IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION

UNIT 1: DAILY LIFE

 VOCABULARY
1. Hoạt động buổi sáng
 to wake up: tỉnh giấc
 to get up: thức dậy
 to wash my face: rửa mặt
 to get dressed: thay đồ
 to brush my teeth: đánh răng
 to brush my hair: chải tóc
 press snooze button: nút báo thức
 make breakfast: làm bữa sáng
 to comb my hair: chải đầu
 wash face: rửa mặt
 have shower: tắm vòi hoa sen
 to leave home: rời nhà
 to get to school /to arrive at school: đến trường
 to start my lessons / school: bắt đầu buổi học
 to have a break: nghỉ giải lao
2. Hoạt động buổi chiều
 to have lunch: ăn trưa
 to play with my schoolmates: chơi với bạn
 to do my homework : làm bài tập
 to watch TV / the cartoons : xem tivi/ hoạt hình
 to play videogames: chơi trò chơi videogames 
 to play football / volleyball / basketball: đá bóng/ bóng chuyền / bóng rổ
 to dance: nhảy múa
 to come back home: về nhà
3. Hoạt động buổi tối
 to have a shower: tắm
 to have dinner with my parents: ăn tối với bố mẹ
 to read a book : đọc sách
 to phone my friends : gọi điện thoại cho bạn
 to send a text: nhắn tin
 to surf the Internet
 take the rubbish out: đi đổ rác
 meditation: thiền định
 Set the alarm /set ðə ə’lɑ:m/ đặt chuông báo thức
 to go to bed: đi ngủ
 to go to sleep: đi ngủ
4. Các công việc trong bếp
 to clear the table: lau bàn
 to load dishes into the dishwasher: xếp bát đĩa vào máy rửa bát
 IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION

 to start the dishwasher: khởi động máy rửa bát

 to wipe the table: lau bàn
 to clean the stove: lau lò nướng
 to clean the sink: lau cọ bồn rửa bát
 to sweep the floor: quét nhà
 to mop the floor: lau sàn nhà
 to empty the dishwasher: lấy bát đĩa trong máy rửa bát ra
 to put dishes into cupboards: xếp bát đĩa lên tủ bát
 to prepare meals: chuẩn bị bữa ăn
5. Các công việc trong phòng ngủ
 to tidy up the room: dọn phòng
 to put away clean clothes: gấp quần áo sạch
 to put dirty clothes in the linen basket: cho quần áo bẩn vào giỏ quần áo bẩn
 to make the bed: dọn giường
 to beat the rug: đập thảm, giũ thảm
 to vacuum the floor: hút bụi sàn nhà
 to dust furniture: lau bụi đồ gỗ
6. Các công việc trong phòng giặt đồ
 to sort colors and whites: phân loại quần áo màu và quần áo trắng
 to put clothes in the washing machine: cho quần áo vào máy giặt
 to put clothes in the dryer: cho quần áo vào máy sấy
 to fold clothes: gấp quần áo
 to put away clothes: cất quần áo
7. Các công việc ngoài vườn
 to water plants: tưới cây
 to rake leaves: cời lá, cào lá khô
 to mow the lawn: cắt cỏ
 to paint the fence: sơn bờ rào
 to weed the garden: nhỏ cỏ dại
8. Các công việc vặt trong nhà khác
 to iron: là quần áo
 to take out the dustbin: đổ rác
 to clean the windows: lau chùi cửa sổ
 to do the shopping: đi mua sắm
 to feed pets: cho thú cưng ăn
 to walk the dog: đưa chó đi dạo
 to cook the dinner: nấu bữa tối
 to set the table: dọn bàn ăn
 to grocery shop: đi chợ
 to wash the car: rửa xe
 to dust the furniture: lau bụi đồ gỗ
9. Các cụm từ/ cấu trúc diễn tả hoạt động hằng ngày
 It’s a daily struggle to peel myself out of bed
 IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION

 I wake up around 7:00am when my alarm goes off, and snooze for a few minutes. 
 I usually press snooze button several times before I could get up
 You should drink some warm water after waking up in the morning
 Women usually take a lot time to get dressed before go to work.
 If it’s a non-working day, I’ll ...
 A day-off is quite different from the busy working day in every perspective. Sunday
is a day to spend time with my family members and to meet friends and play with them in
the evening.
 Love the feeling of V-ing
 The first thing in my mind is indulging in my morning coffee.
 To be up to my ears in something = to be preoccupied = to be tied up = have a lot on my
plate = to be juggling a lot = to be buried in something/ Things are really hectic.
 Full of sunlight and fresh air
 It revitalizes my energy by giving me the chance to V
 I am always in high spirits in the morning
 Without a daily routine, one usually does things on impulse, which could reduce your
work efficiency and productivity in the day
 The only thing that gets on my nerves / stresses me out is the sheer volume of traffic I
encounter on the way home on a daily basis.
 to start your day right: bắt đầu 1 ngày mới đúng cách
 to get my mind ready for the day: chuẩn bị tâm trí cho ngày mới
 an early bird/ a morning person: người có thói quen dậy sớm
 a night owl: người có thói quen thức khuya
 to give myself plenty of time to …: cho tôi nhiều thời gian để làm gì
 to kick start your day: bắt đầu ngày mới của bạn
 to put on a good playlist: mở 1 list nhạc hay
 a productive morning routine: thói quen buổi sáng hiệu quả
 to feel a sense of productivity: cảm thấy mình làm việc có năng suất
 IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION

