# Describe a time you changed your mind: IELTS Speaking sample answers

Speaking Part 2 - Experiences

Describe a time you changed your mind.

You should say:
- what your original opinion or plan was
- when this happened
- what made you change your mind
- and explain how you felt about the change

Source: Sample answers and examiner notes are written by Testmigo.

## Band 7 sample

I'd like to talk about a time I changed my mind about what to study at university. This happened about four years ago, in my last year of high school.

For a long time, my plan was to study law. My uncle is a lawyer and he always talked about his job, so I thought it was a good career, with a good salary and a lot of respect. My parents were also very happy with this idea, so I never really questioned it.

But in the summer before my final year, I joined a two-weeks coding camp, mostly because my best friend was going and I didn't want to be bored at home. On the first day I didn't understand anything, but by the end of the first week I was completely hooked. We built a simple website and a small game, and I remember staying up until two in the morning trying to fix a bug. I'd never felt that excited about anything at school before.

After the camp, I talked to my uncle honestly, and to my surprise he told me that being a lawyer involves a lot of reading and paperwork, and that I should choose something I'm passionate about. That conversation really helped me to make the decision, and I applied to study computer science instead.

At first I felt quite nervous about the change, because I was worried my parents would be disappointed, and also I didn't have a strong background in maths. But actually they were more supportive than I expected. Now I'm in my final year and I'm sure that I made the right choice. I sometimes think how different my life would be if I didn't go to that camp.

**Examiner notes.** This Band 7 answer tells a clear and convincing story of a change of plan, with good detail such as "staying up until two in the morning trying to fix a bug". Vocabulary is appropriate ("completely hooked", "passionate about", "a strong background in maths"), and the speaker covers all the points. However, linking leans on "and" and "also", the final sentence uses the wrong conditional ("if I didn't go to that camp" rather than "if I hadn't gone"), and there is a typical slip in "a two-weeks coding camp" (rather than "a two-week coding camp"). Band 8 adds more precise idiom and accurate complex structures.

The Band 8 sample is free with an account on the [topic page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/speaking/topics/describe-a-time-you-changed-your-mind).

## Common questions

### How long should an IELTS Speaking Part 2 answer be?

You get one minute to prepare and then speak for up to two minutes; the examiner stops you at two. Aim to keep talking for the full time, which is usually 220 to 300 words.

### Can I use these sample answers in my test?

No. Examiners are trained to spot memorised answers, and a learned script is marked down. Use the samples to see what each band does, then answer in your own words.