7 TYPES of SPEAKING QUESTIONS ( Part 1)

Lead-in phrase: Well, actually, to be honest, Honestly, Frankly speaking, To be frank

Lead-in + Answer + Explain / Example ( for example / for instance/ to illustrate)
Because = simply/ mainly/ just because
1. BASIC DESCRIPTION Question ( tell me / describe)
“ Describe / tell me about your hometown” – province
Idea 1 + Industrial parks -> Easy to find jobs ( lucrative career / well-paid job)
Idea 2 + Road / street – wide  move / no traffic jam ( traffic congestion)

Câu mở đầu  Well, ….

 Actually, ….I want to tell you about….
 Ok then, …Today I wanna say about

Idea #1  Talking about…, S +V

 Regarding …, S +V
 ..the first idea I would like to mention is that..its location + giải thích.
 ..the point I'd like to begin with is that...
 ...I could start off by saying that...
 ...my initial point would be that...
 ...I need to start off by pointing out that...
 ...the main thing you need to know is that...
 ...I suppose I should begin by highlighting the fact that...
 ...you may (or may not) be aware that in fact...
 ...I really need to kick off with the point that...

Idea #2  In addition to this,…

 As well as that, …
 And I should not forget to mention that …
 Another idea that I want to say is …that SVO + giải thích…
 Another point which I could add is that...
 A second feature which I should mention is that...
 On top of that I can also add that...

Idea #3  What I like most about …. is that +S +V

(điều mình  I guess the thing I find most enjoyable is
thích nhất)  The most enjoyable aspect about …is
 And I shouldn't forget to mention that...
 In addition to what I've just said, I can add that...
 Something else that I need to comment on is that..
 . I guess I could also remark on the fact that...

Well, I was born and raised in Binh Duong

city, (Location) which is about 1-hour-drive
from Ho Chi Minh city.(Weather) Talking
about the weather, my hometown is located in
southern Vietnam, so the weather is hot all year
round. However, I have lived there since I was
 a kid so now I am familiar with the weather. (Attractions) As well as that, Dong Nai is famous for plenty
of tourist attractions such Giang Dien Fall, Buu Long Tourist Park and Cat Tien National
Park. (People) But what I like most about my hometown is that the people. They are very welcoming
and are willing to give you a hand when you are in need.

2. LIKING question

Cụm từ có nghĩa thay thế cho “liking”. Các bạn có thể sử dụng những cụm sau:
“I’m fairly/pretty keen on... I’m quite enthusiastic I’m quite partial to...
I’m really into... about... I’m quite passionate about...
I’m quite a big fan of I generally prefer...
I simply adore.. I’m quite/pretty fond of

Cụm từ dẫn: (starting phrases)

Lead-in phrase + CHUNG ( in general/ at large) + LIKE …. Riêng + LIKE ….. giải thích

Well, I would have to say that

- Well, in general I would say that... - Of course I think I’d have to say that...
- Actually, I suppose that for the most part I’d - Certainly I would definitely say that...
probably say that... - Well, I guess that generally speaking I
- Well, to be honest I should really say that... would certainly say that...

Example: ―Well in general I would say that I'm quite passionate about Italian food;...‖
Sau đó, bạn cần nói cụ thể hơn về chủ đề của mình. Bạn có thể dùng cấu trúc:

...but in particular...                                       ...to be more precise...

...particularly...                                                 ...to be more specific...
...especially...                                                   ...to be more exact...
...specially...                                                      ...to be more accurate...

“Well in general I would say that I’m quite passionate about Italian food, to be more specific, I
would probably say that I’m really into pizza and pasta...”

Và bạn sẽ chèn thêm vào một cụm từ nối để giới thiệu lí do đầu tiên:

And I guess this is probably because...

This could be because...
This is due to the fact that...SVO
I suppose the reason has something to do with the fact that...

