99 cue card for IELTS speaking IELTS fighter

Li núi u:
Cỏc em thõn mn, giỳp cỏc em cú th luyn thi IELTS tt hn
m trong thi gian qua cỏc tờp th giỏo viờn cỷa IELTS Fighter dnh
rỗt nhiu thi gian biờn soọn cỏc b ti liu cc hay v chia sờ.
V b ti liu tng hp 99 Cue Card ny l mt trong s ũ.
B ti liu ny sở ỵc biờn soọn gm cỏc ni dung:
1. Li khuyờn dnh vic hc IELTS ting Anh hiu quõ
2. Tng hp 99 Cue Card cho phổn thi Speaking part 2
Nhỵng thc s, cụ (cụ Tr My ngỵi biờn soọn) rỗt tic l ồy chợ l
mt ti liu text n thuổn nhỵng lọi lọi l ti liu dnh cho
Speaking. V iu ỏng tic na l nú khụng dnh cho tỗt cõ cỏc
bọn. Nhỵng bọn band thỗp (< 6.5 IELTS) thỡ hc khụng hiu quõ.
Nhỵng cỏc em ng bun
Cụ sở cú phiờn bõn 2 (cụ tọm gi bõn ny l phiờn bõn 1 nhộ). Nú
sở rỗt ổy ỷ, bao gm:
1. Li khuyờn l trỡnh vụ cựng chi tit giỳp hc tt ting Anh chinh phýc 8.0 IELTS (cụ sở dnh thi gian v hc ting Anh
trỵc, IELTS sau nhộ, khi giúi ting Anh thỡ IELTS l Ok m)
2. Tng hp 99 Cue Card ổy ỷ - chi tit phõn theo level
3. File thu õm dnh cho tng Cue Card ging bõn ng - chuốn
IELTS Native
V nú s sm ra mt. Cỏc em ún xem ti fanpage nhộ!
Form cụ Tr My with love <3


Lời khuyên học tiếng Anh hiệu quả
Nhþ đã nòi ć trên, trong phiên bân tiếp theo Cô së chia sê đæy đû về
phþĄng pháp học tốt tiếng Anh – chinh phýc 8.0 IELTS đæy đû. Nhþng
hôm nay cô së chia sê về THAY ĐỔI THÓI QUEN HỌC TIẾNG ANH
nhé!

Phần 1: Rèn luyện thói quen học tiếng Anh hằng ngày
-

Täi sao các em dành nhiều thąi gian học tiếng Anh nhþng vén
không hiệu quâ?

-

Täi sao các em thþąng chán nân khi học tiếng Anh?

Làm thế nào để khắc phục được điều đó?

Để làm đþợc nhĂng điều này, các em hãy bít đæu bìng việc hän
chế facebook, Zalo “chat chit”„ đã, đọc tiếp nhé!

Đæu tiên, cô muốn phân tích một tí về 4 kï nëng học tiếng Anh bao
gồm Nghe – Nói – Đọc – Viết. Trong đò, cò 2 kï nëng mà cô gọi là Kĩ
năng vào đò chính là Nghe và Đọc, 2 kï nëng cñn läi đþợc gọi là kĩ
năng ra Nói và Viết.
Kĩ năng vào: Nghe và Đọc vs Kĩ năng ra: Nói và Viết
Sć dï, nò đþợc gọi là kï nëng vào đĄn giân đò là cách mà chúng ta së
tiếp thu, không chî tiếng Anh mà các kiến thĀc khác đều nhþ vêy câ.


Nghe c l cỏch tip nhờn thụng tin. V khi cũ lỵng thụng tin nhỗt
nh thỡ chỳng ta mi ra ỵc. ũ chớnh l Nũi v Vit.
Núi mt cỏch n giõn, chỳng ta phõi cũ lỵng tỵ vng ng phỏp
thỡ chỳng ta mi cú th Núi v Vit ỵc. V cú 2 cỏc kin thc ũ
thỡ chỳng ta phõi Nghe v c ỳng khụng no?
Tỗt nhiờn l 4 kù nởng nũ sở xuyờn sut vi nhau ri v c bit l