 READING
Kĩ năng SKIMMING VÀ SCANNING
SKIMMING
 Skimming là gì?
Là đọc lướt qua tất cả các ý chính của bài essay chứ không đi sâu vào nội dung của bất kỳ đoạn
nào bằng cách đọc qua tiêu đề để thấy nội dung bài viết, đọc các topic sentences và concluding
sentences vì các đoạn chủ yếu được viết theo hai cách là diễn dịch và quy nạp, chú ý hơn vào
các danh từ quan trọng để qua đó nắm đuộc nội dung chính.
 Các bước để thực hiện skimming?
+ Đọc phần title của bài viết, sau đó đọc đoạn mở đầu để xác định được nội dung chính trong
bài viết.
+ Đọc các câu chủ đề của từng đoạn, các câu chủ đề này thường là câu đầu tiên của bài text.
Nhưng đôi khi đoạn văn lại được mở đầu bằng câu hỏi hay câu dẫn dắt, thì khi đó topic
sentence lại thường nằm cuối đoạn.
+ Những từ quan trọng trong đoạn văn các bạn nên nắm bắt thường được ẩn nấp dưới dạng danh
từ, số từ, các từ được in đậm hay viết hoa như: because,
firstly, secondly, finally , but, then, includes.... Những từ này sẽ giúp cho người đọc nhanh
chóng nhận ra đoạn  văn được trình bày theo cách nào: listing (liệt kê), comparison-contrast (so
sánh-đối lập), time-order (theo thứ tự thời gian), và cause-effect (nguyên nhân-kết quả).

SCANNING
 Scanning là gì?
Là đọc nhanh bài viết thật nhanh với mục đích tìm kiếm dữ liệu, thông tin cụ thể cần thiết cho
việc trả lời câu hỏi. Scanning được áp dụng cho các dạng bài như True – False – Not given,
multiple choices, complete the summary…..khi cần tìm kiếm các dữ liệu trong bài viết như tên
riêng, số liệu, ngày tháng, hoặc các cụm từ mà không cần nắm được nội dung của bài text.
 Các bước cần có khi scanning?
+ Phân tích cách tổ chức bài khóa trước khi bắt đầu scanning.
+ Luôn luôn định hướng và ghi nhớ trong đầu rằng bạn đang tìm kiếm thông tin gì. Và định
hướng đó là loại thông tin gì, danh từ riêng hay số từ, ngày tháng ….
+ Bạn cần xác định xem thông tin đó có trong đoạn nào của bài viết theo trí nhớ có được sau
phần skimming và “quét” một lượt để định vị chính xác vị trí của thông tin cần tìm.
+ Dừng lại trước thông tin cần tìm và đọc những câu có liên quan đến thông tin đó. Cần thực sự
chú ý vào các cấu trúc câu phức được dùng trong bài viết.

PRACTISE: SCANNING AND SKIMMING

Reading passage 1: An email from a friend
Hi!
I've been meaning to write for ages and finally today I'm actually doing something about it. Not
that I'm trying to make excuses for myself, it's been really hard to sit down and write, as I've
been moving around so much. Since we last saw each other I've unpacked my bags in four
different cities. This job has turned out to be more of a whirlwind than I expected, but it's all
good! 
 IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION

I went from London to Prague to set up a new regional office there. You know I'd always wanted
to go, but maybe I was imagining Prague in spring when I used to talk about that. Winter was
really hard, with minus 15 degrees in the mornings and dark really early in the evening. But at
least it was blue skies and white snow and not days on end of grey skies and rain, like at home.
It's tough being away from home over Christmas, though, and Skype on Christmas Day wasn't
really the same as being with everyone.
From there I was on another three-month mission to oversee the set-up of the office in New
York. Loved, loved, loved New York! It's like being in one big TV show, as everywhere looks
just a little bit familiar. I did every tourist thing you can think of when I wasn't working, and
must have spent most of my salary on eating out. It was really hard to leave for the next job,
especially as I kind of met someone (!) More about Michael later ...
So then I was posted to LA, which felt like a whole other country compared with the East Coast.
I could definitely get used to that kind of outdoor, beach lifestyle, but I didn't spend as much
time getting to know California as I could have because I was flying back to see Michael every
other weekend. He came to see me when he could, but his job means he's often working at
weekends, so he couldn't make the flight very often. Those three months flew by and then I was
off again, to Frankfurt, which is where I am now. And … so is Michael! He got a month off
work and we're trying to work out how we can be in the same place at the same time for a while.
We figure the first step in that direction is getting married, which is also why I wanted to write
– I can't get married without my oldest friend there! The wedding's going to be at home in
London in September and I hope you can come!
Anyway, tell me all your news and I promise not to leave it so long this time!
Lots of love,
Kath
Task 1: Match the cities with the descriptions.
Frankfurt New York London Prague LA
1. Where she will get married __________
2. A city that wasn't what she expected ___________
3. An expensive place __________
4. A place she didn't really see much of __________
5. The most recent city she's lived in ____________
Task 2: Choose the correct answers.
1. Recently, Kath has been …
a. making an effort to email people she knows.
b. too busy to even think about writing emails.
c. thinking about writing an email to her friend.
2. Prague was …
a. better than Kath imagined.
b. just as Kath imagined.
c. not as nice as Kath imagined.
3. Kath says Christmas was …
a. exciting because she was in a new place.
b. difficult because she missed her family.
 IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION

c. as good as usual thanks to technology.

4. In New York, she spent most of her money on …
a. tourist attractions. b. restaurants. c. a TV.
5. How did Kath feel about LA?
a. It’s nice for a holiday but not to live.
b. She would have enjoyed spending more time at the beach.
c. She didn’t really like the beach part of the LA lifestyle.
6. Kath and Michael are …
a. thinking about how to spend more time together.
b. working out where to hold the wedding.
c. planning to get engaged.
Reading passage 2: Work–life balance
Preparation task: Match the definitions (a–j) with the vocabulary (1–10).
Vocabulary Definitions
1. …… idle chit-chat a. a regular journey between work and home
2. …… maternity leave b. to be allowed to decide what to do by
3. …… to bounce ideas off someone yourself
4. …… to wear someone out c. to record the time you begin work
5. …… to clock in d. a period of time a woman takes off work
6. …… to make a concession due to the birth of a child
7. …… paid on a pro-rata basis e. calculated according to how many hours
8. …… a freelancer you work
9. …… a commute f. to make someone very tired
10. …… to be left to your own devices g. to give or allow something in order to end
an argument or conflict
h. talk that is informal and irrelevant to work
i. a person who sells their services or work by
the hour or day
j. to share ideas with someone in order to get
feedback on them
Reading text: Work–life balance
Ronan
I work in a fairly traditional office environment doing a typical nine-to-five job. I like my job,
but it’s annoying that my commute to work takes an hour and a half each way and most of my
work could really be done online from home. But my boss doesn’t seem to trust that we will get
any work done if left to our own devices, and everyone in the company has to clock in and out
every day. It’s frustrating that they feel the need to monitor what we do so closely instead of
judging us based on our task performance, like most companies do these days.
Jo
I used to do a typical five-day week, but after I came out of my maternity leave, I decided that I
wanted to spend more time with my children before they start school. After negotiating with my
boss, we decided to cut my working week down to a three-day work week. This of course meant
a significant cut in my pay too, as I’m paid on a pro-rata basis. I’ve since noticed, though, that
my workload hasn’t decreased in the slightest! I’m now doing five days’ worth of work in three
 IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION

days, but getting paid much less for it! I find myself having to take work home just so that I can
meet the deadlines. It’s wearing me out trying to juggle work with looking after my children and
my family, but I don’t dare to bring this up with my boss because I think he feels as if he’s made
a huge concession letting me come in only three days a week.
Marcus
I work for a global IT company, but because their headquarters is in the States, I do all my work
online from home. That means that I don’t waste time commuting or making idle chitchat with
colleagues. I work on a project basis, and this flexibility is very valuable to me because it means
that I can easily take some time off when my children need me to go to their school
performances or if I need to schedule an appointment with the dentist. The downside is that
without clear office hours, I tend to work well into the evening, sometimes skipping dinner to
finish a task. It can also get quite lonely working on my own, and I sometimes miss sharing ideas
with colleagues.
Lily
I’m a freelancer and work for myself. This is great because I am in control of what I do and how
I spend my time. At first, I was working from home, but I found it really hard to concentrate.
There were just too many distractions around: housework that needed doing, another cup of tea,
my family members wanting my attention for various things. So I started to go to a nearby café
to work, but the Wi-Fi connection wasn’t ideal and I found myself drinking too much coffee. In
the end, I decided to rent a desk in a co-working space with five other freelancers like myself. I
liked getting dressed to go to work in the morning and being able to focus in an office
environment. The other freelancers do similar kinds of web-based work to me and so it’s nice to
have workmates to bounce ideas off as well.
Task 1 Circle the best answer.
1. Ronan would prefer it if he …
a. wasn’t left to his own devices.
b. could spend more time commuting and less time in the office.
c. could work from home and be judged based on task performance.
d. could trust his boss more.
2. Jo wanted to reduce her working hours because she …
a. thought she would be more efficient and productive when she was at the office.
b. wanted to bring her work home.
c. wanted to go on maternity leave.
d. wanted to spend time with her children.
3. Jo is unhappy with her three-day work week because …
a. she didn’t realise how much the change would affect her economically.
b. she now hast to spend more time looking after her children and her family.
c. she has more deadlines to meet.
d. her workload has remained the same although she’s reduced her hours.
4. In Marcus’s opinion, which of these is a disadvantage of working from home?
a. You spend a lot of time in the house.
b. It’s easy to get distracted by your family.
c. You tend to work later.
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d. You end up eating more as you have access to the fridge all day.
5. Why did Lily not like working from home?
a. She found it lonely.
b. Her family didn’t like her working.
c. She didn’t have a good Wi-Fi connection.
d. There were a lot of distractions.
6. What solution did Lily find most suitable for her working needs?
a. Renting an office space to work from.
b. Working from a café.
c. Working for an employer.
d. Working for other freelancers.
Task 2 Are the sentences true or false?
1. Ronan’s boss thinks his employees will not be as productive if they work from home.
2. Ronan thinks that the performance of employees should be judged according to how much
time they spend in the office.
3. Jo is paid the same for a five-day work week as she is on a three-day week.
4. Jo feels exhausted trying to manage both a five-day workload and childcare.
5. Although Marcus sees the benefit in not having idle chit-chat, he misses interacting with his
colleagues.
6. Lily didn’t like working from the café because the coffee wasn’t very good.
 IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION

 GRAMMAR : Cách đọc giờ và nói về thời gian.

1. Một số mẫu câu hỏi về giờ trong tiếng Anh
 What’s the time? 
 What time is it?
 Do you know what time it is?
 Do you have the time?
 Have you got the time? 
2. Cách nói giờ chẵn trong tiếng Anh 
 Do you know what time it is now? (Bạn có biết bây giờ là mấy giờ không?)
 It is twelve o’clock in the afternoon. (Giờ là 12 giờ chiều.)
3. Cách nói giờ hơn trong tiếng Anh
Cách 1: Đọc giờ đầu tiên rồi mới đến phút: giờ + phút
Ví dụ:
6:25 – It’s six twenty-five
2:34 – It’s two thirty-four
Cách 2: Đọc phút trước rồi mới đến giờ: phút + PAST + giờ
(Áp dụng khi số phút hơn chưa vượt quá 30 phút.)
Ví dụ:
11:20 – It’s twenty past eleven
4:18 – It’s eighteen past four
4. Cách nói giờ kém trong tiếng Anh
Dùng khi số phút hơn vượt quá 30 phút. Thường chúng ta sẽ nói phút trước rồi đến giờ: phút +
TO + giờ
Ví dụ:
8:50 – It’s ten to nine
2:59 – It’s one to three
5. Các trường hợp đặc biệt khi nói giờ trong tiếng Anh
 Khi nói đến khoảng thời gian đúng 15 phút chúng ta thường nói: (a) quarter past/to
Ví dụ:
a quarter past: Hơn 15 phút
7:15 – It’s (a) quarter past seven
a quarter to:  Kém 15 phút
12:45 – It’s (a) quarter to one
 Khi nói đến khoảng thời gian 30 phút chúng ta sử dụng: half past
Ví dụ:
3:30 – It’s half past three (It’s three-thirty)
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 LISTENING
Listening 1
What time is each person saying? Listen and write the correct time on each clock.

Listening 2
What time does each person get up and go to bed? Listen and write the times.
Gets up Goes to bed

1   Sandra ………………… .....................

2   John ………………… .....................

3   Sam ………………… .....................

4   Grace ………………… .....................

5   Mia ………………… .....................

6   James ………………… .....................

Listening 3
People are calling about show times for movies. Listen and write the show time you hear.

1. Times 2. Times 3. Times 4. Times

3:40

Listening 4
1. What time does the man get up?
A. at 5:00 a.m.
B. at 7:00 a.m.
C. at 6:00 a.m.
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2. What time does he get to work?

