IELTS

IDEAS FOR IELTS SPEAKING 2018
BY NGOCBACH
Contents
1. Describe an object (a gift, something you use etc.)........................................................................... 3
1.1. Describe a book you want to read again ............................................................................. 3
1.2.Describe a cake that is special to you .................................................................................. 3
1.3. Describe a painting or work of art that you have seen........................................................... 4
1.4. Describe a piece of clothes that is your favorite ................................................................... 5
1.5. Describe an important plant in your country (such as fruits, flowers or vegetables) .................. 6
1.6. Describe an invention that has changed people's life ............................................................ 7
2. Describe a person (someone you admire, a family member etc.).................................................... 8
2.1. Describe a famous person in your country .......................................................................... 8
2.2. Describe an interesting neighbor you have/had.................................................................... 9
2.3. Describe a family member who has an important influence on you ........................................ 9
2.4. Describe the most polite person you know .........................................................................10
2.5. Describe a character from a story you read or heard in your childhood ..................................11
2.6. Describe a couple you know who have a happy marriage ....................................................12
2.7. Describe a person who gave a clever solution to a problem. .................................................13
3. Describe an event (a festival, celebration etc.) ................................................................................ 14
3.1. Describe a historic event in your country ...........................................................................14
You should say ....................................................................................................................14
3.2. Describe an occasion where everybody smiled. ..................................................................15
3.3. Describe a sports match you have watched ........................................................................16
3.4. Describe a wedding that you have attended. .......................................................................17
4. Describe an activity (e.g. a hobby) ................................................................................................... 18
4.1. Describe a plan you made in your life (except work or study) ..............................................18
4.2. Describe a talk or a speech ..............................................................................................19
4.3. Describe an experience that when you spent time with a child..............................................20
4.4. Describe an activity that makes you feel excited.................................................................20
4.5. Describe an experience that you are waiting for something ..................................................21
Written by Ngoc Bach

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4.6. Describe an experience of good service in a shop or a restaurant. .........................................22
4.7. Describe a time you had good experience in the countryside ................................................22
4.8. Describe a holiday/trip you want to go on in the future .......................................................23
4.9. Describe a well-paid job that you will be good at ...............................................................24
4.10. Describe a plan you haven’t done yet ..............................................................................25
4.11. Describe a bicycle tour. .................................................................................................26
4.12. Describe an important change in your life. .......................................................................27
4.13. Describe an appointment that was put ahead of schedule ...................................................28
4.14. Describe a time you talked to a stranger ..........................................................................28
4.15. Describe an activity near the sea .....................................................................................29
5. Describe a place (somewhere you visited, a holiday etc.) .............................................................. 29
5.1. Describe a city or town you have been. .............................................................................29
5.2. Describe a garden you visited and like. .............................................................................30
5.3. Describe a café you like. .................................................................................................31
5.4. Describe a shop opened in your hometown ........................................................................32
5.5. Describe a quiet place .....................................................................................................33
5.6. Describe an interesting house or apartment you visited .......................................................33
5.7. Describe a popular place where people like to go swimming. ...............................................34
5.8. Describe a library that you have used. (A public library or a university or school library) ........35
5.9. Describe a building in your school or university .................................................................36
5.10. Describe a place where you felt crowded .........................................................................37
5.11. Describe an organization or company where you live that employs a lot of people. ...............38
6. Describe your favourite (book/film/advertisement/website) ......................................................... 38
6.1. Describe your favorite movie ...........................................................................................38
6.2. Describe an advertisement you have seen ..........................................................................39
6.3. Describe an interesting song ............................................................................................40
6.4. Describe a decision made by others that you disagreed with ................................................41
6.5. Describe a kind of foreign food you have had ....................................................................42
6.6. Describe a kind of weather you like ..................................................................................43
6.7. Describe a website that you like to visit. ............................................................................43
6.8. Describe your favourite means of transportation.................................................................44
6.9. Describe a TV program (TV Series) you have watched .......................................................45
6.10. Describe an English class you enjoy ...............................................................................46

1. Describe an object (a gift, something you use etc.)
1.1. Describe a book you want to read again
You should say
what the book is about
when you read it
how long you read it for
and explain why you want to read it again
Actually, I’m not a bookworm but sometimes, I still seek comfort in reading
books, especially fiction books. There’s a book of this type that I read when I was
a child and I read it over and over again. It has many wonders in it and always
makes me absorbed in its interesting content.
The book is called “Diary of a cricket”, written by To Hoai. It is a short novel,

initially written for children. However, I believe this book is suitable for all other
ages thanks to the storytelling ability of To Hoai. The book describes the adventure
of a cricket through the world of animals and people, of the good and bad, war and
peace, ideals and life purpose in colorful yet insightful perspectives. The cricket
experienced countless setbacks and challenges but overcame them to eventually
become a force of good. In general, the main character has his own charismatic
power. His adventure story is so magical and enchanting that every page I turned
tempted me to read further. The first time I read this book, I found it extremely
hard to put it down.
It is such a great book that has been translated into more than 100 languages. In my
opinion, it is a good source of bilingual books for Vietnamese children. Parents
who grew up with this story will love to enjoy it again with their children. I believe
that in the company of this book, a child, even a hyperactive one, is never going to
feel bored or restless.
1.2.Describe a cake that is special to you

You should say
What it looks like
How it tastes
How you get the cake
And explain why you find it special
Everyone deserves a cake on their birthday so I find it nothing special to receive a

cake on my annual birthday, but there’s one that is exceptional. Let me tell you
about the story about it. In the first year of university, I had a crush on one of my
classmates. Unlike me, an introvert, he is truly a social butterfly, who is socially
dynamic, networking, charismatic, and personally gregarious. He and I were like
two people from two different worlds. I had never detected any "real" signs of
interest coming from him, such as trying to make small talk with me, and I always
thought it would be a forever unrequited love. In addition to that, I heard through
the grapevine that he had someone he liked. Therefore, I had never made any
moves or anything like that. But he did the opposite. He made a big step on my
birthday by making a small cake. It was a cupcake topped with strawberry cream
cheese frosting that was just as tasty as the red velvet cupcake itself. It was
rich,tender, and moist. Each bite seemed to completely melt in my mouth – though
most of it ended up on my face and fingers. And every bite was better than the one
before. In my area, it is believed that before eating the birthday cake, if you make a
private wish, it will come true if all the candles are extinguished in a single breath.
He asked me what I had wished. I said nothing. He continued “Did you wish to be
my lover?”. I replied “How did you know?”. Then he answered, “Because I did the
same.” That’s how a cupcake broughtme a lover.
1.3. Describe a painting or work of art that you have seen.

You should say
when you saw this work of art
where you saw it
what it looked like

and explain your impression of it.
My uncle is an art collector and a real connoisseur of arts so last year I had a once
in a lifetime chance to follow him to a private viewing of a famous Vietnamese
Realism artist’s exhibition. Among the collection was an oil painting called
“Father and daughter” that has left a profounding impression on me until now. The
exhibition was in the Old Quarter and offered a heart-warming portrayal of family
relationships during the Vietnam Subsidy period. As I walked in full of curiosity,
the first painting that caught my attentionwas hung right in the centre of the room.
It portrayed a poor father fetching some meat to his little daughter’s rice bowl
while he has barely anything for himself. I could see how hard life was back then
through his tired look, bony fingers and their old, torn clothes. The painting was
coated in plain, dark colors but the touching fatherhood it conveyed shone brightly.
It immediately touched my emotions because my father has also sacrificed a lot to
give me a fulfilling childhood. I believe that to ordinary art viewers, sometimes a
valuable work of art isn’t judged by its price, techniques or colors, but by the
emotional experience it gives to them.
1.4. Describe a piece of clothes that is your favorite

You should say
what it is
when you bought it
where you bought it from
why you decided to buy it
and explain why it is your favorite.
I’m going to talk about one of my T-shirts which is actually a hand-me-down from
my sister. To be honest, I got fed up with my sister’s hand-me-downs but this one
is an exception. My sister is a shopaholic so she purchases fashion items a lot of
the time. You can never imagine how much space her clothes take up and how
wrinkled they get. So my mother often tells me to wear them instead of buying
new ones to make cutbacks on my pocket money. Normally, I will refuse
immediately but when I saw this one, I changed my mind. It is a gender-neutral

T-shirt with a minimalist design – it has white color and only a small slogan on it
saying “I’m not trying to be different…it just comes naturally”. With that simple
design, I find it extremely easy to mix and match this T-shirt with other items. I
can wear it when going out with my friends or going to university. A lot of my
friends are into this T-shirt and they praise me that I have a sense of style to wear
this one.
1.5. Describe an important plant in your country (such as fruits, flowers or

vegetables)
You should say
what plant it is
how you first learned about this plant
where it grows
and explain why you think it is important.
Today I am going to elaborate on one of the most crucial plants in Vietnam: the
rice plant. While I have been familiar with rice grains ever since I was a
preschooler, only when I reached fourth grade did I learn about the rice plant in
general science. It is unforgettable how fascinated I was to discover how such a
slender plant could produce so many rice grains that provide our population with a
healthy diet. Rice is considered the most popular and important national food,
therefore, it can be spotted over almost all the deltas of the country. The rice plant
is crucial to Vietnamese communities in various ways. Rice has become
indispensable in Vietnamese meals since as far back as anyone can remember. It
can be said that once you are Vietnamese, you will eat rice for most of your life,
and it seems that we are so used to eating rice that our digestive systems would not
cope without it. The cultivation of the rice plant also has an enormous influence on
our culture. As rice has long been grown since ancient times, there are various
traditions and worshiping ceremonies connected to people’s wish for a plentiful
rice harvest, and these still exist till the present day. The country farming life is
also responsible for shaping our simplicity and calmness in our personalities and
lifestyle. Taking economic contribution into consideration, rice is even more
important as millions of Vietnamese citizens earn their living by means of rice

cultivation. As a matter of fact, rice is Vietnam’s leading export, which brings
about huge annualrevenues for the government. This stems from the fact that by
making the most of the abundant cheap labour force as well as the favourable
climate, our rice always gains a competitive edge over other nations. It cannot be
denied that the rice plant plays an integral part in our county’s development.
1.6. Describe an invention that has changed people's life

