IELTS SPEAKING

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING

Questions
 What are the (main) differences/ similarities between state and public schools?
 How s/ are (a) state schools(s) different from/ similar to (a) public one(s)?
 How are state and public schools alike?

Position-> Identify the similarities and differences

 They are like chalk and cheese; public schools are only interested in making
money while stated-run schools focus on education.
 State schools bear no relation to public ones; state-run institutions only teach the
Total difference bare minimum whereas public schools work the students to death.
 There’s a world of difference between state and public schools, especially in
regards to the quality and quantity of facilities that they have on offer.

 One of the major contrast/ distinguishing features is the teaching quality, as

public schools usually attract teachers of higher caliber.
Some  What sets public and state schools apart is the tuition fees as state-run
differences/ institutions are up to 10 times cheaper than their counterparts.
some similarities  The most striking resemblance is the course content as they both use exactly the
same boos and materials.

 I can’t tell them apart; teaching quality, course content, school grounds and
facilities are all identical as far as I can tell.
Exactly the same
 I can’t draw a distinction between state and public schools; as far as I know they
are identical in educational content and school facilities.
Support -> Provide an example
Comparing public schools and state schools
 A classic/fine example of this is a public school called Wego.
 A public school called Wego is a classic/fine example of this.
 Take my school which is state-run for example. We didn’t even have a basketball court.
 There’s no better example than the state-run primary school I attended.
 In one case, there was a public school which declared bankruptcy just after the new semester
commenced and all tuition fees had been collected.
 In some instances, public schools actually have a higher teacher-and-student ratio than state schools.
 A case in point is the newly opened public primary school in my area.
 There are many state schools which are just as popular as public school…, to name but a few. (used
when giving many examples)

A. Taking about similarities

1 Opening linking phrases
Well obviously… Well clearly… Sure, without a doubt…
Well undoubtedly… Unquestionably…

2 Topic sentence: say that there are some differences:

There are a number of underlying similarities here.
There are a range of potential likenesses here.
There are a variety of possible assimilations here.

3 Introduce the first similarity:

The most significant/ obvious/ fundamental would be that …

4 Mentioning aspects
with respect to W
as regards W
as far as W is concerned
regarding W

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in that W is the same
in terms of W
in W

5 First comparative linking structure:

Both X and Y cost �W.
X is as expensive as W.
X costs the same as Y.
X is the same price as Y.

6 Introduce a second similarity:

Inaddition…… As well as this… Additionally …
On top of this… Moreover… After that…

7 Another important similarity:

…a second key likeness would be that…
…a subsequent resemblance could be that…
…a further sameness might be that…
8 Introduce second comparative linking structure.
X has a Y. Similarly, it has a W.
Likewise, it has a W.
Correspondingly, it has a W.
It has a W, too.
It also has a W.

B. Mentioning the differences

1 Topic sentence: say that there are some differences:
There are a number of underlying differences here.
There are a range of potential distinctions here.
There are a variety of possible differences here.

2 Introduce the first difference:

The most significant/ obvious/ fundamental would be …

3 First comparative linking structure:

Whereas on the other hand… On the contrary... Though quite the opposite…

4 Introduce a second difference:

Inaddition…… As well as this… Additionally …
On top of this… Moreover… After that…

5 Another important difference.

…a second key distinction would be that…
…a subsequent contrast could be that…
…a further distinction might be that…

6 Introduce second comparative linking structure.

While on the other hand… Alternatively… Conversely… Then again, in opposition…

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IELTS SPEAKING
TOPICS FOR PRACTICE
1 What’re the differences between travelling by public transportation and private transportation?
Private transportation Public transportation
Cost o the more expensive option o pay per ride and the fee quite small
 the purchase price,
 general maintenance such as oil
changes, filling the gas tank and auto
insurance,
 car repairs and parking fees are also
sometimes necessary
Convenience o operates on a set schedule with o be able to come and go as you please
specific stops
Pollution and o emissions from vehicles, the higher o going "green”
emission the level of pollution
Comfort o stress of driving in traffic o can sit back and relax without worrying
about traffic congestion finding a parking
space or dealing with other drivers

