chủ đề IELTS Speaking
chủ đề IELTS Speaking
(Vocab + Sample)
Lesson 1: Holidays 2
Lesson 2: Relationships 5
Lesson 3: Technology 8
Lesson 4: Sport 10
Lesson 5: Food 13
Lesson 6: Education 15
Lesson 7: Work 18
Lesson 8: Health 21
Lesson 9: Books and Films 24
Lesson 10: Accommodation 26
Lesson 11: Clothes and Fashion 29
Lesson 12: Personality 31
Lesson 13: Business 34
Lesson 14: Physical Appearance 36
Lesson 15: Town and City 39
Lesson 16: Music 42
Lesson 17: Weather 44
Lesson 18: Shopping 47
Lesson 19: Environment 50
Lesson 20: Advertising 53
Lesson 1: Holidays
Part 1-style questions
Examiner: What kind of holiday do you like?
Miguel: I try to avoid tourist traps … I like to get away from it all and prefer
going somewhere off the beaten track … last year I had the holiday of a lifetime
… a two week wildlife safari in Kenya.
Examiner: What do you like to do when you’re on holiday?
Anna: I enjoy visiting the local places of interest … I like to go sightseeing and
always sign up for guided tours as it’s a chance to be shown around and take
photographs … one of my hobbies.
Examiner: Do you have many tourists in your country?
Amy: Yes … we have a lot of holiday resorts along the coast that are popular
with tourists … most people come on package holidays and stay in one of the
many hotels and self-catering apartments.
Part 2-style task
Describe a beautiful place you once visited. You should say:
● when you went to this place
● where it was
● who you went with
and say why you liked it so much.
Sally: A few years ago I went on a long weekend to the Lake District in the UK
… it’s a very popular holiday destination in the north of England … I went on
my own and had a wonderful time … I stayed in a youth hostel and met some
really nice people … but the most memorable thing about the holiday were the
breathtaking views … and lovely picturesque villages … it can get very busy
with hordes of tourists so I decided to go out of season in the autumn … the
weather was fantastic and the shops were full of local crafts
… a really great holiday … it’s certainly not the kind of short break for
someone looking for a busy nightlife but if you want to relax in the middle of
stunning landscape I would certainly recommend a holiday to the Lake District.
Part 3-style questions
Examiner: What do you think has led to the growth in the tourism industry?
Miguel: It’s much easier and affordable to travel now … nowadays you can get
cheap charter-flights or all-in packages … to somewhere near or to a far-off
destination.
Examiner: How do people tend to choose a destination?
Anna: The Internet is a great source of information and high street travel agents
are still very popular … that’s where I like to go to get holiday brochures for the
place I’m interested in.
Examiner: People sometimes say flying is the most glamorous form of travel.
Do you agree?
Amy: I’m not so sure really … flying can be quite boring … queuing up at the
check-in desk … going through passport control … sitting for ages in the
departure lounge … then the flight itself can be quite uncomfortable
… no … I’m not sure I agree. Definitions
● all-in package/package holiday: a holiday where you purchase the travel and
accommodation together
● breathtaking view: an extremely beautiful view
● charter-flight: a cheaper form of flying than a scheduled flight
● check-in desk: the place at the airport where you register for your flight and deposit
your luggage
● departure lounge: where you wait for your flight to be called
● far-off destination: somewhere a long way away
● to get away from it all: to take a holiday to escape a busy or stressful lifestyle
● guided tour: an organised group shown around a place of interest by an expert
● holiday brochure: a glossy publication with details of holiday packages
● holiday destination: where you go for a holiday
● holiday of a lifetime: a special holiday that you are unlikely to repeat
● holiday resort: a place where lots of people go for a holiday
● hordes of tourists: crowds of tourists
● local crafts: objects produced locally
● long weekend: an extended weekend holiday including Friday or Monday
● out of season: outside of the main holiday period
● picturesque village: very pretty village
● passport control: the place where your passport is checked
● places of interest: sites of interest to tourists
● wildlife safari: a holiday, often in Africa, to observe wild animals
● self-catering: a holiday where you supply your own food
● short break: a short holiday
● to go sightseeing: to look around the tourist sites
● stunning landscape: extremely beautiful countryside
● travel agent: a shop that specialises in booking holidays
● tourist trap: somewhere where too many tourists go
● youth hostel: a cheap form of accommodation
Lesson 2: Relationships
Part 1-style questions
Examiner: Do you see your friends very often?
