Describe a time when you and other people made a plan to do something together

Key takeaways

Part 2: A group plan

Plan: surprise birthday party
Group: close classmates
Success: yes, friend was thrilled
Feeling: proud, closer friendship

Part 3: Planning and Life

Likes plans: for focus and peace of mind
Youth plans: mix of study and fun
Avoid plans: prefer freedom, less stress
Plans change: illness, emergencies, mood
Long-term plans: give direction, need flexibility

Trong IELTS Speaking Part 2, đề bài Describe a time when you and other people made a plan to do something together thuộc nhóm chủ đề “plans” và “teamwork” – hai chủ đề quen thuộc nhưng đòi hỏi thí sinh biết cách kể lại trải nghiệm thực tế, thể hiện sự phối hợp với người khác và diễn đạt cảm xúc một cách tự nhiên. Để trả lời hiệu quả, người học cần biết cách tổ chức câu chuyện theo trình tự thời gian, sử dụng thì quá khứ linh hoạt và vận dụng từ vựng liên quan đến hợp tác và sắp xếp kế hoạch. Bài viết này cung cấp bài mẫu chi tiết kèm theo từ vựng hữu ích, giúp giáo viên và học viên dễ dàng áp dụng vào quá trình luyện thi IELTS.

Bài mẫu chủ đề Describe a time when you and other people made a plan to do something together

Describe a time when you and other people made a plan to do something together

You should say:

What the plan was
Who you made the plan with
Whether the plan was successful or not

And explain how you felt about the experience.

1. Analyze – Phân tích đề bài

Đề bài: Describe a time when you and other people made a plan to do something together

📌 Từ khóa quan trọng:

Plan: Kế hoạch
Together: Cùng nhau
Successful: Thành công
Experience: Trải nghiệm

2. Craft – Lên ý tưởng & từ vựng chủ đề

Lên ý tưởng Describe a time when you and other people made a plan to do something together

3. Execute – Bài mẫu (2 phút)

"Alright, I’d love to talk about a time when I teamed up with a few friends to plan something special together."

"So basically, last year, one of our close friends was turning 18, and we decided to throw her a surprise birthday party. It was kind of a big deal because it marked her official step into adulthood, and we really wanted to make it memorable."

"We started planning about two weeks in advance. I worked with a few of her best friends from school, and we split up responsibilities - one person handled the decorations, another was in charge of the cake and snacks, and I took care of inviting the guests and keeping her distracted on the day of the party."

"To be honest, there were a few bumps along the way. For example, we had to change the location last minute due to bad weather, but thankfully, we managed to pull it off. When our friend walked into the room and saw everyone shouting 'surprise!'—her reaction was priceless."

"All in all, I’d say the plan was a huge success. Not only did she love it, but the entire experience brought us closer together as a group and strengthened our friendship. Honestly, it was heartwarming to see how teamwork and a bit of creativity could turn into such a beautiful memory."

Analyze Useful Vocab - Từ vựng chủ đề

1. Lên kế hoạch & hợp tác

Từ/Cụm từ	Nghĩa	Ví dụ ngữ cảnh mới
Team up	Hợp tác với ai	"We teamed up to organize a school fundraiser."
Split up responsibilities	Phân chia công việc	"They split up responsibilities to finish the group project on time."
Pull it off	Hoàn thành thành công điều gì khó khăn	"Despite the delay, the team managed to pull it off just in time."

2. Sự kiện & cảm xúc

Từ/Cụm từ	Nghĩa	Ví dụ ngữ cảnh mới
Surprise party	Tiệc bất ngờ	"We threw a surprise party for our teacher’s birthday."
Memorable	Đáng nhớ	"Graduation day was one of the most memorable moments in my life."
Reaction was priceless	Phản ứng vô giá (rất bất ngờ hoặc cảm động)	"His reaction was priceless when he saw the puppy."

3. Cảm xúc & kết nối

Từ/Cụm từ	Nghĩa	Ví dụ ngữ cảnh mới
Heartwarming	Ấm lòng	"It was heartwarming to see people helping strangers after the storm."
Strengthened friendship	Làm cho tình bạn bền chặt hơn	"That trip really strengthened our friendship."
A beautiful memory	Một kỷ niệm đẹp	"The concert became a beautiful memory we’ll never forget."

Tham khảo thêm:

IELTS Speaking Part 3: Discussion Questions – Planning and Daily Life

1. Do you like making plans in your daily life? Why or why not?

📌 Point: Yes, I’d say I really enjoy making plans—it helps me stay focused and organized.
📌 Explain: When I plan my day, I know exactly what I need to get done, so I waste less time. It also gives me peace of mind because I don’t have to remember everything in my head.
📌 Example: For instance, I usually make a to-do list on my phone that syncs across devices, so I can check or adjust it whenever needed.
📌 Link: So overall, planning isn’t just a habit for me—it’s a way to reduce stress and boost productivity.

Phân tích từ vựng:

stay focused and organized

Phát âm: /steɪ ˈfəʊ.kəst ænd ˈɔː.ɡə.naɪzd/
Dịch: Giữ sự tập trung và có tổ chức
Ví dụ: "Making a plan every morning helps me stay focused and organized throughout the day."

gives (someone) peace of mind

Phát âm: /ɡɪvz ˌpiːs əv ˈmaɪnd/
Dịch: Mang lại cảm giác yên tâm
Ví dụ: "Using a planner gives me peace of mind because I know everything is under control."

syncs across devices

Phát âm: /sɪŋks əˈkrɒs dɪˈvaɪ.sɪz/
Dịch: Đồng bộ hóa trên nhiều thiết bị
Ví dụ: "My calendar syncs across devices, so I never miss an important task."

