IELTS SPEAKING

I. Introduction:
- General in 4
- Some basic information you need to know about the spaking
test
1. 3 parts of the test
o Timing:
 Lasts from 11 to 14 minutes 
 Divided into 3 parts  
 Part 1: lasts from 4 to 5 minutes (10-12 short questions ).
 Part 2: lasts 3 minutes (1 topic ).
 Part 3: lasts from 4 to 5 minutes (about 5-7 questions).
 Timing is very strict because examiner wants to make sure the
amount of time is the same for everyone

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

- Name, identification - 1 min to prepare - Questions requiring
- General questions: - 2 mins to talk about a you to analyze,
where you live and topic discuss, and show
what job you are → Test your ability to your opinions
doing  - Deeper conversation
speak at length and to
- Familiar topics: organize your ideas based on topic in Part
music, weather, 2
hobbies
→ Test your ability to → See how well you
talk about everyday communicate about
topics abstract ideas

2. Scoring system
o Fluency & Coherence
o Vocabulary
o Grammar
o Pronunciation
VOCABULARY
 Effective paraphrasing
 My hometown is nice. It’s big and very nice. I really like it.
→ stunning, awe-inspiring, marvellous, a view to die for, awesome,
breathtaking, stunningly beautiful, incredible, spectacular, etc.
 I AGREE ___
→ I couldn’t agree more
    I completely agree
    I wholeheartedly agree
    I totally agree
    I agree to a great extent
    I partly agree
    I completely disagree

NO MORE “VERY” 
 incredibly: The facilities in my hometown are incredibly good.
 terribly: Eating in restaurants in major cities is terribly expensive.
 extremely: It gets extremely hot in my hometown in the summer.
 exceedingly: The food that I had during the meal was exceedingly
good.
 awfully: I’m generally awfully bad at sports, but I’m an ok swimmer.
 remarkably: Lionel Messi is a remarkably good footballer.
 especially: The reason why this book was especially interesting is
that..
 particularly: I’m not particularly good at managing my time.

“I DON’T KNOW”
 I’m not entirely sure ..
 I’m not sure how to answer that. It’s not something I’ve ever thought
about before.
 It’s hard for me to say.
 I can’t really give examples of how or why.
 Ex: Why do you think rich people eat special foods?
I’m not sure how to answer that. It’s not something I’ve ever thought
about before. I guess they can afford special food and it tastes good. As
I’m not a particular wealthy person myself, it’s hard for me to say.

Collocation
 
Meaning  Example 
Collocation 

to be snowed to have a lot of things I’m snowed with work at the moment
under/with to do so I don’t go to the cinema much.

something that you I have a distant memory of wanting to

a distant memory
cannot remember be a doctor when I was young.

Being able to use a computer is vitally

vitally important very important
important in this day and age.

I have a vivid memory of visiting the

something you
a vivid memory museum on a school trip when I was in
remember clearly
high school. 

to think long and

to consider something I thought long and hard about going
hard about
for a long time abroad to study.
something

Idioms about people

Meaning Example 
Idiom

someone who is One reason why he is so successful is

to be a people person
good with people that he is a people person.

to be head and to be much better

In the world of football, he is head and
shoulders above the than everybody
shoulders above the rest.
rest else

someone who has It is vitally important to be a

to be a charismatic
an engaging charismatic leader and not just a
leader
persona good organiser of people.
 My friend is always full of beans - day
to be full of beans to be full of energy
and night.

I wouldn’t describe myself as the life

to be the life and soul
to like having fun and soul of the party, as I am quite a
of the party
shy person.

FLUENCY & COHERENT

CONNECTIVES LINKING WORDS
Adding information: And ..
 in fact: David Beckham is incredibly famous in the UK. In fact, he is
legendary in all corners of the globe.
 in actual fact: I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t like to be famous. In actual fact,
I’m certain. I’d absolutely hate it.
 as a matter of fact: Kids are obsessed with pointless celebrities. As a
matter of fact, the most famous people in the world right now are social
media stars.
Yes or No
 Yes: absolutely, certainly, definitely
 No: absolutely not, certainly not, definitely not

What are the advantages of living in a city or big town?

