1000 ENGLISH

COLLOCATIONS IN 10
MINUTES A DAY

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 Lesson 1 – Family
Let’s begin our study of collocations by learning some common expressions about the family. Your
parents and siblings (brothers and sisters) are your immediate family – and your extended family
includes all your relatives – uncles, cousins, great-aunts, etc.

You can use a family tree to diagram the relationships among your family members. A person who is
related to you by a long series of connections can be called a distant relative.

If you’re lucky, you have a loving family or a close-knit family – these expressions refer to a family that
has good relationships, where everyone loves each other and helps each other. If you were raised in a
loving family, then you probably had a carefree childhood – that means you had nothing to worry about
when you were young.

On the other hand, a family in which the relationships are bad or unhealthy can be called a dysfunctional
family. If the children experience abuse, poverty, or problems with the law, we can say they had a
troubled childhood.

Perhaps the parents went through a bitter divorce – that means a separation in which there were
bad/angry feelings between the husband and wife. It’s also possible to have a messy divorce, with a
prolonged legal battle involving lots of conflicts about the separation of the former couple’s assets
(money and possessions). The decisions about the separation of assets are made in the divorce
settlement. A family in which there are divorces or separations is sometimes called a broken home.

Sometimes the mother and father fight over custody of the children – that refers to who has the primary
responsibility of caring for the kids. A judge can grant joint custody – that means the ex-husband and ex-
wife share the responsibility – or sole custody to only one parent. For example, a judge might award sole
custody to the mother, and the father has to pay child support – regular payments to help with expenses
for the kids.

If it was a mutual divorce/separation – that means the ex-husband and ex-wife agreed to separate
without fighting – then they will probably stay on good terms with each other (meaning to have a polite
relationship without conflicts).

If a woman gets pregnant without being married or in a relationship, then she will become a single
mother. Some women in this situation choose to have an abortion, and others prefer to give the baby
up for adoption. The time when the baby is planned to arrive is called the due date – you can also say
the baby is due in mid-October, for example.

After the woman has the baby (or gives birth to the baby), the baby is given to the adoptive parents,
who will raise the child or bring up the child as if it was their own. Sometimes, when the adopted child
is older, he or she tries to find their birth mother (biological mother).

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 Lesson 1 Quiz
Circle the best word to complete each sentence:

1. A friend of mine gave / took / went birth to her son at home with the help of a nurse.
2. A number of the kids in my classroom come from broken / damaged / hurt homes.
3. After a hostile / cruel / bitter divorce from his wife of 20 years, the actor married a woman
young enough to be his daughter.
4. I see my excepted / expanded / extended family once a year, during our annual family vacation.
5. I was raised in a very joyful / loving / tender family, in which everyone helped each other.
6. I was created / grown / raised by my grandparents after my parents passed away.
7. I'm on good friends / relations / terms with all my former boyfriends.
8. John had a carefree / careful / careless childhood, growing up with happily married parents and
three brothers.
9. Many women regret giving / having / taking an abortion years afterwards.
10. My aunt's going through a messy / sloppy / untidy divorce; she's paying a fortune in legal fees.
11. My husband doesn't get along with a few of my family people / individuals / members.
12. Although my salary is low, I get child assistance / provision / support from my ex-husband.
13. My sister got / had / made pregnant immediately after she got married.
14. My son is making a diagram of our family roots / tree / web for a school project.
15. My wife is pregnant with twins. They're come / due / here in February.
16. Sally was granted sole custody / guardian / keeping of the children from her first marriage.
17. Teenagers who had a distressed / troubled / worsened childhood often have behavior
problems in school.
18. The celebrity wrote a book about his debilitated / defective / dysfunctional family.
19. The divorce contract / reimbursement / settlement awarded the wife $500,000.
20. There are four people in my close / immediate / neighboring family.
21. They have three biological children and two adopted / adoptive / adopting children.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.

1. How many people are there in your immediate family?

2. Who do you get on best within your family?
3. What do you do together with your family?
4. Do you spend much time with your family?
5. Why is family important to you?
6. Do you have a small or large family?
7. What do you enjoy doing with your family at weekends?
8. Were your parents strict when you were a child?
9. How often do you have family get-togethers?
10. Which member of your family are you most similar to?

Part 2.
1. Talk about the last time your whole family got together. You should mention:
 Where you met
 What you did together
 How long you spent together
And say if you would like to do the same thing again soon or not, and why

2. Describe a family member that you get on well with. You should mention:
 What their personality is like
 What things they like doing
 If they have any strong dislikes
And say why you think you have a good relationship

3. Describe one of your relatives. You should say:

 What that person looks like
 What that person’s character is like
 What they are doing at the moment
And say which other relative of yours they are most similar to

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 4. Describe the member of your family who has had most influence on you. You should
say:
 who this person is
 how he/she has influenced you
 what effect this has had on you
And explain how you feel about the person

Part 3.

1. Is family important in your country?

2. Who should be responsible to care for the elderly? Should it be the family or the
government?
3. How do you think families will change in the future?
4. Let’s move on to the roles of different family members. Should husbands and wives
have different roles within the family?
5. What role do grandparents play in the family in your country?
6. In what ways is family life different now to the past?
7. Who plays a vital role in bringing up children, men or women in the society? Why
do you think so?
8. What are some of the pressures on family life today?
9. Do you think parents discipline children enough these days?
10. What values should parents teach their children?
11. Do you agree that children should help with housework?
12. What are the advantages and disadvantages of both parents working?
13. Where is the best place to raise a family, in the city or the countryside?

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 Lesson 2 – Relationships
When you move to a new city, it can be hard to make friends. You’ll probably have a number of casual
acquaintances – people who you know on a basic level, but with whom you don’t have a significant
relationship. Over time, some of these may become good friends or close friends – these collocations
refer to friends with whom you have an especially strong relationship.

Do you believe in love at first sight? That’s when two people meet each other and immediately fall in
love – perhaps because they have strong chemistry – this expression describes strong compatibility or
connection between two possible romantic partners. Some people believe that their significant other
(their boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, or wife) is their soul mate – this is a poetic expression that means
that two people are destined to be together.

It’s possible for one person to have feelings for another person – this expression is an indirect way to
describe romantic feelings – but if the other person doesn’t feel the same way, then the feeling is not
mutual. The other person might say “he’s/she’s just not my type” – meaning that they are interested in
people of a different type of personality/appearance. Ah, there’s nothing sadder than unrequited love! (Love
that is not returned)

Some people marry their childhood sweetheart or high school/college sweetheart – this expression
refers to a boyfriend or girlfriend from your childhood, teenage, or college years. Other couples are
introduced by a mutual friend – one friend that the two people have in common. When the couple is
ready to make a commitment, the man proposes to the woman – he asks her to marry him. If the
marriage is good, then we say the couple is happily married.

Unfortunately, not all love stories have a happy ending. Sometimes a husband or wife has an affair – they
have sex with a different person. We can also say that they are cheating on their husband/wife. The
expression “have an affair” is typically used only for married couples, and the expression “cheating on”
can be used for married couples or for boyfriends/girlfriends.

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 Lesson 2 Quiz
1. The process of creating friendships is called...

a) getting friends b) earning friends c) making friends

2. A "close friend" is someone...

a) who lives near you b) who is similar to you c)with whom you have a strong friendship

3. When you develop romantic feelings for another person, you're...

a) becoming passionate b) falling in love c) giving your heart

4. If only one of the two people has romantic feelings, we say the feeling is not...

a) mutual b) returned c) together

5. A polite way to say you're not attracted to someone is: "He/she's not my..."

a) kind b) style c) type

6. A man who marries a woman who he met when both were very young, has married his childhood...

a) darling b) lover c) sweetheart

7. When two people get married, they make a to each other.

a) commitment b) compromise c) guarantee

8. Many men try to find a creative and romantic way to to their girlfriends.

a) propose b) proposition c) purpose

9. A lot of marriages end when one member of the couple has an...

a) affair b) experience c) intimacy

10. If you catch your significant other in bed with another person, then he/she is on you.

a) betraying b) cheating c) deceiving

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. Who is your best friend?
2. Are you still friends with people from your childhood?
3. Do you prefer spending time with your family or friends?
4. Do you have many friends? [Why/Why not?]
5. How often do you go out with friends? [Why/Why not?]
6. Tell me about your best friend at school.
7. How friendly are you with your neighbors? [Why/Why not?]
8. Which is more important to you, friends or family? [Why?]
9. Have you got a lot of friends or do you prefer to have just a few good friends?
10. Do you keep in touch with any childhood friends?
11. Do you find it easy to make friends?
12. How often do you see your friends?
13. What do you usually do with your friends?
14. Has a friend ever let you down?
15. Have you made any friends over the Internet?
16. How do you maintain a good friendship?
17. Do you ever fight with your friends?
18. Would you tell a friend everything?

Part 2.
1. Describe a friend who has played an important part in your life. You should say:
 How you met this person
 How long you have known him or her
 The kind of things you do or have done together
And explain why this person has been important in your life
2. Describe a friend you had in primary school. You should say:
 What that person was like
 How long you were friends for
 What things you did together

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 And say whether you are still in contact with that person or not, and why

3. Describe one of your closest friends. You should say:

 how you met
 how long you have been friends
 why you think you became friends
And explain why you like this person

Part 3.
1. How are friendships different now than they were when you were a child?
2. Why do people need friends?
3. What are the qualities needed to be a good friend?
4. Is it common in your country to have friendships across different generations?
5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of these kinds of friendships?
6. What kinds of places are good to meet friends in your country?
7. What kinds of things should friends never do?
8. Do you think ‘friendship’ is the most important kind of relationship?
9. Do you think the internet is a good way to make new friends?
10. How can technology help friendships?
11. In what way do friendships formed on the internet differ?
12. How can friends influence a person’s life in a positive way?
13. What kinds of things can people learn through their friends?

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 Lesson 3 – Appearance
My best friend Joanna is absolutely gorgeous (extremely beautiful). She has long, sleek, jet-black hair
(sleek = smooth and straight, jet-black = perfectly black), pale blue eyes (pale = light color), and a radiant
complexion (skin that appears healthy and full of energy).

People always compliment her on her hourglass figure (when a woman has large breasts and hips, but a
small waist) and ask her what the secret is to maintaining such a slender waist (a thin waist). She has a
round face with an upturned nose, and she actually bears a striking resemblance (looks extremely similar)
to a famous singer.

Joanna could get any guy she wanted – so I was really surprised when she introduced me to her latest
boyfriend, who I think is hideously ugly. He has curly, shoulder-length hair that looks rather unkempt
(unkempt hair = messy hair, it appears that the person doesn’t take care of their hair).

He has a square face and a ruddy complexion (reddish skin). His deep-set eyes (eyes that are far back in
the person’s face) are almost hidden under his bushy eyebrows (big eyebrows with lots of hair), and he
sports a thick mustache and a huge, shaggy beard (a beard with lots of hair). I guess Joanna doesn’t mind
his facial hair (facial hair = beard and/or mustache).

His body isn’t bad – he has an athletic build (body with a lot of muscles), with broad shoulders (wide
shoulders) and muscular arms. If he would only trim his beard (cut his beard a little shorter) and comb
his hair, I suppose he could be considered somewhat attractive (more or less beautiful/handsome).

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 Lesson 3 Quiz
Comb / curly / deep-set / facial / medium / muscular / radiant / slender / striking / trim

1. This moisturizer will give you a complexion.

2. She has a waist and wide hips.
3. He bears a resemblance to a good friend of mine.
4. I've never liked my hair; I wish it was straight.
5. His eyes make him look very pensive.
6. I love men with hair - I think it's sexy.
7. Would you please your hair? It looks like you've just gotten out of bed.
8. I’m not changing my hairstyle – I’m just getting a .
9. He has a build - he's not particularly strong, but not especially skinny either.
My soccer coach has very legs.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
4. How would you describe yourself?
5. Are you similar to your brother(s)/ sister(s)?
6. Do you think appearance is important? Why or why not?
7. How much time do you spend on your appearance every day?
8. Do you think people in your country care more about their appearance now than in the
past?
9. Have you ever changed your hairstyle significantly? Why?

Part 2.

1. Describe a person in your family who you admire. You should say
 What his/her relationship is to you?
 What he/she has done in your life?
 What he/she does now?
And explain why you admire this person so much.

2. Describe a person whose appearance you like. You should mention:

 who this person is
 what their relationship is to you
 what they look like

3. Describe a person you would like to be similar to. You should say
 Who this person is?
 What this person does?
 What qualities this person has
And explain why you would like to be similar to this person?

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Part 3.
1. Is it important to dress well whenever we go out?
2. How much does physical appearance affect people’s success in work or social settings?
3. Do you think people place too much importance on appearance nowadays?
4. In what ways can focusing too much on appearance be harmful?
5. Do older and younger generations have different attitudes towards appearance?
6. How can cultural perceptions of beauty vary around the world?

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 Lesson 4 – Character & Behavior
When I was a teenager, I was painfully shy (extremely shy). I loved reading books, and I had a vivid
imagination (had a creative and colorful imagination). My best friend had a more outgoing personality
(she liked to be friendly and sociable) and a good sense of humor (ability to make other people laugh).
Unfortunately she was also brutally honest, and sometimes her comments hurt my feelings (made me
sad, upset, or angry).

Although I was fiercely loyal to her, she showed her true colors (revealed her true personality) when she
played a prank (did a trick) that humiliated me in front of the class. I bore a grudge (continued feeling
angry) against her for years afterwards. Now that I look back on it, I can see that she had low self- esteem
(she considered herself inferior) and a bit of a mean streak (a “streak” is a tiny bit of someone’s
personality).

I've come out of my shell (become less shy) since those days; I have a thicker skin (I’m less sensitive to
criticism) and it doesn't bother me when people speak their minds (say exactly what they think, without
considering the effects of the words on others).

My biggest flaw is that I have a tendency to be arrogant – some say I have a superiority complex (consider
myself superior to others). I’ll admit that it is hard for me to swallow my pride (stop being arrogant) and
recognize when I've been mistaken about something. My resolution for the New Year is to make a more
concerted effort to put others first (consider the needs of other people more important than my own).

