FACULTY OF ENGLISH

Unit 4 – Speaking
4.1 Shopping
4.2 Weather
 TEST FORMAT
Parts Content Time Skills assessed
Part 1: ▪ The examiner asks you general 3 minutes • Ability to convey ideas and
questions on topics related to views on daily topics,
Introduction
personal interest, work, hometown, circumstances or common
and
studies and family and so on. experiences by answering a
Interview
range of questions
Part 2: ▪ A cue card is given to you 3 minutes • Ability to speak at length on a
given topic using appropriate
Long turn ▪ 1 minute is provided for you to
language
prepare for the topic in the cue card
and note down points if you wish to
▪ You are supposed to speak on the
topic for 1-2 minutes
Part 3: ▪ The examiner asks you questions 4 minutes • Ability to analyze the topic,
based on the topic given in Part 2 express views, justify opinion,
Discussion
organize and evaluate ideas
 MARKING CRITERIA
Fluency & Coherence Lexical Resource Grammar & Pronunciation (P)
(FC) (LR) Accuracy (GRA)

- how well you can assesses the range - your knowledge points out your
speak at a normal of your vocabulary about grammar ability to speak
speed without naturally.
- how accurately
hesitation
you use it while
- how your sentences speaking
and ideas are linked in
a logical order
 How to meet the criteria
Fluency & Coherence Lexical Resource (LR) Grammar & Pronunciation (P)
(FC) Accuracy (GRA)
• connect sentences • use a wide range of • avoid grammatical • pronounce words as
by linking words vocabulary mistakes clearly as possible
and sign points • discuss different topics • try to use more • stress words and
• extend your freely, using advanced sentences correctly
answers, add appropriate words grammatical • use correct
relevant details • speak formally or structures intonations
• speak smoothly and semi-formally
continuously • choose words
• use pausing accurately
correctly
TOPIC 1: SHOPPING
 Vocabulary
• advertising campaign: a series of advertisements to persuade
people to buy something
• big brand names: large well-known companies or product names
• to be careful with money: to not over-spend
• carrier bag: bags (usually plastic) supplied by shops
• customer service: the degree to which customers are treated well
• to get into debt: to owe money
• to give someone the hard sell: to put pressure on someone to buy
something
• high street names: well-known shops
• independent stores: small shops independent of large companies
• local shops: community shops
 Vocabulary
• to pick up a bargain: to buy something much cheaper than the normal price
• to shop around: to try different shops to find the best deal
• shop assistant: the person who serves customers
• to shop until you drop: to do a lot of shopping
• to slash prices: to reduce prices a great deal
• to snap up a bargain: to buy something quickly that is being sold cheaply
• summer sales: a period in the year when things are sold cheaply
• to try something on: to see if an item of clothing fits or is suitable
• to be value for money: to be worth the cost
• window shopping: to visit a store to look at items without the intention
of buying anything
 Vocabulary

• loyalty card: a card issued by a shop to allow customers to save money

on the basis of what they spend
• must-have product: a product that is very popular that a lot of people
want to have
• to be on a tight budget: to have a limited amount of money to spend
• to be on commission: to pay someone in relation to the amount they
sell
• a pay in cash: to pay for something using coins or paper money
• to pay the full price: to pay the full amount for something
Useful structure
• Be into (v): đam mê
• I’m a (big) fan of/not a fan of…
• I can’t stand + V-ing: không thể chịu đựng được (việc gì đó)
• My favorite is…
• Nothing is better than …
• The best of all is…
• What I like most about it is…
• Most of the time I spend…
 SAMPLE QUESTIONS & Answers

Examiner: Do you often go shopping for personal items?

Student: When I can afford it, yes. My college is in the city centre, and I do a
lot of window shopping, but being a student, I’m on a tight budget, so I have
to be careful with money so that I don’t overspend.

Examiner: Are there many shops where you live?

Student: We’ve got a few local shops nearby and a few independent stores
but none of the big high street names. I have to go into town for them.

Examiner: Do you enjoy shopping?

Student: It depends. I hate it when the sales are on, and crowds of people all
trying to snap up a bargain / ba: gin/ . I find it all a bit stressful. I also get
annoyed when shop assistants (shop keepers) try to give me the hard sell
when all I want to do is look around.
 POSSIBLE QUESTIONS -
1. Do you like shopping?
Part 1
2. What’s your favourite shop?
3. What kinds of shops are there where you live?
4. Do you prefer to go shopping in the shopping
mall or on the street market?

1. a shopaholic, wandering around shopping malls and trying on various

kinds of clothes
2-3. Mini supermarket; Mega Mall, open-air market, high street shops
4. Shopping malls: have brand-name stores, fixed prices
Street markets: have unique items, can barter at a street market,
get a good deal on your purchase.
 POSSIBLE QUESTIONS - Part 1
• Have you ever bought anything online?
• Do you like to shop in a regular store or do you change the place
you buy frequently?
• What don’t you like about shopping?
• Is shopping a popular activity in your country?
• Have you ever had a bad shopping experience?
• Which is more important to you, the price of a product, or the
quality?