Tough

speaking
Topics

2020
about dave 3
A situation where you didn’t tell a friend the truth 4
A time when you met someone again after a long time not seeing them 11
time when you used the internet to solve a problem 18
Public Speaking 25
celebrations 39

self-study tips 53
pronunciation tip + practice 56
ielts speaking tips 58
links 61
 Hi, I’m Dave! Welcome to my IELTS online IELTS courses and resources! You can email me at
Dave@howtodoIELTS.com if you have questions!

There’s no one better to help you learn about IELTS and improve your English at the same
time.

I’ve been working in various countries including Vietnam, Germany, Thailand, Korea, and the
United States for more than a decade - mainly at British Council as a teacher, IELTS examiner
and trainer. My qualifications include a BA in English Literature from Bard in New York, a
CELTA, CELTA-YL and DELTA - the highest English teaching qualification.

The main difference between myself and other websites is that I am both very well versed in
IELTS (from working as an examiner and a trainer for the department) as well as English in
general. Combined with all my years of experience, I know exactly what students need and the
best ways to give it to them.
about dave

Dave Lang
From the USA, a British Council
teacher and examiner and founder of
HowtodoIELTS.com
I have hand-made every lesson and material for this course. The lessons here are only available
here - no other school has my materials! This PDF is one of the best I’ve ever written in fact!
Most other websites will delegate their tasks to other employees. I just have a couple of assis-
tants that I have personally trained to help out - but every video, worksheet, material, etc is
made and edited by me first and foremost.

The main problem for all students with IELTS is their language ability. IELTS is a language
test.

If your language ability is good and you learn some basic test strategy you will get a good
score.

If your ability is not good, then all the test strategy in the world cannot help you. Just like a
sport: you can’t just watch YouTube highlights and expect to be good. You must actively prac-
tice and improve.

With this PDF you will get some experience with tricky questions but also improve your En-
glish - your reading, writing, speaking, grammat, pronunciation, and vocabulary!
 a
situation
where
you
didn’t
tell
a
friend
the
truth
by Dave
Talk about a situation where you didn’t
tell a friend the truth. Include:
-who the friend is
-why you didn’t tell the truth
-the result

by Dave
To be honest, I’m not the most candid person even at the best of times
so I’ve got a lot of moments to choose from ... If I had to narrow it down
to the one I feel most comfortable talking to a stranger about it, it would
be a while back when I was late for a football match with some bud-
dies of mine from work. The time had totally slipped my mind and I was
just sitting at home when I realised the game was about to get started.
I dressed in a hurry and raced (dangerously) as fast as I could through
the streets to get there. It was a bit of a hassle because there was
some traffic and, I was driving a motorbike, it’s a whole process to park
your bike whatwith getting a ticket, locking the steering wheel, locking
up my helmet, etc. In the end I was only around 15 minutes late but one
of my friends is a real stickler for starting on time and the game was al-
ready well underway. Long story short, he called me out for being late
so I used a well-worn lie: I said that my daughter was sick. He suddenly
looked really embarrassed and apologised to me profusely. That made
me feel guilty for my lie but I didn’t let it show, I just graciously accept-
ed his apology and said ‘No problem!’ It’s an excuse that I turn to again
and again when I’m in a tight spot, the only catch is that you can only
use it once with any given person, a few two many times and they will
start to wonder what I’ve been feeding my daughter! by Dave
 Write a defintion or synonym for the words in bold:

To be honest, I’m not the most candid person even at the best of times
so I’ve got a lot of moments to choose from ... If I had to narrow it down
to the one I feel most comfortable talking to a stranger about, it would
be a while back when I was late for a football match with some bud-
dies of mine from work. The time had totally slipped my mind and I was
just sitting at home when I realised the game was about to get started.
I dressed in a hurry and raced (dangerously) as fast as I could through
the streets to get there. It was a bit of a hassle because there was
some traffic and, I was driving a motorbike, it’s a whole process to park
your bike whatwith getting a ticket, locking the steering wheel, locking
up my helmet, etc. In the end I was only around 15 minutes late but one
of my friends is a real stickler for starting on time and the game was al-
ready well underway. Long story short, he called me out for being late
so I used a well-worn lie: I said that my daughter was sick. He suddenly
looked really embarrassed and apologised to me profusely. That made
me feel guilty for my lie but I didn’t let it show, I just graciously accepted
his apology and said ‘No problem!’ It’s an excuse that I turn to again and
again when I’m in a tight spot, the only catch is that you can only use it
once with any given person, a few two many times and they will start to
wonder what I’ve been feeding my daughter!
 answers
To be honest Frankly
candid honest/forthright
even at the best of times in a perfect world
choose from select
narrow it down have fewer choices
a while back a long tim ago
buddies friends
totally slipped my mind I forgot
get started begin
raced fast
bit of a hassle annoying
whole process entire thing
whatwith due to
locking up secure
In the end finally
real stickler follows the rules
well underway already started
Long story short to cut to the chase
called me out angry with me
well-worn often used
embarassed ashamed
profusely over the top
guilty responsible
let it show don’t hold back
graciously accepted accepted classily
excuse justification
turn to again and again use over and over
tight spot difficult situation
catch find out
any given person a person
a few two many times too much
tuː biː ˈɒnɪst maɪnd wɛl ˌʌndəˈweɪ əkˈsɛptɪd
ˈkændɪd gɛt ˈstɑːtɪd lɒŋ ˈstɔːri ʃɔːt ɪksˈkjuːs
ˈiːvən æt ðə reɪst kɔːld miː aʊt tɜːn tuː əˈgɛn ænd
bɛst ɒv taɪmz bɪt ɒv ə ˈhæs(ə)l wɛl-wɔːn əˈgɛn
ʧuːz frɒm həʊl ˈprəʊsɛs ɪmˈbærəst taɪt spɒt
ˈnærəʊ ɪt daʊn wɒt wɪð prəˈfjuːsli kæʧ
ə waɪl bæk ˈlɒkɪŋ ʌp ˈgɪlti ˈɛni ˈgɪvn ˈpɜːsn
ˈbʌdiz ɪn ði ɛnd lɛt ɪt ʃəʊ ə fjuː tuː ˈmɛni
ˈtəʊtli slɪpt maɪ rɪəl ˈstɪklə ˈgreɪʃəsli taɪmz

Listen and repeat:

 Vocabulary practice: fill in the blanks
_____________, I’m not the most _____________ person _____________ so I’ve got a lot of moments to
_____________ ... If I had to _____________ to the one I feel most comfortable talking to a stranger about,
it would be _____________ when I was late for a football match with some _____________ of mine from
work. The time had _____________ and I was just sitting at home when I realised the game was about
to _____________. I dressed in a hurry and _____________ (dangerously) as fast as I could through the
streets to get there. It was a _____________ because there was some traffic and, I was driving a mo-
torbike, it’s a _____________ to park your bike _____________ getting a ticket, locking the steering wheel,
_____________ my helmet, etc. _____________ I was only around 15 minutes late but one of my friends
is a _____________ for starting on time and the game was already _____________. _____________, he
_____________ for being late so I used a _____________ lie: I said that my daughter was sick. He sudden-
ly looked really _____________ and apologised to me _____________. That made me feel _____________
for my lie but I didn’t _____________, I just _____________ his apology and said ‘No problem!’ It’s an
_____________ that I _____________ when I’m in a _____________, the only _____________ is that you can
only use it once with _____________, _____________ and they will start to wonder what I’ve been feeding
my daughter!

