IELTS Speaking 2025 Part 2&3: Describe a Time When You Used a Phone to Do Something Important 📱📞

Describe a Time When You Used a Phone to Do Something Important 📱📞

Ideas 💡

• When and where: Late at night at home 🏠, during an emergency 🚑, while traveling ✈️
• What you used the phone for: Making an urgent call 📞, booking an appointment 🏥, finding directions 🗺️, solving a problem 🛠️
• Why it was important: Needed immediate help 🚨, avoided a bad situation, stayed connected
• What happened as a result: Problem solved ✅, avoided getting lost 🚗, helped someone in need

Useful Grammar & Structures 🏗️

✅ Past Simple & Past Perfect (I had lost my wallet, so I used my phone to transfer money.)
✅ Conditional Sentences (If I hadn’t used my phone, I would have missed my flight.)
✅ Phrasal Verbs (Call up, pick up, run out of battery, look up, figure out)

Collocations 🌟

1. Stay connected 📡 (giữ liên lạc)
2. A life-saving tool 🆘 (công cụ cứu mạng)
3. Solve an urgent issue ⚠️ (giải quyết vấn đề cấp bách)
4. Access important information 📊 (truy cập thông tin quan trọng)
5. Rely heavily on smartphones 📵 (phụ thuộc nhiều vào điện thoại thông minh)

Full Sample Answer (2+ minutes) 🎤

One time when I used my phone for something really important was when I got lost in a foreign country while traveling alone. This happened about a year ago when I was in Bangkok, Thailand 🇹🇭. I had gone out for dinner and, after leaving the restaurant, I realized I had no idea how to get back to my hotel. I didn’t speak Thai and had no printed map, so I completely relied on my phone to find my way.

First, I opened Google Maps to check my location and look up the directions 🗺️. However, my phone battery was running low, so I had to act fast. I quickly searched for the nearest train station and booked a ride using a transportation app. Luckily, I also had a translation app, which helped me communicate with the driver. Within 20 minutes, I was safely back at my hotel!

This experience made me realize how much we rely on smartphones in daily life. Without my phone, I would have struggled to find my way and might have even panicked. Since then, I always make sure my phone is fully charged 🔋 and that I have a portable power bank with me whenever I travel!

🎤 Part 3: Follow-up Questions & Answers

1. What do people generally do with their mobile phones? 📱📲

Ideas 💡

• Communication: Calling, texting, video chats 📞
• Entertainment: Watching videos, gaming 🎮, social media 📷
• Productivity: Work emails, online banking, studying 📚

Collocations 🌟

1. Stay in touch with family and friends 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 (giữ liên lạc với gia đình và bạn bè)
2. A source of entertainment 🎬 (nguồn giải trí)
3. A powerful work tool 💼 (công cụ làm việc mạnh mẽ)

Sample Answer 🎤

Nowadays, people use their mobile phones for almost everything. The most common use is staying in touch 📞 with family and friends through calls, texts, and video chats. Many people also use their phones as a source of entertainment, watching movies, playing games, and scrolling through social media. Additionally, mobile phones are powerful work tools, helping people check emails, attend virtual meetings, and even do online banking!

2. Is it good to make phone calls late at night in public? 🌃📞

Ideas 💡

• No, because it disturbs others 🚫
• Yes, if it’s an emergency 🚨
• Alternative: Texting is quieter & more polite 📩

Collocations 🌟

1. Cause unnecessary disturbance 🔊 (gây phiền nhiễu không cần thiết)
2. Respect other people’s privacy 🤐 (tôn trọng sự riêng tư của người khác)
3. Use earphones to avoid bothering others 🎧 (sử dụng tai nghe để không làm phiền người khác)

Sample Answer 🎤

In general, I think it’s impolite to make phone calls late at night in public 🌃. Loud conversations can cause unnecessary disturbance, especially in quiet places like buses or restaurants. However, if it’s an emergency, then it’s understandable. In most cases, people should respect others’ privacy and consider sending a text or using earphones 🎧 to avoid bothering others!

3. Is calling the most important function of a mobile phone? 📞📲

Ideas 💡

• No, other functions are more useful (e.g., internet, GPS, apps)
• Yes, for older people who rely on voice calls
• Modern smartphones are more than just calling devices

Collocations 🌟

1. A multifunctional device 🎛️ (thiết bị đa chức năng)
2. A digital assistant 🤖 (trợ lý kỹ thuật số)
3. More convenient than traditional calls 📩 (tiện lợi hơn cuộc gọi truyền thống)

Sample Answer 🎤

I don’t think calling is the most important function anymore. Mobile phones have become multifunctional devices, allowing people to browse the internet, use GPS, and handle work-related tasks. For younger generations, messaging apps and social media have become more convenient than traditional calls. However, for older people, calling is still essential because they may not be comfortable with texting or using apps.

4. What problems can using mobile phones cause? ⚠️📱

Ideas 💡

• Health issues: Eye strain, bad posture, sleep problems 🛌
• Social issues: Less face-to-face interaction, phone addiction 📵
• Safety concerns: Cybersecurity risks, scams, online fraud 🛑

Collocations 🌟

1. Lead to smartphone addiction 📵 (dẫn đến nghiện điện thoại)
2. Negatively affect mental health 🧠 (ảnh hưởng tiêu cực đến sức khỏe tinh thần)
3. Reduce real-life social interactions 🗣️ (giảm tương tác xã hội trực tiếp)

Sample Answer 🎤

Although mobile phones are useful, they also cause several problems. One major issue is smartphone addiction, where people spend hours on their phones and reduce real-life social interactions 🗣️. Another issue is negative effects on mental health, such as sleep disturbances and stress. Lastly, using phones carelessly can lead to cybersecurity risks, including scams and hacking attempts.