Today I’d like to talk about a significant decision I made about 7 years ago when I was 18. It was when I had to choose my university major which was a huge step in shaping my future. Back then I was quite confused because there were so many fields I was curious about. However none of them truly inspired me. Then something quite unexpected happened when I was taking a short. We came across a man holding a professional camera. He wasn’t just taking pictures. He was carefully adjusting lighting and angles. I found myself completely absorbed in watching him work. That moment made a big impact on me. I realized that I had always been drawn to visual storytelling. But I had never thought of turning it into my career. I went home and spent the next few weeks researching film schools and cinematography. Eventually I decided to apply to the Hanoi Academy of Theater and Cinema. One of Vietnam’s most prestigious schools for film. Looking back this decision was a turning point in my life. I wasn’t easy to go against my family expectations. They wanted me to pursue a more stable field but choosing cinematography allowed me to spread my creativity and follow something I love. I believe it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Band 8+: Describe an important decision you have made
Skyrocket your IELTS band score by 1-2 points in under a month with our premium plan!
Note: Both the topic and the answer were submitted by one of our users.
80%
Accuracy
The overall pronunciation accuracy of your speech, reflecting how well a native speaker can comprehend it.
Polished transcript:
Male
Female
Today I'd like to talk about a significant decision I made about seven years ago when I was 18. It was when I had to choose my university major, which was a huge step in shaping my future. Back then, I was quite confused because there were so many fields I was curious about. However, none of them truly inspired me. Then something quite unexpected happened when I was taking a short break. We came across a man holding a professional camera. He wasn't just taking pictures; he was carefully adjusting lighting and angles. I found myself completely absorbed in watching him work. That moment made a big impact on me. I realized that I had always been drawn to visual storytelling, but I had never thought of turning it into my career. I went home and spent the next few weeks researching film schools and cinematography. Eventually, I decided to apply to the Hanoi Academy of Theater and Cinema, one of Vietnam's most prestigious schools for film. Looking back, this decision was a turning point in my life. It wasn't easy to go against my family's expectations. They wanted me to pursue a more stable field, but choosing cinematography allowed me to express my creativity and follow something I love. I believe it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Actual audio transcript (What native speakers are likely to hear):
Tips: Click on each word to see feedback.
Speaking Time: 90 seconds