hc tờp tt thỡ khụng th ngoi 2 ch Luyn tờp luyn tờp v luyn
tờp ri.
Nhỵng hụm nay, trong phổn ny cụ sở nũi n vic ổu tiờn quan
trng nhỗt v theo sut tờn sau ny. ũ chớnh l thay i thúi quen.
Nghe thỡ cú vờ l bit ri kh lớm nũi mói nhỵng nũ lọi l mt
trong nhng nguyờn nhõn chớnh lm cỏc em khụng th hc ỵc
ting Anh ũ chớnh l khụng cũ mt thúi quen hc ting Anh mi ngy
v mt nguyờn nhồn khỏc m cụ cỹng mun cờp trong ny ũ
chớnh l mt mụi trỵng hc ting Anh tt na.
Nguyờn nhồn, phồn tớch kù thỡ chớc di. Nhỵng quan trong hn ũ l:

Lm sao khc phc c iu ú?
u tiờn, s NGHE:
-

Hóy nghe ting Anh mi lỳc, mi ni.

-

Thay i thũi quen nghe ting Vit tr thnh nghe ting Anh

Trong nghe, cũ 2 kù nởng chớnh ũ chớnh l Nghe Ch ng v Nghe
Th ng ũ cỹng l 2 kù nởng m cụ sở hỵng dộn v cờp cỏc
em trong chia sờ ny.

Nghe ch ng:


ũ chớnh l vic cỏc em dnh thi gian hc nghe bỡng cỏc bi nghe
nhỗt nh. Cú rỗt nhiu bi nghe m cỏc em cú th luyn nghe chỷ

ng cỹng nhỵ cỏc phỵng phỏp luyn nghe khỏc nhau.
Tuy nhiờn, ó nghe chỷ ng thỡ phõi kt hp vi vic hc (núi v vit)
i kốm mi hiu quõ. Khi ũ, cỏc em cổn phõi i kốm vi s nghiờm
tỳc na.
i vi cỏch Nghe chỷ ng thỡ cụ khuyờn cỏc em l cú th dnh thi
gian luyn nghe vi IELTS luụn v cú rỗt nhiu ti liu luyn nghe
phổn ny.
Ti liu: Cỏc em cú th luyn tờp vi cỏc b ti liu Listening for IELTS
(Collins), Listening Strategies for IELTS, Basic IELTS Listening
Rỗt nhiu!
(nu cỏc em cổn tỵ vỗn cú th inbox cho Cụ nhộ. Cụ sở chn cho
cỏc em mt b ti liu phự hp)
Tuy nhiờn, cụ khuyờn cỏc em nờn CH HC MT CUN DUY NHT v
theo ui nú t ổu n cui nhộ.
Thi gian: Mi ngy c gớng ti thiu khoõng 30 phỳt hc vi cỏc
ti liu ny.
Cũn na!
Cũn cú mt phỵng phỏp hc vụ cựng hiu quõ ũ chớnh l Nghe v
Chộp Chớnh Tõ. Nhỵng cụ sở cờp ti phỵng phỏp cỹng nhỵ ti liu
phự hp vi phỵng phỏp ny sau trong mt post khỏc nhộ. Hụm nay
chỳng ta bn v thúi quen nờn nghe v chộp chớnh tõ rỗt khú (theo
cụ) tọo nờn thúi quen nờn cụ khụng bn.


í cụ phổn ny l: Mi ngy, lụi mt vi bi trong cỏc cun sỏch ra
v hc, ngy no cỹng vờy thỡ nú sở tọo thnh thũi quen (nhỵ cỏc
em hc cỗp 3 luyn thi ọi Hc vộn chởm chợ ỗy).
Chợ n giõn th thụi!

Nghe th ng:

