IELTS Speaking 2025 Part 2&3: Describe a Story Someone Told You and You Remember 📖

Describe a Story Someone Told You and You Remember 📖

Suggested Ideas for Each Part

• What the story was about 🏰

  • A Vietnamese folktale like “The Legend of Bánh Chưng, Bánh Dày” (Sự tích bánh chưng bánh dày) 🍙
  • A childhood bedtime story like “Cinderella” or “The Tortoise and the Hare” 🐢🐇
  • A real-life inspiring story about someone overcoming hardships 💪

• Who told you this story 🗣️

  • My grandmother, who loves telling folktales 👵
  • My teacher, who used storytelling to teach lessons 🍎
  • A close friend, who shared a personal experience 👫

• Why you remember it 🎭

  • It had a deep moral lesson that stayed with me 🌱
  • It was told in a very engaging and emotional way 🎭
  • It connected to my personal experiences 🤔

• How you feel about it 💖

  • Grateful for learning a valuable lesson 🙏
  • Nostalgic because it reminds me of my childhood 🏡
  • Inspired to apply the lesson in my own life 🌟

Useful Grammar Structures

1. Past Simple & Past Perfect for storytelling

   • My grandmother told me this story when I was a child.
   • I had never heard such an inspiring story before.

2. Relative Clauses for details

   • The story, which was about kindness and honesty, left a deep impression on me.

3. Reported Speech for retelling

   • My teacher told us that hard work always pays off.

4. Conditionals for personal reflection

   • If I hadn’t heard this story, I wouldn’t have learned such an important lesson.

Collocations

1. A moral lesson 📚 (bài học đạo đức)
2. A heartwarming story 💖 (một câu chuyện ấm lòng)
3. Pass down through generations 🏡 (truyền lại qua các thế hệ)
4. Capture my imagination 🎭 (khiến tôi tưởng tượng sống động)
5. Leave a lasting impression ⭐ (để lại ấn tượng sâu sắc)
6. A turning point 🔄 (một bước ngoặt quan trọng)
7. Timeless wisdom 🕰️ (sự thông thái vượt thời gian)

Full Sample Answer (2 Minutes)

One of the most unforgettable stories I have ever heard is “The Legend of Bánh Chưng, Bánh Dày,” a famous Vietnamese folktale about the origin of our traditional rice cakes. My grandmother told me this story when I was a little child, as I sat beside her during Tết. She loved telling folktales because she believed they contained timeless wisdom 🕰️ that young generations should learn from.

The story is about a young prince named Lang Liêu, who was humble and hardworking. When the king asked his sons to prepare a special dish to determine the next ruler, Lang Liêu created two simple yet meaningful cakes, bánh chưng and bánh dày. The king was deeply moved by his creativity and sincerity, so he chose Lang Liêu to be his successor. My grandmother explained that the round and square shapes of the cakes represented the sky and earth, symbolizing respect for nature and ancestors.

This story left a lasting impression ⭐ on me because it taught me the importance of simplicity, gratitude, and wisdom. Even though the other princes used expensive ingredients, Lang Liêu’s dish was chosen because of its deeper meaning. I felt incredibly inspired 💖 by this story, and even today, every time I see bánh chưng during Tết, I remember my grandmother’s words and the lesson about humility and sincerity.

Part 3: Discussion Questions & Sample Answers

1. Do young children like the same stories as older children? 👶📖👦

Ideas

• Young children prefer simple, fun, and repetitive stories with bright illustrations.
• Older children enjoy more complex stories with deeper messages and moral lessons.
• Some timeless stories, like fairy tales and folktales, appeal to both young and old.

Collocations

1. Capture children’s imagination 🎭 (khiến trẻ em tưởng tượng sống động)
2. Relate to real-life experiences 🌍 (liên hệ với trải nghiệm thực tế)
3. A universal appeal 🌎 (sự hấp dẫn với mọi lứa tuổi)

Sample Answer

I think young children and older children have different tastes in stories. Little kids usually enjoy colorful, repetitive stories that capture their imagination 🎭, like fairy tales with talking animals. However, as they grow older, they prefer more complex plots that they can relate to real-life experiences 🌍, such as stories about friendship or overcoming challenges. That being said, some stories, like Cinderella or Vietnamese folktales, have a universal appeal 🌎 and can be enjoyed at any age.

2. How has technology changed storytelling? 📱📖

Ideas

• Digital books and audiobooks make stories more accessible.
• Animated movies and VR storytelling create immersive experiences.
• Traditional storytelling methods are fading as people rely more on technology.

Collocations

1. Bring stories to life 🎥 (làm câu chuyện trở nên sống động)
2. Enhance the storytelling experience 🚀 (cải thiện trải nghiệm kể chuyện)
3. Lose the personal touch 🖐️ (đánh mất sự gần gũi cá nhân)

Sample Answer

Technology has completely transformed the way stories are told. Today, digital books, audiobooks, and animated movies bring stories to life 🎥 in ways that traditional storytelling never could. Virtual reality and interactive apps also enhance the storytelling experience 🚀 by making it more immersive and engaging. However, some people worry that we might lose the personal touch 🖐️ of storytelling, especially when families no longer gather around to share folktales like they used to.

3. Why do people enjoy stories with moral lessons? 🧠💡

Ideas

• Moral stories help people reflect on their own values and actions.
• They provide timeless wisdom that can be applied in real life.
• They make learning enjoyable and memorable.

Collocations

1. Teach valuable lessons 📚 (dạy bài học quý giá)
2. Make a lasting impact ⭐ (tạo ra ảnh hưởng lâu dài)
3. Inspire positive change 🌱 (truyền cảm hứng cho sự thay đổi tích cực)

Sample Answer

Many people enjoy stories with moral lessons because they teach valuable lessons 📚 that can help us become better individuals. A good story can make a lasting impact ⭐, shaping the way we think and behave. For example, folktales like “The Tortoise and the Hare” remind us that patience and perseverance lead to success. These stories don’t just entertain us—they also inspire positive change 🌱 in our daily lives.

4. How can storytelling be used in education? 🎓📖

Ideas

• Teachers use storytelling to make lessons more engaging.
• It helps students remember information better.
• Storytelling encourages creativity and critical thinking.

Collocations

1. Spark curiosity 🔥 (khơi dậy sự tò mò)
2. Enhance learning experiences 🎓 (nâng cao trải nghiệm học tập)
3. Make knowledge more accessible 📘 (giúp kiến thức dễ tiếp cận hơn)

Sample Answer

Storytelling is a powerful tool in education because it sparks curiosity 🔥 and makes learning more enjoyable. When teachers use stories to explain concepts, students are more likely to remember the information. It also enhances learning experiences 🎓 by encouraging creativity and critical thinking. That’s why storytelling is often used in subjects like history and literature—it makes knowledge more accessible 📘 and relatable to students.