In the IELTS Speaking test, especially in IELTS Speaking Part 2, candidates are often asked to describe a time when they did something memorable or significant. This guide will walk you through how to effectively describe a time or event in the past, providing a detailed framework you can adapt for almost any topic in Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking test. Whether you’re describing a party, an exciting activity, or an important life event, this guide offers vocabulary, grammar tips, and structural techniques to help you succeed. Go here for Describe a Place: The Ultimate Guide, and here for Describe a Person: The Ultimate Guide. Check out the latest IELTS Speaking Questions if you have your test soon.
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Table of Contents
| Heading | Subheading |
|---|---|
| 1. Introduction to Describing a Time or Event | |
| 2. Understanding the Question | – Common types of questions in IELTS Speaking Part 2 |
| 3. Essential Vocabulary for Describing Events | – Words and phrases for events |
| 4. Setting the Scene: Time and Place | – Prepositions of time and place |
| – Using the past continuous and past simple effectively | |
| 5. Describing the People Involved | – Using relationships and occupations to describe people |
| – Group words and phrases | |
| 6. Structuring Your Answer: Sequence and Flow | – Using sequence markers |
| – Incorporating direct and indirect speech | |
| 7. Expressing Feelings and Emotions | – Adjectives to describe events |
| – Adjectives for describing feelings | |
| 8. Emphasizing the Importance of the Event | – Using the third conditional and present perfect |
| 9. Concluding Your Monologue | – Useful concluding expressions |
| 10. Grammar Focus: Tenses for Describing Past Events | – Past simple, past continuous, and past perfect |
| 11. Tips for Fluency and Coherence | – Linking phrases and cohesive devices |
| 12. Practicing for the Test | – Importance of regular practice |
| 13. Common Mistakes to Avoid | – Grammar and vocabulary pitfalls |
| 14. Sample Answer: Describing a Time You Helped Someone | – Example structure and vocabulary |
| 15. FAQs for Describing Events in IELTS Speaking | |
| 16. Grammar & Vocabulary in More Detail | – More detailed examples from previous sections |
IELTS Speaking Part 2 Quiz: It Doesn’t Need to be Hell!
1. Introduction to Describing a Time or Event
Describing a time or event in the IELTS Speaking test requires not just recounting the details, but also structuring your answer in a coherent, engaging way. This guide focuses on crafting detailed and memorable responses to questions that ask about past events, from memorable parties to significant life changes.
Understanding the key components of your response—what happened, where and when it occurred, who was involved, and how you felt about it—will help you structure a strong answer.
2. Understanding the Question
IELTS Speaking Part 2 often includes questions like:
- Describe a party you enjoyed.
- Describe a time when you helped someone.
- Describe a situation where something didn’t go as planned.
These questions ask you to focus on a specific event. Pay attention to the details in the question: Was it a positive or negative experience? Did it involve other people? How did it affect you?
3. Essential Vocabulary for Describing Events
Choosing the right vocabulary is essential for effectively describing events. Here’s a list of categories you can draw from:
Types of Events
- Social Events: Party, wedding, gathering, reunion
- Sports Competitions: Football match, marathon, chess tournament
- Cultural Experiences: Festival, concert, play, exhibition
- Life Milestones: Graduation, first job, relocation
- More
Common Phrases
- The time when…: The time when I won the championship…
- The first time I…: The first time I traveled alone…
- More
These phrases help to introduce the event clearly and succinctly.
4. Setting the Scene: Time and Place
To help the examiner visualize the event, you need to describe when and where it happened. Prepositions of time and location play a crucial role here.
Prepositions of Time
- In: In 2019, I attended…
- On: On my birthday last year…
- At: At Christmas, my family and I…
- More
Prepositions of Location
- In: In my hometown…
- At: At the local park…
- On: On the beach…
- More
Using Past Continuous and Past Simple
When setting the scene, you can combine the past continuous and past simple tenses to describe what was happening at a particular moment:
- I was studying for my exams when suddenly I received a call…
- More
5. Describing the People Involved
When recounting an event, mentioning the people who were part of it is crucial. You can describe their relationship to you, their occupations, or their roles during the event.
Relationship and Occupation
- My best friend, who is a doctor, organized the party…
- My uncle, who lives in Canada, was visiting us at the time…
- More
Using these phrases adds depth to your description and helps personalize your narrative.