Listen and check

 A
time
when
you
met
someone
again
after
a
long
time
not
seeing
them by Dave
Talk about a time when you met some-
one again after a long time not seeing
them. Include:
-why you didn’t see them for so long
-where you met
-what you talked about

by Dave
The person I met after a long time not seeing them was a casual ac-
quaintence of mine named Colin. We originally got to know each other
because we worked as teachers at the same centre and we were
also both big into football. We played together in the same match af-
ter work late at night at a nearby football pitch. He was a clever player,
good with his feet and tall, a striker and I typically slotted in at defense.
I guess the reason he stuck in my mind more than some other play-
ers was how unique he looked. Really tall, big black glasses, gangly, a
moustache out of another time, and very formal mannerisms. Anyway,
such is the nature of work as an English teacher that he eventually
left the country where we were living (Vietnam) to go back home to
London. We hadn’t been particularly close friends but we got on well
enough. Years later I was still living in Vietnam, going through the mo-
tions, teaching and playing football at night. He had come to Vietnam
for a holiday and a mutual friend of ours brought him along to a match
so we got a chance to play football again and chat after the game.
He’d left Vietnam with his girlfriend at the time but they broke up.
He was still living in London and working as an analyst, one of those
vauge, hard to define jobs.

by Dave
 Write the synonyms or definitions:
The person I met after a long time not seeing them was a casual ac-
quaintance of mine named Colin. We originally got to know each oth-
er because we worked as teachers at the same centre and we were
also both big into football. We played together in the same match after
work late at night at a nearby football pitch. He was a clever player,
good with his feet and tall, a striker and I typically slotted in at defense.
I guess the reason he stuck in my mind more than some other play-
ers was how unique he looked. Really tall, big black glasses, gangly, a
moustache out of another time, and very formal mannerisms. Anyway,
such is the nature of work as an English teacher that he eventually
left the country where we were living (Vietnam) to go back home to
London. We hadn’t been particularly close friends but we got on well
enough. Years later I was still living in Vietnam, going through the mo-
tions, teaching and playing football at night. He had come to Vietnam
for a holiday and a mutual friend of ours brought him along to a match
so we got a chance to play football again and chat after the game.
He’d left Vietnam with his girlfriend at the time but they broke up.
He was still living in London and working as an analyst, one of those
vauge, hard to define jobs.
 answers
casual acquaintance of mine not a close friend
originally got to know each other first met and became friends
big into really like
match game
football pitch soccer field
good with his feet good skill with the ball
striker attacker
slotted in play
stuck in my mind memorable
unique original
gangly long and awkward
formal mannerisms elegant manners
such is the nature of it is so because
particularly close friendly
got on well enough kind of friendly
going through the motions doing it without passion
mutual friend friend of both of us
brought him along came with him
at the time then
broke up no longer a couple
analyst consultant
vauge unclear
hard to define jobs can’t say exactly what it is
 ˈkæʒjʊəl əˈk- ˈfʊtbɔːl pɪʧ ˈfɔːməl ˈgəʊɪŋ θruː ðə
weɪntəns ɒv gʊd wɪð hɪz fiːt ˈmænərɪzmz ˈməʊʃənz
maɪn ˈstraɪkə sʌʧ ɪz ðə ˈmjuːtjʊəl frɛnd
əˈrɪʤɪnəli gɒt ˈslɒtɪd ɪn ˈneɪʧər ɒv brɔːt hɪm əˈlɒŋ
tuː nəʊ iːʧ stʌk ɪn maɪ pəˈtɪkjʊləli æt ðə taɪm
ˈʌðə maɪnd kləʊs brəʊk ʌp
bɪg ˈɪntuː juːˈniːk gɒt ɒn wɛl ˈænəlɪst
mæʧ ˈgæŋli ɪˈnʌf vauge

