SPEAKING – NÓI

Đề thi nói trong VSTEP sẽ được chia làm 3 phần. Tổng thời gian: 12 phút.
• PHẦN 1: Social interactions (Tương tác xã hội)
Nội dung: Thí sinh trả lời 3-6 câu hỏi về 2 chủ đề khác nhau. Thí sinh sẽ được hỏi về các chủ
đề quen thuộc.
• PHẦN 2: Problem- Solutions (Thảo luận giải pháp) (3 phút)
Nội dung: 1 vấn đề và 3 giải pháp sẽ được đưa ra. Thí sinh phải đưa ra ý kiến về giải pháp tốt
nhất và phản biện các giải pháp còn lại. Thí sinh sẽ có 1 phút để chuẩn bị và 2 phút để nói.
• PHẦN 3: Topic development (Phát triển chủ đề) (4 phút)
Nội dung: Thí sinh sẽ có 1 phút để chuẩn bị và 3 phút để nói về 1 chủ đề cho sẵn, có thể sử
dụng các ý được cung cấp sẵn hoặc tự phát triển ý của riêng mình. Phần 3 kết thúc với một số
câu hỏi thảo luận về chủ đề trên.

NGÔN NGỮ LIÊN KẾT

Trong phần thi tương tác xã hội (Part 1), thí sinh không có thời
gian chuẩn bị trước khi trả lời các câu hỏi. Những cách sau sẽ
giúp có thêm thời gian suy nghĩ vừa có thể trả lời câu hỏi một
cách trôi chảy.
1. Dùng các cụm từ để nêu ý kiến cá nhân.
2. Nhắc lại câu hỏi hoặc dùng từ/cấu trúc đồng nghĩa.
3. Dùng 1 số cụm từ kéo dài thời gian (filler words).
 DÙNG CÁC CỤM TỪ NÊU Ý KIẾN CÁ NHÂN

• Personally I think, • I would say that / I would

• In my opinion,
• From my point of view,
• To be honest/To tell the
truth,
say that it really depends
• I guess it would depend on
• To the best of my
knowledge,
• As far as I am concerned,

NHẮC LẠI CÂU HỎI HOẶC DÙNG TỪ/CẤU

TRÚC ĐỒNG NGHĨA

Example:
A: What do you like doing in your free time?
B: What I like doing in my spare time,… well I like playing football…
B: Things that I (really) enjoy in my spare time,… well I like playing
football…
 DÙNG MỘT SỐ CỤM TỪ KÉO DÀI THỜI
GIAN
• Let me think / see...
• Well…
• You see…
• …, you know… (dùng để chia sẻ
ý kiến mà người nói nghĩ rằng
người nghe có cùng quan điểm)
• Actually / Basically…
• How can I say…
• Now, what’s the word…
• I mean… (được dùng để làm rõ
hoặc nhấn mạnh ý mà người nói
vừa đề cập)
• … like…

SPEAKING PART 1 – DAILY ROUTINES

1. What is your normal day routine?

2. What do you normally eat for breakfast?
3. What do you usually do on weekends?
 Language steps
1. Use adverbs of frequency to show how frequently or infrequently you
do things.
E.g. I often meet up with my classmates.
I sometimes go shopping.
2. Use the simple present tense and times of day correctly for general
habits.
E.g. I ride my bike every day at 4 p.m.
All my family have dinner together in the evening.
3. Show that you can use one or two common sequence markers (i.e.
before, then, after, after that).
E.g. Before class starts we talk. / We then go to bed.