Cú mt phổn m cỏc em cổn thay i thúi quen cỹng l tọo mt
mụi trỵng bõn ng ũ chớnh l Nghe thý ng.
Hóy chuyn nhng thúi quen hỡng ngy tr thnh thúi quen hc ting
Anh. V cụ khụng khuyờn cỏc em nghe thi s - xem BBC, CNN sut
ngy hc nhỵ nhng ngỵi khỏc m cụ khuyờn cỏc em hóy
chuyn cỏc s thớch thúi quen cỷa mỡnh nũ Tồy hn m thụi.
Thay vỡ xem Ging Hỏt Vit sao cỏc em khụng xem The Voice England,
sao cỏc em khụng xem American idol thay cho Vit Nam idol?
í cụ l vờy ũ, cỏc em hóy xem cỏc chỵng trỡnh nỵc ngoi, nghe
cỏc bi hỏt bỡng ting Anh mi ngy thay cho vic xem cỏc
chỵng trỡnh m cỏc em yờu thớch bỡng ting Vit. Nú sở thay i kù
nởng nghe cỷa cỏc em khỷng khip sau mt thi gian ỗy!
Tỗt nhiờn, XEM KHễNG SUB nhộ. Xem cú phý nú chợ cõi thin kù
nởng c thụi!
Cũn mt phổn na ũ l nghe Radio, Podcast thỡ cụ sở cờp trong
mt bi vit chi tit khỏc cho cỏc em nhộ!

Thay i thúi quen c:
Cỹng ging Nghe, c cụ cỹng chia thnh 2 loọi ũ chớnh l c thý
ng v c chỷ ng.


V phổn c thý ng thỡ cỏc em cú th lm bi Reading hoc
chuyn sang c bi mộu Writing cỹng ỵc nhộ. Mi ngy cỹng ti
thiu 30 phỳt l sở thnh cụng.
Cũn v phổn c chỷ ng thỡ sao?
ũ chớnh l bỏo chớ, ti liu chuyờn ngnh cỏc em cổn nghiờn cu
Thc ra, nũ cỹng ging vi kù nởng nghe thụi. Cỏc em nghiờn cu sở t
hiu ra vỗn v quan trong l cỏc em cổn LM Nể MI NGY
tọo thnh NH MT THểI QUEN thỡ sở rỗt tuyt vi. Ting Anh sở tởng

nhỵ vỹ bóo cỏc em nhộ!
iu cui cựng m cụ mun núi ú chớnh l:

Ting Anh khụng chợ cú mt kù nởng, ting Anh l mt th thng
nht. Chớnh vỡ vờy nờn ng hc mi kù nởng mt lổn m hóy hc
tờp ng thi nú sở hiu quõ hn rỗt nhiu.
Vớ dý, khi hc Nghe thỡ cỏc em hóy Repeat theo luyn phỏt õm
v th ghi lọi ra giỗy xem th mỡnh nghe cũ ỳng vit cũ ỳng
khụng.
Hc c cỹng vờy, hóy c xem phỏt õm cú chuốn khụng v chộp
lọi xem mỡnh nh chớnh xỏc khụng ch ng c bỡng mớt nhỵ
cỏc thũi quen thỵng ngy cỷa cỏc em!
Thay i thúi quen thay i thnh cụng!
P/s: Nghe nhỵ a cỗp nhợ ^^


Và…

Cho dù làm gì cüng vêy, thành công nào cüng trâi qua chông gai
câ. Nỗ lăc thì së thành tài, học chëm thì së giói.
Và để vþợt trội thì tiếng Anh – IELTS là điều mà các em cæn phâi có
trong thąi đäi hiện nay. Nò cüng së mć ra cho các em một cánh cāa
cuộc sống mĆi – một să khám phá mĆi trong cuộc sống đò!
Chính vì vêy,
- Hãy học nó bìng một niềm đam mê, tình yêu và să hĀng thú së
tốt hĄn nhé các em!
Và để mć đæu,
- Hãy täo thói quen học têp hìng ngày cho bân thân!

Yêu tất cả các em!

Cô Trà My và tập thể các giáo viên IELTS Fighter!


#1: Topic: A Course You Like To Study
“Describe a course you would like to study (or, do)”
You should say:
- What course it is (or, would be)
- Where you would do it
- What you would learn in that course
- And explain why you would like to do this course.

Band 9.0 Sample:
Well, speaking of the course I‟d like to do, I would say that it‟s an English course.
Today, English is considered to be the most important language in the world.
That‟s why it became one of the compulsory subjects and we now have to study
English from elementary onwards.
I‟d like to get admitted to the Foreign Trade University which offers a professional
course in Business English. They have a good reputation for teaching this course
effectively to a high standard. As I have other classes in the morning, I would like
to enroll in the afternoon course. Also, the course fee is both cheap and convenient
for me to pay using my bank account.
There are so many reasons why I‟d like to enroll in an English course. First of all,
English is an international language, hence, having a knowledge of English can
help people around the world to communicate better. Second, it also gives us
countless opportunities to become more acquainted with other cultures. We depend
on English to keep up to date with the latest news from all over the world, since
almost all the books and magazines are written in this language. Finally, learning
English can really help us in our careers and enhance our CVs, as these days, many
firms need good office employees to conduct international business.

