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IELTS Speaking 2021 topics

September to December

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● Use the “Index” to find your topic.

● Use the “Back to top” button to return to the index.

Note from Jim Davies: “The model answers presented in this document are NOT examples of real
answers. They have been carefully written to help IELTS test-takers learn more language and
perform more confidently.
Luckily, this season looks great, many of the awkward topics (Museums, Farms, and Decorations)
that some of my students struggled with are gone, and they have been replaced with some fun
topics to talk about. I’m sure you’ll all enjoy learning and speaking about them, good luck.” ^_^

Before reading the Part 1 topics list, please read:

Common mistakes made in Part 1

It is an extremely helpful article that should help you to perform better in the first part of the exam.

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Index:
Part 1 - Newly added topics: September 2021 to April 2022
1. Applications (Apps)
Possible questions & model answers
Vocabulary list
Useful structures
2. Concentration
Possible questions & model answers:
Vocabulary list
Useful structures
3. Colours
Possible questions & model answers:
Vocabulary list
Useful structures
4. Getting lost
Possible questions & model answers:
Vocabulary list
Useful structures
5. Handwriting
Possible questions & model answers:
Vocabulary list
Useful structures
6. Headphones
Possible questions & model answers:
Vocabulary list
Useful structures
7. Parks and gardens
Possible questions & model answers:
Vocabulary list
Useful structures
8. Pets
Possible questions & model answers:
Vocabulary list
Useful structures
9. Science
Possible questions & model answers:
Vocabulary list
Useful structures
10. Shoes
Possible questions & model answers:
Vocabulary list
Useful structures

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11. Weather
Possible questions & model answers:
Vocabulary list
Useful structures

Part 1 - Reused topics from the previous season: April 2021 to December 2021
1. Advertisements
Possible questions & model answers:
2. Barbecues (BBQ)
Possible questions & model answers
Vocabulary list
Useful structures
3. Cars
Possible questions & model answers
Vocabulary list
Useful structures
4. Costumes
Possible questions & model answers
Vocabulary list
Useful structures
5. Environment
Possible questions & model answers
Vocabulary list
Useful structures
6. Festivals
Possible questions & model answers
Vocabulary list
Useful structures
7. Flowers
Possible questions & model answers
Vocabulary list
Useful structures
8. Holidays (vacations)
Possible questions & model answers
Vocabulary list
Useful structures
9. Primary school
10. Relaxing
11. Wallets / Purses
12. Wild animals
13. Sky and Stars

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Newly added Part 2 topics: September 2021 to April 2022

(Includes; 123+FOE plans, and Part 3)

1. Describe a person who impressed you when you were in primary school
2. Describe a creative person whose work you admire
3. Describe a famous athlete
4. Describe a successful business person you admire
5. Describe someone who solved a difficult problem well
6. Describe a person from another country you know (or know of) who you think is interesting
7. Describe a famous person you are interested in

8. Describe a cafe (coffee shop) you like

9. Describe a place you visited on holiday (vacation)
10. Describe a trip you would like to do by car/motorcycle/bicycle

11. Describe a regular activity you do that wastes your time

12. Describe something you own that cost you more money than you expected
13. Describe a good habit your friend has that you would like to develop
14. Describe a difficult decision you have made
15. Describe some good service that you have received
16. Describe an interesting or exciting book that you enjoyed reading

17. Describe a time when you waited for something special (or important) to happen
18. Describe a time when you needed to wake up very early
19. Describe a time when you were friendly to someone you didn't like
20. Describe a time when you gave advice to others
21. Describe a time when you moved to a new home/school/workplace
22. Describe a time when you felt proud of a family member

23. Describe a skill you have that was difficult to learn

24. Describe something difficult you have done
25. Describe something that you would like to learn or improve

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Reused Part 2 topics: April 2021 to December 2021

1. Describe an old person you know that you respect or admire

2. Describe a singer or musician that you like
3. Describe a friend you helped

4. Describe your favourite movie

5. Describe a piece of equipment in your home that you like using

6. Describe a large building in your town/city that you like

7. Describe a quiet place that you like spending time in
8. Describe a town/city that you want to live in sometime in the future

9. Describe some local news that people were interested in

10. Describe a talent you have that you would like to improve
11. Describe a puzzle game that you enjoy playing
12. Describe a company in your area that employs many people
13. Describe an activity that you enjoy doing on the beach
14. Describe an article about health that you read online or in a magazine
15. Describe a life plan you have that is not related to your work or study
16. Describe something interesting you saw on Social Media
17. Describe a law about environmental protection

18. Describe a time when you failed to achieve something

19. Describe a time you bought something from a street or outdoor marketplace
20. Describe a time when you helped a good friend
21. Describe a time when you shared something with others
22. Describe a time when you had an argument with someone
23. Describe a time when you could not use your mobile phone
24. Describe a time when many people smiled
25. Describe a time you tried a new craft or art activity

The current Part 2 season includes a total of 50x topics:

10x Person topics

6x Place topics
20x Object/Thing topics
14x Storytelling topics

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Part 1 - Newly added topics:

Possible questions & model answers
1. Applications (Apps)
★ Possible questions & model answers
○ What kind of applications do you use on your phone or tablet?

Gosh, I use all sorts, really. It’s safe to say that I’ve got quite a mixed bunch of apps on
my smartphone, from dictionaries to games, and everything in between. I mostly use a
time management app though, as it helps me to schedule my day-to-day tasks.

○ Which is your favourite?

Hmm, it’s tough to say, but I do absolutely adore an app called ClickUp. Basically, it’s an
app that helps me keep track of the time when working on my website and business. I can
set targets, monitor progress, and even assign myself KPIs (Key Performance
Indicators). I reckon it helps me to stay as productive as possible.

○ How often do you use applications?

Every day, haha. It’s hard to function without them, y’know? Whenever I travel somewhere
new, I use Google maps. Whenever I want to see how my family back home in England are
doing, I use Messenger. Whenever I want to chill out and unwind, I play a few games like
Mobile Legends.

○ How much time do you spend using applications each day?

Hmm, not as much as most people, I suppose. I rarely check Facebook, and I detest most
forms of Social Media, so I hardly spend any time whatsoever on those apps. For others,
like ClickUp which I mentioned before, I just need to plan and schedule my daily tasks, then
it takes care of the rest for me.

○ Do you think you spend too much time using applications?

No, definitely not. I must only spend around 30-minutes each day using them. Needless to
say, that does vary, but on average, I’d say that I’m a modest user. My wife spends way
too much time on them though, haha.

○ Have you ever downloaded an application because a friend recommended it?

I have, yeah. An old student of mine once recommended Mobile Legends to me. I was
curious because I hadn’t played games in a long time, so I decided to try it. This was back

😉
in 2017 mind you. I didn’t have my own business back then, and I had much more free time
than I do nowadays. Naturally, I sunk a lot of hours into it.

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★ Vocabulary list
Application > App (we almost always use “shortened forms” (abbreviations) in spoken
English, such as TV, CCTV, PC).

The preposition we use for devices = on

For example, “I check the news ON my smartphone” / “I watched it ON the TV last night” / “I
love to play games ON my computer”

Be careful if you use the word "Addicted" whilst speaking in the exam.

I'm + addicted + to + Facebook / I am + an addict (advanced way = "I'm a (Facebook)

addict") / It is + addictive. It's very common to hear people use this word incorrectly, similar
mistakes are commonly made with words like "Success" and "Stress"

Types of apps:

○ Lifestyle apps are usually based on subjects such as Fitness / Dating / Food / Travel
/ Music, some good examples of Lifestyle apps are, Spotify, Uber and Tripadvisor.

○ Social Media apps = any app that people use to contact others and share things
about their lives, some good examples of Social Media apps are Facebook /
Instagram / Twitter / LinkedIn / WhatsApp / Messenger / Line / YouTube.

○ Utility apps = we often use this kind of app without thinking about it or downloading
them, they come preinstalled on most devices, some good examples of Utility apps
are Calculator / Calendar / Weather / Flashlight.

○ Games or Entertainment apps = one of the most popular kinds of app that most
people enjoy using, some great examples are Angry birds / Netflix / YouTube /
Mobile Legends.

○ Productivity apps = this kind of app helps people to be more productive or work
more efficiently, it is a large category that boasts many features like Wallet / Pay /
Documents / Sheets / Evernote / Wunderlist / ClickUp.

○ News or Information apps = exactly what you think it is, apps like Buzzfeed /
Google News / CNN / Reddit / Flipboard.

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★ Useful structures
All sorts (phrase) = a large number of things or people. I typically use this as a response to
questions like "What do you like to do over the weekend?". I will typically say something
like "Gosh, all sorts, really".

"It's safe to say that" = one of my favourite structures to use in Part 3, answer 1. When
something is safe to say, it means that most people wouldn't argue or disagree with what
you're going to say next.

"From (A) to (Z) and everything in between" = a great way to avoid listing many things.
Here is a good example of this: "What do most people do for work in your hometown?" a
typical answer of mine will sound like "Gosh, all sorts, really. From farmers to doctors
and everything in between".

"To keep track of +something" = to follow or monitor something.

"Absolutely adore" (collocation) = a way to say you love something, very expressively. I use
this whenever I'm asked about my "favourites" in Part 1.

"Needless to say," = if you've checked my mother model answers, you'll notice I use this
structure quite often. It basically means that you don't need to say what you are going to say
next, and it suggests that the listener is already able to know what you'll say.

"On average" = something is generally true.

"To sink a lot of time into +something" = another way to say spend a lot of time doing
something.

"Mind you" = used in speech to give stress to a statement that one is making so that a
preceding or following statement will not be misunderstood. For example, "His advice
wasn't very helpful, I'm not criticizing him, mind you."

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2. Concentration
★ Possible questions & model answers:
○ In your daily life, when do you need to concentrate?

I’d have to say whilst I’m at work. As an IELTS tutor, I need to be completely focused on
my students and give them my undivided attention. It’s imperative that I actively listen to
everything they say in order to quickly analyze and offer corrections or suggest more natural
alternatives.

○ Are you easily distracted?

I wouldn’t say so, no. Once I get in the zone, it’s quite the challenge to sidetrack me or
make me lose focus. That is unless something pops up that requires my attention more
than whatever I’m engaged in at that time.

○ What do you do to help you concentrate? What usually distracts you?

Well, I try my very best to remove any unnecessary distractions in my workplace, and I
force myself to ignore anything that may sidetrack me from my students. I put my phone on
silent, and even move it to another room. I also disable all of the notifications on my PC so
nothing interrupts my sessions.

I’d have to say my phone, definitely. For some reason, whenever I get a notification, I can’t
help but check it and see what or who wants my attention. Most of the time it’s just some
useless Facebook post or spam email though.

○ Are you more focused nowadays than you used to be when you were younger?

Yeah, for sure. As a mature, responsible adult, I’ve developed a few good habits that help
me remain focused on whatever I’m doing. Having said that, back when I was a kid, even
the slightest noise outside would make me get up and stop what I was doing to check it.

○ Do you use any applications that help you concentrate?

No… I didn’t even know that was a thing, haha. I think the best app to help me
concentrate is just putting my phone somewhere I can’t see it. I reckon if I used an app, it’d
probably make me lose my train of thought as it’s simply another thing to think about.

○ How do you feel after concentrating on something for a long time?

Gosh, utterly exhausted. Concentrating on something for such a long time can be really
draining, right? It’s not physically exhausting, but mentally. I’ve got a relatively long
attention span though, even for tedious tasks like writing 140-model answers to the current
season of IELTS topic.

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★ Vocabulary list
To focus + on + something / To be completely + focused + on + something (collocation).

To concentrate + on + something.

To be engaged + in + something.

(Long or Short) + “Attention span” = how much time someone is able to focus on a
particular thing/task.

“Undivided attention” = to give all of your attention to someone or something.

“To actively listen” = (Active listening) a technique used to listen with full attention.

To be “sidetracked” + by + something = to be distracted by something.

To be / to get “in the zone” = to be completely focused on something, it is a state of mind.

It can’t “sidetrack” me = something can’t distract you.

To “remain focused” on something = to continue to be focused on something, we use this

when we mention something that might distract you.

To be in the “right/wrong state of mind” = the “right state of mind” means an appropriate
way of thinking to do something, for example, “He is in the wrong state of mind to speak to
her now (because he is so upset)”.

The right/wrong “frame of mind” = the same as “state of mind”. Similar to “Mindset”.

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★ Useful structures
“Train of thought” (phrase) = a way in which someone thinks or reaches a conclusion,
similar to “a line of reasoning”, because it’s a process, we always treat processes like a
movement in English, so we often use words like “train” or “track” to describe this kind of
thing in a phrasal way.

“That is unless……” = a great way to introduce a condition. For example, “Saying this will
always make you sound more natural, that is unless you force yourself to say it and it
sounds rehearsed.”

“For some reason” = “some” in this situation means “unknown or unspecified”, so when
we say “for some reason” it means you aren’t going to give a specific or known reason for
something. (For some reason, I love Jim’s classes).

“Relatively” = one of my favourite adverbs to use, in the above model answers I said “a
relatively long attention span”, which means “compared to other people’s attention
span, mine is quite long”. Relatively = compared to other things of the same kind.

“I didn’t even know that is a thing” = a thing means “exist” so this structure is like saying “I
didn’t even know it exists”.

“I can’t help but…” = you will have seen me use this structure so many times by now. It
basically means “I can’t stop myself from” to refrain from, avoid, or be obliged to + do
something. For example, I can’t help but think that people should stop buying model
answers from a certain app.

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3. Colours
★ Possible questions & model answers:
○ What's your favourite colour?

Uhmm… I don’t think I’ve got one, haha. I’m not so fussy when it comes to colours.
However, if I had to pick a colour now, I’d probably choose green…

Well, I absolutely adore green, especially bright greens and striking turquoises. For
some reason, I’ve always been attracted to it.

○ How does it make you feel?

Hmm, it’s pretty tough to say exactly. I’ve never given it much thought before, I suppose
there’s just something about it that I’ve always found so appealing, y’know? Even back
when I was a kid I loved bright greens.

○ Do you own any items which are that colour?

Yeah, loads of stuff come to think of it. My kitchen utensils are all either a vibrant green or
deep grey, I reckon that’s a great colour combination. On top of that, my PC’s wiring is
fluorescent green, which I think looks dead smart, almost like it’s from a sci-fi movie. Not
to mention my lucky socks, they’re a lovely vibrant shade of green.

○ Do you consider the colour of things before you buy them?

Not really, no. Although I wouldn’t buy anything that’s pink. Whenever I buy something, I do
think about what other things I have that would work well with that colour, especially for
clothes and kitchenware.

○ Have you ever changed the colour of your hair?

Nope, I’m happy with my natural hair colour. It’s simply something I’ve never given much
thought to before. Since reaching my mid-30s, I’ve noticed a few grey hairs on my head
and beard, so in the next few years, I might dye them if more pop up.

○ Are there any significant or special colours in your country/culture?

Hmm, not that I know of, no. I suppose red and white maybe, just because they’re the
colours used in the flag of England. People back home tend to associate red and white
with English culture, and it becomes apparent whenever the Royal Family hosts an event.

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★ Vocabulary list
Great adjectives to describe a colour:

Vibrant - intense - bright - striking - rich - deep - bold - matte - vivid - dazzling - brilliant
- luminous - eye-catching.

Examples:

“Look at her vibrant/intense/striking yellow scarf!”

“I have a deep/bold/matte blue motorbike.”

“Check out that brilliant/eye-catching/dazzling pink sweater.”

Sometimes we use negative adjectives to describe colours:

Dull - pale - garish - tacky - vulgar - repulsive - tasteless - lurid - glaring - ghastly

Examples:

“Some people say that my tacky/tasteless maroon shirt looks old.”

“The colour is ghastly, do you have a different one?”

“I can’t stand dull/pale tan pants.”

“Shade of _____” = there are different “shades of colours” for example, a dark green VS a
light green.

“Work well with” = when colours work well with each other it means that they look good
together.

“Complement” = used in the same way as “work well with”, colours will often complement
each other.

“Colour combination” = when we put 2 separate colours together, like blue jeans and a
white t-shirt.

Types of colours besides red/blue/green.

Maroon = a dark red colour.

Tan = a light brown.

Beige = a very light brown.

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Turquoise & Teal = a colour between green and blue, teal is a darker version of it.

Ivory = a yellowish white.

Lavender = a light purple.

Fuchsia = a bright colour between red and purple.

Amber = a mix between yellow and brown.

Hazel = a golden brown colour.

★ Useful structures
“Not so fussy” = a lovely way to use the adjective “fussy”. Fussy is similar to “selective” or
“exact”, for example, a fussy eater will only eat specific foods (and refuse others).

“If I had to pick ______, I’d probably choose ______” = a fun conditional clause to use
whenever you have a choice to make.

“For some reason” = “some” in this situation means “unknown or unspecified”, so when
we say “for some reason” it means you aren’t going to give a specific or known reason for
something. (For some reason, I love Jim’s classes).

“Absolutely adore” (collocation) = I will use this collocation whenever I’m asked about my
“favourite” sometime. It’s a great way to avoid repeating the key language used in favourite
type questions.

“Relatively” = one of my favourite adverbs to use, in the above model answers I said “a
relatively long attention span”, which means “compared to other people’s attention
span, mine is quite long”. Relatively = compared to other things of the same kind.

"There's just something about _______ that _______________" = I use this structure in
so many of my answers. We say this when we know a fact, the result or effect of something
without saying a reason why. Check my answers for Barbecues, Farms and Farming, and
many others to see this structure in use.

“I can’t help but…” = you will have seen me use this structure so many times by now. It
basically means “I can’t stop myself from” to refrain from, avoid, or be obliged to + do
something. For example, I can’t help but think that people should stop buying model
answers from a certain app.

“It’s simply something that…” = used when you will say something simply, for example,
“I’m not a fan of football, it’s simply something that has never interested me”.

“Come to think of it” (phrase) = we say this when you’re speaking and start thinking of
(something). For example, Q: “Would you like some tea?” A: “Yeah, I do, come to think of it.”

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4. Getting lost
★ Possible questions & model answers:
○ Have you ever been lost before?

Yeah, quite a few times, haha. Unlike most men, I have absolutely no sense of direction. I
know my local area like the back of my hand, but whenever I travel somewhere new, I
wouldn’t be able to tell head from tails without using Google maps. I got lost on my recent
trip to Phu Quoc island, actually.

○ What did you do to find your way? How did you feel about it?

➢ I solely rely on Google maps. I don’t know what I’d do without it, actually.
It’s not because I’m too lazy to navigate the old fashioned way, I just reckon
it’s the best way to accurately traverse new places.

➢ Stressed out, that’s for sure. Once the initial panic settled down, I tried to
collect myself and think about it logically. After a few minutes of
backtracking, I managed to get back to where I left off and started the
journey again.

○ Can you read a map?

Not a traditional map, no. I’m rather clumsy so I tend to miss certain turns or points of
interest, I always end up getting lost whenever I don’t have GPS.

○ Do you prefer to use a paper or digital map?

I’d have to say a digital one. There’s nothing wrong with paper maps, but for people like
me, I couldn’t live without Google Maps. Map reading isn’t exactly a skill I’ve needed since I
upgraded to a smartphone.

○ Do you use any applications to help you navigate?

Check above.

○ Is it easy or difficult for you to find your way?

For places I’ve been to before, yeah, it’s a breeze. I’m quite good at recognizing places I’ve
already seen and recollecting the routes I took the last time I went there. That being said,
whenever I go somewhere for the first time, I can’t help but get anxious and depend on
GPS.

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★ Vocabulary list
Traditional map (noun) = a paper map.

Paper map (noun) = a traditional map.

Digital map (noun) = a map used on a smart-device.

GPS (noun) = an acronym for “Global Positioning System”, digital maps use GPS technology in
order to show your location in real-time whilst you navigate or travel.

Map reading + skills = the act of interpreting and understanding the information shown on maps.

Sense of direction (noun) = our ability to sense where we are and where we should go, we use “a
sense of _____” in many other situations in English, such as, “a sense of satisfaction”.

To backtrack (verb) = to go back the same way you came. Backtrack can also be used to “consider
information again”, too.

Route (noun) = the planned directions taken to go somewhere.

Haywire (adjective) = erratic, or out of control, for example, “My Google Maps went haywire in the
city center so I couldn’t follow it”

Recalibrate (verb) = to calibrate something again, to calibrate = to check or adjust by a comparison.

Digital maps will often need to recalibrate when your Mobile Data signal drops as they rely on the
internet.

A breeze (adjective, idiomatic) = used to describe something that is very easy. Quick tip, avoid
saying other idioms like “a piece of cake” or “a walk in the park”, they are overused and never
sound natural, trust me.

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★ Useful structures
“Like the back of my hand” = to know something very well, for example, “I know Manchester like
the back of my hand”.

“(for) People like me” = a great structure to use when speaking about yourself among a group of
people, for example, “it’s not necessary for people like me to do”.

“There’s nothing wrong with” = my favourite structure to use whenever I answer a “Do you
prefer” type question in Part 1, it’s a natural way to acknowledge that the other option is also fine,
but you prefer…

“Unlike most men/women, I…” = used when you are an exception to most men/women. For
example, it is generally believed that men enjoy watching football, however, I do not.

“The old fashioned way” = a great way to say that you do something the way it was previously
done. For example, “I don’t like to send text messages, I prefer to stay in contact with my friends the
old fashioned way”, this suggests that I prefer to call my friends or visit them rather than send a
text message.

“Call me old fashioned, but…” = when people might say that you aren’t up-to-date with the current
age or way of doing something. For example, “Call me old fashioned, but I still love to read the
newspaper”.