Language step 1: Adverbs of frequency

• Always: I always read before I go to bed.
• Normally *: I normally help my mum with the cooking. / Normally I help my mum with
the cooking.
• Usually *: I usually wake up around 6 a.m. / Usually I wake up around 6 a.m.
• Often: Her sister often goes shopping with us.
• Sometimes*: They sometimes go to the gym. /Sometimes they go to the gym.
• Occasionally*: It occasionally rains in summer. / Occasionally, it rains in summer.
• Seldom: They seldom ask for help.
• Rarely: He rarely goes out without his backpack.
• Hardly ever: I hardly ever eat pizza.
• Never: Japanese people never wear shoes inside their house.
 Write the words and phrases below in the correct spaces and
then order the sentences A-D in the correct order that they
occur.
after the shower after that before then
After that
4 A. ______________ I have something to eat. I rarely have a big
breakfast.
2 B. ______________
Then I come home and take a quick shower.
1 C. On Sundays, I normally get up fairly early and have a run in the
before
local park ______________ doing anything else.
3 D. _______________,
After the shower I throw some really comfortable clothes on.

SPEAKING PART 1 – DAILY ROUTINES

1. What is your normal day routine?

2. What do you normally eat for breakfast?
3. What do you usually do on weekends?
 SPEAKING PART 1 – FREE TIME

4. What do you like to do in your free time?

5. Do you normally spend your free time with friends or
alone?
6. When you are sad, where do you often go?

Language steps
1. Use either enjoy / like + V-ing or like + to verb.
E.g. I enjoy / like studying English. / I like to study English.
2. Use different ways to say “I like”.
E.g. I’m quite into playing the guitar. / I’m really keen on studying
English.
3. Use some adjectives of positive feeling to show the degree of your
interest.
E.g. I like playing football. It’s exciting.
I’m quite into learning new languages. I find it fascinating.
 Different ways to say “I like”
Expressions
I’m quite into sth
(activity/hobby)
I’m a big/huge fan of sth
(activity/hobby)
I’m keen on sth
(activity/hobby)
I’m interested in sth
Different ways to say “I like”
Expressions
Have a liking for sth (activity/
food/ drink)
I’m crazy/mad about sth
(activity/hobby)
Prefer sth to sth
Prefer to do sth / doing sth
Have a weakness for sb/sth
(especially sb/sth that you know
is not good for you)
Examples
I’m quite into playing tennis – I get very
excited about it.
I’m a big fan of guitar music – I often go
to concerts.
I’m really keen on going to eat in Thai
restaurants. I love the sweet and salty
taste as well as the spiciness of Thai
food.
I’m very interested in law; I always read
about the latest laws and legal cases.
Examples
I’ve developed a liking for coffee.
I’m completely crazy about reading. Good
books can make compelling reading.
I prefer jazz to rock music.
I prefer to eat out / eating out with my close
friends and to catch up / catching up on each
other’s news.
I have a weakness for anything with chocolate
in it.
I have a weakness for binge-watching movies.
 Adjectives ending in –ed and –ing

• Use ADJ ending in -ED when talking about the person who is
experiencing the emotion.
• Use ADJ ending in -ING when talking about the thing/person that
is causing the emotion.

Complete the sentences. Change the verbs in brackets into

adjectives ending in –ed or –ing.
1. I am so _______________ (relax) I don’t want to move.
2. I find horror films really _______________ (frighten) and not at all fun to watch.
3. Sometimes I get really _______________ (frustrate) when I can’t express myself well
in English.
4. We were stopped by a man with a knife who took our money. It was
_______________ (terrify).
5. The programme was really _______________ (interest).
6. She was _______________ (overwhelm) when everyone cheered and we gave her
presents.
7. If I feel _______________ (stress), I find taking a bath is often _______________
(relax).
8. I am really _______________ (tire); I think I’ll go to bed.
9. He’s very _______________ (interest) in history.
10. The trip was _________ (overwhelm), with so many things to do and it was all so new.
 1. relaxed
I am so _______________ (relax) I don’t want to move.
2. frightening
I find horror films really _______________ (frighten) and not at all fun to
watch.
3. frustrated
Sometimes I get really _______________ (frustrate) when I can’t express
myself well in English.
4. We were stopped by a man with a knife who took our money. It was
terrifying
_______________ (terrify).
5. interesting
The programme was really _______________ (interest).
6. overwhelmed (overwhelm) when everyone cheered and we gave
She was _______________
her presents.
7. stressed
If I feel _______________ (stress), I find taking a bath is often
relaxing
_______________ (relax).
8. tired
I am really _______________ (tire); I think I’ll go to bed.
9. interested
He’s very _______________ (interest) in history.
10. overwhelming (overwhelm), with so many things to do and it
The trip was _______________
was all so new.

