
2. Increased traffic congestion 🚦 (tắc nghẽn giao thông gia tăng)
3. Convenience of private vehicles 🏠 (tiện lợi của phương tiện cá nhân)

Sample Answer

I think many people prefer to drive their own car because of the convenience of private vehicles 🚗. They enjoy the comfort, privacy, and flexibility that driving offers. However, this contributes to increased traffic congestion 🚦, especially in cities with limited road space. If people used public transportation more, there would be less traffic, and it might even be more efficient, especially during rush hour 🚌.

4. Do you feel that traffic congestion in your hometown is better or worse than it used to be? 🚗

Ideas

• Traffic congestion is usually worse due to increasing car ownership 🚙
• Public transport development can help improve the situation 🚌
• Expanding roads or improving infrastructure can reduce congestion 🚧

Collocations

1. Increase in vehicle ownership 🚗 (tăng sở hữu phương tiện)
2. Better public transport infrastructure 🚌 (hệ thống giao thông công cộng tốt hơn)
3. Improve traffic flow 🚦 (cải thiện dòng chảy giao thông)

Sample Answer

Traffic congestion in my hometown has definitely gotten worse over the years 🚗. With an increase in vehicle ownership 🚙, more people are driving, which leads to more crowded roads. Although there have been improvements in public transport infrastructure 🚌, many people still prefer to use their cars because of convenience. If the city invested more in expanding the roads or improving traffic flow 🚦, it might help alleviate some of the congestion.

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5. Do you think only the government has the power to manage the problem of traffic jams? 🏛️

Ideas

• Government plays a key role in regulating and improving infrastructure 🏗️
• Individuals should also take responsibility for using public transportation or carpooling 🚗
• Collaboration between the government and the public is necessary 🤝

Collocations

1. Government policies 📑 (chính sách của chính phủ)
2. Collaborate to reduce congestion 👫 (hợp tác để giảm tắc nghẽn)
3. Public transport solutions 🚋 (giải pháp giao thông công cộng)

Sample Answer

While the government plays a major role in managing traffic congestion through policies 📑 and infrastructure improvements, individuals can also contribute by using public transportation solutions 🚌, carpooling, or biking. Collaborating to reduce congestion 👫 is essential for creating a more sustainable transportation system. It’s not just the government’s responsibility; it’s a collective effort that can make a real difference in reducing traffic jams.