You should say
What the invention is
Who invented it
What changes it brought
It is pretty difficult to pick out one particular invention among millions of advances
in technology that have had a profound impact on human life. Personally, I believe
the computer is one of the most vital and impactful inventions of mankind.
Although there is a lot of debate about who was responsible for their invention,
computers have certainly become an irreplaceable part of our everyday life. Just
think of the time when nothing like a computer existed, people relied on
conventional skills to carry out their tasks manually and it took forever to complete
one. However, ever since the introduction of the computer, human life has
undergone radical changes. Almost every single task, from writing a letter to
operating an entire production process, can now be easily completed using
computers. And computers can offer users help with not only their work and study,
but their entertainment activities as well. For example, on a day with bad weather
and you just don’t want to go out, you can stay at home and read novels, comics,
watch movies, listen to music or play games – all on your personal computer.
Another important impact of computers is in the workplace, where many of the old
ways of working have been made obsolete. Almost all factories and businesses are
computerized, and it is an inevitable consequence that most employees should be
computer-literate in order to successfully fulfill their tasks or to move up the career
ladder. You can look at the description of jobs for white-collar workers and most
of the time you will see the requirement to be able to work with computers. For all
the profound influences it has brought about to human life, I believe it is not

exaggerating at all to say that the computer - a technological breakthrough - has
changed our lives for the better.
2. Describe a person (someone you admire, a family member etc.)

2.1. Describe a famous person in your country
You should say:
Who this person is
How you know this person
What this person is famous for
And explain why you like this person
ANSWER
Today I am going to talk about a famous person in my country who I have admired
since I was young. He is Professor Ngo Bao Chau. I first heard about Ngo Bao
Chau on the news 6 years ago when he received the Fields Medal, which is often
described as the mathematician’s Nobel Prize. However, earlier in 2005, he was
granted the title of professor in Vietnam, becoming the country’s youngest
professor ever. Professor Ngo Bao Chau has been awarded the highest academic
honor due to his great mathematical research. He is best known for proving the
Fundamental Lemma. His work has achieved such a distinction that it has been
listed as one of the top ten scientific discoveries of 2009 by Time magazine. The
story of Ngo Bao Chau has inspired me considerably. I remember in an interview
after receiving the Medal, Ngo Bao Chau said that he had been studying maths out
of /due to / because of/ owing to his passion but not out of /due to / because of/
owing to a desire to achieve. This statement impressed me a lot. Besides, another
characteristic I like regarding this professor is his persistence. During the time
studying the Fundamental Lemma, became stuck and almost failed to solve this
complex problem. Despite the difficulties, he did not choose to give up so finally

he got through them. His personality has been an inspiration for me working harder
towards my dream.
2.2. Describe an interesting neighbor you have/had

You should say
Who he/she is
And explain why he or she is interesting
ANSWER
Today I’m going to tell you about about my lovely neighbor, whom I really adore
and respect. I live in a beautiful and peaceful street and most of my neighbors are
kind, benevolent and well-mannered. Among them, I would pick Mrs. Cam Nhung
as the loveliest neighbor I have ever met. She is a retired English teacher and she
has acquired a reputation as a very profound and dedicated teacher. Despite her
advanced years, she looks really young and is always full of energy. She lives with
her family next to our house. She moved into our neighborhood 5-6 years ago and
since then she has endeared herself to everybody living in the community. What I
find most appealing about her is her great personality. Although she is not very
wealthy, she always shows compassion for others, especially the poor and the
underprivileged. She hasopened a free English class for orphans in the hope of
giving them more opportunities to follow academic education. Another of her
lovely traits is definitely her positivity. She always looks on the bright side of the
problem even when it comes to her own misfortunes. Therefore, whenever I feel
discouraged, I go to her house and seek her advice. She usually greets me with an
irresistible home-baked cake or an encouraging piano song, from which I derive a
great deal of pleasure. I have learnt many useful things from her, not only in
everyday things, but also in attitudes to life. To me, she is not just a normal
neighbor, but a person for whom I feel a sense of empathy, despite the gap between
our ages. Being with her gives me a sense of security and I really owe a lot of
gratitude to this person.
2.3. Describe a family member who has an important influence on you

You should say
Who the person is

How long you have known him /her
What qualities this person has
and explain why this person has had such an influence on you.
Well, in my life, there are several family members who have made unmatched
contributions to help me go ahead, and among them my father’s impact is the most
meaningful. He is the person whom I love most in this world and I consider him to
be a perfect father and role model with his honesty, bravery, resourcefulness and
responsibility.
Together with my mother, he is the very person who brought me into this
wonderful world. From my childhood, he has raised me with his great care,
affection and mentorship. He has taught me moral lessons about the world, people
and values. Despite having a busy schedule, he has always given motivational
support to me on my education and has dedicated his life to his family. My father
is an exemplary person who has led an honest life. As a high ranking government
officer, he had many chances to pile up personal riches but he has always known
the right things to do and never broke the rules. The basic notion of humanity and
the importance of education were values he delivered to me. He is now a retired
person and leads his serene and peaceful like with contentment and happiness.
Whenever I have to confront difficulties, he always stands by me and encourages
me not to give up. As a father, I would say he has done everything possible to raise
me and my sister. He has spent his entire life catering for our demands and looking
after our interests while he went through much hardship. His immense love and
great sacrifice is an incentive for me to study and work harder.
2.4. Describe the most polite person you know

You should say
who this person is
how you met him/ her
whether you enjoy his/ her company or not
and explain why do you think him/ her to be the most polite person.

Today I’m going to talk about my college teacher, the most well-mannered person
I know. Her name is Xuan Dung and she is my speaking teacher and thesis advisor.
She is my favourite teacher at college because she is always nice to students and
treats them with respect rather than as someone inferior to her, as other teachers
often do. The way my teacher shows politeness is very natural, and does not seem
forced at all. I have to say her manners are impeccable. She always says “Thank
you” when we do anything helpful or hand in assignments by deadline, or greets us
with ‘Good morning, how are we all feeling today?’. When we give presentations
in front of class, she is always all ears no matter how boring they are. This really
makes us feel warm and self-confident because in other classes, other teachers
sometimes pay little attention or even interrupt us. At the end of every
presentation, she will give nice feedback about both the strengths and weaknesses
of each group. This encourages us a lot. I still remember a time when she was so
terribly sick that she couldn’t come to class, she posted a notification on Facebook
in which she didn’t forget to apologize. She is our role model for good manners,
and how to be grateful/appreciative towards other people. I’m so lucky to have
such a polite and sensible teacher like her. Thanks to her, I try to be always polite
with others even when they don’t treat me well.
2.5. Describe a character from a story you read or heard in your childhood
You should say
who the character was
what the character looked like
what the character did in the story
and explain what influence this character had on you.
I believe most Vietnamese children read manga, which are also known as Japanese
comic books, in their childhood. And if youasked any manga-consumer to name
the most representative manga character of the last decade, the majority would
probably reply the same: Monkey D. Luffy. And I’m no exception. Luffy is the
main character of One Piece, a renowned manga series written and illustrated by
Eiichiro Oda. The story follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy with his crew
of pirates, named the Straw Hat Pirates. Luffy explores the sea in search of the

world's ultimate treasure in order to become the next Pirate King. What impressed
me in the very first chapters, is that Luffy is a kind person, but he’s also more
complex than that - he’s a selfless person. On journeys he set out on for his own
reasons, but he frequently did the equivalent of putting his own goals on the
backburner, just because he saw that someone else had needs greater than his own.
For me, this aspect of Luffy’s personality speaksvolumes forhis character and is
likely to appeal strongly to readers. Thanks to the main character, this manga is
considered as one of the greatest works of Japanese comic books and is even
staged in school plays annually. In the past, it often took a long time to get the new
chapter translated from Japanese into Vietnamese and published. But nowadays,
with advances in technology, you can easily get access to the Internet and read it
online. If you are computer-literate, you can even translate it on your own by
applying a translation software to a raw version, a chapter not translated and
scanned. I have to say that I learned a lot from this character, from his kindness
and broad-mindedness. It’s a valuable lesson that it is better to be generous to a
fault than to be selfish in life.
2.6. Describe a couple you know who have a happy marriage

You should say
who they are
how you know them
how long they have been married
and explain why you think they are happily married.
Well, the first married couple that came to mind when I saw this topic were my
grandparents, because as far as I know, they are a very contented and devoted
couple, so I’d like to tell you a little bit about them.
They were married by the arrangement of their parents as soon as they entered
adult life, just like most Vietnamese couples did at that time. Surprisingly, they
both fell in love at first sight and decided to tie the knot 2 weeks after their first
encounter.