11. satisfied
She is never _______________ (satisfy) with her work.
12. tiring
Cleaning is so _______________ (tire)! I think I’ll have a rest!
13. thrilling
She thought the ride on the rollercoaster was _______________ (thrill).
14. surprised
I was really _______________ (surprise) when I saw you. I had thought
you were on holiday.
15. shocked
My grandmother was _______________ (shock) by the man’s bad
language.
16. terrified
My niece is _______________ (terrify) of dogs.
17. thrilled
Thank you so much for the prize! I’m _______________ (thrill)!
18. satisfying
My job is very _______________ (satisfy), I love helping people.
19. shocking
The news was so _______________ (shock) that she burst into tears.
20. surprising
My exam results were great! It’s really _______________ (surprise) but
good, of course!
 SPEAKING PART 1 – FREE TIME

4. What do you like to do in your free time?

5. Do you normally spend your free time with friends or
alone?
6. When you are sad, where do you often go?

• Mood (n): the way you are feeling at a particular time

E.g. Whether I’d like to spend my time alone or with my friends depends on
my mood.
🡪 in a good / bad / relaxed mood: Music helps to put me in a more relaxed
mood.
🡪 in the mood for (doing) sth: I’m just not in the mood for a party tonight.
🡪 in the mood (to do sth): I’m not really in the mood to go out tonight.
• Immerse yourself in sth: to become or make sb completely involved in
sth.
E.g. Sometimes I just want to immerse myself in a wonderful / an
interesting book and let it take me to a fantasy/ fictional world.
• Have your energy boosted:
E.g. I feel like I can have my energy boosted when I can enjoy myself
through leisure activities.
• Do wonder for sb/sth: to have a very good effect on sb/sth.
E.g. Doing/Playing sports can do wonder for your mental and
physical health.
• Stand out (from sth): to be easily seen or noticed.
E.g. She's the sort of person who stands out from a crowd.
Fluency in a foreign language makes my résumé stand out
from the crowd.
• Listen to / appreciate the soft / sweet background music
• Observe sb/sth (do sth): to see or notice sb/sth
E.g. I am more likely to relax in a café than at home simply because
I love to observe the variety of people that will come through.

SPEAKING PART 1 – NAMES

1. Who gave you your name?

2. Do you like your name?
3. Does your name have any special meaning?
1. Who gave you your name?
Of course, (my parents) gave me my name. At that time, they racked their
brains trying to think of a perfect name for me. Finally, they came up with
my name – (An/Minh/Thảo) which they found (meaningful) and (beautiful).
And I love my name to bits (= very much).

VOCABULARY:
rack one’s brains: (suy nghĩ nát óc) to think very hard or for a long time
about sth
come up with: nghĩ ra
sth to one’s liking: cái mà ai đó thích
love something to bits: love sth very much

