Work & Study – Session 1- Speaking Skills – Band 4.

5+
Outcomes:
• Have basic understanding of the IELTS speaking Part 1
• Answer simple questions about your work and studies (speaking part 1)
• Learn adjectives to describe feelings and experiences

I. Lead-In:
1. Match photographs A-G with the areas of work and study in the box.

Emergency services* Farming Tourism Travel and transport

Science
Education Entertainment
(Research and Development)
*The organizations that deal with accidents and urgent problems such as fire, illness or crime
A B C D

E F G

II. Adjectives to describe feelings and experiences:

2. Look at the words in the box. Which words have a negative/positive meaning?

Tired Great Boring Embarrassed Thrilled

Not very exciting Challenging Interesting Fascinated Amazed
3. Complete the table below. There is an example to help you.
I feel/ I felt (Feelings) It is/ It was (Experiences)
Amazed Amazing
Thrilling
Boring
Challenging
Fascinated
Not very excited
Tiring
Embarrasing
Interested
Great
4. Read the words in exercise 2 again.
Which words can you use to describe your feelings?
Which words can you use to describe the experience of doing the things in the photographs?
You can choose another job if you like

5. Choose the correct word in each sentence. (Homework)

a. I've got a place on the course! I'm thrilled/thrilling!
b. It's a very interested/ interesting job I'm learning a lot.
c. I had to give a presentation in front of my colleagues. I felt really embarrassing/ I
embarrassed.
d. She gets boring/ bored easily, so she's changed jobs twice.
e. He works long hours and late nights and weekends in order to pay for his daughter's
university course. It must be very tired/ tiring for him.
f. She's got an amazing/ amazed job. She's a journalist and she's interviewed lots of
famous people.
III. Speaking Test – Part 1:
Basic Information
The examiner will ask you some simple questions about your work or your studies. It is
important to try to give full answers to the questions and to say what you feel about your job
or course of study.
Look at the examples of Part 1 questions.
• What do you do? Do you work or are you a student?
• Are you enjoying it?
• Would you like to learn anything new in the future?
• Is there a job you would really like to do in the future?

6. Listen and number the following in the order Nina talks about them:
Key ideas Order Take notes here

What job she would like to do in the future

How many hours a week she studies/works

What she does

What she would like to learn in the future

What she thinks about her studies/work

Where she studies/works

Tip (1)
It is very important not to simply answer a question with 'Yes' or 'No'. Try to use your
imagination and invent some ideas.
Remember that the examiner is testing your ability to speak English, not your views or
general knowledge. For example, if there isn't a job you would really like to do in future, don't
just say 'No'. Think of any job you could talk about.
7. Use the headings in exercise 8 to talk about Nina.

Transcript:
Examiner: What do you do? Do you work or Miriam: Yes, I would. I'd really like to learn how
are you a student? to use computer software to create new
Miriam: I'm a student. I'm doing a part-time designs. This should also help me create new
fashion and textiles course. I'm at Milton shades of colour. Using technology in this way
College, in the centre of the city. I'm in my would be really challenging for me, I think.
third year and at the moment I'm studying Examiner: And is there a job you would really
twelve hours a week. like to do in the future?
Examiner: Are you enjoying it? Miriam: Yes, there is. I'd love the chance to
Miriam: Oh yes, I am. I think it's great. I become a fashion photographer. And if I do well
particularly like working with different on my course and get some experience of
materials like wool and leather. And I've just taking pictures at my college fashion shows,
made a beautiful scarf and it's made out of perhaps my dream will come true. I've just
plastic. It looks very strange but I think it's bought myself a new digital camera and I've
great! It's pretty amazing in fact! already
Examiner: Would you like to learn anything learned how to take some great close-up shots!
new in future?

