2. Hometown

Please describe your hometown a little. What is your town well-known for? Do you like your hometown?

Is that a big city or a small place? How long have you been living there? Do you think you will continue living there for a long time?

Would you like to live in the countryside in the future?

What is the difference between living in the countryside and the city? What do you like to do in the countryside?

What do people living in the countryside like to do? How has your town changed over the last 20 years?

3.Home and accommodation

Can you describe the place where you live? How long have you lived there?

Please describe the room you live in.

What part of your home do you like the most? Who do you live with?

What room does your family spend most of the time in?

What do you usually do in your flat?

What kinds of accommodation do you live in? Do you plan to live there for a long time?

Do you prefer living in a house or a flat?

Are the transport facilities to your home very good?

What kind of house or flat do you want to live in in the future? What's your favorite room in your apartment/house?

What makes you feel pleasant in your home?

What's the difference between where you are living now and where you have lived in the past?

Do you think it is important to live in a comfortable house?

4.The area you live in

Do you like the area that you live in? Where do you like to go in that area?

Do you know any famous people in your area? What are some changes in the area recently?

5.Watch

Do you wear a watch?

Have you ever got a watch as a gift?

Which one do you prefer, expensive watches or comfortable ones? Do you think it is important to wear a watch?

6.Neighbor

Do you think neighbors are important? How can we get along with our neighbors?

Do you think it's important to have a good relationship with one's neighbors?

7.Weekend

What do you usually do on weekends?

Did you do anything special last weekend? What will you do next weekend?

8.Noise

Do you think the city is noisy? What makes the city noisy?

What types of noise do you come across in your daily life? Do you watch science tv programs?

What type of noises do you often hear? Are there any sounds you like?

What kind of noise do you dislike most? Is your area becoming noisier?

9.Arts

What forms of visual art are popular in your country?

Are there any differences between the art in your country and the art in Western countries?

Do you want to be an artist?

10.Outer space and stars

Have you ever learnt about outer space and stars?

Are you interested in films concerning outer space and stars? Do you want to go into outer space in the future?

11.Chocolate

Do you like chocolate?

Did you like chocolate when you were a child?

Have you ever given chocolate as a gift to someone? How popular is chocolate in your country?

12.Music

How often do you listen to music?

What kind of music do you like most? When do you listen to music?

What types of music are most popular in your country?

13.Staying Up Late

How often do you stay up late? When did you last stay up late?

How do you feel after staying up late?

Does anything make it difficult for you to fall asleep?

14.Art

Do you like art?

Would you like to be an artist?

What artwork do you have on the walls of your home? Have you ever visited an art gallery?

15.Jewellery

Do you like wearing jewellery?

Have you ever bought jewellery as a gift? What type of jewellery would you like to buy?

What type of jewellery is most popular in your country?

16.Keys

Do you have a lot of keys?

Do you always take your keys when you go out? Have you ever lost a key?

Do you do anything to avoid losing keys?

17.Library

How often do you go to the library?

When was the last time you went to a library? Did you go to the library when you were a child?

How popular are our libraries in your country?

18.Small Business

How often do you shop at small businesses?

Do you prefer buying things from small businesses or big businesses? Are there many small businesses where you live?

Would you prefer to work for a small business or a large business?

19.Happy

What made you happy when you were little?

What do you think will make you feel happy in the future?

20.T-shirt

Do you usually wear T-shirts?

Do you like T-shirts with pictures or prints?

Do you think older people who wear T-shirts are fashionable?

21.Books and Reading habits

Do you often read books? When?

Has your reading habit changed since you were young?

Have you ever read a novel that has been adapted into a film? Which do you prefer, reading books or watching movies?

22.Doing sports

What sports do you like?

Where did you learn how to do it?

Did you do any sport when you were young? Do you think students need more exercise?

23.Evening time

Do you like the morning or the evening? What do you usually do in the evening?

What did you usually do in the evening when you were a kid?

Are there any differences between what you do in the evening now and what you did in the past?

