Speaking Part 2 · ExperiencesIn the May–Aug 2026 forecast
Describe an Achievement You Are Proud Of
In short
“Describe an Achievement You Are Proud Of” is a common IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card. You get 1 minute to prepare and should speak for 1–2 minutes, covering all four points below. This page gives you a Band 9 model answer, an idea map so you can make it your own, the Part 3 follow-up questions with answers, and the vocabulary examiners reward.
The task card
Describe an Achievement You Are Proud Of. You should say:
- •What the achievement was
- •When you achieved it
- •How you achieved it
- •And explain why you are proud of it
Band 9 model answer
The achievement I'd like to talk about is learning to swim — which might sound minor, but I only managed it two years ago, in my late twenties, after being genuinely afraid of water my whole life.
It happened over about three months. I'd avoided swimming for years, made excuses at every pool and beach, and it had quietly started to embarrass me. So one January I decided enough was enough and signed up for adult beginner lessons, which was daunting because everyone assumes an adult can already swim.
As for how I did it, honestly, it was slow and unglamorous. My instructor broke everything down into tiny steps — first just putting my face in the water, then floating, then a single stroke. There were plenty of moments I wanted to quit, but I made myself go every week, and gradually the fear loosened its grip. The day I swam a full length without stopping, I actually laughed out loud.
The reason I'm so proud of it isn't really the swimming itself — it's that I finally faced something I'd been avoiding for twenty years. It taught me that most fears shrink the moment you stop running from them, and that persevering through the awkward early stage is where the real progress hides. It's given me the confidence to take on other things that once felt out of my comfort zone, so in a way that one small achievement paid off far beyond the pool.
Make it your own: three angles
Overcoming a fear
The strongest angle emotionally — a clear before/after arc and a natural answer to "why you are proud". Rich in evaluative language.
An academic achievement
Passing a hard exam or finishing a degree; good for effort/persistence vocabulary, but push past facts to how it felt.
A physical or personal goal
A first 10k, quitting a habit, learning to drive — concrete milestones that are easy to narrate with past tenses.
What the examiner is listening for
This card lives or dies on the narrative arc — set up the difficulty, walk through how you overcame it, then land on why it matters to you. Use past tenses to tell the story and present perfect for the lasting effect ('it's given me confidence'), and let genuine feeling show.
Part 1 warm-up questions
- Do you set goals for yourself?
- What is something you have done well recently?
- Do you think it is important to celebrate achievements?
- Are you a competitive person?
Part 3 follow-up questions & answers
Why is it important for people to set goals?
Goals give effort a direction and a way to measure progress, which keeps people motivated when things get hard. Without them it's easy to drift; a clear target, even a small one, turns vague good intentions into concrete steps you can actually take.
Do you think people celebrate their achievements enough?
It varies. Some cultures and personalities downplay success out of modesty, which can mean hard work goes unrecognised. I think a bit of celebration is healthy — it marks the milestone and gives you the motivation to attempt the next challenge.
Is competition good for children?
In moderation, yes — it can teach resilience and effort. But if it's overdone, it risks making children define themselves by winning and fear failure. The healthiest approach rewards improvement and effort, not just beating others.
What is the difference between personal and professional achievements?
Professional achievements are usually visible and measured by others — a promotion or a target hit — whereas personal ones, like overcoming a fear, matter mainly to you. I'd argue the personal ones are often more meaningful precisely because no one else is keeping score.
Has social media changed how people view success?
Considerably. Social media showcases polished highlights, so success can look effortless and constant, which fuels unhealthy comparison. It also narrows the definition of success towards what photographs well, when in reality the achievements people are proudest of are often quiet and private.
Should schools reward effort or results?
Ideally both, but I lean towards effort, especially for younger children. Rewarding only results discourages those who start from behind, whereas praising effort teaches that ability grows with work — which, in the long run, produces better results anyway.
Useful vocabulary
| Word / phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| a sense of accomplishment | the satisfied feeling of having succeeded |
| out of my comfort zone | doing something unfamiliar or frightening |
| to persevere | to keep trying despite difficulty |
| a milestone | an important stage or point in progress |
| against the odds | despite being unlikely to succeed |
| to set my mind to (something) | to decide firmly to do something |
| to pay off | to produce good results after effort |
| to take pride in | to feel proud of something |
| daunting | intimidating or difficult to face |
| to stick with it | to continue despite difficulty |
More cue cards
Describe a Memorable Journey You Took
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