Describe a time when you waited for something special to happen.
This test has appeared in 8 seasons · 4 reported by test takers
- May–Aug/2026
- Jan–Apr/2026
- Sep–Dec/2025
- Sep–Dec/2024
- Jan–Apr/2024
- Sep–Dec/2023
- 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?)
Old people
- Do you spend much time with older people? (Why is that?)
- Which older person in your life do you admire? (Tell me more about that.)
- What did you learn from your grandparents when you were young? (Tell me more about that.)
- Do you think young people should spend more time with the elderly? (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 waited for something special to happen.
You should say:
- what you were waiting for
- how long you had to wait
- what you did while you were waiting
and explain how you felt when it finally happened.
Follow-up question after your talk: Are you a patient person? / Was it worth the wait?
Part 3
A broader, more abstract discussion of the Part 2 topic. About 4–5 minutes.
waiting in everyday life
- Can you explain why people find waiting harder than they used to?
- In general, what do people usually do to pass the time while they wait?
- What could be done about the time people waste waiting in shops and offices?
patience and modern services
- Can you describe how quickly goods are delivered to people's homes now?
- What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of being able to get almost anything immediately?
- Can you speculate on how patient people will be as services become faster?
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.