“Well in general I would say that I’m quite passionate about Italian food, to be more specific I would
probably say that I’m really into pizza and pasta. This is mainly because my girlfriend is Italian so she
always cooks Italian cuisine at home.”
What food do you like? (SPECIALITY)
DO YOU LOVE BOOKS

3. Disliking question
Lead – in + Chung + Dislike ( in some cases / to some extent) + Cụ thể + Dislike …..
I’m not keen on... I’m not much of a fan of... I’m not really that fond of..
Hoặc nếu nhấn mạnh nghĩa hơn bạn có thể dùng:
I totally detest... I absolutely loathe... I really can’t stand.

Một số các discourse markers và từ nối giúp tăng tính mạch lạc cho câu

1.I don't know about other people, but for me + S +V (tôi không biết về người khác thì
sao, nhưng với tôi thì ....)
Do you like playing football?/ Travelling? Cooking? Doing household chores?

Honestly/ To be honest/ Frankly speaking, (Thật lòng mà nói/ Nói thẳng ra thì …)

2.From my observation, a lot of people seem to really enjoy .... but I am an

exception. (Theo quan sát của tôi, nhiều người có vẻ rất thích ….. những tôi là ngoại lệ)

What food don’t you like?

What job don’t you like doing?
What kinds of film don’t you like?

Question: Is there any kind of food that you dislike?

Well, I don’t know about other people but for me, I am not really fond of “bún mắm” . This is simply
because it is a bit too salty to my liking. Besides, it has a very unique pungent smell which I cannot stand.

Is there anything that you don’t like about your hometown?

Air + Relations - Talkative
I suppose if i have to…

Starting point + generally Dislike ….a little bit/ a bit, particularly …… I cant stand Air + Giải thích
I just wanna say that. I don’t like…to some cases / extent

Question: “Is there anything you don’t like about your hometown?”

Answer: “Of course I think I’d have to say that I’m not so keen on the weather. To be more precise, I
really can’t stand the summer months. This is due to the fact that the temperatures can get as high as 40
degrees so it can be quite uncomfortable if you don’t have air conditioning in your house. In addition to
this, I’m not really that fond of the public transport system. And I guess this is probably because the
buses are too old and the seats are really hard, so long journeys are usually pretty bumpy.”

4.“Types” Question = KINDS = sorts

Lead-in + Có nhiều ( There are a lot of Nouns) + But , so sánh nhất (the most
interesting) + Answer + Giải thích

Begin with an opening phrase:

 - Well actually... - Of course, you know...

- Sure, obviously... - Of course, it goes without saying

- Ok, certainly...

Then use one of the following:

- ... there’s a mixed variety of..Noun nhiều.

- ... there’s a wide range of...

- ... there’s an extensive diversity of...

- ... there’s a diverse mixture of...

- ... there’s a broad range of...

Now use the following structure to intro duce the first type:

- But I guess the most + adj ... would probably be...

- However, I suppose the most+ adj ... could possibly be...

- Though I think the most + adj ... would potentially be...

- Yet I imagine the most + adj ... may well be...

Still, I suspect that the most+ adj ... could perhaps be...

common commonplace influential

popular frequent prevalent
notorious
fashionable trendy

famous well-known crucial

widely-used widely-known prominent
important significant widespread
standard conventional celebrated
hip with-it commonly-used
usual customary common-known
current fashionable notably
best-selling up-to-date renowned

Answer: Of course, it goes without saying that there’s quite a mixed variety of public transportin my city.
Though I think the most commonly- used would potentially be buses.‖
 Dạng : What types of ... do you like?

 When it comes to …………, my go-to is

……………..
(Khi nhắc đến ……,  cái yêu thích của tôi là ….)
 Most girls/ boys/ people enjoy ……, and I’m
no exception
(Đa số con gái/ con trai/ mọi người thích ….., và tôi
không phải là ngoại lệ)
 There are many kinds of ……that I enjoy,
one of which is …………
(Có rất nhiều loại ….. mà tôi thích, một trong số đó
là ……..)