Louisa: Yes … we meet up most weekends … we all get on really well and
have a lot in common so we’re always happy doing the same things and going
to the same places.
Examiner: What do you like about your close friends?
Anna: I think we enjoy each other’s company … we see eye-to-eye on most
things so we rarely fall out with each other.
Examiner: Have you known each other long?
Amy: Most of them yes … although my closest friend Carrie … we struck up a
relationship at college and got on like a house on fire … but yes … my other
friendships go back years to when we were at school.
Part 2-style task
Describe a person you are very close to. You should say:
● who this person is
● when you met them
● where you met them
and say what it is about them you like so much.
Reiko: I’d like to talk about my boyfriend … Jose … we got to know each other
at University almost 4 years ago … we were in the same department
… initially we were just good friends and used to go out in a group with our
other friends … when Jose went back to Spain for the holidays we would keep
in touch with each other … then one year he invited me to come to Spain with
him … and that’s when we fell for each other I think … so you couldn’t really
say it was love at first sight as it had been over a year since we’d met … but we
really hit it off and by the time we got back to university in September we were
able to tell all our friends that we were in a relationship … what do I like about
Jose … well he’s very kind … very funny
… and very supportive … and we’re really well matched in our interests … he
hasn’t popped the question yet though … we’ve talked about getting married
and I think we’re both ready to settle down and have children … we’ll just have
to wait and see …
Part 3-style questions
Examiner: Do you think marriage is still as important as ever?
Cristine: Yes … it certainly is in my country … I think the problem for some
people is a lack of commitment … all relationships have their ups and
Examiner: What do you think is the ideal time to get married?
Terry: Personally … I think you should wait until you’ve found yourself first
… decided if you want a career … perhaps do some travelling … you should do
this before tying the knot … although if you fall head over heels in love plans
like these can easily be forgotten.
Examiner: Is it important to keep in contact with our friends when we’re in
a relationship?
Maria: Absolutely … it’s so easy to drift apart from your friends when you fall
in love … but I think both partners should try not to lose touch with their friends
… that’s the best way to have a healthy relationship with your partner. Definitions
● to break up: to end a romantic relationship
● to drift apart: to become less close to someone
● to enjoy someone’s company: to like spending time with someone
● to fall for: to fall in love
● to fall head over heels in love: to start to love someone a lot
● to fall out with: to have a disagreement and stop being friends
● to get on like a house on fire: to like someone’s company very much indeed
● to get on well with: to understand someone and enjoy similar interests
● to get to know: to begin to know someone
● to go back years: to have known someone for a long time
● to have a lot in common: to share similar interests
● to have ups and downs: to have good and bad times
● a healthy relationship: a good, positive relationship
● to hit it off: to quickly become good friends with
● to be in a relationship: to be romantically involved with someone
● to be just good friends: to not be romantically involved
● to keep in touch with: to keep in contact with
● to lose touch with: to not see or hear from someone any longer
● love at first sight: to fall in love immediately you meet someone
● to pop the question: to ask someone to marry you
● to see eye to eye: to agree on a subject
● to settle down: to give up the single life and start a family
● to strike up a relationship: to begin a friendship
● to tie the knot: to get married
● to be well matched: to be similar to
● to work at a relationship: to try to maintain a positive relationship with someone
Lesson 3: Technology
Part 1-style questions
Examiner: Do you enjoy using technology?
