IELTS MasterClass 7 - Advanced 1

Speaking Skills:
Part 3 - Discuss work and
skills

Outline:
- Develop topic-specific - Create thinking time
vocabulary to answer Part 3 - Speaking Part 3
questions about Talent and - Describe personal qualities
Being successful 1
Aims By the end of this lesson,
you will be able to:

● Develop topic-specific vocabulary to answer Part 3

questions about Talent and Being successful
● Create thinking time
● Increase the band score for pronunciation
● Describe personal qualities

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Overview
What are you going Pre- • Develop topic-specific vocabulary
speaking • Create thinking time
to learn?

Test
it means that without facing challenges or pressure, one cannot achieve greatness or realize their full potential.

strategies • Focus on pronunciation

Test
practice • Speaking Part 3

Language
development • Describe personal qualities

Reflection • Key takeaways

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Lead-in What does ‘No pressure, no diamonds’ mean?

it means that without facing challenges or pressure, one cannot achieve

greatness or realize their full potential.
Warm-up
What does the metaphor
about success mean?

What personal qualities would

you say great achievements
are based on?

Infographic: Where do diamonds come from?

YOUMAGAZINETV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxInx2T0sRI
Personal qualities that are often associated with great achievements include
1. Persistence: Continuing to pursue goals even when faced with obstacles or failures.
2. Courage: Having the bravery to take risks, step outside of one's comfort zone, and face fears or uncertainties.
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Pre-speaking
Develop topic-specific
vocabulary A. to decide you are going to do something
1. be a cut above and to put a lot of effort into doing it
Match the idiom with its
correct meaning. 2. go to great lengths B. to have a particular skill or ability that few
people know one possesses.

3. have a hidden talent

C. someone who is of a higher social class

4. put your mind to D. be clearly better than or noticeably

different from ordinary people or things
5. set your sights on
E. to decide to achieve something

6. stand out from the crowd

F. to use a lot of effort to get or achieve
something

5

Pre-speaking
Develop topic-specific
vocabulary
Use the handout.
Complete the text with the
idioms. You may need to
change the form of the idiom
and/or pronouns. There is one
idiom you do not need.
be a cut above go to great lengths have a hidden talent
put your mind to set your sights on stand out from the crowd
During the first decade of the 21st century, talent shows such as The X Factor,
American Idol and The Voice became an extremely popular genre of television. In
these shows, the contestants usually perform songs in an attempt to try to capture
the judges’ attention by 1. ___________________________ . In order to win, the
contestants have to 2. ___________________________ the other performers. Many of
them have 3. ___________________________ to take part in the contest and have been
practicing for many years. Some have even given up their jobs for this once-in-a-
lifetime opportunity. These talent shows are an absolutely fascinating example of the
psychology behind the quest for success in the music industry as those who win these
talent shows often state that they had 4. ________________________ becoming a
successful performer from an early age. Sometimes there are unexpected winners and
it is not always the case that the people with the best voices win. This demonstrates
that winning can be more about 5. ________________________ achieving success
rather than actual talent.
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Pre-speaking
Develop topic-specific 1. What hidden talents have you got?
vocabulary

Work in pairs. 2. Was there a time in your life when you stood out from the
crowd?
Answer the questions.
• Make sure you note down
your friends’ ideas and give 3. What have you set your sights on?
questions / feedback to
them if possible. 4. What have you gone to great lengths to achieve?