USEFUL VOCABULARY :
1) compulsory: [adjective] that must be done because of a rule or law.
Example: In some countries, it is compulsory to attend school until the age of 16.
2) onwards: [adverb] continuing from a particular time.
Example: I will be in my office from 8:00 am onwards, until I leave at 6:00 in the
evening.
3) reputation: [noun] the opinion that people have about someone/something is
like, based on what has happened in the past.
Example: The restaurant enjoys an international reputation for the best Thai
cuisine.
4) countless: [adjective] very many; too many to be counted or mentioned.
Example: The teacher has warned him countless times to pay attention in class.
5) acquainted: [adjective] familiar with something having seen, heard or read it.
Example: The students are already acquainted with the history of our country,
having studied it at elementary level.
6) keep up to date with: [expression] be informed about the latest information.
Example: I watch the news on TV every day, in order to keep up to date with the
political situation.
7) CVs: [noun] short descriptions of your education and qualifications, which you
give to an employer when you go for an interview.
Example: Students should make sure that they write good CVs, to help them when
they apply for a job.
8) firm: [noun] company.
Example: She works for a firm of lawyers in Paris.
9) conduct: [verb] organize or do a particular activity.
Example: The school has decided to conduct all its classes in English.


#2: Topic: Exciting Sport

“Describe an exciting sport you know”
You should say:
- What sport it is
- How you know about it
- How difficult you think it is
- And explain why you think it is exciting

Band 9.0 Sample:
Of all the different types of sports, I am interested in figure skating the most.
I first learned about figure skating when I watched an Olympic competition in
2012. I found this sport very interesting. I don‟t think that figure skating is a sport
for everybody since it requires great balancing skills. In addition, the person has to
be very flexible and courageous when doing this sport.
Coming from a tropical country, I don‟t get to experience ice and snow, thus, figure
skating was new to me. Watching the athlete‟s elegant performance on ice amazed
me. I couldn‟t imagine how people could do such things since just walking with ice
skates is so difficult. These athletes danced on ice without even tripping. They must
have spent a great deal of time practicing and preparing for their performances.
Also, I found it very beautiful, as their costumes were so elegant. I even enjoyed
the background music they used during the performances. In comparison to other
sports, figure skating is an amazing feast for both the eyes and the ears.

USEFUL VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS:
to be interested in – to like or to enjoy. “She is interested in figure skating and he
is interested in soccer.”
I found this sport to be very interesting – I thought this sport was very interesting.
“He found the work to be too easy for him.”


It requires – something that needs to be done. In this sentence it means that

figure skating can only be done by people who have good balance, and not
everyone
does.
It‟s something necessary to have to do well at figure skating. “This job requires you
to work 60 hours per week.”
Flexible – in this context it means that the person can do many things with
his/her body, like putting your foot above your head while you are skating. “Yoga
teachers are very flexible and can get themselves into all kinds of crazy positions.”
Courageous – brave. In this case you have to be brave to be a figure skater because
itcan be dangerous. “The mountaineers are courageous for climbing so high.”
Elegant performance – describing the performance as elegant means that you
thought it was very beautiful or gorgeous; it was pleasingly graceful and stylish in
appearance or manner. “The dancers gave an elegant performance this evening.”
Amazed me – surprised or shocked me. In this case it was incredible to see the
skaters do such things. “It amazed me that he received a 9 on his first IELTS
exam.”
To trip – to fall down while you are walking or running or doing something else
like dancing or skating. “She tripped and hit her head on the table. Ouch!”
A feast for the eyes and ears – something pleasant to watch and listen to. “The
Taylor Swift concert was a feast for the eyes and ears. It was incredible to watch
the show and I love her music.”