Stephan: Well … I wouldn’t call myself a techie or a computer buff but I enjoy
using computers … I’d like to find out more about how they work … when my
computer crashes I never know what to do.
Examiner: Do you use the Internet for your studies?
Sophie: Yes … I’d be lost without it … I do lots of video conferencing to
practise speaking and social media like Facebook is a good way to meet up with
other students … and I download podcasts that teach English vocabulary and
grammar.
Examiner: Do you have your own computer?
Tania: Yes … I have a Macbook Pro … I use it all the time … for word
processing … browsing websites and catching up with TV programmes I’ve
missed.
Part 2-style task
Describe an item of technology you have that is very important. You should say:
● what the technology is
● when you got it
● how often you use it and say how different your daily life would be
without it.
Mattie: I don’t have many gadgets … just a computer … a laptop and my
mobile phone … but I’ll talk about my computer as it’s so useful … it’s funny
really … 2 years ago I was still learning to use computers … how to use email
… send attachments how to access websites … then I decided to do a digital
editing course for video and photography … and so I bought the laptop when I
started the course … my husband had a desktop PC but it was very slow so I
decided to upgrade to a powerful one because we do a lot of video editing on
the course … it’s a high-spec laptop … very fast … the latest operating system
… it boots up really quickly and it’s fun to use so it makes working a pleasure
… I’ve become a competent computer user now … if I didn’t have it I daresay
I’d have to spend more time at college using their computers … but on the
positive side I suppose I’d read a lot more if I didn’t have it … I probably waste
a
lot of time surfing the web … but hopefully I won’t have to be without it …
Part 3-style questions
Examiner: What do you think are the important things people need to learn
when they start using computers?
Alejandro: Well … there are things like how to use the Internet … how to enter
a web address … how to navigate websites … that kind of thing but it’s also
important to know how to back up your files in case your computer crashes …
and all about Internet security.
Examiner: What kind of technological developments have made the biggest
impact on our lives?
Faydene: In my lifetime it has to be the Internet of course but I also think wifi
has made a huge difference to how we interact with the Internet … wireless
networks at home and public wifi hotspots mean we can go online easily …
access our mail … log into our work intranet and basically be connected
wherever we are.
Examiner: Do computers make it much easier to study?
Jane: Definitely yes … researching information is much easier with the
Internet .. you can bookmark webpages for future reference and writing essays
is much easier … being able to cut and paste sections of text means you can
experiment with organisation … so yes … compared to years ago when you had
a pile of books on your desk and a pen and paper
… it’s now much easier.
Definitions
● to access websites/email: to locate
● to back up files: to make a copy of files in case of a computer problem
● to boot up: to start a computer
● to bookmark a webpage: to mark a webpage for future reference
● to browse websites: to look at websites
● a computer buff: an expert computer user
● to crash: to suddenly stop working
● to cut and paste: to move text or images from one place in a document to another
place
● a desktop PC: a computer that isn’t portable and remains in situ on a desk
● digital editing: to edit digital materials like audio or video files
● download (podcasts): to save a copy of a file from the internet to your own device
● to enter a web address: to type the address of a website into the address bar of your
browser
● a gadget: a technological tool like a mobile phone or camera
● to go online: to start using the Internet
● high-spec (laptop): powerful computer with top quality components
● Internet security: Internet safety
● intranet: a network of connected computers within an organisation that is not
accessible by unauthorised visitors
● to navigate a website: to find your way around a website
● operating system: the software that tells the computer how to work
● send an attachment: send an email with an accompanying file
● social media: media used to interact with other people such as Facebook or Twitter
● to surf the web: to look at a series of websites one after the other
● a techie: somebody who has an interest in technology
● to upgrade: to obtain a more powerful or feature-rich computer or piece of
software
● video conferencing: to see and hear people from different locations using the
Internet
● wireless hotspot: a public place where you can access the Internet
● wireless network: a network where users can access the Internet without the use of
fixed cables
● word processing; producing written texts on a computer
Lesson 4: Sport
Part 1-style questions
Examiner: Do you do any sports?
