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IELTS Speaking Part 2 · Experiences

Describe a difficult challenge you faced

Describe a difficult challenge you faced

You should say:

  • what the challenge was
  • when you faced it
  • how you dealt with it

and explain why this was particularly challenging for you.

How to plan your answer

Use your 1 minute to jot down key words for each point, not full sentences.

  1. 1

    what the challenge was

    Organising a university charity fundraising event with a very tight deadline.

  2. 2

    when you faced it

    Faced during my final undergraduate semester while preparing for crucial final exams.

  3. 3

    how you dealt with it

    Broke the project into small tasks, delegated roles, and sought local sponsorships.

  4. 4

    and explain why this was particularly challenging for you.

    Challenging due to zero experience, stage fright, and balancing heavy academic stress.

Sample answer

about 249 words · 2 minutes

A particularly tough challenge I faced was organising a charity fundraising event at my university last year. It happened during my final semester, which made the timing extremely tricky because I was simultaneously preparing for my end-of-year exams. The main task was to host a community fair that would raise money for a local children's shelter. We had less than a month to pull everything together, and our budget was virtually non-existent. To deal with this situation, I realised early on that I could not manage it all by myself. I broke down the project into smaller, manageable tasks and created a clear schedule. I recruited a team of five enthusiastic student volunteers and delegated specific roles, such as marketing, sponsorship, and logistics. We reached out to local businesses to get free supplies and venue space in exchange for promotion. Whenever a problem arose, like a performer cancelling at the last minute, I stayed calm and looked for quick alternatives rather than panicking. This experience was exceptionally challenging for me because I had never organised anything on such a large scale before. I used to struggle with stage fright and second-guessing my decisions, so taking charge of a major project felt completely out of my comfort zone. Balancing the constant demands of the event with my academic workload tested my limits both mentally and physically. However, overcoming these obstacles boosted my confidence immensely, and in the end, the fair was a resounding success, raising well over our initial target.

A teaching example, not a script to memorise. Say it in your own words.

Useful phrases

  • pull everything together

    We only had two days to pull everything together before the conference started.

  • virtually non-existent

    When I started my business, my marketing budget was virtually non-existent.

  • out of my comfort zone

    Speaking in front of a huge audience was completely out of my comfort zone.

  • second-guessing my decisions

    You will waste valuable time if you keep second-guessing your decisions.

  • a resounding success

    The community art project turned out to be a resounding success.

Common mistakes

I faced a challenge who was very big.

I faced a challenge that was very big.

Use 'that' or 'which' for things, reserving 'who' exclusively for people.

It me to feel very stressed.

It made me feel very stressed.

The verb 'make' is followed by an object and bare infinitive without 'to'.

I managed to solve this problem very good.

I managed to solve this problem very well.

Use the adverb 'well' to modify verbs, not the adjective 'good'.

Tips for a higher band

  • Use natural discourse markers like 'to be honest' or 'as it turned out' to connect ideas smoothly.
  • Paraphrase words like 'difficult' with varied alternatives such as 'demanding', 'formidable', or 'testing my limits'.
  • Incorporate mixed past tenses, such as past perfect and past continuous, to describe context clearly.

Part 3 follow-up questions

After Part 2 the examiner may ask deeper questions on the same theme.

  • What kinds of challenges do young people face in society today?
  • Do you think people learn more from their successes or their failures?
  • How can parents help children develop problem-solving skills when facing obstacles?

Now try this cue card

1 minute to prepare, up to 2 minutes to speak, then a band estimate and tips for each criterion.

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Practice estimate, not an official IELTS score.

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Describe a difficult challenge you faced (IELTS Cue Card & Sample Answer)