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 Lesson 4 – Quiz
1. A lot of successful entrepreneurs have not only a bright / lucid / vivid imagination, but also the
willingness to work hard.
2. He really hurt my emotions / feelings / senses when he called me an idiot.
3. His superiority belief / complex / tendency makes him impossible to work with because he
won't listen to suggestions.
4. I had to chew / eat / swallow my pride and apologize to Janet for overreacting to her criticism.
5. I like to date men with a great feel / sense / touch of humor.
6. In some cultures, it's considered very rude to say / speak / talk your mind.
7. It's good to get / put / set others first, but not at the expense of your own well-being.
8. Most people who work as comedians have very outgoing / tendency / upcoming personalities.
9. My brother is brutally / carefully / painfully shy, but I'm trying to encourage him to come out of
his case / shell / skin.
10. My daughter gets along with her classmates, but she has a competitive spot / streak / strip
when it comes to academics.
11. My husband forgives other people very easily; he's not one to bear / hurt / swallow a grudge.
12. She would never cheat on her husband; she's angrily / brutally / fiercely loyal to him.
13. The kids were suspended for playing a grudge / prank / streak on the teacher - they put a live
snake inside her desk.
14. Working with a therapist has helped me overcome my problems with deep / low / small self-
esteem.
15. You need to develop a fatter / harder / thicker skin; you can't let every little comment upset
you.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. Do you think people's character changes over time? Why or why not?
2. What type of behavior do you find most annoying?
3. Do you think it's important to learn about someone's character before becoming friends
with them?
4. How can parents teach their children good behavior?

Part 2.

Describe someone you know who has a strong character. You should say:
 Who the person is
 How you know them
 What kind of person they are
And explain why you think they have a strong character.

Part 3.
1. How do you think a person’s character is influenced by their family?*
2. What role do schools play in developing a student’s character?
3. Do you think media and celebrities influence people’s behavior and character? How?
4. Can people change their behavior and character if they want to?
5. How important is it to have a good character in today’s society?

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 Lesson 5 – Feelings
I experienced a roller coaster of emotions when my son was born (many different emotions one after
another). During my wife’s pregnancy, I was ridiculously excited about the prospect of becoming a dad.
On the big day, I’d imagined that everything would go smoothly and we’d be blissfully happy – but there
were complications during the delivery and my wife had to have emergency surgery while I waited in the
reception area, worried sick (very worried).

As time went by, I got increasingly anxious because the doctors weren’t telling me anything. After two
hours I was seething with anger (ready to explode with anger), and I and shouted at one of the nurses.
Then the security guards came and escorted me out of the hospital.

My wife was visibly disappointed (it was obvious that she was disappointed) that I wasn’t by her side
when she woke up from surgery. She didn’t say anything – she’s not really one to show her feelings; she
prefers to bottle up her emotions (keep her emotions hidden inside her) – but I knew I had let her down
and I was terribly sorry that I had lost my temper (lost control and shown anger).

The months that followed were tough. My wife became deeply depressed, and I too was an emotional
wreck (a person who is very sad, confused, and upset) as I tried to juggle the demands of work and family
life. But now things are starting to turn around – I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the all help we’ve
gotten from our friends and neighbors.

I’m just immensely grateful that my wife and son are healthy, and sometimes I’m overwhelmed with
emotion as I reflect on how lucky we are (when emotion is so strong that it’s difficult to think or speak).

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 Lesson 5 Quiz
1. At his mother's funeral, he was so incapacitated / overwhelmed /seething with emotion that he

couldn't finish his speech.

2. I was deeply / pleasantly / significantly surprised by the excellent customer service - that company

really cares about its customers.

3. I'm sorry I forgot / lost / wrecked my temper with you yesterday. It was a really stressful day at

work.

4. Instead of confronting his issues, he bottles / guards / rolls up his emotions and tries to pretend

everything's OK.

5. It's normal to go through a helicopter / roller coaster / ocean wave of emotions after the end of a

long-term relationship.

6. My mother was worried bad / ill / sick when it passed midnight and my brother still hadn't come

home.

7. The boss was pleasantly / sickly / visibly annoyed when the employees told him about the

problems.

8. The fans were seething with anger / disappointment / temper when the team lost the game in the

last 5 minutes.

9. We're badly / horribly / terribly sorry, but we won't be able to go to your graduation.

10. We're blissfully / immensely / largely grateful for all the help you've given us in this project.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. How do you usually feel when you wake up in the morning?
2. What makes you feel happy?
3. Do you think people should express their feelings openly? Why or why not?
4. How do you feel when you are stressed?

Part 2.

Describe a time when you felt very happy. You should say:
 When it happened
 What happened
 Who was there
And explain why you felt so happy.

Part 3.
1. How can people manage their feelings of anger or frustration?
2. Do you think it's important for people to talk about their feelings with others? Why or
why not?
3. How do different cultures express happiness?
4. Can feelings affect decision-making? How?
5. What role do feelings play in forming and maintaining relationships?

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 Lesson 6 – Houses and Apartments
I recently spent a month on vacation – but instead of staying in a hotel, I looked for a short-term rental
(a place to live that can be rented for a short period of time). I ended up sharing a two-bedroom
apartment – that’s an apartment with two bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen – with some friends.
It was actually cheaper than renting a studio apartment (an apartment with only one big room) all by
myself.

The apartment was on the top floor of a five-story building (that’s a building with five floors) and it had
a balcony overlooking the ocean (that means you can see the ocean from the balcony). From the roof,
we also had a nice view of the city skyline (this is another expression used when you can see something
from a certain place).

The apartment had recently been remodeled/renovated – meaning it was fixed up and improved – and
was fully furnished, so it already had furniture (beds, tables, etc.) and appliances (refrigerator, stove,
etc.)

We loved the spacious living room (the room was big), but unfortunately the bedrooms were rather
cramped (small and uncomfortable). It was nice to spend a month there, but by the end of the trip I
started to feel homesick – that’s when you feel sad because you miss your life at home.

I’d really like to have a place of my own so that I’m not throwing away money on rent every month, but
there’s a real shortage of affordable housing (houses/apartments that are reasonably priced) in my city.
Even if I stay away from the upscale neighborhoods (areas where rich people live), I’d still have to take
out a mortgage (borrow money from the bank, in order to buy a house) and it’ll take me more than 30
years to pay it off.

But still, I’m gonna start saving up for a down payment (an initial payment on a big purchase). Someday,
when I do move into a new place, I’ll be sure to throw a housewarming party (a party to celebrate living
in a new house/apartment).

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Lesson 6 Quiz
1. Her father paid the affordable / down / studio payment on her apartment.

2. I can't stand living with my parents; I need a place of my independent / own / short-term.

3. I hope the apartment is decorated / furnished / upscale, because I can't afford to buy appliances.

4. I was having so much fun during my semester abroad that I didn't feel cramped / homesick /

housewarm at all.

5. It's a ten- level / room / story building with two elevators.

6. My bedroom window overlooks / oversees / overviews the mountains.

7. My parents finished paying off their borrow / budget / mortgage after 25 years.

8. This weekend I'm helping my cousin change / move / turn into his new place.

9. We're going to need a more short-term / spacious/widespread apartment now that we're going to

have a baby.

We're regenerating / rejuvenating / remodeling the bathroom, so you'll have to use the one on the second
floor.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.

1. Do you live in a house or a flat?

2. Where is your home?
3. Do you live in a house or a flat?
4. Is it a big place?
5. How long have you lived there?
6. What do you like about living there?
7. Is there a garden in the place you live in?
8. Who do you live with?
9. Are there many rooms is your home?
10. What is your favorite room?
11. How are the walls decorated?
12. What would you change about your home?
13. Do you plan to live there in future?
14. What facilities are there near your home?
15. What is your neighborhood like?
16. Which part of your home do you like the most?

Part 2.
1. Describe a house or an apartment that you would like to live in. You should say
 What kind of accommodation it would be
 where it would be
 who would live there with you
And why you would enjoy living in this place

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Part 3.

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a house compared to an

apartment?
2. Do you think it’s better for families with children to live in a house or an apartment?
3. What kinds of facilities should a good neighborhood have?
4. How important is it for people to live close to their workplace?
5. Do you think people’s housing preferences have changed over time? Why or why not?

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 Lesson 7 – Eating
My mother radically changed her eating habits a few years ago. In the past, she ate a lot of junk food
(food that is not nutritious/healthy) and was overweight. Sometimes she would try to go on a diet (eat
less food and healthier food), but it would never last. But now she understands how unhealthy processed
foods are – they’re full of food additives (chemicals added to food) that contribute to weight gain and
heart problems.

Nowadays, she eats a balanced diet including a lot of nourishing meals (meals that are healthy and
nutritious) that she prepares herself. She doesn’t buy organic food because she thinks the prices are
outrageous, but she stocks up on fresh produce (fresh fruits and vegetables) so that she can grab an apple
or some veggies when she wants a quick snack (something small and fast to eat). She has also learned to
eat in moderation and watch her portion sizes (how much food you take).

I often stop by her house when I’m in the mood for a home-cooked meal. The other day she made a
hearty stew (a thick soup with lots of flavors and ingredients) that was full of beans and vegetables. My
brother, who has a healthy appetite (the capacity to eat a lot), had a second helping (a second portion)
– but I found the stew so filling that I could barely finish my bowl.

My mother recently told me that she’d like to try some international cuisine. I was surprised to hear that,
because a few years ago she had a bad experience after getting food poisoning (when you get sick because
of contaminated food) at a Japanese restaurant. So tomorrow I’m taking her to a Brazilian steakhouse. I
told her to eat light meals (small meals) during the day so that she doesn’t spoil her appetite for dinner
(“spoiling your appetite” means eating food earlier, and then not being hungry for a meal later).

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 Lesson 7 Quiz
Cuisine / diet / fresh / helping / junk / moderation / nourishing / poisoning / processed / snack

1. During the summer, our kids eat a lot of food - popcorn, candy, ice cream, cookies, etc.

2. He got food after eating some seafood from a street vendor.

3. I buy produce at the farmer's market.

4. I drink in ; I don't like getting drunk.

5. I'm not a huge fan of Mexican . It's too spicy for me.

6. I've lost ten pounds so far while on this new .

7. Spinach is one of the most vegetables - it's full of vitamins and minerals.

8. That lasagna is delicious; I think I'll have another .

9. The food at this restaurant is all natural - they don't use any type of food.

10. We stopped driving to grab a quick at a roadside cafe.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. What is your favorite food?
2. Have you always liked the same food?
3. Is there any food you dislike?
4. What is a common meal in your country?
5. Do you have a healthy diet?
6. What do you think of fast food?
7. How often do you cook? Would you like to be able to do so more often?
8. • How often do you eat out? Would you like to do so more often?
9. • Would you say that you have a healthy diet? Why do you say that?
10. • What kinds of restaurants do people your age in your country usually go to? Is that
different from your parent’s generation?
11. • What kind of food do you like?
12. • Are there any foods you particularly dislike? Do many other people feel that way?
13. What do you think is more important, eating healthy or doing exercise?
14. Do you have a healthy diet?
15. Do you prefer eating at home or eating out?
16. Do you like ordering food to be delivered?
17. Who do you get food delivered with?
18. Do you eat meals differently now compared to when you were little?

Part 2.
1. Describe a dish that you like. You should explain:
 Its ingredients
 How it is prepared
 How it is eaten
And say how popular you think this is amongst other people and why.

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 2. Describe an ingredient that you often use, including:
 What it looks like
 Where you buy it
 Why you often use it
And give some examples of ways that you use it.

3. Talk about a restaurant that you went to recently. Speak about:

 Its location
 Its food
 Its décor
And say what its best and worst points are.

4. Describe a famous food from your hometown or country. You should say:
 What it looks like
 What it tastes like
 When and how it is usually eaten
And say why you think it is famous

Part 3.
1. Do you think diet is important?
2. What is a balanced diet?
3. What is the typical diet of people in your country?
4. Do many people eat in restaurants in your country?
5. Why do some people enjoy eating out?
6. What’s the difference between restaurant food and home cooked food?
7. Do you think your government is doing enough to improve people’s diets?
8. • What can be done to make young people eat healthier food, do you think?
9. Do you believe that people in your country learn enough about healthy eating at school?
10. • Do you think that restrictions on the sale of very unhealthy foods is a good idea?
11. • What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a fast food restaurant in your
local area?
12. What are the types of food that people eat in your country?
13. What about foreign food? What kinds of foreign food are popular in your country?
14. In your country, is it important to have a meal together with your family?

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 Lesson 8 – Movies / Books
My brother is a huge fan of movies. When he sees a movie trailer (a short video offering a preview of
the movie), he counts down the days until the movie comes out. He always goes to the movie theater
on opening night – that’s the first day a movie, show, concert, or performance is open to the public. He
also loves to analyze the film critics’ reviews (the evaluations of the people whose job is to analyze
movies) and tries to guess which movies will be nominated for an award.

One of his favorite movie stars (famous actors/actresses) will be starring in an upcoming film about the
Vietnam War. It’s based on a true story, and they’re shooting the film on-site in Vietnam – that means
they will be recording/filming the movie in the same location as the story occurs.

This particular actor had been talking about retiring, but when he was offered the leading role (the
opportunity to play the most important part in a movie) in a film that’s sure to be a box-office hit (a
movie that is very successful) he couldn’t turn it down.

I, on the other hand, prefer books. I’m currently engrossed in a book by Stieg Larsson (the book is taking
all my attention) – it’s the final part of a trilogy, and I can’t wait to see how things turn out for the main
character (the most important person in the book). I already have a huge collection of books, and I also
borrow books from the library.

One book I took out last week deals with modern feminism and motherhood. It’s a bit of a controversial
topic, but it’s an interesting and enjoyable read. I’m not sure I’ll have time to finish it before I have to
return the book to the library. Maybe I’ll renew it for another week – that means to get an extension of
the length of time I can keep the book.