Loiuse: Not really … no … I always say I’m going to take up exercise and try
to get into shape but I never seem to get started … I sometimes wonder whether
I should get a personal trainer … someone who will sort out a fitness
programme for me and make me train hard ….
Examiner: How do you spend a typical weekend?
Stella: I’m a big football fan and weekends always centre around a football
match … I support FC Utrecht and have a season ticket so I go to most of the
home games and quite a few of the away games too … I’m
really looking forward to the new football season starting soon …
Examiner:
Have you got any hobbies or interests?
Theo: Yes … I’m really keen on sports … I do judo once a week and play
tennis in the summer … I think it’s really important to keep fit … it makes you
feel good and energised for work and your studies ….
Part 2-style task
Describe a place you like going to in your leisure time. You should say:
● what this place is
● when you go there
● what you do there and say why you enjoy it there so much.
Maurice: I’d like to talk about my local sports centre … it’s a place I spend a lot
of time in … it’s a new building with all the latest sports facilities … I probably
go there at least twice a week … sometimes more often … it’s a huge place …
there’s an outdoor athletics track and some football pitches
… I play football so I’m often out there … there are several indoor squash and
tennis courts that I use occasionally … a big swimming pool … although I don’t
use that very often … I’m not a very strong swimmer … there’s a gym … lots
of things really … why do I enjoy going there … it’s just a really fun place to
be … there’s a good social side to it all … you can enter competitions … meet
up with other people who want to do the same sports … and because there are
so many activities on offer it gets you interested in different things … for
example I was listening to some people talking about training to run the
marathon and I’ve decided I might even think about that … I go jogging a
couple of times a week so it would give me something to aim for … so yes …
the
sports centre … that’s the place I really like to visit …
Part 3-style questions
Examiner: Should people be encouraged more to take up sport? Alejandro: I
think young people should be given the chance to discover
which sport they might like … watching sport is sometimes a good way to
get people started … not on TV but actually getting out … take athletics for
example … they could go to an athletics meeting … there are so many different
sports on show one might interest them …
Examiner: Why do some people enjoy participating in sport more than others?
Florrie: That’s a good question … I suppose some people are more concerned
about their health … they can’t stand the thought of being out of condition …
other people might be driven to excel … they want to set records or get personal
bests …
Examiner: Which sports do you think are best for people who aren’t used
Julie: Well … I think people like this should avoid strenuous exercise so things
like circuit training are definitely out of the question … maybe just doing a brisk walk
every day … or swimming is always a good way to get started … Definitions
● an athletics meeting: an event where various athletics sports are held
● an athletics track: a running track
● an away game: a football match played in the opposing teams stadium
● a brisk walk: a fast walk
● to do judo: (not go or play)
● a football fan: someone who likes football
● a fitness programme: a schedule of activities to keep fit
● a football match: a game of football
● a football pitch: the surface on which you play football (as opposed to a stadium,
which is the building)
● a football season: a period in the year when football is played
● to get into shape: to become fit
● to go jogging: to run around the streets
● a home game: a football match played in the teams own stadium
● to keep fit: to stay in good physically condition
● to be out of condition: to not be physically fit
● a personal best: to achieve the best personal result so far in a sport
● a personal trainer: a sports coach that helps you on a one-to-one basis
● to play tennis/football: (not do or go)
● to run the marathon: to run a distance of 42.195 Kilometres
● a season ticket: a ticket that gives you entry to most of a team’s home games
during the sporting year.
● to set a record: to achieve the best result in a sport
● a sports centre: a public building where people can do various sports
● sports facilities: the equipment and services needed to do a sport
● a squash/tennis/badminton court: the surface where you play these sports
● strenuous exercise: exercise that needs a lot of physical effort
● a strong swimmer: a good swimmer
● a swimming pool: the place where you swim
● to take up exercise: to start doing exercise
● to train hard: to train with a lot of effort
Lesson 5: Food
Part 1-style questions
Examiner: Do you like to cook?
