IELTS Practice Questions and Useful Expressions to Talk About Difficulties or Challenges

In the IELTS Speaking test, because questions cover a wide range of topics, you may be asked a question about an area of your life where you faced some challenges and difficulties. This can be an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your ability to use the past tense and to talk about personal experiences.

Let's look at some sample IELTS questions on this topic, provide useful expressions, and give example sentences to help you articulate your thoughts clearly and effectively.

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Sample IELTS questions about past struggles

Here are a few questions related to past struggles. Practice answering them first and then you can refer to the sample responses at the end of the article to see additional useful phrases and sentence structures. 
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• Describe a challenging task you completed.
  • What was the task?
  • Why was it challenging?
  • How did you feel after completing it?

• Discuss a time when you failed at something.
  • What did you fail at?
  • What did you learn from the failure?
  • How did it impact your future actions?

 

• Talk about a time when you had to make a tough decision.
  • What was the decision?
  • Why was it tough?
  • What was the result of your decision?

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Useful Expressions for Discussing Struggles

Expression	Example
I struggled with...	I struggled with most of my Math subjects in high school.
I struggled to...​	I struggled to speak in front of an audience, but I gradually became more confident.
I had trouble ... / I had trouble with something	I had trouble pronouncing certain words in French, but practice made it easier.
I found it tough to...	​I found it tough to set up my new computer because the instructions were in a different language.
I had a hard time...	​I had a hard time finding my way around the new city because the public transportation system was confusing.
I found it difficult to...	I found it difficult to ​adjust to my new job at first, but my colleagues were very supportive.
I found ______ challenging...	I found balancing my full-time job and evening classes challenging, but I was determined to succeed.
It was challenging to...	It was challenging to complete my final year project because it required extensive research and long hours. It was challenging to find new employment in a tough job market.
I had issues with...	I had issues with advanced calculus, but I sort of enjoyed the problem-solving aspect.
grappled with...	When I was young, my family grappled with financial difficulties because my father lost his job.
had a rough time with...	I kind of had a rough time with other neighborhood kids because I was smaller than most and couldn't stand up for myself.

Describing Actions Taken:

• I decided to... Ex: To cope, I decided to attend extra tutoring sessions a few times a week. 
• I took steps to... Ex: I took steps to network with former colleagues and find suitable positions.
• I managed to... Ex: I managed to secure a new job that I enjoyed even more than the previous one.
• I tried to... Ex: I tried to apply to numerous positions online.

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Discussing Emotions:

• I felt overwhelmed by... Ex: I felt overwhelmed by the sudden financial insecurity after losing my job.
• I was anxious about... Ex: I was anxious about what my family and friends would think. 
• It was frustrating because... Ex: It was frustrating because I thought I already had the necessary experience and yet I was not getting good job offers. 
• I felt relieved after... Ex: I felt relieved after receiving my test results showing that I passed with flying colors. 

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​Reflecting on Outcomes:

• Eventually,... Ex:  Eventually, I improved and passed my exams with good grades.
• I learned that... Ex: I learned that there are no shortcuts to achieving something worthwhile.
• It taught me... Ex: It taught me the value of nurturing positive relationships in the workplace.
• As a result,... Ex: As a result, even though I had to wait for one more year to get promoted, I learned to be patient and to accept adversities as they come, especially in terms of my career. 
• In the end,... Ex: In the end, I didn't get the job I was aiming for but I got to start from a parallel position that taught me so much more than I expected. 

Sample Responses to IELTS Questions

1. Describe a challenging task you completed:

• Completing my final year project at university was a challenging task. It required extensive research and long hours of work. I found it difficult to balance the project with my other classes. I nearly stopped going out with friends and going home to my hometown to visit my parents, which I used to do every month.  However, I managed to create a schedule, set clear goals, and stay dedicated to the task. I tried to motivate myself by thinking about what it would be like when I finally got the project done. I was actually able to finish my project two weeks earlier than scheduled so I was one of the students who presented their projects early. The defense was quite difficult in itself but I was able to explain the rationale behind the decisions I made for the project. After the successful presentation and defense, I felt a great sense of accomplishment, and it was as if a great burden was lifted off my shoulders. I could finally breathe. Every time I think about those days, I get reminded that I am capable of undertaking long-term, grueling projects, and I get inspired. I know that the workplace may actually present even more challenging projects and I am prepared to take them on. 

2. Discuss a time when you failed at something:

• I failed my driving test on the first attempt. It was disappointing because I had practiced a lot and I thought I was ready. However, on the day of the exam, I was so nervous that I actually failed to remember and follow some important rules. For example, the examiner told me that I had failed to observe both sides more thoroughly before emerging from an unmarked intersection.  I think what happened was, I was just so nervous that I just slowed down and then drove out onto the highway when I saw there were no cars approaching. I broke some other rules that were minor violations but everything added up and I failed the test. I understand now that, statistically, a lot of first attempts result in a fail rather than a pass, but I was just so disappointed in myself at the time. My driving instructor tried his best to encourage me and we discussed and reviewed what happened during the practical test. I also realized that I needed to remain calm and focused under pressure. I practiced more and really focused on the errors that the examiner had pointed out.  After a few weeks, I retook the test and I passed successfully. This experience taught me the importance of persistence and resilience.
  

3. Talk about a time when you had to make a tough decision:

• I had to make a tough decision about whether to move to a new city for a job opportunity. It was difficult because it meant leaving my family and friends behind. After weighing the pros and cons, I decided to take the job. It was kind of lonely at first, and on the first few months, I went back to my hometown nearly every weekend to see my friends and family. However, I eventually made new friends from work and also with people around my neighborhood. I also met people at the gym and got interested in hiking and other outdoor activities. As a result, I was able to feel more comfortable, and perhaps even happier, in my new city. By moving to this new place, I could say that I grew both professionally and personally.

​Discussing past struggles in the IELTS Speaking test allows you to showcase your ability to reflect on personal experiences and use complex language structures. By practicing with these sample questions and using the provided expressions, you'll be better prepared to articulate your thoughts clearly and confidently. Even though it may feel like a complex task, past and present struggles that you can share are an opportunity to demonstrate your resilience and language skills.

If you want to practice your own responses, feel free to leave them in the comments and we will try our best to give you feedback.