Oh, well, I guess there are a number of advantages of residing in a city

or town. First and foremost, there is access to local facilities. Not only
do you have access to local shops, but also to the larger shopping malls
in the city center. Another significant benefit is that the transport
infrastructure is better. For examples, you can take public transport to
work instead of using your car. The final advantage worth mentioning
is that the nightlife is significantly better than in rural areas. For
instance, you can go to the cinema or the theater in urban areas. As a
matter of fact, such activities are almost non-existent in rural locations.

GRAMMAR
USED TO :Đã từng
Do you read a newspaper or read news online? Why?
 A few years ago, I used to read a newspaper because my parents used
to buy one everyday. Nowadays, however, I usually read the news
online, as it’s cheaper and more up-to-date.
Present perfect continuous
 How long have you been living here?
I have been living here for about 3 years.
 Can you play any musical instruments?
Yes, I’m learning to play the piano. I have been playing this instrument
for the past five years.

BE USED TO + VING : Đã quen

Tom is used to playing volleyball.

Straw man: bẻ nghĩa Mukbang Film

I don’t believe it = I Best ever food review Sex education

don’t buy it show
Never have I ever
Unique The food ranger
Black mirror
Mark wiens
Me before you
Bear grylls
To all the boys
II. CONNECTORS & FILLERS
Mistakes:
- Hesitation
- Repetition
1.Giving opinions:
Do you like going to the museum?
 No
- Well, to be honest, I’m not a big fan of museums.
- Honestly, I’m not a big fan of museums.
 Yes 
- Wow, without a doubt, I’m a big fan of museums.
- Absolutely, I’m really into museums.

Do you think history is important?

 Yes
- Yeah, I reckon it essential.
- For sure. In my eyes, it’s really important, because without it,
- Yep, I’d say it’s pretty important, because without it, ..
 Not sure 
- I guess so. I suppose history gives us a sense of identity..
- I suppose so. I guess history shapes our present-day culture and
identity.

QUESTIONS:
 Do you think sports are important?
 Do you think children should be banned from electronic devices?
 Do you think your country is good at educating the young?

2.Beginning an answer:
What are some advantages of traveling by plane?
 Well, first of all, it’s fast and really convenient.
 Well, to kick off, it’s faster than most other means of transport.
 For starters, it’s faster than most other means of transport.

3.Adding information:
What are some advantages of traveling by plane?
 Another thing is, apparently, flying is the safest way to travel. 
 On top of that, flying is said to be the safest way to travel.
 As far as I know, flying is the safest way to travel. 
 To my knowledge, flying is the safest way to travel. 

EMPHASIS:
 I’d go as far as to say, flying is the best way to travel, hands down.
 Actually, flying is the safest way to travel.
 As a matter of fact, flying is the safest way to travel. 
 In fact, flying is the safest way to travel. 
And here’s the thing, apparently, flying is the safest way to travel.

HOMEWORK
 What are some advantages of buses?
 What are some drawbacks of living in an
apartment?
 What are some positive influence of social media?

4.Giving examples:
What are some advantages of traveling by plane?
 For instance, to my knowledge, Quantas airlines has never had a fatal
accident, ever?
 You can see this with Quantas airlines, as far as I know, they have never
had a fatal accident, ever?

Other: for example, take X as an example, etc.

5.Clarifying:
Why do some people move to the cities to live? (part 3)
 If we’re talking about young people, I reckon they move to the city in search
of better job opportunities.
 If we’re talking about parents, I suppose they want a better school for their
children.

6.Compare & Contrast:

Comparing places, people and things
Comparing places, people and things
o Giống:
 London is similar to Paris because they are both capital cities.
 London is similar to Paris in that they are both capital cities.
 Adverbs: really, pretty, rather, quite, etc.
 When it comes to cars, two of the most famous brands are Audi and BMW,
they are so alike (they are pretty much alike, they have a lot in common,
they are really similar, etc.)
 An Audi is as reliable as a BMW.
 Adverbs: almost, nearly, etc.

o Rất giống:
 Jack is identical to his father, they both love football.
 Jack is the same as his father, they both love football.
 Jack is just like his father.
 Jack is the spitting image of his father.

o Khác:
 Manchester is different from Paris because it is much more industrial
 Manchester is different from Paris in that the climate is colder.
 Adverbs: really, totally, strikingly, distinctly, rather, slightly, subtly, etc.