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Pre-speaking
Create thinking time
Listen to a candidate’s answer
for the first time. What is the
(Task 1)
speaker’s main idea?
• Read the audio script.
• Underline the phrases the
candidate uses to get some
‘thinking time’ and to deal with
unknown words.
• How does the candidate use
his voice to signal thinking
time and when he is unsure of
a specific word?
E = Examiner C = Candidate
E: What does it take to be a successful person?
C: That depends … Mmm, that’s quite a difficult question … I think
this is different for everyone, but it is also often culturally
determined, or perhaps even as a result of our upbringing and
surroundings. As far as I’m concerned, success can be achieved in all
aspects of our lives as long as we know what we are trying to do.
I’m not sure if this is the correct way to say it, but success happens
when you know about or you are … maybe … aware of what your
goals are.
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Pre-speaking
Create thinking time
Read the phrases (1-8) and
match them with the functions
(A-D).
1. That’s an interesting question ...
2. What I’m trying to say is ...
3. Success and society? Well, ...
4. You want to know my feelings on ...
5. I’ve not thought much about this before, but ...
6. So, you’re asking whether I think ...
7. I’m not sure if this is the right way to put it, but ...
8. Talent and its importance ...
A. Select keywords and repeat
B. Reformulate the question
C. Use a thinking-time phrase
D. Signal an explanation
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Pre-speaking
Create thinking time
Work in pairs and discuss the
topics.
Use the techniques in the
previous slide to create
thinking time.
1. Talent is natural and cannot be learnt.
2. Everyone is talented in more than one area.
3. Children should be taught that making an effort is
more important than success.
Select Success and society? Well, ...
keywords
and repeat Talent and its importance ...
Reformulate You want to know my feelings on ...
the question So, you’re asking whether I think ...
Use a
thinking- That’s an interesting question ...
time phrase
What I’m trying to say is ...
Signal an
I’ve not thought much about this before, but ...
explanation
I’m not sure if this is the right way to put it, but ...
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Pre-speaking Which do you think employers value most when it comes to
recruiting staff: qualifications or experience?
Vocabulary development
• Why might that be?

Discuss the question. • What qualities, skills and knowledge do you think will be
important in the job market of the future and why?

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Pre-speaking
1. Whilst there are many benefits of being an _________________ , setting up a business on your own
can also be rather risky.
Vocabulary development
2. The employees were given an _________________ of $500 each to complete the project in advance
of the deadline.
Use the handout.
3. In many countries, a single company has the _________________ on the provision of
Complete the sentences using
telecommunication services.
the words below. There are
three words you do not need 4. Companies based in central New York have extremely high _________________ due to the
to use.
tremendous running costs they incur for their premium location.
apprentice monopoly
5. One of the consequences of the global financial crash was that many companies were forced to
corporation overheads
make many employees _________________ so as to reduce costs and stay afloat.
entrepreneur redundant
6. The current _________________ of technology companies is increasing dramatically compared to
incentive turnover
those involved in manufacturing, which is good news for their shareholders.
industry worth
lucrative 7. Some people argue that the rise of the _________________ has been hugely detrimental to both the
global economy as well as small businesses, which face stiffer competition than ever.

8. Having grown up in poverty, she chose to pursue a _________________ career in the field of banking.
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 someone who has agreed to work for a skilled person
apprentice
for a particular period of time and often for low Most of the work was done by apprentices.
Pre-speaking (n)
payment, in order to learn that person's skills

Whether you work for a large corporation or

corporation a large company or group of companies that is
small company, following these easy
(n) controlled together as a single organization
Vocabulary development guidelines can help you to succeed.