Note: We talk about the beginning and end of a book, story, or film (not the “start and finish”). The first
and last parts of a story can also be called the opening and closing scenes (in a movie) or the opening
and closing chapters (in a book).

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 Lesson 8 Quiz
1. A movie from an amateur filmmaker was based / nominated / presented for three awards at an

international film festival.

2. Did you see the trailer / trilogy / theater for the new Star Wars movie? It looks like it'll be

awesome!

3. The opening chapter / genre / scene of the movie is very violent.

4. I didn't like the close / end / finish of the movie; it just didn't seem believable.

5. I enjoyed the book because I could really identify with the main character / role / star.

6. It was a very moving film - and it was based on a factual / real / true story.

7. It's an enjoyable page / read / scene, written in a humorous and relatable style.

8. Oh no! I lost a book that I borrowed / loaned / returned from the library.

9. The documentary deals with a number of controversial / debatable / polemic topics.

10. The first movie was excellent, but the sequel got mediocre analyses / critics / reviews.

11. The movie Titanic hits / shoots / stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

12. We couldn't get a ticket for initial / opening / beginning night - they were all sold out.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. How often do you read?
2. Do you like reading books? Why?
3. Do you have many books at home?
4. Do you prefer to buy books or borrow them?
5. What are the benefits of reading?
6. Do you like reading books? Why?
7. What book would you take on a long journey?
8. How easy is it for you to read books in English?
9. Have you given up reading a book recently?
10. What kind of people like reading and what kind of people don’t like reading very much?
11. Do you like watching TV?
12. How often do you watch TV?
13. What kind of TV programmes do you like to watch?
14. Do you prefer foreign films or films made in your country?
15. Do men and women usually like same kinds of films?
16. What are the most popular TV shows in your country?
17. How often do you go to the cinema?
18. Are cinema tickets expensive in your country?
19. What are the advantages of seeing a film at the cinema?
20. Do you usually watch films alone or with others?
21. Which actor would you like to play you in a film?
22. Do you like to watch movies alone or with your friends?

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Part 2.
1. Describe a book you have recently read. You should say:
 What kind of book it is
 What it is about
 What sort of people would enjoy it
And explain why you liked it

2. Talk about a book you have never read but would like to read. You should mention:
 How well known it is
 Why you would like to read it
 Why you have never read it before
And say how you think it will compare to other books you have read

3. Describe a film/movie you would like to share with your friends. You should say:
 What is the movie?
 Where did you watch it?
 Who did you watch it with?
And why do you want to share it with your friends?

Part 3.
1. What kinds of books do children in your country like to read?
2. Do you think children can learn a lot from books?
3. Do you think fairy tales are useful books for children?
4. Why do some adults read books written for children?
5. Do you think paper books will some day disappear?
6. What are the advantages of e-books?
7. Do you think libraries are still useful in today’s society?
8. Do people read more nowadays?
9. Do you read before going to bed?
10. In your opinion, how will e-books affect paper books?
11. What's the difference between films and books?
12. Let’s move on to the topic of traditional literature in your country. What is one
example of traditional literature in your country?

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 13. Do you like reading the traditional literature of your country?
14. Is going to the cinema to watch a movie popular in your country?
15. What kinds of films are popular in your country?
16. Do many people enjoy watching foreign films in your country?
17. Do you think it’s better to have subtitles or dubbing in a foreign film?
18. What does it take for a film to become successful?
19. Which do you think are more important to the success of a film: the director or the
stars?
20. Are drama series popular in your country?
21. Do you think people prefer watching films at home or in the cinema?
22. Are there any films which are not suitable for children to watch?
23. Do you think films about real life events should be 100% true to the actual facts?
24. Do different age groups like the same kinds of movies?
25. What makes a film successful?

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 Lesson 9 – Music
My older brother Alex is very musically gifted (he has a natural talent for music). He can play any tune
from memory, without looking at sheet music (musical notation written on paper). He spends all his free
time strumming a guitar (playing a guitar), composing music (creating music), and writing song lyrics (the
words to a song).
Alex and his friends formed a band that has attracted a sizable following (a lot of fans) in our city. They
started out playing gigs (giving small, informal performances) in bars and clubs, and they used the money
they earned to record their debut album (record their first CD).
A remixed track (a song that has been modified electronically) from that CD then became a massive hit
(a very popular song) on the local radio station thanks to its catchy tune (memorable melody) and upbeat
tempo (fast rhythm).
Their second album will be released (it will be made available to the public) at the end of the year;
they’ll record it live at their next show. Alex dreams of going on tour – he’s just waiting for his big break
(big opportunity to become famous) to get his foot in the door of the music industry.
As for me, I love singing along (singing together) to my brother’s music, but a career in music isn’t for
me – I’m completely tone-deaf (unable to correctly identify different musical notes) and I always sing
off-key (sing the incorrect melody)!
Additional collocations:
 contemporary music = modern music
classical music
 orchestral/instrumental music = music with instruments only (no singing)
rock music
 solo album = CD featuring one singer alone, not in a group of singers
 compilation album = a CD with a collection of songs from many different singers/bands cult
following = a very dedicated/devoted group of fans

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 Lesson 9 Quiz
Gifted / lyrics / remixed / debut / strumming / tune / gig / following / tour / off-key / hit / upbeat

1. I can't stand that song; I don't know why it's such a .

2. I like the song, but I don't understand the .

3. I'm not really musically , but I practice the violin every day.

4. It's such a catchy , I can't get it out of my head!

5. My cousin's band is going on next summer; they've lined up shows in eleven different

states.

6. Someone in the choir was singing , and it sounded terrible.

7. The band's album was a huge success.

8. The DJ played some tracks at the wedding reception.

9. The singer has attracted quite a devoted in Korea - her concerts there are always

sold out.

10. The street musician sat on a park bench, his guitar.

11. This music is so slow it's putting me to sleep. Let's listen to something with a more

tempo.

12. We're going to play a at the Jazz Club on Friday night.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. Do you like music?
2. What’s your favorite type of music?
3. Can you sing?
4. Did you learn music at school?
5. If you could learn a musical instrument, what would it be?
6. Do you think music is important?
7. How do you listen to music?
8. When do you listen to music?
9. What’s your favorite kind of music?
10. Is music an important subject at school in your country?
11. What kinds of music are (most) popular in your country?
12. How much time do you spend listening to music every day?
13. Are your music tastes varied?
14. What is your favorite song?
15. Do you like to sing along to your favorite songs?
16. Are you learning to play a musical instrument at the moment?

Part 2.
1. Talk about a musical instrument you would like to be able to play but have never
tried. You should say:
 What the instrument looks like
 What it sounds like
 What kinds of people it is popular with
And say if you think you will ever try to play that instrument or not, and why

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Part 3.

1. What kind of music is popular in your country?

2. How does pop music now compare to when you were growing up?
3. Is foreign music or music from your country more popular with people your age?
4. Let’s move on to the role of government on music. Do you think is it necessary for the
government to require all children to learn music?
5. Do you think the government needs to do more to preserve traditional music? What
could they do?
6. Finally, let’s talk about illegal downloading of music. There's a lot of pirated music. Do
you agree that we should support official music?
7. What are some possible advantages and disadvantages of being stricter about the illegal
downloading of music?
8. Do you think CDs will have any role in the music industry in the future?

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 Lesson 10 – Sports
The first important collocation involving sports is when to use the verbs play, do, and go. We typically
use play for team sports – you play soccer, play basketball, play tennis, play baseball, and play golf.

The verb do is used for more individual sports – you do yoga, do gymnastics, do martial arts, and do
aerobics. Also, in more general terms, you do exercise. Another common individual exercise is to lift
weights.

The verb go is used with most activities that end in –ing: you go swimming, go biking, go surfing, go
rock climbing, go bowling, and go fishing.

With the team sports, we can use the word game or match: a soccer game, a basketball game, a tennis
match, etc. You can win the game, lose the game, or tie the game – that’s when the final score is 1-1 or
2-2, for example.

A team can play a home game – when they play in their own stadium or field – or an away game – when
they play at the opposing team’s stadium or field. When there are many teams that are playing many
games to see which one is the best, we call this a tournament.

When one team is winning in the middle of the game – for example, 3-1 – we say that team has the
lead. However, the other team can make a comeback – score points from a losing position – and take
the lead, 4-3.

With the sports that use “do” and “go,” we typically use the word competition – a gymnastics
competition, a martial arts competition, a surfing competition, an ice skating competition, etc. The
exception is sports where you go from one place to another – like running, biking, and swimming – in
that case, we often call the event a race.

Athletes can enter a competition and try to win first place. Some athletes try to enhance their
performance with illegal substances such as steroids. But if they fail a drug test, they’ll be disqualified
from participating.

If the athlete is performing well, they may achieve a personal best – and if they perform better than
ANYONE ever has in the past, then they could even break the world record or set a new world record. If
they get injured, however, they might have to withdraw from the competition (voluntarily leave the
competition).

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 Lesson 10 – Quiz
1. Barbara has made / put / set a new world record, with 5 consecutive Olympic gold medals in
judo.
2. Do you want to do / go / play hiking with us this weekend?
3. How long have you been doing / going / playing football?
4. I did / played / went volleyball in college.
5. If a soccer game is failed / led / tied, they do penalty kicks to determine the winner.
6. Jeff and Diana did / played / went rock climbing in the mountains.
7. My son wants to do / go / play karate.
8. Our team won third lead / place / record in the basketball competition/ performance /
tournament.
9. She's been doing / going / playing gymnastics since she was 5 years old.
10. The baseball team was unable to make a comeback / setback / takeback and lost the game 5-2.
11. The biker from Australia currently has the best / first / lead, but the bikers from Russia and Peru
are close behind.
12. The ice skater broke / removed / withdrew from the competition due to a knee injury.
13. The runners were stretching before the match / race / test began.
14. Tim Randall has achieved / enhanced / won a personal best with his time of 23.04 seconds.
15. What was the final place / record / score of the baseball game?

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. Do you like sport?
2. What’s your favorite sport?
3. Do you often watch sport on TV?
4. Did you play sport as a child?
5. What is the most popular sport in your country?
6. How do most people in your country keep fit?
7. Is it important for children to play sports?

Part 2.
1. Describe a sports you would like to lean. You should say:
 What it is
 What equipment is needed for it
 How you would learn it
And explain why you would like to learn this sport

2. Talk about a sport you like doing or watching. You should say:
 How you first became interested in it
 Why you are interested in it
 What equipment and skills are needed for it
And say if you think it is an easy sport to do or not, and why

3. Talk about a sport many people enjoy but you have never tried. You should say:
 What equipment is needed for it
 What some of the rules are
 What kinds of people this sport is popular with
And say if you think you will do this sport in the near future or not, and why

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Part 3.

1. What types of sports are popular in your country?

2. Do you think the types of sports that are popular will change in the future?
3. Let’s move on to talk about some positive aspects of sports. In your opinion, what are
the benefits of playing a sport?
4. What about cultural aspects? How can sports bring people from different countries
closer together?
5. Do you think old people can keep fit by playing sports or exercising?
6. Finally, let’s talk about Olympic Games. How are the Olympic players trained in your
country? Do they usually start training when they are born?
7. Why would somebody dislike watching the Olympic Games?

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 Lesson 11 – Health & Sickness
There are a number of lifestyle changes you can make to improve your overall health and increase your
life expectancy (how long you are expected to live) – you can quit smoking, reduce stress, eat a balanced
diet, get plenty of sleep, and exercise regularly. It’s also important to get vaccinations/immunizations
to prevent diseases. No matter how healthy you are, it’s still a good idea to have health insurance – a
program/plan to cover expenses in case of an accident or serious illness.

If you’re in a car accident, you might suffer/sustain serious injuries. Of course, if you’re wearing your
seatbelt, you’re more likely to have only minor injuries. If you’ve broken/fractured a bone – for example,
your leg – the doctor will put your leg in a cast. If you have a cut, the doctor will give you stitches. If you
have a burn, the doctor will give you an ointment to prevent infection.

If you have a minor ailment like a headache, you can take some aspirin to relieve the pain (reduce the
effects of the pain). If you suffer from a chronic condition (a condition that continues for a long time) like
allergies, asthma, back pain, or depression, there are both over-the counter and prescription
medications that can help alleviate the symptoms (an over-the-counter medication is one that you can
buy without a doctor’s prescription).

When someone has a minor respiratory infection, we say they have a cold. Don’t get too close to that
person, because you could catch a cold, too! You can “catch” other types of contagious diseases as well
– such as sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs).

If someone is diagnosed with a more serious illness such as cancer or AIDS, they’ll need more extensive
treatment. When a disease has progressed so far that it will be impossible to cure, then the patient is
said to be terminally ill – in other words, the person will definitely die of the disease soon.

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 Lesson 11 Quiz
Match the two halves of these sentences:

1. Adults who have diabetes need to make some

a) With multiple sclerosis.
lifestyle

b) Vaccinations before traveling to a

2. After a series of exams, Diana was diagnosed
tropical country.

3. He suffers from chronic c) The pain and reduce swelling.

d) Medications to treat his bipolar

4. He takes some very strong prescription
disorder.

e) Insurance, so she had to pay for the

5. If you pull a muscle, ice can help relieve
surgery herself.

6. Japan has the highest life f) Injuries - just some cuts and bruises.

g) Ill and should be made as

7. My daughter has a bad
comfortable as possible.

8. My son needs to get some h) Expectancy in the world, at 83 years.

9. She didn't have health i) Diet and get lots of exercise.

j) Cold, so she's staying home from

10. The best way to lose weight is to eat a balanced
school today.

k) Changes, such as cutting down on

11. The patient in room 4 is terminally
sugar.

l) Back pain thanks to years of poor

12. They walked away from the accident with minor
posture.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. Do you have any unhealthy habits?
2. In what ways do you try to stay healthy?
3. Is it easy to keep fit where you live?
4. What do you think is more important, eating healthy or doing exercise?
5. Have you ever had any habits which you consider to be unhealthy?
6. Do you think more about your health now than when you were younger?
7. What are the health benefits of playing a sport?
8. What part of your lifestyle would you most like to make healthier?
9. How important is a healthy lifestyle for you?