6. Structuring Your Answer: Sequence and Flow
To ensure that your answer is easy to follow, use sequence markers to guide the listener through your story.
Sequence Markers
- First, we arrived at the venue…
- After that, we…
- Finally, we ended the day with…
- More
These markers help organize your thoughts and make your answer more coherent.
Direct and Indirect Speech
Incorporating reported speech can make your answer more dynamic:
- She said, “This is the best day of my life!” (Direct)
- She told me that it was the best day of her life. (Indirect)
- More
7. Expressing Feelings and Emotions
Describing how you felt during the event adds emotion and personal connection to your answer. Use adjectives to convey your emotions clearly.
Adjectives for Describing Events
- Positive: Amazing, unforgettable, thrilling, enjoyable
- Negative: Disastrous, stressful, disappointing, frustrating
Adjectives for Describing Feelings
- Positive: Excited, relieved, overjoyed, nostalgic
- Negative: Nervous, anxious, embarrassed, regretful
- More
For example:
- I felt incredibly relieved when everything turned out well in the end.
8. Emphasizing the Importance of the Event
To highlight why the event was significant, you can use advanced grammatical structures such as the third conditional and the present perfect.
Third Conditional
- If I hadn’t attended that event, I wouldn’t have met my best friend.
- More
Present Perfect
- Since that day, I’ve always made sure to double-check my work.
These structures help you explain the impact of the event on your life.
9. Concluding Your Monologue
It’s important to finish your description with a strong conclusion that sums up the experience and your feelings about it.
Concluding Expressions
- Overall, it was an unforgettable experience that taught me…
- I will always remember that day as one of the best moments of my life.
These phrases help tie up your story and leave a lasting impression.
10. Grammar Focus: Tenses for Describing Past Events
Using the right tenses is key when describing a past event. Here’s a quick refresher on the tenses you’ll need:
- Past Simple: I attended the concert…
- Past Continuous: While we were watching the performance…
- Past Perfect: I had never seen anything like it before…
11. Tips for Fluency and Coherence
To sound more fluent and natural during the IELTS Speaking test, use linking phrases and cohesive devices. These phrases help your speech flow smoothly.
Linking Phrases
- As a result…
- For this reason…
- In the end…
These phrases create connections between your ideas, making your speech easier to follow.
12. Practicing for the Test
Regular practice is essential to improving your ability to describe events. Try recording yourself, timing your responses, and practicing with a partner to get feedback.
Practice Techniques
- Mock Exams: Simulate real test conditions by timing your responses.
- Peer Feedback: Practice with a friend and provide constructive feedback to each other.
13. Common Mistakes to Avoid
When describing a past event, avoid these common mistakes:
Grammar Mistakes
- Confusing tenses (e.g., using present tense when talking about the past)
- Incorrect use of prepositions (e.g., in versus at)
Vocabulary Pitfalls
- Overusing simple adjectives (e.g., good, bad) instead of more descriptive ones.
14. Sample Answer: Describing a Time You Helped Someone
Let’s look at a sample answer using the structure and vocabulary discussed:
Question: Describe a time you helped someone.
Answer:
I’d like to talk about a time when I helped a friend move to a new apartment. It happened about two years ago, during the summer. My friend, Sarah, had just found a new place in the city and needed help moving her belongings.
The move took place on a Saturday morning, and we started early to avoid the heat. I arrived at her old apartment around 8 AM, and we spent the entire day packing, loading, and finally, unpacking everything at her new place.
The reason this event was so special to me was because it showed how important friendships are. We laughed, struggled, and in the end, celebrated with pizza in her new living room. I felt really proud of myself for being able to help, and I know it meant a lot to Sarah.
Overall, it was a tiring but incredibly rewarding day, and I’ll never forget the feeling of satisfaction I had when we finished.
15. FAQs for Describing Events in IELTS Speaking
1. What should I focus on when describing an event?
Focus on the key details: what happened, when and where it occurred, who was involved, and how you felt about it.
2. How can I make my description more interesting?
Use descriptive language, vary your sentence structure, and incorporate personal feelings to make your description more engaging.
3. Should I use past simple or past continuous?
Use past simple for the main events and past continuous to describe ongoing actions or set the scene.