A. at 7:00 a.m.
B. at 8:00 a.m.
C. at 9:00 a.m.
3. What does he do with his family around 6:30 p.m.?
A. They eat dinner.
B. They play games.
C. They read books together
4. What do the man and his wife do after the kids go to bed?
A. They play games.
B. They watch TV.
C. They clean the house.
5. What is one thing the man does NOT say about his wife?
A. She helps the kids with their homework.
B. She has to take their children to school.
C. She goes shopping for food.
Listening : Work – life balance
Preparation task: Match the definitions (a–h) with the vocabulary (1–8).
Vocabulary Definition
1. …… work–life balance a. a successful book
2. …… overtime b. giving the right amount of time to work and
3. …… a best-selling book to the rest of
4. …… an advantage your life
5. …… a concept c. an idea
6. …… to fade d. working more than your normal work hours
7. …… freedom e. the ability to work from different places
8. …… mobility f. a positive thing about something
g. to become less clear or visible
h. being free to do what you want

Task 1 Circle the best answer.

1. How popular is Chris Svensson’s book?
a. Not very popular
b. Very popular
c. It’s new. People don’t know it yet.
2. What is the work–life balance like in traditional workplaces?
a. Work lives and private lives are clearly divided.
b. People work too much overtime and so they have no private life.
c. People are free to manage the balance themselves.
3. How often do people do overtime?
a. Often
b. Sometimes
c. They don’t.
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4. In traditional workplaces, do people work at weekends or when on holiday?

a. Yes, it’s normal.
b. No, never.
c. Usually, they don’t.
5. How has technology helped people work with more flexibility?
a. They can send and receive emails from their phones from home.
b. Their working hours can be easily tracked.
c. Robots can do their work for them.
6. Traditional divisions between work and life are fading. What does this mean for employees?
a. Everyone has to do overtime, all the time.
b. People have to work while they’re on holiday.
c. They can be flexible to work when and where it suits them.
Task 2 Write the ideas in the correct group

Possible to work weekends or while on holiday Flexible working hours

Hobbies and sports only in the evening or at weekends Fixed working hours
Hobbies and sports can be done at other times No working at weekends or on holiday

Traditional workplaces Modern workplaces

 IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION

 WRITING
How to paraphrase in IELTS
1. Cách paraphrase: Sử dụng từ đồng nghĩa
Câu gốc: Studies have suggested that children watch much more television than they did in the
past and spend less time on active or creative things.
➪ Câu được paraphrase: It is now a norm that children watch an excessive amount of
television and do not engage much in active or creative activities.
Chú thích: 
 much more television → an excessive amount of television 
 spend less time on → do not engage much in 
Câu gốc: Nowadays, more and more people decide to have children later in their life.
➪ Câu được paraphrase: In modern society, there has been a growing concern that many couples
have delayed parenthood
Chú thích: 
 nowadays → in modern society
 more and more → many
 have children later → delay parenthood
2. Cách paraphrase: Sử dụng dạng khác của từ (word form) 
Câu gốc: Some people think that environmental protection is the responsibility of politicians.
➪ Câu được paraphrase: Some people believe that politicians should be responsible
for protecting the environment. 
Chú thích: 
 environmental protection → protect the environment 
 the responsibility of → be responsible for 
Câu gốc: Using a computer every day can have negative effects on children.
➪ Câu được paraphrase: The usage of computer every day can negatively affect children.
Chú thích: 
 using a computer → the usage of computer
 have negative effects → negatively affect
3. Cách paraphrase: Thay đổi cấu trúc câu
Câu gốc – thể chủ động: Modern technology has made it easier for individuals to download
copyrighted music and books from the internet for no charge.
➪ Câu được paraphrase – thể bị động: Copyrights have evolved into a major topic of concern in
the era of the Internet and modern technology, as copyrighted music and books can now be
downloaded for free with a few simple mouse-clicks.
Câu gốc – thể bị động: Stronger measures, however, should be adopted such as introducing
criminology as a school subject and showing students documentaries about the lives of prisoners.
➪ Câu được paraphrase – thể chủ động: The government, however, should adopt
stronger measures such as introducing criminology as a school subject and showing students
documentaries about the lives of prisoners.
4. Cách paraphrase: Thay đổi trật tự của câu/ hoặc  từ
Câu gốc: It is more important for schoolchildren to learn about local history than world history. 
 IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION

➪ Câu được paraphrase: There is a common belief that local history is more important to

children than world history. 
Câu gốc: Many people are unhealthy because they might not eat well
➪ Câu được paraphrase: Failing to maintain a balanced diet is the reason why many people have
poor health. (kết hợp sử dụng từ đồng nghĩa và đảo cấu trúc) 
5. Cách paraphrase: Sử dụng chủ ngữ giả “it”và “there”
Câu gốc: I would recommend that all forms of copyright infringements are prohibited.
➪ Câu được paraphrase: It is recommended that all forms of copyright infringements are
prohibited. 
Câu gốc: Some students prefer to take a gap year between high school and university, to work or
to travel.
➪ Câu được paraphrase: In today’s world, there has been an accelerating trend of students taking
a break from studying before pursuing tertiary education. 
Practise: Paraphrasing IELTS Writing Task 2
1. People say that global warming is caused by the burning of fossil fuels.