#3: Topic: Things You Want To Buy In The Future
“Describe something you really want to buy (in the future)”
You should say:
- What it is
- When you would like to (= want to / hope to) buy it
- How long you have wanted to buy this
- Explain why you would like to buy this

Band 9.0 Sample Answer
We all have a never-ending wish list of things that we want to buy, so do I. One
item that has been on my wish list for a long time is a one-bedroom apartment of
my own.
I hope to cross this item off my list by the time I turn 30. I know it sounds
impossible but it‟d be cool if I could do it. And the most important thing is that I
have a longterm goal to pursue. Since I am an independent person, I have always
wanted to move out of my parents‟ house. As soon as I graduated college, I wanted
to buy a small apartment. where you would like to buy it *: I‟m currently looking
for a condo a little further away from the city centre. Despite the fact that it will
take longer for me to travel to work, the price will be more reasonable and I will be
able to afford it. and
Having a flat of my own means a lot to me for several reasons. Firstly, I can
decorate the house according to my own tastes and personality. Secondly, I can do
whatever I want without interfering in my parents‟ lives. I can invite my friends
over for the weekend and I can throw a party anytime I want. Most importantly, I
want to show my parents that I am a grown-up woman and that I can take good care
of myself.

USEFUL VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS


never-ending – used to describe something that seems to never end or have an
ending. “She had a never-ending list of complaints about her last company.”
to cross an item off your list – to mark it as finished or completed. When you
have a list of things you want to do, and then you do one, you cross it off your list
so that you know it has been finished and you don‟t have to think about it anymore.
“Today she was able to cross five things off of her very long to-do list.”
it would be cool if… – another way to say… it would be nice if or it would be

great if – you are talking about a hypothetical situation. “It would be cool if you
could come visit me while I am in Japan.”
to purse a goal – to go after something that you want to accomplish or achieve.
“She spent the last five years pursuing her goal of becoming a doctor.”
an independent person – someone who likes to do things on their own. “Her
brother is a very independent person; he moved out of the house when he was only
20 and spent the next five years traveling around the world by himself.”
to move out of – to leave the place where you are living now. “He will be moving
out of his apartment at the end of the month.”
condo – short for condominium, a form of housing where a person owns the unit
and then can either live in it or rent it out to others. It is different than an apartment,
which is usually owned by a person or company that owns all the apartments in a
building. “The price for condos these days has really gone up.”
despite the fact that – even though. “Despite the fact that he has already graduated
from college, he still has no idea what he wants to do with his life.”
to be more reasonable – related to price, it means that you will have an easier time
affording it or paying for it with the money you have. If a price is unreasonable, it
means that it is too expensive for you and you won‟t buy it at that price. “The
housing prices are becoming more reasonable these days than they were 3 years
ago.”
means a lot to me – to talk about something being meaningful or important to you.
“It means a lot to me that you came to dinner with me on my birthday.”


to decorate – to put up decorations such as paintings, curtains, wall-hangings, art
and other things in a home or apartment or office. “People decorate their spaces
with things they like.”
according to – in agreement or accord with – in this case, she will decorate her
apartment based on her own tastes (what she likes) and her personality (with stuff
that represents her). “He will do his job according to his manager‟s instructions.”

to interfere with – to get in the way of, to be in the middle of something or others.
“He doesn‟t like it when his father interferes with his work by telling him what to
do.”
to throw a party – to give or host a party, to be the person who invites others to
the party and provides drinks and food. “She is throwing a big party for her 50th
birthday this Saturday.”
a grown-up woman – a mature or adult woman, not a kid. Used to express that
you can be responsible and take care of yourself. “She wanted to prove that she was
a grown-up woman by purchasing a new condo all by herself.

#4: Topic: A Place Full Of Colo
“Describe a place you went to that was full of colour.”
You should say:
- What place it was
- Why you went there
- What you did there
- And explain why you think it was full of colour

Describe a garden or park you visited and liked.
You should say:
- Where it was
- What it looked like
- What you did (or, were doing) there [or, what people were doing there
- And explain why you liked it.


BAND 9.0 SAMPLE ANSWER:
I would like to share with you my impressions of a garden that I visited last
summer, which was full of colour and interest: Claude Monet‟s house and garden
in Giverny, France.