4. How long should my answer be?
Aim to speak for the full 1-2 minutes in Part 2, ensuring your answer is detailed but not overly long.
5. How do I conclude my answer?
End with a summary of the event and your feelings about it, using concluding expressions like “Overall, it was a rewarding experience…”
6. What if I run out of things to say?
Use linking phrases and expand on details. If needed, you can add additional related information to fill the time.
Conclusion
Describing a time or event in the IELTS Speaking test is all about preparation and practice. With the right vocabulary, grammar structures, and fluency techniques, you can confidently talk about any past experience. Remember to practice regularly, focus on clear, structured answers, and use this guide to help you prepare for success in your IELTS Speaking exam.
Words & Phrases for Events
Obviously, the first thing you should do when beginning your monologue about a past event is to say what type of event it was. Look at the following words and phrases:
| Stories | Competitions/Sports | Learning a Language | Journeys |
| children’s story | sports match | class | school trip |
| bedtime story | boxing match | activity | educational trip |
| novel | sports competition | exercise | road trip |
| poem | athletics competition | role-play | day trip |
| play | chess competition | summer camp | holiday/vacation |
| film | speech contest | English corner | family holiday |
| opera | the Olympic Games | friendly game | tour |
| fable | the Asian Games | class discussion | romantic weekend away |
| fairy tale | debate | ||
| legend |
Common Phrases
As well as the above, you can also use the following phrases to say what the event was:
the time (that/when)+ did something
…the time when I saw an interesting story on TV…
…the time that my friends and I went on a day trip…
…the time I went to the Houston Rockets…
the first time + did something
…the first time I learned to ride a bike…
…the first time I played chess…
…the first time I flew in a plane…
Prepositions of Time & Time Phrases
It’s important to use prepositions of time or time phrases in to naturally explain when the past event happened.
First, remind yourself of the following essential prepositions of time for specific times:
last (weeks, weekends, months, years, festivals)
…last weekend…
…last month…
in (months, seasons, years, long periods of time)
…in December…
…in 1979…
on (days, special days)
…on the 5th of November 2005…
…on my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary…
at (specific times, noon, midnights, festivals)
…at noon on my birthday…
…at Christmas…
during (months, seasons, long festivals, long periods of time)
…during the Summer holiday…
…during the spring…
You can also use the following words and phrases for unspecific times:
around/about (times, months, occasions, festivals, special days)
…around Christmas…
About my 10th birthday…
once
Once I went on a school trip.
I attended a strange party once.
one day
One day I watched a football match with my cousin.
One day I took a bus into the countryside.
a few years ago
A few years ago, I was late for work.
I was late for work a few years ago.
quite a while ago/some time ago
I started going to English corners quite a while ago,
Some time ago, a friend gave me this piece of advice.
when
When I was a child…
I went on a trip when I was at university.
Before cannot be used to replace ago. Generally speaking, after before, we should use a time phrase or clause; therefore, instead of saying It happened a few years before, you should either say ‘It happened a few years ago’, or ‘It happened a few years before I went to university’.
The Past Continuous & Past Simple and Past Perfect & Past Simple for Setting a Scene
Past continuous & past simple
When using the past continuous and past simple, the shorter past simple action happened during the longer past continuous (was/were+ verb-Ing) action.
Let’s look at the two structures of the past continuous and past simple:
(while/when)+ was/were+ verb-Ing+ (when)+ past verb
While/When I was studying at university, I beard an interesting story.
I was studying at university when I beard an interesting story.
(when)+ past verb+ (while/when)+ was/were+ verb-Ing
I heard an interesting story while/when I was studying at university.
When I wrote this letter, I was travelling back to my university.
Past perfect & past simple
You can also use the past perfect and past simple to set a scene of your monologue.
The past perfect (had + past participle) action happened before the past simple action.
The two structures of the past perfect and past simple are:
had (already) + past participle + past verb
I had studied at university for a few months before my teacher told me…
Because I had already performed really well on the school sports day, the headmaster made me attend another competition.
past verb+ had (already) + past participle
My teacher told me something really important after I had studied at university for a few months.
The headmaster made me attend another competition because I had already performed really well on school sports day.
Prepositions of Location
Obviously, when you are talking about a past event, you need to say where it happened.
