Bài mẫu IELTS Speaking part 2: Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision

Bài mẫu 8.0+ IELTS Speaking part 2 cho câu hỏi “Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision” kèm dàn ý, từ vựng, và bài tập. Câu hỏi này được xuất hiện trong đề thi IELTS Speaking thật vào quý 2 năm 2025.

🚀 Đề bài

😵 Dàn ý

Một outline chi tiết giúp bạn tổ chức ý và tự tin thể hiện khi thi IELTS. Dưới đây là outline để phát triển bài nói.

Insert Statement here...
Whether to stay in my hometown for university or move to a bigger city

Insert Paragraph Title Here...
Body paragraph 1:
Topic Sentence
Introduction
Idea 1
What the decision was
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Picking between studying at a local university or accepting an offer from a more prestigious university in Ho Chi Minh City
Idea 2
When you had to make it 
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Summer of 2023
Idea 3
Why it was difficult to choose
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Staying home = comfort, family support, lower costs
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The city = better academic opportunities, exposure to a wider world. 
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Torn because I’m close to my parents

Insert Paragraph Title Here...
Body paragraph 2:
Topic Sentence
And explain how you felt after making the decision
Idea 1
Mixed feelings
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First: Nerves—saying goodbye to my parents was tough;  Second-guessed myself
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In university: Excitement, spreading my wings; New friends, challenging courses, and opportunities like internships
Idea 2
Moments of homesickness
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Couldn’t afford to travel back
Idea 3
Looking back: proud
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It wasn’t easy. Example: Every call with my mom felt like a tug at my heart
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Tough choices come with growing pains, but they can lead to growth

📝 Bài mẫu

Cùng tham khảo bài mẫu câu hỏi Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision - Speaking Part 2 IELTS dưới đây nhé!

The time that comes to mind is when I had to decide whether to stay in my hometown for university or move to a bigger city, a choice that really

me.

To tell you a little bit about what the decision was, it was about picking between studying at a local university, close to my family, or accepting an offer from a more prestigious university in Ho Chi Minh City, about 300 kilometers away. This was a big deal because it would shape my future education and career. As for when I had to make it, it was in the summer of 2023, right after I got my high school exam results and had to confirm my university choice by a deadline. When it comes to why it was difficult to choose, it felt like being

—staying home meant comfort, family support, and lower costs, but the city offered better academic opportunities and exposure to a wider world. I was because I’m close to my parents, and leaving them felt like , but I also didn’t want to miss out on a chance to grow.

Now, how did I feel after making the decision? Honestly, it was a rollercoaster, but I ended up choosing to move to Ho Chi Minh City, and I’ve got mixed feelings even now. At first, I was

—packing my bags and saying goodbye to my parents was tougher than I expected, and I , wondering if I’d made a mistake. But once I settled into university, I started to feel this spark of excitement, like I was finally . The city was vibrant, with new friends, challenging courses, and opportunities like internships that I wouldn’t have had back home. For example, I joined a student club that organized environmental campaigns, which opened doors I didn’t even know existed. Still, there were moments of homesickness, especially during holidays when I couldn’t afford to travel back. Looking back, I’m proud I but it wasn’t easy—every call with my mom felt like a tug at my heart. It taught me that tough choices often come with , but they can lead to growth you didn’t see coming. It’s like planting a seed—you don’t know how it’ll bloom, but you trust it will. I’m still figuring things out, but I think I made the right call.

That’s all I have to say. Thank you.

(423 words)

📚 Vocabulary

Weigh on someone

/weɪ ɒn ˈsʌmwʌn/

(verb). Đè nặng lên ai (về mặt tinh thần)

Be caught between a rock and a hard place

/bi kɔːt bɪˈtwiːn ə rɒk ənd ə hɑːd pleɪs/

(verb). Tiến thoái lưỡng nan

Be torn

/bi tɔːn/

(adj). Bị giằng xé, phân vân

Cut the umbilical cord

/kʌt ði ʌmˈbɪlɪkəl kɔːd/

(verb). Cắt dây rốn (ẩn dụ cho việc rời xa gia đình, tự lập)

Second-guess oneself

/ˌsɛkənd ˈɡɛs wʌnˈsɛlf/

(verb). Tự nghi ngờ quyết định của bản thân

Spread one’s wings

/sprɛd wʌnz wɪŋz/

(verb). Mở rộng đôi cánh (bắt đầu tự lập, phát triển bản thân)

Be a bundle of nerves

/bi ə ˈbʌndl əv nɜːvz/

(verb). Cực kỳ lo lắng

Growing pains

/ˈɡrəʊɪŋ peɪnz/

(noun). Những khó khăn ban đầu trong quá trình phát triển

Take the leap

/teɪk ðə liːp/

(verb). Dám đưa ra quyết định liều lĩnh, quan trọng

✨ Bài tập Exercise

Cùng DOL Tự học làm bài tập sau đây để ôn lại các từ vựng đã được dùng trong bài Sample nhé!

Exercise 1: Chọn từ thích hợp để hoàn thành các câu sau.

1. Trách nhiệm dẫn dắt nhóm thực sự đè nặng lên cô trước buổi thuyết trình lớn.

--> The responsibility of leading the team really

before the big presentation.

2. Anh ta chẳng may tiến thoái lưỡng nan—từ chức hoặc báo cáo sếp của mình.

--> He was unfortunately

—resign or report his boss.

3. Anh ấy bị giằng xé giữa việc chấp nhận thăng chức và ở lại với đội hiện tại của mình.

--> He

between accepting the promotion and staying with his current team.

4. Bắt đầu công việc kinh doanh của riêng mình giống như cắt dây rốn sau nhiều năm làm việc tại công ty gia đình.

--> Starting her own business felt like

after years in the family firm.

💡 Gợi ý

was torn

weighed on her

cutting the umbilical cord

caught between a rock and a hard place

Exercise 2: Điền cụm từ tiếng Anh thích hợp vào ô trống.

01.

Tự nghi ngờ quyết định của bản thân tôi

02.

Mở rộng đôi cánh của tôi

03.

Cực kỳ lo lắng

04.

Những khó khăn ban đầu trong quá trình phát triển

05.

Dám đưa ra quyết định liều lĩnh, quan trọng

💡 Lời kết

DOL mong rằng thông qua bài viết này, bạn đã nắm được cách triển khai ý cho chủ đề Making Decisions, câu hỏi "Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision".

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Bài mẫu IELTS Speaking part 2: Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision

🚀 Đề bài

😵 Dàn ý

📝 Bài mẫu

📚 Vocabulary

✨ Bài tập Exercise

Exercise 1: Chọn từ thích hợp để hoàn thành các câu sau.

Exercise 2: Điền cụm từ tiếng Anh thích hợp vào ô trống.

💡 Lời kết

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Bài mẫu IELTS Speaking part 2: Describe a person who persuaded you to do something

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Bài mẫu IELTS Speaking part 2: Describe an occasion when you made a decision to wait for something