Part 2.
1. Describe your (or your friend's) experience with an illness or injury. You should say:
 What it was
 When it happened
 How you (or your friend) handled it
And say how do you feel about it now.

2. Describe something healthy you enjoy doing. You should say:

 What you do
 Where you do it
 Who you do it with
And explain why you think doing this is healthy.

3. Describe a time when you were ill. You should say :

 When was this?
 What were your symptoms?
 long did the illness last?
And say how it affected your life at the time.

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Part 3.
1. How can people improve their health?
2. Do elderly people do much exercise in your country?
3. Do you think all illness can be prevented?
4. Do you think there will be less illness in the future?
5. Do you think health care should be free?
6. What makes a good doctor?
7. How can people be encouraged to stay healthy?
8. Do women pay more attention to their health than men?
9. Do you think people have become more health-conscious in recent years?
10. How can children learn to have a healthy lifestyle?

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 Lesson 12 – Computers
I’m teaching my grandmother how to use a computer. First I showed her how to start up and shut down
the computer. Then, I helped her get online or access the internet so that she can check her e-mail. She
quickly learned how to write and send messages, reply to an e-mail and forward an e-mail (send a
complete e-mail that you received to a new person), but it was a little hard for her to remember how to
attach a file to an outgoing message.

We tried to log into her bank account online, but the bank’s website was down (the website was not
functional, or was not online). There was a notice on the home page (the main page of the website) that
they were doing some scheduled maintenance on the system – so we’ll try again tomorrow.

This afternoon, I’ll teach her how to use a search engine. I think she’ll really enjoy surfing/browsing the
web (exploring the internet) and using social media. If she needs to do something more advanced, like
burn a CD (put files from a computer onto a CD), then I can do that for her.

She’s a little bit afraid of pressing the wrong key and accidentally deleting an important file, but I told
her that we can always recover the file from the recycling bin. I also explained that if the computer
freezes or locks up (stops moving/functioning), she can simply restart/reboot the computer.

It’s also a good idea for her to back up her files (make an extra copy of the information) so that she
doesn’t lose her data if the computer crashes (the computer breaks) and can’t be repaired. I installed a
program that periodically runs scans for viruses and spyware to ensure that her computer hasn’t been
infected.

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 Lesson 12 Quiz
1. After my computer was stolen, I was so glad I had backed up / locked up / started up all my
data on an external hard drive.
2. Could I use your computer for a minute? I'd like to check / look / verify my e-mail.
3. Do I need to attach / implement / install a special program to be able to view this video?
4. I burned / locked / scanned you a CD of some of my favorite music.
5. I can't check the event schedule online because the conference website seems to be off / down
/ frozen.

6. If you want more space on your hard drive, you should crash / delete / shut down old files that
you no longer need.
7. I'm trying to log into / start up / reboot my account, but I can't remember the password.
8. More and more people are getting / scanning / surfing the web on their cell phones nowadays.
9. My computer down / freezes / infected when I have too many programs open at the same time.
10. Never open attachments from people you don't know - they could disease / infect / lock up
your computer with a virus.
11. The boss wants everyone to close / shut down / turn out their computers before leaving work.

12. You forgot to add / annex / attach the file to your message.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. Do you often use a computer?
2. How do you usually get online?
3. Do you prefer desktops or laptops?
4. What do you use your computer for?
5. Do you think it is important to learn how to use a computer?
6. Do people often use computers these days?
7. Will people continue to use computers in the future?

Part 2.
Describe a useful electronic device you would like to own. You should say:
 what it is
 how it would help your life
 if it would be expensive to buy
And explain why you would like it.

Part 3.

1. What are the most popular electronic devices in today’s world?

2. What devices do you think will be popular in the future?
3. Let’s move on to the role of electronic devices in today’s society. Do you think people
spend too much money on electronic devices?
4. In what ways can electronic devices make our lives harder?
5. What would the world be like without computers?
6. Should children be taught to use computers at school?

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 Lesson 13 – Study
Most children begin their studies at 5 or 6 years old in pre-school, followed by kindergarten. After that
comes primary/elementary school, which consists of first grade through fifth grade. Then there’s middle
school – sixth grade through eighth grade – and high school, which is ninth grade through twelfth grade.

After high school, you apply to colleges/universities to see which ones will accept you. You send
in/submit your application and then wait for the results. If you got good grades in high school, you might
get / be awarded a scholarship to help pay the tuition (the cost of studying).

In college, you’ll take classes/courses on various subjects. You should always take notes as the teacher
is giving the lecture. Some teachers may ask the students to give/make presentations or do research
and write an essay, an assignment, a report, or a paper. After you hand in your work, the teacher will
grade the assignment (give you an evaluation, for example, 90%) and give you feedback (comments on
your work).

To evaluate your progress, you’ll take tests/exams. If you get the minimum number of points required,
you’ve passed the test; if you don’t get the minimum number of points, you’ve failed the test. It’s also
possible to pass/fail a course.

If the course proves to be too difficult, or if you don’t like it, you can withdraw from or drop the course.

“Withdraw from” is the more formal expression, and “drop” is the more informal expression.
Most college students choose a major/concentration. To talk about a concentration of studies, you can
use “major” as a verb or a noun – for example,

 “I majored in biology” / “I was a biology major.”

 “My daughter is majoring in philosophy.” / “My daughter’s a philosophy major.”
When you graduate from college, you’ll get a diploma. Afterwards, you can say you have a degree in the
area of your concentration. You can have a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or doctorate (Ph.D.),
for example:

 “I have a bachelor’s degree in chemistry.”

 “I have a master’s degree in linguistics.”
 “I have a Ph.D. in theology.”

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 Lesson 13 Quiz
1. Christine has been a central / medium / middle school teacher for many years.
2. Could you give me some degree / concentration / feedback on my presentation? I'd like to
know how to improve it.
3. He's applying / submitting / trying to all the best universities in the country.
4. I think I got every question on the exam wrong - I have no doubt that I dropped / failed / lost.
5. I'm having / taking / going a course on Latin American politics.
6. My daughter's 12 - she's in sixth class / grade / level.
7. My father promised he'd buy me a car if I got / made / took good grades in my final year of high
school.
8. No, my son hasn't chosen a degree / major / series yet. He's debating between sociology and
anthropology.
9. She awarded / formed / graduated from the University of California in 1999.
10. The professor took ten points off my test because I handed it in / gave it up / passed it a few
minutes late.
11. The top five students in the class were awarded / submitted/ withdrawn a scholarship to a local
college.
12. This topic will be on the test - make sure to take detailed lectures / notes / writings.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. What do you study?
2. Where do you study that?
3. Why did you choose that subject?
4. Is it a popular subject in your country?
5. Do you like that subject?
6. Do you get on with your colleagues?
7. What was your first day like?
8. What are the main aspects of your subject?
9. If you had a chance, would you change subject?
10. Do you plan to get a job in the same field as your subject?

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 Lesson 14 – Academic English
Before you begin writing a paper, it’s a good idea to make an outline (a list of points in an organized order)
of the main points you plan to present. The next step is to gather evidence to support your claims, since
your work won’t be credible if you propose a theory (or try to challenge or refute a theory – argue against
an existing theory) without some proof.

If your paper is going to touch on several issues (talk about several topics) then you’ll need to be
especially organized. You can draw a distinction between topics that are different, or draw parallels
between examples that are similar. Another way to organize your ideas is to show how they fall into
different categories.

After making your outline and gathering the supporting evidence you’ll use to make your case (present
your argument), you can write a first draft (first version of the paper) in which you go into detail on the
topic. Then, you revise the paper (make improvements to it) until finishing with the final draft.

Let’s say you’re carrying out a study on market trends in developing countries. You can analyze the key
factors (important factors) that are influencing the economy, showing how local politics play a role/part
(have an effect) in shaping the country’s financial future. Including some specific items that are perfect
examples and clear illustrations of your ideas will help prove your points.

At the end of your paper, you should briefly summarize the material you presented and draw conclusions
based on your research. The end of the article is also a good place to raise questions (present questions)
for further study.

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 Lesson 14 – Quiz
1. I wasn't convinced by the article; I didn't think the author adequately helped / provided /
supported his claims.
2. In her book, Clara Jones aims to refute / refuse / revise the dominant theory using five main
counter-arguments.
3. Steve Jobs' leadership was a brief / key / perfect factor in Apple's success.
4. The first case / draft / try of his report was full of factual errors.
5. The reasons for the war fall into two main categories / summaries / theories: political reasons
and economic reasons.
6. The trajectory of the country after 1930 is a clear / obvious / main illustration of Smith's theory
in action.
7. These thought-provoking poems draw / make / raise questions about what it means to love
unconditionally.
8. This essay draws / goes / proves parallels between the main character in the novel and the
author's life.
9. This paragraph has nothing to do with any of your main cases / outlines / points, you should get
rid of it.
10. We'd like to carry out / fall into / touch on several issues in today's meeting.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.

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 Lesson 15 – Work
If you’ve just graduated from college and you’ve never had a job, you can start your career by doing an
internship (a temporary, low-level job) to gain experience. Depending on the company, the internship
could lead to an opportunity to get an entry-level job (a job that doesn’t require much skill or experience)
at the same company.

Although you might be earning minimum wage (the minimum salary required by law), if you do excellent
work and are a good team player (you cooperate well with your co-workers) you could get a promotion
(get an increase in responsibility) or get a raise (get an increase in salary) – hopefully both! Just don’t slack
off, otherwise you’ll be fired/dismissed (lose your job).

It’s normal for there to be periods of time when you have a heavy workload (a lot of work) and need to
work overtime (work extra hours). But if you have a very demanding job (an intense job with lots of
responsibilities) and you’re stressed out all the time, then it might be time to quit your job (leave your
job voluntarily) and look for another one.

Now that you have experience, you’ll be able to get a job with a more competitive salary (salary that is
higher than average) and generous benefits (extra benefits like health insurance, discounts, a company
car, etc). If you can’t find a well-paid and rewarding job in your field, it might be time for a career change.

The typical way of applying for a job is to read the job ads in the newspaper or online, then send your
resume to the company with a cover letter. The company will then interview the candidates it feels are
most qualified, based on the job description.

Sometimes job seekers (people looking for a job) need to take a menial job (job requiring a very low level
of skill) in order to earn a living (get enough money to survive) while they’re between jobs. But if you’re
persistent, a great job offer should come your way sooner or later – maybe even for your dream job (a
job that would be perfect for you)!

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 Lesson 15 Quiz
Complete the blanks in this conversation between two managers looking to hire a journalist:

description interview
applied
dismissed living
between
dream minimum
candidates
entry-level offer
competitive
generous overtime
demanding
internship rewarding

Melissa: Hi Terry, let's go over the list of people who have for the job.
Terry: Sure. There's Bob, who's fresh out of college and says this would be his " job."
Melissa: Although I admire his enthusiasm, this isn't an job - we really need someone
with a bit of experience.
Terry: Here's a resume from Dana - she's a freelance writer who's looking for a more stable way to earn
a . Unfortunately, she mentions in her cover letter that she's not willing to work
because she has two small kids at home.
Melissa: Hmm... this is a rather job and sometimes we do need to work late. Let's not
rule her out, though. Who else is in the running?
Terry: There's Steven, a veteran reporter who's currently jobs. He makes it clear in his
cover letter that he expects a salary and benefits.
Melissa: He might be worth it. Why did he leave his last job?
Terry: Um, well, I checked his references and it turns out he was for sexual harassment
of a co-worker.
Melissa: Oh... that's not ideal. Do we have any other ?
Terry: None who are particularly qualified - there's a marketing consultant looking for a
change, and a few people who apparently didn't read the job and sent us generic
letters.
Melissa: Maybe we could Dana the job, and if it's too much work for her to handle, we
could have Bob do an to help her out. We could only afford to pay him
wage, but he might find the experience .
Terry: OK – let’s both of them next week.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. What is your job?
2. Where do you work?
3. Why did you choose that job?
4. Is it a popular job in your country?
5. Do you like your job?
6. Do you get on well with your colleagues?
7. What responsibilities do you have at work?
8. If you had the chance, would you change your job?
9. Do you have plan to continue with your job in the future?
10. What skills and qualifications are required for this job?

Part 2.
1. Describe your dream job. You should say:
 What kind of things you would do in that job
 What the working conditions would be like
 What kind of workplace you would work in
And say if you think you will be able to get a job like that or not, and why

2. Describe your dream workplace. You should say:

 What it would look like
 What facilities it would have
 Where it would be
And say if you think you will ever work in a place like that or not, and why

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 3. Describe a job you would like to do in the future. You should say:
 How and when you first became interested in that job
 What people in that job have to do everyday
 What qualifications and experience you need in order to get that job
And say if you think you will be able to get that job or not, and why

Part 3.
1. Do you think job satisfaction is more important than salary when choosing a job?
2. What skills do you think are needed to get a good job these days?
3. Do you think women should be able to do all the same jobs that men do?
4. How has technology changed the way we work?
5. What is the difference between white collar and blue collar jobs?
6. What jobs do you think are most valuable to society?
7. At what age should people be allowed to retire?
8. Do you think job satisfaction is more important than your salary when choosing a job?
9. What skills do you think are needed to get a good job these days?
10. Do you think that women should be able to do the same jobs as men?
11. What’s the difference between white collar and blue collar jobs?
12. What jobs do you think are most valuable to society?

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 Lesson 16 – Business
If you don’t want to work for someone else, you can go into business for yourself. You can set up a
company (establish a company) in an industry that interests you – of course, it’s always good to do
market research (investigate the market), to determine if there’s a need for your product or service.

It’s normal for small businesses to operate at a loss (the business is losing money) for the first couple of
years before they start to break even – that’s when the money coming in equals the money going out. If
there’s tough competition and your start-up isn’t able to gain market share (secure a significant number
of customers), then your business runs the risk of going bankrupt (or going under) – losing all its money
and having to shut down. But if the amount of money coming into the company from sales is greater than
the amount spent on expenses, then you are making a profit.