24.Advertisement

Do you like watching TV advertisements or Internet advertisements? What kinds of advertisements do you dislike?

Do you share advertisements with others?

Do you want to work in advertising in the future?

25.Meeting places

Where is your favorite place to meet with your friends? How can you choose a place to meet with a new person?

Do you think there are some places more suitable for meeting people than others? Are there any differences between your favorite meeting places now and the ones when you were little?

26.Sitting down

Where is your favorite place to sit down and relax? Do you always sit down for a long time?

Do you feel sleepy when you have to sit still for too long? Did you sit on the floor when you were a kid?

27.Computers

When do you have to use computers?

When was the first time you used a computer? What would your life be like without computers?

In what conditions would it be difficult for you to use a computer?

28.Old buildings

Have you ever been to any old buildings in your city?

Do you prefer to live in an old building or a modern house?

Are there any old buildings you want to see in the future? Why? Do you think preserving old buildings is important?

29.Talents

Do you have any special talent?

Did you learn about it when you were young or recently? Do you think your talent can be useful for your future work? Do you think anyone in your family has the same talent?

30.Collecting things

Do you collect anything?

Is there anything that you keep from childhood? Would you keep old things for a long time? Why? Where do you usually keep things you need?

31.Boring things

What kinds of things are boring to you? What will you do when you feel bored?

What was the most boring thing you did when you were young? Do you think school is boring?

32.Hair salon

Do you often go to the hair salon?

Would you like to have your hair dyed/colored?

33.Science

What did you learn in science class?

Do you want to know more about science?

34.Daily Routine

What is your daily routine?

Do you usually have the same routine everyday?

What part of your day do you like best?

PART 2&3

PART 2:

1.Describe an object (a gift, something you use etc.) Eg: Describe a useful electronic device that you have.

You should say:

•What it is

•How long you have used it

•What you use it for

And explain why it is useful

2.Describe a person (someone you admire, a leader etc.) Eg: Describe a famous person that you admire.

You should say:

•Who the person is

•How you got to know about him or her

•Why that person is famous

And explain why you admire that person

3.Describe an event (a festival, celebration etc.) Eg: Describe an event that you enjoyed.

You should say:

•When it happened

•Who was in the event

•What you did

And explain why you enjoyed the event

4.Describe an activity (a hobby, a game etc.) Eg: Describe a sport that you enjoy

You should say:

•What the sport is

•How to play

•What equipment is required

And explain why you enjoy the sport

5.Describe a place (somewhere you visit, a holiday etc.) Eg: Describe a place that you love to visit

You should say:

•What the place is

•Where the place is

•How to get to the place

And explain why you would love to visit that place.

6.Describe your favorite (book, film, advertisement, website etc.) Eg: Describe your favourite book

You should say:

•Which book it is

•How you got the book

•What the main content is

And explain why you like the book

PART 2&3 PREDICTION QUESTIONS

TOPIC 1: DESCRIBE A PERSON

1.Describe a popular/well-known person in your country

You should say:

•Who this person is

•What he/she has done

•Why he/she is popular

And explain how you feel about this person

Part 3:

•What kinds of people are popular at work?

•Are bosses more popular than employees at work?

•Which one is more important, keeping a good relationship with colleagues or

doing well at work?

•What benefits are there when a child is popular at school?

2.Describe a friend from your childhood who you remember very well

You should say

•Who he/she is

•Where and how you met each other

•What you often did together

And explain what made you like him/her

Part 3:

•Which one is more important, old friendships or new ones?

•How important is childhood friendship to children?

•Do you think the development of social media affects friendships nowadays?

•Do you think social media will replace face-to-face communication?

3.Describe an interesting old person you know

You should say:

•Who this person is

•How you know this person

•What you do together

And explain why you think this person is interesting.

Part 3:

•Do you think old people and young people can share interests?

•What can old people teach young people?

•Are there benefits when one person is interested in another person? Why?

•What are the advantages of having an elderly person at home?

•Is there anything that older people should learn from the younger generation?

•What can the younger generation learn from the older generation?

