Intensive IELTS Speaking, Chapter 3

I Part 1 Typical Questions

Confirmation
identification(abbreviation ID) [uncountable] official papers or a document that can
prove who you are
Can I see some identification, please?
Topics
Studies
studies [plural] (formal) a particular persons learning activities, for example at a college
or university
to continue your studies
major [countable] (North American English) the main subject or course of a student at
college or university
Her major is French.
minor (especially North American English) a subject that you study at university in
addition to your major
major in sth (North American English) to study something as your main subject at a
university or college
She majored in History at Stanford.
Work
involve if a situation, an event or an activity involves something, that thing is an
important or necessary part or result of it
SYNONYM entail
involve something Any investment involves an element of risk.
involve doing something The test will involve answering questions about a
photograph.
involve somebody/something doing something The job involves me travelling
all over the country.
(formal) The job involves my travelling all over the country.
get into sth to start a career in a particular profession
What's the best way to get into journalism?
Home town
whereabouts adv used to ask the general area where somebody/something is
Whereabouts did you find it?
landscape [countable, usually singular] everything you can see when you look across a
large area of land, especially in the country
the bleak/rugged/dramatic, etc.
landscape of the area
the woods and fields that are typical features of the
English landscape
an urban/industrial landscape

Accommodation
housing [uncountable] houses, flats/apartments, etc. that people live in, especially when
referring to their type, price or condition
public/private housing poor housing conditions
the housing shortage
the housing market (= the activity of buying and selling houses, etc.)
Family
Hobbies and Spare Time
spare adj available to do what you want with rather than work
He's studying music in his spare time.
I haven't had a spare moment this morning.
Reading
Sports
facilities [plural] buildings, services, equipment, etc. that are provided for a particular
purpose
sports/leisure facilities conference facilities
shopping/banking/cooking facilities
The hotel has special facilities for welcoming disabled people.
Films and TV
Music
Clothing
Future plans
major [countable] (North American English) the main subject or course of a student at
college or university
Her major is French.
minor (especially North American English) a subject that you study at university in
addition to your major
major in sth (North American English) to study something as your main subject at a
university or college
She majored in History at Stanford.
goal something that you hope to achieve
SYNONYM aim
to work towards a goal to achieve/attain a goal
You need to set yourself some long-term goals.
Foreign Language Studies
studies [uncountable + singular or plural verb] used in the names of some academic
subjects
business/media/American studies
studies [plural] (formal) a particular persons learning activities, for example at a college
or university
to continue your studies

rewarding adj (of an activity, etc.) worth doing; that makes you happy because you think
it is useful or important
a rewarding experience/job
Weather
Food
dish [countable] food prepared in a particular way as part of a meal
a vegetarian/fish dish
This makes an excellent hot main dish
I can recommend the chef's dish of the day.
Festival
Changes
Travel and Holiday
travel [uncountable] the act or activity of travelling
air/rail/space, etc. travel travel expenses
The job involves a considerable amount of foreign travel.
Transport
transport (especially British English) (usually North American
English transportation) [uncountable] a system for carrying people or goods from one
place to another using vehicles, roads, etc.
air/freight/road transport
the governments transport policy
transport (British English) (North American English transportation) [uncountable] a
vehicle or method of travel
Applicants must have their own transport.
His bike is his only means of transport.
Buildings
Birthday
Questions & Suggested Answers
Confirmation
computer science the study of computers and how they can be used
a degree in computer science
Studies
studies [uncountable + singular or plural verb] used in the names of some academic
subjects
business/media/American studies
studies [plural] (formal) a particular persons learning activities, for example at a college
or university
to continue your studies
major [countable] (North American English) the main subject or course of a student at
college or university
Her major is French.

