1.

TEST FORMAT

2. THE MARKING SYSTEM

3. REDUNDANT LANGUAGE
NỘ I DUNG
4. POINTING PHRASES

5. HOW TO CLARIFY THE QUESTION?

6. HOW TO FIX YOUR WORDS?

TEST FORMAT
• Part One of the speaking test lasts for 4 ~5 minutes, 6~12
sentences.

• Basic questions on familiar topics including your

background, hobbies, interests, routines, lifestyle and habits.

• The examiner will select three topics in Part One starting with:
A. Where you live (you city, area where you live, street,
house)
B. Your studies, work, job.
THEMARKING SYSTEM
1. Fluency and coherence
Độ dài câu trả lời + Trôi chảy + Tốc độ + Linking words có hay
không.

1. Lexical resource
Dùng từ lạ, chuyên dụng + Idiom/Phrasal verb/ Collocation
+ Paraphrase

2. Grammatical range
Đúng cấu trúc + Số lượng thì + Độ khó ngữ pháp + Mức độ sai

3. Pronunciation
Hiểu được hay không + Stress + Thanh điệu + Accent
REDUNDANT LANGUAGE
 Err... Let me think ...
 Well... That’s a good question ...
 Alright then ...
 Well, you know .../ You might not know this but ...
 Indeed/ In fact ...
 Actually/ Basically/ Technically/ Obviously ...
 Frankly speaking/ To be frank
 Honestly speaking/ To be honest
 In my opinion/ From my point of view/ From what I see ...
 I think/ I guess/ I suppose ...
POINTINGPHRASES

 the first thing I should mention is that...

 the point I'd like to begin with is that...
 I could start off by saying that…
 the main thing you need to know is that...
 I should begin by highlighting the fact that…
 I really need to kick off with the point that...
 First of all ...
HOW TO CLARIFY THE QUESTION?
• Excuse me, can you repeat the question, please?
• Pardon please?
• Sorry, what do you mean by...?
• Could you say that again, please
• I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean by....
• I’m not sure I can follow you. Could you be more specific,
please?
• Sorry, I didn’t get your point.
Could you put it differently, please?
HOWTO FIX YOUR WORDS?
What I mean is...
(paraphrase what you’ve said - diễn giải những gì bạn đã nói)

I just want to say that...

(paraphrase what you’ve said - diễn giải những gì bạn đã nói)

Sorry, let me explain.

Sorry, let me put it differently.

HOMETOWN

HELIOS - JESSIE P
 1.VOCABULARY

2. IDIOMS
NỘ I DUNG

3. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

VOCABULARY
layover spot
A short stay in a place that you make while you are on a longer
journey to somewhere else
Ex: We will stop at 3 layovers on the way to Kien Giang

Melting pot
A place where many different people and ideas exist together
Ex: The Silky Road is one of the greatest cultural melting pots.

Breathtaking =picturesque
Extremely beautilful
Ex: Vietnam is prominent for breathtaking coastlines.

tranquil =peaceful
Ex: Everymorning, it’s so tranquil to hear a bird song from my
garden.
lively/ bustling/ vibrant
Full of energy and enthusiasm; interesting and exciting Ex: You
will never get bored when living in vibrant place.
provincial
Relating to an area that is governed as part of a country Ex: Can
Tho is one of Vietnam’s provincial cities.
cosmopolitan
Containing or having experience of people and things from
many different parts of the world
Ex: New York is a highly cosmopolitan city.
facilities
The building, equipment and services provided for a
particular purpose
Ex: Facilities in mountainous areas are being well-
developed.
monotonous
Quiet, boring
Ex: Life in countryside is peaceful but monotonous.
comfy and cozy
Comfortable
Ex: Many people find living in coastal cities really comfy and
cozy.
coastal
Positioned on; or relating to the coast
Ex: Da Nang is one of the most renowned coastal city in
Vietnam.

