IELTS Speaking 2025 Part 2&3: Describe an unusual meal you had.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Card

Describe an unusual meal you had.

You should say:

• When you had it

• Where you had it

• Who you had it with
  And explain why it was unusual

Speaking Expressions

• To be honest… (Thành thật mà nói…)

• I kid you not… (Không đùa đâu nhé…)

• It totally weirded me out (in a good way)… (Nó làm tôi thấy lạ lùng (theo kiểu thú vị)…)

• We were like, “Are we really eating this?” (Bọn tôi kiểu: “Thật sự ăn cái này hả?”)

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

• Looking back, I’m glad I tried it… (Nghĩ lại thì tôi mừng vì đã thử…)

Ideas & Collocations

• Coconut worms (đuông dừa) (ấu trùng dừa)

• Riverside homestay (nhà nghỉ ven sông)

• Dipping sauce with chili and fish sauce (nước chấm ớt mắm)

• Texture shock (cú sốc về độ dai/mềm khi ăn)

• Food dare with friends (thử thách ăn uống với bạn bè)

• Once-in-a-lifetime bite (miếng ăn một lần trong đời)

Sample Answer

To be honest, the most unusual meal I’ve ever had was munching on coconut worms (đuông dừa) down in Bến Tre last summer. I was staying at a little riverside homestay with two close friends, and the owner casually asked if we wanted to try the local “specialty.” We were like, “Are we really eating this?” but we said yes, mostly because it turned into a food dare with friends. They served the worms lightly blanched, still kind of wriggly—I kid you not—with a dipping sauce with chili and fish sauce to mask the… uh… earthiness.

The first bite gave me serious texture shock—soft on the inside, a bit chewy outside—but after a second one, I weirdly got used to it. It totally weirded me out (in a good way) because I’m used to hotpot and seafood, not insects that used to live in coconuts. The auntie at the homestay explained how locals see it as a protein boost and a cure for fatigue, which made the whole thing feel more cultural than just a dare. Long story short, it turned into a hilarious memory: we were laughing, making faces, and filming each other’s reactions. Looking back, I’m glad I tried it—it was a genuine “when in Mekong Delta” moment and a once-in-a-lifetime bite that I’ll be telling stories about for years.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Questions

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of eating in restaurants?

2. Do you think having dinner at home is a good idea? Why?

3. Do young people prefer spending time with family or friends?

4. What are the benefits of having meals together?

5. Are people nowadays less willing to cook for themselves than in the past?

Question 1

Speaking Expressions:

• On the plus side… (Về mặt tích cực…)

• The flip side is… (Mặt trái là…)

• Let’s be real… (Nói thật nhé…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Professional cooking & variety (đồ ăn chuyên nghiệp, đa dạng)

• Convenience after a long day (tiện lợi sau ngày dài)

• Hidden calories / high sodium (calo ẩn / nhiều muối)

• Service charge and tax (phí phục vụ và thuế)

Sample Answer:
On the plus side, restaurants give you professional cooking & variety without any dishes to wash. It’s super convenient after a long day, and you can try cuisines you’d never cook at home. The flip side is the bill—service charge and tax add up fast. Health-wise, there are hidden calories and high sodium in a lot of dishes. Let’s be real, it’s great for a treat, but not ideal every single day.

Question 2

Speaking Expressions:

• Absolutely, because… (Chắc chắn rồi, vì…)

• It’s more than just food… (Nó nhiều hơn là đồ ăn…)

• At the end of the day… (Cuối cùng thì…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Budget-friendly meals (bữa ăn tiết kiệm)

• Control over ingredients (kiểm soát nguyên liệu)

• Family bonding time (thời gian gắn kết gia đình)

• Healthy cooking habits (thói quen nấu ăn lành mạnh)

Sample Answer:
Absolutely, because dinner at home is cheaper and you’ve got control over ingredients. It’s more than just food; it’s family bonding time where everyone actually talks. You also build healthy cooking habits instead of relying on takeout. Sure, it takes effort after work, but you can keep it simple. At the end of the day, home dinners feel warmer and more personal.

Question 3

Speaking Expressions:

• Depends on the phase of life… (Còn tùy giai đoạn cuộc đời…)

• If I’m honest… (Thật lòng mà nói…)

• Deep down… (Sâu bên trong…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Peer hangouts / late-night cafés (tụ tập bạn bè / quán cà phê khuya)

• Obligation vs. choice (nghĩa vụ so với lựa chọn)

• Quality family time (thời gian chất lượng với gia đình)

Sample Answer:
Depends on the phase of life—teens usually choose friends, peer hangouts and all that. If I’m honest, sometimes family dinners feel like an obligation, while friends are pure fun. But deep down, most young people still value quality family time, just not every weekend. When stress hits, they often run back to home-cooked meals and comfort. So it swings back and forth between obligation vs. choice.

Question 4

Speaking Expressions:

• For starters… (Trước hết…)

• It creates a safe space to… (Nó tạo không gian an toàn để…)

• On top of that… (Chưa kể là…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Emotional check-ins (kiểm tra cảm xúc)

• Shared routines (nhịp sinh hoạt chung)

• Table manners & communication skills (phép lịch sự trên bàn ăn & kỹ năng giao tiếp)

Sample Answer:
For starters, meals together allow emotional check-ins—you hear what’s really going on. It creates a safe space to share problems and jokes without judgment. On top of that, kids pick up table manners & communication skills just by watching adults. Families also build shared routines, which make life feel stable. Basically, eating together feeds both the body and the relationship.

Question 5

Speaking Expressions:

• Yeah, to some extent… (Ừ, ở mức nào đó…)

• Food delivery culture is huge… (Văn hóa đặt đồ ăn giao tận nơi rất lớn…)

• But there’s a counter-trend… (Nhưng cũng có xu hướng ngược lại…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• GrabFood / ShopeeFood convenience (tiện lợi từ GrabFood / ShopeeFood)

• Tiny kitchens / busy schedules (bếp nhỏ / lịch bận rộn)

• Home-cooking revival via TikTok (làn sóng nấu ăn lại nhờ TikTok)

Sample Answer:
Yeah, to some extent, people cook less because food delivery culture is huge—GrabFood, ShopeeFood, you name it. Tiny kitchens and busy schedules make cooking feel like a chore. But there’s a counter-trend: TikTok and YouTube sparked a home-cooking revival, with quick recipes and hacks. Some folks cook for fun and post it online. So we’re lazier… but also weirdly more inspired at the same time.