Describe a Time When You Thought It Was Important to Tell the Truth
Suggested Ideas for Each Part
- When it happened: 🏫 During a school group project / 🏡 At a family gathering / 💼 At work or in a serious situation
- Who was involved: 👩🏫 A teacher / 👨👩👧👦 Parents / 👭 A close friend
- Why you decided to tell the truth: 💔 To avoid hurting someone later / ⚖️ It was the right thing to do / 😨 To avoid bigger trouble
- How you felt: 😌 Relieved / 💪 Proud / 😟 Nervous at first, but satisfied later
Useful Grammar Structures
- Past simple & past perfect:
I realized that if I had lied, it would have made things worse. - Conditional (Type 2 & 3):
If I had hidden the truth, my friend would have been hurt. - Passive voice:
The truth was eventually revealed. - Reported speech:
I told my teacher, “I forgot to include my friend’s name in the project.” - Gerunds and infinitives:
Telling the truth helped me regain trust.
Collocations (with Vietnamese translation)
- A tough decision 🤔 (một quyết định khó khăn)
- Face the consequences ⚖️ (đối mặt với hậu quả)
- A guilty conscience 😟 (lương tâm cắn rứt)
- Build trust and credibility 💖 (xây dựng sự tin tưởng và uy tín)
- Come clean about something 🗣️ (thành thật thú nhận một điều gì đó)
- A moral dilemma ⚖️ (một tình huống khó xử về đạo đức)
- A sense of relief 😌 (cảm giác nhẹ nhõm)
Full Spoken Sample (about 2 minutes)
One of the most memorable times when I had to tell the truth was during high school 🏫. It happened in my final year, when my classmates and I were working on a group project for our literature class. We had to submit a detailed research paper, and each team member was responsible for a different part.
However, I made a huge mistake. One of my friends had written an entire section, but due to a misunderstanding, I forgot to include her name in the final submission. When the teacher announced the top-performing projects, ours was among them, but my friend was not given credit for her work. I could see how disappointed she looked, and I felt a guilty conscience 😟 growing inside me.
At that moment, I realized that I had two choices: either stay silent and pretend it was a mistake, or come clean about it 🗣️. Even though I was afraid of facing the teacher’s reaction, I knew that being honest was the right thing to do. So, I went to the teacher and explained everything. Fortunately, she was understanding, and my friend’s name was added to the project. My friend was surprised but thankful, and I felt a sense of relief 😌 knowing that I had made things right.
This experience taught me that honesty is not always easy, but it helps build trust and credibility 💖. If I had kept quiet, I would have felt guilty forever. So, even though it was a tough decision 🤔 at first, it was definitely worth it in the end.
Part 3: Discussion Questions
1. Do you think honesty is always the best policy?
Ideas
- 👍 Yes, because honesty helps maintain trust and relationships
- 🤔 However, in some cases, a “white lie” can prevent unnecessary harm
Collocations
- Maintain strong relationships 👨👩👧👦 (duy trì mối quan hệ vững chắc)
- A white lie 🤫 (một lời nói dối vô hại)
- Avoid unnecessary conflicts 🛑 (tránh những xung đột không cần thiết)
Sample Answer
In general, I believe that honesty is the best policy because it helps maintain strong relationships 👨👩👧👦. However, in some situations, telling a white lie 🤫 may be better if the truth could cause unnecessary pain. For example, if someone is going through a hard time, we might sugarcoat the truth to make them feel better.
2. Why do some people lie?
Ideas
- 😨 To avoid getting into trouble
- 😇 To protect someone’s feelings
- 💼 For personal gain or manipulation
Collocations
- Cover up a mistake ❌ (che giấu một sai lầm)
- Manipulate the truth 🎭 (thao túng sự thật)
- Save face 😳 (giữ thể diện)
Sample Answer
There are many reasons why people lie. Some do it to cover up a mistake ❌ and avoid punishment, while others manipulate the truth 🎭 for personal gain. In some cases, people lie simply to save face 😳 because they don’t want to feel embarrassed or ashamed in front of others.
3. Should parents teach their children to always be honest?
Ideas
- 👨👩👧 Yes, because honesty is a core value that shapes good character
- ⚖️ But they should also teach children when honesty might be harmful
Collocations
- Instill good values 🌱 (truyền dạy những giá trị tốt đẹp)
- Moral development 📚 (sự phát triển đạo đức)
- Navigate difficult situations 🚦 (xoay sở trong những tình huống khó khăn)
Sample Answer
Yes, I think parents should instill good values 🌱 in their children, and honesty is one of the most important ones. Teaching kids to be honest helps in their moral development 📚. However, parents should also guide them on how to navigate difficult situations 🚦, because sometimes telling the full truth can be harmful.
4. Are there situations where it is better not to tell the truth?
Ideas
- 💔 If telling the truth could hurt someone unnecessarily
- 🎭 When a small lie can protect someone’s confidence or emotions
Collocations
- A little white lie 🤭 (một lời nói dối nhỏ để tránh làm tổn thương ai đó)
- Protect someone’s feelings ❤️ (bảo vệ cảm xúc của ai đó)
- Tactful communication 🗣️ (giao tiếp khéo léo)
Sample Answer
Yes, there are situations where a little white lie 🤭 is necessary. For example, if a friend asks whether their new haircut looks good, and I know it doesn’t, I might not be brutally honest. Instead, I would try to protect their feelings ❤️ by being more tactful. So, while honesty is important, so is tactful communication 🗣️.