“I don’t know what I’d do without…” = used to express how much you need something. This
structure can also be used with “if” instead of “without” to express a possibility. For example, “I
don’t know what I’d do if I lost my job”

“I can’t help but…” = I’m sure by now you’ll know this as one of my favourite structures to use in the
IELTS Speaking section.

“Collect myself” = not really a structure, but it’s worth mentioning. When we “collect ourselves” we
basically recover from surprise, fear or embarrassment (regain self control).

“Neither head nor tails” = basically means to make sense of something, make sense = understand.
However, we typically use this in the negative to convey the opposite.

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5. Handwriting
★ Possible questions & model answers:
○ Do you have nice handwriting? Is your handwriting easy to read?

I’d say so, yeah. In my line of work, it’s imperative that students find my handwriting
legible. Whether it’s the students who sit in the front of the classroom or at the back, I need
to make sure everyone can read whatever I write on the whiteboard effortlessly.

○ What do other people say about it?

Hmm, I get mixed feedback about it, actually. Some people say it’s dead easy to read and
they have no problems reading it whatsoever, but others say I write like a child. Basically,
I’ve developed the habit of writing in print rather than writing in cursive. I do that so
everyone can easily read whatever I write in classes.

○ Has your style of handwriting ever changed?

It has, sure. Back when I was a student, I needed to write in cursive as it showed better
penmanship and care. Although I care just as much (if not more than) as I used to, I’ve
found that when I write in print, people find it easier to read. I guess it’s because I write
mostly on a large whiteboard these days, rather than on pieces of paper.

○ Was it difficult for you to learn how to write?

I honestly haven’t got a clue. I’m sure at first it must’ve been a nightmare, but it’s too far
back for me to remember. Like most kids, I could write by the time I reached primary
school, and I’ve never had any issues with writing as far as I can recall.

○ Do you prefer to write or type on a computer? +Do you prefer to use a pen or
pencil?

Typing, definitely. I’ve been typing since 1998, and probably will for the rest of my years.
There’s nothing wrong with writing the old fashioned way, but I just prefer typing because
it’s clearer, quicker and much, much easier :)

○ Would you like to improve your handwriting?

I don’t think I need to, but I may like to take a calligraphy course at some point to brush up
on my skills. Recently, a student told me that my writing was scruffy and illegible. I didn’t
take offence though, it just occurred to me that I’ve become lazy in my ways.

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★ Vocabulary list
Penmanship (noun) = of a person’s handwriting, the skill/art of handwriting.

Calligraphy (noun) = a visual art related to writing, it’s the design, its style, and the art of writing
letters.

Lettering (noun) = the letters written or printed on something.

There are 2 main styles of handwriting:

Cursive = when the letters are joined together, often quicker because the pen doesn’t lift up.

Print = when the letters are written individually, often easier to read but slower to write.

We typically say, “I write + in + print” or “I write + in + cursive”.

Legible (adjective) = clear enough to read (of handwriting or printed text)

Illegible (negative prefix + adjective) = not clear enough to read.

Some useful adjectives to describe good handwriting:

Clear - Defined - Stylish - Readable - Neat - Distinct - Sharp

Some useful adjectives to describe bad handwriting:

Unreadable - Messy - Scruffy - Scrawled - Obscure - Childlike - Scribbled

Try to think about what kind of pen you love using, too.

Fountain pen - Ballpoint pen - Rollerball pen - Felt-tip pen - Uni-ball pen

Imperative (adjective) = a strong adjective used to describe something very important.

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★ Useful structures
“In my line of work” = the kind of work you do.

“As far as I can recall” = the furthest (most distant past) memory you are able to recall. You could
say “remember” rather than recall, however I always suggest to say “recall” as it’s less common.

“At some point” = at an unknown or unspecified time (future or past). For example, “I’ll go to Paris
at some point” or “At some point during the lockdown I became fat”.

“Get mixed feedback” = to receive conflicting feedback from people, for example, someone might
like what you did, another person might not.

“To wrap my head around…” = to find a way to understand something or accept it.

“To get to grips with…” = typically used in the same way as “wrap my head around” but with more
emphasis on learning.

“The old fashioned way” = a natural way to say that you do something the way it was previously
done. For example, “I don’t like to send text messages, I prefer to stay in contact with my friends the
old fashioned way”, this suggests that I prefer to call my friends or visit them rather than send a
text message.

“(something) Occurred to me…” = used when you realize something, typically used the moment
you realize it.

“By the time I…” = by (a time) is used to say that something has already happened at the time that
something else happened. For example, “By the time my student arrived, I had already left”. We
typically use this in the past perfect tense.

“There’s nothing wrong with…” = My favourite structure to use for “Do you prefer” type questions
in Part 1. If you’ve read any of my other model answers, you’ll know this already.

“(to) Take offence” = to be offended by someone or something.

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6. Headphones
★ Possible questions & model answers:
○ What kind of headphones do you use?
yeah, I’m using a pair from Apple
Well, I have 2 types at the moment. At home, I use a decent pair of over-ear headphones. I
reckon they’re perfect for my work because they have some noise-cancelling feature that
really helps me to focus on my students. As well as those, when I’m out and about, I use a
pair of wireless earphones.

○ Are you happy with them? What do you like about them?

I’d say so, yeah. Both types have their perks, but there is a noticeable difference in sound
quality between the two. I’d say my bulky, over-ear headphones produce remarkable,
studio-quality sound, whilst my wireless ones are a bit tinny and hardly have any base
whatsoever.

Hmm, for my bulky, over-ear headphones, I love the fact that they are noise-cancelling.
They really help to drown out any background noise and allow me to completely focus on
my students. For my wireless ones, I love how portable they are, plus they fit nicely into
my pocket so I can take them with me wherever I go.

○ When do you usually wear headphones?

Believe it or not, I wear them all day every day at the moment. Basically, my IELTS
preparation centre is closed right now so I’m working solely online thanks to the pandemic.
I have private classes from 9 AM to 6 PM each day, and I wouldn’t be able to function
without my headphones.

○ How expensive are your headphones?

Uhm, they weren’t cheap, that’s for sure. I must’ve spent around $200 or so on them, I
guess. I know they’re not exactly the best of their kind, but I reckon they’re the best quality
pair I could find within that price range. I invested so much into them simply because it’s
something I use daily for work.

○ Do you think the price of headphones affects the quality?

Yeah, as I do for most things. I’ve been through so many pairs of cheap headphones
throughout my life, and I can’t help but think that they’re something everyone should invest
a few extra pounds into. The difference between cheap pairs and a more pricey pair is
night and day.

○ Would you like to buy a new pair of headphones?

No, no. I’ll probably be fine with my current pair for a few more years at least. Having
said that, if something happens to them and they get damaged, then I might need to get

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another pair at some point. I’ll just be as careful as I can with ‘em and see what happens
though.

★ Vocabulary list
Types of headphones:

Over-ear headphones = headphones that cover your ears.

In-ear headphones = headphones that go inside your ears.

Earphones = the same as in-ear headphones.

Earbuds = the kind of earphones that have a soft, plastic earpiece that molds to the shape of your
ears.

Wireless headphones = headphones that use Bluetooth technology instead of wires.

Wired headphones = normal headphones that connect to a device with a wire.

There are other types of headphones, however, these are the most commonly used kind. If you use
in-ear headphones, it’s better if you call them earphones, but be careful with your pronunciation.

Studio quality = a quality of sound good enough to be used in a recording studio.

Noise-cancelling (feature/technology) = a kind of technology used in modern headphones to

reduce other noises.

(to) Drown out (phrasal verb) = (of sounds) overwhelm with a louder sound / a sound loud enough
to block the sound of something else. For example, “The musicians were surprised that the
audience didn’t drown out their instruments”.

Bass = a low pitch sound, poor quality headphones won’t have much bass.

Tinny (adjective) = displeasing, metal sound. Often used to describe the sound quality of bad
headphones.

Flimsy (adjective) = easily damaged, not strong.

Portable (adjective) = easy to move or carry with you.

Bulky (adjective) = large in size, not very portable.

Perks (noun) = the benefits/advantages of something

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★ Useful structures
“Believe it or not,” = You should know this one by now :P If you’ve ever taken my classes, you’ll
know how much I love to use this structure in Part 1.

“(when I’m) Out and about” = a very natural way to say “when I’m outdoors / not at home”, we
usually say this when we go to town.

“At some point” = at an unknown or unspecified time (future or past). For example, “I’ll go to Paris
at some point” or “At some point during the lockdown I became fat”.

“Within (its) price range” = things of a similar price, for example, Airpods are wireless headphones
within the $200 to $300 price range.

“I can’t help but…” = you will have seen me use this structure so many times by now. It basically
means “I can’t stop myself from” to refrain from, avoid, or be obliged to + do something. For
example, I can’t help but think that people should stop buying model answers from a certain app.

“Having said that,” = another way to say “however”.

“All day every day” = a great expression of frequency, similar to “all the time”, we use this to
exaggerate how often we do something.

“Night and day / Day and night” = a great idiom to use to emphasise a difference.

“(to be) Able to function without” = used to express our ability to do something, if we can’t function
without something, it means we can’t do it without something. For example, “I’m not able to function
without my morning coffee”.

“Whatsoever” = at all. We use this to emphasise something, for example, “I have no money left over
from my salary whatsoever”.

“There’s nothing wrong with…” = My favourite structure to use for “Do you prefer” type questions
in Part 1. If you’ve read any of my other model answers, you’ll know this already.

“(a) Noticeable difference” = a great collocation, some more are, “remarkable difference”,
“apparent difference” and “clear difference”.

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7. Parks and gardens

★ Possible questions & model answers:
○ Are there any public parks or gardens nearby where you live?

Not exactly. There’s a large square just down the road that I can walk to in under
10-minutes, but it doesn’t have any grass or flowers.

○ How often do you go there?

Gosh, not as much as I’d like to. It’s always so busy in the evenings. Seriously, the place is
full of children running around, playing games, and making a racket. I’d love to go there
more often, but it’s not a great place to stop by anymore.

○ What do you like to do in parks or gardens?

Hmm, usually I’ll just do a few laps around them with some music on. I reckon they’re the
best place to go for a stroll in the evenings, especially after a heavy dinner. Besides that, I
absolutely love having a cheeky barbecue with a few mates when the weather gets a tad
cooler.

○ Do you think public parks and gardens are of good quality in your country?

I guess like most places, some are and some aren’t, right? England has some dead
gorgeous public spaces to spend a day in, they get more than enough funding to keep on
top of maintaining them, too. Yet then again, my country also has others that I wouldn’t even
feel safe visiting.

○ When you were younger, did you like to play in parks?

Oh yeah, all the time, haha. Back when I was growing up, we lived 2-minutes away from a
huge park. I spent most of my days hanging around it, actually. We’d explore, build dens,
and we even put up a rope swing. I’d have to say some of my fondest memories are
there.

○ Are there any special or famous public gardens in your country?

There must be loads, but I can only recall the Blenheim Palace gardens, which is in the
Cotswolds, England. You can wander around the water terraces, visit the secret garden,
get lost in the rose garden, and even check out the Churchill memorial garden. There’s
nothing quite like it.

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★ Vocabulary list
Types of parks:

Town square = typically located in the centre of a town. It’s a public space where community
gatherings, events, festivals, and other occasions take place. Alternatively, town squares are also
known as, a “plaza”, “common”, and “town green”.

Urban park = a public park or green space that offers residents of an area and visitors recreation
and leisure. They are typically owned by the local municipality. A famous urban park is “Central
Park” in New York city.

Neighbourhood park = a small, public park or green space designed for residents, they are not
intended to attract visitors from out of town.

National park = the largest type of park. These are usually hundreds or thousands of acres wide,
and their purpose is to protect and preserve the natural environment, scenery, and wildlife.

Things often found inside parks:

Playgrounds / Running tracks / Ponds / Benches / Picnic Benches (2 benches besides a table) /
Public toilets.

Flower arrangements = many flowers put together intentionally.

(an) Array of flowers = the same as “flower arrangements”, an array means a collection of the
same kind of things, typically put on display, for example, “The museum has an array of artifacts
from the Egyptian queen Cleopatra”.

Greenery = things that are green, we often use this to talk about trees or plants within a city or town.

Public funding = a great collocation to use when you talk about how well maintained a park is.

Well kept / well-kept park (adjective) = when something is well kept, it looks clean, tidy, and in good
condition.

Well maintained / well-maintained park/area (adjective) = used when something has been taken
care of.

Locals (noun) = the people who live in an area, “The locals couldn’t live without their neighbourhood
park”.

Rope swing (noun) = a handmade swing from a single piece of rope. Typically, rope swings are put
up by children/teenagers who climb a tree, attach a piece of rope to a strong branch of the tree, then
use it as a swing.

(to) Stop by (phrasal verb) = similar to “drop in” or “pay a visit”, it means “visit”.

Racket (noun) = lots of noise, for example, “The children made a racket all night long” or “The
builders next door have been making a racket since they started work”.

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★ Useful structures
“Some are and some aren’t” = some in this situation refers to the parks. For example, Q: “Are
parks of good quality in your country?” A: “Well, some are and some aren’t” (some parks are good
quality, but others are poor quality).

“Just down the road” = similar to “just a stone’s throw away”, however, the examiner will feel like
you’ve effectively used the language rather than repeating an idiom.

“Not as much as I’d like to” = my favourite expression of frequency for “How often” type
questions. I’m sure you’ve read this in most of my model answers so far. Use this whenever you
want to say that you’d like to do something more than you currently do.

“To keep on top of” (something) = to be in control or able to deal with something, such as,
maintenance, classes, children, problems, colleagues, etc.

“Some of my fondest memories are…” = a great sentence structure to use whenever you reflect
on the past in a positive way. It uses a great collocation (fond + memories) with a superlative form
(fondest).

“Spend most of my days” = a great structure to exaggerate how often you do/did something (very
high frequency). For example, “I spent most of my college days chasing after girls” or “I spent
most of my childhood days playing outside with friends”.

(to) “Do a few laps” = a lap is a complete circuit of a track (like race cars will do laps around a
racetrack), we also use the word “lap” when we walk a full circle of a park or area, too.

(to) “Get more than enough (of something)” = receive a sufficient amount of (something) to the
point that (something) doesn’t need any more. For example, “I’ve had more than enough food, thank
you” or “I got more than enough advice from my friend Jack to make a sound decision”.

“There must be loads, but I can only recall…” = used when you know there are many, yet you can
only think of one. This is a wonderful sentence structure to use whenever you’re asked about “Are
there any special or famous _____ in your country?” as it uses “must” and “recall”

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8. Pets
★ Possible questions & model answers:
○ Do you have a pet?

Yeah, I’ve got a small, British Bulldog, her name’s Rosie. We’ve always had pets at
home, actually.

No, I don’t. Right now, I’m unable to offer a suitable environment for one, I’m just too busy
with my day-to-day life, y’know?

○ Would you like to have one in the future? ++What do you like about having
pets?

Yeah, I think so. I’m sure at some point I’ll get one because I’ve always wanted a little
companion around the house, although I haven’t got a clue when I’ll have enough time to
give one a proper home.

Almost everything, haha. It can be quite hard work to walk Rosie for an hour a day, most of
the time it’s a pleasure, but when it’s heavy rain outside it’s a real chore. I’d have to say
that’s the only downside of it though. She loves me more than anything in the world, and
fills my home with joy, y’know?

○ Which type of pet do you prefer?

Although I love both cats and dogs, I’d definitely say dogs. There’s nothing wrong with
cats, actually, we used to have 3 cats when I was a kid, but I just love dogs ‘cause they’re
way more fun to look after, and they really show their affection more than cats do.

○ Do you think it's difficult to own a pet?

It can be quite the challenge, yeah. We need to constantly give them our love and
affection, plus, we must be responsible owners, too. They didn’t choose us, we chose
them, so it’s our duty to make sure we look after them to the very best of our ability.
Otherwise, they might not get the life that they deserve.

○ Are pets more popular nowadays than they used to be?

Uhm, it’s hard to say, really. The UK has always been a nation of pet owners, and I think
nothing has changed. Pretty much everyone I know has a pet at home, actually. For most
people, their household wouldn’t feel complete without a pet, especially if they’re used to
having one.

○ How do you feel about irresponsible pet owners?

I can’t stand them! Honestly, there’s nothing I hate more than someone who doesn’t
respect the lives of animals. When we own a pet, it’s our personal responsibility to take
care of it in a humane way, they have feelings, I know they do, so whenever I see someone
either being abusive or careless with their pets, I can’t help but get angry.

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★ Vocabulary list
Remember: Once we have said the type & name of our pets, we will not talk about them like “my
dog” or “my cat”, instead, we will just say their name from that point onwards. For example, “It can
be quite hard work to walk Rosie (the name of my dog) for an hour a day”

Pet owner (noun) = a person who owns a pet.

Domesticated (adjective) = an animal that has been trained to be kept as a pet.

House trained (adjective) = to describe an animal that knows how to live in a house.

Companion (noun) = an animal or person who you spend a lot of time with.
Companionship (noun) = the feeling of friendship or fellowship, for example, most pets offer us
companionship.

Household (noun) = a house and its occupants as a whole (everyone who lives in the house).

Pleasure (noun) = we often say things are “a pleasure”, rather than saying something is
“pleasurable”. Here is a great example, “It’s such a pleasure to finally meet you” or “Don’t worry
about it, the pleasure was all mine”.

Personal responsibility (collocation) = when something is a person’s responsibility and no-one

else’s, for example, “My health is my personal responsibility”.

A member of our family = we usually refer to pets as a member of our family.

My best friend = we usually refer to pet dogs as our “best friend”

“(to) Put up for adoption” or “(to) Rehome” (verb) = never say “give away” an animal, we either put
an animal up for adoption (so someone can adopt the pet and take ownership of them) or rehome
them (to find a new home for a pet).

(a) “Fur-ball” = typically used to describe cats with long hair.

(a) Bundle of joy (phrase of “bundle”) = difficult to define, haha. We often use this to refer to a
newborn baby, but we also use it to refer to our pets too. Think of a “bundle” like a collection of
things, so when we say the phrase “a bundle of joy” it’s like saying “a collection of things that
bring me joy”.

Wide-eyed = typically used when talking about people or dogs, especially when they want
something from you, for example, “Whilst I cook dinner, Rosie always looks at me wide-eyed”.

Loyal = one of the most commonly used adjectives when describing a pet dog.

(a) Thick coat = some animals that originate from colder countries tend to have lots of fur, so we will
say that they have “a thick coat”.

Stripy/Patchy = used to describe the pattern of fur that some cats/dogs have (colored stripes or
patches).

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★ Useful structures
“My day-to-day life” = used to refer to your regular, daily activities/responsibilities as a whole.

“It’s such a pleasure to have a little companion around the house” = another way to say “at home”.
Notice that I also used “at home” in an answer, I said, “pretty much everyone I know has a pet at
home”.

“At some point” = “some” in this context means “unknown/unspecified”, “point” in this context
means “point in time”, when we say “at some point” it basically means “at an
unknown/unspecified point in time”. Try to use this when you speak about the future, and you’re
not sure when something will happen.

“I haven’t got a clue” = another way to say “I don’t know”. For example, “I haven’t got a clue when
I’ll have enough time to take care of a pet”.

“The only downside of (something)” = the only disadvantage of something.

“Quite the challenge” = a great way to say that something is difficult/hard/tough to do. Here are
some great examples, “It can be quite the challenge to deal with puppies at first” or “It was quite
the challenge to get a band 7 in the speaking section”.

“Such a challenge” = same as above, but instead we use “such a”, which can help you to show a
range of intensifiers in your exam. Please note, we typically use “such a” + “adjective” + “noun”.
Here are some examples, “I had such a lovely evening” or “He’s such an awkward guy sometimes”.

“(do something) to the very best of my ability” = a great way to say “try very hard”. For example,
“As a nurse, I must take care of my patients to the very best of my ability” rather than saying “Try
very hard to take care of my patients”.

“To fill (something) with (something)” = this basically means to add a quality to something. For
example, “The structures I learnt from IELTS123 helped me to fill my answers with great language”.
Check my example above.

“Although I… + I’d have to…” or “Although I… + I’d definitely say…” = a lovely way to respond to
the “Do you prefer A or B” type questions in part 1, used when you like both but want to choose one
of the two options.

Q: “Do you prefer cats or dogs?” A: “Although I love cats, I’d have to say dogs”.

“There’s nothing wrong with (B) though…” = a great follow-up to use after the above structure.
You may notice any time I answer a “Do you prefer A or B” type question, I will include this.

“Wouldn’t feel complete without (something)” = another way to say “an integral part of
(something)”. This can be used in a similar way to “complement”.

“There’s nothing I hate more than…” = a very strong way to say that you dislike something.

“I can’t stand (something)” = a very strong way to say that you dislike something.

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9. Science
★ Possible questions & model answers:
○ Are you interested in science?

I suppose so, yeah. There’s just something about it that’s always sparked my interest,
y’know? I’m not exactly sure why though, I guess it’s my curious nature.

No, not really. For some reason, I’ve never had a taste for it. I suppose that’s ‘cuz I can’t
wrap my head around it well enough to grasp what scientists say about the world.

○ Why not? What area/field of science interests you the most?

It’s simply too confusing for me. The workings of the world and universe are beyond my
comprehension, and I honestly feel like my time would be better spent on something
more productive than science.

Hmm, I’ve always been dead keen on biology. I for one, absolutely love nature and
everything about the natural world, so biology really scratches that itch, y’know? Whether
I learn something about animals, the environment, or even the way plants form their
wonderful patterns and absorb sunlight. It’s so cool!

○ Did you study science in school?

Yeah, I needed to. In the UK, science/it’s (is) a core subject at school, even as early as
primary school we had science classes, so needless to say, I’ve spent many years studying
it. Having said that, not in too much depth though, we learnt the fundamentals, to begin
with, then moved on to more specialised areas like Chemistry, Physics, and Biology.