Mandy: Not really no … most of the time I eat ready meals and take-aways
… that’s one of the reasons I love visiting my mum … you can always
guarantee lovely home-cooked food …
Examiner: What time do you usually eat dinner?
Michelle: We have our main meal at around 7.00 … I’m usually starving
hungry by then … in fact I often grab a bite to eat as soon as I get home from
college … a sandwich perhaps … but not too much to spoil my appetite …
Examiner: Are there any types of food you don’t like?
Lionel: No not really … I’m not a fussy eater at all … actually I eat like a
horse … I do a lot of sport and work up quite an appetite …
Part 2-style task
Describe a restaurant that you like to use. You should say
● where this restaurant is
● what kind of food it serves
● how often you go there and say why you like eating there so much.
Howard: OK … this is a nice topic to talk about … there’s a restaurant just
around the corner from where I live … it’s an Italian restaurant so as you’d
expect you can eat various pasta dishes and pizzas and I usually go there with
my family for a slap-up meal if we have anything to celebrate … it’s quite a
posh restaurant … the kind of place you would take someone if you wanted to
wine and dine them … we usually order a 3-course meal … a light starter then a
main dish … and I have quite a sweet tooth so I always look forward to the
dessert … I usually order Tiramisu … it makes my mouth water just to think
about it … I’m always totally full up by the end … why do I enjoy it there …
well … it’s not cheap … my parents always foot the bill and we couldn’t afford
to go there regularly so it’s always a nice treat …
Part 3-style questions
Examiner: How can we encourage people to eat more healthily?
Anna: I think the best approach is to have everything in moderation …
processed food won’t kill you if you only eat it occasionally … but people
should also be encouraged to eat a balanced diet … try to cook fresh
ingredients at home a few times a week …
Examiner: Do you think people enjoy their food as much as they should?
Florrie: I don’t know really … I suppose it’s true that people will often eat a
quick snack because they’re bored not because they’re dying of hunger … and
often they just bolt it down and don’t savour it … so yes … perhaps we could
take more time over our food …
Examiner: Do you think cooking is a pleasure or a chore for people who have
busy lives?
Julie: Well … whether you follow a recipe or make something up as you go
along … I think cooking is a very creative process … and cooking for other people is a
particular pleasure … there’s nothing more satisfying than seeing people you love tucking
into something you’ve cooked yourself … Definitions
● to be full up: to eat to the point that you can no longer eat any more
● to be starving hungry: an exaggerated way of saying you are very hungry
● to bolt something down: to eat something very quickly
● to be dying of hunger: an exaggerated way of saying you are hungry
● to eat a balanced diet: to eat the correct types and amounts of food
● to eat like a horse: to eat a lot
● to follow a recipe: to cook a meal using instructions
● to foot the bill: to pay the bill
● a fussy eater: somebody who has their own very high standards about what to eat
● to grab a bite to eat: to eat something quickly (when you’re in a rush)
● to have a sweet tooth: to enjoy sugary food
● home-cooked food: food cooked at home from individual ingredients
● the main meal: the most important meal of the day, usually eaten in the evening
● to make your mouth water: to make you feel very hungry for something
● to play with your food: to push food around the plate to avoid eating it
● processed food: commercially prepared food bought for convenience
● a quick snack: to eat a small amount of food between meals
● a ready meal: see ‘processed food’
● a slap up meal: a large meal
● to spoil your appetite: to eat something that will stop you feeling hungry when
it’s meal-time.
● a take away: a cooked meal prepared in a restaurant and eaten at home
● to tuck into: to eat something with pleasure
● to wine and dine: to entertain someone by treating them to food and drink
● to work up an appetite: to do physical work that leads to you becoming hungry
Lesson 6: Education
Part 1-style questions
Examiner: Are you studying English at a school?