The one thing I find most admirable in their relationship is that though my parents
had to live apart from each other shortly after their marriage due to war, they still
managed to maintain a healthy relationship. While my grandfather left home for
almost 10 years to fight in the South, his wife faithfully waited for him and
fulfilled her role as a working mother to 2 children. When the war had finally come
to an end, my grandparents had a tearful reunion and they lived in harmony ever
after. Until this day, they show their deepest care for each other in the smallest
action. For instance, my grandpa would always get up early and make tea for my
grandmother, who is not a morning person, so that her day could start more
pleasantly. Most importantly, they still hold hands when walking side by side, as
endearingly as they did decades ago.
As more and more couples are dissolving their marriage, I think that we can learn a
great deal about how pure love can survive hardships and socio-economic changes
through the marriage of my grandparents.
2.7. Describe a person who gave a clever solution to a problem.

You should say
who this person is
what the problem was
how he/she solved the problem
why you think their solution was clever.
I will tell you about the occasion when my roommate once saved my day. Though
she was not keen on cooking, she helped me out of a tough problem in the kitchen.
So here’s the story. That afternoon, I was making a cake as a gift for my
boyfriend, because he loves home-made food. Since I had been baking for several
months, I was rather confident and I didn’t even need to follow the recipe. When
my roommate asked if she could watch and learn from me, I proudly agreed. All
was going well. After almost two hours of hard work, my cake came out of the
oven, smelling and looking incredible. I just couldn’t wait to decorate and finish it.
Unfortunately, when I was glazing it with chocolate, I didn’t take into
consideration the fact that the cake was still hot. Normally I would let it cool down,
yet my eagerness made me totally forget the simplest rule of glazing. The
chocolate turnedmy hot cake into a liquidy and sopping mash of flour. It was
catastrophic! With a heart swollen with desperation, I was about to throw it all
away when my roommate suggested:”How about cutting it into smaller pieces and
baking it again? Maybe it would turn out crispy, just like cookies!” I gasped and
did as she said immediately. We both stooped down and looked at the oven with
anticipation. And she was right! My cake was not soft and light as intended, yet the
flavor was preserved and the added crunch was so unexpected. I was half
delighted, half embarrassed since I had had a superiority complex whenever I
showed her how to cook. That she had been hiding her light under a bushel
pleasantly surprised me. Her solution was simple yet it worked like a charm. From
then on, she has been my cooking buddy and her cleverness continues to leave me
in awe.
3. Describe an event (a festival, celebration etc.)

3.1. Describe a historic event in your country
You should say

When it happened
Where it happened
How do you know about it
Why do you think it is important
ANSWER
I am going to talk about the day Ho Chi Minh President announced The
Proclamation of Independence, which was September 2, 1945. The event was held
at Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi, in front of the public.
When I was still a little kid, I heard a lot about it from my teachers, my parents,
and all the adults around me. Not only me but every Vietnamese kid, no matter
when or where they were born all grow up with the thought of September 2, 1945
as a memorable and important event; so important that the Government made
September 2 a national holiday. It is so well-known that actually I have never met

anyone who doesn’t know about it, even my classmate who is really bad at history.
To be precise, the day forms a part of Vietnamese people’s common knowledge. It
was in my high school years when I really got to learn about this day during my
History and Literature classes. It became as clear as crystal to me why September
2, 1945 and The Proclamation of Independence was such an important event. The
Proclamation was the start of Vietnam’s independent era. I’ve learnt that Vietnam
was a colony of several countries such as China, France and Japan, and that our
country had to fight a lot to be a separate country, a country for ourselves and
finally on that day in 1945, Ho Chi Minh President – who devoted a lot of his life
to our independence – announced to not only Vietnam citizens, but also to the
whole world that Vietnam was a separate country, that we wouldn’t be controlled
by others anymore, that we would have the right to speak our language, live our
lifestyle like it used to be. My grandmother who was at Ba Dinh square that time
told me that she had felt like a slave who had finally successfully rebelled and was
able to live freely. I wasn’t born at that time to directly witness it by myself but
just thinking about the time Vietnam suffered under the occupation of other
countries and reading the extremely heroic proclamation make me feel very proud.
In conclusion, this is, in my opinion, an event that we – as Vietnamese people – are
not allowed to forget. We have to know, to remember and to appreciate it because
without it, there could be a possibility that we wouldn’t be here, living as proper
humans but as slaves of others.
3.2. Describe an occasion where everybody smiled.

You should say
when this situation took place
what happened how you reacted
and why you found the situation funny.
Last weekend, my family had a good laugh together from what started as a heated
argument between my parents. I returned from the gym that afternoon to find my
father red in the face and my mother looking sullen. They exchanged curt words
and didn’t even look at each other. Reading between the lines, it came to my
knowledge that my father had got mad because he couldn’t find the hamburger he
had just bought anywhere. Since my mother had always been complaining about
his liking for junk food, he assumed that it was she who had hidden or thrown his
hamburger away. He even held her responsible for violating his freedom to eat,
shouting that he felt suffocated because of her overprotective manner. My mother,
on the other hand, resolutely refuted his accusation and stated that it was
unreasonable of him to throw such a tantrum. That remark added fuel to the fire,
with my father storming out of the room. However, when he reached the door, he
turned and said: “You made me really mad. Now give me some money so that I
can go and have a beer with my friend!”. After hearing that, I couldn’t keep a
straight face, though he was very serious. He looked at me curiously, yet a few
seconds later, it dawned on him that he was in such an ironic situation. Like many
dual-income families in our country, my father gives most of his salary to my
mother so she is the cashier of the family. Anyway, once my father realized that he
had just asked my mother for his own money when he was fighting with her, he
couldn’t stop laughing. Soon enough, we three broke into laughter till our
stomachs ached. In the end, we found out it was Lulu-our dog - who had stolen the
hamburger.
3.3. Describe a sports match you have watched

You should say
When it was
Where it was
How you felt while watching this match
I am going to talk about an absurd boxing match that I watched recently. As a

matter of fact, since I realized that I was quite out of condition, and I needed to
take up regular exercise, I have taken up boxing to get into shape. This has led me
to develop such fondness for the sport that I decided to go and watch a real bout.
As it was the final of the local tournament, the two contestantswere both extremely
competent. While we were waiting for the boxers to come into the ring, crowds of
spectators started to cheer and chant enthusiastically to show their support for the
two fighters, which created an atmosphere of excited anticipation. Eventually, after
about 15 minutes, the boxers appeared. They looked incredibly muscular, and
admittedly I got a bit jealous of their athletic physique.

Since boxing involves a high possibility of injury, on safety grounds both athletes
were sufficiently equipped with essential sports gear for their protection, which
may be one reason why the sport continues to thrive, despite the dangers. After the
introduction and rules reminder, the contest started. It was obvious that the two
participants were equally talented, so they had to really exert themselves to win.
However, just at the height of the contest, one boxer got a cramp and tripped
unexpectedly. The fall was so sudden that he couldn’t react and ended up spraining
his wrist. Although it was not a life-threatening injury, it did prevent him from
continuing the fight. The other fighter was then declared the winner. Everybody
was at a loss for words, and I have to say that was the strangest match I’ve ever
seen! It was a little disappointing, but also funny and fascinating in a way. Despite
that, I did not regret seeing that match. It was quite entertaining and valuable for
me. As the boxers were remarkably skillful, I was able to learn a lot from them to
improve my own skills. I will definitely watch another match in the near future.
3.4. Describe a wedding that you have attended.

You should say
whose wedding it was
who was there
what happened
and explain how you felt.
ANSWER
Today, I’m gonna share with you a wedding of my friend that I attended. Last
month, I received a wedding invitation from my old friend from primary school.
The wedding was held at the beginning of April. We have been close to each other
for over 15 years, therefore, I definitely wanted to attend at all costs, due to the fact
that we hadn’t had a chance to get together for ages. Her wedding ceremony took
place at The Sum Villa, located near West Lake. It was decorated impressively
with a lot of lights, candles and flowers around the room. There were three
glamorous wedding photo albums, showing tables right at the centre of the official
gate. The principal colours were likely to be white and violet, so all the guests were
requested to wear clothes with one or both of these colours. Personally, I wore a
white dress with small accessories. It was meant to be a casual wedding, which I
had never attended before. It turned out to be refreshingly informal. One of the
best moments that really touched me was when the bridegroom sang a song for the
bride and all the guests sang along with him. Also, he made a photo clip by himself
marking their 4-year romance, to show to everyone in the room. It was no surprise
that everyone clapped their hands and cheered them. Of course, I was no
exception. It was also a good chance to catch up with my old friends and we all
had a great time. We definitely made the most of the occasion and took a lot of
pictures with the bride and the bridegroom. I gave my friend a gift to celebrate her
wedding day. I had given much thought to my wedding present when I was
choosing it, and I wished her lots of happiness for the future.
4. Describe an activity (e.g. a hobby)