•What qualities does a person need to take care of old people?

•Do you think elderly people should be allowed to work?

4.Describe a person you met at a party who you enjoyed talking with

You should say:

•What party it was

•How you met this person

•What you talked about

And explain why you enjoyed talking with him or her

Part 3:

•Under what circumstances do people meet new people?

•Where do you think people meet new people?

•Do you think it is difficult for foreigners to communicate with Vietnamese people?

•What types of people interact easily with each other?

•What kind of people are hard to get along with?

•Do people now have enough time for communication?

•Does technology make it easier to communicate with family and friends?

5.Describe a person you have met who you like to work or study.

You should say:

•Who this person is

•Where you work/study together

•What you often do together

And explain why you like so much to work/study with him/her.

Part 3:

•What kinds of co-workers do people like to work with?

•Which one is more important to you at work, development in work-related skills or recognition from your supervisors?

•Do you think managers should be friends with their subordinates?

•Should children be allowed to choose whom they want to sit with or it should be decided by the teacher?

6.Describe an actor or actress whom you admire.

You should say:

•Who he/she she is

•What he/she looks like

•What kind of movies he/she appears in

•And explain why you admire this actor/actress.

Part 3:

•Are actors or actresses very interested in the work? Why?

•Is being a professional actor or actress a good career?

•What can children learn from acting?

•Why do children like special costumes?

•What are the differences between actors or actresses who earn much and those who earn little?

•What are the differences between acting in the theatre and in the film?

TOPIC 2: DESCRIBE AN OBJECT

1.Describe a piece of technology that you feel is difficult to use You should say:

•What it is

•What you got it for

•How often you use it

And explain how you feel about using it

Part 3:

•What technology do people currently use?

•Why do big companies introduce new products frequently?

•Why are people so keen on buying iPhones even though they haven’t changed much

•from one to the next?

•In what ways has technology changed your society?

•How has technology changed the way we communicate?

•How has technology changed the nature of long-distance relationships?

•What are the limitations of technology when it comes to interpersonal relationships?

2.Describe a gift you received You should say:

•What it is

•How you got it

•What you did

And explain how you felt about it

Part 3:

•Should employees have their own goals?

•How should bosses reward employees?

•What kinds of gifts do young people like to receive as rewards?

•What is the purpose of gift-giving?

•How has gift-giving changed since your grandparents’ time?

•How important is gift-giving in a relationship?

•What is more important when it comes to giving a gift, cost or effort?

•Do you think it's suitable to give money as a gift?

•Do you think it's a good idea for people who are doing business with each other to exchange gifts?

3.Describe a traditional product in your country You should say:

•What it is

•When you tried this product for the first time

•What it is made of

And explain how you feel about it

Part 3:

•What are some kinds of traditional products in Vietnam?

•Why are traditional products important?

•Why is it important for children to learn about traditional products?

•Do you think tradition is important for a country? Why?

4.Describe a photo you took that you are proud of

You should say:

•When you took it

•Where you took it

•What is in this photo

And explain why you are proud of it

Part 3:

•Why do some people like to record important things with photos?

•Is taking photos the best way to remember something?

•What can people learn from historical photographs?

•What are the advantages and disadvantages of taking photos with mobile phones?

TOPIC 3: DESCRIBE AN EVENT/TIME

1.Describe a historical period you want to know more about. You should say:

•Which period is it

•When did it occur

•Why are you interested in it

•Who all was involved in it

Part 3:

•How is history taught in Vietnam?

•Is there any difference between teaching history through books and movies?

•Why are there many children who do not like to learn history?

•Do young people like historical stories in your country?

•Do you think history matters in a country’s future development?

•Are there other ways people can learn about history, apart from at school? How?

•Do you think history will still be a school subject in the future? Why?

2.Describe a time when you received some positive feedback. You should say:

•When it was

•What the feedback was related to

•Who gave you the feedback And explain how you felt about it.

Part 3:

•Do children need encouragement when they grow up? Why?

•Which kind of feedback do people tend to believe, positive or negative feedback?