Giải thích lí do  The reason for this is that ……..

(Lí do cho điều này là ……….)
 This is simply because ……………
(Điều này đơn giản là vì ……..)

What kind of movie do you like?

Candidate: (Loại thứ nhất) There are many kinds of movie that I enjoy, one of which is  action
movie. (Giải thích) This is simply because I enjoy watching characters face dangerous situations and
battle against others to survive.

Dạng: What type of ... are popular in Vietnam?

Giới thiệu loại thứ nhất  From my observation, there’s a wide range of ……that Vietnamese
people love, one of which is ………..
 (Theo quan sát của tôi, có rất nhiều loại ….mà người Việt Nam thích,
một trong số chúng là …)
 There’s a mixed variety of ……..in my country, but obviously  the
most popular one is….
 (Có nhiều loại … ở nước tôi, nhưng rõ ràng cái phổ biến nhất là …)

Giải thích lí do   Probably because ….

Giới thiệu, miêu tả   (Có lẽ là vì ….)
thêm  I guess/ suppose the reason for this is that ……..
  (Tôi đoán/ cho rằng lí do cho điều này là ……….)

5. Wh-/How Often Questions

( WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, HOW, HOW OFTEN, )

Lead -in phrase + It depends on ( Feelings/ Mood/ Situation) . Like for example:

+ If S + hiện tại đơn , S will Vo

But / However/ nevertheless
+ If S + hiện tại đơn , S will Vo
 Casual clothes/ Uniform ( tailors’shop)
Will be my priority/ preference

What do you do to relax at the weekend?

Where do you want to eat? ( mall)/ street food – market / food stall
When do you usually go to the movie theater?
How often do you eat at the restaurant ?

Step 1: Chọn cách mở đầu • …I guess my answer would be determined by different

• Well to be honest conditions.
Honestly, To be frank, Frankly speaking, Actually,… Step 3: Thêm linking phrase
• Well in truth… • Like for instance…
Actually to be fair… • More precisely like…
• Well in all fairness… • Like more specifically…
• In actual fact… • Like, to be more direct…
• In fact, in all honesty… • You know like, to be exact…
Step 2: Thêm một cụm “depends” Step 4:
It really depends. • If (situation A)… then I will most likely…
• …I think I would have to say that it really depends. • If (situation A)… then it’s quite possible than I will…
• …I suppose I would have to maintain that it kind of • If (situation A)… then as a consequence I will
depends really. probably…
• …I imagine that it would depend on the situation. • If (situation A)… then I guess it’s quite likely that I
will

―Well in all fairness, I imagine that it would depend on the situation. Like for instance, if (situation
A) ... then I will…... so/because/in fact ...

Whereas on the other hand ...

Though, at the same time ...
While, oppositely ...

( situation B)….I will.. Because

Well, I want to say that it really depends. Like for instance, If I’m in a good mood, I would go for
those cheerful and upbeat songs ‘cause they really help boost my mood even more and keep me
productive all day. Whereas/ in/ by contrast, if I’m feeling a little blue, I just want to listen to those
songs which have soothing and soft melodies to make myself feel better.

6.Yes/No Questions :

Tránh lặp lại từ trong câu hỏi ở Phần đầu của câu trả lời

Hoặc sử dụng 1 số các từ sau:

o Definitely
 o Absolutely
o Not really = No
o I don’t think so
o I have to say no/yes ( Nope/ Yup)
o Well, I agree, …

Nếu bạn không hoàn toàn chắc chắn về câu trả lời của bạn (Yes hoặc No), bạn có thể trả lời: “tùy
thuộc vào từng trường hợp”:

Do you eat healthy food?

Well, to be honest. I would have to say that it really depends. Usually, I prefer to eat something quick
and convenient such as instant noodles. Although sometimes I would rather spend a little more time and
cook something healthier such as a rice and veggies.