4.1. Describe a plan you made in your life (except work or study)
You should say
What it is
When you have the plan
Who you have told the plan to
And explain why you want to do this.
ANSWER
When I was in second year at university, my friends and I had some free time on
our hands so we decided to do something special besides studying. And so we
came up with a fundraising plan. Our plan was to run a nonprofit campaign. We
were supposed to grow some little trees together, and then give one of those trees
to each person who donated money, books or clothes for our campaign. Then we
would give those donations to children and the poor in need. The purpose was to
help poor people and to raise people’s awareness of the need for trees and
environmental protection as well. We were a group of four. At first, I was in two
minds about whether or not to invite a girl called Ann to join us. She is a creative
person, she always thinks outside the box, but she is also a bit capricious. She will
never apply herself like we do, and will give up as soon as something unpleasant

happens. But my friends insisted on inviting her, so I had to agree with them. Not
unexpectedly, when we ran into some trouble, she was the first one to give up.
More than that, she told other people in my class that we took donated money,
books and other stuff for ourselves. She upset my plan with her false stories. I
haven’t considered her as a friend since then. And I’ve carried out all of my plans
on my own, and never trusted any other person anymore.
4.2. Describe a talk or a speech

You should say
Who gave the speech
What the topic of the speech was
Whether it impressed you or not
and explain why did you like / dislike the speech.
ANSWER
Three months ago, I attended a seminar organized by my university. The purpose

of the seminar was to present and discuss the job opportunities for undergraduate
students in Vietnam. At first, I hadn’t planned on attending the seminar but on
second thoughts, I decided to go with a friend of mine since I believed that the talk
would offer me some constructive advice on my future career plan. The keynote
speaker was a representative of an educational agency which places strong
emphasis on helping students accumulate real working experience after university
graduation. Before delivering the speech, the speaker forged the bonds between the
students in the auditorium by organizing some warm-up games, which I consider a
good approach to capture the attention of the audience and lighten the atmosphere.
He then analyzed a great number of qualities an employer expects from applicants
and he went on to demonstrate the ways to impress employers in an interview, thus
enabling us to have a thorough preparation for our careers later on. Besides, he
also presented some information about long-term career opportunities in Vietnam
and discussed the highly skilled jobs for which there is a shortage of workers.
Throughout the speech, what most impressed me was his endless patience and
dedication to delivering the information and helping the audience understand every
single matter clearly. He was always willing to answer any question asked by the
students no matter how minor the problems might be. This is one of the most
significant qualities of a speaker that he clearly possesses. In brief, I found the
speech very informative and useful as it answered a great number of questions I
had at the back of my mind.
4.3. Describe an experience that when you spent time with a child.
You should say
When it happened
Where it happened
What you did
And explain how you felt about it.
ANSWER
I would like to tell you about my nephew, who is 8 years old. I have been spending
a lot of time with him since he was born, and I love him to death. My little nephew
has a good sense of humor and he is always full of energy. Last Saturday, when I
had a day off, I planned to come to my sisters’ house to play and have fun with
him. While I was sitting in front of the television and playing the pop song “Worth
it” by Fifth Harmony, he suddenly walked up, sang and danced around the room.
His childish voice, together with the way he shook his hips was so funny that
everyone in the room burst out laughing. He sang the song so fluently, which
totally blew my mind. He also tried to imitate the sexy facial expressions of the
five girls in the video. He was so adorable and at that time I couldn’t take my eyes
off him. I couldn’t be happier watching him grow healthier and smarter every day.
That was probably one of the most memorable moments that will stay with me for
a long time.
4.4. Describe an activity that makes you feel excited

You should say
What the activity is
And explain why it makes you feel excited
ANSWER
Today I’m going to talk about one of the most engaging activities I’ve got involved
in. It’s cooking. Every day after school, I would hurry home to make a simple but
tasty meal for my parents, who enjoy my food so much that there’s always nothing
left on the plates. To some people my age, cooking can be such a nightmare, but
my mom has been teaching me how to cook since I was a little girl, so I find it just
a piece of cake. I would say I’m quite a good cook and I’m proud of this. At times
I even think of applying to Masterchef. I’m best at cooking such Vietnamese
traditional food as beef noodles and spring rolls but I also try making exotic dishes
in my free time. When I cook, both my mind and my body are so absorbed in it
that I forget the surroundings. One thing with cooking is that there are thousands
and thousands of recipes to try. You may think you know all the ways of making a
certain meal, but different recipes can prove you wrong. The excitement and
nervousness when trying out a new recipe make cooking never seem dull to me.
And I feel over the moon when I see the end result.
4.5. Describe an experience that you are waiting for something

You should say:
What you waited for
When and how long you waited for that thing
And explain why you waited for that thing
Waiting is an inevitable aspect of everyone’s life. We all have to be patient

enough to get the thing that we want. To some people, waiting is an awful
experience, but to my mind, waiting is the perfect way to train our patience. One of
my most vivid experiences of waiting was when I was expecting the arrival of my
universityentrance examination scores. To be honest, I would say that this
experience was stressful and somehow a bit scary because my scores were the
determinant factor of which university I would attend in the next 4 years. I felt
stressed because Ihad put all of my effort into these final examinations before
being able to graduate from high school. Moreover, to me, it was a reflection on
my 12 years of going to school, and my parents’ expectationsof me. So I had to
excel at themto not let them as well as myself down. I had waited for about a
month before my scores were confirmed . It was quite a scary experience when
days passed without receiving the results. During that time, the only thing on my
mind was the scores. I thought I would feel stressfree when the exams were over
but it seemed the opposite. Waiting for the scores was even worse than sitting an
exam. However, I’ve learned from that experience that waiting is an essential part
of everyone’s life, and there is nothing we can do about it except for being patient.
I was finally aware of my scores after a month of waiting patiently, and they were
good scores, they were not the highest ones, but just enough for me to get into the
university I always dreamed of.
4.6. Describe an experience of good service in a shop or a restaurant.

You should say
When it happens
Where the shop or restaurant is
What the experience is
And explain why you think it was good service.
Let me tell about this one time I experienced exceptional service at a restaurant. It
was my 18th birthday and my family came up with the idea of celebrating the night
by eating out. The first thing to pop up into our minds was going to a fancy
restaurant but somehow, we ended up having our dinner at a reputable family
restaurant nearby. On entering the place, we were impressed by the restaurant’s
cozy and homely decor as well as the courteousness of the servers, who allocated
us the limited window seats right away as a privilege after hearing that it was my
birthday. Additionally, the waiters were patient and attentive, and we only had to
wait for about 10 minutes to be served, even though we ordered quite a lavish
amount of food. Most importantly, the dishes were so succulent that we couldn’t
have imagined they were merely home food. However, the real highlight of the
meal would be the surprise discount offered by the restaurant owner, which we
refused in the end. Being able to enjoy delectable dishes while spending quality
time with my family really made my day, not to mention not having to pay through
the nose for the experience.
4.7. Describe a time you had good experience in the countryside

You should say

Where it was
When it was
What you did
And explain why you liked/disliked the experience
Although I live in a very hectic city, I also feel attached to the countryside. Life in
the rural areas always brings me a sense of tranquility. Last summer, I got away
from the overcrowded city by spending all the time with my grandparents in the
country. This experience has been a great memory for me to look back on with
fondness.
Well, as you can imagine, country life is quite different from that of the city, and
living in the countryside is sometimes really challenging. While in my city
apartment, all I have to do is just some light housework like washing dishes or
cleaning the bathroom, but in the countryside I have to take care of the garden
every day and even help out with farm work. My grandparents have instructed me
to do this because it will help to develop self-reliance. Although there are
somehardships involved, finishing these tasks brings me closer to nature and I have
gradually become more adaptable to changes. Besides, without the distraction of
the Internet, I found myself more open to people around me and understand them
better. I have come to realize that alienation between humans nowadays is partly
caused by the dominance of technology.
Despite getting back to my normal life in the city, I still find the time spent in the
countryside very memorable. I believe that thanks to the precious time spent in my
grandparents’ country home, I have become more mature and dependable.
4.8. Describe a holiday/trip you want to go on in the future

You should say
Where this place is
Who you would like to go with
What you would do there
explain why you want to go there

Well, for a future vacation, as something of an ecotourist, Da Lat city is on the top
of my list. It is a renowned destination in the south of Vietnam. I’m going to tell
you some ideas about a great vacation in Da Lat that popped up in my mind.
I would go there on my own and choose a homestay rather than a hotel in order to
experience the intimate and affectionate lifestyle of Da Lat farmers. It’s kind of
community-based tourism, which means that during my homestay, I would mingle
with simple farmers who make local agricultural products; participate in their daily
activities, go to market, buy food, cook traditional local dishes, cultivate, look after
and harvest crops; study, visit local tourist attractions and historic sites.
In short, I would become an amateur farmer. Very soon, I could be able to join new
family members to embark on harvesting agricultural products. And I would also
help sort out products prior to delivering them to wholesale outlets.
Moreover, I would be able to enjoy Da Lat’s distinctive mild climate along with
misty weather which makes this small city the ideal destination for a holiday
escape away from the busy metropolises. In terms of attractions, I would have tons
of choices. The natural wonders of Langbiang Mountain, Xuan Huong Lake, Doi
Thong Hai Mo and the Valley of Love top the list. On the cultural and historical
side, Bao Dai Summer Palace, Domaine de Marie Church and Truc Lam
Monastery are the treasures that hold the rich history and culture of Da Lat and the
region.
I believe the happy days shared in Da Lat would make me want to stay forever and
never have to say farewell. And with all the knowledge and valuable experience
during my stay, I would enrich my experiences in life and be more successful.
4.9. Describe a well-paid job that you will be good at

