Mat Clark – IELTS Speaking
187
I usually buy books and DVDs or stuff like that.
I might buy a book or whatever.
I might go to the park or wherever.
I might go with my classmates or whoever.
Do not use too many list completers in your speaking test. A good guideline would be
4 or 5 examples across the whole interview.
Quantities
Vague language is very common with numbers when expressing quantity, frequency
or the time. Lower numbers are often expressed by phrases such as:
a couple of, a few.
Whereas, larger numbers are rounded up with: about, around or replaced with: lots of, loads
of.
I usually get up at around three of four o’clock.
It costs around 15 yuan or so.
It’s about a 1,000 yuan.
The weather caused loads of/ lots of problems.
With vague language, ― a couple‖ does not usually mean ―two‖; it can mean ―up to
three‖ or even ―four‖. When you do not
want to give accurate numbers, you can use the
following:
There were about 30 odd students in my class.
There were about 30 or so people at the party.
She’s not that old. I’d say she’s about 40-ish.
There are a lot of / lots of / loads of choices.
I’ve been to Beijing a couple of / a few times.
I think I saw about / around 10 or so.
