Repeat After Me! Improve your IELTS Speaking score through speech shadowing!

Category: Experiences

  • 30 June 2025 👇Lesson 214: A mistake you made😬

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    Describe a time when you learned something from a mistake.
    You should say:
    what the mistake was
    when it happened
    how you realised it was a mistake
    and explain what you learned from it.

    One mistake that really stuck with me happened during a football match I played in high school. I was the captain of our school team, and we had made it to the regional finals. The pressure was high, and I let it affect the way I approached the match.

    Early in the second half, we were one goal behind. I made a snap decision to push further up the field to try to even out the score. In doing so, I left our defence completely exposed. The opposing team quickly took advantage of the gap and scored another goal. They then held the lead for the rest of the game, and we ended up losing 2-0.

    After the match, I felt devastated—not just because we lost, but because I knew my decision had let the team down. The coach pulled me aside afterwards to remind me of the importance of trusting the game plan rather than trying to fix things on my own.

    That experience taught me a lot about discipline and teamwork. I realised that leadership isn’t about trying to do everything yourself. It’s about staying composed, listening to your teammates and coach, and making decisions that benefit the team.

  • 23 June 2025 👇Lesson 213: A time when you were very busy🤯

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    Describe a time you were very busy.
    You should say:
    when it was
    why you were so busy
    what you had to do
    and explain how you felt about being that busy.

    One particularly busy time in my life was about six months ago. I had a major work deadline that coincided with my final exams at university. It was a two-week period in December when everything seemed to pile up at once, and I felt like I barely had time to sleep.

    At work, I was part of a small team developing an urgent feature for a client’s web application. We had to code, test and deploy within a matter of weeks. On top of that, I was in my final semester of a computer science degree, and I had two major project submissions and three final exams looming.

    To manage everything, I created a detailed daily schedule and stuck to it religiously. I would attend lectures in the morning, work remotely as a developer during the afternoon and then study late into the night. I even used breaks in my workday to revise for my exams or debug our project’s code. It was honestly exhausting!

    Although it was challenging—both mentally and physically—I learned a lot about time management and staying focused under pressure. When the client project went live without any issues and I passed all my exams with high marks, I felt incredibly proud!

  • 2 June 2025👇Lesson 210: A colourful place🎨

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    Describe a place you went to that was full of colour.
    You should say:
    where it was
    when you went there
    what you saw
    and explain how you felt about being in that colourful place.

    One place that truly amazed me with its colour was Ihwa Mural Village located in my home city, Seoul. I visited it last autumn with a friend who was visiting from overseas.

    Ihwa Mural Village is a small neighbourhood on a hillside that was transformed into a vibrant public art space. Artists were invited to paint murals and create installations to revitalise the area, and now it’s full of life and colour. As my friend and I walked through the narrow alleyways, we saw walls covered in paintings of flowers, animals and abstract patterns. Even the staircases had artwork—one staircase had a beautiful painting of koi fish that looked like they were swimming up the steps.

    What made the place even more special was how the art blended with the everyday lives of the residents. Flower pots, painted mailboxes and colourful signs made it feel like the entire village was part of an open-air gallery.

    Being there made me feel cheerful and inspired. It was the kind of place that sparks your imagination and lifts your mood. It reminded me that colour and creativity can really change the way we experience a place.

  • 26 May 2025 👇Lesson 209: Something unusual👽

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    Describe a time when you saw something very unusual or surprising. You should say:

    what it was
    where you saw it
    who was with you
    and explain why it was so unusual or surprising.

    One of the most unusual things I’ve ever seen happened when I was in Japan a couple of years ago. I was visiting a small town called Nara, which is famous for its ancient temples and friendly wild deer that roam freely in the city. What surprised me was something the deer did that was completely unexpected.

    In one of the parks, my friends and I saw a deer walk up to a vending machine and wait in front of it patiently. A moment later a local man walked over and actually bought the deer a snack from the machine! The vending machine, oddly enough, sold little packs of deer crackers, and the deer seemed to know exactly how the whole system worked.