You should say
what the job was
how you knew this job
how you feel about this job
and explain why you think you will be good at it

Well, I think I will be most successful at being an English teacher. From my own
perspective, whether you receive a satisfactory salary or not largely depends on
your ability, interest, temperament and inclination.
My major is English and I’m also learning how to disseminate knowledge to others
in an effective way. Therefore, teaching English would be a suitable option, from
which I can benefit a lot. In my opinion, you will always succeed if you do what
you love. Besides, as I’m quite patient with kids, there won’t be much difficulty in
teaching them. Although it can be challenging for the first time, the experience will
always be rewarding.
Practically, English is an international language, which requires one’s pursuit of

this language, if he or she wants to make substantial career advancements. In my
country, where English is not a mother tongue, the demand for learning it is
omnipresent. People learn English out of communicative, academic, diplomatic
and other considerations. In fact, numerous parents have invested a lot of money
for their children to learn English, in the hope of a better future for them. If I try to
enhance my knowledge and teaching ability over time, I believe that I will have
more students and have an enviable income.
4.10. Describe a plan you haven’t done yet

You should say
What it is about
When you plan to do
Why you want to do it
And explain why you haven’t done now
I have been planning on starting a blog for a couple of years now, yet I haven’t
really got to do it for several reasons. Two years ago, I happened to come across
an article on the Internet which talked about blogging as a career. I was pretty
interested in writing - I already wrote some short stories and I also managed to
consistently write diaries at the time. The idea of earning a living out of what I
loved doing was really appealing to me. As a result, after searching for more in-
depth information about blogging, I chose to receive newsletters from one site

which claimed to teach people detailed steps towards becoming a blogger. I
started following the instructions listed in every newsletter I received, yet after
some time, I began having difficulty continuing writing blogs. I realized that
blogging required a high level of commitment, marketable ideas and also good
writing skills. I was a high school student at the time, and with a completely full
schedule of studying and part-time working, it was out of the question for me to
devote myself to blogging. There were also some other reasons, one of which was
that I couldn’t produce good ideas for my articles, maybe because I wasn’t
knowledgeable enough about breaking news or because I couldn’t provide up to
the minutenews coverage. That led to my decision to cease my blogging process - I
decided that I should at least work on my writing skills or broaden my literary
horizons first, and that I would only start my blogging career when I was well-
prepared.
4.11. Describe a bicycle tour.

You should say
When you had this trip
Whom went on with you
What did you do during this trip
And explain why you like it
I am going to talk about a tour on bike that I have fortunately had the chance to
experience recently. Last month, my mom and dad decided that it was time we left
behind the hustle and bustle of the city and lined up an intimate family outing in
the countryside to get away from it all. Because my mother has serious motion
sickness and we did not want to break the bankfor the trip, instead of renting a
private car as usual, we decidedto travel asbackpackersby bike! It was such a brand
new experience for me. We were up early in the morning to prepare our luggage
and we were ready on our own bikes, and them set off for our camping site in a
park in the country. Riding a bike granted me the opportunity to go sight-seeing
without my view being blocked, which is far more satisfying than looking through
the window of a fast-moving car. As we entered the countryside region, a breath-
taking viewappeared in front of our eyes. Hours of riding our bikes absolutely paid
off as we were rewarded by a picturesque vistaof rolling hills towering above
borderless green rice fields. That was heavenly beautiful! The real allure of the trip
to me is how I got to spend really quality time with my family. We always had to
keep in mind that we were a team and we kepttogether. Every time we took a rest, I
would get a chance to see my father take care of my mom and that was the
sweetest thing ever, which I had not seen for a while. I could feel our bond
growing stronger and stronger each time I or my dad slowed down so that my mom
could keep up. This trip is among the best trips that I have taken.
4.12. Describe an important change in your life.

You should say
what is was about
how it affected your life
and explain why this was an important change in your life.
Going to university has been a turning point in my life. Personally, university life
is a fresh start for me. I parted from my family, I said goodbye to the mountain
town where I was born and went on a journey that taught me a great deal. Luckily,
I did not suffer from homesickness like most of my friends did, yet I was thrilled to
hold myself accountable for my own life. It was the perfect chance for me to grow
up. Without my parents, I had to take care of my body and mind on my own. I
quitted the sedentary lifestyle I had been leading since high-school years and took
regular exercise, I even adopted a fitness regime,working out at the gym twice a
week. I replaced junk food with healthy eating habits. Whenever I had mental
health problems, I sought help from my friends who offered me emotional support
and guided me through my struggles. I was no longer addicted tosocial networking
sitessince the heavy workload and commitments I had from my studies and social
life occupied most of my time. The changes that university brought to me are
indeed tremendous and significant. I have grown into a much more mature and
responsible version of myself. I will forever be thankful for this precious time at
university.

4.13. Describe an appointment that was put ahead of schedule
You should say
What it was about
When it was
Where it was
And explain why you put it ahead
A few months ago, my appointment with an old friend, Linh, was put ahead of
schedule. She flew back from America after 2 years of studying, and her arrival
came earlier than expected. We met each other in a coffee shop, and we talked a lot
about the education she had followed abroad. Linh commented that the
transmission of knowledge in developed countries like America is much more
efficient and practical than in Viet Nam. A class consists of only a few students,
which enables the professors to give feedback to students. Similarly, she and all
her friends in the university can also consult their teachers more frequently. When
asked about her university life, Linh said she felt really contented with it. There are
numerous extra-curricular activities in her university, which is a chance for the
students to develop themselves in every aspect. However, if you are too engrossed
in taking part in activities, you will easily fall behind with your studies. At the
moment, Linh was working her way through university to pay for her
accommodation and basic necessities, by doing a part-time job, with flexible
working hours in a convenience store. In the end, she realized that, although
studying abroad is not that easy, the experience is extremely rewarding.
4.14. Describe a time you talked to a stranger

Last month, on the flight to Ho Chi Minh city, I had a chance to talk to an
American environmentalist, and I have to say that it was a very memorable
conversation. In the course of the conversation, she enlightened me as to the
seriousness of our environmental problems. Practically, she said that the relentless
exploitation of human beings has depleted a lot of natural resources, such as
forests, water, plants and, of course, fossil fuels. Moreover, problems like global
warming also stem from various kinds of pollution, the most severe of which is air
pollution. Undoubtedly, these environmental problems would be extremely

detrimental to our health, and affect overall standards of living and quality of life.
When I asked her about how to alleviate such environmental problems, she said the
decisive factor is our awareness. People should bear in mind that every action they
take will directly affect the overall environment, in either positive or negative
ways. She advised me to reduce my personal carbon footprint, by cutting down on
car emissions, if I have access to public transport. She also gave me tips on saving
energy as an essential way to put a stop to environmental degradation. Although
we had just met, she was really helpful and friendly towards me, and I think that
my talk with her was really informative.
4.15. Describe an activity near the sea

Among the numerous leisure activities by the seaside, I like camping near the sea
the most. My family usually goes to popular beaches to camp in the summer,
which is theheight of the tourist season. Of course, there are many people who also
camp like us, making the beach a crowded and interesting place, ideal for a family
gathering. The preparation for a perfect camping trip is quite easy: a tent,
flashlight, blanket, snacks,…Well, a tent is indispensablefor any camping holiday,
while a flashlight can come in handy when darkness falls. You should also prepare
a snack in case you want to eat something at night, because it is quite inconvenient
to buy something near the beach, where there aren’t many shops. I think the beach
is usually regarded as a place just to swim, sunbathe or to play sports, and it is a
great place for the elderly to take some gentle exercise,strolling or jogging along
the shore. However, watching the night fall on the beach with your loved ones is
also a really great idea. My family always has a whale of a time when we organize
a camping trip by the sea. We just chill outand enjoy the freshness of the air, and
we all feel extremely relaxed and forget all the burdens of work and daily life for a
day or two. Above all, I never tire of the breathtaking view, proving that you don’t
have to spend a fortune on extravagant journeys to enjoy the beauty of nature.
5. Describe a place (somewhere you visited, a holiday etc.)

5.1. Describe a city or town you have been.
You should say
Where you would like to go

What kind of work/ job you would like to have
When you would like to go
And explain why you want to work in that place.
ANSWER (Trích đề: Describe a place in other countries where you would like to
work)
Today, I would like to talk about a place in foreign countries where I would like to
work. It is Melbourne, the second largest city in Australia which has become home
for millions of people from various countries around the world. In Melbourne, I
would like to work for an environmental NGO, as my specialtyat/in university is
Environmental Resources. So, right after I finish my studies in Vietnam, I will go
to Melbourne to apply for a job there. Well, the reasons why I would like to work
in Melbourne are quite simple. First, I have a lot of friends and relatives who live
and work in Melbourne. They can help me whenever I need. They also tell me that
the community of Vietnamese overseas is very large in Melbourne. So, the
multicultural challenge won’t be a big problem for me. And what's more, like
Sydney, Tokyo or some other cities in the world, Melbourne is a 'liveable city' due
to / because of its high rankingin education, research and healthy lifestyle/ way of
life. So I think that to live, study or work there will be an interesting experience.
5.2. Describe a garden you visited and like.

