Describe a person who solved a problem in a smart way.
This test has appeared in 6 seasons · 2 reported by test takers
- Sep–Dec/2026
- May–Aug/2026
- Jan–Apr/2026
- Sep–Dec/2022
- May–Aug/2022
- Jan–Apr/2022
Reported by test takers Forecast only
Part 1
The examiner asks about you and two familiar topics. About 4–5 minutes.
Work or study
- Do you work, or are you a student? (Why?)
- Why did you choose that job or that subject? (Tell me more about that.)
- What do you enjoy most about it? (Why?)
- Is there anything you would like to change about it? (Why?)
Jokes and comedy
- Do you like telling jokes? (Why is that?)
- What kind of comedy do you enjoy? (Tell me more about that.)
- Do you have a friend who always makes you laugh? (Why is that?)
- Is it easy to understand jokes in a foreign language? (Why is that?)
Ambitions
- Do you consider yourself an ambitious person? (Why is that?)
- What would you like to achieve in the next few years? (Tell me more about that.)
- What did you want to be when you were a child? (Tell me more about that.)
- Do you think it is good for young people to have big ambitions? (Why is that?)
Part 2
One minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes.
Describe a person who solved a problem in a smart way.
You should say:
- who this person is
- what the problem was
- how they solved it
and explain why you think the solution was clever.
Follow-up question after your talk: Would you have solved it in the same way? / What exactly was the problem?
Part 3
A broader, more abstract discussion of the Part 2 topic. About 4–5 minutes.
how people solve problems
- Can you explain why some people stay calm when they face a difficult problem?
- How would you compare solving a problem alone with solving it in a group?
- In general, what can schools do to make children better at solving problems?
problem-solving at work
- Can you explain why large organisations often take a long time to fix simple problems?
- What could be done about workers whose good ideas are never listened to?
- Can you speculate on how computers will change the kinds of problem people have to solve themselves?
Test titles follow test-taker reports and each season's forecasts — IELTS does not publish its papers. "Reported" means someone reported meeting this topic in a dated test. The questions are written by us in the format of the real test.