•Do you think public recognition is important for people nowadays?

•Do you think those who have received public recognition should take on more social responsibilities?

•Do you think positive feedback is more useful than negative feedback?

•Should bosses give positive feedback to employees? Why?

3.Describe a time when you taught a friend or relative something You should say:

•Who you taught

•What you taught

•How you taught him or her And explain how you felt about it

Part 3:

•What qualities do you think a good teacher should have?

•Who do you think can learn better? Old or young people?

•What do you think is the best age for children to go to school?

•What courses/subjects will be helpful in future work?

•Do you think students should choose subjects they like?

4.Describe a time you were late for a meeting You should say:

•What the meeting was for

•When the meeting was

•Where the meeting was

And explain why you were late

Part 3:

•Are you a punctual person?

•Do you think it is important to be on time?

•Do you always avoid being late?

•Why are people often late for meetings or appointments?

•Why do people miss important events?

•Are people in your country often late for meetings?

•What kinds of activities do you consider a waste of time?

•What usually makes people feel pressured?

•Do you think young people or old people are better at managing time?

•Why do young people waste more time than old people?

•How can people manage their time better?

5.A time somebody gave you something you really wanted/ A reward you got You should say:

•Who gave it to you

•What was the thing

•When you received it

•Why you needed it

•How you felt about it

Part 3:

•Should employees have their own goals?

•How should bosses reward employees?

•What kinds of gifts do young people like to receive as rewards?

•How should children spend their allowance money?

•What should parents do when their children ask for things their friends have?

6.Describe a time when you moved to a new home/school.

You should say:

•When you moved

•Where you moved

•Why you moved

And how you felt about it

Part 3:

•Why do people move to a new home?

•What problems do people face after moving to a new place? How do people solve these problems?

•What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in the same place?

•Is it good to move to a new place frequently? Why?

7.Describe a time you were very busy

You should say

•When it happened

•Where you were

•What you did

And explain why you were busy

Part 3:

•What are the advantages and disadvantages when people keep busy?

•Do you think children should learn through playing games or under pressure?

•What kind of pressure do people may experience at work?

•Is it easy to achieve work-life balance today?

8.Describe a time when you helped a child

You should say:

•When it was

•How you helped him/her

•Why you helped him/her And how you felt about it

Part 3:

•Do you often help kids? How?

•Why is it necessary to do volunteer services?

•What can schools do to develop students' awareness of volunteering?

•Who benefits more from the volunteer services, the volunteers or the people helped?

9.Describe a special day out that cost you little money I didn't cost you much

You should say:

•When the day was

•Where you went

•How much you spent

And explain how you feel about the day

Part 3:

•Do people like to spend their leisure time out in your country?

•How do Vietnamese people like to spend their leisure time?

•How does technology affect the way people spend their leisure time?

•Do you think only old people have time for leisure?

10.Describe a time you used your cellphone/smartphone to do something important

You should say:

•What happened

•When it happened

•What you used your cellphone/smartphone for

•How important the cellphone/smartphone was

Part 3:

•What are the occasions when people are not allowed to use smartphones?

•What are the differences between the way young people and old people use a cellphone?

•What is more common, using a cellphone to make calls or to send messages?

•Do you think there should be a law to stop people from making phone calls in public?

11.Describe a time when you had to spend a long time in a traffic jam

You should say:

•When it happened

•Where you were stuck

•What you did while waiting

And explain how you felt in the traffic jam

Part 3:

•What are the causes of traffic jams?

•What are the ways traffic jam problems can be solved?

•Do you think developing public transport can solve traffic jam problems?

•What are the good ways to manage traffic flows in cities?

12.Describe a time when someone asked you for your opinion You should say:

•When she/he asked you

•What the opinion she/he asked you was

•How she/he felt while listening to your opinion And explain why she/he needed your opinion

Part 3:

•Have you ever asked someone for his/her opinion?

•Why do some people react impolitely when listening to someone’s story?

