Describe a time when you changed your opinion
IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card with a full sample answer, a Band 9 model of the two-minute long turn.
The cue card
Describe a time when you changed your opinion
You should say:
- what the original opinion was
- why you changed it
- when it was
- how you felt about it
Sample answer
I'd like to describe a time when I significantly changed my opinion about something — specifically, my attitude towards online learning.
My original opinion was quite negative. Before the pandemic, I was firmly convinced that online learning was vastly inferior to traditional classroom education. I believed that studying through a screen would be impersonal, ineffective and full of distractions, and that nothing could ever replace the experience of learning face-to-face with a teacher and classmates. I was, frankly, quite dismissive of the whole idea.
However, my perspective changed dramatically a few years ago, when the pandemic forced all of us to switch to online learning almost overnight. Initially, I approached it with a great deal of scepticism, fully expecting it to be a frustrating experience.
The reason I changed my mind was that, to my surprise, I found online learning to be far more effective and convenient than I had ever imagined. I discovered that I could learn at my own pace, revisit recorded lessons whenever I needed to, and save an enormous amount of time and energy by not having to commute. I also gained access to a wealth of high-quality courses and resources from all over the world that simply wouldn't have been available to me otherwise. Once I got used to it, I actually began to appreciate its flexibility.
As for how I felt about this change, it was genuinely eye-opening. I felt a little embarrassed that I had been so quick to dismiss something without properly trying it. More importantly, though, the experience taught me a valuable lesson about keeping an open mind and not judging things based on assumptions. I now believe that online learning, while not perfect, is a hugely valuable tool, and I've become a real advocate for it. It reminded me that we should always be willing to reconsider our opinions in the light of new experiences.
315 words — roughly 2–3 minutes at a natural speaking pace.
Reading a model answer is not the same as saying one. The sample above shows what a strong Part 2 answer sounds like. What it cannot tell you is how yours sounds — whether you hesitate, repeat the question back, or run out of things to say at forty seconds.
You can record an answer to this exact question and get it marked on fluency and coherence, lexical resource, grammatical range and pronunciation — the same four criteria the examiner uses.
Common questions
How long should I speak for in Part 2?
Between one and two minutes. The examiner stops you at two, so aim to still be talking at the ninety-second mark rather than finishing early — running out at forty seconds is the most common problem in this part.
What do I do with the one minute of preparation time?
You get one minute and a pencil and paper. Most candidates waste it writing full sentences they then read aloud, which sounds flat. Note a few keywords against each bullet instead, so you have four things to say and can speak naturally from them.
Do I have to cover all four bullet points?
They are prompts, not a checklist, and you are not penalised for skipping one. In practice they are the easiest way to fill two minutes, so covering them is usually the simplest way to keep going.
Does it matter if the story is not true?
No. You are assessed on your English, not on whether the events happened. Inventing detail is fine and often easier than recalling a real memory under pressure.
Model answers written and reviewed by The English All-in-One IELTS team. They are teaching models showing what each band looks like, not real candidate scripts.