2. What kinds of plans do young people often make?

📌 Point: I think young people usually make short-term plans related to school, work, or social life.
📌 Explain: For example, they often plan study schedules before exams, or arrange hangouts and travel with friends. Nowadays, many also plan their fitness routines or content creation if they’re active on social media.
📌 Example: Like, my cousin makes weekly plans for both her university deadlines and her YouTube upload schedule—it keeps her on track.
📌 Link: So in general, young people’s plans tend to balance both responsibility and relaxation.

Phân tích từ vựng:

short-term plans

Phát âm: /ˌʃɔːt ˈtɜːm plænz/
Dịch: Kế hoạch ngắn hạn
Ví dụ: "Students usually make short-term plans during exam season to manage their workload."

stay on track

Phát âm: /steɪ ɒn træk/
Dịch: Giữ đúng tiến độ
Ví dụ: "Making a timetable helps me stay on track with both studies and hobbies."

balance responsibility and relaxation

Phát âm: /ˈbæ.ləns rɪˌspɒn.səˈbɪ.lə.ti ænd ˌriː.lækˈseɪ.ʃən/
Dịch: Cân bằng giữa trách nhiệm và thư giãn
Ví dụ: "Young adults often try to balance responsibility and relaxation through daily planning."

3. Why do some people avoid making plans?

📌 Point: Some people avoid planning because they prefer flexibility or simply find it stressful.
📌 Explain: They might feel that sticking to a strict schedule limits their freedom, or they get overwhelmed trying to organize everything perfectly. Others may think life is too unpredictable to plan ahead.
📌 Example: I know someone who feels completely lost when they try to plan everything out—he says he functions better when he just takes the day as it comes.
📌 Link: So for certain individuals, the idea of planning can feel more like pressure than support.

Phân tích từ vựng:

prefer flexibility

Phát âm: /prɪˈfɜː ˌflek.sɪˈbɪl.ə.ti/
Dịch: Ưa thích sự linh hoạt
Ví dụ: "Some people prefer flexibility and find rigid plans too restricting."

feel completely lost

Phát âm: /fiːl kəmˈpliːt.li lɒst/
Dịch: Cảm thấy mất phương hướng
Ví dụ: "Without a clear plan, I feel completely lost during busy weeks."

take the day as it comes

Phát âm: /teɪk ðə deɪ əz ɪt kʌmz/
Dịch: Sống tùy hứng, không lên kế hoạch trước
Ví dụ: "He doesn’t like schedules and prefers to take the day as it comes."

4. Why do people often change or cancel their plans?

📌 Point: Honestly, people change or cancel their plans for all kinds of reasons—both personal and practical.
📌 Explain: Sometimes, unexpected events like illness, bad weather, or work obligations pop up. Other times, it’s just a change of mood or priorities. Life is unpredictable, so it’s hard to stick to every plan.
📌 Example: For instance, I once planned a weekend trip with friends, but we had to cancel last minute because one of us had a family emergency. It couldn’t be helped.
📌 Link: So yeah, while planning is useful, flexibility is equally important in real life.

Phân tích từ vựng:

unexpected events

Phát âm: /ˌʌn.ɪkˈspek.tɪd ɪˈvents/
Dịch: Những sự kiện bất ngờ
Ví dụ: "Plans often change due to unexpected events like illness or accidents."

pop up

Phát âm: /pɒp ʌp/
Dịch: Xuất hiện bất ngờ
Ví dụ: "I was about to go out, but a last-minute meeting popped up."

change of priorities

Phát âm: /tʃeɪndʒ əv praɪˈɒr.ə.tiz/
Dịch: Sự thay đổi trong thứ tự ưu tiên
Ví dụ: "People sometimes cancel plans due to a sudden change of priorities."

5. Do you think it’s important for people to have long-term plans? Why or why not?

📌 Point: Yes, I strongly believe having long-term plans is essential, especially when it comes to career, education, or personal development.
📌 Explain: Long-term planning gives people a sense of direction and helps them stay motivated. It also makes it easier to break big goals into smaller, manageable steps. That being said, plans should be flexible because life doesn’t always go as expected.
📌 Example: For example, my long-term plan is to study abroad next year, so I’ve been improving my English, saving money, and researching universities.
📌 Link: In short, while plans might change, having a clear goal helps people move forward with purpose.

Phân tích từ vựng:

sense of direction

Phát âm: /sens əv dəˈrek.ʃən/
Dịch: Cảm giác định hướng rõ ràng
Ví dụ: "A long-term plan gives people a sense of direction in life."

manageable steps

Phát âm: /ˈmæn.ɪ.dʒə.bəl steps/
Dịch: Những bước dễ thực hiện
Ví dụ: "Breaking big goals into manageable steps makes them less overwhelming."

move forward with purpose

Phát âm: /muːv ˈfɔː.wəd wɪð ˈpɜː.pəs/
Dịch: Tiến về phía trước một cách có mục tiêu
Ví dụ: "Long-term goals help people move forward with purpose rather than drifting aimlessly."

Đọc thêm:

Kết bài

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