As a big fan of Monet‟s paintings, especially the famous „Water Lilies‟, I had
always dreamed of seeing he scene in real life. So, when some friends suggested a
visit last year, I jumped at the chance. After a journey of about an hour by train
from our hotel, we arrived at Giverny. The garden was exactly as he had painted it
– it was a riot of colour, from the peaceful white of the water lilies to the striking
reds and oranges which filled some of the flowerbeds. The two parts of the garden
complemented each other perfectly. We first admired the array of bright flowers
and fruit trees in the Clos Normand, but my favourite part was the water garden,
and we enjoyed a leisurely stroll, taking in all the colours, perfumes and bird songs.
Monet avidly collected prints of Japanese gardens, and these inspired the Japanese
bridges covered with wisterias, the water lilies in the pond, and the bamboo and
weeping willows which he planted.
For me, it was like a wonderland of colours and a dream come true after so many
years.

USEFUL VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS:
impression: feeling or feelings (in the plural) about the garden (impressions) “His
impression of the meeting was that it didn‟t go very well.”
fan: although the word is often used in the context of football nowadays, here it
means a person who admires [ Monet‟s paintings]. “She is a huge fan of Maroon
5.”
jumped at the chance: I enthusiastically accepted the opportunity to visit the
garden. “He jumped at the chance to go to Las Vegas with his boss.”


a riot of colour: a collection of many different colours. “Sandra‟s rose garden is a
riot of colour.”
striking: very attractive and unusual. “The woman he was with was wearing a
striking outfit last night.”
flowerbeds: a piece of a garden or park in which flowers are grown. “He loves

digging in his flowerbeds.”
complemented each other: each part of the garden added something different to the
other part, so that the garden as a whole became more attractive. “The wine and the
fish complemented each other to form a perfect meal.”
the array of bright flowers: the large and impressive collection of flowers. “The
array of bright flowers in her garden surprised everybody. They didn‟t realize she
had planted so many varieties.”
a leisurely stroll: a slow, relaxing walk. “We went for a leisurely stroll along the
beach this morning.”
taking in all the colours: our eyes noticed all the colours and features of the
garden. “We were taking in all the colours of his garden, when all of a sudden we
heard a large crash outside the garden gate. Two cars had just bumped into each
other.”
avidly: Monet collected prints of Japanese gardens enthusiastically. “He studied
English avidly, from morning until late in the evening.”
prints: copies of original drawings or paintings. “The artist offered her prints for
$100 each.”
wisterias: white or purple flowers which cover walls, bridges or trees. “The
wisterias in the garden were in full bloom.”
pond: a small area of still water, usually in a garden. “There are many beautiful fish
in the pond.”
bamboo: tall tropical plants which have hollow „stems‟ [the long, thin part of the
plant] used for building or furniture. “Pandas love to eat bamboo.”


weeping willows: trees which grow near water and have „branches‟ which hang
downwards. “There are two weeping willows on the property, but we should cut
one down.”
wonderland: an imaginary place in children‟s stories. “The amusement park was a
wonderland for both children and adults.

#5: Topic: Ambition You Have Not Yet Achieved

Describe an ambition that you have not yet achieved.
You should say:
- What your ambition is
- When you first had this ambition (or, how long you have had this ambition)
- How you plan to achieve it
(possibly) what you have done towards achieving this ambition
- And explain why you have not achieved it yet

Band 9.0 Sample Answer:
One of my ambitions that I have not yet achieved is to be able to communicate in
Japanese.
I just thought about this idea a year ago because I realized that nowadays, knowing
more foreign languages is an advantage not only in our daily lives but also in
work environments.
In order to achieve this, I registered for a Japanese class for beginners, twice a
week. I also downloaded an application on my iPhone which helps people study
foreign languages named Duolingo, so that I can study on my own at home. For the
first two months, I did not skip any classes, and spent at least 30 minutes every
night studying Japanese on Duolingo at home.
Unfortunately, I could not keep up with the schedule for long since I was working
full time, not to mention that I had many other social activities that distracted me


from studying. There were days when I was so busy that I had to work overtime to
finish my job. As a result, I wasn‟t able to go to class and I definitely didn‟t have
any time to study at home. Moreover, my friends complained that I had been
ignoring them, so I needed to arrange time to hang out with them. Just like that, I

gradually lost my ambition to study Japanese and until now, I can only remember
one alphabet table, even though Japanese uses three types of alphabets.

