IELTS Speaking 2025 Part 2&3: Describe a time when you succeeded in doing something that was difficult.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Card

Describe a time when you succeeded in doing something that was difficult.

You should say:

• What the difficult task was

• When you succeeded

• How you overcame the difficulties
  And explain how you felt when you succeeded

Speaking Expressions

• To be honest… (Thành thật mà nói…)

• It nearly drove me crazy… (Nó gần như làm tôi phát điên…)

• I was on the verge of giving up… (Tôi gần như muốn bỏ cuộc…)

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

• What really kept me going was… (Điều thật sự giữ tôi tiếp tục là…)

• I kid you not… (Không đùa đâu nhé…)

Ideas & Collocations

• Steep learning curve (đường cong học tập “dốc”)

• Burn the midnight oil (thức khuya cày cuốc)

• Break the task down (chia nhỏ nhiệm vụ)

• Ask for backup (nhờ sự hỗ trợ)

• Have a clear game plan (có kế hoạch hành động rõ ràng)

• Sense of accomplishment (cảm giác thành tựu)

Sample Answer

To be honest, the toughest thing I’ve pulled off recently was building a small website for my English class—totally from scratch. I had zero coding background, so the steep learning curve was real; it nearly drove me crazy the first week. I broke the task down into tiny pieces—layout today, login form tomorrow—and every night I would burn the midnight oil, watching tutorials and tinkering with code. There were moments when I was on the verge of giving up, especially when an error kept popping up and I couldn’t fix it for hours. What really kept me going was my students’ excitement—they were already suggesting features, so I felt I couldn’t let them down.

At one point, I finally asked for backup from a friend who’s a developer, and he helped me have a clear game plan for the last sprint. Long story short, after about three intense weeks, the site went live, and I kid you not, seeing the kids log in and actually use it gave me this huge sense of accomplishment. I felt proud, relieved, and a bit shocked that I’d actually done it. More importantly, it taught me that if I pace myself and ask for help, even scary tech stuff isn’t impossible. Now I kind of want to try a mobile app—maybe not tomorrow, but the fear is gone.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Questions

1. Is it easy to become a successful person?

2. Would you do charity work after becoming successful?

3. Is there a lot of competition among people trying to achieve the same goal?

4. Do young people today face a lot of difficult decisions?

5. What factors influence people’s choices when making difficult decisions?

6. How do people usually make difficult decisions?

Question 1

Speaking Expressions:

• Honestly, not by a long shot… (Thật sự là không hề dễ chút nào…)

• Success isn’t overnight… (Thành công không đến sau một đêm…)

• It takes grit and consistency… (Cần sự bền bỉ và nhất quán…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Overnight success myth (huyền thoại thành công chớp nhoáng)

• Daily grind (công việc lặp đi lặp lại hằng ngày)

• Support network (mạng lưới hỗ trợ)

Sample Answer:
Honestly, not by a long shot—people love the overnight success myth, but success isn’t overnight for most of us. You’re stuck in the daily grind, learning, failing, tweaking, repeat. It takes grit and consistency, plus a solid support network so you don’t burn out. Luck and timing help, sure, but showing up every day matters more. In short, it’s doable, just not easy or instant.

Question 2

Speaking Expressions:

• If I ever make it big… (Nếu một ngày tôi thật sự thành công…)

• Giving back feels right… (Cho đi cảm thấy đúng đắn…)

• It’s more than PR… (Nó hơn cả chuyện đánh bóng tên tuổi…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Charity outreach (hoạt động thiện nguyện)

• Pay it forward (trả ơn bằng cách giúp người khác)

• Social impact projects (dự án tác động xã hội)

Sample Answer:
If I ever make it big, I’d 100% do charity outreach because giving back feels right. I grew up with people helping me, so I want to pay it forward. It’s more than PR; it’s about real social impact projects that change lives, even in small ways. Money plus time equals real difference. Honestly, helping others keeps you grounded when success gets to your head.

Question 3

Speaking Expressions:

• Oh yeah, big time… (Ôi có chứ, nhiều lắm…)

• Everyone’s chasing the same pie… (Ai cũng tranh cùng một miếng bánh…)

• It can get cut-throat… (Có thể trở nên khốc liệt…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Talent pool (nguồn nhân lực tài năng)

• High-stakes environment (môi trường cạnh tranh khốc liệt)

• Differentiating yourself (tạo sự khác biệt cho bản thân)

Sample Answer:
Oh yeah, big time, there’s tons of competition—everyone’s chasing the same pie in certain fields. With a huge talent pool, the bar keeps rising. It can get cut-throat in a high-stakes environment, especially when resources are limited. That’s why differentiating yourself—skills, personality, niche—becomes crucial. Otherwise, you’re just another name in the pile.

Question 4

Speaking Expressions:

• For sure, they do… (Chắc chắn là có…)

• They’re juggling so many choices… (Họ phải xoay xở với quá nhiều lựa chọn…)

• Information overload is real… (Quá tải thông tin là thật sự…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Career crossroads (ngã rẽ sự nghiệp)

• Peer pressure (áp lực bạn bè)

• Parental expectations (kỳ vọng của cha mẹ)

Sample Answer:
For sure, they do, because they’re juggling so many choices—majors, jobs, even where to live. Information overload is real, and everyone’s shouting advice online. Add peer pressure and parental expectations, and it gets messy. Standing at a career crossroads at 20 is no joke. So yeah, young people today carry a heavy decision-making load.

Question 5

Speaking Expressions:

• It comes down to… (Chung quy lại là…)

• You weigh the pros and cons… (Bạn cân nhắc ưu nhược điểm…)

• Gut feeling plays a part… (Cảm giác mách bảo cũng có phần…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Personal values (giá trị cá nhân)

• Risk tolerance (mức chịu rủi ro)

• Long-term consequences (hệ quả dài hạn)

Sample Answer:
It comes down to personal values and what you actually care about. You weigh the pros and cons, but your risk tolerance decides how bold you go. Money, time, relationships—all of that feeds in. Gut feeling plays a part when logic stalls. And of course, people think about long-term consequences before they pull the trigger.

Question 6

Speaking Expressions:

• Most people start by… (Hầu hết mọi người bắt đầu bằng việc…)

• Sleep on it… (Để qua đêm rồi nghĩ tiếp…)

• Talk it through… (Nói chuyện để gỡ rối…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Pros-and-cons list (danh sách ưu nhược điểm)

• Seek a second opinion (xin ý kiến thứ hai)

• Decision-making framework (khung ra quyết định)

Sample Answer:
Most people start by making a pros-and-cons list, then sleep on it to see if the idea still feels right. Some talk it through with close friends or mentors to seek a second opinion. Others follow a decision-making framework—like setting criteria and scoring options. When time’s tight, they just trust their gut. Either way, reflection plus feedback usually leads to a clearer call.