Pronunciation:
listen and repeat
The person I met after a long time not seeing them was a _______________
named Colin. We _______________ _______________ because we worked
as teachers at the same centre and we were also both _______________
football. We played together in the same _______________ after work
late at night at a nearby _______________. He was a clever player,
_______________ and tall, a _______________ and I typically _______________
at defense. I guess the reason he _______________ more than some
other players was how _______________ he looked. Really tall, big black
glasses, _______________, a moustache out of another time, and very
_______________. Anyway, _______________ as an English teacher that
he eventually left the country where we were living (Vietnam) to go
back home to London. We hadn’t been _______________ friends but we
_______________. Years later I was still living in Vietnam, _______________,
teaching and playing football at night. He had come to Vietnam for a hol-
iday and a _______________ of ours _______________ to a match so we
got a chance to play football again and chat after the game. He’d left
Vietnam with his girlfriend _______________ but they _______________. He
was still living in London and working as an _______________, one of those
_______________, _______________.
Listen and check here.
 A
time
when
you
used
the
internet
to
solve
a
problem
by Dave
A time when you used the internet to
solve a problem. Include:
-why you didn’t see them for so long
-where you met
-what you talked about
I kind of think of the internet as the cause of and solution to the majority
of the hurdles I come up against. If I had to put my finger on one partic-
ular instance I would go with when I was on holiday a while back. I had
gone to Chiang Mai with my girlfriend and there were a couple of prob-
lems that came up. When we got there I had already used the internet
to book a hotel but when we turned up at the hotel it wasn’t open. It
was more of a homestay than a hotel and the owners weren’t expect-
ing us to show up then. Since I was in Thailand, I didn’t have a sim card
but I could get internet reception on my phone. I looked up their number
and called using Facebook messenger. It turned out that they weren’t in
the area and wouldn’t be back till later that night. So I had to cancel that
booking online and find another place to stay. Luckily, I was able to use
the web to find another nice place on Air BnB that wasn’t that far away.
The internet was really useful in this case not only because I had a re-
source to find hotels but also I could see images of the rooms, the de-
cor, the amenities and make an informed choice rather than just walk-
ing up to a hotel and taking my chances. One of the big pros of finding
places to stay over online is the reviews too. This one came highly
recommended and what could have been a nightmare ended up being
nothing more than a little blip in an otherwise wonderful holiday.
 Write the synonyms or definitions:
I kind of think of the internet as the cause of and solution to the majority
of the hurdles I come up against. If I had to put my finger on one partic-
ular instance I would go with when I was on holiday a while back. I had
gone to Chiang Mai with my girlfriend and there were a couple of prob-
lems that came up. When we got there I had already used the internet
to book a hotel but when we turned up at the hotel it wasn’t open. It
was more of a homestay than a hotel and the owners weren’t expect-
ing us to show up then. Since I was in Thailand, I didn’t have a sim card
but I could get internet reception on my phone. I looked up their number
and called using Facebook messenger. It turned out that they weren’t in
the area and wouldn’t be back till later that night. So I had to cancel that
booking online and find another place to stay. Luckily, I was able to use
the web to find another nice place on Air BnB that wasn’t that far away.
The internet was really useful in this case not only because I had a re-
source to find hotels but also I could see images of the rooms, the de-
cor, the amenities and make an informed choice rather than just walk-
ing up to a hotel and taking my chances. One of the big pros of finding
places to stay over online is the reviews too. This one came highly
recommended and what could have been a nightmare ended up being
nothing more than a little blip in an otherwise wonderful holiday.
 answers
hurdles challenges
come up against face
put my finger on understand/identify
particular instance example
go with choose
a while back a long time ago
came up happened
book a hotel reserve a hotel
turned up arrived
homestay informal hotel
show up arrived
sim card phone card
internet reception wifi/4g
looked up searched for
turned out in the end was
in the area around there
resource useful source
décor surroundings
amenities features
informed choice good decision
walking up showing up at
taking my chances risking it
big pros clear advantages
stay over sleep there
came highly recommended well-regarded
nightmare terrible
ended up finally
a little blip small problem
otherwise if not for
ˈhɜːdlz bʊk ə həʊˈtɛl ɪn ði ˈeərɪə steɪ ˈəʊvə
kʌm ʌp əˈgɛnst tɜːnd ʌp rɪˈsɔːs keɪm ˈhaɪli
pʊt maɪ ˈfɪŋgər həʊm steɪ diːékɔː ˌrɛkəˈmɛndɪd
ɒn ʃəʊ ʌp əˈmiːnɪtiz ˈnaɪtmeə
pəˈtɪkjʊlər ˈɪn- sɪm kɑːd ɪnˈfɔːmd ʧɔɪs ˈɛndɪd ʌp
stəns ˈɪntəˌnɛt ˈwɔːkɪŋ ʌp ə ˈlɪtl blɪp
gəʊ wɪð rɪˈsɛpʃən ˈteɪkɪŋ maɪ ˈʌðəwaɪz
ə waɪl bæk lʊkt ʌp ˈʧɑːnsɪz
keɪm ʌp tɜːnd aʊt bɪg prəʊz

Pronunciation:
listen and
repeat
I kind of think of the internet as the cause of and solution to the ma-
jority of the ____________ I ____________. If I had to ____________ one
____________ I would ____________ when I was on holiday ____________.
I had gone to Chiang Mai with my girlfriend and there were a couple of
problems that ____________. When we got there I had already used the
internet to ____________ but when we ____________ at the hotel it wasn’t
open. It was more of a ____________ than a hotel and the owners weren’t
expecting us to ____________ then. Since I was in Thailand, I didn’t have
a ____________ but I could get ____________ on my phone. I ____________
their number and called using Facebook messenger. It ____________ that
they weren’t ____________ and wouldn’t be back till later that night. So I
had to cancel that booking online and find another place to stay. Luck-
ily, I was able to use the web to find another nice place on Air BnB that
wasn’t that far away. The internet was really useful in this case not only
because I had a ____________ to find hotels but also I could see images of
the rooms, the ____________, the ____________ and make an ____________
rather than just ____________ to a hotel and ____________. One of the
____________ of finding places to ____________ online is the reviews too.
This one ____________ and what could have been a ____________ being
nothing more than ____________ in an ____________ wonderful holiday.
Check here
 public
speaking
by Dave
Why is public speaking important?

What qualities make someone a good public

speaker?

What kind of people are usually asked to do

public speaking?

Has the way that people speak in public changed

much?

Why are people so scared of public speaking?

 Why is public speaking important?
Well I don’t know if I’d go that far to begin with but it does have its impor-
tance though the internet has minimised its overall significance. When I
think of public speaking what immediately comes to mind are the im-
mortal, towering speeches we all know about: Martin Luther King’s ‘I
have a dream speech’ or Lincoln’s Gettysburg address or more re-
cently the Stanford commencement speech by Steve Jobs. All of those
are important because they are both enlightening and insightful in their
ideas and mark an important period in history or in the biography of an
individual. I don’t think much of everyday speeches from people who ar-
en’t historic figures.
What qualities make someone a good public speaker?
The first one for me is humour. It is very rare that you will learn something from a
speech - either because the person talking doesn’t have a whole lot to say or may-
be the audience isn’t receptive. So you can’t bank on the ideas alone. If a speech is
at least funny then it isn’t so important if you got something out of it. The second big
one could be vaguely defined as presence. Some people have a sort of gravitas
that turns every head and makes people perk up. When Obama gave his first ma-
jor speech at the Democratic National Convention I remember everyone remarked
right away that is was a watershed moment and he was ‘presidential.’ I never liked
him as a speaker actually though because he never sounded natural or candid but
that seemed to be the consensus then.
 What kind of people are usually asked to do public speaking?
Public speaking is reserved for people who had a position of prestige
in the past or present moment or someone who is an expert in a par-
ticular area. Authors, after finishing a book, are typically invited to go on
speaking tours. Presidents, after finishing their terms, are paid massive
sums of money to give speeches at $10,000 plate dinners for wealthy
bankers. It’s rare that you would see someone who has accomplished
nothing and knows nothing get up and give a speech though that
would have some comedic value I suppose.

Has the way that people speak in public changed much?