8. Make notes using the headings in exercise 8 to speak about what you do.

9. Use your notes to tell your partner about what you do. Ask each other the questions below:
Do you work or are you a student?
Are you enjoying it?
Would you like to learn anything new in the future?
Is there a job you would really like to do in the future?
 Work & Study – Session 2 - Speaking Skills – Band 4.5+
Outcomes
• Have basic understanding of the IELTS Speaking Part 2
• Speak in detail about “Business and Work” for Speaking Part 2
• Express your wishes and intentions in a variety of ways
I. Speaking Test – Part 2: Basic Information
In Part 2 of the Speaking test, you prepare and talk about a simple topic.
The topic will be based on your own experience. This means that you should find it familiar and
easy to talk about.
You have one minute to prepare your topic.
You must talk for about two minutes.
Part 2 tests your ability to organise your ideas and speak fluently.
1. Read the information about Part 2 and then look at the following topic areas.
Which THREE do you think are Part 2 topic areas?
1 Talk about how the education system in your country has changed.
2 Talk about a time when you learnt something new.
3 Talk about your very first day at school.
4 Talk about your ideal place to study.
5 Talk about how people normally travel to work in your city.
6 Talk about the kind of jobs that people do in your hometown
2. Look at the information about what happens in Part 2 of the Speaking test.
Can you put the stages A-F in the correct order?
A You talk about the topic in the task, including all four points on the card.
B You stop talking when the examiner tells you to.
C You read a card with a task on it.
D You make notes on each of the separate parts of the task.
E The examiner says, 'Here is your topic card. You now have one minute to prepare
your talk.’
F The examiner asks you some questions about your talk.
3. The topic card:
Describe a job that you would like to do for a day.
You should say:
• what kind of job it is
• what the daily responsibilities of thejob are
• what characteristics you need for the job
and explain why you would like to do this job.
Tip (2)
There are always FOUR instructions on the card, which tell you what you need to talk about.
But you can add more if you want. You will discover how to do that later on.

4. Lead-In:
Match the sentences below with the pictures:
1. I’d really love to be able to help children who are struggling with their studies
2. I hope that one day I can help make new homes for people in our community.
3. I wish I could have the chance to look after people when they are ill.
4. I would like to protect my community and make it safe for everyone.
 A. B. C. D.

II. Talking about wished and intentions:

5. Look at the expressions in the box, then discuss the careers in the photos above with your
partner.

I’d like to… I’d probably hate to become… I’d really love to…
I hope that one day I can… I’m not convinced that I’d… I’m not sure whether I’d…
I’ve always wanted to… I wish I that I could… There is no way I’d…
III. Different kinds of work:
6. Look at these job postings. Match the postings 1-4 with thejobs a-d.
a. Architect b. Babysitter c. DJ d. Firefighter

1 2
Qualifications: Must hold childcare Qualifications Must be able to lift 60 kg and
certificates run with it for 5 minutes. Must have training in
Responsiblities: Responsible for making fire safety.
sure children complete their homework, Responsiblities: Putting out fires, rescuing
ensuring child safety, and getting children animals from trees, and putting yourself in
into bed on time danger evey day.
Pay: Approx 500.000 VND per hour Pay: Approximately 15.000.000 VND per
Benefits: Plenty of time to watch TV, or work month
on your studies Benefits: Opportunities for promotion every
5 years, generous pension on retirement.
3 4
Qualifications: Must hold a degree in Qualifications. Must know the latest
Architectural design sound design techniques
Responsibilities: Making sure new buildings Responsibilities: Working unsociable hours,
are keeping people entertained
cost-effective and environmentally friendly Pay: approx. 2.000.000 VND per night
Pay: Approx. 20.000.000 VND per month Benefits: Travel budget included, although
Benefits: Free accommodation upon project opportunities for a long career are limited
completion, small budget for stationery
7. Fill in the gaps with some common jobs and other related information
Pay/Salary/
Jobs Qualifications Responsibilities Benefits
Wage
IV. Extending the task card:
8. Read this Speaking Part 2 task, then match the question words, 1-6 with the correct stems.
Describe a job that you would like to do for a day.
You should say:
• what kind of job it is
• what the daily responsibilities of the job are
• what characteristics you need for the job
and explain why you would like to do this job.
WH-questions:
1 What… A usually does this kind of job?
2 Who… B is this job a good job to do?
3 When… C do you have to arrive at work?
4 Where… D do you have to go to do this job?
5 How… E special ability might you need to do this job?
6 Why… F can I apply for the job?
9. With a partner, use these sentences to start your answer. If you run out of ideas, ask your
partner to ask you some questions to help you continue. Talk for at least 2 minutes on each
topic.
• I think I would be very interested in becoming a…. for a day. Being a … is very ...
• I've often thought about being in the…. As a…, I would get to...
• I wonder whether it would be fun to be a.., at least for a day. It would be very interesting
to...
• I'm not sure if I could ever do this, but it would be fascinating to be…. for a day. As a…,
the first thing I would do is ...
• It would be fantastic if I could be a… for a day. The first thing I would do would be ...

Tip (3)
It is a good idea to introduce your talk clearly and slowly. Doing this gives you time to think
about what you are going to say next.
.