    I was completely fascinated. I had seen smart animals before, like parrots mimicking speech, but this level of awareness in a wild animal was something else. The deer behaved almost like a polite citizen, waiting its turn like it had done it a hundred times.

    To this day, that moment has stayed with me — not just because it was unusual, but because it was so oddly civilised for a wild animal.

  • 19 May 2025 👇Lesson 208: Changing your opinion about someone 👨

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    Describe a situation when you had to change your opinion about something or someone.
    You should say:
    What the original opinion was
    Why you held that opinion
    What made you change it
    And explain what you learned from the change

    One situation when I had to completely change my opinion was regarding a colleague of mine named Jeff. When I first started working at a previous job, I thought he was quite cold and unapproachable. He rarely smiled and didn’t really make an effort to chat with anyone on the team. Because of that, I assumed he was arrogant or simply not interested in building any sort of relationship with his colleagues.

    I think I formed that impression partly because of how he carried himself—very serious, very focused. Also, some of my teammates seemed to hold a similar opinion, which probably influenced my thinking more than I realised at the time.

    However, everything changed when Jeff and I were assigned to work together on a fairly demanding project. From the very beginning, Jeff was incredibly helpful and surprisingly down-to-earth once we started talking more. He had a dry sense of humour and a very calm way of handling pressure. I soon discovered that he was just naturally introverted and a bit reserved in group settings. In fact, he later mentioned that he’d always struggled with social anxiety, which explained a lot of his earlier behaviour.

    That experience really made me reflect on how easily we can misjudge others. By the end of the project, we’d built a solid working relationship and even became friends outside of work.

    This experience reminded me not to jump to conclusions and to always give people the benefit of the doubt.

  • 12 May 2025 👇Lesson 207: A time you made a difficult decision quickly⚡

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    Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision quickly.
    You should say:
    What the situation was
    What decision you made
    Why it was difficult
    And explain what you learned from the experience.

    Well, one time that really stands out was when I was travelling abroad and missed a connecting flight due to a delay. I was in Frankfurt Airport, and my flight to Dublin was cancelled because of heavy fog. I had less than 10 minutes to decide whether to wait overnight for the next available flight or book a last-minute train and ferry route through France and the UK to get home.

    The decision I made was to take the overland route. It involved multiple transfers: a train to Paris, then to London, and finally a ferry across to Ireland.

    It was difficult for several reasons. First, it was expensive and required navigating different transport systems in countries where I didn’t speak the language fluently. I also had no time to think because seats were quickly selling out. And to make matters even more stressful, I had committed to a job interview in Dublin the next morning!

    In the end, the journey took almost 24 hours, but I made it in time for the interview. What I learned from this experience is that sometimes trusting your instincts and acting decisively is better than waiting for the perfect option!

  • 28 April 2025 👇Lesson 205: An unusual building 🏟️

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    Describe an unusual building you have seen.
    You should say:
    Where it is
    What it looks like
    Why it is unusual
    And explain how you felt when you saw it.

    One of the most unusual buildings I’ve ever seen is the Burj Al Arab, located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I had the chance to see it up close during a short trip to Dubai a few years ago, and it truly left a lasting impression on me.

    To describe it: The Burj Al Arab is famously shaped like the sail of a ship. It stands on its own artificial island that is connected to the mainland by a private bridge. The building is white and blue during the day. At night, it is illuminated with colourful lights. I have never been inside it, but I hear it is filled with extravagant gold decorations and massive aquariums.

    What makes the Burj Al Arab unusual is not just its striking design, but also its reputation. It markets itself as a ‘seven-star hotel,’ which is far beyond the official hotel rating system. Everything about it is designed to be the absolute height of luxury — from a helicopter pad on the roof to a fleet of Rolls-Royce cars for guests.

    When I first saw it, I was completely amazed. It felt like something from another world! Seeing the Burj Al Arab up close gave me a sense of awe, not only because of its sheer beauty but also because of the incredible imagination that brought it to life.