Yes, in some ways. Big speeches in front of crowds might not have
changed much, I don’t have great perspective on that but it still seems
to be a person standing there addressing a crowd - that hasn’t
changed. I think what has changed is related to the internet. In the past,
a speech might be shown on television or going back further reprinted
in the newspaper. Today there might be a headline from the speech or
a 2 second clip of it online. That means that speakers have to gear their
remarks for easy digestion. I can’t speak confidently but I imagine this
distorts the complexity of speeches and the importance of so-called
‘talking points’ and ‘sound bites’
Why are people so scared of public speaking?
This is a question with deep psychological roots that I’ve never really
taken the time to delve into because I don’t do much public speaking.
Just to hazard a guess I’d say it must have a lot to do with self-esteem,
self-consciousness and the way that you will surely be judged. We’ve
all sat in an audience, bored to tears by a speech, annoyed we have
to even be there so it isn’t much of a leap that when you are that per-
son speaking to imagine yourself in the audience, fed up and not even
giving the speaker a chance. That’s why so many people qualify their
remarks by saying ‘I hope this isn’t boring you’ or ‘I’ll try to be brief’ - they
are looking for some assurance and trying to minimise the damage to
their ego. The judgment of those watching then must be the wellspring
of that notoriously common fear.
 Write the synonyms or definitions:
Why is public speaking important?
Well I don’t know if I’d go that far to begin with but it does have its impor-
tance though the internet has minimised its overall significance. When I
think of public speaking what immediately comes to mind are the immor-
tal, towering speeches we all know about: Martin Luther King’s ‘I have
a dream speech’ or Lincoln’s Gettysburg address or more recently the
Stanford commencement speech by Steve Jobs. All of those are important
because they are both enlightening and insightful in their ideas and mark
an important period in history or in the biography of an individual. I don’t
think much of everyday speeches from people who aren’t historic figures.

What qualities make someone a good public speaker?

The first one for me is humour. It is very rare that you will learn something from a
speech - either because the person talking doesn’t have a whole lot to say or
maybe the audience isn’t receptive. So you can’t bank on the ideas alone. If a
speech is at least funny then it isn’t so important if you got something out of it.
The second big one could be vaguely defined as presence. Some people have a
sort of gravitas that turns every head and makes people perk up. When Obama
gave his first major speech at the Democratic National Convention I remember
everyone remarked right away that is was a watershed moment and he was
‘presidential.’ I never liked him as a speaker actually though because he never
sounded natural or candid but that seemed to be the consensus then.
What kind of people are usually asked to do public speaking?
Public speaking is reserved for people who had a position of prestige
in the past or present moment or someone who is an expert in a par-
ticular area. Authors, after finishing a book, are typically invited to go on
speaking tours. Presidents, after finishing their terms, are paid massive
sums of money to give speeches at $10,000 plate dinners for wealthy
bankers. It’s rare that you would see someone who has accomplished
nothing and knows nothing get up and give a speech though that
would have some comedic value I suppose.

Has the way that people speak in public changed

much?
Yes, in some ways. Big speeches in front of crowds might not have changed
much, I don’t have great perspective on that but it still seems to be a person
standing there addressing a crowd - that hasn’t changed. I think what has
changed is related to the internet. In the past, a speech might be shown on
television or going back further reprinted in the newspaper. Today there might
be a headline from the speech or a 2 second clip of it online. That means that
speakers have to gear their remarks for easy digestion. I can’t speak confi-
dently but I imagine this distorts the complexity of speeches and the impor-
tance of so-called ‘talking points’ and ‘sound bites’
 Why are people so scared of public speaking?
This is a question with deep psychological roots that I’ve never re-
ally taken the time to delve into because I don’t do much public
speaking. Just to hazard a guess I’d say it must have a lot to do with
self-esteem, self-consciousness and the way that you will surely be
judged. We’ve all sat in an audience, bored to tears by a speech, an-
noyed we have to even be there so it isn’t much of a leap that when
you are that person speaking to imagine yourself in the audience, fed
up and not even giving the speaker a chance. That’s why so many
people qualify their remarks by saying ‘I hope this isn’t boring you’ or
‘I’ll try to be brief’ - they are looking for some assurance and trying to
minimise the damage to their ego. The judgment of those watching
then must be the wellspring of that notoriously common fear.
if I’d go that far to begin with if I’d venture
have its importance is important
minimised lessened
overall significance general impact
comes to mind I can think of
immortal never dies
towering speeches important speeches
commencement speech graduation speech
enlightening makes you smarter
insightful has something to say
mark an important period key cut-off point
historic figures people from history
humour comedy
a whole lot to say having opinions
receptive willing to listen
bank on count on
at least if nothing else
got something out of it has some value
vaguely defined hazy
presence aura
gravitas authority/weight
turns every head everyone pays attention
perk up pay attention to
remarked said
watershed moment important moment
presidential like a president
speaker the person talking
candid forthright
consensus common opinion
reserved only allowed for
prestige honor
present moment right now
in a particular area in a field
speaking tours speaking engagements
terms time in office
plate dinners fundraising dinners
wealthy bankers rich guys
comedic value how funny it is
I suppose. I guess
in front of crowds in public
great perspective able to see everything
addressing a crowd giving a speech
going back further longer in the past
reprinted printed a secone time
headline title of a news article
clip short video snippet
gear their remarks speak about
easy digestion easy to understand
distorts warps
so-called allegedly
talking points key points
sound bites snippets/highlights
deep psychological roots sources in the human mind
taken the time to delve into spend time thinking about
just to hazard a guess I’d say I suppose
have a lot to do with is the main cause/reason for
self-esteem feelings of self-worth
self-consciousness caring what others think of you
surely be judged will definitely be judged
bored to tears very bored
isn’t much of a leap clear/obvious
fed up sick of
giving the speaker a chance allowing them an opportunity
qualify hedge
remarks words/speech
brief short
assurance compliments
damage to their ego hurt their self-esteem
wellspring source
notoriously common fear very common fear
ɪf aɪd gəʊ ðæt fɑː tuː bɪˈgɪn gɒt ˈsʌmθɪŋ aʊt ɒv ɪt pleɪt ˈdɪnəz ˈteɪkən ðə taɪm tuː dɛlv ˈɪntuː
wɪð ˈveɪgli dɪˈfaɪnd ˈwɛlθi ˈbæŋkəz ʤʌst tuː ˈhæzəd ə gɛs aɪd seɪ
hæv ɪts ɪmˈpɔːtəns ˈprɛzns comedic ˈvæljuː hæv ə lɒt tuː duː wɪð
ˈmɪnɪmaɪzd gravitas aɪ səˈpəʊz. sɛlf-ɪsˈtiːm
ˈəʊvərɔːl sɪgˈnɪfɪkəns tɜːnz ˈɛvri hɛd ɪn frʌnt ɒv kraʊdz sɛlf-ˈkɒnʃəsnɪs
kʌmz tuː maɪnd pɜːk ʌp greɪt pəˈspɛktɪv ˈʃʊəli biː ˈʤʌʤd
ɪˈmɔːtl ˈrɪˈmɑːkt əˈdrɛsɪŋ ə kraʊd bɔːd tuː teəz
ˈtaʊərɪŋ ˈspiːʧɪz ˈwɔːtəʃɛd ˈməʊmənt ˈgəʊɪŋ bæk ˈfɜːðə ˈɪznt mʌʧ ɒv ə liːp
kəˈmɛnsmənt spiːʧ ˌprɛzɪˈdɛnʃəl ˌriːˈprɪntɪd fɛd ʌp
ɪnˈlaɪtnɪŋ ˈspiːkə ˈhɛdlaɪn ˈgɪvɪŋ ðə ˈspiːkər ə ʧɑːns
ˈɪnsaɪtf(ə)l ˈkændɪd klɪp ˈkwɒlɪfaɪ
mɑːk ən ɪmˈpɔːtənt ˈpɪərɪəd kənˈsɛnsəs gɪə ðeə ˈrɪˈmɑːks ˈrɪˈmɑːks
hɪsˈtɒrɪk ˈfɪgəz rɪˈzɜːvd ˈiːzi dɪˈʤɛsʧən briːf
ˈhjuːmə prɛsˈtiːʒ dɪsˈtɔːts əˈʃʊərəns
ə həʊl lɒt tuː seɪ ˈprɛznt ˈməʊmənt ˈsəʊˈkɔːld ˈdæmɪʤ tuː ðeər ˈɛgəʊ
rɪˈsɛptɪv ɪn ə pəˈtɪkjʊlər ˈeərɪə ˈtɔːkɪŋ pɔɪnts ˈwɛlsprɪŋ
bæŋk ɒn ˈspiːkɪŋ tʊəz saʊnd baɪts nəʊˈtɔːrɪəsli ˈkɒmən fɪə
æt liːst tɜːmz diːp ˌsaɪkəˈlɒʤɪkəl ruːts