USEFUL VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS:
ambition – a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring
determination and hard work. “Her ambition to become CEO of the company
amazes her boyfriend.”
not yet achieved – to not yet reach a goal or to succeed in doing something that
you really want to do. “He has not yet achieved his goal of getting an 8 on the
IELTS writing exam.”
to realize that – to become aware of something, to know or come to understand
something for the first time. “His mom didn‟t realize that she wouldn‟t be able to
visit him while he was studying in Germany.”
to be an advantage – something that offers you a better opportunity at something
is an advantage or benefit to you. “As an employee, it is an advantage to be fluent
in English these days.”
to register for – to sign up for something like a class or workshop; to put your
name on the list and pay your money. “He has only five days left to register for the
conference.”
to skip classes – to miss a class or not go to a class for some reason. “His teacher
said that if he skipped any more classes, he wouldn‟t receive any credit for the
course.”
to keep up with – to be able to perform at a certain level or to be able to continue
to do something as planned. “She had a difficult time keeping up with all of the
homework that her English professor gave her.”
not to mention that – used to add additional information when you are explaining
why something did or didn‟t happen, used to introduce an additional fact or point
that reinforces the point being made. “She can‟t go to the meeting on Friday

because she is ill, not to mention that she has already put in twice as much time as
everybody else has this week.”
distracted me from – used to talk about when you go off task or stop working on
something because your attention goes elsewhere. “Her funny jokes distracted me
from getting my homework done.”
they complained – to complain means to tell someone that you don‟t like
something for some reason. His friends didn‟t like that he wasn‟t spending time
with them, so they complained to him. “His wife complained that he was working
too many hours.”
to ignore someone – you ignore someone when you don‟t respond to their phone
calls, messages, emails, etc., you don‟t pay attention to them. “He thought I was
ignoring him because I didn‟t answer his text, but I was just in a meeting and
couldn‟t text him back.”
to arrange – to organize or to schedule something. “She needed to arrange a time
to meet with the accountant.”
to hang out with – to spend time with someone. “They liked to hang out with their
friends on weekends.

#6: Topic: A Child Made You Laugh
Describe situation when a child made you laugh
You should say:
-

Who the child was
(when and) where it happened
What he or she did to make you laugh
And explain why you laughed.


BAND 8.5 SAMPLE ANSWER:

One of my best friends has a 3-year-old baby girl; so every time we went out, she
would take her with us.
Her little girl is such a witty kid, and she is always full of energy. As she begins to
be aware of the outside world, she asks a lot of questions just to satisfy her
curiosity.
It happened one day when we went out shopping. While her mother and I took
turns trying clothes on, she was sitting quietly on the bench. Then she looked at me
and her mother and started to express her opinions on our clothes.
The way she talked was so funny that we couldnt stop laughing. She was so used to
playing with her Barbie doll that she suggested we should dress like one of
her dolls.
She even taught us how to walk like models because she thought that was pretty.
All the customers who walked in the store noticed her, even the store
owner couldn‟t stop laughing at her since she was still a baby girl, but she talked
and acted like a grown-up
That was probably the best part of the shopping trip that I will never forget.

USEFUL VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS:
witty: [adjective] able to say clever and funny things
Example: Everybody laughed during the lesson, because the teacher was so witty.
satisfy her curiosity: [verb phrase] to have an answer to a strong wish to know
about something
Example: My answer did not satisfy his curiosity, so he asked me for more
details about what had happened.
trying clothes on: [verb phrase] to put on clothes to see if they fit and if they look
good


Example: Try these clothes on before you buy them to make sure that they are the
correct size.

models: [noun] people whose job it is to wear and show new styles of clothes
Example: The dream of many young people is to become fashion models and
appear in magazines.
grown-up: [adjective] typical of an adult
Example: The child was used to being treated in a grown-up way by his parents.

#7: Topic: An Electronic Equipment
Describe an item of electronic equipment that you would like to have.
You should say:
- What it is where you would get (buy) it from
- What features it would have (or, special features you would like it to
have)
- And explain why you would like to have it.

