Describe a time you needed to use your imagination.
This test has appeared in 5 seasons
- Sep–Dec/2026
- May–Aug/2026
- Jan–Apr/2026
- 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?)
Food
- What kind of food do you eat most often? (Tell me more about that.)
- What is your favourite dish? (Tell me more about that.)
- Is there any food you didn't like as a child but enjoy now? (Why is that?)
- Do you think people in your country eat more healthily now than in the past? (Why is that?)
School
- Where did you go to secondary school? (Tell me more about that.)
- What was your favourite subject at school? (Tell me more about that.)
- Did you enjoy your time at school? (Why is that?)
- Do you think schools today are better than they were in the past? (Why is that?)
Part 2
One minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes.
Describe a time you needed to use your imagination.
You should say:
- when it was
- what you were doing
- why you needed to use your imagination
and explain how it turned out.
Follow-up question after your talk: Would you say you are an imaginative person? / Was the result better than you expected?
Part 3
A broader, more abstract discussion of the Part 2 topic. About 4–5 minutes.
imagination in childhood
- Can you explain why children need time to play and imagine things?
- In general, what activities help children develop their imagination?
- What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of giving children a lot of screen time instead of free play?
creativity at work
- Can you describe the kinds of jobs that need a lot of imagination?
- What could be done about the lack of creative work in many everyday jobs?
- Can you speculate on how valuable imagination will become as machines take over routine work?
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.