Describe a Time You Solved a Problem: IELTS Sample Answer

The cue card

A typical version of this IELTS Speaking Part 2 topic might look like this:

Describe a time you solved a problem.

You should say:

• what the problem was
• when and where it happened
• what you did to solve it
• whether anyone helped you

and explain how you felt after solving the problem.

Choose a situation with a clear beginning, middle and end.

For example:

• your laptop stopped working before an important deadline
• you missed a train and had to find another route
• an event you organised had a last-minute problem
• you lost something important while travelling
• a group project was falling behind schedule
• you helped a friend fix a practical problem

Try to choose something where you actually took action. If the problem simply disappeared by itself, you will have less to explain.

This is an experience-based cue card, so our IELTS Speaking Part 2 Experiences Topics hub is useful for practising similar storytelling questions.

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A simple one-minute plan

Use your preparation minute to write keywords, not complete sentences.

Imagine you choose a travel problem where you missed the last train home.

Your notes could look like this:

Problem:
missed last train

Where/when:
weekend trip, unfamiliar city

Response:
checked alternatives, buses, taxi too expensive

Solution:
found late coach + short taxi

Help:
station worker gave directions

Result/feeling:
home late, relieved, learnt to check schedules

A simple structure is:

Situation → Problem → Options → Solution → Result

The options stage is useful because it gives you something to describe between the problem and the solution.

Instead of:

I missed the train, so I took a bus.

you can develop the story:

I first checked whether there was another train, but there wasn’t. I considered taking a taxi, although it would have been extremely expensive. Eventually, I found a late-night coach that went most of the way home.

Now you have a proper sequence rather than a two-sentence story.

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Band 7+ sample answer

I’m going to talk about a problem I had while travelling a couple of years ago when I missed the last train home.

I’d spent the day visiting a friend in another city, and I hadn’t paid much attention to the train schedule because I assumed there would be services until quite late. Unfortunately, when I arrived at the station, I discovered that the last direct train had already left.

At first, I was quite stressed because I had work the following morning and staying overnight wasn’t really practical. My first idea was to get a taxi, but when I checked the price, it was far more expensive than I was willing to pay.

I then started looking at different routes on my phone. I found that there was a late coach going to a town fairly close to where I lived, but I wasn’t sure where it departed from. I asked one of the station staff for help, and he showed me where the coach stop was and explained how long it would take.

In the end, I took the coach and then got a short taxi ride for the final part of the journey. It took much longer than the train would have, but I managed to get home that night without spending a ridiculous amount of money.

I felt extremely relieved once I finally got home. Looking back, it wasn’t a particularly serious problem, but at the time it felt quite stressful because I was in an unfamiliar place and needed to make a decision quickly.

It also taught me a fairly obvious lesson, which is to check the last train before assuming there will always be another one.

This works well because the problem is simple but contains enough decisions, alternatives and consequences to create a complete story.

Useful vocabulary and collocations

These expressions can help you describe someone naturally.

Other useful language includes:

• something went wrong
• think on my feet
• stay calm
• consider the alternatives
• ask for help
• try a different approach
• solve the issue
• find an alternative
• take matters into my own hands
• come across a difficulty
• manage to
• eventually
• in the end
• fortunately
• learn from the experience

Do not force too many problem-solving expressions into the same answer. Two or three natural collocations are enough.

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Why this answer works

The sample gives the listener the context immediately:

travelling a couple of years ago

and then introduces the problem clearly:

the last direct train had already left

From there, the story progresses logically.

The speaker considers several options:

• staying overnight
• taking a taxi
• finding another route
• using a coach

This is particularly useful in a problem-solving topic because it shows how the solution was reached, rather than simply announcing the final answer.

The response also uses natural sequencing language:

At first...

My first idea was...

I then started...

In the end...

Looking back...

There is also a useful range of grammar:

I’d spent the day...

I assumed there would be...

it would have been...

I managed to...

it taught me...

These structures appear naturally because the speaker is describing earlier past events, alternatives and results.

Another strength is the final reflection. The speaker explains not only how they felt, but also what they learnt from the experience.

That gives the answer a clear ending rather than simply stopping once the practical problem has been solved.

Another useful way to practise this past-event structure is with Describe a Time You Learned Something New.

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Part 3 follow-up questions

A problem-solving Part 2 topic can lead to broader Part 3 questions about decision-making, education, technology and dealing with difficulty.

Possible questions include:

1. What kinds of problems do people face in everyday life?
2. Are young people good at solving problems independently?
3. Should schools teach problem-solving skills?
4. Is it better to solve problems alone or ask others for help?
5. Why do some people remain calm during difficult situations?
6. Does technology help people solve problems?
7. Can technology create new problems as well?
8. How important is experience when making difficult decisions?
9. Do people make better decisions when they have more time?
10. Are practical problem-solving skills more important than academic knowledge?
11. Why do some people avoid dealing with problems?
12. Should children be allowed to solve their own problems?
13. Do older and younger people solve problems differently?
14. How can companies encourage employees to solve problems creatively?
15. Is making mistakes an important part of learning?

For example:

Should schools teach problem-solving skills?

Yes, I think they should, because students need more than factual knowledge once they enter adult life. Schools could give students more practical tasks where there isn’t just one correct answer, which would encourage them to think independently rather than simply memorise information.

A useful Part 3 structure is:

Opinion → Reason → Example or consequence

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Create your own answer

Choose a real problem you have solved.

Then prepare keywords for these five areas:

1. Situation

Where were you?

When did it happen?

What were you trying to do?

2. Problem

What went wrong?

Why was it difficult?

3. Options

What possible solutions did you consider?

Did your first idea work?

4. Solution

What did you eventually do?

Did anybody help you?

5. Result and reflection

Was the problem completely solved?

How did you feel?

What did you learn?

Then practise speaking from your keywords for one to two minutes.

Do not worry if the problem itself seems ordinary.

A missed train, broken computer or difficult group project can produce a strong IELTS answer because the examiner is assessing your English, not how dramatic your life is.

For Describe a Time You Solved a Problem IELTS Speaking Part 2, focus on telling a clear story. Establish the situation, explain exactly what went wrong, describe the options you considered, show how you reached a solution and finish with the result or lesson you learnt. That structure will help you speak for longer while keeping your answer coherent and easy to follow.

More IELTS Speaking Part 2 practice

• IELTS Speaking Part 2 Experiences Topics
• Describe a Time You Learned Something New
• IELTS Speaking Part 2 Sample Answers