  • 21 April 2025 👇Lesson 204: Someone you taught👨‍🏫

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    Describe a time when you taught someone something new. You should say:
    -who the person was
    -what you taught them
    -how you taught them
    and explain how you felt about the experience.

    One memorable time I taught someone something new was when I showed my younger cousin, Lily, how to make kimchi. She’s about 13 years old and had recently become really interested in cooking. Since I’ve made kimchi a few times with my mother, I thought it would be a fun and meaningful thing to pass on.

    Kimchi, as you probably know, is a traditional Korean fermented dish made with cabbage, radish and a spicy chili paste. There are a few steps that can be tricky for beginners, so I decided to break it down and go through it with my cousin one step at a time.

    We started by soaking the cabbage in saltwater to draw out the moisture. I explained the science behind it to help her understand why each step matters. Then we worked on the seasoning paste—mixing garlic, ginger, red chili flakes, fish sauce and a little sugar.

    The most fun step was when we wore gloves and rubbed the seasoning into the cabbage leaves. Lily kept laughing and saying how it felt like finger painting for chefs. After we packed everything into jars, I explained how the fermentation process works and how the flavours deepen over time.

    I felt genuinely happy about the whole experience. It wasn’t just about teaching a recipe—it was about sharing a tradition and spending time with someone I care about. The whole experience reminded me how meaningful food can be!

  • 14 April 2025 👇Lesson 203: A performance you attended🎸

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    Describe a performance you enjoyed watching. You should say:
    – what the performance was
    – when and where you saw it
    – who performed
    and explain why you enjoyed the performance.

    One performance I truly enjoyed watching was a live jazz concert by a Canadian jazz group called The Heavyweights Brass Band. I saw them perform last summer at the Ottawa Jazz Festival, which takes place every year in Confederation Park, right in the heart of downtown Ottawa.

    The band consists of incredibly talented musicians who play a mix of traditional New Orleans-style jazz, funk and modern jazz fusion. What really stood out was their energy and stage presence. From the first note, they had the crowd completely engaged. The lead trumpet player in particular was phenomenal—his improvisation was so creative and expressive that it felt like he was telling a story through his instrument.

    What made the performance so enjoyable for me was the atmosphere. Jazz, by nature, is very spontaneous and interactive, and this group really leaned into that. They would riff off each other and even involve the audience by encouraging call-and-response moments. It felt more like a conversation than a performance!

    Another reason I loved it was because it reminded me of how powerful live music can be. You can listen to jazz recordings at home, of course, but nothing compares to hearing it live. I left the concert feeling uplifted, and it deepened my appreciation for the genre.

    Overall, it was a truly unforgettable evening, and it sparked a newfound love for jazz that I’ve continued to explore ever since.

  • 7 April 2025 👇Lesson 202: Promises🤞

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    Describe a time when you made a promise that you were unable to keep. You should say:

    – what the promise was
    – who you made the promise to
    – why you couldn’t keep it
    and explain how you felt about it.

    One particular time I failed to keep a promise was about a year ago, when I told my younger brother that I would attend his school play. He had been rehearsing for weeks and was playing one of the lead roles in a production of The Lion King.

    The promise was made to my younger brother. We’re quite close despite the fact I’m ten years older. I have always tried my best to be involved in his life because our parents work long hours.

    Unfortunately, on the day of the play, something completely unexpected happened at work. I had recently started working at a marketing firm, and a client presentation that was scheduled for the following week got suddenly moved up. The entire team was called in for an emergency prep session, and I had no choice but to stay.

    I felt terrible for breaking that promise. I could sense how disappointed my brother was when I called him to explain. He tried to brush it off and said it was okay, but I could hear the sadness in his voice. I felt like I had let him down, and it made me realise how fragile trust can be, especially with younger people who look up to you.

    Since then, I’ve been much more careful about making promises. That experience taught me that it’s better to under-promise and over-deliver than the other way around.