TOPIC 4: DESCRIBE AN ACTIVITY

1.Describe an activity you enjoyed in your free time when you were young

You should say:

•What it was

•Where you did it

•Who you did it with

And explain why you enjoyed it

Part 3:

•Is it important to have a break during work or study?

•What sports do young people like to do now?

•Are there more activities for young people now than 20 years ago?

•What types of leisure activities are popular in your country?

•Why is it important for people to have leisure activities?

•Why are some leisure activities more popular than others?

•Do you think that parents should choose leisure activities for their children? Why/Why not?

•Has free time activities among people in your country changed much more than that of 2 decades ago?

•What changes do you think technologies have brought in the way people enjoy their leisure activities?

2.Describe a contest/competition you would like to participate in

You should say:

•What the contest/competition is about

•Where it will take place

•When it will be held

And explain why you would like to participate in it

Part 3:

•What are the popular contests on TV programs?

•Why are competition shows popular?

•What kinds of industries need competition? Why?

•Do you think it is necessary to encourage people to compete with others in companies?

3.Describe an important event you celebrated

You should say:

•What the event was

•When it happened

•Who attended the event

And explain how you feel about the event

Part 3:

•What kinds of events do people in your country usually celebrate?

•What kinds of activities do Vietnamese people do to celebrate important events? Do people often celebrate events with a large group of people or just a few people?

•Who do people like to celebrate important events with, family or friends?

TOPIC 5: DESCRIBE A PLACE

1.Describe a city you would like to go to for a short time

You should say:

•What city it is

•What you would like to do there

•Who you would go there with

And explain why you would like to go there

Part 3:

•Do people prefer planned travel?

•Why do places with historical attractions develop tourism more aggressively?

•Why do you think people usually travel?

•Why does living in tourist cities experience more noise?

•What kinds of jobs are easy to get in a foreign country?

•Should young adults work abroad?

•Do Vietnamese parents encourage their children to work abroad?

•If you had an opportunity to live abroad, which country would you like to settle down in?

•Why do some people want to go to college far away from home?

2.Describe a place you visited that was affected by pollution

You should say:

•Where the place is

•What the pollution was

•Why you went there

And explain how you felt about the pollution

Part 3:

•What kinds of pollution are serious in your country?

•What can individuals do to protect the environment?

•Why should the government be involved in environmental protection?

•Is it important to teach students about environmental protection at school?

•Do you think it is a good idea or bad idea to relocate factories far from cities?

3.Describe a noisy place you have been to.

You should say:

•What it is

•When you went there

•What you did there

And explain why you feel it’s a noisy place

Part 3:

•Do you think it is good for children to make noise?

•Should children not be allowed to make noise under any circumstances?

•What are some common sources of noise?

•What are the effects of loud noise?

4.Describe a favorite place in your house where you can relax.

You should say:

•Where it is

•What it is like

•What you enjoy doing there

And explain why you feel relaxed at this place

Part 3:

•Why is it difficult for some people to relax?

•What are the benefits of doing exercise?

•Do people in your country exercise after work?

•What is the place where people spend most of their time in their home?

5.Describe a quiet place you like to go to

You should say

•Where it is and how you knew about it

•How often you go there

•What you do there

And explain how you feel about the place

Part 3:

•Is it easy to find a quiet place in your country? Why?

•Why do old people prefer to live in quiet places?

•Why are there more noises made at home now than in the past?

•Why do some people like to use noises as background sound when they are working or studying?

TOPIC 6: OTHER TOPICS

1.Describe something you did that made you feel proud

You should say:

•What you did

•When you did it

•How difficult it was

And explain why it made you feel proud

Part 3:

•Which is more important, personal goals or work goals?

•Have your life goals changed since your childhood?

•Does everyone set goals for themselves?

•Does everyone set goals for themselves?

•Do you think material rewards are more important than other rewards at work?

•What makes people feel proud of themselves?

•What qualities are needed to become successful?

•Do you think the way people gain success has changed?

•How important is goal-setting to achieve success?

•Is it important for society to celebrate individuals who have achieved success?