As your business grows, you can hire/take on staff/employees. Another possibility is to make a deal
(make an agreement) with other companies to do business together – in this case, representatives from
both companies will sign a contract (put your name on a contract) that establishes each party’s rights
and responsibilities.

Whenever you’re planning to launch a new product, it’s essential to provide excellent customer service
(help for the customers). Otherwise, your customers will take their business elsewhere – they’ll start
buying from a rival company (a company that is your competitor) instead of from yours.

It’s not easy to run a business (manage a business), but with a combination of luck, skill, and hard work,
your business just might take off (become popular/successful). One way to describe a period of time of
major growth and success is to say that “business is booming.”

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 Lesson 16 Quiz
Circle the correct words to complete this auto-biography of a successful entrepreneur:

Growing up, I always knew that my father expected me to gain / make / run the family farming business
someday - but I really wanted to break in / set up / take on my own company. Plus, my dad was terrible
at managing his finances, and his business was constantly on the verge of going bankrupt / dead /
exhausted.

I didn't want to be a conflict / rival / loss to my parents' company, so I opened a small supermarket in a
neighboring town and hired / signed / drew two employees. We made a deal / share / promise with my
father, agreeing that he would be our primary supplier of fresh fruits and vegetables. Despite the tough
competition / contest / opposition in the sector, our little store managed to break equal / even / level
its first year in operation.

Our market contract / profit / research showed that there was a big demand for organic food in the area,
so we began offering primarily organic products and raised our prices. Some of our customers ran
/ took / went their business elsewhere, but others came from miles away due to our reputation for
excellent products and friendly customer attendance / kindness / service.

Last fall, we drove / hired / launched our own line of organic fruit juices, and that's when things really
started to break up / make out / take off. We opened up a café next door to the supermarket, and
business is blasting / booming / exploding.

With the budget / profit / output we're making, we can now invest in expansion and open a branch in
another city. We're even doing / making / taking business internationally - I'm about to sign a contract /
product / staff with an organic coffee supplier from South America.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. Do you know many small businesses where you live?
2. Do you prefer buying things from big companies or small businesses?
3. Have you ever worked in small businesses?
4. Have you ever thought about starting your own business? Why or why not?

Part 2.
Describe a small business that you would like to start. You should say
 What would this business be?
 How would you start/open this business?
 How would you run this business?
And explain why you would like to run this kind of business.

Part 3.
1. Why do some people decide to set up their own business?
2. What challenges and difficulties do people face when they try to open a small
business?
3. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of small businesses compared to
large companies?
4. How can small businesses benefit the people in their community?
5. Compare small shops with big international department stores and supermarkets.
6. What qualities does a small business owner need to have?
7. What are popular small businesses in your country?
8. What kinds of products does your country produce?
9. Do you think it’s important to purchase products from your own country rather than
from abroad?
10. Do you think family business are problematic?
11. What does it take for a business to be successful?
12. Has globalization affected small businesses in your country?

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 Lesson 17 – Money
There are a lot of things you can do with money!
First, you need to earn money or make money – both of these verbs refer to receiving money from your
work. Another way to obtain money is to inherit money – receive money from a family member or friend
after that person dies. If the person was very rich, you could inherit a fortune (a fortune is a lot of money).
You can take your money to the bank and make a deposit – put money into your bank account. Later, you
can make a withdrawal – remove money from your bank account. Of course, everyone likes to spend
money – use money to buy things – but it’s important not to waste/squander your money. These verbs
refer to using money in a way that’s not productive.
If money is tight (meaning you have very little money), you should make a budget – a plan for how much
to spend on things every month – and then you need to stick to the budget (continue following the plan).
Otherwise, you might be broke by the end of the month! Someone who is “broke” has no money
available.
A person who is financially savvy (intelligent, perceptive, and well-informed on the subject of money) will
always save money. It’s a good idea to have an emergency fund of at least 3-6 months of living expenses
(the amount money you use to survive in everyday life). You can also invest money in the stock market
– you could make a nice profit, but there’s also the risk of losing money if the economy goes downhill
(starts to get worse).

Let’s say you want to purchase an expensive item like a car. If you haven’t saved up money or set aside
money for the purchase, you can borrow money from the bank – which is also called taking out a loan.
The disadvantage of this is that you’ll need to pay the money back in installments – plus interest (extra
money).

When you travel, you’ll need to change/exchange money to be able to buy things with the local currency.
Make sure to change money only at official locations like banks and travel agencies – otherwise, you
could be tricked into receiving counterfeit bills (false paper money that is not legally valid).
Finally, you can consider donating money (giving money without receiving anything in return) to a good
cause, such as preserving the environment or researching cures for diseases. Non-profit organizations
are always trying to raise money (get donations) for their various projects.

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 Lesson 17 Quiz
Circle the best word to complete each sentence:

1. I lent Bill $20; he says he'll pay / spend me back next week.
2. Excuse me, it's none of your business how much money I get / make.
3. Greenpeace raised / rose five million dollars to help preserve the Atlantic rainforest.
4. How much of my income should I inherit / invest, and how much should I put into savings?
5. I can't believe I ruined / wasted $10 on a calculator that doesn't even work!
6. I didn't have enough savings to pay my college tuition, so I had to pick / take out a student loan.
7. Sometimes your employer can pay your salary by doing / making a deposit directly in your bank
account.
8. I really admire rich people who donate / sponsor a large portion of their wealth to charity.
9. I try not to eat out at restaurants too often; I'm trying to keep / save money.
10. Let's exchange / replace money here at the airport so that we can get a taxi to the hotel.
11. My son earned / won $50 for taking care of the neighbor's dogs over the weekend.
12. We need to give / make a budget so that we don't end up spending more than we earn.

Sentence Matching
1. She moved to a smaller apartment
a) All the money and end up with nothing.
because money is

2. Greg inherited a b) Bills to buy some diamond jewelry.

3. I had to withdraw $500 from my

c) Broke and asks his friends to pay for his drinks.
emergency

4. Two men were arrested after trying

d) Expenses have gone down quite a bit.
to use counterfeit

5. A lot of lottery winners squander e) Fortune from his great-grandfather.

6. I moved back in with my parents, so

f) Fund to pay for a dental treatment.
my living

g) market, but I'd like to start investing - I need a

7. I know nothing about the stock
financial advisor.

8. He's not very financially h) Savvy; he has no clue where his money is going.

9. Jonathan always says he's i) that you borrowed last week

10. Hey, you still owe me the $5 j) Tight at the moment.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.

1. How much money is enough?

2. Why do people care too much about money?

3. Is money important to you?

4. What do people in your country save money for?

5. Did you save money when you were younger?
6. How do you save money?
7. Do you use payment apps or mobile payments?
8. Are you good at managing money?
9. Is it common for people to discuss money in your country?

Part 2.

1. Describe a method to save money. You should say:

 What the method is

 When you started to use it
 How you knew it
And explain why it is helpful

2. Describe what you would do if you received a very large amount of money. You
should say:
 who you would share it with
 what you would buy
 what else you would do
And explain how you would feel about getting so much money.

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Part 3.

1. What do you think about money?

2. Can human beings live without money?

3. In your opinion, why do many people derive pleasure from spending money?

4. Who do you think saves more money, men or women?

5. Which do you think is better for the economy of a country or area, people saving money

or people spending money?

6. Do you think the government should let people know how it spends money?
7. How can (or, how do) young people learn to manage their financial affairs?
8. Do you think parents should give pocket money to the kids?
9. Do parents in your country think it’s important for their children to save money?
10. Do you think that parents should save money on behalf of their children?
11. Should schools teach children how to manage money?
12. Do you think that it is true that money cannot buy happiness in today’s society?
13. Do you think that people are too focused on making money?

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 Lesson 18 – Travel
Last week I had the worst business trip I’ve ever taken. Normally a travel agency takes care of booking
my flight (buying a plane ticket) and making my hotel reservation, but this time I decided make the travel
arrangements myself. Big mistake!

First of all, the plane was overbooked (there were more passengers than seats available) so I was bumped
to a later flight. When they gave me my new boarding pass (the ticket that allows you to enter the
airplane), they didn’t ask me if I’d prefer a window seat or an aisle seat (a seat next to the corridor) – and
I was stuck in the middle. To top it off, it was a very bumpy flight (a flight with a lot of turbulence).

I then missed my connecting flight and had a ten-hour layover (I had to wait ten hours for my next flight)
in Chicago. Unfortunately, my checked luggage (the bags in the airplane’s cargo compartment) had
already gone through to my final destination, so all I had was my carry-on bag (the bag you take with you
on the plane). I checked into a hotel near the airport just so I could take a nap.

When I finally arrived in Los Angeles, it turns out that I had made a mistake with my hotel reservation,
and instead of booking a room at a five-star hotel, I had booked three nights at a seedy hotel (a hotel
that is not very safe or comfortable) in the red-light district (an area of the city where there are many sex
shops, strip clubs, etc.)! So I was stuck sleeping on an uncomfortable mattress in a dingy room (a dirty
and dark room) while my colleagues enjoyed the luxury hotel.

The trip home was uneventful, but when I arrived I discovered that the airline had lost my luggage. All in
all it was a miserable experience.

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 Lesson 18 – Quiz
1. Are you adding / bumping / checking any bags today?
2. Hello, I need to change the dates of my hotel district / layover / reservation.
3. I always try to get a window chair / seat / spot on long flights.
4. I won't be in the office next week - I'll be on a business flight / travel / trip.
5. On their honeymoon, Will and Cassie spent a week at a five-star / ten-point / gold-star hotel.
6. Sorry, sir, but your bring-in / carry-on / take-up bag is too heavy.
7. The gate number is printed on your boarding / checking / entering pass.
8. The checkout / layover / stop-off was only 30 minutes – I had to run to catch my attaching /
connecting / linking flight!
9. The rooms of the hotel were nice, but the fitness center was rather dingy / red-light / one-star.
10. The travel agency / organization / department is offering a great deal on a 5-day package in
Miami.
11. We felt sick on the plane because the flight was really bumpy / seedy / messy.
12. You should book / make / set your flight now, before prices go up.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. Where was the last place you visited on holiday?
2. Would you like to go back there again?
3. What kind of tourist destinations do you usually prefer?
4. Has a foreign visitor ever stayed at your home?

Part 2.
1. Describe a place you have recently visited. You should say:
 Where you went
 Who you went with
 How you got there
And explain why you enjoyed it.

2. Talk about something tourists like to do in your country. You should say:
 How well known the activity is
 Why it is popular
 What kinds of people like to do it
And say if you think it will become more popular or less popular in the future and why

3. Talk about a part of your country you have never been to but would like to visit.
You should say:
 Why you have never been there before
 If or when you think you might go
 Why you would like to go
And say how you first became interested in going to that place

4. Talk about a foreign country you have never been to but would like to visit. You
should say:
 Why you have never been there before
 If or when you think you might go
 Why you would like to go
And say how you first became interested in going to that place

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Part 3.
1. Why do some people prefer to travel abroad rather that in their country?
2. Do you think traveling to another country can change the way people think?
3. Do you think it is good for children to experience life in a foreign country?
4. How have holidays changed over the past few decades?
5. Do you think it is safer to travel now than in the past?
6. Why do some people prefer to travel abroad rather than travel in their own country?
7. Do you think traveling to another country can change the way that people think?
8. Do you think it’s safer to travel today than in the past?
9. Let’s move on to tourism. What are some famous tourist spots in your country?
10. What are the positive impacts of tourism in your country?
11. What are the negative impacts of tourism in your country?
12. What can you say about the future of the tourism industry in your country?

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 Lesson 19 – Weather
Do you want to know if it’ll be sunny or rainy next weekend? Then you should check the weather forecast
– that’s the prediction of the weather in the near future.
If the forecast says the sun will be shining brightly, with clear skies (no clouds in the sky) and high
temperatures, then it’s a good day to go to the beach and bask in the sunshine (or soak up the sunshine)
– these expressions mean to enjoy the sun’s heat and light.
However, if the forecast says it’ll be oppressively hot, scorching hot, or swelteringly hot, then you might
want to stay inside and turn up the air conditioning! Another common phrase is hot and humid – that
means hot with a lot of water in the air (so you will sweat a lot).
The weather forecast might say it will be partly cloudy (the sky partially covered by clouds). Another way
to say this is that there are scattered clouds (just a few clouds). If there are heavy clouds, then you won’t
be able to see the sun at all – and if there are storm clouds, then it will probably rain very soon.
One way to express this is to say “It looks like rain.”
We can have light rain (little rain) or heavy rain (lots of rain, intense rain) – and if the rain gets REALLY
intense, we can describe it as torrential rain. If the rain continues without stopping, then we call it
continuous rain or constant rain – but if it’s the type of rain that starts and stops various times
throughout the day, it’s called intermittent rain or scattered showers. When it stops raining, you can say
the rain let up.
Rain is usually accompanied by wind, which can be light/slight winds or high/strong winds. If the wind
is especially strong and violent, you can say fierce winds or gale-force winds – this last expression is
usually used for winds at the level of a hurricane. When the wind is increasing in intensity, we say “The
wind is picking up,” and when it is decreasing in intensity, we say “The wind is dying down.”
Sometimes we describe the wind with an adjective that emphasizes the cold – such as a biting wind or
an icy wind. Finally, a sudden instance of wind can be called a blast of wind or a gust of wind.
Snow, like rain, can be light or heavy. Light snow can also be called snow flurries. When the snow is being
blown around in the wind, we can describe it as driving snow or swirling snow. It can be wonderful to
walk through fresh, powdery, newly-fallen snow – but not so nice to drive on it. So we clear the snow
or plough the snow with vehicles to remove it from the roads. You can also do this manually – that’s
called shoveling the snow. At the end of winter, when temperatures rise, the snow melts – it turns into
water and disappears.
Sometimes the weather is unusual for a particular time of year. For example, in the winter, you might
have a day that is unseasonably warm, and in the summer, you might have a day that is unseasonably
cool. When the temperature reaches an extreme, we call that a record high or a record low.

