Good advice you received
IELTS Speaking Part 2 · cue card
Describe a piece of good advice someone gave you.
You should say:
- who gave you the advice
- what the advice was
- when you received it
- and explain why it was good advice
You have one minute to prepare and should speak for one to two minutes.
Free account required for the live AI partner.
Band 7+ sample answer
About 239 words, roughly two minutes spoken. Use it for ideas and language, not to memorise: examiners notice rehearsed answers.
The best advice I've ever received came from my first manager at a part-time job in a bookshop, when I was nineteen. His name was Mr Jamil, and he'd worked in bookselling for over twenty years.
One day I made a mistake with a customer's order; I'd ordered the wrong edition of a textbook, and she was angry because she needed it for an exam. I panicked and started making excuses, blaming the supplier and the computer system. Afterwards, Mr Jamil took me aside and said: "When you make a mistake, say three things: what happened, that you're sorry, and what you'll do to fix it. Nothing else."
It sounded too simple, but he explained that excuses make people angrier, because they feel you care more about protecting yourself than about solving their problem. So the next time something went wrong, I tried it, and he was completely right. The customer calmed down immediately when I simply said, "I ordered the wrong edition, I'm sorry, and I'll have the correct one here by Thursday."
I think it's good advice because it works everywhere, not only at work. I've used it with professors, with friends, and even with my parents. It's also good advice because it takes away the fear of mistakes. Once you know exactly what to say, a mistake becomes a small problem to solve, not a disaster. I've passed the advice on to my younger brother, too.
Useful vocabulary
- took me aside
- spoke to me privately
- making excuses
- giving reasons to avoid blame
- protecting yourself
- trying to avoid blame
- calmed down
- became less angry
- takes away the fear
- removes the worry
- passed the advice on
- told it to someone else
Part 3 follow-up questions
- Who do young people usually ask for advice?
- Is advice from the internet reliable?
- Should older people always give advice to younger people?
- Why do some people ignore good advice?
- Are professional advisers, such as career counsellors, useful?
Tip: in Part 3, give an opinion, a reason and an example, and consider another point of view. Aim for 3–5 sentences per answer.
How to practise this card
- Set a one-minute timer and write keywords for each bullet, not full sentences.
- Speak for two minutes and record yourself on your phone.
- Listen back: did you cover every bullet and the "explain" part? Note one phrase from the vocabulary list to use next time.
- Answer two Part 3 questions out loud, then try the card again with the AI Speaking Partner.