To do this well, you need to use prepositions of location correctly.
in + an enclosed or larger place
…in my house…
…in Korea…
at + a specific place or location
…at the market…
…at the centre of the page…
on+ a surface or road
…on the highway…
…on the wall…
over/above + a certain place or location
…above the building…
…over the bridge…
next to/beside/by + a certain place or location
…by the lake…
…next to the post office…
…beside a Chinese restaurant…
opposite/across from + a certain place or location
…opposite the bank…
…across from the drugstore…
between+ two places or locations
… between the cafe and the bank…
…between the mountains…
ln front of+ a certain place or location
…in front of my house…
.. .in front of the Rex Hotel…
outside of (a town/city)
…outside of Mexico City…
near (to)
…near the zoo…
…near (to) London…
far from
…far from home…
…far from the gas station…
Relationship, Occupation and Group Words
Most past events people talk about involve other people as in the above answers. You should similarly use relationship, occupation and group words to describe the people involved.
We’ve already looked at some words of relatives, occupations and social positions (Describe a Person: The Ultimate Guide Step 1 Stage 1). The following table contains a few of these words to remind you, as well as words to describe groups of people.
Vocabulary to help you with relatives and occupations
You can also use the following structure to introduce and describe the people in your past event monologue (for more information about relative clauses, see Describe a Person: The Ultimate Guide Step 2 Stage 1.
person+ relative clause
Susan, who was an accountant with HSBC, was waiting for me outside.
My grandfather, who was a very kind and gentle man, got so angry that he…
All of the party-goers who had been dancing all night decided to go to another bar.
Direct & Indirect Speech
The above example is direct speech as Bertha uses quotation marks to say what another person said. (Obviously quotation marks can’t be heard by the examiner during the IELTS test, but you can still use this way to report speech.)
Other examples are:
She always says: “Wear more clothes; don’t catch a cold.”
He said: “I really don’t like this party.”
I said: “I will not go home now.”
This is probably the easiest way to report what somebody has said because you do not need to change the language used.
When you do not use quotation marks and instead use what the person has said as part of your own sentence, this is indirect speech. When using indirect speech, you usually have to change the pronouns, time markers and the tenses of all verbs in the sentence.
The tense should go back one tense further into the past, so that present simple becomes past simple, past simple becomes past perfect, etc.
Examples:
She said: “I love you.”
She said that she loved him.
I said: “I have never loved you.”
I said that I bad never loved her.
When reporting questions, yes/no questions should be changed using if, while questions that use question words such as how, who, why, etc. should be included in the indirect speech.
Examples:
I asked her: “Will you go?” – I asked her if she would go.
She asked him: “Why don’t you love me?” – She asked him why he didn’t love her.
Look at the following examples:
Direct speech Indirect Speech
My mother said: “I won’t have time to read you a story.”
My mother said that she wouldn’t have time to read me a story.
Our teacher said: “Stay together so you won’t get lost.”
Our teacher told us to stay together so that we wouldn’t get lost.
She said: “John was hungry yesterday.”
She said that John had been hungry the day before.
She said: ”.Mary will go to New York tomorrow.”
She said that Mary would go to New York the next day.
She asked him: “Do you like ice cream?”
She asked him if he liked ice cream.
The teacher asked: ”Why didn’t you come to class today?”
The teacher asked me why l hadn’t gone to class that day.
.
In indirect speech, the verbs could, should, would, might, must, need, ought used to are kept.
The Past Simple with Sequence Markers
When you describe an event, you need to use the past simple accurately. You should also use sequence markers to structure your monologue – this makes it clear what order things happened in and also makes you sound much more natural.
Look at the following useful sequence markers:
to start with
at the beginning
at first
as soon as
immediately
straight away
by the time that
then
so
afterwards
following that
following on from that
after (that)
next
soon after/afterwards
shortly after/ afterwards
in the end
finally
Examples:
To start with I felt very nervous, but after a few dances I relaxed and, in the end, had a really great time.
As soon as we entered the stadium, we realised we were very early.
I watched a documentary about wild animals a few years ago. Following that, I decided not to eat meat anymore because I think it’s cruel.