○ How old were you when you started to study science?

Uhmm, I’m not sure, actually. I must’ve been around 6 or 7 years old, I guess. I know for a
fact that I studied it in primary school, but I’m not exactly sure which year we started to study
it.

○ Would you like to learn more about science?

Yeah, well at least biology, anyway. I used to detest physics because it involved so
much math, so I’ll stay well away from that field, but I’d love to learn more about our planet
and its inhabitants. As well as that, I’d love to learn more about the way our bodies work.
I've had a real interest in it recently, and learning more would definitely help me live a
healthier life.

○ Have you ever done any scientific experiments before?

Yeah, quite a few at school. I can’t clearly recall the details of them because it was such a
long time ago, but from what I do vaguely remember, I really enjoyed doing them. I have a
pretty foggy recollection of mixing a few chemicals in a test tube and watching the colours
change, then adding another substance to the mix and it nearly exploded, haha.

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★ Vocabulary list
First, let’s look at some ways to say what “kind of science” you have studied/are interested in.

“Branch of + science” / “Field of + science” / “Area of + science” / “Scientific study of + _______”

The 3 main “branches of science” are:

Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Formal Sciences.

Check out this wonderful article to learn more about them.

Natural sciences include;-

Physics = math based, the scientific study of matter and energy, and the effect they have on each
other (think; Gravity, Forces, Atoms). Language might include: Equations, Results based
research.

Biology = the study of living organisms (think; People, Animals, Plants, Nature). Language might
include: The workings of our body, Species, Evolution, Genetics, Genetic make-up.

Chemistry = the branch of science that studies chemicals and their properties/reactions (think;
Acids, Alkalines, Soap, Cleaning products). Language might include: Test tubes, Flasks,
Mix/Combine, Experiment, Chemical reaction, Toxic, Hazardous, Substance.

Social sciences include;-

Psychology = the study of people and behaviour. Language might include: Personality traits,
Introvert/Extrovert (introverted/extroverted = adjectives), Psychological (adjective), Demeanour
(people’s behaviour that you can see), The way we are, What makes people tick.

Sociology = the study of the development, structure, and function of society. Language might
include: The ins and outs of society, Social construct (collocation = how society is built),
Hierarchy, Social ladder, Social status, Position within society.

History/Law/Economics/Politics = the study of history, law, economics, and politics.

Formal sciences include;-

Mathematics = the study of numbers.

Computer science = the study of computers.

Logic, data, statistics, artificial intelligence, systems.

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★ Useful structures
You’ll notice I used many of my usual sentence structures in my answers to this topic, and a few new
ones too :)

“There’s just something about _____ that __________________” = we use this when we know
something (like a fact or quality of) but don’t say why. It’s best to learn this structure with examples.
“There’s just something about Jim’s classes that I find really beneficial” / “There’s just something
about biology that fascinates me, y’know?” / “There’s just something about IELTS123 that(‘s) is a
step above the competition, right?”.

“For some reason,” = I’m sure you recognise this one by now :) Check my other model answers for
the definition & use.

“(I’ve always been) dead keen on (something)” = an informal way to say “interested”.

“I for one” (phrase of one) = used to empathise what you believe or think, even if others disagree.
For example, “Nothing has changed yet, and I for one don’t see it changing anytime soon” or “I for
one hate it when people interrupt me”.

“Scratches (the/an) itch” (idiomatic) = this basically means to “satisfy a desire” or “satisfy a need
for (something)”. In the context above, I said, “I for one, absolutely love nature and everything
about the natural world, so biology really scratches that itch, y’know?”, which basically means
biology satisfies my love of nature.

“A core subject / a part of our curriculum” = used to say that a subject studied at school is
mandatory.

“Stay well away from (something)” = a great structure to say that you avoid something.

“I can’t clearly recall the details (of something), but from what I do vaguely remember…” = try
to practise this structure a few times about various things from the past. It is an extremely valuable
way to introduce some facts that are difficult to remember (think; Childhood, Old friends, Holidays).

“(a) pretty/quite/rather foggy recollection (of something)” = when something is “unclear” it’s
“foggy”, this structure is great because we’re using a suffix to change the word-class of
“recollect” (ion) to a noun.

“Have a real interest in (something)” = just like “quite the challenge” from my previous answers, we
say this to show the examiner that we are comfortable using different word-forms to describe
something (most lower band speakers will simply use “adjectives” and “participle adjectives” to
describe).

“As well as that,” = the same as “in addition to” and “furthermore”, etc. Much more natural in
spoken English.

“Having said that,” = the same as “however,” and “in contrast to”, etc. Much more natural in spoken
English.

“I know for a fact that…” = used when you know something 100%.

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10. Shoes
★ Possible questions & model answers:
○ How many pairs of shoes do you own?

Believe it or not, I must have like 9 or 10 pairs. I’m dead proud of my shoe collection,
actually.

○ How often do you buy shoes? Do you think you have too many pairs?

It’s hard to say exactly. I tend to buy a new pair whenever I see a great deal, or I might treat
myself when a newly released model of Nike comes out. Plus, I never miss out on the
Black Friday sales. In fact, the first thing I think about when Black Friday comes around
each year is: Oh, what shoes do I want but can’t afford?

No, although my wife begs to differ, haha. I’ve got a massive shoe rack outside my
apartment’s front door where I store all my kicks, and frankly, I’m spoiled for choice every
time I go out. I most certainly wouldn’t say I have too many pairs though, one can never have
enough of a good thing, right?

○ What kind of shoes is your favourite?

For me, I’d have to say Basketball shoes. I’ve got quite awkwardly shaped feet, so
standard shoes just don’t do it for me, they always cause a bit of discomfort after a while,
especially when I need to walk somewhere further than 30-minutes away. For some
reason, Basketball shoes never put any strain on my arches, which is why I love them so
much.

○ When you buy a new pair of shoes, what do you consider?

I always need to keep a few things in mind whenever I get a new pair. My feet have quite
high arches, so I can only wear shoes that will support my foot type. Then I’ve gotta think
about the looks, like, what clothes I could wear with them, how they’ll complement my
outfits, etc. Next is how practical they are, and if they’re well-built or not.

○ Do you spend a lot of money on shoes?

I wouldn’t say so, even though my wife gets pretty mad at me whenever I come home with a
new pair. Due to my foot type, it’s such a challenge to get a decent, suitable pair at a
reasonable price. On average, I’d say I spend between $50 to $150 on each pair I get,
which is pretty standard for some of the top brands.

○ Have you ever bought shoes online?

Noooo, never. Call me old fashioned, but I always want to try things on before I buy
them, plus, I like to thoroughly inspect the build quality, and even compare them to other
pairs of the same shoe. I’d rather not risk having to send them back to the online retailer,

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and the wait to get a refund can take weeks when returning stuff we buy online here in
Vietnam.

○ Do you think shoes are important?

Yeah, definitely. I reckon they’re the most essential item of clothing we can wear, right?
Besides complementing an outfit, they need to be practical, too. For me, I
wholeheartedly believe that we should never take our feet for granted, so it’s well worth
investing a bit extra into a decent pair of shoes.

★ Vocabulary list
Needless to say, there are so many kinds of shoes people wear (I think there are well over 50+
types). Some of the most common are:

Trainers (Sneakers in American English), Boots, Loafers (shoes without laces), Sandals, High
Heels, Flats (opposite of high heels), Chukka Boots (a famous style from India), Derby shoes
(most businessmen will wear these), Oxford shoes (similar to Derby shoes, very formal).

I’d strongly recommend this article about styles of shoes, it has images to illustrate each kind.

Footwear (noun) = another way to say “shoes”.

Arches (noun) = the soft, arched part of our feet (people’s feet have low, normal, or high arches).

Foot type (noun) = the type of feet you have.

Shoe rack (noun) = a rack is like a shelf, we use racks in our kitchen too.

Complement (noun/verb) = a thing that completes something or brings it to perfection (as a verb,
it’s the action of adding something to improve, complete or make perfect).

Pair of (quantifier) = just like headphones and jeans, we alway say “a pair of
shoes/jeans/headphones” because there are 2.

Discomfort (noun) = a slight pain (discomfort can also be a verb, which means to make someone
feel anxious, uneasy, and embarrassed).

Heel (noun) = the back part of our feet.

Sole (noun) = the bottom part of our feet or shoe.

Insole (noun) = the inside (inner) part of shoes that our feet touch.

Wear out (phrasal verb of wear) = to use something until it is not in good condition, for example, “I
always wear out cheap shoes after a month or two”. It is also a separable phrasal verb, “They’re
great, I didn’t even wear them out after 5-years”. (Worn out = adjective).

Kicks (informal noun) = in American English, kicks = shoes.

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★ Useful structures
“Believe it or not,” = used when you say something that is true (typically when it might surprise the
listener, but not always).

“When a newly released model of (something) comes out” = when the latest version of something
is available. In this situation “comes out” means “become available for purchase/consumption”,
things that “come out” are “released” by a company or brand. For example,
Jack, “Did you hear the news? Apple just announced that they’ll release the new iPhone 15 next
year”
Jim, “Really? But the iPhone 14 just came out a few days ago”

“(to) Miss out on (something)” = to miss the opportunity presented to oneself.

“(someone) Begs to differ” = we use this when someone disagrees with you. For example, “Jack
thinks the new iphone is worth the money, but Jim begs to differ”.

“When (Black Friday) comes around” = we use this structure when a period (typically a festival or
special occasion) becomes the present time. For example, “I can’t wait for Christmas to come
around this year”.

“And frankly,” = a great insert to use when you’re going to add something which is honest/frank to
your discourse. For example, “I don’t want to know what you did last night, and frankly, I don’t even
care”.

“(I need to) Keep a few things in mind (whenever/before I…)” = to keep something in mind means
to “consider”, by saying “a few things”, we suggest that there is more than one thing that we must
consider.

“Call me old fashioned, but…” = we use this structure whenever we say something that might not
be the current way something is done or thought of. For example, “Call me old fashioned, but I
prefer to call my friends rather than texting them”.

“Try (things on) before I buy (them)” = to wear something or to test something before you buy it. We
usually say the phrase “try before you buy” in sales. To try (something) on = wear an item of
clothing before you decide to buy it.

“Do/Does/doesn’t do it for me” = satisfies (or doesn’t satisfy) your needs or requirements. For
example, “Starbucks coffee just doesn’t do it for me” = Starbucks doesn’t satisfy my need for good
coffee. “His classes really do it for me” = His classes satisfy my requirements.

“Take (something) for granted” = to not appreciate something as much as you should.

“On average” = generally true. I’ve used this a few times in other topics.

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11. Weather
★ Possible questions & model answers:
○ What is the weather like in your hometown?

Well, for most of the year it’s pretty cold and grey in Manchester, but for a couple of
months during the summer, we do get to enjoy an odd spot of sunshine from time to time.

○ Is it different to where you live now? Do you like it?

Haha, definitely, quite the opposite, actually. Here in the north of Vietnam, it’s scorching
hot almost all year round, then the temperature drops significantly during the winter to a
more temperate climate, it doesn’t last as long as winter does back home though.

Not really, no. I can’t stand the cold so I’m much happier with the climate here in Vietnam. I
used to get so frustrated with the weather back home, whenever I’d wash my car, it’d rain,
whenever I’d plan to have a BBQ, it’d rain, it felt like whatever I planned would be affected
by the weather, haha.

○ Do you prefer hot or cold weather? Dry or wet weather?

Uhm, I’m not so fussed supposing it isn’t too extreme, really. When the weather hits the
mid-40s during the summer here, it can get a bit draining, it almost saps your energy,
y’know? But then again, when it’s so cold outside you can’t help but wear gloves, I really
miss the warm sunshine in winter.

I’d have to say dry weather. As a motorbike enthusiast, I take great pride in keeping my
machine clean and rust-free, the rain just ruins all of my best efforts. Having said that, I
do enjoy scrubbing the dirt off my bike, so it’s not as bad as I make it out to be, haha.

○ Is the weather worse nowadays than it was when you were younger?

I think so, yeah. From what I’ve experienced, it seems to get colder these days, and the
summer doesn’t last as long as it used to. Saying that, when the summer does come
around, it can get much hotter than I recall, so I think both sides of the scale have been
tilted.

○ How often do you check the weather forecast?

Gosh, each and every single day of the week. Believe it or not, it’s become a part of my
morning ritual. When I sit back and enjoy my morning coffee, the first thing I do is
check the forecast to see if it’s a good day to take my bike for a spin or not and if I’ll need
to bring a raincoat to work with me.

○ Do you plan your days around it? Is it always accurate and reliable?

To some extent, yeah. My days are always the same during the week as I’ve got a set
schedule to adhere to, of course, the weather wouldn’t change that. However, on my days

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37
off, I do need to account for the weather when coming up with plans for the weekend or
road trips.

For the most part, yeah. There have been a few recent occasions when it was completely
off though. A few weeks back, it caught me by surprise because I expected it to be a
sunny day, so I went out of the city with my wife to visit somewhere new, the next thing we
knew, the sky turned a dark grey and we were stuck in the middle of nowhere waiting for
the rain to die down.

★ Vocabulary list
Rain collocations: Light rain, Heavy rain, Torrential rain
(never say big/small + rain, I hear this too often by test-takers).

A shower (noun) = used to refer to light/moderate rain, for example, “I was caught in a shower on
the way home”.

Spitting (verb) = used when it is light rain outside, for example, “You don’t need an umbrella, it’s
only spitting outside”.

Downpour (noun) = used to refer to heavy rain, for example, “Bring an umbrella with you, there’s
gonna be a downpour later on”.

It’s “pouring it down” outside = used to describe the way the rain is falling (very heavy rain), for
example, “It usually pours it down at this time of year”.

A sunny/rainy/cold spell = a spell basically means a short period of weather/activity/suffering.

Clear blue sky (collocation) = a clear sky.

Overcast (adjective) = when you can’t see the sky through the clouds.

Humid (adjective) / Humidity (noun) = the moisture (water) in the air.

Tropical climate (noun) = a climate experienced by parts of the world near the equator (the middle
line of the earth).

Four distinct seasons (collocation) = we often say “distinct seasons” when we can see a clear
difference between the four seasons, for example, “Japan enjoys four distinct seasons throughout
the year”.

Temperate (adjective) = when the temperature isn’t too hot or too cold, it’s just right. Another way to
say “temperate” is “mild”.

Extreme (adjective) weather conditions (collocation) = when something is extreme, it’s at a very
high or highest degree/level. Weather conditions = the kind of weather. For example, “Here in
Vietnam, we experience some extreme weather conditions during the summer.”

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We often use the words: Scorching (to describe extremely hot weather) and Freezing (to describe
extremely cold weather).

Weather Forecast (noun) = a prediction of the weather.

(a) Drop/Dip (in temperature) = when the temperature becomes lower (typically paired with
“drastically” and “significantly”, for example, “the temperature drops significantly in October”.

Heatwave (noun) = a period of extremely hot weather, typically hotter than it usually is during a time
of year.

Blizzard (noun) = an extremely cold storm with large amounts of snow.

★ Useful structures
“For most of the year it’s pretty ________ in _______” = used when you want to say how
something is like for most of the year :P

“An odd spot of sunshine” = an odd spot of something means that it is not regular, for example, “I
love to play an odd spot of football from time to time”.

“(does/doesn’t) Last as long as it used to” = something is shorter than it used to be.

“Not as bad as I make it out to be” = a great sentence structure to use when you want to
empathise that something is not as bad as you say it is (this could be useful when speaking about
your work).

“To account for the weather” = basically means to consider the weather before making plans.

“For the most part,” = used when something is generally true, similar to “on average”.

“(to) Take great pride in (something)” = a very natural way to say that you are proud of something.

“(when the weather) Hits the (number of degrees celsius/fahrenheit) during the summer/winter” =
when the temperature reaches a certain degree, for example, “When the weather hits the mid-20s,
I know summer is right around the corner”.

“The next thing I know” = a natural way to say that something occurs suddenly, this is a great
structure to use when telling a story in Part 2, for example, “The next thing we knew, it was 9 PM
and the train had already left the station”.

“Each and every single day” = a great expression of frequency to use (high frequency).

“Quite the opposite, actually” = a natural way to say something is completely different. This uses
the same kind of grammar as “quite the challenge”.

“The sky turned (dark and grey)” = used when the sky changes, we often say that it “turned”.

“I can’t help but…” = I can’t help but ask you to see my other answers for the definition.

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Part 1 - Reused topics from the previous season

1. Advertisements
★ Possible questions & model answers:
○ Where do you usually see advertisements?

Well, considering that I don’t watch TV anymore, I mostly see them on YouTube and
Social Media. As you probably already know, they’re full of ads so I must see thousands of
them every year.

○ Can you remember any advertisements you saw recently?

Sure. One that really stood out among the many was a decent BMW ad I saw on YouTube
not so long ago. It was showing off their latest model of GS series motorbikes, I was
absolutely blown away by the production quality and attention to detail.

○ How do you feel about advertisements?

To be perfectly honest with you, I can’t stand them any longer. Having said that, when I
was a kid, I actually used to love watching different ads on the TV, but the same can’t be
said for the ads I see online these days. There’s just something about them that makes
me count down the seconds to skip them.

○ Have you ever bought something after seeing the advertisement?

Yeah, I have, actually. I was scrolling through Facebook one day and saw an infomercial
about a water repellent spray or something like that. Once I saw how effective the product
was, I immediately clicked the link and ordered a few cans of it. Surprisingly, it did exactly
what it said on the tin, haha.

○ Do you think the advertisement helped you make your decision to buy it?

Definitely. I wouldn’t have even considered getting it if I didn’t see it in action on the ad.
Even though I despise most ads I see online, when I see a decent infomercial about a
product that may prove useful in my day-to-day life, I usually give it the time of day it
deserves.

○ How effective are online advertisements?

Hmm, it’s difficult to say, really. From what I’ve experienced, it’s safe to say that they tend
to be more of a nuisance than anything. That may not be the case for everyone though,
they may work as intended for a different audience than myself. For me personally, I can’t
help but ignore them, or try my very best to ignore them anyway.

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2. Barbecues (BBQ)
★ Possible questions & model answers
○ Do you like barbecues?

Yeah, I love ‘em, who doesn’t, right? I honestly reckon that they bring out the sweet,
meaty flavour of beef n’ pork which conventional ovens or grills in the kitchen can’t. Not
to mention, there's just something about the sound of burgers sizzling on the grill that really
whets my appetite, too.

○ What kind of food do you barbecue?

All sorts, really. My personal favourite has to be a whole rack of spare ribs or pork chops
that have been marinated overnight. I can’t think of anything better than lighting up a
bunch of red-hot coals, sitting back with a cold beer, and tending the grill. It’s one of the
few pleasures in life that makes the daily grind worthwhile, right?

○ When do you usually have barbecues?

Gosh, not as much as I’d like to. I wish I could have one every day of the week, but it’s
simply not possible, y’know. I treat my wife n’ family to an authentic Korean Barbie a couple
of times a month. Also, every now & then we love to go camping n' have a good ole'
cookout.

○ How popular are barbecues in your country?

Hmm… Even though I can’t speak for everyone, I’d say most people love to have a good
cookout whenever we get a spot of sunshine. Unlike many countries across Asia, the UK
doesn’t have so many indoor BBQ joints where people can go to enjoy one regardless of
the weather. Believe it or not, there are only a couple of months per year that we can have
one, so people tend to take advantage of that whenever they can.

○ Do you have any plans to go for a barbecue soon?

Yeah, at some point this month I’ll probably go for one, but I’m not exactly sure when
that’ll be. I’m pretty swamped with writing content for the current season of IELTS topics at
the moment, so once that’s out of the way, I’d love to go to my favourite Korean BBQ
restaurant with my family.

○ Do you prefer to barbecue indoors or outdoors?

Y’know, if I had to choose between them, I’d have to say outdoors. There’s nothing
wrong with having a Barbie indoors though, actually, sometimes it’s better, but I just love

😋
doing it outdoors. That way I don’t need to worry about making the house smell like a
bonfire or burning it down

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★ Vocabulary list
Have a barbecue / To barbecue (just like picnic, we typically use the word barbecue in its
noun form more often than its verb form)

Cookout / Barbie = synonyms for barbecue.

Grill (noun) = a metal framework used for cooking food over an open fire.

Sizzle (verb) = when food makes a sound similar to a hiss, typically when it is fried or grilled.

Light up (phrasal verb) = to ignite, typically a cigar, cigarette, pipe or charcoal.

Charcoal (noun) = a black or dark brown rock widely used as fuel for heating / barbecuing.

Red-hot coals (collocation) = when the charcoal has been ignited and it is extremely hot.

Whet my appetite (phrase) = Whet means to excite or entice, typically someone's interest,
desire or appetite. The phrase means to excite your appetite which basically means it makes
you desire the food even more.

Marinade (noun) = a sauce, typically made of oil, vinegar, spices, and herbs, in which meat,
fish, or other food is soaked before cooking in order to flavour or soften it.

Marinate (verb) = to soak the foods mentioned above in marinade.

To marinate overnight = a cooking term, to allow the meat to rest in the marinade overnight,
typically between 8 to 24-hours.

Conventional ovens (noun - collocation) = an oven widely used in kitchens or restaurants.

BBQ Joint (informal noun) = a restaurant where you can have a barbecue.

Korean barbecue (noun) = a style of barbecue that originated in Korea which is famous all
over the world.

★ Useful structures
I've used loads of my usual structures in this topic, you've probably noticed by now that most
of the structures I've used here were also used in many other topics. Try to learn from the
way I use them and try to apply them to your own answers.