Pronunciation:
listen and repeat
 Write the synonyms or definitions:
Why is public speaking important?
Well I don’t know ___________________ but it does ___________________ though the
internet has ___________________ its ___________________. When I think of pub-
lic speaking what immediately ___________________ are the ___________________,
___________________ ___________________ we all know about: Martin Luther King’s
‘I have a dream speech’ or Lincoln’s Gettysburg address or more recently the
Stanford ___________________ by Steve Jobs. All of those are important because
they are both ___________________ and ___________________ in their ideas and
___________________ in history or in the biography of an individual. I don’t think much
of everyday speeches from people who aren’t ___________________.

What qualities make someone a good public speaker?

The first one for me is ___________________. It is very rare that you will learn something from
a speech - either because the person talking doesn’t have ___________________ or maybe
the audience isn’t ___________________. So you can’t ___________________ the ideas alone. If
a speech is ___________________ funny then it isn’t so important if you ___________________.
The second big one could be ___________________ as ___________________. Some peo-
ple have a sort of ___________________ that ___________________ and makes people
___________________. When Obama gave his first major speech at the Democratic Nation-
al Convention I remember everyone ___________________ ‘___________________.’ I never
liked him as a ___________________ actually though because he never sounded natural or
___________________ but that seemed to be the ___________________ then.
 What kind of people are usually asked to do public speaking?
Public speaking is ___________________ for people who had a position of
___________________ in the past or ___________________ or someone who
is an expert ___________________. Authors, after finishing a book, are typi-
cally invited to go on ___________________. Presidents, after finishing their
___________________, are paid massive sums of money to give speech-
es at $10,000 ___________________ for ___________________. It’s rare that
you would see someone who has accomplished nothing and knows
nothing get up and give a speech though that would have some
___________________.
Has the way that people speak in public changed
much?
Yes, in some ways. Big speeches ___________________ might not have
changed much, I don’t have ___________________ on that but it still seems
to be a person standing there ___________________ - that hasn’t changed.
I think what has changed is related to the internet. In the past, a speech
might be shown on television or ___________________ in the newspaper. To-
day there might be a ___________________ from the speech or a 2 sec-
ond ___________________ of it online. That means that speakers have to
___________________ for ___________________. I can’t speak confidently but I imag-
ine this ___________________ the complexity of speeches and the importance of
‘___________________’ and ‘___________________’
 Why are people so scared of public speaking?
This is a question with ___________________ ___________________
that I’ve never really ___________________ because I don’t do much
public speaking. ___________________ it must ___________________,
___________________ and the way that you will ___________________.
We’ve all sat in an audience, ___________________ by a speech, an-
noyed we have to even be there so it ___________________ that when
you are that person speaking to imagine yourself in the audience,
___________________ and not even ___________________. That’s why so
many people ___________________ their ___________________ by saying
‘I hope this isn’t boring you’ or ‘I’ll try to be ___________________’ - they
are looking for some ___________________ and trying to minimise the
___________________. The judgment of those watching then must be
the ___________________ of that ___________________.

Listen and check

celebrations
by Dave
What kind of celebrations are common in your
country?

How much do people typically spend on their

wedding?

Are there big differences between the way that

young and old people celebrate their birthdays?

Do all people in your country take part in the

same celebrations?

What is the importance of national holiday?

 What kind of celebrations are common in your country?
I don’t know as types of celebrations vary that much country to country
but anyway in America people celebrate birthdays, graduations, big an-
niversarys - those are the personal celebrations off the top of my head.
Then there are regionally important ones. Sports fandom is how most
people in America get their self-esteem so if your team wins a big game
people might celebrate at a bar and if your team wins the big one, a cham-
pionship, then there is a city-wide parade for the four major sports. There
are also national and religious holidays and some overlap within those -
Christmas, Thanksgiving, Labour Day, Independance Day and so on.

How much do people typically spend on their wedding?