2. The overuse of natural resources ultimately exhausts them. This causes huge harm to the
environment. Therefore, the government should discourage people from overusing such
resources

3. Some students prefer to take a gap year between high school and university, to work or to
travel.

4. The world’s natural resources are consumed at an ever-increased rate.

5. Some people think that environmental problems are too big for individuals to solve.
Others believe individuals can also do some things to solve these problems.

6. Some people think that governments should give financial support to artists, musicians
and poets.

7. Whether or not someone achieves their aims is mostly by a question of luck.

8. Some people think that the government should ban dangerous sports

9. In recent years, waste from multinational companies’ production sites has significantly
damaged the environment of the host countries.

10. In many cities, the use of video cameras in public places is being increased in order to
reduce crime.
 IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION

11. In the modern world, it is no longer necessary to use animals for food, clothing or
medicine.

12. The use of social media is replacing face-to-face interaction among many people in
society.

13. In the developed world, average life expectancy has been increasing.

14. The position of women in society has changed greatly in the past 20 years

15. The level of crime has increased noticeably in different ways.

 WRITING: Task 2 Problem and Solution Essay 

Với dạng bài này, câu hỏi sẽ luôn có 2 phần:
 Causes – Solutions (Nguyên nhân – Giải pháp): Phân tích nguyên nhân gây ra vấn đề
và những giải pháp khắc phục/cải thiện vấn đề đó;
Ví dụ:
What are the primary causes of loss of biodiversity? What solutions can you suggest?
Why is it so? How can this problem be solved?
 Causes – Problems (Nguyên nhân – Tác hại): Phân tích nguyên nhân và từ đó chỉ ra
những tác hại mà vấn đề mang lại;
Ví dụ:
What are the causes? What will be the effects on the society?
 Problems – Solutions (Tác hại – Giải pháp):  Phân tích những tác hại và đưa ra giải
pháp cho từng tác hại.
Ví dụ:
What problems are associated with this and what are some possible solutions?
What damage does plastic do to the environment? What can be done by the government and
individuals to solve this problem?
1. Introduction
 Pharaphrase: It is true that there is an increasing number of + N (xác định đối tượng
vấn đề chính được nói đến trong bài là gì. Chủ động hay bị động) + V-ING/ V3/ED 
 As far as I am concerned, this phenomenon can result in serious problems, which can be tackled
using appropriate measures.

As far as I am concern = In my point of view = In my opinion = I hold a belief that

Phenomenon = development = trend
Tackled = solved = taken measures = addressed = dealt with
2. Body
2.1. Paragraph 1 : Tập trung bàn về PROBLEMS
It is possibly said that this issue may be caused by some main factors. (câu mở đầu đoạn)
 IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION

Giới thiệu vấn đề thứ 1 : One of the prominent reasons concerning this problem is N.
Dùng các công thức sau để viết câu
 Giải thích/ chứng minh cho quan điểm 1, khiến cho người đọc tin tưởng hơn.
 Analysis: This is because   +  S + have/ has the propensity for + V-ING  
 (chỉ ra xu hướng chung của hành động thuộc về quan điểm 1)
 Sau khi kết thúc, dùng dấu “,” và mệnh đề
 Which led to (the fact that + S+ V) + N/ N phrase (xu hướng nếu trên đã dẫn đến hậu quả gì)
 Dùng liên từ Henceforth, S + be + considered as the chief culprit behind +N/ N phrase 
để nhấn mạnh lại 1 lần nữa hệ quả đó chính là nguyên nhân chính cho vấn đề được nêu ra.

Giới thiệu vấn đề thứ 2

 Another factor leading to this situation is + N.
 This means + N (dùng để chỉ hậu quả của vấn đề thứ 2 gây ra)
 S + exert such detrimental impacts upon + N ( hậu quả của vấn đề 2 gây ra những ảnh hưởng
nghiêm trọng lên nhóm đối tượng nào), resulting in + N (và dẫn đến thêm 1 hệ lụy nào khác)
 Giving examples

2.2. Paragraph 2 : Tập trung bàn luận về SOLUTIONS

In truth, some imperative measures ought to be taken to resolve these prospective issues.