You should say:
Where the garden is.
How you felt about it.
Explain why you like it
ANSWER
I would like to share with you my impressions of a garden that I visited last
summer, which was full of colour and interest: Claude Monet’s house and garden
in Giverny, France. As a big fan of Monet’s paintings, especially the famous
„Water Lilies‟, I had always dreamed of seeing the scene in real life. So, when
some friends suggested a visit last year, I jumped at thechance. After a journey of

about an hour by train from our hotel, we arrived at Giverny. The garden was
exactly as he had painted it – it was a riot of colour, from the peaceful white of the
water lilies to the striking reds and oranges which filled some of the flowerbeds.
The two parts of the garden complemented each other perfectly. We first admired
the array ofbright flowers and fruit trees in the Clos Normand, but my favourite
part was the water garden, and we enjoyed a leisurely stroll, taking in all the
colours, perfumes and bird songs. Monet avidly collected prints of Japanese
gardens, and these inspired the Japanese bridges covered with wisterias, the water
lilies in the pond, and the bamboo and weeping willows which he planted. For me,
it was like a wonderland of colours and a dream come true after so many years.
5.3. Describe a café you like.

You should say
Where it is located
How often you visit it
And explain why you like it
ANSWER
I’m going to describe a café that I’ve been to recently; the name is Meow Coffee
and it’s on Tay Son Street, Hanoi. I think you could easily recognize it just from
the name that this coffee shop offers you many kinds of drinks together with the
chance of pampering the cats. I’m a cat person so this place is like heaven to me.
I’ve only been there twice; the first time was with one of my friends and the
second time all by myself. I felt like I was in love the first time I went to Meow
Coffee. You could see the cats sleeping or playing with each other so happily and
comfortably. The first cat I saw on my first visit was a British Short Hair; it was
orange, looking so grumpy but cute. He was sound asleep on a stool, and didn’t
even care a bit even if the guests entered and started to lightly pet him. There are
maybe dozens of cats in there together with some cute dogs that are really nice to
people. The place feels cozy and has a nice smell; it’s also very clean, in my
opinion, for a place that has pets. The owner has decorated the coffee shop with
toys and supplied some particular facilities to take care of the pets, and also a
written set of rules with cute images on how to pamper the pets. I had a really

great time there, enjoying the drinks and playing along with the cute cats. I brought
an assignment to work on the second time I visited this place, and the cats were so
nice: they didn’t bother me, some of them just lay or sat beside me or climbed into
my lap and slept there, didn’t even move an inch. I would recommend this place
for any animal lovers, especially cat people. I will definitely go to Meow Coffee
again if I have time.
5.4. Describe a shop opened in your hometown

You should say
where the shop is
what items it sells
how often you go there
why you go there
ANSWER
Well, I’m not a shopaholic, so there´s no particular shop that has made a special
impression on me. There’s only one exception – that’s a shop called Vinmart +,
which was opened in my hometown 2 months ago. The shop is located at one of
the prime spots for retailing. It is located right beside my previous primary school,
which is only 1km away from my house. I have to say that this shop makes its
mission to satisfy all customer needs anytime, anywhere. As well as meeting the
customers’ demand for necessary daily goods like other shops, it also supplies
fresh vegetables, fruit and meat of a high quality at reasonable prices. These
products have clearly-marked sources of origin and are strictly controlled under the
general process of the entire system. This shop is in a chain of retail shops under
Vingroup, which is recognized as one of the most dynamic and successful
companies in Vietnam, well-positioned for international integration and
comparable to the best regional and global competitors. Therefore, I suppose
there’s no doubt about its quality. Actually, quality assurance is the most important
benefit of shopping here. And the quality of service is excellent as well. To the best
of my recollection, 2 weeks ago, when I came to buy some snacks, I met a middle-
aged woman with her son at Vinmart. She said to the staff that she only went
window shopping to pamper her son, who always liked visiting supermarkets and
shops to see things. The staff were very welcoming and gave her son a candy as a
gift. I could see that her son was over the moon. That left me with a lasting and
positive impression about Vinmart.
5.5. Describe a quiet place

You should say
Where it is
How often you visit there
What you do there
And explain the reason why you like or dislike the place.
ANSWER
To me, quiet places mean libraries. But I’m not going to describe the library at my
university as I still haven’t visited it yet. The one I’m going to describe is the
library at my high school in Haiduong City. My school is very large and it consists
of four big blocks named A, B, C, and D. The library occupies a small space on the
highest floor in block D, and it’s perhaps just about three or nearly four times as
large as a normal classroom. There’s a room used to store books and another for
students to read books and self-study. I spent most of my time in the library when
I was in grade 10. The next two years were filled completely with competitions and
extracurricular activities so I couldn’t go to the library as often as before. I had my
own favorite spot in the self-study section; it was the cubicle on the outermost row
that is near the window, and whenever I visited the library to study or to read some
borrowed books, I would choose that spot without hesitation. I even wrote some
words or symbols that I liked on the table; don’t know whether they’re still there
now though. I specifically chose this library to describe because it’s really quiet,
compared with some other libraries in Haiduong City that I’ve been to. It was
really suitable for studying, and some even went there to sleep! I had a great time
self-studying in this library back then, I seriously would re-visit it if I ever had a
chance.
5.6. Describe an interesting house or apartment you visited

You should say

what it looked like
how big it was
where it was located
and explain why you find it interesting
I’m going to talk about my uncle’s house, which I first visited when I had just
graduated. It is a palatial house which is located near the city centre.
It is a splendid house with a lovely swimming pool and a huge garage in Tay Ho
District, Ha Noi. The land area is 300 sq.m with 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a living
room and modern kitchen. I have to say that is naturally illuminated , with its floor-
to-ceiling windows. The walk out deck in the back yard offers a pleasant and quiet
space for the family beside the pool, while the downstairs family room is a great
place for kids or adults to play or watch movies. The house is spacious but still
cosy because it is elaborately decorated with wooden floors and antique furniture.
The most striking thing about the house is its gigantic fish tank wall. It’s extremely
eye-catching. Right from the moment you enter the living room, you can see this
unique feature. It’s full of saltwater fish. The tank is gorgeously framed in teak to
match the woodwork of the room. My uncle said that building an aquarium into a
wall was always his dream, and he made it reality. I felt like being one of his
admirers after hearing those words because I was still on my way to purchasing my
own dream – an average apartment in the city centre. I hope someday I can tell my
nephew the same thing that my uncle told me.
5.7. Describe a popular place where people like to go swimming.

You should say
Where is it
What it is like
Who likes to go there
Why it is a popular place for swimming

Today I’ll tell you about a place where a lot of people go to take a swim. It’s My
Khe beach in Danang, which is a coastal city in central Vietnam. Danang is dubbed
one of the world’s ‘most attractive cities to live in’ and I guess one of the biggest
reasons why is the breath-taking My Khe beach. The beach isn’t private or
secluded and is open to the public so it attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists
who flock there every year.
Though My Khe is not the only beach in Danang, it’s certainly a place not to be
missed as My Khe has always been extolled for its crystal clear water and fine sand
dunes. Additionally, there is a variety of recreational activities available for people
coming here. There are, for example, swimming or, for those who can’t swim,
taking a dip or a stroll along the shore, snorkeling, sunbathing and building sand
castles for young children. Not only is My Khe widely-known among domestic
travellers, it has a reputation among outbound tourists as well, so it’s fair to say
that the beach is loved by all kinds of visitors.
As I was saying, My Khe is famous for its clear water and splendid beach scenery
and is ideal for both swimming and beach activities, though, like most places, we
are at the mercy of the weather. The fabulous beach is undoubtedly the biggest
reason why My Khe draws tourists like a magnet.
5.8. Describe a library that you have used. (A public library or a university or
school library)
You should say
where it was
what (type of) building it was in /what type of library it was
what books and facilities it had
what you did in the library
and explain what you liked and /or disliked about this library
Today I would like to talk about the one and only public library in my hometown,
which used to be my weekend hideaway during childhood. Located in the city
centre, the two-storey building has made itself a welcome contrast to concrete
jungles. In terms of its exterior decoration, library visitors would feel comfortable
at the sight of its rustic simplicity with reddish-brown bricks and mortar. Once
inside, people can be awestruck by its state-of-the-art facilities. The bottom half
provides computers with free Internet access and E-books if people prefer to
conduct further online research. The top half is occupied by stacks of books,
newspapers, periodicals and other reading materials where visitors can dig deep
into every field. At the weekend, I prefer to be engrossed in classic novels and
develop my literary appreciation. As I grew up, I switched my focus to various
genres to broaden my horizons. Personally speaking, the highlight of the library
was its unique tranquility which was really thought-provoking to readers.
However, as it is the sole shelter for bookworms in the city, its frequent state of
overcrowding allows little room to enjoy it at the weekend.
5.9. Describe a building in your school or university

You should say
where it is
what it looks like
what it is used for
I’m going to describe the administrative building of my university - FPT