I don’t have a really precise figure for that because I’ve never had
a wedding or been involved in helping to plan one. It must vary
dramatically based on socioeconomic status. If we’re talking
about the majority of people - lower-middle class - those types,
I’d reckon it still costs more than $10,000 with the renting of a
hall, dinner, the wedding dress, and so on. I can’t imagine doing it
for less than that unless if it’s a Vegas shotgun wedding. And you
might get up into that range on the tables later anyhow.
 Are there big differences between the way that young and old
people celebrate their birthdays?
Absolutely. Speaking from personal experience, young kids have the birth-
day party that most resembles an archetypal party - balloons, swimming
pools, lots of friends and wrapped presents. When you get a bit older peo-
ple start to transition into what they want out of a birthday. Introverts might
have little fanfare but there is still some sort of event. By the time people
are middle-aged the celebrations are really minimal unless if you’re a real
show-off. Old people hardly want the reminder of their impending death
and might only have big parties if their kids force them on them for the big
numbers like 75 and 100.

Do all people in your country take part in the

same celebrations?
In America, I always had the sense growing up that we did. I came from a lily-
white, homogenous small town and just about everyone celebrated Christian
holidays. There were a few Jewish people but they stood out as notable outsid-
ers. If I had grown up in a more diverse town I think it would have been a different
story. Christianity is still the dominant religion nationally but people celebrate in
their own way depending on their denomination. There are also other religious
groups - Muslisms, Jews, atheists who have their own celebrations. In terms of
national ones - independence day and personal ones - birthdays, then it is gen-
erally the same in my admittedly limited experience.
What is the importance of national holidays?
I can’t speak to whether or not they actually matter in this day
and age but I think that the common line on them is that they
unify people. Everyone celebrates Independence Day and
that makes them feel they are all Americans and they get
pride and a bit of reflected glory from that. In some countries,
especially younger ones or particularly ethnically diverse
ones, this might be a matter of true political importance. I
think of the celebrations in North Korea that are on the news
sometimes - the nationalistic parades and weeping citizens
that seem over the top but might be necessary for an au-
thoritarian regime to justify its existence to the citizenry. It’s a
bit far out of my wheelhouse!
 What kind of celebrations are common in your country?
I don’t know as types of celebrations vary that much country to country
but anyway in America people celebrate birthdays, graduations, big an-
niversaries - those are the personal celebrations off the top of my head.
Then there are regionally important ones. Sports fandom is how most
people in America get their self-esteem so if your team wins a big game
people might celebrate at a bar and if your team wins the big one, a cham-
pionship, then there is a city-wide parade for the four major sports. There
are also national and religious holidays and some overlap within those -
Christmas, Thanksgiving, Labour Day, Independence Day and so on.

How much do people typically spend on their wedding?

I don’t have a really precise figure for that because I’ve never had a
wedding or been involved in helping to plan one. It must vary dramati-
cally based on socioeconomic status. If we’re talking about the major-
ity of people - lower-middle class - those types, I’d reckon it still costs
more than $10,000 with the renting of a hall, dinner, the wedding dress,
and so on. I can’t imagine doing it for less than that unless if it’s a Vegas
shotgun wedding. And you might get up into that range on the tables
later anyhow.
Are there big differences between the way that young and old
people celebrate their birthdays?
Absolutely. Speaking from personal experience, young kids have the
birthday party that most resembles an archetypal party - balloons, swim-
ming pools, lots of friends and wrapped presents. When you get a bit
older people start to transition into what they want out of a birthday.
Introverts might have little fanfare but there is still some sort of event.
By the time people are middle-aged the celebrations are really minimal
unless if you’re a real show-off. Old people hardly want the reminder of
their impending death and might only have big parties if their kids force
them on them for the big numbers like 75 and 100.
Do all people in your country take part in the
same celebrations?
In America, I always had the sense growing up that we did. I came from a lily-
white, homogenous small town and just about everyone celebrated Christian
holidays. There were a few Jewish people but they stood out as notable out-
siders. If I had grown up in a more diverse town I think it would have been a dif-
ferent story. Christianity is still the dominant religion nationally but people cele-
brate in their own way depending on their denomination. There are also other
religious groups - Muslisms, Jews, atheists who have their own celebrations.
In terms of national ones - independence day and personal ones - birthdays,
then it is generally the same in my admittedly limited experience.
What is the importance of national holidays?
I can’t speak to whether or not they actually matter in this day
and age but I think that the common line on them is that they
unify people. Everyone celebrates Independence Day and that
makes them feel they are all Americans and they get pride and
a bit of reflected glory from that. In some countries, especially
younger ones or particularly ethnically diverse ones, this might
be a matter of true political importance. I think of the celebra-
tions in North Korea that are on the news sometimes - the
nationalistic parades and weeping citizens that seem over the
top but might be necessary for an authoritarian regime to jus-
tify its existence to the citizenry. It’s a bit far out of my wheel-
house!
I don’t know as I don’t think
country to country between countries
off the top of my head without thinking much
regionally in this area
Sports fandom support a club
self-esteem feeling good about yourself
big game important match
wins the big one win a trophy
championship big trophy
city-wide parade big celebration
four major sports baseball, football, hockey, basketball
overlap in common
precise figure exact number
vary dramatically very different
based on socioeconomic status how rich you are
lower-middle class average family
I’d reckon I think
can’t imagine cannot believe
Vegas shotgun wedding quick wedding in Las Vegas
get up into that range go up to around that much
tables gambling tables
anyhow anyway
Speaking from personal experience From my experience
most resembles most similar to
archetypal stereotypical
transition change/shiftt
what they want out of what they desire
Introverts shy
little fanfare quiet
some sort of some kind of
minimal simple
real show-off insecure
hardly want don’t want
impending death approaching demise
force them make them
I always had the sense growing up as a kid I felt
lily-white very white (racially)
homogenous small town everyone was the same
just about around
stood out striking
notable outsiders clearly different
diverse varied
a different story totally different
dominant religion nationally most common religion
celebrate in their own way celebrate uniquely
denomination religious sect/group
religious groups religious sect
In terms of in regards to
admittedly limited experience not the most expansive
I can’t speak to I don’t know about
in this day and age today
common line common thread
unify bring together
reflected glory shared triumph
ethnically diverse different racial groups
political importance important in public
nationalistic parades patriotic parades
weeping citizens crying citizens
over the top excessive
authoritarian regime dictatorship
justify its existence justify itself
citizenry citizens
It’s a bit far out of my wheelhouse I don’t know much about/I’m not an
expert in
aɪ dəʊnt nəʊ æz ˈləʊə-ˈmɪdl klɑːs ˈmɪnɪml dɪˌnɒmɪˈneɪʃən
ˈkʌntri tuː ˈkʌntri aɪd ˈrɛkən rɪəl ʃəʊ-ɒf rɪˈlɪʤəs gruːps
ɒf ðə tɒp ɒv maɪ hɛd kɑːnt ɪˈmæʤɪn ˈhɑːdli wɒnt ɪn tɜːmz ɒv
ˈriːʤənli ˈveɪgəs ˈʃɒtgʌn ˈwɛdɪŋ ɪmˈpɛndɪŋ dɛθ ədˈmɪtɪdli ˈlɪmɪtɪd ɪksˈpɪərɪəns
spɔːts fændəm gɛt ʌp ˈɪntuː ðæt reɪnʤ fɔːs ðɛm aɪ kɑːnt spiːk tuː
sɛlf-ɪsˈtiːm ˈteɪblz aɪ ˈɔːlweɪz hæd ðə sɛns ɪn ðɪs deɪ ænd eɪʤ
bɪg geɪm ˈɛnɪhaʊ ˈgrəʊɪŋ ʌp ˈkɒmən laɪn
wɪnz ðə bɪg wʌn ˈspiːkɪŋ frɒm ˈpɜːsnl ˈlɪlɪˈwaɪt ˈjuːnɪfaɪ
ˈʧæmpiənʃɪp ɪksˈpɪərɪəns həmˈaʊgənəs smɔːl taʊn rɪˈflɛktɪd ˈglɔːri
ˈsɪti-waɪd pəˈreɪd məʊst rɪˈzɛmblz ʤʌst əˈbaʊt ˈɛθnɪkəli daɪˈvɜːs
fɔː ˈmeɪʤə spɔːts ˌɑːkɪˈtaɪpəl stʊd aʊt pəˈlɪtɪkəl ɪmˈpɔːtəns
ˌəʊvəˈlæp trænˈsɪʒən ˈnəʊtəbl ˌaʊtˈsaɪdəz ˌnæʃnəˈlɪstɪk pəˈreɪdz
prɪˈsaɪz ˈfɪgə wɒt ðeɪ wɒnt aʊt ɒv daɪˈvɜːs ˈwiːpɪŋ ˈsɪtɪznz
ˈveəri drəˈmætɪk(ə)li beɪst ˈɪntrəʊˌvɜːts ə ˈdɪfrənt ˈstɔːri ˈəʊvə ðə tɒp
ɒn ˌsəʊsɪəʊˌɛkəˈnɒmɪk ˈlɪtl ˈfænfeə ˈdɒmɪnənt rɪˈlɪʤən ˈnæʃnəli ɔːˌθɒrɪˈteərɪən reɪˈʒiːm
ˈsteɪtəs sʌm sɔːt ɒv ˈsɛlɪbreɪt ɪn ðeər əʊn weɪ ˈʤʌstɪfaɪ ɪts ɪgˈzɪstəns
ˈsɪtɪznri
ɪts ə bɪt fɑːr aʊt ɒv maɪ ˈwiːlhaʊs!