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 Here are some alternative ways of saying the weather was good. You can say the weather was beautiful,
lovely, ideal, superb, or perfect. To say the weather was bad, you can say the weather was lousy, miserable,
nasty, dreadful, or terrible.
Other ways to describe the weather:

 gloomy/dismal weather = weather that is dark, rather rainy, and depressing

 muggy/sultry weather = weather that is very hot and humid or

 wet mild / calm weather = weather that is nice and not extreme

 harsh/severe/wild weather = weather that is extreme and violent

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 Lesson 19 – Quiz
clear let up muggy perfect storm high mild wild

forecast light oppressively record torrential partly scattered

Now it's time for your weather . Right now we have weather, with
skies and a wind from the east. It's weather for a walk in the park.
There will be some showers overnight, but it the rain should by tomorrow
morning.

Saturday will be cloudy and hot. We might even see a high

temperature. The weather continues into Sunday, with clouds forming in the late
afternoon. On Monday we'll have some weather, with rain and
winds.

cleared heavy nasty flurries

driving icy thaw unseasonably

We're seeing clouds and a few snow right now, but we have some
winter weather ahead, with winds and record temperatures at night. Be
careful if you go out in the snow, especially if you're on a road where the snow hasn't yet
been . The snow will probably next week, as we're expecting some
warm weather.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. What’s the weather like today?
2. What’s your favorite weather?
3. Do you like the weather in your country?
4. Is the weather the same in all parts of your country?
5. Does the weather ever effect the way you feel?
6. Does the weather in your country ever effect transportation?

Part 2.

Describe your favorite season or time of the year. You should say:
 When this time is.
 What the weather is like at this time.
 what you usually do at this time
And explain why it is your favorite time of the year.

Part 3.
1. How many seasons are there in your country?
2. Does your country ever have extreme weather?
3. Does weather ever disrupt things in your country?
4. Why do you think some people enjoy living in a hot climate?
5. What types of activities can people do in cold climates?
6. What do you think it must be like to live in a country with only one type of weather all
year round?
7. Is the weather easy to predict in your country?
8. Do you think weather influences people’s moods?
9. Do you think the world’s climate is changing?
10. What do you think is affecting the world’s climate?
11. Do you think individuals should take responsibility for the world’s global climate?

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 Lesson 20 – City
When my parents retired last year, they traded the towering skyscrapers (very tall buildings) and noise
pollution (excessive noise) of Los Angeles for the peace and quiet of a small coastal city (a city near the
ocean) in southern France. They said they were tired of living in a high-rise building right next to an industrial
zone. Now they live in a cozy little house on the outskirts of the city (on the outer edge of the city, not in the
center).

Life in their new town is quite different from the hectic pace (the fast and chaotic rhythm) of L.A., where
the bustling streets (busy streets filled with people) are strewn with litter (filled with garbage) and you
can count on spending hours in traffic jams (stopped traffic).

Instead, the narrow cobblestone streets of the city center are lined with eighteenth-century buildings
that are now home to quaint shops (charming and old-fashioned shops) and gourmet restaurants
specializing in the local cuisine (the typical food of the region).

The best day to visit is Saturday, when there’s an open-air market (an outdoor market) in the main
square. You can buy souvenirs from the street vendors (people selling things on the street) and have
lunch at one of the trendy cafés (modern, stylish, and popular cafés) in the area. There’s virtually no
street crime here, in contrast to the inner-city areas (older, central, crowded part of a city, usually filled
with poor people and possibly violence) of L.A.

Is there anything that my parents miss about Los Angeles? Well, they do miss the cultural diversity. But
they’re past the age where being in a place with a pulsating nightlife (having many exciting bars and
clubs) is important to them.

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 Lesson 20 Quiz
Match the two halves of these sentences:

1. I do yoga so that I can

a) Jam for three hours on the way home from work.
relax from the hectic
2. I was stuck in a traffic b) Of the city; we'll have to take a taxi.
3. I'd really like to live in a c) Pollution is until you get out of the city to a more
coastal peaceful place.

4. If you bargain with the

d) Litter after the New Year's party.
street
5. That nightclub is on the
e) City so that I could swim in the ocean every day.
outskirts
6. The beach was strewn
f) Pace of modern life.
with
7. The shop is located on a
g) Vendors, you might be able to get a discount.
bustling
8. This lovely sixteenth-
h) Street in the city center.
century
9. You don't realize how
i) Cuisine in India; it's healthy and delicious!
bad the noise
10. You've got to try the local j) Church is one of the biggest tourist attractions.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. Where is your hometown?
2. Do you often visit your hometown?
3. What is the oldest place in your hometown?
4. Is there a good public transportation in your hometown?
5. Can you tell me about your hometown?
6. How has your hometown changed over the years?
7. Is there any way your hometown could be made better?
8. Are there good transportation links to your hometown?
9. What kind of jobs do the people in your hometown do?
10. Do you like the city you are living in now?
11. Do you prefer the city or the countryside?
12. What kinds of city do you like?
13. Which city do you want to go to?

Part 2.
1. Describe your favorite city or a city you have visited that you like very much. You
should say:
 What its name is and where it is
 When you visited it.
 why you liked it
And the major attractions in this city are

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Part 3.
1. In your opinion, what makes a city a good one to live in?
2. What are the advantages of living in a city?
3. Let’s move on from the positive aspects of cities to the negative aspects of cites. In
your opinion, what are the negative aspects of crowded cities?
4. How can governments improve living standards in crowded cities?
5. What about air quality? What can people do to improve the air quality in the city?

6. In your opinion, what makes a city a good one to live in?

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 Lesson 21 – Countryside
If you’re living in an urban area and looking for a little change of scenery, why not take a weekend trip to
the surrounding countryside? You can walk through the wildlife preserve (special area where animals
are protected), where a winding footpath (a road you can walk on, that has many turns and changes of
direction) will lead you through varied landscapes including dense forests, vast meadows, and gentle,
rolling hills.

More adventurous visitors will enjoy exploring the rocky landscape of Yosemite National Park with its
towering cliffs (very tall cliffs) and magnificent waterfalls. You can take a hiking trail that goes up the
steepest face of the tallest mountain in the park (the side of a mountain is called a “face” – and “steep”
means it is very vertical). The trail starts at the foot of the mountain (the base of the mountain) and the
ascent takes about four hours; you can stop to have lunch on the banks of a clear, bubbling mountain
stream.

From the summit, there’s a spectacular panoramic view (meaning you can see in all directions) of the
area. To the east, you can see the jagged, snow-covered peaks of a distant mountain range (a group or
chain of mountains); you can gaze at the lush green countryside (an area with lots of healthy vegetation)
to the south, and when looking west, you can see the slow-moving, shallow river (a river that is not very
deep or fast) that flows lazily towards the ocean.

The coastline is just a three-hour drive from the mountains, with miles of sun-drenched, sandy beaches.
You can stay overnight at a family-run hotel in the picturesque fishing village (beautiful, good for taking
pictures), where every room has an unobstructed view (there are no obstacles blocking the view) of the
sea. The beaches tend to get crowded in the summer, so one option is to take a boat trip across the bay
and explore the secluded beaches (beaches that are hidden) on the island – it’s well worth the trip
(meaning it’s a good use of your time to go there).

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 Lesson 21 – Quiz
1. Don't bother going to the village - it's not merit / worth / value the trip, there's really nothing to
see.
2. From our window, we had an unobstructed look / sight / view of the castle up on the mountain.
3. If you want more privacy, there's a winding / secluded / unobstructed beach an hour's drive
outside the city.
4. Moving from New York City to a small farm in the midwest was quite a dramatic change of face
/ scenery / view.

5. The all-day boat / ship / sailor trip leaves at 7 AM every morning and takes you to 5 different
islands.
6. The hikers tried to find the trail through the dense / heavy / jagged forest.
7. The stream is quite lush / gentle / shallow - the water only comes up to your ankles.
8. This mountain range / span / scenery extends north to Canada.
9. We went bird-watching in the countryside / fauna / wildlife preserve.
10. You can't get there by car; you have to take the footpath / footroad / footstreet.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. Have you ever lived in the countryside?
2. Do you ever spend time in the countryside?/Do you often visit the countryside?
3. Who do you visit in the countryside?/ Do you have family or friends living in the
countryside?
4. Have areas of the countryside in your country changed since you were a child?
5. Would you like to live in the countryside in the future?
6. Do you think that visits to the countryside should be something that schools offer
to their children?

Part 2.
1. Describe an enjoyable/unforgettable experience you had in the countryside. You
should say:
 What was the activity?
 When do you do it?
 Who did you do it with?
 Why was it enjoyable?

Part 3.

1. What are the advantages of living in the countryside?

2. What kinds of people live in the countryside?

3. How is the countryside different from town?

4. What are the disadvantages of living in the countryside?

5. What do people living in the countryside like to do?

6. Do you think it is better to live in the countryside or in the city?

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 Lesson 22 – Crime
When a person breaks the law (does something illegal), we say they have committed a crime. Especially
horrible crimes – like a savage rape or a brutal murder – can be described as barbaric, horrible, or vicious
crimes.

If someone tries to commit a crime but does not succeed, we use the word attempted – for example, an
attempted murder, attempted kidnapping, or attempted break-in. If someone accuses another person
of a crime, but it is not yet proven, then we use the word alleged – for example, an alleged assault, alleged
harassment, or alleged rape.

After the victim reports the crime to the police, the police will begin to investigate the crime. They’ll visit
the crime scene and gather forensic evidence (collect details like bullets, fingerprints, or blood samples
that can show what happened). If witnesses come forward, the police will interview them to hear a first-
hand account (a story told by a person who saw the event) of what happened. They also consider possible
motives for the crime.

Police can arrest suspects who they believe have committed a crime – but the suspect can prove their
innocence by providing a solid alibi – that means giving a confirmed explanation of where they were at
the time of the crime. If it is never discovered who committed the crime, then the case remains an
unsolved crime. The statistics about number of crimes in a particular area is called the crime rate. And
when there is a big increase in the crime rate, we can call this a crime wave.

There are also a number of collocations we can use to describe criminals. A first-time offender is
someone who has broken the law for the first time, whereas someone who has broken the law in the past
has a criminal record. A criminal who is famous – like a serial killer (a person who has killed multiple
people over time) or a person who is heavily involved in organized crime – can be called a notorious
criminal.

Collocations for specific crimes / criminals:

 a cold-blooded killer/murderer – a person who doesn’t have feeling or emotion a
crazed/psychopathic killer – a killer who is insane or mentally unbalanced
 domestic violence – when there is violence inside a home, for example, a husband beating his wife
 drug trafficking – the purchase, sale, and transport of illegal drugs
 identity theft – when a criminal steals an innocent person’s identifying information and uses it in an
illegal way
 sexual harassment – when one person makes undesired sexual advances towards another person
 petty crime – a minor crime
 armed robbery – when criminals steal something, while using weapons

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 Lesson 22 - Quiz
arrested broke gathered proved reported

attempted committed had provided unsolved

One of my favorite TV shows is about detectives who investigate crimes. In the last
episode, they were looking into a murder that had happened over ten years ago. The suspect who was
at the time was the victim's ex-boyfriend and a long criminal record - but he
his innocence with a watertight alibi.

The detectives then began to investigate the person who had found the girl's body and the
crime. He had never the law, but a man who matched his description had been accused of
an kidnapping of another young woman around the same time.

The police called him in for questioning, and the alibi that he didn't match the one on
record. They then DNA evidence from the new suspect, and it proved that he had indeed
the crime. It took more than ten years, but justice was finally served!

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. In your country, what do you see as the most typical crime?
2. Do you think the police in your nation should be more or less strict?
3. Is it secure to travel to your country?
4. Tell me, have you ever witnessed a crime?
5. How can police best ensure the safety of communities?
6. How technology can help tackle crime?

Part 2.
Describe a crime you were involved in. You should say:
 When it was?
 What crime it was?
 Why did you got involved?
 How did you feel?

Part 3.
1. Do you think criminals can change?
2. Does your country have a big organized crime group like the mafia?
3. Can you tell if a kid will grow up to be a criminal?
4. Is shoplifting common in your country?

5. Are police officers popular in your country?

6. Do people like being a police officer in your country?

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 Lesson 23 – Law/Justice
The government is responsible for passing laws (approving new laws to be put into practice), and the
courts and legal system are in charge of upholding and enforcing the law (applying the law to the
population).

When a person is charged with a crime (formally accused of the crime), he or she must appear in court
to stand trial (be judged guilty or innocent). Both the prosecution and the defense will present their cases
before the judge and jury. After consideration, the judge or jury will reach a verdict (arrive at a decision).

If there is irrefutable, overwhelming, or concrete evidence, this means that it is very obvious that the
person committed the crime, and it’s possible that the jury will be unanimous (meaning they all agree)
in their decision. However, if the evidence is circumstantial or inconclusive (the evidence does not 100%
prove the conclusion), then the decision will be more difficult – it’s possible to have a hung jury, which
cannot agree on the verdict.

Less serious crimes will receive a light sentence (a small punishment) – for example, the offender may
have to pay a fine or do community service. For more serious crimes, the person will probably go to
prison – and especially heinous crimes can result in a harsh sentence such as life in prison (or life
imprisonment) or, in some places, the death penalty.

After the decision is made, the lawyers can choose to appeal the verdict (try to change the decision), and
the case may turn into a prolonged legal battle as the courts decide whether to uphold or overturn the
original verdict – “uphold” meaning to continue with the original decision, and “overturn” meaning to
change the decision.

As a convicted criminal is serving time (spending time in prison), he or she should remember the
possibility of being released from prison early for good behavior, as long as they are not deemed a threat
to society (possibly dangerous to other people).

A criminal who is released early is said to be “on parole,” meaning that he or she must comply with
certain conditions after getting out of jail – such as getting a job and refraining from drug/alcohol use.

