Part 2medium

Describe a time when you were surprised by something.

IELTS Speaking Practice — AI-Powered Feedback

Quick answer

Describe a time when you were surprised by something: say what happened, when it happened, who else was involved and why it was surprising, then explain how you felt about this surprise.

You get 60 seconds to make notes and then speak alone for 1–2 minutes. Spend about 15 seconds naming your choice, a minute on the bullet points, and the last 30–45 seconds on the explanation, where the marks are.

The trap: drifting between past and present. Tell it as one finished story and keep your narrative tenses consistent.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 guide More experiences & memories cue cards Newest cue cards

Cue card

Describe a time when you were surprised by something.

You should say:

what happened
when it happened
who else was involved
why it was surprising

and explain how you felt about this surprise.

Rounding-off questions

Do you like surprises?
Do you think surprises are always a good thing?

Preparation

You have 1:00 to prepare. Make notes below, then start speaking.

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Model answer (Band 8-9)

Part 2

Original model answer written by our team for practice — not an official IELTS answer.

I’d like to talk about a time I was completely taken by surprise when my friends organised a secret farewell party for me before I moved to another city for work. I honestly had no idea anything was going on behind my back, so it really caught me off guard in the best possible way.

This happened about two years ago, just a couple of days before I was due to leave. I thought I was simply going out for a quiet coffee with one close friend after work. Instead, when I walked into the café, around twenty of my friends suddenly jumped up and shouted, “Surprise!” The whole place had been decorated with photos of us, fairy lights, and even a huge banner with my name on it.

Pretty much my whole inner circle was involved: my university friends, a couple of colleagues, and even my younger cousin, who’d travelled from another city just to be there. They’d clearly coordinated everything in a very sneaky but thoughtful way, from the customised cake to a video montage of our funniest and most embarrassing moments together.

It was surprising mainly because I’d been convinced that everyone was too busy to do anything special before I left. I’d also been a bit stressed and slightly pessimistic about the move, so I was expecting a low-key goodbye, not this elaborate celebration. The amount of effort and attention to detail really blew me away.

In terms of how I felt, it was a mix of shock, gratitude, and a bit of bittersweet sadness. I remember feeling genuinely cherished and suddenly much more confident about starting a new chapter, because I realised I had a strong support network behind me, no matter where I went.