minor (especially North American English) a subject that you study at university in
addition to your major
major in sth (North American English) to study something as your main subject at a
university or college
She majored in History at Stanford.
around adv used to describe activities that have no real purpose
There were several young people sitting around looking bored.
pick sth up to get information or a skill by chance rather than by making a deliberate
effort
to pick up bad habits
Here's a tip I picked up from my mother.
next to prep. almost
Charles knew next to nothing about farming.
The horse came next to last (= the one before the last one) in the race.
principle [countable] a law, a rule or a theory that something is based on
the principles and practice of writing reports
The principle behind it is very simple.
other than except
I don't know any French people other than you.
We're going away in June but other than that I'll be here all summer.
tasteless adj having little or no flavor
tasteless soup
inspiring adj exciting and encouraging you to do or feel something
an inspiring teacher
(informal) The book is less than inspiring.
Opposite uninspiring
apart adv not together; separate or separately
We're living apart now.
Over the years, Rosie and I had drifted apart.
She keeps herself apart from other people.
prestigious adj [usually before noun] respected and admired as very important or of very
high quality
a prestigious award a prestigious university
the citys most prestigious and exclusive hotel
horticulture U the study or practice of growing flowers, fruit and vegetables
a college of agriculture and horticulture
helpful adj able to improve a particular situation
SYNONYM useful
helpful advice/information/suggestions
helpful (for somebody) (to do something) It would be helpful for me to see the
damage for myself.

helpful in doing something Role-play is helpful in developing communication

skills.
helpful to somebody The booklet should be very helpful to parents of disabled
children.
up to date adj having or including the most recent information
We are keeping up to date with the latest developments.
up-to-date records
She brought him up to date with what had happened.
Work
dozen [countable] a group of approximately twelve people or things
several dozen/a few dozen people
The company employs no more than a couple of dozen people.
handle [transitive] to deal with a situation, a person, an area of work or a strong emotion
handle something/somebody A new man was appointed to handle the crisis.
handle yourself (informal) You have to know how to handle yourself in this
business (= know the right way to behave).
side C ] a part of a situation, system, etc. that can
be considered or dealt with separately:
She takes care of the financial side of things.
Fortunately my boss did see the funny side of the situation.
involve if a situation, an event or an activity involves something, that thing is an
important or necessary part or result of it
SYNONYM entail
involve something Any investment involves an element of risk.
involve doing something The test will involve answering questions about a
photograph.
involve somebody/something doing something The job involves me travelling
all over the country.
(formal) The job involves my travelling all over the country.
oversee somebody/something to watch somebody/something and make sure that a job or
an activity is done correctly
SYNONYM supervise
United Nations observers oversaw the elections.
operation [countable] the activity or work done in an area of business or industry
the firms banking operations overseas
give (full) vent to something (formal) to express a feeling, especially anger, strongly
Children give vent to their anger in various ways.
She gave full vent to her feelings in a violent outburst.

ups and downs the mixture of good and bad things in life or in a particular situation or
relationship
Every business has its ups and downs.
share [singular] the part that somebody has in a particular activity that involves several
people
We all did our share.
share of something Everyone must accept their share of the blame.
fair adj acceptable and appropriate in a particular situation
a fair deal/wage/price/question
fair to somebody (to do something) Was it really fair to him to ask him to do all
the work?
fair on somebody (to do something) It's not fair on the students to keep
changing the timetable.
fair to do something It's only fair to add that they were not told about the
problem until the last minute.
fair that It seems only fair that they should give us something in return.
cold adj (of a person) without emotion; unfriendly
to give somebody a cold look/stare/welcome
Her manner was cold and distant.
He was staring at her with cold eyes.
routine adj (disapproving) ordinary and boring
SYNONYM dull, humdrum a routine job
This type of work rapidly becomes routine.
bureaucracy uncountable, (often disapproving) the system of official rules and ways of
doing things that a government or an organization has, especially when these seem to be
too complicated
unnecessary/excessive bureaucracy
We need to reduce paperwork and bureaucracy in the company.
routine [countable, uncountable] the normal order and way in which you regularly do
things
We are trying to get the baby into a routine for feeding and sleeping.
Make exercise a part of your daily routine.
get into sth to start a career in a particular profession
What's the best way to get into journalism?
go into sth to join an organization, especially in order to have a career in it
to go into the Army/the Church/Parliament
Hometown
whereabouts adv used to ask the general area where somebody/something is
Whereabouts did you find it?
historic adj important or likely to be important in history

