Describe a time when you were very busy.
This test has appeared in 10 seasons · 4 reported by test takers
- May–Aug/2026
- May–Aug/2025
- Jan–Apr/2025
- Sep–Dec/2024
- May–Aug/2024
- Jan–Apr/2024
- May–Aug/2023
- Jan–Apr/2023
- Sep–Dec/2022
- May–Aug/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?)
Carrying things
- Do you usually carry a bag when you go out? (Why is that?)
- What things do you always take with you when you leave home? (Tell me more about that.)
- Did you have to carry heavy bags to school as a child? (Why is that?)
- Do you think people carry too many things with them these days? (Why is that?)
Reading
- Do you like reading? (Why is that?)
- What kind of things do you usually read? (Tell me more about that.)
- Did you read more when you were a child than you do now? (Why is that?)
- Do you prefer reading paper books or reading on a screen? (Why is that?)
Part 2
One minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes.
Describe a time when you were very busy.
You should say:
- when it was
- what you had to do
- how you managed your time
and explain how you felt during that time.
Follow-up question after your talk: Are you usually busy at this time of year? / How long did that busy period last?
Part 3
A broader, more abstract discussion of the Part 2 topic. About 4–5 minutes.
busy lives today
- Can you explain why many people feel busier now than their parents did?
- In general, which groups of people tend to have the least free time?
- How would you contrast the pace of life in big cities with the pace in small towns?
work and rest
- Can you explain why some people find it hard to stop thinking about work?
- What could be done about staff who work too many hours?
- Can you speculate on how technology will change the number of hours people work each week?
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.