Describe a time when you told a friend an important truth.
This test has appeared in 4 seasons
- Jan–Apr/2026
- Sep–Dec/2025
- May–Aug/2025
- 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?)
Crowded places
- Do you mind being in crowded places? (Why is that?)
- What is the most crowded place you often go to? (Tell me more about that.)
- Were the places you went to as a child as crowded as they are now? (Why is that?)
- Do you think cities are becoming too crowded? (Why is that?)
Puzzles
- Do you like doing puzzles? (Why is that?)
- What kind of puzzles do you enjoy? (Tell me more about that.)
- Did you do puzzles when you were a child? (Why is that?)
- Do you think puzzles are good for the brain? (Why is that?)
Part 2
One minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes.
Describe a time when you told a friend an important truth.
You should say:
- who the friend was
- what the truth was
- why it was difficult to tell them
and explain how your friend reacted.
Follow-up question after your talk: Are you still friends with this person? / How did your friend react?
Part 3
A broader, more abstract discussion of the Part 2 topic. About 4–5 minutes.
honesty between friends
- Can you explain why people find it hard to tell a friend something unpleasant?
- In general, when do most people think a small lie is acceptable?
- How would you contrast being honest with a close friend and being honest with a colleague?
honesty in public life
- Can you explain why the public expects companies and officials to admit mistakes?
- What could be done about the secrecy of large organisations?
- Can you speculate on how easy access to information will change what people can hide?
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.