"There's just something about ______________ that ____________" = used when you
know the effect/result but can't say exactly why (for example "There's just something about
Keith O' Hare's videos that makes me feel more confident using idioms").

If I had to choose between them, I'd probably pick A = my typical response to do you
prefer questions.

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There's nothing wrong with _______________ though, = used for "Do you prefer A or B"
questions.

Believe it or not, = used when you want to say something that is true (the truth might also
be surprising or unexpected to the listener, too).

Not as much as I'd like to = expression of frequency (used when you want to do something
more than you do).

Every day of the week = expression of frequency (when you do something every day).

Every now & then = expression of frequency (around 50% of the time, like; sometimes).

At some point = at an unknown or unspecified point in time (I'll reach 1,000 subscribers at
some point).

My personal favourite has to be = I shouldn't need to explain this one 😋

Even though I can't speak for everyone, I'd say (that) = used when you don't want to
speak too generally but want to.

A spot of sunshine = a typically British way of saying "a period of good weather".

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3. Cars
★ Possible questions & model answers
○ Do you drive a car?

I do, yeah. I got my driver's licence back when I was a teenager and I've been driving ever
since. Besides being behind the wheel, I also ride a motorbike.

○ How often do you drive?

Hmm... It's hard to say exactly, but not as much as I used to, that's for sure. Basically,
since I've lived in Viet Nam, I haven't gotten behind the wheel of a car, and quite
honestly, I wouldn't want to drive here. I think riding is much more suitable for these narrow
roads and chaotic traffic.

○ Was it difficult for you to learn how to drive a car?

From what I remember, it was pretty tough to wrap my head around it at first. My driving
instructor almost lost his patience with me after the first few sessions, haha. Thankfully,
after a couple more sessions, I managed to get to grips with the fundamentals of driving
and got a real sense of how to drive.

○ What is the furthest place you have driven to before?

It'd have to be from Manchester to London. It must've taken me about 4 or 5-hours to get

😋
there one-way. I was a new driver at that time though, so I reckon I could do it in half the
time these days Honestly, that was my first real road trip, and I haven't driven that far
since. Besides that, I've done a few tours on my motorbike which were much, much
further.

○ Do you prefer to sit in the front seats or the back seats of a car?

If I had to choose between them, I'd probably pick the front seat. Whether it's in the
driver's seat or the front passenger's seat. I dunno why but whenever I'm cooped up in
the back seats, I get kinda car sick 'cuz I can't see what's in front of us clearly. I never used
to get carsick though, just since I've been driving myself. Funny, right?

○ Would you like to learn how to drive a car?

(Answers for people who don't drive) At some point, yeah! Though I have to admit that I'm
worried sick about driving myself. I know it's something we all need to learn one day, but I'm
gonna put it off until I feel like I can handle it.

○ How would it help you?

Well, it'd make the journey to university/work a heck-of-a-lot easier, that's for sure! I'm sick
and tired of relying on public transport to go to and from university/work, plus, here in (name
of country), the trains/busses/subways are always packed full of commuters.

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○ Do you think you would like to go on a long car journey?

Yeah, I probably would. Whether I'm driving or not, it'd be great to get out of the house for a
few days and hit the road. I haven't seen much of my country outside of my hometown, so I
reckon a road trip would be the best way to soak up the sights and stop by new places.

★ Vocabulary list
(get or be) Behind the wheel (phrase) = to drive a car/truck/bus.

To wrap my head around sth (idiom) = to understand something that may be challenging or
confusing.

To get to grips with sth (phrase) = to begin to deal with something or understand how to do
something.

Driving test (noun) = a test people must pass in order to legally drive a car (in most
countries, the driving test is done in 2 parts, a theory test and a practical test. Think of the
theory test as a paper-based exam that tests a person's knowledge of road-safety laws,
and the practical test like an exam that tests a person's ability to drive in the real world).

Driving instructor (noun) = a person who teaches others how to drive a vehicle.

Driving lessons (noun) = a lesson conducted by a driving instructor, typically an hour or two.

A new driver (noun) = someone who recently passed their driving test.

Carsick (adjective) = to feel sick whilst in a car, you can also be seasick and airsick.

Motion sickness (noun) = another way to say carsick "I have motion sickness" rather than
"be/get/feel"

Road trip (noun) = a long journey that is done on roads.

Tour (noun/verb) = a long journey, or to do a long journey.

Driver's seat (noun) = the seat in a car that the driver sits in.

Passenger's seat (noun) = the seat in a car that a passenger sits in.

Road signs (noun) = signs on a road that gives drivers information.

Driver's licence (noun) = a licence required (by law) to drive a car or vehicle legally
(American English = License).

Car insurance (noun) = a form of insurance that protects your vehicle against financial loss
in case of an accident or theft.

Commute (verb) = to travel from home to work, or from work to home.

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Commute (noun) = a regular journey made from home to work, or from work to home
(typically possessive; "my daily commute").

Commuter (noun) = a person who is commuting.

★ Useful structures
"I've been _____ ever since" = I've done something since I started it (this is a great
structure to use when you talk about your work, for example; "I started tutoring the IELTS
back in 2015, and I've been tutoring it ever since").

"Fundamentals of _____" = the basic concept of something.

"A real sense of ______" = a great structure when speaking about your home country, for
example; "most people in Viet Nam have a real sense of national pride".

"It must've...." = contraction (like I'll or she'd) must + have (must've) = we use "Must've" to
express an opinion about a past event that is based on our knowledge of it. It can be difficult
to fully understand how and when to use "must + have" so just think of it this way: If you have
some knowledge about something that leads you to form the opinion stated.

"I dunno why but" = very similar to "for some reason" and "there's just something
about ______ that _________". If you are unsure about those 2 structures, check out my
other model answers and read about how to use them.

"At some point" = at an unknown or unspecified time ("I'll get 1,000 subscribers at some
point").

"Do sth in half the time" = to do something twice as fast (to do something 2x faster).

"If I had to choose between them, I'd probably pick...." = my usual response to "Do you
prefer A or B" questions in Part 1.

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4. Costumes
★ Possible questions & model answers
○ Did you ever wear costumes as a child?

No, not at home. My parents never got me one, but to be fair, I never asked for one either.
Now that I come to think of it, I did wear one when I performed in the Nativity Play at

😋
school. I dressed up as one of the 3 Wise Men, it wasn't much of an outfit though, it was
more like a towel made into a robe.

○ How did you feel when you wore that costume?

Uhm... At first, pretty embarrassed, actually. Even though I wasn't the only kid who was
dressed up for the performance, I was the only one wearing a fake moustache. Plus the
robe was a bit too small for me, so it looked more like a skirt than anything. Once I got
over the initial stage fright, it ended up being one of my most treasured memories in
school.

○ Do you like to wear costumes?

These days I do, yeah. I've been to loads of fancy dress parties over the years, and I
absolutely love role-playing as a character. The thing I love the most is gathering all the
bits n' bobs I need for the costume, then putting it together and showing it off to everyone.
It's become a bit of a ritual every Halloween.

○ Which is your favourite costume?

I've got a few that I love, but I'd have to say a traditional Vietnamese garment which is
called an Áo dài. From the very first moment I wore one, I fell in love with them. It's a national
garment here worn by both men and women on formal occasions. If you didn't know
already, it's a colourful, long, split tunic dress worn over trousers.

○ Are there any traditional costumes people wear in your country?

Hmm... In the UK? Honestly, I can only think of a Tuxedo. Although I'm pretty sure it
originated in America during the 1800s, we've adopted it as our own for formal events.
Over the past few decades, James Bond flaunted his Tux in every movie, and it's since
become an iconic garment in modern pop culture.

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★ Vocabulary list
Dress up (phrasal verb) = to dress in special clothes.

Garment (noun) = an item of clothing.

National garment (collocation) = an item of clothing worn by people of a certain nation.

Traditional garment/outfit/costume (collocation) = an item of clothing traditionally worn by

people of a certain culture.

Outfit (noun) = a set of clothes worn together, typically for a particular occasion or purpose.

Flaunt (verb) = to display something (like clothes or achievements) in a way that causes
people to envy or admire.

Show off (phrasal verb) = to display something or someone in a proud way (the child
showed off his picture to everyone).

Fancy dress (noun) = an unusual or amusing costume worn to make someone look like a
famous person, fictional character, or animal, especially as part of a theme at a party

A Fancy dress party (noun) = a kind of party where the dress code is fancy dress.

Dress code (noun, collocation) = a rule which states what clothes people should wear, for
example, the dress code at our office is formal wear.

Black tie (noun) = extremely formal clothing worn on formal occasions, also used as a dress
code (it's a black-tie dinner event).

Formal wear (noun) = a formal set of clothes typically worn at formal occasions such as
weddings and business meetings.

Casual wear (noun) = a casual set of clothes typically worn for everyday activities.

Smart casual (noun) = a mix of formal and casual clothes, typically worn at work or informal
parties.

Role-playing (noun) = the acting out of the part of a particular person or character.

Look my best (idiom) = to look very, very good :)

Dress to impress (phrase) = to dress in clothes that will impress others.

Bits n bobs (idiomatic, British) = individual components of something or individual items, for
example, “I need to run to the store to get a few bits n bobs”.

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★ Useful structures
“An integral part of our culture” = a very important part of a culture.

“Defines us” = something that defines who we are.

“When people come to think of (country), they always think of (something)” = something
that people associate with a country or culture (when people come to think of Vietnam, they
always think of Pho).

“(Something) symbolizes (something)” = The sakura flower symbolizes renewal and

optimism.

“We (wear it) out of respect for our ancestors/traditions/history” = to do something

because you must respect it.

“But to be fair,” = a fair contrast.

“Get over the initial…” = once you overcome the first (thing).

“If you didn’t know already” = used when you’ll say something that may not be common
knowledge.

“Now that I come to think of it” = a great sentence structure to use when you’re trying to
empathise that you need to think of something.

“The thing I love the most about it is…” = a great way to say your favourite aspect of
something.

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5. Environment
★ Possible questions & model answers
○ Do you worry about the environment?

I do, yeah. Although I'm not much of an eco-warrior, I am concerned about it. Actually,
back when I was in college, I wrote an article to raise fellow student's awareness of
global warming. Even to this day, I actively think about the effect my lifestyle has on the
environment.

○ What do you do to protect the environment?

Well, like most people, I try my best to reduce my carbon footprint as much as possible.
Admittedly, not as much as some, but I genuinely believe that if everyone took small steps
towards a more eco-friendly lifestyle, then we'd be one step closer to tackling climate
change.

○ Do you think enough people care about the environment?

Back home in the UK, definitely, there are even laws that require people to care. Every
household's waste across the country is separated into specific bins, which are collected
weekly and shipped off to a nearby recycling plant. Sadly, the same can't be said about
the average person here in Vietnam though.

○ Did you learn about the environment at school?

Funnily enough, no. I think it was first mentioned when I got to College. You see, back in
the late 80s and early 90s, people didn't understand the impact their lives have on the
planet. It wasn't until the early 2000s when Britain turned green. I'm pretty sure these
days schools are introducing the issue to students at a young age in order to promote a
more eco-conscious, environmentally-friendly mindset when they grow up.

○ Would you like to change anything about your life in order to protect the
environment?

Yeah, quite a few things, actually. Right now, I ride a pretty beefy motorcycle, it's a real
gas-guzzler as the Americans say. I reckon if I downgraded to a more economical bike

😋
with a smaller engine, I'd drastically reduce my carbon emissions, and in turn, cut my
carbon footprint by a mile. (Pun intended )

○ Was the environment better when you were younger than it is nowadays?

I suppose it's hard to say, right? For the most part, people's efforts are definitely having a
noticeable, positive effect on their immediate surroundings, yet something like this isn't
exactly seen everywhere in the world. As more countries adopt green policies, I'm sure,
overall, the environment will improve even more than it already has.

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★ Vocabulary list
Eco-warrior (noun) = A person who cares a great deal about the environment and actively
campaigns to protect it.

Raise awareness (collocation V+N) = To make more people aware of something.

Global warming (noun) = The gradual increase of the planet's temperature.

Carbon footprint (noun) = The measurable amount of an individual's or organisation's

carbon emissions.

Carbon emissions (noun) = The amount of carbon that individuals or industries produce.

Eco-friendly (adjective) = Not harmful to the environment.

Environmentally-friendly (adjective) = Not harmful to the environment.

Eco-conscious (adjective) = Aware of the environment and the impact things have on it.

Recycling plant (noun) = A place, typically a factory, that recycles waste/refuse.

Green policy (noun) = A law, regulation, or rule that helps to protect the environment.

Economical (adjective) = Using no more of something than necessary. (e.g. an economical

motorcycle won't use as much fuel as other motorcycles.)

Gas-guzzler (noun, Americanism) = Not proper English, but it has been adopted by many
English speakers throughout the world to describe a vehicle that uses a lot of fuel.

Downgrade (verb) = To reduce something to a lower grade, rank, or level of importance.

"Downgrade" can also be used as a noun, which refers to the instance of downgrading
something. For example, I ride a BMW 1200 GS motorcycle, if I bought a small scooter, the
scooter would be considered a downgrade.

Beefy (informal adjective) = Something that is strong, powerful, bulky, impressive, and
muscular :)

Immediate surroundings (noun) = What people are currently surrounded by, as in, their
environment in the present moment.

Mindset (noun) = A way of thinking, or a process of thinking. For example, "he has a positive
mindset" = similar to outlook.

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★ Useful structures
"Funnily enough" = Used in the same way as "Believe it or not,". Check my other posts for
an explanation :)

"When I got to college" = An informal way to say "When I started studying at college" or "By
the time I started studying at college" the word "get" in this instance means "arrive", so by
saying this, you will increase your range of natural idiomatic language.

"These days" = My favourite way to talk about the present time in the IELTS Speaking
section.

"The average person" = An advanced and natural way to talk about "common people" as a
group (we should never say "common people" though, there is nothing common about
people, we are all unique and special). "The" can be used to refer to groups of people, for
example, The rich and famous, The poor, The class of 1998, The disadvantaged.

"Take small steps" & "One step closer" = To "take small steps" means to do small things
that contribute to the progression of something. To be "one step closer" means that you are
nearer to achieving something. I often recommend students to use these together, as
combined, they show a greater understanding of them individually. Similar to a cause &
effect clause (the cause is the action taken, the effect is that subject is one step closer
to...).

“Like most people/men/women, I…” = a great way to show your similarities in relation to
others.

“Improve even more than it/I already have” = to suggest that something could improve
more, even though it has already improved.

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6. Festivals
★ Possible questions & model answers
○ What is your favourite festival?

Hmm, I'd have to say Christmas :) There's just something about it that fills me with festivity,
y'know? Honestly, I love everything about it. The music, the decorations, the cheer, absolutely
everything. It's an integral part of our culture, and it reminds people of the importance of giving and
generosity. Trust me, no one wants to be a scrooge during Christmas.

○ Was that your favourite festival when you were younger, too?

Definitely, it always has and always will be. Believe it or not, as early as January I used to start
patiently waiting for Christmas to come around again. Of course, it used to be way more exciting
back then than it is these days, but I still truly relish it and always manage to get into the
Christmas spirit.

○ Can you tell me about some special festivals in your country?

Well, besides Christmas, we have a few others too. I don't wanna bore you to death by listing
them all, so I'll let you know about a dead funny one. Every year, in a small town called Gloucester,
up in the north of England, there's a "Cheese rolling" festival where people chase after a wheel of
cheese down a steep hill. Actually, it's rather dangerous for the participants, but there are trained
medical staff on-site to tend to any injuries.

○ Have those festivals changed in recent years?

Yeah, it definitely has. There are fewer and fewer people participating in it with each passing
year. I guess people wised up a bit and don't wanna' put themselves in harm's way.

○ Are western festivals becoming more popular in your country?

(Answered as a candidate) Sure, here in Vietnam, more and more people are celebrating
Valentine's day. Back when I was a student, no one used to care for it, but it's gained loads of
traction recently. Funnily enough, it's hard to escape these days. On the 14th of February every

😋
year, you'll always see tons of young people who have a crush confess their love. Love is in the air,
as they say.

★ Vocabulary list
Please check the words in bold throughout my answers.

Unfortunately, the language greatly depends on which festivals you talk about.

I strongly recommend you to run a quick Google search on the festivals you're familiar with,
and read an article about it in English www.wikipedia.org is a great resource for doing so.

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★ Useful structures
What? Did you think I wouldn't write more? You're gravely mistaken :) I used a bunch of great
structures in these answers that can be used interchangeably in other topics.

"There's just something about _______ that _______________" = I use this structure in
so many of my answers. We say this when we know the result or effect of something without
saying a reason why. Check my answers for Barbecues, Farms and Farming, and many
others to see this structure in use.

"Always has and always will be" = Used when something is and will be in the future (from
the past to the future), for example, “Jimi Hendrix is my favourite musician, he always has
and always will be” = The fact he is my favourite musician WON'T change in the future.

"Trust me," = Used to express that the listener should trust what you are going to say, it also
emphasises the fact that what you will say is true.

"With each passing year" = A great structure to highlight the passing of time, typically used
for past events that continue to occur.

"Believe it or not," = Another one of my favourite structures to use, this acts as a discourse
marker to prepare the listener for something true and/or surprising.

"(to) Care for (something)" = Exactly what you think it means.

"Gained (quantifier) traction" = When something increases its acceptance, following or

presence, typically used when speaking about movements or campaigns, but it can be used
appropriately in other situations. “The anti-war movement gained traction in the 1970s.” or
“His following gained loads of traction once he was featured on TV.”

"Put (subject) in harm's way" = Used when we say something is placed in a dangerous
situation, for example, “The news put his reputation in harm's way.”

"(to) Wise up" = Used to describe the act of becoming more intelligent or aware of
something, for example, “Hopefully, he will wise up as he gets older.”

"More ____ back then than it is these days" = When something was "more of something"
than it is today, for example, “Smoking was more popular back then than it is these days.”

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7. Flowers
★ Possible questions & model answers
○ Do you like flowers?

I suppose so, yeah, they're nice. I'd say I'm more into plants than flowers though.

○ Have you ever received or sent flowers as a gift?

Yeah, it might surprise you to hear that I receive them way more than I give 'em out.
Basically, here in Vietnam, we have two festivals for teachers, international teacher's day and

😋
Vietnamese teacher's day. Needless to say, my students always give me a bunch of
flowers on both days Sometimes the bouquets are absolutely gorgeous, too.

○ Do you think flowers are a good gift?

Hmm, for me personally, no. I don't reckon (think) sending people flowers on special
occasions or national holidays is worth it, but I totally appreciate why people do. They only
tend to (usually) last for a couple of days before they start to wither away, so I much prefer
to get people something more permanent to express my gratitude.

○ Are flowers expensive in your country?

No, not really, here in (Vietnam), they're quite cheap, actually. The floral industry is
saturated with growers up and down the country, I suppose it's due to the fact that
floriculture has always been a big part of the economy here, and always will be.

○ How often do you buy flowers to decorate your home?

Hardly ever, I can't even remember the last time I went out and got some, actually. I have
loads of plants dotted around my home though. Some that I grew from seedlings, others
that I've collected over the years. From time to time my students compliment how green
my background looks when I do online classes, it really makes my day :)

○ What kind of flowers is your favourite?

I absolutely adore poppies. In the UK, we have a memorial day known as "Remembrance
Day", which is also known as "Poppy Day" to some. In our culture, poppies hold a certain
significance as they symbolize the sacrifice made by the fallen heroes of World War One.

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★ Vocabulary list
Some great adjectives used when describing colours: Vivid, bright, vibrant, rich, deep,
pure (white).

A bunch of (quantifier) = A group of something bunched together.

Bouquet (noun) = A fancy, french way to say a bunch of flowers, especially a bunch that
were arranged in a pleasing way, typically for a gift or purpose.

Wither (verb) = When flowers start to deteriorate (die), they wither. Waste away in a great
phrasal verb that is synonymous with wither.

Floral industry (noun) = The industry of growing flowers for retail.

Floriculture (noun) = An alternative way to say "Floral industry", similar to "Agriculture" or

"Horticulture".

Seedling (noun) = A young plant, typically one grown from seed and NOT a cutting. (A
cutting is when we cut a stem and replant it in order to grow another plant).

Symbolize (verb) = To be a symbol of something (He symbolizes justice among single

fathers), or to represent as means of symbols (a tendency to symbolize danger as the colour
red).

Saturated (adjective) = Supply (a market) beyond the point that demand must be met or
satisfied. For example, the car market is saturated with the BMW 3-series now because
everyone wants the new 7-series.

Dotted around (adjective) = Used to describe where things are found, typically found in
many different places in an area. For example, "There are many trees dotted around my
street".

I strongly recommend you to research some names of popular flowers in your

country/culture. Just type into Google "popular flowers in (name of your country).

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★ Useful structures
"Give 'em out" (pronounced: gi've'mout) = To give something (plural) without expecting
anything in return (for free).

"It might surprise you to hear (that)" = Similar to "Believe it or not," and "Funnily enough".
Check my previous posts for more information on how and when to use it.

"Absolutely gorgeous" (collocation) = A great way to describe something extremely

beautiful.

"I appreciate why" = A way to say that you understand the purpose or reason behind
something like actions, causes or reasons.

"Last for" = How much time something will continue to exist. For example "I wonder how
long his lucky streak will last for" (I wonder how much time he will continue to be lucky).

"Needless to say," = Used as a discourse marker, we say this when we don't need to say
something but choose to say it. For example, "Needless to say, I love my mother more than
anyone else in the world".

"Express my gratitude" = A great collocation to use whenever we want to show someone

we are grateful.

"Always will be" = Used in a similar way to "Always has/was and always will be" without
the past mentioned.

"I can't even remember the last time (I did something)" = An advanced way to say that
you rarely do something, used as an expression of frequency.