mountainous
Having a lot of mountains
Ex: Lam Dong is a mountainous region.
congestion
Too blocked or crowded and causing difficulties
Ex: The traffic congestion/jam in this city gets worse in rainy
season.
Petty
Not important and not worth giving attention to
Ex: It’s hard to avoid petty crime in Ho Chi Minh city.
Architecture
The art and practice of designing and making buildings Ex:
Bitexco is regarded a symbol of Sai Gon architecture

Captivate
To hold the attention of someone by being extremely
intriguing
Ex: The tranquility of Da Lat captivates me tremendously.
commuter
Someone who regularly travels between home and work Ex: The
bus is fully packed with commutters in rush hour.
pace of life
The speed of life
Ex: People living in cosmopolitan cities have to confront with a hectic
pace of life
sense of community
The perception of similarity to others
Ex: The strong sense of community is what Ienjoy most about Ha Noi.

extravagant
Extreme and unreasonable
Ex: G-Dragon has an extravagant personality which people adore
him crazily.
eye- popping =impressive
assiduous
Showing hard work, care and attention to detail. Ex:
People in my village are assiduous farmers.
hospitable
Disposed to treat guests and strangers with cordinary and
generosity
Ex: Upon arrival, we were overwhelmed by the hospitality from
the local.
rustic
Simple and often rough in appearance, typical of the
countryside
Ex: Iwas captivated by the rustic simplicity of local peasants
dynamic
Full of energy; having a lot of ideas and enthusiasm
Ex: She is young and dynamic and wil be a great addition to the
team.
Life in city –“more is less”
Work harder, work longer hours, and are more
stressed than ten years ago.
Walk faster, talk faster, and sleep less than previous
generations.
And finally what we have is…
No time for the news
No time for stories and sharing No time for
family and friends
No time to listen and sympathize No time to
relax and look back
A home
away from home
A place where you feel as comfortable as
you do in your own home
Example
I visit Da Lat so often, it’s become a home away
from home.
Home is where
the heart is
Your home is whatever place you long to
be

Example:
Travelling is fun but home
is where the heart is, I think it’s time I went back.
Home sweet home
used as an expression of one's pleasure or
relief at being in or returning to one's own
home
Example:
After 30 minutes, the weather cleared enough for us to hop
over to Da Nang where our home sweet home is.
from scratch
To start making something from
nothing
Example:
We lost everything in the fire and had to start from
scratch.
A piece of cake
A very easy accomplishment to
handle
Example:
I don’ t think IELTS test is a piece of cake.
 Tell me about your hometown
Location
Well you know, I originally come from …, which is well-
- known as ... /renowned for ...

Features and remarkable characteristics

The point I’d like to begin with is…. In fact, [more detailed
descriptions]
Another significant characteristic is that the pace of life here is
fairly …, so it … to live in.

People
I shouldn’t forget to mention that the … is what I enjoy most.
Sample answer

1. Forthose coming from rural areas

 Well you know, I originally come from Rach Gia which is renowned as a
layover spot for tourists travelling to Nam Du from HCM city.
 The point I’d like to begin with is its breathtaking and pristine
coastal view. In fact, my hometown is pretty peaceful and tranquil.
 Another significant characteristic is that the pace of life here is fairly
slow, so it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to live in.
 I shouldn’t forget to mention that the rustic personality and
hospitality of people is what I’m proud of.
Sample answer
2. Forthose coming from metropolitan cities
 I originally come from HCM which is truly a cosmopolitan city,
located in the East of Vietnam.
 The point I’d like to begin with is its dynamic atmosphere. In
fact, it’s a melting pot of commerce and industry for people
from all over the world.
 Another significant characteristic is that the pace of life here is
fairly vibrant, so it really motivates residents to work harder.
 And I shouldn’t forget to mention that people living here are not
only hospitable but also assiduous in everything they do.
 IS YOUR HOME TOWN SUITABLE FOR YOUNG
PEOPLE TO LIVE IN?
Urban Rural
Frankly speaking, I don’t Definitely yes. My hometown
think so. is a perfect place for young
people to settle down.