Do you eat fast food? ( S be high in Fat)

Do you prefer A or B?

Phần đầu tiên của câu trả lời:

 Personally, I prefer A to B/ If I were to choose between the two, I would go for the
former/latter

Do you like city or countryside to live?

Prefer A to B

Would rather + Vo

Do you love living in an apartment or a house?

Would you like to read books in Vietnamese or English?

Do you want to work in foreign or Vietnamese companies?

 In a word, I will go for A. 

Phần thứ hai (giải thích chi tiết): 

 This is simply because/ There are several reasons why…

 Besides/ Moreover/ In addition/…

 Dạng questions of popularity: Is/are X the most popular (transport/clothing/…)

Phần đầu tiên của câu trả lời:

 It depends.
 Not really.
  Yes, exactly

Phần thứ hai:

 I think it’s because

 I suppose it could be caused by…

 Dạng questions of importance : Is/Are A important?

Phần đầu tiên của câu trả lời:

- Yes, I always believe/ Think that A is essential and necessary for…

- Absolutely. Without (doing) A, we would +… / Let’s imagine, if …

Phần thứ hai:

- Besides, …
- So, obviously, there is no doubt about the significance of A.

BOTH ―Yes‖ and ―No

“Is healthy eating important?”

Is Fast food neccessary? It contains a lot salt and fat , so it causes many sicknesses

Yummy/ delicious -> save time -

But everything has two sides.

Well in actual fact, If I think about it, I guess that in many ways it’s fairly important, especially when
you consider that a healthy diet can help to prevent a variety of diseases and health problems such as
diabetes and obesity. But you also have to understand that eating unhealthy food in moderation is not
overly harmful. In fact unhealthy food is often tastier than healthy food so I guess it’s fine to eat a little
junk food now and then. So all in all I guess my answer would have to be yes and no.‖

First, use an opening phrase:

- Well in actual fact, if I think about it, I guess that in many ways ...

- OK, well in reality, I suppose that to some extent ...

- Alright, I guess that on the one hand ...

- Well certainly in some ways ...

Now make your first statement (eg, It’s fairly important ...). Develop the first statement using a
linking structure:

- ... especially when you consider that ...

 - .. particularly if you think about the - ...especially with regard to the point
point that ... that...

- ...and this is definitely the case with...

Now you need to introduce your ―No‖ answer. First use a linking phrase:

- But you also have to understand that . - At the same time you could say that

- Even so, you could also say that ...

You can ―round-off the answer with one of the following phrases:

- So all in all I guess my answer would have to be yes and no.

- So on the whole I suppose the answer has to be yes and no.

- So all things considered I guess the answer is both yes and no.

- So in the main, I suppose the answer is probably yes and no

It is possible to use this type of structure for many, but not all, ―Yes/No‖ questions.

1. Do you like reading?

Well, that depends. I love reading for pleasure. I’m a big fan of science fiction and fantasy novels. But, I
also have to read a lot of text books and journal articles for my studies and that can be quite boring, not to
mention tiring.

2. Were you a good student in high school?

I think I was good and bad. By that I mean, I got good grades and passed all my tests, although I was quite
lazy and didn’t study that much. I definitely wasn’t a diligent (thông minh, giỏi giang) student. I guess I
just had a good memory and was able to learn things quickly.

3. Have you been abroad before?

No. When I go overseas to study, it’ll be my first time. I’ve always dreamed of going abroad, so I’m really
excited, although also a little nervous. Actually, I haven’t even been on a plane before, so there’ll be lots
of new experiences.

7. WOULD QUESTION

-> Well, to be quite honest, I’ve never thought about that.

But I guess, if I had a chance, I would…

Practice: What would you like to change about your city?

Well, to be quite honest with you, I don’t think I’ve ever thought about that. But I guess, If I had a chance
I would choose to upgrade our public transport system. This is because I want to solve traffic congestion
in big cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh by encouraging more people to take public transportation