historic buildings
a historic day/moment
In a historic vote, the Church of England decided to allow women
to become priests.
historical adj connected with studying or representing things from the past
Many important historical documents were destroyed when
the library was bombed.
She specializes in historical novels set in 18th-century England.
landscape [countable, usually singular] everything you can see when you look across a
large area of land, especially in the country
the bleak/rugged/dramatic, etc. landscape of the area
the woods and fields that are typical features of the English landscape
scenic adj usually before noun] having beautiful natural scenery
an area of scenic beauty
They took the scenic route back to the hotel.
quarter [countable, usually singular] a district or part of a town
the Latin quarter
the historic quarter of the city
original adj [ usually before noun ] existing since the beginning, or being the earliest
form of something:
Is this the original fireplace?
The gardens have recently been restored to their original glory.
layout [usually singular] the way in which the parts of something such as the page of a
book, a garden or a building are arranged
the layout of streets
the magazines attractive new page layout
conservative adj opposed to great or sudden social change; showing that you prefer
traditional styles and values
the conservative views of his parents
music which is accessible to an audience with extremely conservative tastes
hold on to/onto sth to keep something you have
Hold on to your ticket - you'll need it later.
Lewis held onto the lead until the final lap.
hospitable (to/towards somebody) (of a person) pleased to welcome guests; generous
and friendly to visitors

welcoming
The local people are very hospitable to strangers.
He thanked Patricia for being such a hospitable hostess.
help out/help sb out to help somebody, especially in a difficult situation
He's always willing to help out.
When I bought the house, my sister helped me out with a loan.
scenic adj usually before noun] having beautiful natural scenery
an area of scenic beauty
They took the scenic route back to the hotel.
focal adj [only before noun] central; very important; connected with or providing a focus
The Student Liaison Officer acts as a focal point for student political activity.
The focal symbol of sovereignty is, of course, the crown.
quarter [countable, usually singular] a district or part of a town
the Latin quarter
the historic quarter of the city
decent adj of a good enough standard or quality
(informal) a decent meal/job/place to live
I need a decent night's sleep.
SYNONYM

off adv away from a place or position, especially the present place,position, or time:
He drove off at the most incredible speed.
She's off to Canada next week.
crowd [countable + singular or plural verb] (informal, often disapproving) a particular
group of people
Bob introduced her to some of the usual crowd (= people who often meet each
other).
the bright young theatrical crowd
generous adj willing to give money, help, kindness, etc., especially more than is
usual or expected
a very generous man
[ + to infinitive ] It was generous of you to lend me the money.
She's been very generous with her time.
Accommodation
housing buildings for people to live in
There's a shortage of cheap housing in the region.
as for sb/sth used to start talking about somebody/something

regarding
As for Jo, she's doing fine.
As for food for the party, that's all being taken care of.
SYNONYM

Family
side [countable] the part of your family that people belong to who are related either to
your mother or to your father
a cousin on my fathers side (= a child of my fathers brother or sister)
inspector a person whose job is to visit schools, factories, etc. to check that rules are
being obeyed and that standards are acceptable
a school/health/safety, etc. inspector
I guess [transitive, intransitive] guess (that) (informal, especially North American
English) to suppose that something is true or likely
I guess (that) youll be looking for a new job now.
I guess I'm just lucky
He didn't see me, I guess.
Are you ready to go? Yeah, I guess so.
They aren't coming, then? I guess not.
the burden (of something) | a burden (on/to somebody) a duty, responsibility, etc. that
causes worry, difficulty or hard work
to bear/carry/ease/reduce/share the burden
The main burden of caring for old people falls on the state.
Hobbies and Spare Time
arsenal a collection of weapons such as guns and explosives
Britains nuclear arsenal
arsenal a building where military weapons and explosives are made or stored
involve to make somebody take part in something
involve somebody (in something/in doing something) We want to involve as
people as possible in the celebrations.
involve yourself (in something) Parents should involve themselves in their
child's education.
lively adj (of a place, an event, etc.) full of interest or excitement
a lively bar
a lively debate
at (your) ease relaxed and confident and not nervous or embarrassed
I never feel completely at ease with him.
She was at her ease straight away in the new job.
sleep in to sleep until after the time you usually get up in the morning
window-shopping the activity of looking at the goods in shop/store windows, usually
without intending to buy anything
to go window-shopping
kind of(informal)(also kinda) slightly; in some ways
That made me feel kind of stupid.