2. Do you like your name?

Of course, I love my name very much and I wouldn’t change it for (all) the
world. It’s a part of my identity as well as a perfect symbol of the
unconditional love that my parents give me.
What’s more, my name is quite unique not only because of its unusual
backstory but also because I have never met anyone who has exactly the
same name as mine.
VOCABULARY:
V + not for (all) the world: (không bao giờ làm việc gì) used to say that you would never do sth.
E.g. I wouldn't hurt you for the world.
Symbol of sth /ˈsɪmbl/ (n): (biểu tượng)
e.g. Eggs are seen as the symbol of new life.
ADJ + symbol: important, perfect, powerful, universal, traditional, national, cultural, religious,
sacred (thiêng liêng)
VERB + symbol: become, create, represent, be considered as… (xem như)
ADJ + love: burning, deep, great, true, unconditional (không điều kiện), boundless (không giới
hạn), eternal/ everlasting (vĩnh cửu), parental (thuộc về cha mẹ), familial (thuộc về gia đình)
3. Does your name have any special meaning?
Most Vietnamese names do, I suppose, and mine is not an exception. My name means ____. So, I assume
my family has pretty high expectations for me.
Meaning of names:
Anh: In Vietnamese, Anh means “being the best or exceptional (xuất chúng)”. When giving me this name
parents hoped that I would be an intelligent and hard-working boy/ girl and would become a well-rounded
(đa tài) and successful individual as an adult.
Duy: In Vietnamese, Duy refers to a calm and gentle temperament (khí chất). When giving me this name
parents hoped that I would always keep a cool/clear head and consider all available possibilities before
making decisions.
(cao quý/thanh cao)
Tuấn: In Vietnamese, Anh means “nobility ”. In other words, when giving me this name parents hoped that
I would have qualities that people admire, such as courage, honesty and care for others.
Nguyên: In Vietnamese, Nguyên means “completeness”. When giving me this name parents hoped that I
would feel happy/content with my life. But it doesn’t mean that simply settling for a life that doesn’t
bring me joy. Rather, I should continue to dream big, set goals for myself, and work hard to get them.

SPEAKING PART 1 – HOMETOWN

1. What’s the name of your hometown ?

2. How long have you been living there?
3. Do you think you will continue living there for a long
time? Why?
1. What’s the name of your hometown?
I was born in/ My hometown is Ho Chi Minh City, which is the
financial and economic centre of Vietnam. Formerly the city was
named Saigon, but it was later renamed Ho Chi Minh City, after our
political leader Ho Chi Minh.
2. How long have you been living there?
Well, to be honest, I’ve been living in this busy and beloved city my
whole life. This city isn’t simply a place where I was born and raised but
an integral/ essential part of my life. I love this city with my whole
heart.
Well, to be honest, I had been living in here until I moved to Ho Minh
City to start university one year ago. Sometimes I miss my beloved
hometown and my family very much.

3. Do you think you will continue living there for a long time?
Why?
At this moment in time, I have no plan to move to another place and
settle down because I have a stable/ great job and my family to
provide for. Moving means starting my life again from scratch, so I
guess I’m going to stay here for a while. To be honest, Ho Chi Minh
City is an easy place to earn a living as long as you’re hard-working
and determined to succeed. It’s always energetic and teeming with
activities. Moving to a quiet and peaceful countryside is out of the
question as I enjoy the hustle and bustle of city life (sự nhộn nhịp &
đông đúc) and my hometown gives me just what I want/ ask for.
 SPEAKING PART 2 – PROBLEM & SOLUTION

Instruction: You will be given a situation and three options. Choose the
best option and explain your choice. You will have 1 minute for
preparation and 2 minutes to present your answer.
Hướng dẫn: 1 vấn đề và 3 giải pháp sẽ được đưa ra. Thí sinh phải đưa
ra ý kiến về giải pháp tốt nhất và phản biện các giải pháp còn lại. Thí
sinh sẽ có 1 phút để chuẩn bị và 2 phút để nói

SPEAKING PART 2 – PROBLEM & SOLUTION

SITUATION: If you won the lottery 1 million dollars, what would you
like to do with this amount of money? There are THREE options for you
to choose:
• Buying a new house
• Opening a restaurant
• Travelling around the world
What is the best option for you? Explain the option you have chosen.
 HOW TO PRESENT SPEAKING PART 2
◼ INTRODUCTION: Introduce the situation and your choice (the option that
you think is the best)
Example: If you won the lottery 1 million dollars, what would you like to do
with this amount of money?
🡪If I won the lottery 1 million dollars and there were THREE options for me to
choose: buying a new house, opening a restaurant and travelling around the
world, I would choose to…(buy a new house / open a restaurant / travel
around the world)
◼ NOTE: Choose the option that you have more ideas (not the one you are
interested in)