The Past Continuous & Past Simple and Past Perfect & Past Simple with Adverbs of Surprise
suddenly
all of a sudden
to (one’s) surprise
out of the blue
surprisingly
unexpectedly
unbelievably
incredibly
the next thing I knew
When ‘when’ or ‘and then’ appears in the middle of a sentence, they are put in with ‘suddenly’, ‘all of a sudden’, ‘to (one’s) surprise’ and ‘out of the blue’.
These phrases are commonly used in combination with the past continuous and past simple or past perfect and past simple as in the examples below:
with past continuous & past simple
We were quietly walking along the road when suddenly a car crashed right in front of us.
I was sleeping in my parents’ car on the way to the airport and then the next thing I knew we were flying in an aeroplane!
We were watching the basketball match on TV when the electricity unexpectedly stopped. When we were learning the first conditional, the activity our English teacher made us do was surprisingly enjoyable and useful.
with past perfect & past simple
I had just sat down in the restaurant when all of a sudden a woman came to my table and threw a glass of wine over me!
My girlfriend had told me that there was a problem with our flat, and asked me to come home quickly. Incredibly, when I got home I found all my friends and family were there to give me a surprise birthday party!
I had prepared for the presentation for a very long time and although I was nervous, it went unbelievably well.
My classmates and I hadn’t prepared well for the exam and so were really worried. Out of the blue, our teacher told us it was cancelled – it was such a relief!
We had asked our parents for a pet dog many, many times and they always said no. Then one day, to our surprise they said yes!
Adjectives for Describing Events & Adjectives of Feeling
Here are some adjectives for you to use for past events.
In addition to describing what the past event was like, you should also talk about how you felt. This makes it more interesting to the examiner and explains why this event was important to you.
Let’s look at some useful native speaker adjectives of feeling:
embarrassed
irate
incredulous
moved
pleased
delighted
thrilled
over the moon
enthusiastic
reassured
Satisfied
Examples using both kinds of adjectives:
I felt extremely satisfied to see my paper be published in the school newspaper.
Although it was embarrassing at the time, when I think about it now, I guess it’s pretty amusing.
I was really moved to visit a place with such an awe-inspiring history.
The Third Conditional & Present Perfect to Express the Importance of an Event
When you describe an event, you should also tell the examiner what you learned from it or how it has affected your life. This ls a great way of saying why the event was important.
To do this, you can use either the third conditional or the present perfect.
Details of Conditional sentences
Just to remind you of the structure before looking at some examples below.
If + had(n’t) + past participle, would(n’t) have + past participle
If l hadn’t participated in the speaking competition, I wouldn’t have bad the confidence to continue studying Italian.
would(n’t) have + past participle + if + had(n’t) + past participle
I probably wouldn’t have chosen architecture for my major if our school hadn’t taken us to St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
The present perfect to express the importance of an event
To talk about the importance of a past event, you can use the present perfect in the following ways:
(event) was + the superlative (type of event) I have ever + past participle
The math was the best match I have ever played in.
This story was the most memorable tale I have ever heard.
since (event) I have (adverb of frequency) + past participle
Since I saw that TV programme, I have often thought about all the animals that become extinct every year.
Since that party I have been much more interested in foreign cultures and customs.
Concluding Expressions
Here are our “top ten” concluding expressions:
The (event) taught me that…
Writing this letter and the effect it had on my friend taught me that making just small signs that you care about someone can have a big impact on their life.
The (event) was important to/for me because…
This trip was important to me because I learnt a lot about travelling alone and staying safe.
Through this experience, I learnt the importance of…
Through this experience, I learnt the importance of studying as well as I could, and not being lazy.
I will always remember…
I will always remember that sunny afternoon in the park with my boyfriend.
I will never forget..
I will never forget watching that crazy basketball match with my father.
Overall, it was a rewarding experience and I learnt a lot.
I’m glad I did it – it was a very (adjective) experience.
I’m glad I did it – it was a very inspiring experience.
I would love to do it again if I had the chance.
Although I enjoyed it at the time, I wouldn’t want to do it again because..
Although I enjoyed it at the time, I wouldn’t want to do it again because I don’t think it would be as much fun now that rm older.
In the future, I will…
In the future, I will try to share the same piece of advice with others.
This page is adapted from the book 31 High Scoring Formulas to answer IELTS Speaking Questions