IELTS Speaking 2025 Part 2&3: Describe a time when you saw children behave badly in public.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Card

Describe a time when you saw children behave badly in public.
You should say:

• Where it was

• What the children were doing

• How others reacted
  And explain how you felt about it

1. Speaking Expressions

A. Where it was

• I was at… (Tôi đã ở…)

• It happened in… (Chuyện xảy ra ở…)

• Right in the middle of… (Ngay giữa…)

• At the entrance of… (Ở cửa…)

B. What the children were doing

• They were running riot… (Chúng đang nghịch ngợm ầm ĩ…)

• Throwing tantrums… (Giẫy đạp, khóc lóc…)

• Yelling and shrieking… (La hét inh ỏi…)

• Climbing on displays… (Leo trèo lên kệ hàng…)

C. How others reacted

• People frowned and glared… (Mọi người chau mày và nhìn khó chịu…)

• Shop assistants intervened… (Nhân viên cửa hàng can thiệp…)

• Parents tried to calm them down… (Bố mẹ cố gắng dỗ dành…)

• Some customers moved away… (Một số khách nép sang bên…)

D. How you felt

• I felt embarrassed… (Tôi cảm thấy xấu hổ…)

• It made me uncomfortable… (Nó khiến tôi không thoải mái…)

• I was annoyed… (Tôi cảm thấy bực mình…)

• It upset me to see… (Tôi buồn khi thấy…)

2. Ideas & Collocations

• Unruly behaviour (hành vi hỗn loạn)

• Public disturbance (gây rối nơi công cộng)

• Disrespect for others (thiếu tôn trọng người khác)

• Disrupt the peace (làm xáo trộn yên tĩnh)

• Loud squeals and shrieks (tiếng hét và la ó ầm ĩ)

• Ignore the commotion (làm ngơ sự hỗn loạn)

• Embarrassment on behalf of (xấu hổ thay cho…)

• Intervene politely (can thiệp một cách lịch sự)

• Scolding in front of strangers (mắng mỏ trước mặt người lạ)

• Loss of personal space (mất không gian riêng)

3. Sample Answer 

I was at a popular shopping mall in District 1 last weekend when I saw children behave badly in public. Right in the middle of the toy department, a group of three siblings, maybe aged five to seven, were running riot—climbing on displays, yelling and shrieking while pulling toys off the shelves.

At first, I thought it was a one‑off tantrum, but others reacted almost immediately: shop assistants intervened, gently asking the kids to get down, but without success. Their mother, who was talking on the phone, barely glanced up. People frowned and glared, stepping back to let the chaos pass, and some customers moved away to avoid being hit by flying toy boxes. The noise was so loud it felt like the entire floor had erupted.

Watching this, I felt embarrassed, as if I had to apologize on behalf of the family. It made me uncomfortable—I could see small children hiding behind their parents, and elderly shoppers covering their ears. Each shriek and crash of merchandise created a public disturbance, and the feeling of loss of personal space was palpable. Despite the disrespect for others, the mother continued chatting, occasionally scolding them in a half‑hearted tone, but not doing much to actually calm them down.

After a few minutes, a security guard arrived and firmly asked the mother to control her children. That finally made her hang up her call and take the kids by the hand to another aisle. The siblings stopped for a moment, looked around in surprise, then burst into tears—classic tantrums. It took another round of polite but firm intervention before they quieted down.

Reflecting on that incident, I realized how important parental supervision is in public. I was annoyed that a single parent’s inattentiveness could disrupt the entire shopping experience for dozens of strangers. At the same time, I felt some sympathy—managing three young kids alone in a crowded space is tough. Overall, it upset me to see such uncontrolled behaviour, but it also reminded me to be patient and perhaps offer help when I see struggling parents in public.

IELTS Speaking Part 3

1. What kinds of bad behaviour do children usually show?

Expressions 

• Generally speaking… (Nói chung…)

• They often throw tantrums… (Chúng thường giận dỗi lăn ra đập đồ…)

• Ignoring instructions… (Phớt lờ mệnh lệnh…)

• Being overly noisy… (Quá ồn ào…)

Ideas & Collocations

• Tantrums in supermarkets (cơn giận dữ ở siêu thị)

• Running into traffic (chạy xuống đường)

• Refusing to share (không chịu chia sẻ)

• Whining for treats (hạch sách xin đồ ngọt)

Sample Answer:
Generally speaking, young children often throw tantrums when they don’t get what they want, or ignore instructions from adults. They can be overly noisy—screaming in public—or run off unpredictably, like running into traffic, which is dangerous. Toddlers may also refuse to share toys or whine for treats, causing stress for parents and bystanders alike.

2. How should parents deal with children who behave badly in public?

Expressions 

• They need to set clear boundaries… (Họ cần đặt ra giới hạn rõ ràng…)

• Positive reinforcement works… (Khuyến khích tích cực có hiệu quả…)

• Consistency is key… (Tính nhất quán là then chốt…)

• Use calm but firm discipline… (Dùng kỷ luật nhẹ nhàng nhưng dứt khoát…)

Ideas & Collocations

• Time‑out corner (góc “thời gian nghỉ”)

• Immediate consequences (hậu quả ngay lập tức)

• Praise good behaviour (khen ngợi hành vi tốt)

• Carrot and stick approach (kết hợp khen và phạt)

Sample Answer:
Parents need to set clear boundaries before going out, explaining the rules in advance. When bad behaviour occurs, a quick time‑out or removal of privileges can be effective, as immediate consequences help children link actions to outcomes. Positive reinforcement, such as praising them when they behave well, encourages repetition. Overall, consistency is key, and a calm but firm approach helps maintain respect without embarrassment.

3. Are parents nowadays stricter than in the past?

Expressions 

• On the whole… (Nhìn chung…)

• There’s been a shift… (Đã có sự thay đổi…)

• Over‑protection vs. hands‑off… (Quá bảo bọc so với buông lỏng…)

• Helicopter parenting… (nuôi con “trực thăng”)

Ideas & Collocations

• Structured activities (hoạt động có tổ chức)

• Digital monitoring (giám sát qua công nghệ)

• Freedom to roam (tự do khám phá)

Sample Answer:
On the whole, parenting styles have diversified. Some parents are more protective, scheduling structured activities and using digital monitoring to track their kids. Others adopt a hands‑off attitude, believing in letting children explore on their own. Compared to the past, there’s less tolerance for risky play, but also more emphasis on emotional support.

4. Whose influence is more important for children — their parents or their friends?

Expressions 

• It depends on the context… (Tùy vào hoàn cảnh…)

• Parents lay the foundation… (Cha mẹ đặt nền tảng…)

• Peers shape social skills… (Bạn bè định hình kỹ năng xã hội…)

• Both play vital roles… (Cả hai đều đóng vai trò quan trọng…)

Ideas & Collocations

• Value transmission (truyền giá trị)

• Peer pressure (áp lực bạn bè)

• Role models (hình mẫu)

• Home environment (môi trường gia đình)

Sample Answer:
It depends on the context, but generally parents lay the foundation of values and discipline, while peers shape social skills and norms. Young children look to family first, but as they grow, peer pressure can become a strong influence. Both play vital roles, and a balanced home environment plus supportive friendships yields the best outcomes.