IELTS Speaking Part 3: Being proud
7 Part 3 discussion questions on being proud, with developed sample answers of the kind Part 3 expects.
Is it good to reward children too often?
No, rewarding children too often can backfire in several ways. When rewards are constant, they lose their motivational power – a child expects a treat for every small task and becomes less likely to act without one. This is known as the “overjustification effect”: intrinsic motivation (doing something because it is satisfying) can be crowded out by extrinsic rewards. Additionally, frequent rewards that are not tied to genuine effort or achievement can teach children that they are entitled to prizes just for existing, which does not prepare them for the real world. However, the problem is not rewards themselves but how they are used. Sporadic, unexpected rewards for meaningful effort are more effective than predictable, frequent rewards for trivial tasks. The best “reward” is often attention, praise, and quality time – not material goods. So the advice is: praise process and effort, not just outcomes, and use tangible rewards sparingly.
On what occasions would adults feel proud of themselves?
Adults typically feel proud when they achieve something that required significant effort, skill, or personal growth. Examples include completing a difficult project at work, finishing a marathon, learning a new language, or overcoming a fear (e.g., public speaking). Professional promotions, launching a successful business, or publishing creative work also trigger pride. On a personal level, adults feel proud when they handle a crisis well – staying calm during an emergency, supporting a friend through grief, or making a difficult ethical decision. Milestones like buying a home, paying off debt, or raising a child who shows kindness can also be sources of quiet pride. Interestingly, adults also feel proud of maintaining discipline in small ways – sticking to a budget, exercising regularly, or not losing their temper. Unlike children’s pride, which often involves recognition from others, adult pride is often a quiet, internal recognition of having lived up to one’s own standards.
Is it a good idea to reward children for doing homework or housework?
It depends on the age and the type of work. For young children, small rewards (stickers, extra screen time) for completing chores can help establish routines, as long as the rewards are phased out over time. However, for tasks that should be expected as part of family contribution (cleaning their room, setting the table), paying money can undermine a sense of responsibility. Homework is different – ideally, the intrinsic reward of learning and competence should be sufficient. In practice, many parents use rewards for homework to combat resistance, but studies suggest this works temporarily and can reduce internal motivation. A better approach is to reward effort and improvement, not just completion, and to tie rewards to long-term goals (e.g., a trip to a museum after a month of consistent homework). For teenagers, rewards for housework might be appropriate as an allowance system that teaches budgeting. So: yes for establishing habits in young children, but with a plan to move to intrinsic motivation; and use with caution for homework.
What would children do to make their parents proud?
Children often try to make parents proud by achieving visible successes: good grades, sports victories, awards, or positive feedback from teachers. They may also adopt behaviours their parents value – helping younger siblings, being polite to adults, or following family traditions. Older children might take on responsibilities like babysitting or part-time jobs to show maturity. Sometimes, children try to make parents proud by excelling in a field the parent themselves valued but never mastered (e.g., becoming a doctor because a parent wanted to be one). However, this can become a source of pressure if the child feels they are performing for parental approval rather than their own joy. The most meaningful pride for parents often comes from unexpected moments of character: a child standing up against bullying, sharing generously, or showing resilience after failure. Children sense what truly delights their parents, and they naturally orient toward that – for better or worse.
What did you do to make your parents proud when you were young?
When I was young, I made my parents proud primarily through academic achievement – getting top marks in exams and winning a few essay competitions. I also remember the pride on their faces when I learned to play a simple song on the piano after weeks of practice. Outside of achievements, they were proud when I showed empathy, like sharing my lunch with a classmate who forgot theirs, or when I stood up for a friend being teased. One specific memory: after my father had a long illness, I took on extra chores without being asked, and my mother told me years later how proud that made her. Interestingly, the things that made them proud were not always the big awards but the small consistency – doing homework without reminders, being honest even when it was hard. As a child, I did not always realise what mattered most to them; I assumed it was grades, but in hindsight, it was character.
What advantages of yours make you proud?
I am proud of my ability to stay calm under pressure – whether during exams, public speaking, or unexpected crises. This composure allows me to think clearly when others panic, which has helped in group projects and leadership roles. I am also proud of my intellectual curiosity; I genuinely enjoy learning for its own sake, which has made studying feel like a privilege rather than a chore. Another advantage is my capacity for self-discipline – I can stick to a study schedule, resist distractions, and delay gratification when working toward a long-term goal. I am also a good listener, and friends often tell me they feel heard and understood, which makes me proud of my interpersonal skills. Finally, I am proud of my resilience: I have faced rejections and failures, but I have always gotten back up and tried again, usually wiser. These advantages are not innate talents but skills I have consciously developed over time, and that effort makes me proud.
When was the last time that you felt proud of yourself?
The last time I felt genuinely proud of myself was last month when I successfully defended my undergraduate thesis in front of a panel of professors. I had spent six months on the research, hit numerous dead ends, and rewrote the conclusion three times. On the day of the defence, I was extremely nervous, but I answered every question thoroughly and even pointed out a limitation that the panel had not mentioned – they appreciated my honesty. Afterwards, my advisor told me it was one of the best defences he had seen in years. But the pride did not come from the praise; it came from the memory of those late nights when I wanted to give up but kept going. I proved to myself that I have the stamina and intellectual rigour to complete a challenging project. That feeling of crossing a finish line after your own doubts – that is what pride feels like.
Reading a model answer is not the same as saying one. The sample above shows what a strong Part 3 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 is Part 3 different from Part 1?
Part 1 is about you; Part 3 is about people in general. The questions move to society, causes and consequences, and the answers are expected to be longer and more developed — an opinion plus a reason plus an example.
What if I have no opinion on the question?
You are not marked on the opinion, so pick one and support it. Saying you have never thought about it and stopping there leaves the examiner nothing to assess.
How long does Part 3 last?
Four to five minutes. The topics develop out of your Part 2 card, so the discussion is usually connected to what you just described.
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.