Pronunciation:
listen and repeat
 What kind of celebrations are common in your country?
____________ types of celebrations vary that much ____________ but any-
way in America people celebrate birthdays, graduations, big anniversa-
ries - those are the personal celebrations ____________. Then there are
____________ important ones. ____________ is how most people in Amer-
ica get their ____________ so if your team wins a ____________ people
might celebrate at a bar and if your team ____________, a ____________,
then there is a ____________ for the ____________. There are also national
and religious holidays and some ____________ within those - Christmas,
Thanksgiving, Labour Day, Independence Day and so on.

How much do people typically spend on their wedding?

I don’t have a really ____________ for that because I’ve never had a
wedding or been involved in helping to plan one. It must ____________. If
we’re talking about the majority of people - ____________ - those types,
____________ it still costs more than $10,000 with the renting of a hall,
dinner, the wedding dress, and so on. I ____________ doing it for less
than that unless if it’s a ____________. And you might ____________ on
the ____________ later ____________.
Are there big differences between the way that young and old
people celebrate their birthdays?
Absolutely. ____________, young kids have the birthday party that
____________ an ____________ party - balloons, swimming pools, lots of
friends and wrapped presents. When you get a bit older people start
to ____________ into ____________ a birthday. ____________ might have
____________ but there is still ____________ event. By the time peo-
ple are middle-aged the celebrations are really ____________ unless if
you’re a ____________. Old people ____________ the reminder of their
____________ and might only have big parties if their kids ____________
on them for the big numbers like 75 and 100.
Do all people in your country take part in the
same celebrations?
In America, ____________ that we did. I came from a ____________,
____________ and ____________ everyone celebrated Christian holidays.
There were a few Jewish people but they ____________ as ____________.
If I had grown up in a more ____________ town I think it would have been
____________. Christianity is still the ____________ but people ____________ de-
pending on their ____________. There are also other ____________ - Muslisms,
Jews, atheists who have their own celebrations. ____________ national ones
- independence day and personal ones - birthdays, then it is generally the
same in my ____________.
What is the importance of national holidays?
____________ whether or not they actually matter
____________ but I think that the ____________ on them is
that they ____________ people. Everyone celebrates In-
dependence Day and that makes them feel they are all
Americans and they get pride and a bit of ____________
from that. In some countries, especially younger ones or
particularly ____________ ones, this might be a matter of
true ____________. I think of the celebrations in North Ko-
rea that are on the news sometimes - the ____________ and
____________ that seem ____________ but might be neces-
sary for an ____________ to ____________ to the ____________.
______________________________!

listen and check

Self-study tips
Amateur Dubbing: Choose a movie or TV show or YouTube video you like (check out this playlist for
some ideas). Tap into your inner actor and try acting out what each character is saying. Don’t try to say
it exactly the same as in the actual scene but try to keep the meaning more or less the same. Or com-
pletely change the meaning and make it funny! Try recording yourself because maybe you’ll become
a famous YouTube star doing this.

Mirror Pep Talk: I know, I know, you already spend a few hours a day talking to yourself in the mirror.
Here are some ideas about what you can say to yourself: your to-do list for the day, give yourself a pep
talk, insult yourself, give a summary of what you did that day, tell the mirror your darkest secrets, prac-
tice failing to say tongue twisters. If you’ve got any other creepy ideas please keep them to yourself!

Pause and Predict: When watching something on TV or the internet (interviews are really good for this)
– pause it and predict aloud what they will say next. After you listen to their response, practice repeat-
ing it (not word for word, but try to repeat the basic meaning).

Bore a Pet: Talk to your cat/dog/fish. You will feel less embarrassed even though you are basically still
talking to yourself. Use a Part 2 Speaking Cue card to practice.

