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Describe a positive change you have made to your lifestyle

Try the card on the exam timer first, then read the band-8 sample answer and the Part 3 questions that follow it.

Practice it like the exam

Part 2 · Candidate task card

Describe a positive change you have made to your lifestyle.

You should say:

  • what the change was
  • when you made it
  • what difficulties you faced

and explain how the change has affected your life.

Ready

1 minute to prepare, then 2 minutes to speak. It switches on its own.

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Band 8 sample answer

274 words · about 2 minutes at a natural pace · Phrases from the vocabulary list are highlighted.

A positive change that I made about eighteen months ago was starting to wake up early and exercise before university. Before that, I was a typical night owl who stayed up until two in the morning, woke up barely in time for classes and survived on coffee and snacks.

The change began when I realised that I was tired all the time and couldn't concentrate in lectures. I decided to go to bed by eleven and get up at six, then run or do a short workout for around thirty minutes. I also started preparing a proper breakfast, usually porridge with fruit, instead of skipping it.

The first few weeks were extremely hard. My body wasn't used to waking up that early, and on some mornings I wanted to turn off the alarm and go back to sleep. The winter mornings were also dark and cold, which didn't help. Around the third week, I missed several days in a row and nearly gave up. What helped was finding a friend who was willing to run with me twice a week, as I didn't want to let him down. I also made the routine easier by preparing my clothes the night before.

The change has affected my life in many ways. I have much more energy, I sleep more deeply, and my concentration in class has improved. My marks went up as a result, and I feel calmer and more confident. It also gave me more time in the evenings, because I'm no longer wasting hours online.

Honestly, I wish I'd done it earlier, and I plan to continue for as long as I can.

What to notice

  • It takes the points on the card in order, so the examiner can follow it.
  • Each point gets a specific detail or a short story, which is what keeps a talk going for two minutes.
  • The "explain" line at the end gets the most time, because that is where you give an opinion and show your range of language.

We wrote this answer for practice; it does not come from IELTS. Take its structure and phrases and tell your own story, because examiners notice memorised answers.

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Useful vocabulary

PhraseMeaning
turn over a new leafbegin behaving in a better way
adopt a new routinestart a different regular pattern
take the plungefinally decide to do something
stick to itcontinue doing it
make a noticeable differenceproduce a clear effect
setbacksproblems that delay progress

Plan it in one minute

Choose what to talk about in the first ten seconds, then write two or three key words for each point. Full sentences take too long to write and to read back.

Who or what you could talk about

  • Starting to exercise or walk every morning
  • Sleeping earlier and waking up earlier
  • Cooking at home instead of buying fast food

How to spend the two minutes

  1. 25 swhat the change was
  2. 25 swhen you made it
  3. 25 swhat difficulties you faced
  4. 45 sand explain how the change has affected your life.

Part 3 questions

In the exam these come straight after your talk, on the wider subject: Lifestyle changes. Answer each in 3–4 sentences, with your view, a reason and an example.

  1. Why do people find it hard to change their lifestyle?
  2. What changes do people make to become healthier?
  3. Do you think people's lifestyles are healthier today than in the past?
  4. How can governments encourage healthier lifestyles?
  5. Is it easier to change habits with a friend?

Frequently asked questions

How do I answer an abstract IELTS cue card, like a rule or a decision?

Make it concrete straight away: name the rule, the advice or the decision, then tell the situation where it mattered to you. An abstract card answered with a real example is easier to talk about and easier to follow.

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