2.Describe a complaint that you made

You should say:

•When it happened

•Who you complained to

•What you complained about

And explain why you make a complaint about

Part 3:

•What products or services do people in your country like to complain about?

•Would you buy things in the shops which you have complained about before?

•Complaint online or in the shop which is better complaint by talking or writing

•Do you think customers’ complaints will improve products or services?

•Are there any disadvantages to setting up customer service?

3.Describe an unusual meal you had

You should say:

•When it was

•Where you had the meal

•What happened during the meal And explain why it was unusual

Part 3:

•What are the advantages and disadvantages of eating at restaurants?

•Do you think having dinner at home is a good idea?

•Do young people like to spend time with their families or friends?

•What do you think are the benefits of having dinner together?

•Do you think people are less willing to cook meals by themselves these days,

•compared to the past?

•Do you think having dinner at home is a good idea?

•Why do you think some people choose to be vegetarians?

•What do you think are the benefits of having dinner together?

•Is the food that people eat today different to the food that people used to eat in

the past?

•Do you think people are less willing to cook meals by themselves these days, compared to the past?

4.Describe a website you often visit

You should say:

•What the website is

•How you first found out about it

•How often you visit it And explain why you like it

Part 3:

•What are the most popular and least popular apps in VietNam?

•What’s the difference between the Internet and television?

•Why do people like to read the news on the Internet instead of on TV?

•Is the library still necessary? Why?

•What kinds of people would still go to the library to read and study?

•What effect has the Internet had on the way people generally communicate with each other?

•How do you think communicating by email is different from communicating by text message?

•Why do you think the Internet is being used more and more for communication?

•How can people find reliable information on the internet?

•Do you think the internet is safe for children to use unsupervised?

5.Describe something you did with someone or a group of people

You should say:

•What it was

•Where you did it

•Who you’re with

And explain how you felt about it

Part 3:

•What kinds of jobs need people to work in a team?

•How do you get along with your neighbors?

•What can parents do with their children to make them happy?

•How can children improve their social skills?

6.Describe a piece of good news that you heard about someone you know well

You should say:

•What it was

•When you heard it

•How you knew it

And explain how you felt about it

Part 3:

•Is it good to share something on social media?

•Should the media only publish good news?

•How does social media help people access information?

•What kind of good news do people often share in the community?

•Do most people like to share good news with others?

•Do people like to hear good news from their friends?

•How do most people get their news in your country?

•How do you think people will get their news in the future?

•Do you believe everything you read in the newspapers?

•How has social media changed the way we get and share the news?

•Do you think printed newspapers will disappear in the future?

7.Describe a routine you have in your life that you enjoy

You should say:

•What it is

•How often do you do it

•Is it easy to stick to that routine And explain how you feel about it

Part 3:

•What routine do people have at home?

•What routine do the elderly have?

•What are the benefits of having a routine for kids at school?

•Do you think it is good to have a 9-to-5 job?

8.Describe a development in the area where you live.

You should say:

•What the development is

•When/where you noticed it

•How long it took to complete it And explain how you feel about it

Part 3:

•What transportation do you use the most?

•Is public transportation popular in VietNam?

•What can be improved in public transport services?

•What leisure facilities can be used by people of all ages?

•Do you think young people in your country like to go to the cinema?

9.Describe an advertisement you do not like

You should say:

•What type of advertisement it is

•What product or service it advertises

•Where and when you first saw it And explain why you don’t like it

Part 3:

•What kinds of things are advertised most in your country?

•Is newspaper advertising or online advertising more effective?

•Why do some people hate advertisements?

•Is music useful in advertising?

10.Describe something you would like to learn

You should say:

•What it is

•How you would like to learn it

•Why you would like to learn it

And explain whether it’s difficult to learn it.

Part 3:

•What’s the most popular thing to learn nowadays?

•At what age should children start making their own decisions? Why?

•Which influences young people more when choosing a course, income, or interest?

•Do young people take their parents’ advice when choosing a major?

•Besides parents, who else would people take advice from?

•Why do some people prefer to study alone?