A Song a Day: Learn a song a day. Put the lyrics on your phone and sing it throughout the day softly
until you’ve completely learned. Use every break you can to do this – in the shower, waiting for the bus,
etc. If you don’t want to use a song – maybe learn part of a famous speech or scene from a film.

IELTS Speaking Tests: The examiner is basically just a tape recorder reading questions off a piece of
paper – you can replace them with a piece of paper! Read and answer the questions yourself. Record
yourself and go back and try to do better the next time!

Going to Bed: Research has shows that practicing in your head can be just as effective as physical
practice. In experiments, basketball players that imagined themselves shooting improved as much
as ones who were actually shooting. The best time to do this is at night as your brain will continue the
practice through your sleep. Think in English. Have a conversation or remember a conversation you
had earlier as you drift off to sleep…
Dictation Diary: Start a speech dictation diary of your daily activities. This will work well because you
will repeat a lot of the same words every day (brush my teeth, not bother to shower, etc) and get bet-
ter at saying those. You will also work in new vocabulary each day (met my future wife today, had terri-
ble diarrhoea, etc.)

Simple, Simple: Read one of our sample answers aloud. Read it until it is 100% accurate. This will help
you improve for the speaking test format and your pronunciation. You can read it into a transcription
program like voice dictation in Google drive to make sure you are saying the words correctly. Try it
with a passage from a book as well.

Practice IELTS Speaking Tests: Use these practice speaking tests on YouTube. Pause before Nguy-
en answers the question. Say your own answer. Listen to hers and take some notes on good vocab-
ulary and grammar. Practice saying hers a few times before moving on to the next question. Do this at
least once a day and you’ll improve a ton!

Say the Song: Listen to a song and try to say (not sing, haha) the lyrics after pausing the song. It will
sound embarrassing but so what?

Translation Comparison: Write down a conversation that you had in your native language. Try to
translate it into English and read it aloud. This will help you make comparisons between your native
language and English. Combine this with #7 Going to Bed.

Word Game: Start by saying one word (monkey). Add another (A monkey) and keep going adding 1
word to the sentence each time until the sentence is long (A monkey and a donkey walk into a bar
and get into an argument with the bartender about a banana). You could also do this with phrases, not
individual words.

Morning / Evening Routine: Describe everything you can see in the room around you when you wake
up in the morning and before you go to bed. Once you finish with one room, try another room in your
house/apartment/school. If you’re lonely trying having a conversation with your bed, chair, blanket,
toilet, significant other, etc.

Act it Out First: Google a script for a movie or TV show that you like. Try acting out the different parts
with the script. Then watch the show and see how it is different. Try acting it out again. Record yourself
so that someone can have a laugh.
 pronunciation tip
by Dave

In the past, voice dictation software was poor but it has improved so much in recent years!

This is a really valuable, free tool that you can use without a teacher to bump up your pronunciation.

It is also easy to establish it as a habit because all you need is a smartphone!

5 Programs/Apps for Voice Dictation

Google voice search: If you use a phone that runs on Android (Samsung, Sony, LG, HTC, etc) click on the microphone image in the
search bar (you can install this on your computer as well: http://bit.ly/2xYVbwA).
Google docs dictation: If you already use Google Drive (drive.google.com) just create a new doc and choose Tools>Voice Typing.
Start talking nonsense!
Apple dictation: Here is the link for how to set it up on your computer: https://support.apple.com/en-ph/HT202584
Siri: If you have a mac or an iPhone then you have Siri already. Try doing an internet search or asking Siri to “make a note” or “set a
reminder” for you (https://www.apple.com/ios/siri/).
Windows Speech Recognition: Just like Apple Dictation, you can set this up if your computer runs windows: http://bit.ly/2iuWkWc

10 Speech Dictation Practice Ideas

1. Start a speech dictation diary of your daily activities. This will work well because you will repeat a lot of the same words every day
(brush my teeth, not bother to shower, etc) and get better at saying those. You will also work in new vocabulary each day (met my
future wife today, had terrible diarrhoea, etc.)

2. Read one of our sample answers aloud. Read it until it is 100% accurate.
This will help you improve for the speaking test format and your pronunciation.

3. Read aloud one of your favourite passages from a book (or a quote or
something from the news).

4. Use a practice speaking test on YouTube. Pause before eh student an-

swers the question. Say your own answer again and again until the computer
gets it 100% correct.

5. Listen to a song and try to say (not sing, haha) the lyrics after pausing the
song. This will improve your ability to hear song lyrics, which is a very valuable
IELTS skill.

6. Write down a conversation that you had in your native language. Try to
translate it into English and read it aloud. This will help you make comparisons
between your native language and English.

7. Start by saying one word (monkey). Make sure it is recorded correctly. Add
another (A monkey) and keep going adding 1 word to the sentence each time
until the sentence is long (A monkey and a donkey walk into a bar and get into
an argument with the bartender about a banana). You could also do this with
phrases, not individual words.

8. Make 10 bold predictions about the future. Repeat them until they are writ-
ten 100% correct. For example, Donald Trump will become king of the world.

9. Describe everything you can see in the room around you. Keep repeating
it until it is correct. Once you finish with one room, try another room in your
house/apartment/school.

10. Watch a movie or TV show and repeat your favourite lines into a google
drive document. Keep different docs for different shows with collections of
your favourite quotes.

Good luck!
Speaking
part 1
TALK A LOT!
Part 1 is the easiest in terms of the
questions and your knowledge of
the answers (since it is personal).

Don’t be shy - try to talk as much

as possible and ‘score’ as many
points as you can before the tough-
er levels.

Treat it like a videogame where the

levels get tougher as you go!
speaking
part 2
NOTE YOUR GRAMMAR
You might know some grammar (such as past sim-
ple) but forget to use it when talking.

Note down the grammar you struggle with and un-

derline or write it twice.

That will help you remember when you talk!

speaking
part 3
SHOW OFF!
Part 3 is more academic and really separates band 6 from band
6.5+ so show off a bit!

Don’t go too hard but instead of saying things like ‘I think that
would be the best way to do it’ you can make it a bit fancier: ‘I
imagine that would be the optimal solution’.

Also be as specific as possible to really show off your vocabulary.

If you answer is very general, the vovocabulary will be very general.

Be specific and focus on greawt vocabulary to reawlly impress the

examiner!
 n g
n i e
t e ic
i s ct
l a
pr
 n g
n i e
t e ic
i s ct
l a
pr
 i ng
e n ce
st ti
li ac
pr
 n g
n i e
t e ic
i s ct
l a
pr
 n g
n i e
t e ic
i s ct
l a
pr

celebration
by Dave