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 Lesson 23 – Quiz
1. After being evacuated / left / released from prison, Jim found it hard to get a job.
2. Although everyone believes she's guilty, the evidence was too appealed / inconclusive /
refutable for a conviction.
3. Due to his links to terrorist groups, Mr. Smith represents a threat / battle / death to society.
4. He was declared innocent by a unanimous / universal / uniform jury.
5. I couldn't believe what a light conviction / sentence / threat she got - a mere 30 days in jail!
6. I don't support the death pain / penalty / punishment - I think everyone deserves a chance to
change.
7. Patty and her ex-husband are involved in a prolonged lawful / legal / trial battle over the
ownership of their house.
8. Ron will stand court / jury / trial for an assault charge after hitting his girlfriend.
9. The banking executive was charged / stood / upheld with fraud.
10. The U.S. government just hung / passed / served a new law about immigration.
11. There was concrete / enforced / harsh evidence that the doctor had falsified the records.
12. They haven't yet reached a court / parole / verdict in the kidnapping case.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. Why do you think law and order are important?

2. Should laws be more universal?

3. Is there any law you think is too strict? [Why?/Why not?]

4. What do people in your country generally think about obeying laws?

5. Do people like being police officers in your country?

6. Why do some people prefer to be a lawyer?

Part 2.
Describe a good law. You should say:
 What it is
 Who is affected by it
 And why you think it is good

Part 3.
1. Why do some people prefer to be a lawyer?
2. Can you give an example of a law that has significantly impacted society?
3. What role do courts play in resolving legal controversies?

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 Lesson 24 – War & Peace
When a war begins, we can say that war has broken out or violence has erupted in the region. When one
country officially enters into a state of war, then they have declared war on the enemy country.

Sometimes, one country performs a pre-emptive strike (an early attack) against another – for example,
if it suspects that the other country is stockpiling weapons (creating a collection of weapons) that will be
used for a future attack. The other country may view this as an unprovoked attack (an unfair attack
without a reason), and tensions may rise until the area is on the brink of war – meaning that war is very
probable.

Sending in the military is often called deploying troops. The soldiers may be stationed/posted in a certain
area to protect it, or they may launch an offensive in which they storm/invade enemy territory. When
the soldiers begin firing their guns, we say that they opened fire.

Unfortunately, the horrors of war affect everyone, as innocent people are always caught in the crossfire
(in the middle of the violence without participating in it). Both sides are sure to suffer civilian casualties
(when innocent people are injured or killed) and there will be collateral damage to the countries’
infrastructure. War also results in many refugees displaced by the violence; they may resettle in another
area or flee to another country.

If a particular battle was an important turning point in the war, then it is called a decisive battle.
Sometimes another country intervenes and helps the two sides negotiate a truce/ceasefire (agree to
stop fighting). If successful, this can restore peace – but it may be a fragile/uneasy peace. More work will
still be needed to bring stability to the area and establish a lasting peace. Often, peacekeeping forces
remain in the region to try to avert war (avoid war).

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 Lesson 24 – Quiz
Read this news report from the year 3013 and circle the correct word to complete each collocation.

Special report:

Strains / Tensions are rising between the residents of Earth and Mars, causing some to speculate that
the fragile / weak peace between the two planets may soon come to an end. The latest round of violence
erupted / ruptured when Martian soldiers established / stationed at the Martian embassy on Earth
opened fire / shooting on a group of Earth residents who were protesting outside the consulate.

Although war has not been declared / stated, both planets are ready to react if the other launches an
affront / offensive. There are rumors that Mars has been stockpiling / storming illegal weapons to
defend itself from Earth’s much better-equipped military.

Diplomats from both planets are doing everything possible to bring stability / steadiness to the situation,
but there are concerns that radical extremist groups on Earth may be planning an uneasy / unprovoked
attack for the express purpose of causing a war to break out / take off.

Everyone remembers the hatreds / horrors of the last interplanetary war, in which the decisive /
determined battle resulted in hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties / collateral and a large
number of refugees who fled / deployed to the colony on the Moon.

Even after a ceasefire / crossfire was negotiated, isolated incidents of violence against Martian citizens
brought the two planets to the brink / edge of war several times. The president of Earth has authorized
the recruitment and training of additional peacekeeping forces / truces; however, a forever / lasting
peace continues to be a complicated issue for our Solar System.

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 Lesson 25 – Global Problems
In today’s lesson, we’ll focus on several major global problems.

One critical issue is preserving and protecting the environment. The burning of fossil fuels (oil, coal, and
natural gas) produces greenhouse gases (gases that heat up the atmosphere) that deplete the ozone
layer and result in global warming and climate change (changes in the earth’s temperature and weather
patterns).

Some scientists believe that we have already done irreparable damage to the planet, and now we are
suffering the consequences of rising sea levels and increasingly frequent natural disasters such as
earthquakes, hurricanes, and tornados. A number of animal species have gone extinct, and many more
are endangered. To reverse this trend, we must invest in clean energy (energy sources that do not pollute
the environment) with renewable resources (elements like water and air, which can be re-used) and
utilize manufacturing methods that are not harmful to the environment.

There are still many regions of the world where children die of hunger/starvation (die from not having
enough food). Unfortunately, extreme poverty is common in the rural areas of developing countries,
where the population often suffers from food shortages (not enough food) and lack of access to clean
water.

In the cities, homeless people sleep on the streets if there is not enough room in local homeless shelters.
There are also many families on the margins of society (outside the dominant society and culture) who
are living below the poverty line and struggle to make ends meet every month. Although many
governments create welfare programs (programs that give money to poor people) to alleviate poverty,
the widening gap between rich and poor suggests that poverty may never be completely eradicated.

Poverty and underdevelopment contribute to a host of additional problems as well. For example, many
people die of preventable diseases because they have no access the safe and effective vaccines that
exist. A number of large corporations use child labor in the manufacturing of their products, as poor
families may feel they have no other option for survival. In addition, young women from disadvantaged
backgrounds (poor families and situations) are prime targets for human trafficking and sexual
exploitation.

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 Lesson 25 – Quiz
Read this debate between two politicians and fill in the gaps with the correct words:

alleviating endangered irreparable shelters

clean fossil line shortages

climate harming margins warming

disadvantaged hunger renewable welfare

Jim: If I'm elected, my number one priority will be poverty. A large portion of our country's
population lives below the poverty , and it's a fact that young people from
backgrounds are more likely to engage in criminal activity. My opponent, on the other
hand, wants to cut funding for the program and leave millions of people without help.

George: I believe it is a mistake to focus on our country alone; we must remember that we are part of a
global community. Opening up more homeless is not a long-term solution to help
those on the of society. However, investing in energy will enable us to
grow our economy without the environment. This will benefit our country and our world.

Jim: That's a noble goal, but we have more pressing problems. I seriously doubt our citizens who are
dying of care about protecting species and preventing global
. Plus, it's not scientifically proven that humans can even cause damage to
the planet.

George: Don't you see that the two issues are related? Due to change, the rain patterns have
changed and our agricultural sector is not as strong as it once was. This results in food . It's
only going to get worse unless we end our dependence on fuels and start using
resources.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. Are there any problems with the climate in your country?
2. Are there any environmental problems in your country?
3. Do you or your family take steps to help the environment?

Part 2.
1. Describe an environmental problem or event. You should say:
 What it is
 Where is it happening
 What problems it causes

2. Describe an environmental problem that has occurred in your country. You should say:
 The cause of the problem
 What effects it has had on your country
 The steps, if any, that have been taken to solve this
Explain why you think this problem is so important to solve.

Part 3.

1. What are some of the main environmental problems in your county?

2. Why should people be concerned about the environment?
3. How can people protect the environment?
4. Do you think money should be spent on protecting animals?
5. Do you think more should be done to protect natural scenic spots in your country?
6. Let’s move on to water pollution. Is water pollution a problem in your country?
7. What can individuals do to try and ensure water is kept clean?
8. Do you think problems with the cleanliness of water will improve in the future?
9. What should individuals be doing to protect the natural environment?

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 Lesson 26 – Time
Are you always in a rush, or do you take your time? Do you spend your time efficiently, or do you waste
time and procrastinate important tasks – then stay up working until ungodly hours (very late at
night/early in the morning)?

It has taken me ages (taken a very long time), but I’ve finally adopted some time-management habits:

Plan things well in advance and don’t underestimate the amount of time things will take –
otherwise you’ll end up being a slave to your grueling schedule (very intense schedule).
Take care of time-consuming tasks (things that take a lot of time) on a day when you have no
pressing commitments (urgent appointments or things to do).
Establish a timeline for major projects, so that you don’t leave things to the last minute and
risk running out of time. Then, stick to the schedule and try to get ahead if possible. There’s
nothing worse than falling behind on a project with a strict deadline (a definite date before
which it needs to be finished).
Leave home and work a little earlier than normal to avoid rush hour (the time when there is a lot
of traffic because everyone is going to work or coming home from work).
Sleep for eight solid hours (eight hours without interruption) every night; you’ll wake up with
more energy.

If you’re working from dawn till dusk (from the early morning to the late evening) and you have little or
no spare/free time, it could mean that you’re overworked, and you should cut back on your hours
(reduce your working hours) to free up some time (make more time available).

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 Lesson 26 – Quiz
1. He worked on fixing the computer for two compact / solid / tight hours before giving up and
calling tech support.
2. He's always in a press / quick / rush; he never has time to chat.
3. I have a consuming / grueling / ungodly schedule this semester - classes from Monday to
Friday, 7 AM to 7 PM!
4. I left / spent / took the assignment to the last minute and then stayed up all night to write it.
5. In my rush / spare / stick time, I like to read.
6. Organizing all these files is very time- consuming / pressing / falling; I wish I had someone to
help me.
7. Sarah cut back on / got ahead with / stuck to her hours as she entered her eighth month of
pregnancy.
8. She's a fitness nut; she passes / runs / spends ten hours a week at the gym.
9. Leave / Take / Waste as much time as you need to review this information - we don't need a
response right away.
10. The amount / quantity / portion of time my daughter spends on her cell phone is unbelievable.
11. The company is offering training in time administration / commitment / management to
improve the efficiency of its staff.
12. There is a strict deadline / limit / period for the delivery of this shipment - it must arrive by
January 1, otherwise we'll lose the contract.
13. There's a slowdown on highway I-84 due to rush hour / time / span traffic.
14. We've fallen back / before / behind on our English lessons; the class is on Lesson 10 but we're
on Lesson 6.
15. You need to schedule your dentist appointment two weeks in advance / ahead / forward.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. Are you ever late for anything?
2. What excuses do you use when you are late?
3. Are you good at organizing time?
4. Do you think children should learn to manage time?
5. Do old people, and young people manage time in a similar way?

Part 2.
1. Describe your favorite time of day. You should say:
 When it is
 What you like to do
And why it is different to other parts of the day

2. Describe your approach to time management. You should say:

 Why you take time management seriously
 How you manage your time
 What problems you face

Part 3.
1. How do you organize your time?
2. Do you think young people organize their time in the same way?
3. Are you ever late for anything?
4. How do you feel when you are late for an appointment?
5. How do you feel when others are late?
6. How do you teach children time management?
7. Is punctuality important in your country?
8. Is it easy to control one’s time?
9. How can a person balance their daily schedule?
10. What is the main reason people run out of time?

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 Lesson 27 – Sound
Let’s begin by looking at the difference between “sound” and “noise.” Sometimes these words are
interchangeable, but not always. A “sound” can be pleasant, neutral, or unpleasant – but “noise” is always
either neutral or unpleasant.
I woke up to the lovely sound of my wife playing the piano.
(pleasant)
I could hear the soft sound of their voices in the other room.
(neutral)
The fighting cats made horrible screeching sounds.
(unpleasant)
I can’t hear you; there’s a lot of background noise. Could you call me back?
(neutral)
My car is making an annoying buzzing noise whenever I turn on the A/C.
(unpleasant)
If a noise or sound is very strong, we can describe it as a loud sound/noise – and if it is REALLY intense,
then we can describe it as a deafening sound/noise. On the other hand, if we can barely hear it, then it
is a faint or soft sound/noise. There’s also a muffled sound – when it seems that something is blocking
the sound.
Noise that doesn’t stop is called constant/incessant noise. You’ll hear this type of noise if your house is
close to the highway, for example – you’ll hear the roar of traffic day and night. If you work in a factory,
then you might hear the hum of machinery all day long. And if you live next door to college students,
you’ll probably hear music blaring as they party every night.
Nature is full of noises, too – such as birds chirping and dogs barking. If you sit near the ocean, you can
listen to the waves crashing. When you’re in a remote, deserted area, you might hear the wind whistling
through the trees. And if there’s a storm, you’ll hear the rumble of thunder – or be scared by a sudden
thunderclap.
Now let’s talk about the absence of sound. There’s a difference between the words “quiet” and “silent.”
“Quiet” means that there is very little noise, whereas “silent” means there is no noise at all.
You can emphasize the totality of the silence by saying that it was absolutely, completely, or perfectly
silent. When it begins to be silent, you can say that silence descended or fell, and then when a noise
interrupts the silence, it breaks or shatters the silence.
It’s also common to use collocations to give an emotional tone to the quiet/silence:
The kids were oddly/strangely/uncharacteristically quiet (the fact that it is quiet is unusual, not
normal)

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  His joke about sex was followed by an awkward/uncomfortable silence. (the silence is due to
embarrassment)

 After yelling at her brother, she lapsed into a stony/sullen silence. (the silence is due to anger)

 There was a shocked/stunned silence after the president announced his resignation. (the silence is
due to extreme surprise)

 The city becomes ominously/eerily quiet after midnight. (the quiet is frightening and possibly
dangerous)

Lesson 27 Quiz
1. A high / loud / strong noise woke me up from my nap.
2. His cell phone makes an angering / annoying / incessant noise every time he gets a text
message.
3. I could tell Dan was still mad, as he glared at me in stony / strange / stunned silence.
4. I wasn't able to relax on the beach because some teenagers had a stereo with music blaring /
crashing / deafening.
5. It was extremely / hardly / perfectly silent inside the old, abandoned house.
6. It's eerily / oddly / sullen quiet in that classroom - are the students taking a test?
7. My neighbor's dogs start barking / chirping / whistling whenever someone walks past their
house.
8. She sang a lullaby lightly / muffled / softly to help put the baby to sleep.
9. The complete / constant / long noise in the office makes it difficult to concentrate.
10. The conversation on their first date was full of awkward / ominous / uncharacteristic silences.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. Do you mind noises?
2. What types of noise do you come across in your daily life?
3. Are there any sounds that you like?
4. Where can you hear loud noises?
5. Do you think there’s too much noise in modem society?
6. Are cities becoming noisier?
7. Do you live in a noisy area?
8. Where do you go to spend time in peace and quiet?
9. What sounds remind you of your childhood?