University, which is a famous building designed by a talented architect – Mr.Vo
Trong Nghia. The building is located in the Hoa Lac Hightech Park, 34 kilometers
from Hanoi. The project is a modernisticseven-storey, eco-friendly building.
Owing to its purpose and unique design, this building has won several prizes, and
Future Projects Education is one of them. It is considered as representative of the
efforts of Vietnamese architecture to take action on global warming. Since the
building serves as a gateway to the school, the architects used its prominent
position in the landscape to promote sustainabledevelopment in Vietnam, a country
suffering from increasing pollution due to rapid industrialization. What I like most
is that the layout looks like a large garden with greenery covering most of the area.
With the combination of this green space and abundant glass, sufficient natural
light and wind are able to enter the building in order to reduce its reliance on
artificial lighting and air conditioning. This building is loved due to its unique
design and due to the fact that it brings about lots of benefits to our students as well
as our teachers. This creative place pushes the boundary of our creativity a lot. One
of my teachers told me that she felt motivated and even tried to tailor her teaching
styles since she felt in a good mood whenever she looked at this building. Besides,
some students are able to work their way through the university by taking part time
jobs such as taking care of the trees and cleaning the building.
5.10. Describe a place where you felt crowded

You should say
where it was
why you went there
why it was crowded
and explain how you felt about being there.
Actually, coping with crowded places presents a challenge to me. Therefore, in my

holidays, I often stay at home or find peaceful places to take a trip, but last spring,
I made a wrong decision when I decided on Tam Coc, Ninh binh, as a quiet spot
and paid a visit. I thought I would escape the hustle and bustle of busy Hanoi for
the relaxing pace of Tam Coc, which is often referred to as the Halong Bay of the
land, because of its spectacular and peaceful scenery. But when I arrived, it turned
out to be the most crowded place I’ve ever encountered on my travels. Coming to
Tam Coc, you have to board row boats for a journey of over an hour, passing
through 3 caves to be able to see a breathtaking view of lush green rice paddies
during the rice growing seasons and stunning limestone karsts . But it was not easy
to get a boat. In fact, I had to wait for about 2 hours. The pier was always
swarming with tourists and the noise was deafening at times. We were running out
ofpatience and out of space. My family and I felt really tired; but we still kept on
waiting. Fortunately, we were rewarded by an unforgettable vista. But no matter
how stunning the scenery is, I won’t go back there after that experience. I think
thelocal authoritiesshould introduce restrictions on the numbers of tourists. I
visited Tam Coc 2 months after the Tet holiday, which means that it was not the
height of tourist season, but the resort was still thronged with holidaymakers. In
my opinion, Tam Coc has become too touristy and commercial. I suppose that
over-rapid development will hurt tourism and not ensure sustainable development
for the local people.

5.11. Describe an organization or company where you live that employs a lot
of people.
You should say
What it is
How many employees work there
What its work is
And explain what you think about it.
The company I’m going to tell you about is a merger of two start-up companies,
which were YoungAd and VietDesign, YoungAd’s focus was on advertising and
marketing, while VietDesign, as its name suggests, was aimed at designing logos
and websites. Both companies spent 2 years breaking into the market. Soon the
directors realized that together they would make a prosperous organization since
their two domains were closely related. Therefore, to make the most of their
potential, YoungAd and VietDesign amalgamated in 2016 to make YAVD. The
number of employees from both companies combined is nearly 100 at present, a
pretty impressive figure for a start-up business at that age. Collaborators are also
recruited during big marketing campaigns to support official employees. The
company adopts a flexible policy when it comes to human resource management:
freelancers who perform beyond expectation are retained as employees or paid
generously. In my opinion, YAVD is likely to grow and thrive for two reasons.
Firstly, because the two former companies had their stable markets, YAVD gains a
competitive edge regarding its customer base. Secondly, because marketing and
designing make a perfect service package, YAVD is able to cater for the need of
their customers in a comprehensive manner, which probably singles them outin the
market.
6. Describe your favourite (book/film/advertisement/website)

6.1. Describe your favorite movie
You should say:
when and where you saw it;

what type of film it was;
what the film was about;
and explain why it is your favorite film
ANSWER (Trích từ đề “Describe a film you watched at home or in a cinema”)
As a frequent moviegoer, I watch a lot of films. One of the movies that I enjoyed
the most recently was The Martian. The movie was based on a novel of the same
title by Andy Weir. Just like many other sci-fi films, it was about man travelling in
space, however, this time; our main character was stuck on Mars due to a dust
storm which nearly killed him. All of the crewmates thought that he was dead, so
they went back to Earth without him. But fortunately he was still alive, thus two
and a half hours of the movie told the story of how he fought for his life in the
brutal environment of Mars, until NASA devised a plan to rescue him. My best
friend is a big fan of astronomy, so she had read the novel before. That’s why she
insisted on me going to see the movie with her. After watching the trailer and
reading the plot, I was hooked. It was maybe the best two and a half hours of my
week so far. After watching the movie, I was amazed at how ingenious and strong
humans can be when it comes to a life and death situation. Mark Watney, the hero
of the movie, was a perfect portrayal of a young, humorous, brilliant and skillful
engineer cum botanist. Although the hostile environment of Mars threatened his
existence many times, he relentlessly refused to quit. Instead, he overcame one
problem at a time until he was successfully rescued. The message that I learned
from the film is never to give up, however hopeless things seem to be.
6.2. Describe an advertisement you have seen

You should say:
What the advertisement is
What it is for
And explain how you think about it.
ANSWER

Today I’m going to tell you about an advertisement I’ve seen recently. It was
actually a commercial to promote iPhone 7, the latest smartphone manufactured by
Apple – the well-known technology giant. The ad was broadcasted prior to the
launching of the product in order to provoke curiosity among consumers,
especially loyal users of the brand.
The advertisement didn’t convey any meaningful message but was rather designed
to highlight all the updated features of iPhone 7 compared to previous models in
the series. Besides, the commercial wasn’t directed towards any specific age group
or gender, so the target audience was quite large. As soon as the commercial was
aired, the news about the new product immediately made front page headlines and
became the leading article of many technology websites, magazines and online.
Since Apple was already one of the most reputable technology companies with a
high level of brand awareness, it didn’t take much time for the publicity to
circulate. The advertisement generated a craze for iPhone 7, everyone was talking
about it on the Internet. People were eager to see how the latest model would differ
from earlier ones as well as to compare it with the latest smartphones of other
respected brands such as Samsung or Sony.
As for me, I thought it was a little plain and lacked creativity the first time I saw
the ad, since it only focused on the updated features. Later, I found the ad to have a
certain feeling of elegance to it, simple and straightforward but it was still able to
attract an incredible number of consumers. I have to admit that I was a little
swayed by the advertisement, even though I’m a Samsung fan.
6.3. Describe an interesting song

You should say:
What kind of song it is
How you found it
What it is about
And explain why it is interesting to you
ANSWER (Trích từ đề “Describe a song that has special meaning for you”)

I love listening to music, so I like many songs. However, one of my favorite songs
that I want to talk about today is “Hall of Fame” by The Script and Will.i.am. This
song was written for the 2012 Olympic Games. When it came out, it quickly
became a hit on every single music chart throughout the world, not just because of
its catchy melody, but also for its meaningful lyrics. The song talks about how
each of us can be a champion or anything we want to be as long as we dedicate our
time and efforts to doing what we are passionate about. The song is played at big
athletic events to pump up the crowd, but you can easily relate to the song at other
times as well, especially when you are about to give up. I think this song has such a
powerful message that whenever I was tired or had decided to quit, it would lift me
up right away. It made me think about why I had started in the first place and that I
needed to finish the job that I was currently doing.
6.4. Describe a decision made by others that you disagreed with

You should say
When it was
What it was
Why you disagreed with the decision
And explain how you persuaded them
Today, I’m going to tell you about a time when I went against a decision made by
my family members. This happened after I had received my university entrance
exam results last year in July. I was supposed to apply for an instution for my
tertiary education and as you can probably guess, I had a big row with my parents
about choosing one.
Initially, I specialised in a foreign language, English to be specific, during my time

in high school. While I was persistent in becoming an English teacher, my parents
thought that a change of focus would do me good. They insisted that I should try
my hand at economics for a change, saying I’d be able to interact with people from
all walks of life and enlarge my circle of friends. Though I agreed that attending a
university course in economics could help enlarge my social network as well as
provide me with very marketable qualifications to embark on a well-paid career,
concentrating on what I was passionate about was a bigger priority for me. My
parents and I had a heart-to-heart talk in the course of which I persuaded them that
a teaching career was what I had set my mind on and wanted to pursue. The
conflict culminated in my parents giving in and letting me decide for myself, given
my predilection for languages and the fact that I have been majoring in English for
quite some time now. I successfully applied to an esteemed language university
and am now following my lifetime dream.
6.5. Describe a kind of foreign food you have had