There are several fundamental reasons for this. Firstly,

[facilities]
Secondly, [pace of life]
Last but not least, [job opportunities] [Extended
ideas] However,…
Sample answer
1. YES
Definitely yes, my home town is a perfect place for young people.
There are several fundamental reasons for this.
 Firstly, the facilities are well-developed with a lot of gyms,
hospitals, public transport, and leisure activities..
 Secondly, a dynamic and lively pace of life will motivate young people
to work harder and overcome life challenges.
 Last but not least, job opportunities are endless, from industry to
service, not to mention the higher salary.
 However, living in cosmopolitan cities like HCM could pose a threat to
health condition due to noise and air pollution.
Sample answer
2. NO
Frankly speaking, I don’t think so. There are several
fundamental reasons for this.
 Firstly, the facilities are less developed with the lack of
basic necessities like schools, hospitals, stadiums...
 Secondly, the pace of life in my hometown is monotonous, so
young people are more likely to feel depressed.
 Thirdly, job opportunities are quite limited with much
lower income compared to those of big cities.
 Although it has some drawbacks, my home town is less
competitive and stressful than big cities, therefore young people
could lead a comfy and cozy life.
 WOULD YOU LIKETO MOVE TO ANOTHER CITY/ COUNTRY?

YES NO
Honestly, I’ve never thought Generally speaking, I wouldn’t
about that, but I guess If I had a like to live in another place for
chance, Iwould go for …. a long period for some
vital reasons.

Explain why Firstly, [relationship]

[food, architecture, Secondly, [job
people, culture, etc.] opportunities, cultural barriers]
However, [extend ideas]
Sample answer

YES
 Honestly, I’ve never thought about that, but I guess If I had a
chance, I would go for Thailand.
 Simply because, the cuisine, the unique architecture, the
humorous lifestyle and the fascinating culture captivate me
tremendously.
 Furthermore, I’m a big fan of Thai advertisements which are
renowned for creativity and meaningful messages. Thai people
are also rustic and hospitable just like Vietnamese ones.
Sample answer
NO
Generally speaking, I wouldn’t like to live in another place for
some vital reasons.

 Firstly, I would have to confront with cultural and

language barriers, not to mention the fact that it would be
difficult to make new friends.
 Secondly, I might have to start my life from scratch. But it is
not a piece of cake to look for a new job and establish fresh
relationships.
 Is there anything you dislike about it?
URBAN RURAL
I’m sick and tired of a hectic Personally, it’s a bit boring for
pace of life in … me to live in a small town.

This could be explained by some major reasons

Firstly, [traffic –infrastructure]
Secondly, [living environment –atmosphere] Last but not
least, [social issues]
[Extended idea] – However,…
Sample answer
URBAN
You know, I’m sick and tired of a hectic pace of life in HCMC. This
could be explained by some major reasons.
 Firstly, traffic congestion is getting worse and worse,
particularly during the rush hour.
 Secondly, noise and air pollution are serious problems
HCMC is facing with.
 Last but not least, Vietnam is a safe country, but like every
city HCMC couldn’t avoid petty crimes.
Sample answer
2. RURAL
Personally, it’s a bit depressing for me to live in a small
town for some reasons.
 Firstly, there are not many shopping malls or means of
entertainment. Moreover, the streets are not very
crowded as well, that’s why it’s easy to get bored.
 Another drawback is the lack of well-paid job
opportunities which urges more and more people to
move to bigger cities.
 PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
1. What’s (the name of) your hometown (again)?
2. Is that a big city or a small town?
3. Please describe your hometown a little.
4. How long have you been living there?
5. Do you like your hometown?
6. Do you like living there?
7. What do you like (most) about your hometown?
8. Is there anything you dislike about it?
9. Do you think you will continue living there for a long time?
 HOW CAN THIS HELP YOU WITH
IELTS SPEAKING PART 2?

KICK OFF
 A place that I would like to share with you is…which belongs
to

 It’s my privilege/ honor to share with you about…located in…

 It is …which I would like to talk about.
THANK YOU
FOR YOUR
ATTENTION
39