Describe a problem with technology that you had to deal with.
This test has appeared in 6 seasons · 2 reported by test takers
- Sep–Dec/2026
- May–Aug/2026
- Sep–Dec/2024
- Jan–Apr/2024
- Sep–Dec/2023
- Jan–Apr/2022
Reported by test takers Forecast only
Part 1
The examiner asks about you and two familiar topics. About 4–5 minutes.
Your home town
- Where is your home town? (Tell me more about that.)
- What do you like most about it? (Tell me more about that.)
- Has it changed much since you were a child? (Why is that?)
- Would you like to live there in the future? (Why is that?)
Travelling
- Do you like travelling? (Why is that?)
- Where did you go on your last trip? (Tell me more about that.)
- Do you prefer to travel alone or with other people? (Why is that?)
- Is there anywhere you would really like to visit? (Why is that?)
Teachers
- Do you remember your first teacher? (Why is that?)
- What makes a good teacher, in your opinion? (Tell me more about that.)
- Have you ever wanted to be a teacher? (Why is that?)
- Do you still keep in touch with any of your teachers? (Why is that?)
Part 2
One minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes.
Describe a problem with technology that you had to deal with.
You should say:
- what the problem was
- when it happened
- how you tried to solve it
and explain how you felt about the experience.
Follow-up question after your talk: Are you good with technology in general? / How long did it take you to sort it out?
Part 3
A broader, more abstract discussion of the Part 2 topic. About 4–5 minutes.
when technology goes wrong
- Can you explain why people become upset when their devices stop working?
- In general, which problems with technology happen most often at home?
- What could be done about customers who wait a long time to get a problem fixed?
depending on technology
- Can you describe how much offices and shops depend on their computer systems?
- What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of keeping paper copies of important information?
- Can you speculate on how reliable everyday technology will be in the future?
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.