entrepreneur someone who starts their own business, especially He was one of the entrepreneurs of the 80s
(n) when this involves seeing a new opportunity who made their money in property.
Use the handout. incentive Bonus payments provide an incentive to
something that encourages a person to do something
(n) work harder.
Complete the sentences using the companies and activities involved in the process of
industry The government is trying to attract industry
the words below. There are (n)
producing goods for sale, especially in a factory or
to the area .
special area
three words you do not need
to use. lucrative (especially of a business, job, or activity) producing a He gave up a lucrative career as a lawyer to
(adj) lot of money look after his kids.
apprentice monopoly a situation in which one company or person or a
A decision by the Supreme Court struck
monopoly government has no competition in the sale of a
corporation overheads down the state's monopoly on radio and
(n) particular product or service and is able to control its
television stations.
supply and price
entrepreneur redundant
overheads the regular and necessary costs, such as rent and The combined company aims to reduce
incentive turnover (n) heating, that are involved in operating a business annual overheads by as much as £2 billion.
industry worth redundant (especially of a word, phrase, etc.) unnecessary To keep the company alive, half the
(adj) because it is more than is needed workforce is being made redundant.
lucrative
turnover the amount of business that a company does in a The business has an annual turnover of
(n) period of time £50,000.
worth
having a particular value, especially in money Our house is worth £200,000.
(adj)
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Test strategies
Band
Focus on pronunciation
Read the descriptors for
band 6 - 8.
What features of
pronunciation you could use
to increase your overall
speaking score?
Grammatical range and accuracy
• uses a wide range of pronunciation features
8 • sustains flexible use of features, with only occasional lapses
• is easy to understand throughout; L1 accent has minimal effect on intelligibility
• shows all the positive features of Band 6 and some, but not all, of the positive features of
7
Band 8
• uses a range of pronunciation features with mixed control
• shows some effective use of features but this is not sustained
6
• can generally be understood throughout, though mispronunciation of individual words or
sounds reduces clarity at times
1. What are your strengths and weaknesses in pronunciation?
2. What aspects do you need to practice?
3. How could you improve them?
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Pre-speaking
Focus on pronunciation
Listen to two candidates
answering a Part 3 question.
Discuss their performance.
(Task 2)
Kenji Steffi
1. Persistence is crucial for success because it helps individuals stay focused on their
goals despite challenges. With persistence, people keep trying even when faced with
setbacks, which increases their chances of achieving their goals. It allows individuals to
learn from failures and adapt their strategies, leading to progress and accomplishments.
In summary, persistence is a key personality trait that propels individuals toward success
by enabling them to persevere in their aspirations.
2. Teaching children and young people that success is something to aim for can be
beneficial as it instills ambition and motivation in them. It encourages them to set goals,
work hard, and strive for excellence in various aspects of their lives. However, it's essential
to emphasize that success is not solely defined by external achievements but also by
personal growth, resilience, and well-being. Encouraging a balanced perspective on
success helps young individuals develop healthy attitudes towards achievement and
fosters holistic development.
3. The pressure to be successful can have detrimental effects on individuals' mental and
emotional well-being. It may lead to anxiety, stress, and burnout as individuals constantly
feel the need to meet high expectations, both from themselves and others. This pressure
can also result in a fear of failure, which stifles their creativity. Additionally, the relentless
pursuit of success at all costs may cause individuals to neglect their physical health,
relationships, and overall happiness. Ultimately, the pressure to be successful can lead to
many negative consequences like feelings of inadequacy or dissatisfaction.
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Test practice
Part 3
Work in pairs and take turns to
ask and answer the questions.
• If possible, record your
answers.
• Analyse your & your friends’
responses.
 Technique used?
 Pronunciation?
 Vocabulary used?
Set 1:
1. Which personality traits would you say are the main contributors to being
successful?
2. What do you think about teaching children and young people that success is
something they should always aim for?
3. How can the pressure to be successful be damaging for individuals?
Set 2:
1. How has technology impacted the way people now work?
2. What skills would you consider to be essential in the modern workplace? Which
workplace skills from the past have retained their importance? Why?
3. Which jobs are most valued in your society? Why is this? How likely is it that
this will change in the future?
4. How do you think the workplace and offices of the future are going to change?
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Language
Development
accomplished expressive innovative
Describe personal qualities
inspirational single-minded tenacious
Complete the definitions with
the words in the box.
1. A ________________ person has one clear aim and works very hard to achieve it
without deviating from this goal.
2. Someone who is ________________ provides encouragement or fosters motivation
in others.
3. A ________________ individual is unwilling to stop trying even when there are
setbacks.
4. Someone who is ________________ tends to show very clearly what they think or
feel.
5. An ________________ person uses or creates methods and techniques that are
new, different and superior to those that existed before.
6. An ________________ individual is very skillful or very successful in the area in
which they work.

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Reflection
Phrases such as Mmm, that’s a difficult question can give the person speaking more
Create thinking time time to think. Knowing some of these phrases can help give you thinking time in the
Speaking test.

Pronunciation Connected speech is an important part of the Speaking paper as it contributes to students’
scores for fluency and pronunciation. Make sure this is an aspect of speech that students focus
on developing during the course.

Part 3 Give extra practice on Part 3 questions. Part 3 questions are more abstract and about society in
general (whereas Part 1 questions are personal). Make sure you speak for 30–45 seconds for
each answer.

Describe personal Sometimes in Part 2 of the IELTS Speaking test, you may be asked to give a description of a
qualities person.

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Homework

Complete the
homework quiz for this
lesson.

We will review your

answers in the next
lesson.

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IELTS MasterClass 7 - Advanced 1

Thank you!

Are there any

questions?

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