"Hold a certain significance" = We say this when something has a specific significance or
meaning.

"Over the years" = For a long period of time.

"From time to time" = A great expression of frequency (sometimes).

"Make my day" = The most special thing to occur on a specific day.

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8. Holidays (vacations)
★ Possible questions & model answers
○ When was your most recent holiday?

Hmm, it must've been back in February this year. It seems like a lifetime ago, even though
in reality it was only 7-months back.

○ Where did you go?

I went to a small island called Phu Quoc, which is in the south of Vietnam. It was my first
time there, and I'd heard so much about it beforehand. I went with my wife and a couple of
her mates, and we stayed in a small villa right by the ocean. It was absolutely incredible,
actually, every day we were woken up by the sound of the waves crashing against the
shore, plus, we got dead lucky with the weather, too.

○ How often do you go on a holiday?

Haha, I'm sure I can speak for everyone when I say, not as much as I'd like to. I must
get away around 4 or 5 times per year, on a good year that is. Needless to say, I'd love to
go more often but it's proving to be a challenge recently. Hopefully, when things go back
to normal, I'll get to go for one more often.

○ Do you have any plans to holiday abroad?

Yeah, as soon as possible, too. I was supposed to go to Kyoto, Japan, last year, but as
you can imagine, that didn't go according to plan. I'm gonna wait until things are back to
normality or a new normal at least before my next trip. If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say
early 2022.

○ If you could choose any country in the world to visit on a holiday, where would
you go?

Gosh, it'd have to be Japan, I've always wanted to spend a couple of weeks there, actually.
There's just something about it that really excites me, y'know? From what I've seen,
I'm sure I'd love to do a quick tour around Kyoto, then head on over to Osaka or Tokyo,
and soak up the sights along the way.

○ Do you prefer to have a long or short holiday?

Believe it or not, I love extended holidays. There's nothing wrong with a short break from
reality, though. I just prefer to take my time and make sure that I have enough time to do
and see absolutely everything. Around 2 to 3 weeks is perfect for me. That way I won't feel
rushed or pushed for time, plus I'd be able to fulfil my itinerary too.

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★ Vocabulary list
If you're confused, "holiday" is the British way of saying "vacation". Holidays are very
different from national holidays and festivals, but people usually go on holiday during
those times.

Itinerary (noun) = A planned route or journey, typically a list of things to do on holiday.

Suitcase (noun) = A relatively large box with wheels on it that we take with us on holiday to
put our stuff inside.

Luggage (noun) = Your suitcase, and the things you bring with you on holiday (clothes,
sandals, cameras, etc).

Baggage (noun) = The things you bring with you on holiday, typically refers to the suitcase
itself.

Check-in (noun/verb) = Noun form of "check-in" is the area in an airport where you get your
ticket and give them your baggage. The verb form of "check-in" is the action of doing the
noun form.

"Soak up (the sights)" (phrasal verb) = To absorb something, to take something in (look at
the sights).

Flight ticket (noun) = Just like a train ticket, obviously.

Depart (verb) = When your flight "leaves" the airport and heads towards its destination.

Destination (noun) = Where you're going to.

Tourist trap (noun) = A place that attracts tourists and takes their money.

Travel agent (noun) = A person who arranges holidays for people professionally.

Tour guide (noun) = A person who guides you on a planned trip.

Places you might stay:

○ A resort = Large complex where many people will stay, typically has restaurants,
swimming pools, leisure activities. When people stay in a resort, they don't need to go
out of the resort for anything.
○ A hostel = Cheap hotel :)
○ A cabin = Small house.
○ A lodge = Same as a cabin.
○ A villa = Large house, they are very fancy.

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Different ways to say "go on holiday" or "go for a holiday":

○ "Short getaway" = a short holiday (vacation).

○ "Weekend getaway" = a short holiday over a single weekend.
○ "Trip" = the act of going somewhere.
○ "Escape reality" = to escape from your daily life.
○ "Break" = typically a "long/short + break", a break is a pause in doing something, we
typically say "take" + "a break".

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★ Useful structures
"It must've been back in (month/year)" = Must've is my favourite contraction to use in the
IELTS Speaking section. Must + Have, we use this when we want to say something based
on our knowledge of it. I will also use "It must've happened around 2 or 3 years back, I
guess" in Part 2, whenever I say when something happened.

"Like a lifetime ago" = Another way to say "a very long time ago" but more natural.

"In reality" = Used to say something in actual fact (used to contrast a false idea of what is
true or possible with one that is more accurate). For example, "his friends thought he was
a liar, but in reality, he was trying to protect them".

"Right by (something)" = A more natural way to say "near" something. Check the model
answer to see it in use.

"The sound of the waves crashing against the shore" = I shouldn't need to explain this
one, it's just a very expressive way to say "the sound of the ocean".

"I'm sure I can speak for everyone when I say, (then say something everyone would
agree with)" = To speak for people means to say something others would say.

"Not as much as I'd like to" = If you've taken any of my classes before, you'll know this is
my favourite expression of frequency. It suggests that we want to do something more
often than we do.

"On a good year" = When the year is full of positive happenings. For example, "My IELTS
preparation centre sees around 2000 students in a good year".

"Needless to say," = When you don't need to say something, but choose to say it. For
example, "Needless to say, I love my wife." (I didn't need to say that because the listener
already knows).

"As you can imagine," = We use this when the listener should be able to imagine or picture
what you're going to say next. For example, "As you can imagine, I felt so disappointed when
I scored a band 5.5 instead of 6".

"If I were to hazard a guess" = An idiomatic way to say "guess something" mixed with a
conditional.

"There's just something about ______ that _________________" = I've written about this
one so many times now, just check through my other model answers.

"Head on over to" = To go somewhere, or to begin the action going somewhere.

"Get dead lucky (with something)" = To be very lucky that something happened. For
example, "We got dead lucky with the weather, it didn't even show any signs of rain".

"Proving to be a challenge" = We typically say this when we didn't expect something to be

as difficult as it is. For example, "Achieving band 8 is proving to be a challenge for her".

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9. Primary school
★ Possible questions & model answers
○ Did you enjoy studying in primary school?

From what I can remember, yeah. Although it wasn't such a big school, it had everything I
ever needed back then. Actually, I think I spent more time playing than studying, even in
classes we used to mess around. It was an extremely laid-back learning environment.

○ Do you speak to any of your friends from primary school?

Believe it or not, I'm still in contact with most of my mates from back then. I guess it's
because we had small class sizes, and my school took a very "hands-on" approach to
education. There weren't many textbooks, and computers weren't exactly a thing back
then either. I suppose it's true what they say, some friendships last a lifetime.

○ How difficult were classes in your primary school?

Gosh, they were a breeze, really fun too. We had the same teacher for 5-years, Mr Fowler,
and he was the most patient, dedicated, and friendly teacher I could ever ask for. Whilst
studying for our KS2 (Key Stage, or KS, is the education system in England which is broken
into different levels, in primary school, we are in Key Stage 2), he made every class
interactive and meaningful, it didn't feel like studying whatsoever.

○ Do you think it was a good school?

Funnily enough, no, not really. Looking back at it now, the building was almost falling
apart. We didn't have any modern facilities like schools do these days, just old classrooms
that could have really done with a makeover. Having said that, a school itself is only as
good as the people in it, so in that sense, yeah, I reckon it was a great school, haha.

○ Have you ever visited your primary school since you left?

Sadly, no, not yet. Now that we're talking about it, I would love to stop by sometime and
see how it's changed over the years. I'm sure that since I studied there, they will have
completely renovated it. I'm worried that I would hardly even recognize it if I ever go
back.

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10. Relaxing
★ Possible questions & model answers
○ What kinds of things do you do to relax?

Gosh, all sorts, really. One of my favourite ways to unwind must be writing, honestly,
nothing beats it. I've always loved writing short stories, and I even get lost in my own
creations sometimes. I suppose that's why I post so much content to my blog, even though
it isn't fictional writing, it still relies on my creativity and imagination.

○ When do you need to relax?

Every time I have a long day at work, definitely. If you don't know already, being an IELTS
coach can be quite tiring, especially since I've been making the transition to online classes
only. I feel like I talk all day, so by the time I finish my final class, I just want to get my head
down and write a few more chapters in my book, or new posts on my blog.

○ Do you have enough time to relax each day?

I'd say so, yeah, but not during work. I work from 9 AM to 7 PM every day, and I only get
an hour break in the afternoon. Once I finish work, I usually cook dinner for my family, tidy
up around the house, then get a bit of me time to chill out and recuperate my energy.

○ Did you relax more when you were younger than you do nowadays?

Oh yeah, that's for sure. Looking back to when I was a kid, I'd play outside with my mates,
pretty much all day every day. Saying that, these days I only get a couple of hours in the
evening, hence, I try to wake up 3 hours before my first class so I get time to work on my
website or novel.

○ How often do you relax at work?

Hmm, I only get an hour break each day. I wish I could get more time to rest but it's not
possible at the moment.

○ Are there any places nearby where you live that you go to relax?

Sure, Hanoi offers a wide range of things to do, it really has something for everyone.
Teenagers and students tend to hang out in bubble tea shops, adults and workers hit the
many bars and restaurants, the elderly mostly walk around the many parks the city boasts.

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11. Wallets / Purses

★ Possible questions & model answers
○ Do you have a wallet or purse? (if no, why not?)

Yeah, I do. It's just one of those slim, flip-wallets though, nothing too fancy.

○ What do you keep inside your wallet?

Uhmm, I squeeze in quite a lot of things, actually. From member's cards to spare change
and everything else, you'd expect to see in a guy's wallet. I've even got a picture of my wife
in there, too.

○ Have you ever lost your wallet?

Unfortunately, yes. It was an absolute nightmare. It must've happened around 6 or 7

years back when I was out drinking with some of my students in Prague at the time. I
haven't got a clue what happened, it was with me one minute, then gone the next. I know
for a fact I didn't leave it anywhere because I never take it out of my pocket unless I need
to buy something. I reckon it was pickpocketed by someone on the street, it does happen.

○ Have you ever bought or received a wallet as a gift?

Funnily enough, yeah. The students who I went out drinking with decided to buy me a new
one once they heard the news that I lost it, haha. I was really touched that they would do
something like that, and it helped me to deal with the stress of having to cancel all of my
bank cards and order new ones.

○ Do you prefer big or small wallets?

I'd have to say small, discreet ones. There's nothing wrong with having a big, bulky one,
though. However, after my experience in Prague, I've always been extra careful with it, so I
reckon any wallet that people can't see in your pocket is always best.

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12. Wild animals

★ Possible questions & model answers
○ What is your favourite wild animal?

Hmm, I absolutely adore monkeys. For some reason, I rate them as the cutest animals
ever. Their round wide eyes, their lovely little fingers, their intelligence, I just love
everything about them.

○ Would you like to have that as a pet?

No, simply because I don't think I'd be able to provide a good environment for one right
now. One day, once I own my own place and have a garden with enough space to build a
pen, then I'd love to get one.

○ Are there any places nearby where you live that you can see wild animals?

Not that I know of, no. There might be some animal sanctuaries a fair few miles out of the
city, but I haven't found out about them yet. Here in Hanoi, I suppose I only see flocks of
birds that flap their way through the city.

○ Do you enjoy watching TV shows about nature and animals?

Yeah, I love nature docs (documentaries). If you don't know him already, Sir David
Attenborough is a world-famous British, natural historian and broadcaster. He is one of
the main reasons why I love nature so much. His documentaries are by far the best of
their kind, if you haven't seen any, I'd strongly recommend you to check them out.

○ Did you learn about wild animals at school?

Besides the kinds of animals I was taught about in nursery, no. Natural sciences and the
natural world wasn't introduced until later in high school, but even then it wasn't a focal
point of the curriculum.

○ Do you think it is important to protect wild animals?

Definitely, I reckon it's absolutely essential for people to preserve the natural world.
Despite common belief, animals do have feelings, and they do have the right to live
peacefully on earth. Everyone knows they're an integral part of our ecosystem, and without
them, we wouldn't have a planet to enjoy.

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13. Sky and Stars

★ Possible questions & model answers
○ Can you see the stars at night where you live?

Sadly, not so many, no. Even on a clear night, I can only see the North Star and a couple
of others, but to be fair, they might be planets, I'm not sure.

○ How often do you look at the stars?

It's hard to say, I'm not much of a stargazer and I don't have a telescope either. I'd say
whenever I go camping, I always end up staring out into the night's sky, it's much clearer
out in the countryside than in a major city.

○ Do you prefer to look at the sky during the day or at night time?

It's a tough call, actually. Of course, I love it when I can see a lovely, clear blue sky during
the day, but at the same time, when the night's sky is filled with stars, it's so majestic.
However, if I had to choose between them, I'd probably pick during the day. That's
simply because I can't see much up there at night in Hanoi.

○ When you were younger, did you ever think about going to space?

Not that I can recall, no. The thought must've crossed my mind a fair few times, but I
never actively thought about it for a long time. I wasn't really into space or science-fiction
back then, so I probably thought more about cartoons and things to do the next day.

○ Did you learn about the stars at school?

Yeah, they were mentioned at some point during science classes. Back home in England,
we mostly focus on Biology, Chemistry and Physics though. Astrology isn't exactly a focal
point of our curriculum. From what I can remember, I did enjoy learning about what stars
are, how they're formed, and all about the lifecycle of stars.

○ Was the sky clearer when you were younger than it is nowadays?

Definitely. Looking back to when I was a kid, I could see what felt like billions of stars in
the sky, I could even identify some of the constellations, too. Having said that, these days
the night's sky seems so much duller than it used to. On a good night, I'm lucky to see
Mars, Venus or other naked-eye planets.

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Newly added Part 2 topics:

September 2021 to April 2022
1. Describe a person who impressed you when you were in
primary school
Cue card
● Who this person is
● How you know this person
● What this person did
● And explain why this person impressed you

Model answer with 1-2-3 & F-O-E method

Countless people have made an impression on me throughout my youth, however, if I need to talk
about one today, it’ll have to be Michael Jordan.

1. I’m sure you know of him already as he’s regarded as one of the most influential sportsmen
in history, and like most people my age, I’ve always looked up to him. My fascination for him
was kindled at an early age though, basically, my father used to let me stay up late to watch his
basketball games live on the TV. As a 7 or 8-year-old, I can’t express how intriguing it was to watch
him play.

2. Even to this day, I’m completely blown away by each one of his performances in-game. As a
long-time fan of basketball, I’ve only ever seen a few other athletes who even came close to his
level of commitment and dedication to the sport. I used to talk about him all the time at school
with my friends and teachers, actually, most people got a bit sick of me going on about him so
often.

3. Needless to say, Michael had a massive impact on my early life. He taught me that no matter
the odds, we must always commit 100% to everything we do, and I still try my very best to keep
that in mind as I go about my day-to-day life. I genuinely believe that’s a message more school
kids should hear nowadays, especially from role models and other public figures.

F = As you can imagine, I look up to Michael Jordan with the utmost respect and admiration. He
played a massive part in my life whilst I was growing up, and even to this day, I couldn’t imagine
life without him.

O = The way I see it, young people should be surrounded by positive influences like Michael
Jordan and others, if they’re not, they might not get a sense of what it means to be alive.

E = At some point, I’ll introduce him to my kids in the exact same way as my father did with me. I
really look forward to it :)

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1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Michael Jordan

1 = History & Relationship

(sportsmen / since child / TV with dad)

2 = Impressed
(performance in-game / dedication / talked about him too much)

3 = Influence
(commit 100% to / day-to-day life / role models)

F = Respect / O = Should / E = Will

Part 3: Primary school (and/or) Role models

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Primary School and/or Role Models.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● Why do people miss their primary school?

● Is that the same for everyone?
● How important is primary education?
● Is secondary education more important than primary school?
● Do you think primary schools are of good quality in your country?
● Is it normal for people to stay in contact with friends from primary school?
● What changes could improve primary education in your country?
● How would those changes affect students?

● Are children easily influenced by their role models?

● Can that influence be negative?
● What responsibilities do role models have?
● How might an irresponsible role model affect a child?
● Do adults also have role models?
● Are the effects role models have on adults the same as children?

As with all Part 3 answers, try to establish a simple “talking point” and speak about it for at least 4
to 6 sentences, if it isn’t enough, establish another “talking point” by using “on top of that”, etc.

Things to consider:
-Children often “mimic/imitate” (copy) behaviour they see.
-Primary school is a “big step” in a child’s development. It is also a “transition period”.
-Class sizes in primary school are often smaller than in secondary school, therefore, children tend to
grow closer to their classmates. “Life-long friends” is a great thing to mention.
-Who do children often look up to? Idolise? Aspire to be like?

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2. Describe a creative person whose work you admire

Cue card
● Who this person is
● How you know this person
● What creative things this person does
● And explain why you admire this person

Model answer with 1-2-3 & F-O-E method

Over the years, I’ve met and learnt of a fair few inventive people, however, if I had to talk about
one today, it’ll have to be Jack Kirby. He is widely regarded as the most iconic innovator within
the comic book industry, and as an artist, is the man who defined the genre.

1: I first learnt of his works back when I was in primary school, actually. My father used to collect
old editions of the X-Men and encouraged me to read them myself. Whilst most kids were reading
novels and such, I was cooped up in my room with my head between the pages of Captain
America and The Fantastic Four.

2: The thing that impressed me the most about his works was his sheer brilliance and
dedication to producing something unlike anything the comic book industry had ever seen
before. He literally reinvented the genre. In comic book history, there is the “pre-Kirby” era and the
“post-Kirby” era. Needless to say, I was fortunate enough to be born in the post-Kirby era.

3. For me, it’s remarkable that one person can constantly produce such original works, even
though some people consider him as a cartoonist, he’s much, much more than that. He’s an
innovator, a genius, and a prolific artist. Since Jack, there has only been a handful of artists
within the industry that came close to reaching his level of creativity.

F. As you can imagine, I still love to read his works, and they’ll never cease to amaze me. There’s
just something about them that inspires me to try and redefine my own work.

O. The way I see it, everyone should try to be creative in whatever they endeavour to do, whether
we work in an office or with children, there’s always room for creativity.

E. Although he died in the early 90s, his works will live on and stand the test of time, and I Look
forward to introducing my son/daughter to some of his books, just like my father did to me.

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Vocabulary
(Synonyms) Creative > inventive > innovative > groundbreaking > defining > original

Sheer + brilliance (collocation)

Never cease to amaze me (phrase) = Cease means to stop, so this means something “will never
stop amazing me”

There’s always room for +something (phrase) = We are always able to… For example, “There’s
always room for improvement” means we are always able to improve.

To produce something unlike anything sb seen before (structure) = to make something new and
innovative

To stand the test of time = Something timeless, won’t disappear over time.

Before its time = When something was so inventive, nothing else like it was made during that
period.

Ahead of the game = Before the competition does something (Michael Jackson was ahead of the
game when he released “Thriller”)

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1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Jack Kirby

1 = Personal story
(First learnt of / father collected comics / time spent reading)

2 = Impressed by work
(brilliance / unlike anything / pre/post-Kirby era)

3 = Genius
(original works / reinvented / other artists)

F = Amazed / O = Should / E = Will

Part 3: Creativity
This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Creativity.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● What kind of jobs require people to be creative?

● Should those creative jobs pay more than non-creative jobs?
● How can we encourage more people to be creative?
● Is everyone creative? / Are people creative by nature?
● Why do some people think that they are not creative?
● Are subjects like Art, Music, and Dance important for students in school?
● Has technology affected the way artists produce their work?
● Do you think it has improved the quality of their work?
● What will art be like many years in the future?
● Why do people enjoy collecting works of art?
● Do you think enough people appreciate art?

As with all Part 3 answers, try to establish a simple “talking point” and speak about it for at least 4
to 6 sentences, if it isn’t enough, establish another “talking point” by using “on top of that”, etc.

Things to consider:
-We often say everyone has “a creative side”, so we could talk about “getting in touch with their
creative side” in some of the answers.
-Most workplaces require “some form of creativity”, even if the job isn’t related to art or design.
“Inventive” is a great synonym to “creative”.
-When speaking of children, think about their “curious nature” or “thirst for new experiences”, all
of these things support that children enjoy the arts (plus, most kids find drawing/painting fun).
-Should schools just focus on “academic subjects”? What benefits are there to studying creative
subjects? How might that affect the child in “later-life”?

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3. Describe a famous athlete

Cue card
● Who this person is
● What they do
● How successful they are
● And explain why they are famous

Model answer with 1-2-3 & F-O-E method

I only know of a couple of sportsmen and women, however, if I need to talk about one today, it’ll
have to be Michael Jordan.

1. I’m sure you know of him already as he’s regarded as one of the most influential sportsmen
in history, and like most people my age, I’ve always looked up to him. My fascination for him
was kindled at an early age though, basically, my father used to let me stay up late to watch his
basketball games live on the TV. As a 7 or 8-year-old, I can’t express how intriguing it was to watch
him play.

2. Michael’s basketball career boasts several accolades and accomplishments, some of which
are all-time records that even to this day, no one has managed to take from him. Besides being
(arguably) the best player of all time, he shot to fame off the court, too. He started to take on
sponsorship deals with well-known brands like Nike and Disney, the next thing we knew, he’s
more than just a sportsman, he became a superstar.

2.5 Michael is living proof that with sheer determination and total dedication to something, you
can rise to the top of any field. His competitive nature and fighting spirit won over the hearts of
the world and struck fear into the hearts of his opponents, his refusal to give in against all odds
is a vital quality that athletes need in order to compete on the world stage.