BAND 8.0 SAMPLE ANSWER:
Since I was very small, I have had a special interest in cooking. So, it is no
surprise that, now that I have grown up, I dream of having an oven with rings for
cooking on top, which is in very popular use overseas. In my country, this kind of
oven is only sold at big electronic and appliance centers.
Different from the normal oven, this one provides more stable and
exact temperatures, which is one of the critical factors in baking. Besides, it has
four oven top elements, which is highly convenient because it allows you to cook
and bake at the same time. It also saves a lot of space in your kitchen because it
is free-standing. Another feature that I would like the oven to have is a selfcleaning system. If you cook frequently, you will definitely appreciate this
facility. It is inevitable that when you cook, your oven/cooker will get dirty. As a
result, with the self-cleaning feature, it is much easier for us to clean.


VOCABULARY:
grow up: [phrasal verb] to develop into an adult. Example: The children have

all grown upand left home now.
appliances: [noun] a machine which is designed to do a particular job in the home,
such as cleaning or preparing food. Example: The store sells a range of household
appliances, including microwave ovens and washing machines.
baking: [noun] the process of cooking something in the oven using dry heat.
Example: My mother loves baking – she makes bread and cakes every week in her
oven.
free-standing: [adjective] not a part of or attached to something else. Example:
The cupboard was free-standing, so it was easy to move it away from the wall.
self-cleaning: [adjective] able to be cleaned without a person having to clean it.
Example: Her new oven was self-cleaning; when it was dirty it cleaned itself
automatically.
facility: [noun] a special feature of a machine that enables it to do something extra.
Example: My computer has a facility for checking spelling.

#8: A Gift You Gave That Took A Long Time To Choose

“Describe a gift you gave that took a long time to choose.”
You should say:
- What it was
- Who you gave it to
- How you chose it
- And explain why you spent a long time choosing it or explain how the
receiver of the gift reacted
- When you gave it to him or her.


Band 8.0 Sample Answer:
Choosing a gift for someone is usually a very difficult task, because you want to
make sure that the person who receives it will like it. For that reason, I always

spend a lot of time picking gifts for my relatives and friends. Today, I am going to
share with you the time when I had to choose a gift for my little sister’s birthday.
It was her 5th birthday and I wanted to give her something memorable and
special. I decided to go to a “Build-a-bear workshop” to buy her a stuffed bear.
At this shop, you actually spend time picking materials to build your furry friend,
from the cotton inside to the clothes outside. You also got to give this teddy bear a
heart and a voice recorder, so that when you squeezed it, it would say whatever
you recorded before. After finishing building the stuffed toy, the store would give
him or her a birth certificate with a name and birthday.
My little sister was so happy when she received the bear. Well, kids always love a
furry friend anyway. However, what was special was that as she grew up, she
understood how much love I had put in the bear when building it for her at the
store, so she came to appreciate the gift even more.

VOCABULARY:
pick: [verb] to choose something from a group of things. Example: The man picked
a blue tie from the collection in the shop.
memorable: [adjective] something special, good or unusual and therefore easy to
remember. Example: I will never forget the memorable holiday that I had in Japan.
workshop: [noun] a place where you can do a practical activity to create
something. Example: As a student, I attended drama workshops, because I had
always loved acting.
stuffed bear: [noun] a toy in the shape of a bear, filled with cloth and made of
some soft material. Example: When I was a child, I had a stuffed bear, which I used
to keep in my bedroom.


furry: [adjective] covered with fur – a soft thick mass of hair that grows on the
body of some animals. Example: People love pandas because they are so furry,
with thick black and white fur all over their body.

get to (+ infinitive): [phrasal verb] to be allowed to do something. Example: When
we visited the football stadium, we got to meet some of the famous players.
teddy bear: [noun] this is just another name for a stuffed toy bear.
squeeze: [verb] to press something firmly, especially with your fingers. Example:
Every time you clean your teeth, you squeeze the tube of toothpaste.
appreciate: [verb] to recognise the good qualities in something or somebody.
Example: At school, I appreciated the help that I received from my teachers.

#9: An Occasion When You Got Up Very Early
Describe an occasion when you got up very early.
You should say:
- When it happened
- Why you got up early
- Who you were with
- And explain how you felt about getting up early.

Describe a long car journey you went on
You should say:
- Where you went
- Why you went there
- Who you travelled with
- What you saw on the trip (on the way)
- And explain why you went by car.