IELTS Speaking: Describe Someone You Would Like to Study or Work With

The topic of describing someone you would like to study or work with (Studying or Working with Others) is a classic exam prompt. It allows examiners to assess your vocabulary regarding social relationships, teamwork skills, and conflict resolution.

To help you smoothly handle any questions related to colleagues, classmates, and teamwork, Ms. Nguyen Thi An Quyen (IELTS Instructor at ECE Language Center) has compiled a comprehensive guide of vocabulary, structures, and detailed sample answers below.

1. High-Scoring Vocabulary & Structures

A. People & Personal Qualities

Vocabulary	Vietnamese Meaning	Corresponding Adjectives
Study partner / Classmate	Bạn học cùng / Bạn cùng lớp	Reliable / Dependable: Đáng tin cậy
Teammate / Group member	Đồng đội / Thành viên nhóm	Approachable / Open-minded: Dễ gần / Cởi mở
Colleague / Co-worker	Đồng nghiệp / Người làm việc cùng	Supportive / Cooperative: Biết hỗ trợ / Hợp tác
Project partner	Người cùng thực hiện dự án	Self-motivated / Independent: Có động lực tự thân / Độc lập
Supervisor / Team leader	Người hướng dẫn / Trưởng nhóm	Constructive / Considerate: Mang tính xây dựng / Biết quan tâm

B. Teamwork & Collaboration

Positive Actions	Common Teamwork Problems
Work towards a common goal	Poor time management
Divide tasks fairly	Unequal workload
Reach an agreement	Dominate the discussion
Support each other	Rely too much on others

C. Collocations & Sentence Structures

High-scoring Collocations:

• Be on the same page: To have the same understanding or opinion.

• Pull one’s weight: To do one’s fair share of the work.

• Take the initiative: To be proactive in starting a task.

• Give constructive feedback: To provide helpful and actionable criticism.

• Bring different perspectives: To offer unique viewpoints.

Structures to expand your ideas:

• I particularly appreciate people who…

• What I value most in a study/work partner is…

• We may have different opinions, but…

• It’s not so much about [A] as it is about [B]…

2. IELTS Speaking Part 1 Sample – Classmates & Colleagues

Question 1: Do you prefer studying alone or with other people?

“I generally prefer studying alone because I can concentrate better and work at my own pace. However, I also enjoy studying with others when I need to discuss a difficult topic or exchange ideas. I think both approaches have their advantages depending on the task.”

Question 2: Do you often work or study with other people?

“Yes, quite often. When I was at university, I had to work on group assignments and research projects with my classmates. Nowadays, I also collaborate with my colleagues from time to time, especially when we’re planning lessons or sharing teaching materials.”

Question 3: What qualities do you look for in a study partner?

“I’d say reliability is probably the most important quality. I want someone who takes their responsibilities seriously and doesn’t leave everything until the last minute. It’s also helpful if they’re open-minded because we can exchange ideas and learn from each other.”

Question 4: Do you enjoy working in a team?

“Yes, I do, as long as everyone contributes equally. I enjoy hearing different perspectives because they can help me see a problem from a completely different angle. That said, teamwork can become frustrating when some people don’t pull their weight.”

Question 5: Have you ever had a difficult classmate or colleague?

“Yes, I have. I once worked with someone who rarely communicated with the rest of the group and often submitted their part of the work late. It was frustrating at first, but we eventually talked openly about the problem and divided the tasks more clearly.”

Question 6: Do you prefer to work with people who are similar to you?

“Not necessarily. I actually think working with people who have different personalities and perspectives can be more interesting. As long as we respect each other’s opinions and are willing to compromise, our differences can make the team more creative.”

3. IELTS Speaking Part 2 Sample

Cue Card:

Describe someone you would like to study or work with. You should say:

• who this person is

• how you know this person

• what you would like to study or work on together

• and explain why you would like to study or work with this person.

Sample Answer (Band 8.0+):

I’d like to talk about a former university classmate of mine who I really enjoyed working with on academic projects. We met when we were both studying at university, and although we weren’t particularly close at first, we gradually became good friends after working on several assignments together.