3. Unfortunately, like most athletes, his career inevitably didn’t last forever. However, it was one of
the longest professional basketball careers of all time, and without a doubt, one that will go down
in history. These days, Michael is a successful entrepreneur and family man. He amassed a
fortune of over 1.2 billion dollars, grew a brand from scratch to a market leader, and enjoys
contributing to youth organisations and humanitarian issues. Remarkable, right?

F = As you can imagine, I look up to Michael Jordan with the utmost respect and admiration. He
played a massive part whilst I was growing up, and even to this day, I couldn’t imagine life
without him.

O = The way I see it, it’s so important that athletes are competitive and determined to win no matter
what. Their career is based on their performance, so if they’re not competitive, they won’t enjoy a
successful one.

E = At some point, I’ll introduce him to my kids in the exact same way as my father did with me. I
really look forward to it.

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1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Michael Jordan

1 = History & Relationship

(sportsmen / since child / TV with dad)

2 = Career (2.5 = Personality) (determination / competitive nature / against odds)

(accomplishments / highest rank / shot to fame)

3 = Nowadays
(career ended / family man / business and charity)

F = Utmost respect / O = Important / E = Will

Part 3: Athletes (and/or) Sports

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Athletes (and/or) Sports.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● What qualities/characteristics must athletes have?

● Is it possible to be a successful athlete without those qualities/characteristics?
● Can anyone become an athlete?
● Should we encourage more young people to aspire to become athletes?
● Why do people support athletes from their own countries?
● How difficult is it to compete in worldwide events?
● Do you think that’s why there are so few top athletes?

● What are the benefits of playing sports?

● Are there any other benefits?
● What do people learn from playing sports?
● Should schools have sports classes?
● Why do some people enjoy watching sports but dislike playing sports?
● Which sports are popular in your country?

Things to consider:
-Characteristics? think about things like “competitive nature” or “sheer determination”
-Do athletes need to “train” from an early age? Or is it something adults can pick up and try?
- “National pride” is a great collocation to use when speaking of why people support athletes.
-Don’t just think of health benefits, think more like “teamwork” and “cooperating with others”
when asked about sports. “Strategies” play a big part in most sports too :)
-We often say something is “our national sport” when speaking of the most popular sport in a
country, for example, “Football is our national sport (in England).”

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4. Describe a successful business person you admire

Cue card
● Who this person is
● What kind of business they are in
● How successful their business is
● And explain why you admire this businessperson

Model answer with 1-2-3 & F-O-E method

As a business grad, I’ve been fascinated by countless business people throughout my life, however,
if I had to talk about one today, it’ll have to be Michael Jordan.

(1) I’m sure you know of him already as he’s regarded as one of the most influential
sportsmen in history, and like most people my age, I’ve always looked up to him. Having said
that, I’m not going to tell you about his wildly successful sports career today, but his life as an
entrepreneur instead.

(2) For some reason, Michael has enjoyed astronomical success both on and off the basketball
court. I suppose it’s safe to say that his drive and sheer determination on the court translated to
his business success too, as he has amassed an enormous fortune as an entrepreneur. He
decided to get into the shoe business after he retired from the sport, which is understandable as
every basketball player sees their shoes as an extension of their body.

(3) There’s no doubt that in order to be successful in the shoe business, you need to be a
cut-throat businessman. It’s one of the most competitive markets in the world, and also one of
the most established, so it’s almost impossible for newcomers to enter (break into) the market
and compete with some of the big players. Luckily for Michael, he was already a big player :)
Somehow, he managed to set up one of the most renowned brands in history in a very short
period of time, for someone without a background in business, that’s remarkable to say the
least.

F = As you can imagine, I can’t help but look up to MJ. He took something he’s passionate about
and made an empire out of it, and for that reason, he deserves my respect.

O = The way I see it, people shouldn’t allow a lack of knowledge or experience stop them from
starting a business they are passionate about. If we want something, we should go for it, and not
stop until we achieve exactly what we want.

E = I’m trying to apply everything I’ve learnt from MJ to my own business, and I’ll make sure that it’s
a success.

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1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Michael Jordan

1 = History & Relationship

(sportsmen / since child / entrepreneur not sportsman)

2 = Business success
(off the court / empire / why shoes)

3 = Competitive market
(cut-throat / impossible to enter / no background in business)

F = Utmost respect / O = Shouldn’t / E = Trying to

Part 3: Business
This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Business.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● What challenges might people face when starting a business?

● Is that the same for all businesses?
● Do you think it’s a risk to start a business?
● Can small businesses compete with bigger businesses in the same market?
● Should we encourage more people to start their own business?
● How can we encourage them?
● What are the disadvantages of running a business?
● Do you think parents are able to start their own business after becoming parents?
● Must people study business before starting their own business?
● Is it easier to start a business nowadays than it used to be in the past?
● How can people deal with failures?

Things to consider:
-Think if it’s “worth the risk” for parents to start their own business, or even “invest in” their
children’s business. Should people “borrow money from the bank” or “save money” in order to
start their own business?
-Can small companies offer better products/services than large companies? Can you think of any
examples of this? Or do large companies have more resources and funds to “swallow up”
“small fish”.
-Responsibilities? What are the differences? Employers are responsible for their employees and
customers, which is something we don’t often think about. Stress? Added pressure? People’s
livelihoods at stake? Debt? Accountability?
-Do many successful entrepreneurs you know of have a “business background” or not? Take
Michael Jordan for example, he has no business background yet he’s worth $2.5 billion USD.

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5. Describe someone who solved a difficult problem well (or in a

creative way)
Cue card
● Who solved the problem
● What they did to solve it
● How difficult the problem was
● And explain why you think they solved this problem well

Model answer with 1-2-3 & F-O-E method

I’ve met a fair few problem solvers over the years, however, if I had to talk about one today, it’ll
have to be my father.

(1) Basically, for as far back as I can remember, my dad has always had great problem-solving
skills. He’s a logical thinker, and manages to come up with ingenious solutions to problems
effortlessly. People say it’s thanks to his analytical mind, and the fact he’s able to look at things
from different angles, which often results in effective solutions to whatever problems he may
face.

(2) Around 20-odd years back, his business was failing, and we were on the verge of becoming
bankrupt, actually. They were extremely challenging years for my family, but like families do, we
got through it together. It seemed like there was no way out, almost like bankruptcy was
inevitable, y’know? Although I was too young to understand what we were going through, I totally
get it now.

(3) Eventually, my father decided to sell one of the stores he owned to my aunty. It was a
risky/bold move, but nonetheless, a practical solution. After a couple of good purchase orders
and reinvesting the money into a single store instead of separating it between two, he managed to
get his business out of the red and into the black. This must’ve been one of the biggest
problems my family ever had to face whilst I was growing up, and my dad’s pragmatic
solution truly did the trick.

F = As you can imagine, I look up to him so much. He’s always been a vital role model for me,
and I couldn’t ask for a better father.

O = The way I see it, it’s absolutely essential that people try their best to take the most logical
steps towards solving any issue that pops up. We shouldn’t make rash decisions and try to
come up with the first thing we can think of, instead, we should all try to be more like my dad.

E = I hope one day I never need to be in such a situation as he was, but if I do find myself faced with
a dire situation like bankruptcy, I’ll call my dad as soon as possible.

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1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Father

1 = Good at problem solving

(how skilled at / logical and easy to do / perspective)

2 = Failing business (problem)

(verge of bankruptcy / difficult X survived / too young)

3 = Solution
(sold a store / reinvested / out of debt)

F = Look up to / O = Important / E = Never

Part 3: Problems and solutions

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Problems and solutions.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● Are there any differences between the problems that young people face and adults?
● What problems do most young people face?
● What problems do most adults face?
● Should they always ask for help whenever they have a problem?
● Do you think some people are naturally talented at finding solutions?
● Is it possible to learn problem solving skills by reading books?
● What are the disadvantages of not facing problems?
● Do problems go away if we ignore them?
● Some people say that we should deal with problems personally instead of involving others.
Do you agree or disagree with them, and why?
● Should parents always help their children to find a solution to their problems?
● Do you think that would affect the child’s problem solving skills when they’re older?
● Is the easiest/quickest solution always the best one?

Things to consider:
-The kind of problem greatly affects the kind of solution necessary.
-Remember to talk about “the average person” and “the vast majority of people” (most people),
this topic is extremely general, but that doesn’t mean you should be “vague” with your answers.
-People are very busy nowadays, how would you feel if someone constantly asked you for help?
Everyone has problems, “it’s a part of life” or “it’s an unavoidable part of life”.
-Do trivial problems add “spice” to our lives? Would life be boring if it was easy? What problems
are you currently facing in your life? What problems did the pandemic cause people?
-The way I see it, problem-solving skills are no different to other skills. They require hard work,
experience, and patience to develop. There is no doubt in my mind that we can improve our
problem-solving skills by reading books by well-known authors and public figures. Learn from Exp.

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6. Describe a person from another country you know (or know

of) who you think is interesting
Cue card
● Who this person is
● How you know (or know of) them
● What this person does
● And explain why you think this person is interesting

Model answer with 1-2-3 & F-O-E method

As I’ve spent several years living abroad, I’ve met countless foreigners throughout my life, however,
if I had to talk about one today, it’ll have to be my good friend Jack.

(1) Believe it or not, Jack was the first American I ever met. He grew up in LA (Los Angeles),
which is in the southern part of California, and quite similarly to myself, moved abroad in his late
20s. As a typical Brit, I always had an idea of what Americans are like based on what I saw of
them on the TV. To my surprise, Jack was nothing like the stereotypes I had in mind, quite the
opposite, actually.

(2) I first met him at a local brewery here in Hanoi, which must’ve been around 5 or 6 years back
by now. I was sitting alone, enjoying a freshly poured craft beer, eating chicken wings, then the
next thing I know, Jack walks through the door like he runs the place and sits down next to me.
Turns out that he does run the place, haha. He offered me a beer, which I couldn’t say no to, and
we started chatting away until the early hours of the morning.

(3) The thing that interested me the most about him was his life story. He had an underprivileged
upbringing in a single-parent home, and he spoke so openly about his struggles and poverty in
America. Having said that, it was surprising because I’d never have guessed. As the conversation
went deeper, he explained his personal philosophy on life, which remarkably, was quite similar
to my own. I was fascinated by how two people who had very different experiences, could reach the
same conclusion about life in general.

(F) As you can imagine, I feel so grateful to have a guy like Jack in my life. He’s a great laugh,
and he always brings a positive vibe with him wherever he goes.

(O) The way I see it, people shouldn’t assume things about foreigners based on stereotypes.
From what I’ve experienced, especially since meeting Jack, stereotypes are simply another barrier
that separates people.

(E) I’m actually gonna meet up with him once the lockdown finishes here next week, and I really
look forward to catching up with him soon.

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1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Jack

1 = About Jack
(America / stereotype / not what expected)

2 = Short story
(first met / owns brewery / talked all night)

3 = Interested in
(life story / philosophy)

F = Look up to / O = Important / E = Never

Part 3: Foreign people (and/or) Traveling/Living abroad

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Foreigners (and/or) Traveling/Living abroad.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● What can people learn from others who are from a foreign country?
● Why are people interested in people from other countries?
● Do you think foreigners can live in your country easily?
● What difficulties might they encounter?
● Would that be the same for people who work for foreign companies?
● Do you think having foreign friends is a good way to learn more about other cultures?

● Should people learn the language of a country they visit or live in?
● How about if they are just visiting for a few weeks?
● Why do people enjoy living abroad when they retire?
● Do you think everyone should try to travel to other countries?
● What do they need to prepare before they travel?
● Can you think of any advantages of living in another country?
● Are there also disadvantages?

Things to consider:
-Think about “first-hand experience”, the foreigner has first-hand experience of their own
country/culture, which might differ from popular belief (popular belief = what most people believe).
-Are “stereotypes” always true? What do people from other countries think of people from yours?
Have you ever been surprised by what foreigners say about their country?
-Some key language might be “the language barrier”, “culture shock”, “settle down”, “a home
away from home”, “adjust/adapt to/assimilate/absorbed by” (assimilate = absorb and integrate
into a culture/society, for example, many people who live abroad eventually assimilate into the
culture there).
-We often refer to foreigners who live in another country as an “expat” (expatriate = verb).

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7. Describe a famous person you are interested in

● Who this person is
● How you know of them
● What they are known for
● And explain why you are interested in this person

Model answer with 1-2-3 & F-O-E method

Like most people, I’m keen on quite a few celebs, but if I had to talk about one today, it’ll have to be
Ozzy Osbourne.

(1) Funnily enough, I must’ve only been a few months old when I first heard his music. Basically,
my mum ‘n dad were die-hard fans of his music, especially his early career when he was the
front-man for a band called Black Sabbath. They were a British band, and like most British bands
in the 70s, they were extremely popular among people like my parents, haha. Needless to say, I
was way too young to appreciate them back then.

(2) I suppose one of my key interests in him is the fact that he pioneered my favourite genre of
music, heavy metal. Before Ozzy and his band Black Sabbath, there wasn’t anything quite like
them. They always managed to create something unique with each track they produced, and the
same can be said for his solo career too. Sadly, he received a ton of negative media attention
though, they accused him of all sorts of things.

(3) Believe it or not, despite the bad press, Ozzy managed to stay faithful to his family, and put
their needs above his own. Although he had dark periods and fell on hard times thanks to drugs
and other things of the like, he always put his family first. Most people have this image of him in
their heads which simply isn’t true, if they learnt more about his personal life, they’d realise how
wrong they really are.

(F) As you can imagine, I’m absolutely fascinated by how wrong public opinion can be about
celebrities, and I’m a bit annoyed that the media can portray someone like Ozzy as a demon yet
he’s a great family man.

(O) The way I see it, people shouldn’t be quick to judge celebrities, especially when there is
controversy surrounding them. Instead, we should do our homework rather than assume what the
media says is true.

(E) Now I’m speaking of him, I’ve suddenly got the urge to put on a few of his tunes when I get
home, thanks for listening.

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1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Ozzy Osbourne

1 = At first
(learnt of / father / too young to appreciate)

2 = Early career
(pioneered / Solo career / Media attention)

3 = Family man
(broke prejudice / parenting / surprisingly great)

F = Fascinated / O = Shouldn’t / E = Later today

Part 3: Fame (and/or) Celebrities

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Fame (and/or) Celebrities.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● What responsibilities do celebrities have?

● How can fame affect people?
● Is it easier nowadays to become famous?
● What effect do celebrities have on young people?
● Do young people follow celebrities more than adults do?
● Can you think of any disadvantages of being famous?
● So why do people want to be famous?
● Do you think the advantages of being famous outweigh the disadvantages?
● Can famous people live a normal life?
● Should parents discourage their children from aspiring to be famous?

Things to consider:
-One key talking point might be the “sacrifice” celebrities make for “fame and fortune”.
-Has social media affected the speed in which people can become famous? Do you know of any
“overnight celebrities” (people who become famous very quickly).
-Many celebrities are good “role models” but some aren’t. Think if parents should pay attention to
who their children look up to or not.
-Some key language might be, “Media attention”, “in the limelight”, “in the public eye”,
“paparazzi” (people who follow celebrities to take photos of them), “public opinion”.
-Some people are just “famous for being famous”, they might not have any special talent, craft, or
career (take The Kardashians for example, their father was a famous athlete, but the rest of them
are just… Famous for being famous).

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8. Describe a cafe (coffee shop) you like

Cue card
● Where it is
● How often you visit it
● What you do there
● And explain how you feel about this cafe

Model answer with 1-2-3 & F-O-E method

There are quite a few coffee shops that I love to spend some time in, however, if I had to talk
about one today, it’ll have to be Cong Cafe (Cộng Cà Phê).

(1) I myself am not a fan of coffee shop franchises, I much prefer to support local coffee shops
and discover the countless hidden gems Hanoi (name of the city) has to offer. Having said that,
there’s just something about Cong Cafe that feels totally different to conventional franchise
stores. Each branch has a very personal feel to them, almost unique besides the running theme
within them, which is remarkable considering that most franchises feel the exact same all over the
world.

(2) One of the main reasons I absolutely adore Cong cafe is/must be the decor, they put so
much emphasis on it, actually. When you step through the front door, it almost feels like you’ve
stepped back in time, it’s hard to describe with words. All of this creates a dead cosy and inviting
atmosphere, they’ve gone above and beyond what most coffee shops do to make their customers
want to spend time there.

(3) I’m fortunate enough to live just a couple of minutes away from one, so I tend to stop by once
or twice per week in the mornings. Believe it or not, I don’t go there for the coffee, in fact, the
coffee isn’t anything special and it’s relatively pricey, too. I mostly go to unwind at the weekend
and do some work on my website or other business. It’s a great spot to get your head down and
crack on with some writing.

(F) As you can imagine, Cong Cafe is one of my favourite coffee shops in Vietnam, there are much
better ones, I know, but I just love spending a few hours in it whenever I can.

(O) The way I see it, people should support local coffee shops, especially when they’ve invested
a lot of time and energy into making it a great place for people to hang out and enjoy the place.

(E) Once the pandemic is over, I think Cong Cafe will be the first place I go to, I really miss it,
actually.

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1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Cong Cafe (Cộng Cà Phê)

1 = Dislike franchise coffee shops

(support local / different to / same all over)

2 = Decorations (why)
(emphasis / back in time / above & beyond)

3 = What & When

(nearby / not for coffee / work)

F = favourite / O = should / E = will

Part 3: Coffee (and/or) Coffee shops

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Coffee (and/or) Coffee shops.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● Why do people enjoy drinking coffee?

● Are there any negative side effects?
● Should young people drink it?
● At what age do you think people should start drinking coffee?
● In your country, is coffee too expensive in cafes?
● Are cafes a good place to work or study?
● Why do so many people enjoy going to a cafe to work or study?
● Can people become addicted to coffee?
● Do you think people realise that they are addicted to coffee?
● Some people say that coffee can be a healthy drink, do you agree or disagree with them and
why?

Things to consider:
-Coffee contains an “active compound” called “caffeine”, it’s the caffeine that makes us feel
awake/alert. Caffeine is also in tea, but in smaller amounts.
-Can you say that “coffee is an integral part of our culture”? In many countries, it is an extremely
popular drink, even before bed.
-Some people are “caffeine sensitive” so they can’t drink much coffee, especially in the afternoon
or early evening. When someone is caffeine sensitive, they usually drink “decaf (decaffeinated)
coffee” when they hangout in a cafe.
-The production, distribution, and consumption of coffee is one of the world’s largest industries.
-A few reasons why people like to work or study in cafes might be, “a quiet space”, “free from
distractions”, “parents and/or other family members might distract people”, “atmosphere”,
“don’t get disturbed by family or colleagues”.

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9. Describe a place you visited on holiday (vacation)

Cue card
● Where you went
● What kind of place you visited
● What you did there
● And explain what you liked/disliked about it

Model answer with 1-2-3 & F-O-E method

I’ve visited a fair few places throughout my life, but if I need to talk about one today, it’ll have to be
Toulouse, which is in the southern part of France.

(1) I went there a couple of years back with my wife, and it was one of the most memorable
places we stayed in during our trip across Europe. The city itself is relatively large, and it boasts a
unique blend of traditional, 17th-century architecture and modern infrastructure. I suppose that’s
why it’s known as the city of art and history. Besides the countless bars and restaurants, there
isn’t much to do, even though there are so many unique buildings to see.

(2) After our first couple of days, I started to get a bit fed up with what the city had to offer tourists
like us. The staff in some of the restaurants weren’t friendly, and totally lacked customer service
skills. I was so disappointed, actually. Having said that, the city itself made up for the people’s
poor service. There are countless photo opportunities, and we could’ve easily spent a week
there without taking selfies in every spot the city has to offer.

(3) We ended up going to the medieval castle known as Carcassonne, which was definitely the
highlight of our trip. Although I’ve been to a few castles over the years, none were quite like
this one. It’s almost like a town within castle walls. I expected it to be another tourist trap, but I was
pleasantly surprised to find all of the prices were reasonable, and we weren’t hounded by sellers.

(F) As you can imagine, we had a great time in Toulouse, despite the bad attitudes of the local
people, we managed to ignore it as best as we could and just enjoy the trip.

(O) The way I see it, people should visit Toulouse and Carcassonne at least once if they can, it’s a
wonderful place and has so much to offer tourists, the food is great, the sights are breathtaking, and
the prices are reasonable, too.

(E) Sadly, I don’t want to go back there, even if it was free, I wouldn’t go back. The people left a
sour taste in my mouth and honestly, they aren’t welcoming.

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1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Toulouse, France

1 = About city
(trip to Europe / architecture / not much to do lots to see)

2 = Bad experience
(bored / bad service / scenery made up for it)

3 = Carcassonne
(medieval castle / unlike others / not tourist trap)

F = Good time / O = Should / E = Never

Part 3: Traveling and Holidays

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Traveling and Holidays.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● Why do people enjoy traveling to other countries on holiday?

● What should they prepare before they visit?
● Do you think it’s better for people to visit another country rather than stay in their own country
when they go on holiday?
● What are the disadvantages of travelling abroad?
● Are there many places in your home country that people can visit?
● How big is the tourism industry?
● Can people enjoy a domestic trip as much as an international trip?
● Should students who graduate travel before they start work?
● Are international flights too expensive for those graduates?
● Is it a good idea for airlines to reduce the fare for students?

Things to consider:
-Most people will talk about “culture” during this discussion, to stand out from the crowd, talk about,
“lifestyle (the way people live)”, “experience how others live”, “get a taste of life abroad”,
“escape the bad weather”, “points of interest”.
-Think about it, did you travel to another country to experience its people’s culture? Probably not.
-You might want to talk about languages, and how learning “fundamental words” like
Please/Thank you/Yes/No, can benefit tourists and impress the locals. Are tourists who don’t
ignorant?
-Check the Part 1 topic for vocab here
-There are many “expenses” (some of which might be unexpected) when travelling abroad.
Should people budget for emergencies before traveling? Do people need to buy “travel
insurance”? Are there any popular apps people can use to check for reviews?