I like him, kind of.

Reading
fictional adj not real or true; existing only in stories; connected with fiction
fictional characters
a fictional account of life on a desert island
Opposite real-life
Sports
regularly adv with equal or similar amounts of space or time between one and the next
We meet regularly to discuss progress on the project.
The competitors set off at regularly spaced intervals.
crazy (about something) (often in compounds) very enthusiastic or excited about
something
Rick is crazy about football.
He's football-crazy.
I'm not crazy about Chinese food (= I don't like it very much).
You're so beautiful you're driving me crazy.
intuitive adj based on feelings rather than facts or proof
an intuitive approach/judgment
Most people have an intuitive sense of right and wrong.
just about (informal) almost; very nearly
I've met just about everyone
Did you reach your sales target? Just about.
build n [uncountable, countable, usually singular] the shape and size of the human body
a man of average build
literally adv used to emphasize the truth of something that may seem surprising
There are literally hundreds of prizes to win.
crazy (about something) (often in compounds) very enthusiastic or excited about
something
Rick is crazy about football.
He's football-crazy.
I'm not crazy about Chinese food (= I don't like it very much).
You're so beautiful you're driving me crazy.
groan [intransitive, transitive] to make a long deep sound because you are annoyed, upset
or in pain, or with pleasure
SYNONYM moan
He lay on the floor groaning.
groan with something to groan with pain/pleasure

groan at something We all groaned at his terrible jokes.

groan about something They were all moaning and
groaning (= complaining) about the amount of work they had.
+ speech It's a complete mess! she groaned.
groan a long deep sound made when somebody/something groans
SYNONYM moan
She let out a groan of dismay.
He fell to the floor with a groan.
Films and TV
kind of(informal)(also kinda) slightly; in some ways
That made me feel kind of stupid.
I like him, kind of.
galaxy [countable] any of the large systems of stars, etc. in outer space
scientists observing phenomena in nearby galaxies
chain [countable] a group of shops/stores or hotels owned by the same company
a chain of supermarkets/a supermarket chain
reasonable adj (of prices) not too expensive
SYNONYM fair
We sell good quality food at reasonable prices.
fairly adv (before adjectives and adverbs) to some extent but not very
a fairly easy book a fairly typical reaction
I know him fairly well, but I wouldn't say we were really close friends.
on the whole considering everything; in general
On the whole, I'm in favour of the idea.
mood [countable] the way you are feeling at a particular time
She's in a good mood today (= happy and friendly).
He's always in a bad mood (= unhappy, or angry and impatient).
I'm just not in the mood for a party tonight.
I'm not really in the mood to go out tonight.
look [countable, usually singular] the way somebody/something looks; the appearance of
somebody/something
It's going to rain today by the look of it (= judging by appearances).
Looks can be deceptive.
I don't like the look of that guy (= I don't trust him, judging by his appearance).
hopeful adj [only before noun] (of a persons behaviour) showing hope
a hopeful smile
hopeful adj [not usually before noun] (of a person) believing that something you want
will happen
SYNONYM optimistic
hopeful (that) I feel hopeful that we'll find a suitable house very soon.

hopeful (about something) He is not very hopeful about the outcome of the
interview.
hopeful (of doing something) (British English) She is hopeful of returning to
work soon.
Opposite pessimistic
serial adj [only before noun] (of a story, etc.) broadcast or published in several separate
parts
a novel in serial form
come on (of a TV programme, etc.) to start
What time does the news come on?
keep up with sth to learn about or be aware of the news, current events, etc.
She likes to keep up with the latest fashions.