You should say
What it is
Where you had it
How often you have it
Which occasion you had it
And say if you liked the dish or not
Or And explain why you wanted to try this dish
One of my favorite types of foreign foods is tteokbokki, or spicy sticky rice cake.
This is a popular Korean food made from rice cake dipped in hot and sweet chili
sauce, and some people may add spring onions, sesame seeds or fish cakes
according to their own tastes. I think this is a perfect dish for the winter, especially
for those freezing cold days.
The first time I had a chance to eat tteokbokki was when I was in grade 11. It was a
typical winter day and my friends asked me if I would like to try some Korean
food that could “warm me up” right away. I was kind of free and also a bit curious
as the only type of Korean food that I’d ever tried was kimbap – you know, the
Korean sushi. Anyway I said yes, and they took me to a newlyopened Korean food
stall near my school. I was awestruck once I saw the dish – it was full of chili
sauce and I myself was not a big fan of very spicy foods. I seriously struggled a lot
to eat that dish. It took me quite a long time to clean my plate and I had to drink
lots of water while I was eating. But something strange happened: I kind of missed
the taste of that dish some weeks later. And you know what, the more I ate it, the
better it tasted to me! It was like I grew quite addicted to tteokbokki in a sense.
And well, it’s been several years and I still like this dish very much. I still eat it
now and then, and I seriously would highly recommend it to everyone who can eat
spicy foods.
6.6. Describe a kind of weather you like

You should say
What is the type of weather
Why it is your favorite weather
Where you can experience such weather conditions.
I guess I could begin by saying something about what the type of weather is, and I
suppose I would have to choose cloudy weather. It may sound strange as most
people hate it when the sky is full of clouds because it is dreary and sometimes it
gets people down, However, the reason why my favorite weather is when it is
cloudy, windy and drizzling is that it makes me feel calm and relaxed. I am
particularly into such weather especially at night because I can hear the little
raindrops falling and see them running down my window, which helps me to sleep.
It is very pleasant. Also, I love fog, which often comes with cloudy weather . It's
very romantic and gives me a sort of feeling like I'm in an old black and white
movie. On the other hand, I don't like heavy rains and downpours as I would
probably get drenched if I got caught in the rain. And I hate when the temperature
falls below zero, it's so cold that I tend to stay indoors as much as possible.
Probably, the type of weather I like is common for the United Kingdom and the
best time to experience it would be during the autumn there. However, in my
hometown such weather only occurs in the spring. Usually, we have dry and sunny
days with occasional rainy spells.
6.7. Describe a website that you like to visit.

You should say
What the website is
What it is used for
When you used it

And explain why you think it was interesting.
Today, I am going to tell you about one website which I’m really interested in. It’s
name is m.ebay.com. It is an e-commerce website used for online shopping
purposes. This website advertises various items classified by categories such as
fashion, electronics, and motors. It allows people to order products, and make
transactions online. I always give priority to shopping online whenever I have
spare time instead of going to stores or supermarkets. So, this website is very
handy for me as I can take advantage of my mobile phone or computer with an
Internet connection to access it and purchase what I need. I find this website very
appealing due to its good layout and attractive images of products. There is a box
for me to enter what items I’m looking for so I can avoid browsing items
unnecessarily, as I’m able to find quickly the things I need. After that the items I
have bought will be delivered right to my door so I can save a lot of time. Not
only that, there is always the chance to get a good deal and discounts as there are
various promotion programs. This website has important advantages for me, such
as convenience and the benefits of saving time and money. Now it plays a useful
role in my daily life. In the future I will continue to visit the site and of course
recommend it to my friends.
6.8. Describe your favourite means of transportation

You should say
what this transport is
when you began to use it
the advantages and disadvantages of using this form of transportation
and explain why it is your favourite form of transportation.
Today I am going to talk about the means of transportation that I like best. My
favorite vehicle is the very humble bicycle. Ever since I was in primary school, I
have made use of a bicycle to travel between places, mostly from home to school
and vice versa. My house was about 2 kilometers away from school, and every day
I would wake up early to ride my bike to class. As a kid, I took particularly great
pride in owning a bicycle because I figured it was a remarkably mature and
sensational thing to do, by which I mean, I was thrilled by the sense of having
something so valuable of my own at such early age, and all my peers would hold
me in high esteem for that. In my opinion, there is no telling how many individual
and social benefits the bicycle offers, especially to modern citizens. In this era of
urgent environmental problems and depletion ofnatural resources, the bicycle has
proved itself to be an optimum method of traveling,with dedicated cycle lanes in
most towns and cities. As it requires no intake of fuel and discharges no emissions,
riding a bike not only cuts society’s carbon footprint, but also reduces the reliance
on fossil fuels. What’s more, travelling by bike is also a wonderful way to integrate
a fitness regime into your life. Riding a bike obligates you to really get your leg
muscles and joints moving, making them stronger and more flexible, which is
particularly necessary given our modern sedentary lifestyle. The only downsides of
the bicycle that occur to me are its limited speed and the need to exertyourself,
which makes long journeys quite exhausting, especially if you are out of condition.
But as I mainly travel fairly short distances, that doesn’t bother me too much! To
me, the real allure of cycling is its simplicity. A bicycle is incredibly simple to
operate, maneuver and repair. It is also, of course, much easier on the pocketto
own a bicycle compared to other vehicles.
6.9. Describe a TV program (TV Series) you have watched

You should say
what kind of TV program it was, e.g. comedy, romantic
when you saw the TV program
what the TV program was about
I’m going to talk about “The Suite life of Zack and Cody”. Well, unlike kids
nowadays who have tons of ways to entertain themselves, back in 2005, we were
totally glued to the Disney Channel, a popular channel for kids which is loved by
adults as well. Not only me, but also my siblings love this channel and we often
watch it together in family gatherings. This channel has several programs. And one
of our favorite comedy shows back then was “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody”,
which starred the lovable twins Dylan and Cole Sprouse living in an exclusive
hotel. Lasting three seasons, the show even had a spin-off. In the 4 parts, Zack was
the funny character and Cody was the smart one. Apart from the two main
characters, this program had lots of other supporting characters and each had their
own distinctive personality, which gave the program a wide audience appeal. I
have to admit that the main reason I was a big fan of this program was not because
of Zack and Cody but a side character - London Tipton, who was an obvious
parody of the socialite Paris Hilton. She appeared in almost every episode of “The
Suite Life of Zack & Cody” and was presented as a ditzy, privileged girl with
hidden depth. Another reason is that I learnt countless new things by watching this
show. At the age of 13, I learned about how some Western people bring up their
offspring. I was impressed by the way they treat and talk to their children as a
friend, which helps a lot to bridge the generation gap and make family
relationships much more intimate.
6.10. Describe an English class you enjoy

You should say
When it was
How it was
And explain why you enjoyed this class
I am going to talk about a lesson in English that I enjoyed when I was still in high
school. I had missed several lessons before that due to my absence, which stemmed
from sickness, so I was falling behind with my studies. Therefore, my uncle, who
is an online English tutor, offered me a lesson to help me catch up. Although I was
a bit set in my ways, and I had doubts about this comparatively new teaching
method, the lesson went amazingly well. We communicated by means of an online
video call and he gave me instructions and studying materials via email. As I was
missing out on quite a few inclass lessons, my online class had to cover a lot of
ground. I had to learn many new words for the topic “Politics”, which was quite
exhausting for me because I did not have any interest in such matters. Then we
went on to revise ‘inversion’, which is also a tricky grammatical point. However,
as it was a private tutor lesson, my uncle had tailored his teaching style to suit my
ability to take in information. Knowing that I would get bored easily, he integrated
a lot of visual aids and discussion into the lesson to keep my attention. At the end
of the lesson, he gave me a short quiz to ensure that I had a good grasp ofwhat I
had just learnt. The thing that fascinated me most was the level of interactive
learning that I experienced in my online lesson. It is commonly believed that
online learning hinders the interaction between teacher and students, but I think
that such an attitude is behind the times.When studying online, I feel more relaxed,
which enables me to participate more actively in discussions and activities with my
teacher. Moreover, with the advantage of time and cost saving, I think online
lessons actually surpass face-to-face learning in efficiency.


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IDEAS FOR IELTS SPEAKING 2018

Written by Ngoc Bach

Written by Ngoc Bach

what the book is about

when you read it

how long you read it for

and explain why you want to read it again

The book is called “Diary of a cricket”, written by To Hoai. It is a short novel,

1.2.Describe a cake that is special to you

Written by Ngoc Bach

What it looks like

How you get the cake

And explain why you find it special

Everyone deserves a cake on their birthday so I find it nothing special to receive a

1.3. Describe a painting or work of art that you have seen.

when you saw this work of art

where you saw it

what it looked like

Written by Ngoc Bach

1.4. Describe a piece of clothes that is your favorite

when you bought it

where you bought it from

why you decided to buy it

and explain why it is your favorite.

Written by Ngoc Bach

1.5. Describe an important plant in your country (such as fruits, flowers or

how you first learned about this plant

and explain why you think it is important.

Written by Ngoc Bach

1.6. Describe an invention that has changed people's life

What the invention is

What changes it brought

Written by Ngoc Bach

2. Describe a person (someone you admire, a family member etc.)

Who this person is

How you know this person

What this person is famous for

And explain why you like this person

Written by Ngoc Bach

2.2. Describe an interesting neighbor you have/had

And explain why he or she is interesting

2.3. Describe a family member who has an important influence on you

Who the person is

What qualities this person has

2.4. Describe the most polite person you know

who this person is

how you met him/ her

whether you enjoy his/ her company or not

Written by Ngoc Bach

who the character was

what the character looked like

what the character did in the story

and explain what influence this character had on you.

Written by Ngoc Bach

2.6. Describe a couple you know who have a happy marriage

who they are

how you know them

how long they have been married

and explain why you think they are happily married.

Written by Ngoc Bach

2.7. Describe a person who gave a clever solution to a problem.

who this person is

what the problem was

how he/she solved the problem