Michel: Yes … I’m taking an intensive course at a local private language school
… I attend classes three times a week …
Examiner: Would you say you are a good student?
Susan: I’m OK I think … I’m pretty good at meeting deadlines and I’m keeping
up with my studies … plus I find it quite easy to learn things by heart which is
useful when learning a language …
Examiner: When you were younger did you enjoy your time at school?
Theo: Yes … I liked school … it was an ordinary state school … nothing
special … a single-sex school … which I’m not sure I liked … but the teachers
were great … I had lots of friends and I never played truant like some pupils
there …
Part 2-style task
Describe a time during your education that you really enjoyed. You should say:
● when this period was
● where you were
● what you were studying at the time and say why you were so happy.
Caroline: I’d like to tell you about my time at university … I was a mature
student … I didn’t go to university until I was 25 … and it was my first time
away from my parents so it was very exciting … I was doing a Bachelors
Degree and it was a bit of a challenge … some people take a year out but I’d
been away from education for 8 years … plus I had to work my way through uni
so I was very busy … and sitting exams at the end of each year was a new
experience for me as well but I really enjoyed higher education learning about a
subject I loved … history … and the social life was great as well … I don’t
think I’ve ever had so many friends … I had my graduation ceremony last year
in the local cathedral and I know my parents were really proud … so yes … that
was a really happy time … I’m thinking of doing a Masters Degree soon …
though that might be through
healthy I’m sure he must be very pleased with what he has achieved …
Part 3-style questions
Examiner: Why do some people decide to set up their own business?
Marion: I suppose it’s the idea of being in control of your own destiny … or of
believing in a product or service idea you may have … plus it must be very
exciting … launching products … winning contracts … and seeing your sales
figures improving must be wonderful …
Examiner: What are some of the dangers involved in starting a business?
Hiro: Well … obviously you need to have a good idea … some people say you
need to do market research beforehand so you know what the market wants …
if you don’t do this you could go under … and if it is a good idea the chances
are someone else is doing the same thing so you could end up facing stiff
competition …
Examiner: What are some of things you have to do when running your own
business that might not appeal to everyone?
Katy: Personally i don’t like being in debt so taking out a business loan
wouldn’t suit me at all … and I know a lot of companies do cold calling to try
and drum up business … that’s something I’d hate to do … and laying people
off if the business gets into trouble … that would be horrible …
Definitions
● to balance the books: to not spend more money than you are earning
● to be self-employed: to work for yourself/to not work for an employer
● to cold call: to make a sales call to someone without asking them for permission
first
● cut throat competition: when one company lowers its prices, forcing other
companies to do the same, sometimes to a point where business becomes
unprofitable
● to do market research: to do research into what potential customers would
or wouldn’t buy
● to draw up a business plan: to write a plan for a new business
● to drum up business: to try to get customers
● to earn a living: to earn money
● to go bust: when a business is forced to close because it is unsuccessful
● cash flow: the money coming in and going out of a business
● to go into business with: to join another person to start or expand a business
● to go it alone: to start your own business
● to go under: (see ‘to go bust’)
● to have a web presence: to have a website or social media profile that
● to go viral: to quickly become extremely popular on the Internet through social media
● junk mail: unwanted promotional leaflets and letters
● to launch a product: to introduce a new product
● mailing list: a list of names and contact details used by a company to send information and
advertisements
● mass media: large media outlets like TV, newspapers and magazines
● niche product: a product that is aimed at a distinct group of people
● to place an advert: to put an advert somewhere
● press release: something written by a company for newspapers and magazines and websites
to share and publish
● prime time: the time during the viewing schedule when most people watch TV or listen to a
broadcast
● product placement: to advertise a product by using it as a prop in a TV show or film
● sales page: a page specifically used to promote a product or service
● to show adverts: to display adverts on TV
● social media: websites that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social
networking.
● spam email: unwanted, promotional email
● target audience: the people a company want to sell their product or service to
● word of mouth: recommendations made by individuals to other individuals about a product of
service