2 What are the possible differences between living in the city and living in the countryside?

Living in the city Living in the countryside

Cost of living o the more expensive option: food, rent
and high expenses on sevices
Convenience and o offering wide range of leisure
comfort activities: clubs, shopping centers,
cinemas and sports events
o accommodation is within walking
distance from shops, to schools and
places of entertainment
Pollution and o emissions from vehicle, factories =>
emission the higher the level of pollution
Job o more jobs available => easier to find
opportunities suitable job.
o better job prospects
o raise your own cattle and grow
your own vegetables.
o fewer places for relaxation
o more private and peaceful =>
more space for yourself
o going "green”
o fewer jobs available
o lower salary

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IELTS SPEAKING
TOPICS WITH SUGGESTED IDEAS
TOPIC 1: School nowadays in schools in the past
1. Size: bigger in terms of space and number of students and teachers
2. Various types of schools: public, private, local or national or international
3. Location: everywhere from cities to the countryside, convenient for everyone to pursuit their
dream of schooling.

TOPIC 2: TV programme nowadays and in the past

1. Types: a range of TV program from news to documentary, discovery, game show, talk show or
music show
2. Different timetable: one program can be broadcast again in another timetable and channel so that
viewers can follow their favourite shows
3. Price: in the past: free, media is public. That means the government pays, now audiences pay for
their favourite.

TOPIC 3: Trip nowadays and in the past

1. Distance: in the past; shorter usually within the province, now: further, within country or even to
other countries, or other planet
2. Vehicle: in the past: horse riding cart, now: automated vehicle such as motorbike, cars or air plan.
3. Time: in the past: took longer to travel because of the poor quality of the accommodation such as
vehicles or roads, or bridges, now: take shorter to travel long distance. It takes only 2 hours to fly
from HN to HCM city

TOPIC 4: Magazine nowadays and in the past

1. Money: magazines cost much more than newspaper.
2. Period: magazine: usually twice a week or even twice a month, newspaper: daily
3. Magazine: in –depth knowledge of the matter usually for people of the field or interest,
newspaper: for relaxation, usually for entertainment.

TOPIC 5: Adults and children make friends the same way

1. Children make friends of same of around their ages, but adults make friends of all ages.
2. Adults have bigger friend circle in comparison to that of children
3. Children make friends merely for sack of getting fun, where as in contrast adults make friends
because of other things such as benefits….

TOPIC 6: Families nowadays and in the past

1. Size: extended family: three or more generations, nuclear family: one or two generations.
2. Variety: trans-sexual family (parents of opposite genders), homosexual family (“parents” of the
same gender), single parent family (the family with only mother or father)
3. Location: in the past most families in the countryside (because most of the population that time
were farmers), now the majority of the families are in the cities due to the rapid urbanization.

TOPIC 7: Building
1. Size: in the past: larger but nowadays higher.
2. Variety: in shapes and types of materials.
- In term of shape: not only conventional one in the shape of square or rectangle. Nowadays houses
comes in wide range of shapes from round to triangular, there are even building built upside
down.
- Types: modern buildings made of numerous types of newly-invented materials such polyester,
glass, composite
3. Colours used: more colourful with trendy mix of colours.

TOPIC 8: Men and women’s attitude to shopping:

1. In terms of purposes: men usually shop for necessaries, where as in contrast women shop for
relaxation.
2. Location: men tend to buy things in the super market or shopping center where the prices are
fixed; on the other hand, women love to do the shopping in the shops or markets where they can
bargain for the better price.

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IELTS SPEAKING
3. Frequency and money spent: men rarely go shopping. For example, according a recent survey
men shop once to twice a week with the average time of 1 hour for each time; however, women
spend at least 5 hours per week to shop.

TOPIC 9: Things made by hand and things made by machines

No. Things made by hand Things made by machines

Quantit Fewer: take longer to produce More: mass production, take less time to
y produce
Quality More complex and unique: every single More precise: correct to the smallest
thing/ unit is different even of the same details. Every single unit is exactly the
people. This is because of the creativeness same
of human beings
Prices More expensive: take longer to produce More affordable: produce in large
quantity

TOPIC 10: Ways to become famous

1. In the past: real talent is highly appreciated, there are a lot of other necessary things to be famous
such as outlook, money and luck
2. In the past: famous people are admired by most population, nowadays: people who become
celebrity just because of luck or scandal receive little admiration of others.

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