Describe a time you were surprised to meet a friend.
This test has appeared in 3 seasons · 1 reported by test takers
- Sep–Dec/2025
- May–Aug/2025
- Jan–Apr/2025
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?)
Making lists
- Do you often make lists? (Why is that?)
- What kind of lists do you usually make? (Tell me more about that.)
- Did you make lists when you were at school? (Why is that?)
- Do you prefer writing lists on paper or on your phone? (Why is that?)
Taking a break
- How often do you take a break when you are working or studying? (Tell me more about that.)
- What do you usually do during a break? (Tell me more about that.)
- Did you have long breaks between lessons at school? (Why is that?)
- Do you think short breaks help people work better? (Why is that?)
Part 2
One minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes.
Describe a time you were surprised to meet a friend.
You should say:
- who the friend was
- where and when you met them
- why the meeting was a surprise
and explain how you felt about seeing them.
Follow-up question after your talk: Have you stayed in touch with this friend since then? / What did the two of you talk about when you met?
Part 3
A broader, more abstract discussion of the Part 2 topic. About 4–5 minutes.
keeping in touch with friends
- Can you explain why people lose contact with friends as they grow older?
- In general, how often should friends contact each other to stay close?
- What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of keeping friendships going mainly through social media?
friendship at different stages of life
- Can you explain why it becomes harder to make new friends after school?
- How would you compare friendships made at school with friendships made at work?
- Can you speculate on how online communities will change the way people make friends?
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.