IELTS

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Topic:

Describe a time you were friendly to someone you didn’t like.

You should say:

• when and where it happened
• who he or she was
• why you didn’t like this person
• and explain why you were friendly to him or her on that occasion.

MODEL ANSWER 

I would like to tell you a case when I had to work with one salesman in my company in Christmas promotion activities in Aeon supermarket. As I worked in Marketing Department, I had to co-operate with that salesman who was in charge of Aeon supermarket. We had to work through mobile because he was in head office in ABC while I worked for XYZ Branch.

Working with him was extremely challenging to me because he had a caustic style and often spoke in a pejorative way. He seemed to scoff at any idea on our project. At that time, I nearly ran out of patience with that man that I was on the verge of giving up. However, because I was a new staff, I needed some achievements to prove my ability to my team. Thus, I decided to try my best to persuade him. I asked my team leader for some advice, as she had worked with him in some events before. She told me that he didn’t like to be told to do anything, as he was a high narcissist.

Though I was really frustrated by him and didn’t like him personally, I had to tell myself to be patient. I tried hard to calm down, then I decided to call him and asked for some advice because I didn’t have much experience in working in that supermarket. After hearing that, he seemed to talk in a much more comfortable way, explaining to me about the regulation and working contact there, giving me some sound advice. It turned out that getting along with him was not as hard as I had expected. Moreover, I gained some more constructive advice to adjust my plan. In the end, I managed to co-operate with him well and my campaign notched up extraordinary success.

After that event, I learnt a lot about how to working with other people, especially at work. Sometimes, you have to be friendly to someone you don’t like, because the results of your work are always of the highest importance.

VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS FROM SAMPLE

• caustic: sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way
• scoff at: to laugh or say things to show that you think someone or something is stupid or deserves no respect
• on the verge of: If you are on the verge of something or come to the verge of something, you are very close to experiencing it
  Ex: Her husband’s violent and abusive behaviour drove her to the verge of despair.
• narcissist: a person who has too much interest in and admiration for their own physical appearance and/or your own abilities
  Ex:She is a narcissist who thinks the world revolves around her
• Get along with: if people get along, they like each other and are friendly to each other
  Ex: I get along well with most of my colleagues.
• Notch up: achieve something
  Ex: The company notched up over £10 million in profits last year.
• Be of high importance: really important