What I particularly appreciated about her was her sense of responsibility. Whenever we had a group project, she would usually take the initiative to organize the tasks and make sure everyone knew what they were supposed to do. At the same time, she never tried to dominate the discussion. She was always willing to listen to different opinions and give constructive feedback.

If I had the opportunity, I’d like to work with her on a research project related to education or language learning. I think we’d work well together because we have quite different strengths. I’m usually more interested in developing ideas and exploring different perspectives, whereas she’s very organized and good at turning those ideas into a clear plan.

Another reason I’d like to work with her is that I feel comfortable disagreeing with her. We sometimes had completely different opinions, but we could discuss them without taking things personally. In my experience, that’s extremely important in teamwork because having the same opinion isn’t necessarily the key to a successful collaboration.

Overall, I think we’d make a good team because we could complement each other’s strengths. More importantly, we’d probably learn a lot from one another, which is one of the main reasons I enjoy working with other people in the first place.

💡 Strategy Tip from Ms. An Quyen:

This response goes beyond simple praise (e.g., being responsible or proactive) by highlighting how you complement each other’s strengths. Arguing that having different opinions can still lead to successful collaboration demonstrates mature thinking, which helps elevate your score in the eyes of the examiner.

4. IELTS Speaking Part 3 Sample – Teamwork & Collaboration

Question 1: What skills are important for working effectively in a team?

“I think communication, responsibility, and flexibility are particularly important. Team members need to communicate clearly so that everyone understands their role and expectations. They also need to take responsibility for their own tasks and be willing to adapt when circumstances change. Without these qualities, even a talented team can struggle to achieve its goals.”

Question 2: Why do some people prefer working alone?

“There are several reasons. Some people can concentrate better when they work independently, while others simply prefer having control over how they organize their time and complete their tasks. In addition, people who have had negative experiences with unreliable teammates may feel that working alone is more efficient.”

Question 3: What problems can arise when people work in groups?

“One common problem is an unequal distribution of work. Sometimes a few members do most of the work while others contribute very little. Communication problems can also create misunderstandings, especially when people have different expectations about deadlines or the quality of the work. If these issues aren’t addressed early, they can lead to conflict within the group.”

Question 4: Is it important for team members to have similar personalities?

“No, I don’t think so. In fact, having different personalities can be beneficial because people may bring different strengths to the team. For example, an outgoing person might be good at communicating ideas, while a more detail-oriented person might notice mistakes that others overlook. The key is being able to respect those differences and work towards a common goal.”

Question 5: How can people deal with disagreements in a team?

“I think the most important thing is to focus on the problem rather than the person. Instead of saying that someone’s idea is wrong, team members should explain their concerns and provide reasons for their opinions. It’s also important to listen carefully and be willing to compromise. If necessary, the team can compare different solutions and choose the one that best serves the overall goal.”

Question 6: What can schools do to teach students how to work in teams?

“Schools can give students more opportunities to participate in meaningful group projects rather than simply asking them to sit together and complete a worksheet. Teachers can assign clear roles and assess both the final product and each student’s individual contribution. This can teach students that effective teamwork involves communication, responsibility, and accountability, rather than simply dividing the work and putting everything together at the end.”

Question 7: Is teamwork more important in the workplace than at school?

“I wouldn’t necessarily say that it’s more important in one setting than the other. The skills are important in both contexts, although they may be applied differently. At school, students learn how to communicate and cooperate with their peers, while in the workplace, teamwork often involves coordinating with people from different backgrounds and working towards professional goals. In both cases, the ability to collaborate effectively can have a significant impact on the outcome.”

Question 8: Can technology improve teamwork?

“Yes, definitely. Digital tools allow people to communicate, share documents, assign tasks, and track progress even when they’re working from different locations. This can make collaboration much more convenient and efficient. However, technology doesn’t automatically make teamwork successful. People still need clear communication, mutual trust, and a willingness to pull their weight.”

Equipping yourself with collocations that describe skills and personality traits will help you confidently respond to any questions about academic or professional environments. Try to apply the “different but complementary” structure in your Speaking practice. ECE Language Center wishes you effective study sessions and success in reaching your target band score!