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10. Describe a trip you would like to do by

car/motorcycle/bicycle
Cue card
● Where you would like to go
● How far you would travel
● Why you would do it (by car)
● And explain how you might feel about this trip

Model answer with 1-2-3 & F-O-E method

As a motorbike enthusiast, I can think of countless road trips I’d love to do at some point,
however, if I had to talk about one today, it’ll have to be riding along the Beartooth Highway in
America.

(1) From what I’ve heard, this has to be the most stunning and iconic stretch of road for bikers
and drivers alike, and by the sounds of it, it’s the perfect definition of what a great ride should
be. You start the journey off in Red Lodge, Montana, and then travel up the Beartooth pass in
Wyoming. Quite literally zig-zagging up a mountain, haha.

(2) I first learnt about this route on The Nation Geographic channel back when I was in high school,
and I was enthusiastic about doing it myself from the moment I first laid eyes on the scenery. To
say it’s breathtaking doesn’t do it justice, seriously. During the summer, you can see the
high-alpine meadows blooming, whilst lakes reflect the snow-covered mountains beyond. As
you ride along the highway, you look over the vast tundra, which was voted one of the most
stunning in the world, and really get a feel for the area’s majesty.

(3) To be perfectly honest with you, I’m a tad worried about doing it though. The roads are not
exactly suitable for inexperienced riders or drivers, and there are hundreds of accidents every
year on some of the hairpin bends and hard turns. I remember hearing that from October to May
the pass is closed, too, so I’ll need to plan this trip well in advance.

F = As you can imagine, I’m looking forward to doing this trip one day, there’s just something
about it that I think would be exhilarating.

O = The way I see it, road trips like this must be one of the best things we can do in this day and
age. They’re a great way to get out of the house and see new places, plus we might even find a
new place to call home in the process.

E = I’m sure that at some point I will do the Beartooth Highway route, but thanks to the pandemic,
I haven’t got a clue when that’ll be.

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1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Beartooth pass

1 = Details of route
(heard of / Montana to Wyoming / mountains)

2 = Features
(NatGeo / scenery)

3 = Worried about
(difficult / accidents / closed due to snow)

F = Excited / O = Should / E = Will

Part 3: Trips (and/or) Transport, Journeys

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Trips (and/or) Transport, Journeys.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● How do most people travel long distances in your country?

● Do you think public transport is more suitable for long distance journeys?
● Should we encourage more people to travel to work on public transport?
● What are the benefits of traveling long distances by car?
● Which modes of transport are popular in your country?
● How would you like to improve public transport?
● What difficulties do people face when learning how to drive?
● Do people in your country follow road-traffic laws?
● Should punishments be more severe for people who don’t follow road-traffic laws?
● Are elderly drivers safer than young drivers?
● What do you think cars will be like many years in the future?
● Are bicycles more popular nowadays than they used to be?

Things to consider:
-How do flight tickets compare to the price of train fare? Who would be more likely to fly than take
a train? What about the price of petrol (gas)?
-Are road trips a popular activity for young adults?
-When you think about improving public transport, which area would you improve? Would it be the
quality of the transport itself, the amount of “services” available, the “frequency” of current
services, better or safer drivers, lowering the price?
-Infrastructure might be something you’d like to talk about during this discussion.
-There are many different kinds of roads, impress the examiner by talking about, “ring roads”
(roads that go around a city or town to reduce traffic), “highways/expressways/freeways” (large
roads that connect the different parts of a country or cities together), “a bypass” (a road that goes
past a town or city).

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11. Describe a regular activity you do that wastes your time

Cue card
● What activity it is
● How often you do it
● How much time it takes
● And explain why you think this activity wastes your time

Model answer with 1-2-3 & F-O-E method

There’s only a couple of things I do (activities) which I would consider a waste of time, however, if
I had to talk about one today, it’ll have to be cheesemaking.

(1) Yes, yes, I know… Cheesemaking sounds fun, and it is, but it’s also an extremely
time-consuming process. Believe it or not, I’ve been doing it for a few years now, and honestly, I
don’t feel like I’ve gotten any better at it. I spent a while learning the science behind
cheesemaking, read a few books, and I even joined a couple online forums to speak to other
fellow cheesemakers.

(2) It’s not exactly a total waste of time because I get to enjoy the finished product once the
cheese has matured. But then again, for the amount of time I invest into each block of cheese I
make, I could just as easily work and have more than enough money to buy a high-quality block
that was made by a professional.

(3) Having said that, as satisfying as eating store-bought cheese may be, I would lose the sense
of satisfaction I get whenever my own turns out perfectly, which by the way, it rarely does, haha.
Not so long ago, I made a 700-gram batch of Cheddar that spoiled during the aging process. I felt
bitterly disappointed because I put so much effort into it, and it completely wasted my time.

F = As you can imagine, although I love making cheese, it can be a bit draining at times.
Sometimes I do think I could be using my time in a more productive way, but I really enjoy it, so I
reckon it’s totally fine.

O = The way I see it, everyone should try their very best to avoid wasting time as much as
possible. Our lives are pretty short, so if we waste our precious time on things that literally add no
value to our lives, then we shouldn’t do them.

E = I hope one day I’ll be able to step up my game and consistently make decent cheeses, so I’m
definitely gonna carry on failing until I can.

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1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Cheesemaking

1 = Learning
(few years / not easy / books, forums, etc)

2 = Time consuming
(not total waste / time invested / buy from store)

3 = Failures
(satisfaction / ruined batch / waste of time)

F = Draining / O = Should / E = Hopefully

Part 3: Time management (and/or) Wasting time

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Time management (and/or) Wasting time.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● What do young people tend to waste their time on?

● Are there any differences between what young people and adults waste their time on?
● Do you think some hobbies that young people have are a waste of time?
● Which hobbies aren’t a waste of time?
● Is it okay for elderly people and retirees to waste time?

● How can people learn to manage their time?

● Do you think it’s important for everyone to learn?
● Should we teach students how to manage their time?
● In what ways can we teach them?
● Can applications help people to manage their time?
● Are people busier nowadays than they were in the past?
● Why do some people never have enough time in the morning?

Things to consider:
-One of the most obvious talking points for this topic might be “smartphones”, “computer games”
and “social media”, some reasons could be “readily available”, “the slot machine effect” (when
we scroll through social media like Facebook, etc, it’s designed in a way to keep us scrolling for as
much time as possible, similarly to slot machines that make the player want to spin all night long).
-You might want to talk about “goal setting”, “time management skills”, “to-do lists”, and
“prioritising” when speaking about how people can learn to manage their time.
-A great talking point might be “procrastination” (the act of delaying something until it’s necessary
to do), as a verb, “procrastinate”.
-Some other things to think about might be people’s age when they realise that “life is short”.
-What works for you? How did you learn to manage your time?

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12. Describe something you own that cost you more money
than you expected
Cue card
● What it is
● When you got it
● How much money you expected it to cost
● And explain how you felt about spending more money than you expected

Model answer with 1-2-3 & F-O-E method

Well, over the years I’ve bought quite a few things that set me back, however, if I had to talk about
one today, it’ll have to be my computer.

(1) Unlike most people these days, I much prefer to use a desktop PC than a laptop. For the
most part, they’re more cost-effective and can easily be upgraded to keep up with the times.
Having said that, when I got my PC, there was an unexpected cost I didn’t budget for. I had
originally budgeted around $500, which I thought was reasonable for a decent rig, so I started to
look up some great deals online.

(2) I ended up settling on a PC from a reputable store here in Hanoi, I chose to get it from there as
I was a bit suspicious of buying a 2nd-hand PC or from a random online retailer. I saw a perfect
machine for $450 on their site, so I rushed to the store and bought it. I needed to get a monitor, too,
which I expected, and of course, that pushed me a little bit over my budget, but I was totally fine
with that. For the PC and monitor, I must’ve paid around $550, I guess.

(3) A few months later, my PC started to display a message in the bottom right corner that said
“Activate Windows”. I was shocked at first, so I went back to the store to ask them about it. They
said that their Windows Licence had expired and I would need to buy a new copy of Windows if I
wanted to remove that message… They never let me know that their Windows Key would only last
a few months. In the end, I bought a new copy of Windows, which cost me over $150 to get.

F = As you can imagine, I felt so frustrated about what happened. I should’ve known to ask, but it
seemed fine and I thought nothing of it when I first bought the machine.

O = The way I see it, people should do their homework before they buy a new PC, it turns out
that this is a pretty common issue people have whenever they buy one, so always ask!

E = Hopefully, that’s the last problem I’ll have with it, and I won’t need to invest any more money
into my PC for another few years…

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1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = New PC

1 = Details of
(prefer PC / had a budget / searched online)

2 = Buying PC
(reputable store / over budget / fine with it)

3 = Windows expired
(message displayed / bought new windows key / unexpected cost)

F = Frustrated / O = Should / E = Never

Part 3: Buying habits (and/or) Costs

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Buying habits (and/or) Costs.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● What do young people tend to spend their money on?

● Is that the same for adults too?
● Do you think it is important to learn how to manage money?
● At what age should we introduce money management?
● Why are some brand’s products so much more expensive than others?
● Do you think the price of products affects the quality?

Things to consider:
-The kind of problem greatly affects the kind of solution necessary.
-Remember to talk about “the average person” and “the vast majority of people” (most people),
this topic is extremely general, but that doesn’t mean you should be “vague” with your answers.
-People are very busy nowadays, how would you feel if someone constantly asked you for help?
Everyone has problems, “it’s a part of life” or “it’s an unavoidable part of life”.
-Do trivial problems add “spice” to our lives? Would life be boring if it was easy? What problems
are you currently facing in your life? What problems did the pandemic cause people?
-The way I see it, problem-solving skills are no different to other skills. They require hard work,
experience, and patience to develop. There is no doubt in my mind that we can improve our
problem-solving skills by reading books by well-known authors and public figures. Learn from Exp.

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91

13. Describe a good habit your friend has that you would like to
develop
Cue card
● Who your friend is
● What good habit they have
● When you learnt about it
● And explain why you would like to develop this good habit

Model answer with 1-2-3 & F-O-E method

My good friend Jack has a few healthy habits that I’d love to adopt, however, if I need to talk
about one today, it’ll have to be regular exercise.

(1) For as long as I’ve known him, he’s always worked out regularly. I wouldn’t exactly call him a
fitness freak, but he does take great pride in his exercise regime, oh and he talks about it all
the time, too. He usually goes for a short run at the crack of dawn and hits the gym three times
per week, it’s quite admirable, actually.

(2) I wanna adopt a similar regime as his, simply because I do absolutely no exercise right now
whatsoever. Over the past few years, I’ve grown out of shape and put on a few extra pounds,
so I’m no longer as body-confident as I used to be. Believe it or not, I’ve gone from around
74kg to 100kg in the span of 5 years, it could be due to getting older but I reckon it’s thanks to
my lack of exercise.

(3) To be perfectly honest with you, I’m a bit worried about adopting his workout regime. I’m
sure you know that it’s quite hot here in Vietnam, even in the early mornings, so I don’t know
how my body will react to jogging all of a sudden. I might start slowly, y’know? I don’t wanna
shock my system as it’s been such a long time now, but at the same time, I need to do something
if I’m ever gonna get back in shape.

F = As you can imagine, I truly admire Jack’s dedication and self-discipline, and even though I’d
struggle to adopt his habit, I’m excited to start working out more often.

O = The way I see it, people should talk to each other about their good or bad habits, we can
always learn from each other’s experiences and lifestyles, and it makes for a great conversation,
too.

E = As of next week, I think I’ll go for a quick jog in the morning to see what it’s like.

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1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Father

1 = Good at problem solving

(how skilled at / logical and easy to do / perspective)

2 = Failing business (problem)

(verge of bankruptcy / difficult X survived / too young)

3 = Solution
(sold a store / reinvested / out of debt)

F = Look up to / O = Important / E = Never

Part 3: Problems and solutions

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Problems and solutions.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● Are there any differences between the problems that young people face and adults?
● What problems do most young people face?
● What problems do most adults face?
● Should they always ask for help whenever they have a problem?
● Do you think some people are naturally talented at finding solutions?
● Is it possible to learn problem solving skills by reading books?
● What are the disadvantages of not facing problems?
● Do problems go away if we ignore them?
● Some people say that we should deal with problems personally instead of involving others.
Do you agree or disagree with them, and why?
● Should parents always help their children to find a solution to their problems?
● Do you think that would affect the child’s problem solving skills when they’re older?
● Is the easiest/quickest solution always the best one?

Things to consider:
-The kind of problem greatly affects the kind of solution necessary.
-Remember to talk about “the average person” and “the vast majority of people” (most people),
this topic is extremely general, but that doesn’t mean you should be “vague” with your answers.
-People are very busy nowadays, how would you feel if someone constantly asked you for help?
Everyone has problems, “it’s a part of life” or “it’s an unavoidable part of life”.
-Do trivial problems add “spice” to our lives? Would life be boring if it was easy? What problems
are you currently facing in your life? What problems did the pandemic cause people?
-The way I see it, problem-solving skills are no different to other skills. They require hard work,
experience, and patience to develop. There is no doubt in my mind that we can improve our
problem-solving skills by reading books by well-known authors and public figures. Learn from Exp.

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93

14. Describe a difficult decision you have made

Cue card
● When it happened
● What you decided
● How difficult this decision was
● And explain how making this decision affected you

Model answer with 1-2-3 & F-O-E method

Throughout my life, I’ve had to deliberate over a number of tough choices, however, if I need to
talk about one today, it’ll have to be when I decided to quit my job at the BBC.

(1) Whilst I was studying at uni, I dreamt of one day working for the BBC, it was my dream job so
to speak. I worked extremely hard, and eventually, I was fortunate enough to land a junior
position at the BBC North West division, in Manchester. At first, things were fine and I couldn’t
have been happier with my new position, a dream come true, indeed. Having said that, after a
couple of years, everything changed.

(2) As time went on, I started to feel like I was stuck in a rut, it was almost as if my honeymoon
period had ended and I couldn’t see myself progressing within my career there any further. I
wasn’t sure what to do, so I asked my father for some advice. He said, very boldly, “if you’re not
happy on Monday, you’re not in the right line of work”, his words really hit home and definitely
helped me to make my mind up.

(3) After a few months of careful deliberation, I decided to hand in my notice at work and travel
to Europe. It turns out that this may have been the best decision of my life up until that point. I
took the first flight to the Czech Republic to spend time with my dad, n’ funnily enough, whilst I was
there I got a part-time job tutoring the IELTS to some Czech university students. The next thing I
knew, I was completely hooked on it. I decided to study for a CELTA qualification and eventually a
DELTA degree.

F = As you can imagine, I couldn’t be happier with the outcome, but regardless, it was without a
doubt the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make.

O = The way I see it, people should always think long and hard before making any life-changing
decisions, if they don’t, they might end up in an even bigger rut than they started in.

E = I’m sure I’ll have more decisions like this to make at some point, so the next time I do, I’ll call
my father straight away.

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94

1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Father

1 = Good at problem solving

(how skilled at / logical and easy to do / perspective)

2 = Failing business (problem)

(verge of bankruptcy / difficult X survived / too young)

3 = Solution
(sold a store / reinvested / out of debt)

F = Look up to / O = Important / E = Never

Part 3: Problems and solutions

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Problems and solutions.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● Are there any differences between the problems that young people face and adults?
● What problems do most young people face?
● What problems do most adults face?
● Should they always ask for help whenever they have a problem?
● Do you think some people are naturally talented at finding solutions?
● Is it possible to learn problem solving skills by reading books?
● What are the disadvantages of not facing problems?
● Do problems go away if we ignore them?
● Some people say that we should deal with problems personally instead of involving others.
Do you agree or disagree with them, and why?
● Should parents always help their children to find a solution to their problems?
● Do you think that would affect the child’s problem solving skills when they’re older?
● Is the easiest/quickest solution always the best one?

Things to consider:
-The kind of problem greatly affects the kind of solution necessary.
-Remember to talk about “the average person” and “the vast majority of people” (most people),
this topic is extremely general, but that doesn’t mean you should be “vague” with your answers.
-People are very busy nowadays, how would you feel if someone constantly asked you for help?
Everyone has problems, “it’s a part of life” or “it’s an unavoidable part of life”.
-Do trivial problems add “spice” to our lives? Would life be boring if it was easy? What problems
are you currently facing in your life? What problems did the pandemic cause people?
-The way I see it, problem-solving skills are no different to other skills. They require hard work,
experience, and patience to develop. There is no doubt in my mind that we can improve our
problem-solving skills by reading books by well-known authors and public figures. Learn from Exp.

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95

15. Describe some good service that you have received

Cue card
● When it happened
● Where you were
● What kind of service you received
● And explain how you felt about receiving good service

Example = New Tesla

1 = Details of (buying new tesla / why / details of the car…)

2 = Broken parts (door got stuck / contacted service / used app)

3 = Response (rapidly / within 2-hours at home / fixed the door)

Example = Flight on Qatar airways.

1 = details of trip

(home for christmas - many years - booked the flight with Qatar - hate flying)

2 = impressed by

(friendly - constantly gave me wine - lots of movies - smiled)

3 = recommended it

(to family - came to visit - think it’d be nice)

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96

1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Father

1 = Good at problem solving

(how skilled at / logical and easy to do / perspective)

2 = Failing business (problem)

(verge of bankruptcy / difficult X survived / too young)

3 = Solution
(sold a store / reinvested / out of debt)

F = Look up to / O = Important / E = Never

Part 3: Problems and solutions

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Problems and solutions.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● Are there any differences between the problems that young people face and adults?
● What problems do most young people face?
● What problems do most adults face?
● Should they always ask for help whenever they have a problem?
● Do you think some people are naturally talented at finding solutions?
● Is it possible to learn problem solving skills by reading books?
● What are the disadvantages of not facing problems?
● Do problems go away if we ignore them?
● Some people say that we should deal with problems personally instead of involving others.
Do you agree or disagree with them, and why?
● Should parents always help their children to find a solution to their problems?
● Do you think that would affect the child’s problem solving skills when they’re older?
● Is the easiest/quickest solution always the best one?

Things to consider:
-The kind of problem greatly affects the kind of solution necessary.
-Remember to talk about “the average person” and “the vast majority of people” (most people),
this topic is extremely general, but that doesn’t mean you should be “vague” with your answers.
-People are very busy nowadays, how would you feel if someone constantly asked you for help?
Everyone has problems, “it’s a part of life” or “it’s an unavoidable part of life”.
-Do trivial problems add “spice” to our lives? Would life be boring if it was easy? What problems
are you currently facing in your life? What problems did the pandemic cause people?
-The way I see it, problem-solving skills are no different to other skills. They require hard work,
experience, and patience to develop. There is no doubt in my mind that we can improve our
problem-solving skills by reading books by well-known authors and public figures. Learn from Exp.

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97

16. Describe an interesting or exciting book that you enjoyed

reading
Cue card
● Which book you read
● What kind of book it was
● How interesting or exciting it was
● And explain why you enjoyed reading this book

Example = Harry Potter

1 = details (got it - cover - long but finished)

2 = characteristics (brave - strong -

3 = recommend

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98

1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Father

1 = Good at problem solving

(how skilled at / logical and easy to do / perspective)

2 = Failing business (problem)

(verge of bankruptcy / difficult X survived / too young)

3 = Solution
(sold a store / reinvested / out of debt)

F = Look up to / O = Important / E = Never

Part 3: Problems and solutions

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Problems and solutions.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● Are there any differences between the problems that young people face and adults?
● What problems do most young people face?
● What problems do most adults face?
● Should they always ask for help whenever they have a problem?
● Do you think some people are naturally talented at finding solutions?
● Is it possible to learn problem solving skills by reading books?
● What are the disadvantages of not facing problems?
● Do problems go away if we ignore them?
● Some people say that we should deal with problems personally instead of involving others.
Do you agree or disagree with them, and why?
● Should parents always help their children to find a solution to their problems?
● Do you think that would affect the child’s problem solving skills when they’re older?
● Is the easiest/quickest solution always the best one?

Things to consider:
-The kind of problem greatly affects the kind of solution necessary.
-Remember to talk about “the average person” and “the vast majority of people” (most people),
this topic is extremely general, but that doesn’t mean you should be “vague” with your answers.
-People are very busy nowadays, how would you feel if someone constantly asked you for help?
Everyone has problems, “it’s a part of life” or “it’s an unavoidable part of life”.
-Do trivial problems add “spice” to our lives? Would life be boring if it was easy? What problems
are you currently facing in your life? What problems did the pandemic cause people?
-The way I see it, problem-solving skills are no different to other skills. They require hard work,
experience, and patience to develop. There is no doubt in my mind that we can improve our
problem-solving skills by reading books by well-known authors and public figures. Learn from Exp.

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99

17. Describe a time when you waited for something special (or
important) to happen
Cue card
● When it happened
● How long you waited for
● Why it was special
● And explain how you felt when it happened

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1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Father

1 = Good at problem solving

(how skilled at / logical and easy to do / perspective)

2 = Failing business (problem)

(verge of bankruptcy / difficult X survived / too young)

3 = Solution
(sold a store / reinvested / out of debt)

F = Look up to / O = Important / E = Never

Part 3: Problems and solutions

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Problems and solutions.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● Are there any differences between the problems that young people face and adults?
● What problems do most young people face?
● What problems do most adults face?
● Should they always ask for help whenever they have a problem?
● Do you think some people are naturally talented at finding solutions?
● Is it possible to learn problem solving skills by reading books?
● What are the disadvantages of not facing problems?
● Do problems go away if we ignore them?
● Some people say that we should deal with problems personally instead of involving others.
Do you agree or disagree with them, and why?
● Should parents always help their children to find a solution to their problems?
● Do you think that would affect the child’s problem solving skills when they’re older?
● Is the easiest/quickest solution always the best one?

