SPEAKING PART 1 – Your Studies
Nội Dung Chính
GENERAL THINGS TO REMEMBER
Part 1 is like a casual ‘getting-to-know-you’ conversation. Imagine you are talking to someone you’ve just met in a coffee shop.
THEREFORE, don’t worry about advanced vocabulary or idioms. IN FACT, misusing idioms can be worse than just speaking simply and clearly.
AIM to speak for three sentences. SPEAK about yourself. SPEAK confidently and naturally (like you’re catching up with an old friend) and you will do your BEST!
SAMPLE ANSWERS
The following questions are some of the most common in relation to the topic of “STUDIES” in IELTS Speaking Part 1. Each question has two samples. REMEMBER, there is no such thing as a “wrong” answer. As long as you answer the question directly, speak clearly, and talk about yourself, you’ll be FINE!
- WHAT DO YOU STUDY?
At the moment, I’m studying accounting. It’s my major as part of my commerce degree. I’m in my third year, so I’ll graduate at the end of next year.
Right now, I’m not studying anything in particular – I’m getting ready to go abroad and study a business management degree. For the past few months, I’ve just been studying IELTS to get ready as well as complete all the requirements for studying abroad.
- WHERE DO YOU STUDY?
My university is called the University of Studies. It’s quite a well-respected university. It offers degrees in a range of subject, but most students go there to study something related to finance or business.
I’ve just graduated from high school, and in a few months I’ll start university. I haven’t actually picked which one I’ll study at – it depends on which one I can get into!
- WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THAT SUBJECT?
I chose to studying finance on the advice of my parents. They suggested that it would be a useful degree for finding a good job. I guess it’s true, but I can’t say I enjoy it that much.
I’ve always dreamed of being a doctor, so medicine was the obvious choice for me. Actually, I couldn’t just choose this subject. I had to get really good grades, and even then I think I was lucky to get accepted.
- DO YOU LIKE THAT SUBJECT?
Like I said before, I don’t really enjoy it that much. I know it is a sensible subject to study, but it’s just so boring. It’s all numbers and tables, and sometimes it all seems the same. I guess if I can find a well-paying job, it’ll be okay.
As I said in the last question, it’s been my dream since I was little to be a doctor, so I definitely like my major. Sometimes, the workload can seem overwhelming, but I know it’ll be worth it when I get my medical degree and I can start helping people as a real doctor.
TIPS – When you mention something in an answer that you might’ve said earlier, then show the examiner this by using phrases like, “Like I said before” or “As I mentioned earlier”. This helps to make your speaking more connected and is also how you speak in a REAL conversation!
- IS IT A POPULAR SUBJECT IN YOUR COUNTRY?
Definitely. Accounting is maybe one of the most popular subjects. As my country’s economy develops, office jobs, especially ones with a good salary are in demand. Most of my friends are studying something finance-related and they hope to work for a foreign company because those ones tend to pay the most!
Actually, graphic design is only just starting to become popular in my country, and even a few years ago it was hard to find a good course to take about design – apart from something traditional like architecture. When I tell people what I’m studying, they often seem surprised and want to know why I’m not studying a more useful subject.
TIPS – When you have an extra idea to add (like above with “–apart from something traditional like architecture”, just add it casually like you would in a conversation (kind of like a bullet point or afterthought) as this is more like the natural flow of conversation.
- WOULD YOU LIKE TO STUDY SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
I would love to study fashion design if I could study whatever I wanted. However, my parents say that is a job that only a few people are successful at and so it’s not a smart choice. I think I might study it after I’ve graduated and have some more money.
I’ve always been interested in space, but my marks for science subjects, especially physics, have always been really bad, so I don’t know if I’m smart enough to study that. However, I still read a lot about it, so maybe I don’t need to study it directly if I can still enjoy it like I do now.
- DO YOU PLAN TO GET A JOB IN THE SAME FIELD AS YOUR SUBJECT?
I think so. With an accounting degree, there are lots of possible places to find a job, so I think it’s the smartest choice. However, after I get some experience, I might look for a different job or a management position. I don’t really want to be an accountant my whole life.
Of course. I think almost everyone who does a medical degree ends up being a doctor. A few of my friends who are studying medicine have thought about working in the pharmaceutical industry, but I’ve got my mind set on becoming a surgeon.
TIPS – Don’t worry about idioms in Part 1. They are often misused and make your speaking sound unnatural. However, you can still use some advanced vocabulary (see “pharmaceutical industry” and “got my mind set on”). REMEMBER to always try and say things you would say in a casual conversation.
- HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND STUDYING?
I would say a few hours every day. Actually, I thought university would be much more time-consuming than high school, but I have to study so much back then to prepare for my university entrance exams, that university life is not too bad in comparison.
I have to study a lot. Law is known for being a subject with a heavy workload. There are so many cases to remember and you need to work hard on your reasoning and critical thinking skills. It’s nice when exams are over and I have a little bit of time to relax.
MORE PART ONE SPEAKING SAMPLES!!!
Band 9 Speaking: Part 1 – Gardens
Band 9 Speaking: Part 1 – Chocolate
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