IELTS Speaking Part 2: Full Band 8.5+ Sample Answer

🎤 IELTS Speaking Part 2: Full Band 8.5+ Sample Answer

Topic: “Describe a time you solved a problem creatively.”
(You will have 1 minute to prepare, then speak for 2 minutes.)

You should say:

• When this happened
• What the problem was
• How you solved it
• And explain what you learned from this experience

Sample Response (Band 8.5+):

“Let me tell you about a stressful yet rewarding experience I had last winter. It was finals week at university, and my laptop charger suddenly stopped working the night before my 10-page Environmental Policy paper was due. Panic set in immediately—all my research was on that laptop, and electronics stores had already closed for the night.

Instead of giving up, I decided to investigate. Using a screwdriver from my desk, I carefully disassembled the charger’s casing and discovered the issue: a frayed wire near the DC jack had completely snapped. Remembering my brother’s hobby of building circuit boards, I rushed to his room and borrowed his soldering iron. After three shaky attempts (I’d never soldered before!), I managed to reconnect the wire. The charger sparked alarmingly when I first plugged it in, but miraculously, it worked!

This makeshift solution got me through the night. I submitted my paper on time and even got an A-. More importantly, it taught me two life lessons: first, that resourcefulness in crisis matters more than perfect tools, and second, that observing my brother’s tinkering for years had subconsciously taught me problem-solving skills I didn’t know I had.”

📝 Examiner’s Analysis

Why This Scores Band 8.5+:

✅ Fluency & Coherence (9):

• Natural storytelling flow with signposting: “Instead of giving up…”, “More importantly…”
• No repetition or self-correction.

✅ Lexical Resource (8.5):

• Precise vocabulary: “disassembled,” “frayed wire,” “makeshift solution,” “subconsciously taught”
• Idiomatic phrases: “Panic set in,” “got me through the night.”

✅ Grammar (8.5):

• Mix of complex structures:
• Past perfect (“had already closed”)
• Participle clauses (“Remembering my brother’s hobby…”)
• Only 1 minor error (“three shaky attempts” → slightly informal but acceptable in speaking).

✅ Pronunciation (8):

• Clear stress on key words (“miraculously,” “subconsciously”)
• Natural intonation showing emotion (panic → pride).

💡 How to Upgrade to Band 9:

1. Add Sensory Details (Band 9 Trick):

• “The smell of melting solder filled my room, and my hands trembled as I aligned the tiny wire.”

1. Use 1 ‘Wow’ Word:

• Replace “problem-solving skills” with “lateral thinking abilities.”

1. Stronger Conclusion:

• “Now whenever I face obstacles, I hear my brother’s voice: ‘Improvisation is the mother of innovation.'”

🎤 Practice Task for Readers:

“Try recording yourself answering this cue card. Compare your response to our sample using these criteria:”

1. Did you use at least 3 advanced vocabulary words?
2. Did your story have clear emotional progression (problem → struggle → solution → lesson)?
3. Did you speak for 1:45-2:15 minutes without long pauses?