Describe a time when you had to finish something in a hurry.
This test has appeared in 2 seasons · 1 reported by test takers
- May–Aug/2024
- Jan–Apr/2024
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?)
Rules
- Are there many rules at your school or workplace? (Why is that?)
- What is one rule you think is really useful? (Tell me more about that.)
- Did your parents have strict rules when you were growing up? (Why is that?)
- Do you think people should always follow the rules? (Why is that?)
Small businesses
- Are there many small businesses near where you live? (Why is that?)
- What kind of small shops do you often go to? (Tell me more about that.)
- Is there a small business you have been going to for a long time? (Why is that?)
- Would you like to run your own small business one day? (Why is that?)
Part 2
One minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes.
Describe a time when you had to finish something in a hurry.
You should say:
- what you had to finish
- why you had so little time
- how you managed to get it done
and explain how you felt about the result.
Follow-up question after your talk: Do you often leave things until the last minute? / Did you finish it in time?
Part 3
A broader, more abstract discussion of the Part 2 topic. About 4–5 minutes.
working under time pressure
- Can you explain why some people work better when a deadline is close?
- In general, how do people in your country feel about being late?
- How would you contrast doing a job quickly with doing it carefully?
the pace of modern life
- Can you explain why life feels faster than it did for earlier generations?
- What could be done about the pressure people are under at work?
- Can you speculate on how technology will change the pace of people's working days?
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.