Part 2.

Part 3.
1. Is noise pollution an issue where you live?
2. What do you think are the main causes of noise pollution in our cities?
3. Can noise pollution affect people’s health? In what way?

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 Lesson 28 – Size
This lesson will help clarify when to use the confusing words big, small, large, little, tall, short, high, and
low. Often, the only difference between them is in their collocations.
“Big” is much more common than “large.” The word “large” is a little more formal, but in many sentences,
it makes no difference: She lives in a big house. = She lives in a large house.
So let’s focus on the collocations in which large is almost always used – knowing that you can use “big”
for other objects. We tend to use large with drink sizes – a large coffee, a large soda – as well as with
clothing sizes – small, medium, and large.
Large is usually used with words referring to statistics and measurements, such as quantity, number,
amount, increase, and proportion. We say:

 A large number of students enrolled in the course.

 A big number of students enrolled in the course.
We also use the expressions “large scale” and “small scale” to refer to the size of an operation; for
example, “The factory began large-scale production of automotive parts.”
There are a number of collocations in which we must use “big” and we cannot use “large.” These include
situations and events, for example: a big accomplishment, a big decision, a big disappointment, a big
failure, a big improvement, a big mistake, and a big surprise. You can also use the informal expressions
big brother and big sister to refer to a sibling who is older than you.
The words “tall” and “short” are used for physical objects, and refer to the total height from the bottom
to the top. So we talk about a tall building, tall trees, and a tall man/woman. The words “high” and “low”
refer to distance above the ground – so we say that an airplane is flying 10,000 feet high, or that an apple
is on a low branch of a tree.
High and low are also used with non-physical things, especially those which have different “levels”:
high/low prices
high/low levels
high/low quality
high/low rate
high/low degree
Finally, let’s tackle “small” and “little.” The word “little” can imply that you feel some affection or sympathy
for the object, whereas the word “small” is neutral. Thus, “little” often appears together with adjectives like
nice, cute, pretty, poor, and tiny.
 She lives in a small house.

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  She lives in a cute little house.
 They have three small children.
 They have three pretty little girls.
 We adopted a small dog.
We adopted a poor little dog that had been abandoned in the park.
Another difference is that the word “small” usually refers to physical size, whereas the word “little” can refer
to quantity – it means “not very much” and is the opposite of “a lot”:
For example, we can say:
 I made a little money from a temporary job. (not “small money”)
 I slept very little last night. (not “slept very small”)
 There’s little salt in this food. (not “small salt”)

Lesson 28 – Quiz
1. A big / large percentage of the human body is made up of water.
2. Choosing whether or not to have children is a big / large decision.
3. I'll have a hamburger and a big / large milkshake.
4. My wedding ring has tiny little / small diamonds embedded in it.
5. The biggest / largest challenge in losing weight is changing your eating habits.
6. The number of people buying CDs is getting littler / smaller every year as MP3s become more
popular.
7. The police have released little / small information about the case.
8. There was a big / large mistake in the report; we'll have to print a revised copy.
9. These jeans are too little / small for me.
10. This foundation provides grants for little / small businesses in developing countries.
11. This new policy will affect a big / large number of our employees.
12. We had a lovely little / small picnic by the lake.

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 Lesson 30 – Color
Today you’re going to expand your vocabulary by learning various collocations about colors.
You can describe a color as light or dark – for example, someone can have light brown or dark brown
hair. If a color is very intense, you can describe it as bright – for example, a bright red apple. If the color
is not very intense, you can describe it as pale – for example, a pale green dress.
When describing colors in general, you can talk about bold/vivid colors – which are very intense – or
pastel colors, which are light or pale.
We can use other words to describe specific shades of a color (variations of a specific color). These
words are usually a typical object with that particular color. For example, “sky blue” is a light shade of
blue, like the color of the sky. Here are some of the most common collocations: ruby red / cherry red /
fiery orange / burnt orange/ lemon yellow / golden yellow/ emerald green/olive green / sky blue/
royal blue/ navy blue / midnight blue
When you have something that is primarily one color, but with a little bit of another color included, we
can use the word “tinge.” There are two ways to structure the sentence:
 The flowers are yellow with a tinge of pink in the middle.
 My cat’s fur is light gray with a slight brownish tinge.
You can also use this form – a color word plus –ISH – to describe mixes of colors. For example, “reddish
brown” is a shade of brown with a strong portion of red, whereas “yellowish brown” is a shade of brown
with a strong portion of yellow.
Some colors look good together – in this case, we can say that the colors match. Other colors look terrible
together – in this case, we can say that the colors clash. When the color of a person’s clothes looks good
with that person’s skin tone (color of their skin), you can say “that color suits you” or “that color looks
good on you.”

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Finally, one tip about changing the color of something. We use the verb “paint” in most cases – you
paint a house and paint your nails. But we use the verb “dye” for hair and cloth/fabric – so you dye
your hair blonde and dye a shirt blue.

Lesson 30 – Quiz
Circle the correct word to complete this commentary from a reporter at a fashion show.

Cassandra is wearing a fiery / flaming orange blouse and a king / royal blue skirt - those certainly are
very bold / brave colors! Here comes Susan, wearing a long, fair / light pink dress and navy / ruby red
heels. Those pastel / pasty colors look wonderful with her skin tone / type.

The designer of the next outfit is known for his highly innovative style... Joanne is wearing an ember/
emerald green top and cherry / olive green shorts - hmmm... in my opinion the two different shades/
tinges of green don't look so great together. They kind of clash / dye.

Up next is Tanya, with a retro-style greenest/greenish-blue dress with some lemon / lime yellow details- very
interesting look, although the colors might not match / suit everybody. Finally we have Ashley, who's
wearing a sexy burnt / dark purple dress with a golden / silvery yellow belt, a combining / matching purse,
and cloud / sky blue heels - that's quite unusual, but the overall visual effect is stunning.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.

1. What colors do you like?

2. What’s the most popular color in your country?
3. Do you like to wear dark or bright colors?
4. What’s the difference between men and women’s preference for colors?
5. Do colors affect your mood?
6. Do you prefer dark or light colors?
7. Are there any colors that have a special meaning in your culture?

Part 2.
Describe a colorful place that you have visited. You should say:
 Where it was
 When you went there
 What you did there
 Why you thought it was colorful

Part 3.
1. Is color important for clothing?
2. Should course books be colorful?
3. Do you think the colors a person chooses to wear illustrates something about their
character?
4. Are there any colors in your country that are considered lucky or unlucky?
5. Do you think men and women like to wear similar color?

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 Lesson 36 – Changes
To talk about making small changes, you can say make adjustments, make alterations, or make
modifications. More informally, you can say make tweaks – “We made a few tweaks to the website.”
To talk about bigger changes, you can use the verbs “transform” and “revolutionize”:
 The internet has revolutionized the way people communicate.
 The city transformed the vacant lot into a playground.
(you usually “transform” one thing “into” something else)

When you put on different clothes, you change your clothes. When you remove a baby’s dirty diaper and
put on a clean one, you change the baby’s diaper. When you reverse a decision or opinion, then you
change your mind. And when you introduce a different topic of conversation, then you change the
subject. When you change your religion, then we often use the verb convert – I converted to Christianity;
my brother wants to convert to Islam.
Other verbs used for changes are “turn,” “become,” and “get.” Let’s look at their different collocations.

Use turn with colors:

 Bananas turn black if you put them in the refrigerator.

You can also use turn into as a less formal expression for “transform into”:

 Our living room couch turns into a bed.

Use become with emotions and states of being, including comparative adjectives:
 My sister became angry when she found out I’d broken her computer.
 It’s becoming apparent/clear that the treatment isn’t working.
 The band’s music became popular among teenagers.
 It’s becoming more difficult to separate one’s personal and professional life.
You can also use become with professions: My brother became an actor.
The word get can be used as a less formal alternative to “become” with emotions and comparative
adjectives (but NOT with professions or states of being).
 I’m getting excited about my upcoming trip to Spain.
 It’s getting more expensive to rent a place in this neighborhood.
 Will it ever get easier for me to understand movies in English?
We also use the word go in a few specific collocations involving changes:

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  go bald = lose your hair
 go blind = lose your ability to see
 go deaf = lose your ability to hear
 go crazy/insane = lose your mental control

Lesson 36 – Quiz
Complete the sentences with make, turn, change, become, get, or go:

(note: you may need to change the form of the verb: makes, made, making, etc.)

1. After losing his job, George decided to a consultant.

2. Daniel is embarrassed that he's starting to bald, so he often wears a hat.
3. Her face red when she gets embarrassed.
4. He's not going to his mind. He seems pretty firm in his decision.
5. I like to experiment in the kitchen - I tweaks to the recipes in the cookbook.
6. I'll be ready in 10 minutes - just let me my clothes.
7. I'm annoyed with my bank's terrible customer service.
8. My conversations with my sister always into arguments.
9. We have fewer funds available than we expected, so we need to some
adjustments to the budget.
10. If you want to better at playing the piano, you should practice more.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. Are you open to change?
2. Are there any changes in your city or hometown?
3. How have the changes benefited you?
4. What do you plan to change next year?

Part 2.
Describe a positive change in your life. You should say:

 when it happened

 where it happened

 what the change was

And explain how you have benefited from this change

Part 3.
1. What kind of events may be life-changing events?
2. How do you think employers could encourage employees not to change jobs?
3. What do you think are the major challenges of working or studying in another country?
4. What can young people learn from older people?
5. Do you think young people can adapt to changes easier than old people?
6. Do you think change is good?
7. What are some of the major changes that occur to people throughout their lives?
8. Is your country changing rapidly?
9. In what ways have changes in technology changed people's lives?
10. Why do old people not accept change?

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 Lesson 41 – Memories
I’m trying to think of my earliest memory. I vaguely remember (remember a little bit, not in much detail)
when my brother was born – I was three years old at the time – but I distinctly remember my first day of
kindergarten, when I was around five.

When I look at photos, even more memories come flooding back (memories come to mind) – I remember
my school, my classmates, and my teacher, who would constantly remind us to clean up the classroom,
because we were always making a mess. I’d completely forgotten the teacher’s name, though, and my
mother had to refresh my memory (remind me of a fact I’d forgotten).

I still have a lot of my toys from when I was a kid. They bring back fond memories (pleasant memories)
of long afternoons spent playing with my brother. I also remember a family vacation to Switzerland when
I was about eight – that was an unforgettable experience.

My most traumatic memory is of my uncle dying in a car crash when I was ten. He was only 32 years old
– younger than my dad – and the memory of the funeral still haunts me (the sad/profound memory stays
with me). I still wear a bracelet that was a Christmas present from him; it serves as a sobering reminder
(it provides a serious reminder) not to take a single day of life for granted.

Unfortunately, I have a terrible memory for peoples’ names, unless the name is unusual or particularly
memorable. Just the other day, I was talking to an acquaintance from church and my mind went blank
(I couldn’t think of anything) when I tried to think of her name. I racked my brain (tried hard to remember
something), but nothing came to mind. My husband gently reminds me that I really need to pay more
attention, because it makes a bad impression when I call people by the wrong name.

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 Lesson 41 – Quiz
blank distinctly gently refresh traumatic

completely flooding particularly sobering unforgettable

constantly fond racked terrible vaguely

1. Did you put my jacket somewhere? I remember leaving it here on this chair.
2. He his brain, but he couldn't think of the password to his online bank account.
3. I have memories of summer camp when I was a kid - I looked forward to it
every year.
4. I remember reading that book... remind me how exactly it ended?
5. If I pause while giving a presentation, my mind goes and I have to look
at my notes.
6. I'm reminding myself to sit with good posture.
7. I'm studying a beginner English grammar book to my memory of the basics.
8. My boss has a memory, so he keeps track of all his appointments on a
calendar on his cell phone.
9. Oh no! I forgot that today is my wife's birthday. I need a present - quick!
10. All the circus performers were great, but I thought the acrobats were
memorable.
11. Rachel reminded me that I still needed to e-mail her the information.
12. Seeing my ex-boyfriend made all the memories of our relationship come back.
13. She has memories of the time she was robbed while walking home
alone at night.
14. Taking a helicopter ride over New York City was an experience.
15. The monument is a reminder of how many innocent people died in the war.

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 IELTS Speaking Questions
Part 1.
1. Do you enjoy looking back at your childhood memories? Why or why not?
2. What is your happiest memory from childhood?
3. Do you think it's important to keep old photos or videos? Why?
4. How often do you reminisce about the past?

Part 2.
1. Describe an occasion when you forgot something important. You should say:
 what you forgot
 how important it was
 Some possible reasons why you forgot it

2. Describe a childhood memory you remember well. You should say:

 what it is
 when it happened
 how it affected you in your life
And explain why you still remember it.

3. Describe a memorable event from your past. You should say:

 What the event was
 Where and when it happened
 Who was there
And explain why it was memorable.

Part 3.
1. Do you think it's important to have a good memory?
2. Why do sometimes people forget things?
3. Which do you think is more important to remember, a business meeting or a
meeting with a friend?
4. Are there any things that are especially important for people to memorize?
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 5. Let’s move on from memory to family history. Why do people want to remember
their family history?
6. What can you do to learn more about your family history?
7. Why do you think people remember some events more clearly than others?
8. How do different cultures celebrate important memories or events?
9. Do you think it's easier to remember positive or negative experiences? Why?

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