HOW TO PRESENT SPEAKING PART 2

◼ BODY: state 2 advantages and compare with the other 2 options.
From my point of view, / I think + (V-ing/ Noun) is the best choice because of the
following reasons:
Firstly,… 🡪 Therefore, / Thus,… 🡪 For example,…
Secondly,… 🡪 Furthermore,… 🡪 For instance,…
Lastly,…
In contrast, there are several reasons why I don’t choose to ___ and ___.
Firstly,… 🡪 Therefore, / Thus,… 🡪 For example,…
Secondly,… 🡪 Furthermore,… 🡪 For instance,…
Lastly,…
 HOW TO PRESENT SPEAKING PART 2
Example: From my point of view / I think, opening a restaurant is the best choice
because of the following reasons.
Firstly, I’m an economics major/ My major at university is economics and I have
always dreamt of starting my own business as soon as I graduate from university. If I
was lucky enough to have a starting capital of 1 million dollar, I would never miss
this chance of opening a restaurant and gaining hands-on experience in management
and marketing.
Secondly, if my start-up/ new business becomes successful and makes profit, I’ll
definitely make more money than buying a house or wasting my money on luxury trips
around the world.

HOW TO PRESENT SPEAKING PART 2

Example: From my point of view / I think, opening a restaurant is the best choice
because of the following reasons.
In contrast, the reason why I don’t choose to buy a new house is that I’m not
married and having my own house isn’t necessary at this time. Moreover, I won’t be
able to make any money when I buy a house to live in.
Embarking on/ Going on/ Setting out on a journey around the world during the
Covid-19 pandemic is out of the question (= impossible) as I don’t want to get infected
with this deadly virus.
Additionally, some countries are still reluctant to open their borders and boost tourism
activities, so travelling won’t be as enjoyable as it was before the outbreak (đợt bùng
dịch).
 HOW TO PRESENT SPEAKING PART 2
◼ CONCLUSION: Summarize your choice. You can use the 2nd conditional
sentence.
To sum up, if I were in the situation, I would…
Example: To sum up, if I were in the situation, I would start a restaurant
because of its great/ huge/ immense benefits.

HOW TO PRESENT SPEAKING PART 2

Note:
◼ Don’t try to complicate your ideas. Make it straightforward,
simple and easy to understand
◼ Compound and complex sentences are welcome, make sure you
produce accurate simple sentences
◼ Try to speak without hesitation. Choose the option that you find it
easier to explain and support rather than choose what you like
 SPEAKING PART 3: TOPIC DEVELOPMENT

◼ Instruction: You will be given a statement and some supporting details,

which are displayed in a mind-map. You need to clarify the statement
by using the supporting details and your own ideas. After this part you
will answer 3 follow-up questions. You will have 1 minute for
preparation and 4 minutes to present your answer.
◼ Hướng dẫn:Thí sinh sẽ được cung cấp một chủ đề với phần gợi ý cho
sẵn. Thí sinh phát triển chủ đề với gợi ý cho sẵn và nêu quan điểm cá
nhân riêng. Kết thúc phần trình bày, thí sinh trả lời thêm 3 câu hỏi
follow-up questions liên quan đến chủ đề. Thí sinh sẽ có 1 phút để
chuẩn bị và 4 phút để nói.

SPEAKING PART 3
TOPIC: Students’ life is the best time of our life.

