A plan that changed
IELTS Speaking Part 2 · cue card
Describe a time when you had to change your plans.
You should say:
- what you had planned
- why you had to change it
- what you did instead
- and explain how you felt about the change
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 242 words, roughly two minutes spoken. Use it for ideas and language, not to memorise: examiners notice rehearsed answers.
Last December, my friends and I had planned a four-day trip to Sajek Valley in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. We'd been talking about it for months, booked a cottage, and even bought matching hoodies for the photos.
Two days before we were supposed to leave, there was news of a road closure because of local unrest in the hills, and the authorities advised tourists not to travel there. The cottage owner also called and said it wasn't safe to come. So we had no choice but to cancel.
At first we were all really disappointed, and one friend wanted to cancel the whole holiday. But after a long video call, we decided to go somewhere completely different: Kuakata, a beach in the far south, which none of us had visited. It was a bit of a rush; we booked a night launch from Dhaka, which is a river boat, and found a basic guesthouse near the beach.
It turned out to be one of the best trips we've ever had. The launch journey itself was amazing; we stayed up on the deck all night talking and watching the river. In Kuakata you can see both the sunrise and the sunset from the same beach, which is very rare.
Initially I felt frustrated, but now I feel grateful for the change. It taught me to be more flexible, and I realised that sometimes the unplanned option can be better than the perfect plan.
Useful vocabulary
- road closure
- a road that is officially blocked
- unrest
- public disorder or conflict
- had no choice but to
- were forced to
- a bit of a rush
- done quickly with little time
- turned out to be
- finally proved to be
- flexible
- able to change easily
Part 3 follow-up questions
- Is it better to plan everything or to be spontaneous?
- Why do some people find changes difficult?
- Should young people make long-term life plans?
- How do companies deal with unexpected changes?
- What skills help people adapt to change?
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.