Mat Clark – IELTS Speaking
180
And the trouble with this is that …
And this can be a hassle because…
This is usually an aggravation because…
So a complete answer to the question might look like this:
―What are the disadvantages of train travel?‖
―I think it’s fair to say that there are a few negative aspects. I suppose the most
unfavorable quality might be that trains are often overcrowded at certain times of year. This
is a clear limitation because on a long journey you might not be able to find a seat which
means you have to stand up for hours. At the same time, another stumbling block might be
that train tickets are sometimes difficult to buy, especially around Spring Festival, and this
can be a hassle because it means you can’t always travel on the actual day that you want to.‖
When the examiner hears this answer, the first thing he will notice is the appropriate
disadvantage language: negative aspects, unfavorable quality, clear limitation, stumbling
block, hassle. Because you have used these words in complex linking structures, it affects
your score in three ways: fluency-grammar-vocabulary.
Now use your disadvantage structure to practice the following Part Three Questions‖
What are the disadvantages of air travel?
What are the disadvantages of shopping in supermarket?
What are the disadvantages of using technology in education?
What are the disadvantages of going on holiday in foreign country?
What are the disadvantages of having a fixed daily routine?
What are the disadvantages of machine-made products?
What are the disadvantages of zoos?
What are the disadvantages of eating out in restaurants?
What are the disadvantages of online (Internet) shopping?
What are the disadvantages of being famous?
What are the disadvantages of living in cities?
What are the disadvantages of living in the countryside?
What are the disadvantages of living near the sea?
What are the disadvantages of living in an old building?
What are the disadvantages of advertising?