Achieve knowledge

(your own Make new

Students’ life friends
ideas)

Improve social
interactions
 HOW TO PRESENT SPEAKING PART 3
TOPIC: Students’ life is the best time of our life.
Statement:
- Students’ life is the best time of our
Achieve knowledge life.
Supporting ideas:
(your Make
Students’ new - increase knowledge
own life
ideas) friends - make new friends
- improve social interactions
Improve social
- your own ideas: build confidence
interactions

HOW TO PRESENT SPEAKING PART 3

◼ INTRODUCTION: Introduce the topic by paraphrasing the statement.
◼ How to paraphrase: Find synonym, phrasal verbs, collocation, etc. to change
the expressions of the topic statement.
Example: Students’ life is the best time of our life.

◼ Students’ life = academic life, campus life, college life/ years, university life/
years.
◼ The best time: the most beautiful time, an unforgettable period of time, the
most wonderful time.
 HOW TO PRESENT SPEAKING PART 3
◼ INTRODUCTION: Introduce the topic by paraphrasing the statement.
◼ It is true that… (paraphrase the statement)
Example: Students’ life is the best time of our life.
🡪 It is true that university years really are the most wonderful time of our
life because of several reasons.

HOW TO PRESENT SPEAKING PART 3

◼ BODY: develop the supporting details which are given as nouns, noun
phrase, verbs phrases, etc. into sentences. For each supporting detail,
present example or further information.
Firstly,… 🡪 Thus,… 🡪 For example,…
Secondly,… 🡪 Furthermore,… 🡪 For instance,…
Last but not least,…
 SPEAKING PART 3
Achieve knowledge:
◼ This is the best time for us to learn and gain/ acquire knowledge not only at school but
also in life. All universities make sure to equip students with specialized knowledge and
essential work skills valued by employers so that they are well prepared for their future
career.
◼ Besides attending lectures, students are also encouraged to take part-time jobs. These jobs
not only help students become financially independent of their parents but also help
them develop their interpersonal skills.
◼ For example, I worked part time at a coffee shop when I was a student. During that time, I
matured (trưởng thành) a lot and learned how to talk to customers from different walks of
life. I also learned the best ways to communicate with my co-workers/colleagues, which I
later realized how my words can affect (ảnh hưởng) other people’s actions and vice versa.

SPEAKING PART 3
Make new friends:
◼ Upon entering student life, students meet many people from different regions
of the country.
◼ Students can easily find any clubs that suit their personality and interests or
participate in many extracurricular activities available at university.
Sharing an activity with people who enjoy the same thing is a good way to
connect with potential friends.
◼ Many students form life-long/ lasting friendships with their fellow
classmates, which helps them on a personal and professional level later in
life.
 SPEAKING PART 3
Improve social interaction:
◼ College years help students create a network with little effort. By doing an
internship or volunteering in their preferred field, students gain experience
and build up professional relationships simultaneously /ˌsaɪmlˈteɪniəsli/.
Internships allow students to engage with a large number of individuals within
a limited period.
◼ Having a part-time job also gives students the chance to network with other
people. For example, students might meet clients who are working for their
dream companies, or their employer may know somebody who works there.

SPEAKING PART 3
Extra ideas:
Build confidence:
◼ When students have the opportunities to contribute to their communities through
extra-curricular activities, it can be a real boost to their confidence.
◼ Attending college provide students with a thorough understanding of their subject
area, thus students feel more confident about making their own decisions.
◼ For example, students who study for a business qualification are equipped with the
skills to make better and bolder decisions on finance, project management,
business strategy, managing teams and much, much more.
 HOW TO PRESENT SPEAKING PART 3
◼ CONCLUSION: Summarize the topic.
Example: To sum up,/ In conclusion,/ To put it in a nutshell, young people
should take advantage of all the possibilities in their students’ life thanks to
the enormous benefits it brings.

SPEAKING PART 3

TOPIC: Students’ life is the best time of our life.

Follow-up questions:
1. What are your future study plans?
2. What kind of job would you prefer after graduation?
3. What advantages do universities bring to society?