Things to consider:
-The kind of problem greatly affects the kind of solution necessary.
-Remember to talk about “the average person” and “the vast majority of people” (most people),
this topic is extremely general, but that doesn’t mean you should be “vague” with your answers.
-People are very busy nowadays, how would you feel if someone constantly asked you for help?
Everyone has problems, “it’s a part of life” or “it’s an unavoidable part of life”.
-Do trivial problems add “spice” to our lives? Would life be boring if it was easy? What problems
are you currently facing in your life? What problems did the pandemic cause people?
-The way I see it, problem-solving skills are no different to other skills. They require hard work,
experience, and patience to develop. There is no doubt in my mind that we can improve our
problem-solving skills by reading books by well-known authors and public figures. Learn from Exp.

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101

18. Describe a time when you needed to wake up very early

Cue card
● When it happened
● What time you woke up
● Why you needed to wake up early
● And explain how you felt later in the day

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102

1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Father

1 = Good at problem solving

(how skilled at / logical and easy to do / perspective)

2 = Failing business (problem)

(verge of bankruptcy / difficult X survived / too young)

3 = Solution
(sold a store / reinvested / out of debt)

F = Look up to / O = Important / E = Never

Part 3: Problems and solutions

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Problems and solutions.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● Are there any differences between the problems that young people face and adults?
● What problems do most young people face?
● What problems do most adults face?
● Should they always ask for help whenever they have a problem?
● Do you think some people are naturally talented at finding solutions?
● Is it possible to learn problem solving skills by reading books?
● What are the disadvantages of not facing problems?
● Do problems go away if we ignore them?
● Some people say that we should deal with problems personally instead of involving others.
Do you agree or disagree with them, and why?
● Should parents always help their children to find a solution to their problems?
● Do you think that would affect the child’s problem solving skills when they’re older?
● Is the easiest/quickest solution always the best one?

Things to consider:
-The kind of problem greatly affects the kind of solution necessary.
-Remember to talk about “the average person” and “the vast majority of people” (most people),
this topic is extremely general, but that doesn’t mean you should be “vague” with your answers.
-People are very busy nowadays, how would you feel if someone constantly asked you for help?
Everyone has problems, “it’s a part of life” or “it’s an unavoidable part of life”.
-Do trivial problems add “spice” to our lives? Would life be boring if it was easy? What problems
are you currently facing in your life? What problems did the pandemic cause people?
-The way I see it, problem-solving skills are no different to other skills. They require hard work,
experience, and patience to develop. There is no doubt in my mind that we can improve our
problem-solving skills by reading books by well-known authors and public figures. Learn from Exp.

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103

19. Describe a time when you were friendly to someone you

didn't like
Cue card
● When it happened
● Who this person was
● Why you were friendly to them
● And explain how you felt about being friendly to them

Model answer with 1-2-3 & F-O-E method

I’ve needed to hide my detest from people quite a number of times throughout my life, however, if I
had to talk about one today, it’ll have to be when I worked for the BBC. Although I’m an easy-going
guy, for some reason, my supervisor went out of his way to make it difficult to get along with him.

1: It all started back in my first week working for the BBC. The other new recruits, including
myself, needed to do a quick icebreaker so we could all get to know each other. Everyone took
this as a great opportunity to say some interesting things about themselves, and we all had fun
whilst doing it. From the looks of it, it seemed like everyone was dead friendly and
open-minded.

2: When it was my turn to break the ice, I noticed his demeanour changed suddenly. I wasn’t sure
if it was something I said, or if he didn’t like the cut of my jib. Throughout my time there, I tried my
very best to put up with him, I did absolutely everything I could to make sure he was satisfied with
my work, yet nothing seemed to do the trick. Whenever he had a problem with my team, I would
always try to smile and understand what he thought the issue was with an open mind.

3: Sadly, he never lightened up. In the end, I decided to quit my job, even though it was my
dream-job since I studied in uni. I learnt that being friendly with people who you don’t gel with can
be utterly exhausting, but it’s something we all need to deal with at some point. I suppose we all
have problems, and we can never truly know why people act the way they do.

F: As you can imagine, even to this day I feel so awkward about it, and I wish things could’ve been
different between us.

O: The way I see it, it’s so important that coworkers get along well with their supervisors. If they
don’t, it can affect their work and, in turn, affect the company or team.

E: Hopefully, I’ll never need to work with someone who doesn’t appreciate me as a member of their
team again, but I guess I’ll have to wait and see.

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104

Vocabulary list
Detest = extreme dislike.

Cut of my jib = one’s appearance and personality.

Icebreaker = an activity done at workplaces so coworkers can get to know each other better.

Break the ice = to get to know people (personally).

Easy-going guy = a man who gets along well with everyone.

Demeanour = the behaviour we display to others with signals (shoulders back, eyebrows lowered,
wide eyed, etc).

Lighten up = to be more pleasant.

To gel with = to get along with others very well (we gelled the moment we met).

At some point = at an unspecified or unknown period in the future.

For some reason = for an unspecified or unknown reason.

To go out of sb’s way = to do more than necessary (the waiter went out of his way to give us great
service).

To put up with = to tolerate something (the mother put up with her son’s bad behaviour for years).

To do the trick = to sufficiently achieve the results needed.

1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Father

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105

1 = Good at problem solving

(how skilled at / logical and easy to do / perspective)

2 = Failing business (problem)

(verge of bankruptcy / difficult X survived / too young)

3 = Solution
(sold a store / reinvested / out of debt)

F = Look up to / O = Important / E = Never

Part 3: Problems and solutions

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Problems and solutions.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● Are there any differences between the problems that young people face and adults?
● What problems do most young people face?
● What problems do most adults face?
● Should they always ask for help whenever they have a problem?
● Do you think some people are naturally talented at finding solutions?
● Is it possible to learn problem solving skills by reading books?
● What are the disadvantages of not facing problems?
● Do problems go away if we ignore them?
● Some people say that we should deal with problems personally instead of involving others.
Do you agree or disagree with them, and why?
● Should parents always help their children to find a solution to their problems?
● Do you think that would affect the child’s problem solving skills when they’re older?
● Is the easiest/quickest solution always the best one?

Things to consider:
-The kind of problem greatly affects the kind of solution necessary.
-Remember to talk about “the average person” and “the vast majority of people” (most people),
this topic is extremely general, but that doesn’t mean you should be “vague” with your answers.
-People are very busy nowadays, how would you feel if someone constantly asked you for help?
Everyone has problems, “it’s a part of life” or “it’s an unavoidable part of life”.
-Do trivial problems add “spice” to our lives? Would life be boring if it was easy? What problems
are you currently facing in your life? What problems did the pandemic cause people?
-The way I see it, problem-solving skills are no different to other skills. They require hard work,
experience, and patience to develop. There is no doubt in my mind that we can improve our
problem-solving skills by reading books by well-known authors and public figures. Learn from Exp.

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106

20. Describe a time when you gave advice to others

● When it happened
● Who you gave advice to
● What advice you gave
● And explain why you gave the advice you did

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107

1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Father

1 = Good at problem solving

(how skilled at / logical and easy to do / perspective)

2 = Failing business (problem)

(verge of bankruptcy / difficult X survived / too young)

3 = Solution
(sold a store / reinvested / out of debt)

F = Look up to / O = Important / E = Never

Part 3: Problems and solutions

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Problems and solutions.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● Are there any differences between the problems that young people face and adults?
● What problems do most young people face?
● What problems do most adults face?
● Should they always ask for help whenever they have a problem?
● Do you think some people are naturally talented at finding solutions?
● Is it possible to learn problem solving skills by reading books?
● What are the disadvantages of not facing problems?
● Do problems go away if we ignore them?
● Some people say that we should deal with problems personally instead of involving others.
Do you agree or disagree with them, and why?
● Should parents always help their children to find a solution to their problems?
● Do you think that would affect the child’s problem solving skills when they’re older?
● Is the easiest/quickest solution always the best one?

Things to consider:
-The kind of problem greatly affects the kind of solution necessary.
-Remember to talk about “the average person” and “the vast majority of people” (most people),
this topic is extremely general, but that doesn’t mean you should be “vague” with your answers.
-People are very busy nowadays, how would you feel if someone constantly asked you for help?
Everyone has problems, “it’s a part of life” or “it’s an unavoidable part of life”.
-Do trivial problems add “spice” to our lives? Would life be boring if it was easy? What problems
are you currently facing in your life? What problems did the pandemic cause people?
-The way I see it, problem-solving skills are no different to other skills. They require hard work,
experience, and patience to develop. There is no doubt in my mind that we can improve our
problem-solving skills by reading books by well-known authors and public figures. Learn from Exp.

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108

21. Describe a time when you moved to a new

home/school/workplace
● When it happened
● Where you moved to
● Why you moved there
● And explain how you felt about moving to a new home/school/workplace

1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Father

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1 = Good at problem solving
(how skilled at / logical and easy to do / perspective)

2 = Failing business (problem)

(verge of bankruptcy / difficult X survived / too young)

3 = Solution
(sold a store / reinvested / out of debt)

F = Look up to / O = Important / E = Never

Part 3: Problems and solutions

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Problems and solutions.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● Are there any differences between the problems that young people face and adults?
● What problems do most young people face?
● What problems do most adults face?
● Should they always ask for help whenever they have a problem?
● Do you think some people are naturally talented at finding solutions?
● Is it possible to learn problem solving skills by reading books?
● What are the disadvantages of not facing problems?
● Do problems go away if we ignore them?
● Some people say that we should deal with problems personally instead of involving others.
Do you agree or disagree with them, and why?
● Should parents always help their children to find a solution to their problems?
● Do you think that would affect the child’s problem solving skills when they’re older?
● Is the easiest/quickest solution always the best one?

Things to consider:
-The kind of problem greatly affects the kind of solution necessary.
-Remember to talk about “the average person” and “the vast majority of people” (most people),
this topic is extremely general, but that doesn’t mean you should be “vague” with your answers.
-People are very busy nowadays, how would you feel if someone constantly asked you for help?
Everyone has problems, “it’s a part of life” or “it’s an unavoidable part of life”.
-Do trivial problems add “spice” to our lives? Would life be boring if it was easy? What problems
are you currently facing in your life? What problems did the pandemic cause people?
-The way I see it, problem-solving skills are no different to other skills. They require hard work,
experience, and patience to develop. There is no doubt in my mind that we can improve our
problem-solving skills by reading books by well-known authors and public figures. Learn from Exp.

22. Describe a time when you felt proud of a family member

● When it happened

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110
● Who you felt proud of
● What they did
● And explain why you felt proud of this family member

1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Father

1 = Good at problem solving

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111
(how skilled at / logical and easy to do / perspective)

2 = Failing business (problem)

(verge of bankruptcy / difficult X survived / too young)

3 = Solution
(sold a store / reinvested / out of debt)

F = Look up to / O = Important / E = Never

Part 3: Problems and solutions

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Problems and solutions.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● Are there any differences between the problems that young people face and adults?
● What problems do most young people face?
● What problems do most adults face?
● Should they always ask for help whenever they have a problem?
● Do you think some people are naturally talented at finding solutions?
● Is it possible to learn problem solving skills by reading books?
● What are the disadvantages of not facing problems?
● Do problems go away if we ignore them?
● Some people say that we should deal with problems personally instead of involving others.
Do you agree or disagree with them, and why?
● Should parents always help their children to find a solution to their problems?
● Do you think that would affect the child’s problem solving skills when they’re older?
● Is the easiest/quickest solution always the best one?

Things to consider:
-The kind of problem greatly affects the kind of solution necessary.
-Remember to talk about “the average person” and “the vast majority of people” (most people),
this topic is extremely general, but that doesn’t mean you should be “vague” with your answers.
-People are very busy nowadays, how would you feel if someone constantly asked you for help?
Everyone has problems, “it’s a part of life” or “it’s an unavoidable part of life”.
-Do trivial problems add “spice” to our lives? Would life be boring if it was easy? What problems
are you currently facing in your life? What problems did the pandemic cause people?
-The way I see it, problem-solving skills are no different to other skills. They require hard work,
experience, and patience to develop. There is no doubt in my mind that we can improve our
problem-solving skills by reading books by well-known authors and public figures. Learn from Exp.

23. Describe a skill you have that was difficult to learn

● What skill you learnt
● How difficult it was to learn

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112
● When you learnt it
● And explain why you think this was a difficult skill to learn

1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Father

1 = Good at problem solving

(how skilled at / logical and easy to do / perspective)

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113

2 = Failing business (problem)

(verge of bankruptcy / difficult X survived / too young)

3 = Solution
(sold a store / reinvested / out of debt)

F = Look up to / O = Important / E = Never

Part 3: Problems and solutions

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Problems and solutions.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● Are there any differences between the problems that young people face and adults?
● What problems do most young people face?
● What problems do most adults face?
● Should they always ask for help whenever they have a problem?
● Do you think some people are naturally talented at finding solutions?
● Is it possible to learn problem solving skills by reading books?
● What are the disadvantages of not facing problems?
● Do problems go away if we ignore them?
● Some people say that we should deal with problems personally instead of involving others.
Do you agree or disagree with them, and why?
● Should parents always help their children to find a solution to their problems?
● Do you think that would affect the child’s problem solving skills when they’re older?
● Is the easiest/quickest solution always the best one?

Things to consider:
-The kind of problem greatly affects the kind of solution necessary.
-Remember to talk about “the average person” and “the vast majority of people” (most people),
this topic is extremely general, but that doesn’t mean you should be “vague” with your answers.
-People are very busy nowadays, how would you feel if someone constantly asked you for help?
Everyone has problems, “it’s a part of life” or “it’s an unavoidable part of life”.
-Do trivial problems add “spice” to our lives? Would life be boring if it was easy? What problems
are you currently facing in your life? What problems did the pandemic cause people?
-The way I see it, problem-solving skills are no different to other skills. They require hard work,
experience, and patience to develop. There is no doubt in my mind that we can improve our
problem-solving skills by reading books by well-known authors and public figures. Learn from Exp.

24. Describe something difficult you have done

● When it happened
● What it was
● How difficult it was to do

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● And explain how you felt about it

1-2-3 & F-O-E Plan:

Example = Father

1 = Good at problem solving

(how skilled at / logical and easy to do / perspective)

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115
2 = Failing business (problem)
(verge of bankruptcy / difficult X survived / too young)

3 = Solution
(sold a store / reinvested / out of debt)

F = Look up to / O = Important / E = Never

Part 3: Problems and solutions

This Part 3 discussion is likely to be about Problems and solutions.
As with all Part 3 discussions, we don’t know exactly what the examiner will ask you.

Some possible questions might be:

● Are there any differences between the problems that young people face and adults?
● What problems do most young people face?
● What problems do most adults face?
● Should they always ask for help whenever they have a problem?
● Do you think some people are naturally talented at finding solutions?
● Is it possible to learn problem solving skills by reading books?
● What are the disadvantages of not facing problems?
● Do problems go away if we ignore them?
● Some people say that we should deal with problems personally instead of involving others.
Do you agree or disagree with them, and why?
● Should parents always help their children to find a solution to their problems?
● Do you think that would affect the child’s problem solving skills when they’re older?
● Is the easiest/quickest solution always the best one?

Things to consider:
-The kind of problem greatly affects the kind of solution necessary.
-Remember to talk about “the average person” and “the vast majority of people” (most people),
this topic is extremely general, but that doesn’t mean you should be “vague” with your answers.
-People are very busy nowadays, how would you feel if someone constantly asked you for help?
Everyone has problems, “it’s a part of life” or “it’s an unavoidable part of life”.
-Do trivial problems add “spice” to our lives? Would life be boring if it was easy? What problems
are you currently facing in your life? What problems did the pandemic cause people?
-The way I see it, problem-solving skills are no different to other skills. They require hard work,
experience, and patience to develop. There is no doubt in my mind that we can improve our
problem-solving skills by reading books by well-known authors and public figures. Learn from Exp.

25. Describe something that you would like to learn or improve

● What it is
● Why you would like to learn or improve it
● How it would affect you
● And explain how you feel about it

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117

Reused topics Part 2 topics:

April 2021 to December 2021

1. Describe an old person you know that you respect or admire

● Who this person is
● How you know them
● What they do (or did when they were younger)
● And explain how you feel about this person

Example = grandfather

1 = childhood (3 to 4 sentences that directly RELATE TO this “talking point”)

2= military (3 to 4 sentences that directly RELATE TO this “talking point”)

3 = why (3 to 4 sentences that directly RELATE TO this “talking point”)

2. Describe a singer or musician that you like

● Who this person is
● How you know them
● What kind of music they make
● And explain why you like this singer or musician

Example = Kanye West

1 = Details of (rap star X entrepreneur / Chinese love his shoes)

2 = Music (Stronger - lyrics - beat / achievement / career)

3 = Controversial (Presidential campaign >< Charities & Foundation)

3. Describe a friend you helped

● Who you helped
● What you did to help your friend
● Why you helped your friend
● And explain how you felt about helping your friend

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118

4. Describe your favourite movie

● Which movie it is
● When you watched it
● What the movie is about
● And explain why this is your favourite movie

5. Describe a piece of equipment in your home that you like

using
● What it is
● What you use it for
● How often you use it
● And explain why you like using this piece of equipment

6. Describe a large/tall building in your town/city that you like

● What building it is
● Where it is
● How large it is
● And explain why you like this building

7. Describe a quiet place that you like spending time in

● Where it is
● Why it is quiet
● How often you visit
● And explain how you feel about this quiet place

8. Describe a town/city that you want to live in sometime in the

future
● Where it is
● What you know about it
● When you want to live there

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119
● And explain why you want to live in this town/city

9. Describe some local news that people were interested in

● What the news was about
● When you learned about it
● Where you learned about it
● And explain why people are interested in this news

10. Describe a talent you have that you would like to improve
● What talent it is
● When you use it
● How you want to improve it
● And explain why you would like to improve this talent

11. Describe a puzzle game that you enjoy playing

● What game it is
● How difficult it is
● When you play it
● And explain why you enjoy playing this puzzle game

12. Describe a company or organisation where you live that

employs many people
● What company it is
● Where it is
● How many people it employs
● And explain how you feel about this company

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13. Describe an activity that you enjoy doing on the beach

● What it is
● How often you do it
● When you first did it
● And explain why you enjoy this activity

14. Describe an article about health that you read online or in a

magazine
● What the article was about
● When you read it
● Where you read it
● And explain how you felt about this article

15. Describe a life plan you have that is not related to your work
or study
● What you plan
● When you hope to achieve it
● Why you made this plan
● And explain how this plan will affect your life

Example = Immigrate to Sw.

1 = Why (crossfire / neutral territory(country) / water)

2 = Been there before (details of)

3 = Keep citizenship (good reasons / healthcare / insurance etc)

16. Describe something interesting you saw on Social Media

● What you saw

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121
● Where you saw it
● When it happened
● And explain why you think it was interesting

17. Describe a time when you failed to achieve something

● When it happened
● What you tried to do
● Why you failed to achieve it
● And explain how you felt about failing to achieve it

18. Describe a time you bought something from a street or

outdoor marketplace
● When it happened
● Where you were
● What you bought
● And explain how you felt about buying it from a market

19. Describe a time when you helped a good friend

● When it happened
● Who you helped
● What you did to help him/her
● And explain how your help affected your friend

Example = lose weight

1 (details of) = friend took a physical / unhealthy lifestyle / results

2 (key point) = advised long distance / accompanied / at first VS after

3 (result) = lost weight / blood lower / today

20. Describe a time when you shared something with others

● When it happened
● What you shared
● Who you shared it with
● And explain how you felt about sharing it with others

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21. Describe a time when you had an argument with someone

● When it happened
● What the argument was about
● Why you had this argument
● And explain how you felt about it afterwards

Example = Group discussion (homework)

1 = Assignment F = Angry/Guilty

2 = Argument O = Should

3 = Learnt E = Never

22. Describe a time when you could not use your mobile phone
● When it happened
● Where you were
● Why you could not use your phone
● And explain how it affected you

23. Describe a time when many people smiled

● When it happened
● Why they smiled
● Where you were
● And explain why many people smiled

Example = Wedding

1 = details of (Uncle’s wedding / customs; pick up the… / process)

2 = Enter home (Uncle finish an exam / in the door / found it funny)

3 = Smiled & conclusion (all in all / smiling / best wedding)

F = CBH / O = Important / E = Never forget?

Story (1 = details / 2 = key point / 3 = end/result/conclusion/affected)

1 = details of…

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(my friend Jack / wedding day / how amazing ceremony)

2 = key point…

(everyone / never seen / cried)

3 = end/result/conclusion/affected…

(party / got drunk / great time)

24. Describe a time you tried a new craft or art activity

● When it happened
● What craft or art activity it was
● Why you tried it
● And explain how you felt about it

25. Describe a law about environmental protection

● What law it is
● When you learnt of it
● How you feel about it
● And explain why you think this law is effective/ineffective
Example = plastic bags
1 = other countries (law - differences - lower levels of plastic waste)
2 = reason for (to reduce - single-use (disposable products) - protect env - better world)
3 = shops already (“store policy” - arguments - over time accepted)

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Caner Baydur is an architect who has an interdisciplinary background.........In addition, after

completing a Chinese preparation program, he started a master’s degree in physics, based
at the Institute of Acoustics, Tongji University in Shanghai, China, in 2018..........He is an
active collaborator with the Acoustic Metamaterials Research Group at the Department of
Mechanical Engineering, YTU.

Design of an acoustic metamaterial for birdwatching house

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