Idioms for contrasting

- London and New Delhi, they are worlds apart.
- My brother and my sister, they are poles apart.
- My father and mother, they are like chalk and cheese. (used for people)
- Hanoi is a far cry from HCM City, they’re very different, in that ..
- Vietnam is in a different league from America.
- Stephen King is far better than Enid Blyton.
- Stephen King is way better than Enid Blyton.

Connectors to compare and contrast

- I love football, similarly, I am a big fan of basketball too.
- I love Chinese food, likewise, I’m really into Vietnamese food as well.
- I’m really busy during the week, but on the weekend, conversely, I have lots
of free time.
- I’m really busy on Mondays, Fridays, on the contrary, are much easier.
- I’m busy this week, next week, on the other hand, I have much less work to
do.

Noun 1 + Noun 2 + Adverb

 7.Conclude:
Why do some people move to the city? (part 3)
 In a nutshell, I think people move to the city because it offers more
opportunities.
 Overall, I think people move to the city because it offers more opportunities.
 All in all, I’d say people move to the city because it offers more opportunities.
 At the end of the day, I suppose people move to the city because it offers
more opportunities.

Stationary I rekon electronic If I live in an

devices benefit apartment where
How our ancestors children because… walls are not
defend/protect the soundproof, I
country Soundproof would be annoyed
Orgin Identical twins by the noise from
my neighbors when
Prejudice/bias Fraternal twins they are arguing

III. PROCEDURE, WARM-UP, PART 1

3. Procedure, Warm-up:
Procedure
 You sit in another room. When it is your turn, you will be instructed to go
to the test room. 
 Examiner greets and takes you inside.
 Examiner introduce the procedure:
 Turns on the recorder.
 Says his/her name, your name, test organizer’s name and official
numbers.
 Asks for your ID/passport.
→ Answer briefly, you don’t need to show off.

Warm-up
 Do you work or are you a student ?
This is to know your background. After that, the examiner will ask relevant
questions.
1. Do you work or are you a student?
I’m a qualified doctor, but at the moment I’m studying English so that I
can work in this country.
2. Do you enjoy your job?
Yes, I really enjoy my job. Ever since I was a child I have always
wanted to be a doctor; I’ve always wanted to be able to help people.
3. What's the best thing about your job?
The best thing about my job is that I can make a difference in people’s
lives. It’s a great feeling to see someone recover after an illness
because my colleagues and I were able to help.
4. Do you prefer working alone or with others? Why?
In a hospital you have to work as part of a team. I’ve got used to
working with others, and I think you can achieve a lot more as a team
than you would alone.

Where are you living now ?

This is to know your background. After that, the examiner will ask relevant
questions.
1. Where are you from?
I'm from Manchester, which is a city in the north west of England.
2. Do you like your hometown? Why?
Yes, I like living in Manchester because it's where most of my friends
live, and because there are plenty of things to do there. The only thing I
don't like is the weather.
3. Would you prefer to live somewhere else? Why?
For the moment I'm happy living here, but at some point I'd like to live in
a country with a warmer climate, and I'd like to live near a beach!
4. Do you think your hometown is a good place for young people?
Why?
Yes, Manchester has lots of things for young people, such as sports
facilities, music and cinemas.

DO DON’T
 Be natural  Overuse academic
 Answer briefly words and
  Focus on complicated
pronunciation and structures
fluency  Talk too much or
show off vocabulary

4. Grammatical range:
Do you live in a house or a flat?
o I live in a flat. → quite boring:
 No complex grammar
 Repeated words from the question
 No discourse marker
o Currently, I’m living in a three-bedroomed apartment. I’ve been
living there for about six years. → much better:
 Discourse marker: currently
 Present continuous
 Present perfect continuous
 No repeated words
 PRACTICE
 What do you study? / Which subject do you like the most?
 Do you like your major? / Is it a popular subject in your
country?
 Why did you choose that major? / Why do you like that
subject?
5. Work, study, hometown:
 Organisation comments
 Grammar comments
 Vocabulary comments

WORK
 Where do you work?
I am a nurse and am employed in a hospital in my hometown.
 Do you think it is a good place to work?
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my job, but the equipment in
the hospital is quite dated, and this can make the job hard at times.
 Why did you choose this job?
I wanted to work in a profession where I could help people.
Furthermore, I didn’t want to do a desk job. I would be bored to tears if
I had to do a nine-to-five job. I like the variety in the job I do, no two
days are the same.
  What do you enjoy most about your job?
As previously mentioned, no two days are the same, therefore,
boredom is something I don’t suffer from in my job. I get to meet
people from all walks of life and even though there are sometimes
days when it can be tough, often people leave the hospital feeling
better so I get a feeling of satisfaction that I have helped them.
 Have you always wanted to do this job?
When I was younger, I wanted to be a doctor, but the thought of
studying for seven years put me off. When I left school, I got a job in
an office, but I quickly realised that I wasn’t cut out for sitting behind a
desk all day so that was when I retrained as a nurse. I don’t regret it
for a second.

