Talk about an interesting conversation
You should say:
- Who was the person
- When and where did you have the conversation
- What was the conversation about
Model Answer:
- I consider myself to be very social person and I love talking to people.
- There are certain conversations that I can never forget.
- This specific conversation I am going to talk about today happened roughly four five months ago and that too with a stranger.
- I was travelling by bus to Chandigarh for an exam.
- This person boarded the bus at the next stop.
- He sat next to me and we just casually started talking.
- The conversation started with normal day to day things like the increasing traffic and the sweltering summer heat.
- After some time, he started telling me about his profession.
- He was in the merchant navy.
- So, as soon as he told me about his profession, I flooded him with questions.
- He told me about the difficulties and also told me about the fun part of being in the merchant navy.
- Some things were very interesting.
- He told me that he only works about 8 months a year.
- Rest of the 4 months he spends with his family.
- He plays cricket, goes on vacations and does whatever he wants during those four months.
- I remember that he was a bit sad though, as it was the last day of those 4 months, that year.
- After this conversation, all I could think about was merchant navy.
- Like other childhood fantasies, the craze disappeared very soon.
- However, this conversation will always be a part of my memories.
Microsoft Word – makkarIELTS Speaking Jan-Apr 2020 – Final Version -14 Jan.docx
Another Idea
Describe an important conversation that influenced you
You should say:
- When this happened
- Who you were talking to
- What you talked about
- How this conversation influenced you
Sample answer
- Man is a social animal and conversations are a part of life.
- I’ve had many conversations in my life, but here I would like to talk about a conversation, which influenced me a lot.
- This conversation was with my cousin, Suman, who had come from Canada.
- She went to Humber College, Canada two years ago for her higher education.
- She came to our house to pay a visit.
- We chatted with each other for a long time.
- She told me all about her life in Canada.
- I asked her many questions about the education there and about any problems she faced there.
- She told me that the education there is very good.
- They focus on the practical side and teach in a more interesting way.
- She also told me that she worked part time for 20 hours a week during her studies. She managed to earn for her overhead expenses by this.
- She told me that initially she faced many food problems.
- Actually, vegetarian food outlets are not easy to find over there.
- Now she cooks for herself, as everything is available in the Indian stores over there.
- She told me that her education is almost over, and now she is looking for a full time job.
- After that she will be able to apply for PR over there.
- She motivated me to pursue my higher education in Canada.
- She even talked to my parents about it.
- Today, I am in front of you, taking my IELTS, just because of the influence of that conversation.
Part 3 – Follow up Questions
- What is the difference between the conversation between males and females?
Men generally talk about sports, business, politics, whereas women talk about fashion, family and children. However, gender differences are disappearing very rapidly. It is not surprising to see women talk about politics and men talk about cooking and fashion. - What is the difference between talking on phone and face to face conversation?
Face to face conversation allows a person to use expressions and gestures, which add life to any conversation. It has a personal touch. There is little room for telling lies. On the other hand, a phone conversation can be very deceptive. - Why do some people get nervous when they give presentation?
Some people are stage-shy. They can’t speak in front of a gathering. They have glossophobia. - Do you think using visual aids while giving presentation are necessary?
By using visual aids, the presentation can become more interesting and can bind the audience. So, it is very necessary to use visual aids while giving a presentation. - Why is body language important?
Body language can do what words cannot. It is a non verbal communication. It involves gestures, movements and expressions to convey messages. It breaks the barrier of unfamiliarity. - Do you think humour is important for a speaker?
Yes, indeed it is. Humour can lighten up any speech and arouse the interest of the audience. - What kind of speaker do you like?
I like a speaker who speaks in a way that can hold my attention. He should make his speech so lively that makes me want to listen to him. - Is public speaking important in politics?
Politics is all about public speaking. No one can be a good politician without good oratorical skills. - Are there any disadvantages of face to face conversation?
Yes, sometimes a person may feel nervous and may not be able to express himself well face-to-face. Sometimes, if there is a conflict then there are chances that one person may get so angry that he may hit the other person. On the whole there are more advantages of face-to-face conversation. - How do friends communicate with each other?
Friends communicate with each other in many ways. They communicate face to face, through phone and also through the Internet. - What’s the difference between having a conversation with a man and having a conversation with a woman?
There are no gender differences nowadays. Both, men and women, can talk equally well on any topic they are interested in, be it sports, or politics, or fashion. - Do you think women like to chat more than men?
I don’t think so. Gender has nothing to do with the preference of chatting. It is a matter of individual choice. - What is the difference between chatting and gossiping?
Chatting is general talk on various topics, whereas gossiping is talking about other people behind their back. Chatting has a positive connotation, whereas gossiping has a negative connotation. - Who do you prefer chatting with – your parents or your friends?
I prefer both equally. I talk to my parents about my day to day’s happenings, whereas I discuss studies, sports and movies etc. with friends. - Do most people have just a small number of friends, or many friends?
It is very difficult to generalize. Some people have few friends and some like to have a lot of friends. Mostly, face to face friendship is limited to a few close friends, but people have a huge network of online friends these days on Facebook or Whatsapp. - How do most people make new friends in your country?
Most people make new friends in schools and colleges, while attending family functions or other social functions or while travelling in public transport. - Do you think people’s abilities or intelligence is a factor when people become friends?
Yes, definitely, when people make new friends, they look for the person’s abilities. Small children, however, have innocent friendships. They do not look into any such qualities. - What qualities do you think a good friend should have?
A good friend should be reliable. You should be able to open your heart’s innermost secrets with him without having the tension that he will disclose them to anyone. Secondly, a good friend should be intelligent. He should be able to guide you from time to time. He should have a good sense of humour. He should be able to turn any tense situation into a happy one. - Do you think it’s possible to determine how sincere a person is the first time you meet him?
No, it is not possible to do so. Appearances can be very deceptive. So, we should think twice before trusting a complete stranger.