Hướng giải quyết 1 cho vấn đề 1: 

 V-ing (hướng giải quyết) + be + highly + recommended/ complemented/
suggested.
 …………. , which prevent + O + from V-ing/ N (giúp đỡ cho đối tượng khỏi việc bị ….)
 Giving examples

Hướng giải quyết 2 cho vấn đề 2:

 It is/ was N phrase’s responsibility /liability + to V (đó là trách nhiệm của 1 tập thể,….là phải
làm gì….)
 Therefore , dùng passive voice để nêu lên những hệ quả sau khi giải pháp được đưa ra
 In addition, S (các đối tượng chỉ người) + be + encouraged to + turn to + V1-ing/ N as
the alternative to + V2-ing/ N2 + to + V (được khuyên là nên làm việc gì đó tích cực hơn cách làm cũ
để giúp cho vấn đề được cải thiện)

3. Conclusion
In conclusion, there are indeed various repercussions regarding (paraphrase lại cụm danh từ
chỉ vấn đề chính được nêu ở phần mở bài), yet, they can be solved once according measures
are enlisted imperatively.
 IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION

Topic:

Many people try to balance work and other parts of their life. However, this is very
difficult to do. What are the problems associated with this? What is the best way to
achieve a better balance?

Useful vocabulary and phrases:

 Most people = a majority of = almost all ...    
 balance between work and other part of lives = strike a work-lfe balance
 achieve = gain = obtain
 material life
 make ends meet/ meet basic need/ earn for living
 excessive/heavy workload = too much tasks and duties
 job satisfaction/ have/ gain/ achieve a sense of job satisfaction
 career fulfilment
 devoted to = dedicated to = committed to
 juggle their commitments and responsibilities
 fast – paced (adj) = high pace of life
 eat away at a person’s private life
 stress, depression, obesity, burnout
 workaholic
 off – balance
 milestone = landmark
 prioritise (v)
 prioritization (n)
 take time off = relax
 to be under pressure = to be put under pressure to V/ put pressure on someone = put
something under pressure
 allocate level of importance and urgency
 make (necessary) changes
 create a harmonious work – life intergration
 refresh body, mind and soul
 IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION

 SPEAKING
Speaking Part 1:
1. When do you wake up?
2. What is your daily routine?
3. What part of the day do you like most?
4. Do you think it is important to have a daily routine?
5. What’s the difference in routine between you and your teenage times?
6. What is the busiest part of the day for you?
7. Do you usually have the same routine every day? (or) Do you usually do the same things
at the same time each day?
8. Have you ever changed your routine?
9. What would you like to change in your daily routine?
10. Do you like to plan what you will do each day?
11. What do you usually do at this time of day?
12. How do you organize your study time?
Speaking Part 2:

Describe one of your typical days. /Describe one of your daily life.
You should say:
How do you start your day
How long have you been following this routine
Your favorite time and activity of the day.
and explain what you do on a typical day of your life.

Describe an occasion when you got up very early.

You should say :
 When did it happen?
 Why do you get up early?
 Who you were with?
 And explain how you felt about getting up early.

Describe your favorite part of the day.

You should say:
 When it is?
 What do you do then?
 How long this part of the day lasts?
 And explain why this is your favorite part of the day.
 IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION

Speaking Part 3
1. Do you think people need to have a day-to-day plan? | Do you think people can still do
their tasks if they don’t plan them?
2. Do you think it is possible to learn how to manage your time?
3. What are some possible advantages of using a time management app for your phone to
help you plan your time?
4. Why do you think some people don’t plan their day in advance?
5. How can people achieve work – life balance?
6. Is it hard to change a habit?
 IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION

HOMEWORK: TENSES
1. When I got home I found that water...............................down the kitchen walls
A. ran B. was running C. has run D. had been running
2. After he.......................his English course, he went to England to continue his study
A. has finish B. had finished C. was finished D. would finish
3. How.........................since we .....................college?
A. are you- left B. were you- left C. have you been- have left D. have you
been- left
4. I..................much of you lately. We..........................three months ago
A. haven’t seen- last meet B. didn’t see- met C. haven’t seen- have meet D.
didn’t see- have met
5. The Chinese.......................spaghetti dishes for a long time before Marco Polo.................back
to Italy
A. made- brought B. have made- brought C. made- had brought D. had been
making- brought
6. When I arrived at the meeting the first speaker.................speaking and the
audience...................
A. just finished- were clapping B. had just finished- had clapped
C. had just finished- were clapping D. just finished- had clapped
7. He.............................his job last month and then he..................out of work
A. lost- was B. was lost- had been C. has lost- was D. lost- has been
8. In the last hundred years, travelling.......................much easier and more comfortable
A. become B. has become C. became D. will became
9. In the 19th century, it.............two or three months to across North America by covered wagon
A. took B. had taken C. had been taken D. was taking
10. In the past, the trip...................very rough and often dangerous, but things..........a great deal
in the last hundred and fifty years
A. was- have changed B. is- change C. had been- will change D. has been- changed
11. She................Hanoi last year
A. went B. go C. goes D. is going
12. Now you ..................from New York to Los Angeles in a matter of hours
A. are flying B. would fly C. will fly D. can fly
13. When Carol....................last night, I................my favorite show on television
A. was calling- watched B. called- have watched C. called- was watching
D. had called- watched
14. By the time next summer, you....................your studies
A. completes B. will complete C. are completing D. will have completed
15. Right now, Jim.................the newspaper and Kathy...............dinner
A. reads- has cooked B. is reading- is cooking
C. has read- was cooking D. read- will be cooking
16. Last night at this time, they................................the same thing. She.................and
he............the newspaper
 IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION

A. are doing- is cooking- is reading B. were doing- was cooking- was reading
C. was doing- has cooked- is reading D. had done- was cooking- read
17. Sam..............to change a light bulb when he................and.........................
A. was trying-slipped- fell B. tried- was slipping- falling
C. had been trying- slipped- was falling D. has tried- slips- falls
18. Every day I _________up at 6 o’clock, _______breakfast at seven o’clock and_______for
work at 8 o’clock
A. get- eat- leave B. have got- eating- leaving C. got- ate- left D. will get-
have eaten- left
19. I.......................... for this company for more then thirty years, and I intend to stay here until
I..............next year
A. am working- will retire B. am going to work- am retiring
C. work- am going to retire D. have been working- retire
20. My mother is the first.................up and the last......................to bed
A. getting- going B. to get- going C. getting- to go D. to get- to go
21. I must have a bath. I ......................all the afternoon
A. was gardening B. have gardened C. have been gardening D. had been
gardening
22. The team.................a single match so far this season
A. doesn’t winB. didn’t win C. hasn’t won D. hadn’t won
23. By the time you receive this letter, I ................for the USA
A. have left B. will leave C. will have left D. am leaving
24. Up to now, the manager ………………..a lot of information about his secretary.
A. learned B. has learned C. had learned D. learns
25. Where is Mary? _ She ……………her homework in her room.
A. is performing B. is making C. is doing D. is learning
26. While I ……………….along the road, I saw a friend of mine.
A. was cycling B. have cycled C. cycled D. am cycling
27. By the time I . . . . . . . . . . this report, I will give you a ring.
A. type B. will type C. have typed D. will have typed
28. While my mother ________ a film on TV, my father was cooking dinner. It was March 8th
yesterday.
A. watched B. was watching C. had watched D. watches
29. The plane from Dallas ________ two hours late, so I missed my connecting flight from
Frankfurt to London.
A. took on B. took in C. took over D. took off
30. When we came, a party _________ in the hall.
A. is being held B. had being held C. will be held D. was being held
31. He ………….. in the same house since 1975.
A. has lived B. is living C. lived D. had lived
32. When I came to visit her last night, she ________ a bath.
A. is having B. was having C. has D. had
33.When we arrived at the restaurant, the others __________ .
 IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION

A. left B. have left C. had left D. are leaving

34. By the end of 2010 we_______ in Ho Chi Minh City for 30 years.
A. work B. will work C. have worked D. will
have worked
35. I learned that the college ________ in 1900
A. found B. was founded C. founded D. had been founded
36. If I ________ 10 years younger, I _________ the job.
A. am/ will take B. were/ would take C. would be/ took D. had been / would
take
37. By the time he _____________ to the meeting, it had begun for 15 minutes.
A. had gone B. has gone C. went D. was going
38. He began to feel ill while ___________________.
A. he is doing the exam B. he did the exam C. he would do the exam D. he
was doing the exam.
39. Since 1980, scientists the world over _____ a lot of things to fight against AIDS.
A. have done B. are doing C. did D. had done
40. Now my sister _____ a bicycle of her own.
A. is having B. are having C. has D. had
41. Last week, my professor promised that he _____ today.
A. would come B. will come C. comes D. coming
42. My girl friend arrived after I _____ for her about half an hour.
A. was waiting B. had been waiting C. have been waiting D. have waited
43. I _____ in Quang Ngai before I moved to Binh Thuan.
A. have been living B. have lived C. had lived D. had been living
44. There are many ways _____ to Rome.
A. is leading B. are leading C. leading D. led
45. While I ____________ T.V last night, a mouse ran across the floor.
A. watch B. watched C. am watching D. was watching
46. I still can’t believe it! My bicycle _________ last night.
A. was stolen B. had been stolen C. stole D. was being stolen
47. While they were ________tables, he was _________ the radio.
A. arranging - listening to B. arranging – hearing C. laying -listening to D. making-
hearing
48. I suddenly remembered that I ........to bring my keys.
A. having forgotten B. have forgotten C. had forgotten D. forgot
49. By the year 2010 many people currently employed ________their jobs.
A. will have lost B. will be losing C. have lost D. are losing
50. By September next year I_______ here for ten years.
A. will be working B. work C. will have been working D. have been
working
IELTS MINDSET FOUNDATION