  What training did you need to do for this job?

My training lasted for four years, It was a combination of practical
training on the job and study in the classroom. I have learnt most
 things actually doing the job though. I feel like I am still learning every
day because diseases change and new drugs are developed to
combat them.
 What are your work plans for the future?
I would like to work in the UK so that is why I am taking IELTS in order
to meet the requirements to work there. I understand there is a nursing
shortage there. It has always been my dream to work in another
country. If I get a job there, I will stay there for about a decade, then
hopefully return to my home country and use the skills I have obtained
to get a top job back home.

STUDY
 What do you study?
I’m currently studying on an English course in the UK. I’ve been
studying here for about six months.
 Where do you study?
I’m studying in a further education college, which is situated in the
south of England.
 Do you think this is a good place to study?

Absolutely. The college is a massive place with great facilities.

There’s a huge well-stocked library and science labs are well-
equipped with the lasted equipment. The catering facilities offer a
wide variety of food options and there are plenty of places to get a
cheap bite to eat. I thoroughly enjoy studying there because the
teachers are warm, caring and inspiring.
 Have you always wanted to study this?
Absolutely not. When I was younger, like all youngsters I had
dreams of becoming famous, but as I grew older I became fascinated
by science. My science teacher in secondary school was an
inspiration to me and sparked an interest in this subject.
 What is the most interesting part of your study?

I particularly enjoy the practical work because it’s very hands-on

and it is easier to understand things when you actually experience
them. Generally, we tend to do practical work once a week and
theoretical stuff the rest of the time. I wish it was the other way
round.
 Is there anything you don’t like about your study?
The only thing that I’m really not keen on about my study is the
 amount of homework. I’m snowed under with work and it leaves me
with very little time to do anything else. I used to like going to the
cinema regularly with my mates, but since starting this course I spend
every minute with my head in a book.
 What are your study plans for the future?

In the near future, I hope to go to university in the UK. I have applied

to a number of top universities. In the longer-term, I imagine I will
return to my home country and I hope to get a job in the field of
environmental science. I’m hoping that my degree and knowledge
gained in the UK will enable me to find a good job with good
prospects.

TOWN/CITY WHERE YOU LIVE NOW

 Where do you live now?
I’m residing in the UK at the moment, in a city called Leeds. I’ve been
living there for the past nine months. It is located in the north of
England.
 How would you describe the town/city?

Firstly, I would have to say that it looks like quite an industrial city;
however, I don’t know how much industry there is nowadays.
Moreover, it is most definitely a thriving place, new apartments are
being built and there are shopping centers popping up all over the city
- both in the heart of the city and on the outskirts. It is quite a
cosmopolitan area and the fact that there is a university there makes it
quite an ethnically diverse place to live.
 What do you like about your area of the town/city?
 I wouldn’t say that it’s the most stunningly beautiful place in the
world; however, the amenities are second-to-none. There is everything
that I need. For instance, there is a wide range of shops, a multitude
of restaurants, from upmarket places where it costs an arm and a leg
to eat to reasonable priced places where you can get a cheap bite to
eat. There is a football stadium there, although the team, Leeds United,
isn’t really worth watching at the moment. Is there anything you
don’t like about your area of the town/city?
The thing I’m not keen on about living there is that the transport
 network isn’t that great. There are buses and trains, but it doesn’t have
trams like other cities such as Manchester; therefore, to get around it
takes ages and the trains and buses aren’t always punctual. This is a
major issue for me because I need to get to classes on time.
 Do you expect to continue living in this town/city for a long time?

That’s a tricky question to answer right now because I’m not entirely
sure if I will be living in Leeds in the near future. I have applied to a
number of different universities, one of which is Leeds; however, I could
end up in Brighton, which is miles away from Leeds.