Mat Clark – IELTS Speaking
53
Topic 2a: What you do—your job
Tell me about your job./ What job do you do?
Why did you choose this job?
What do you like about your job?
How long have you been doing this job?
Is there anything you don’t like?
Nouns
profession
line of business
occupation
line of work
Verbs
be
involved in
share responsibility for
work within a team
Adjectives
hectic
exhausting
taxing
intricate
undemanding
Idioms
work flat out (= work very hard)
Sometimes I have to
work flat out
.
on the go (= very busy)
I'm always
on the go
.
get to the bottom of(= solve)
I have to
get to the bottom
of
problems
related to...
pull out all the stops(=make a
special effort)
When it's busy I have to
pull out all the
stops.
take charge of(= manage)
I often have to
take charge of
the whole
department.
pick up the pieces(= take
responsibility)
When there's a problem I have to
pick up
the pieces.
Mat Clark – IELTS Speaking
54
Topic 2b: What you do- your studies
What are you studying?
Where are you studying?
Why did you choose this college I university?
What's good about where you're studying?
What would you like to do after your studies?
Nouns
schoolwork
branch of learning
field of study
discipline
lecturer
theory
Verbs
revise
comprehend
succeed in
become
skilled in
Adjectives
hands-on (=practical)
job-related
theoretical
reputable
highly regarded
compulsory
optional
Idioms
Pass with flying colours (= pass with a high score)
I
pass
my entrance exam
with flying coulours.
Sail through (= finish sth. Easily and quickly)
I can usually
sail through
all my assessments.
To flunk (= to fail/ perform badly)
I always seem
to flunk
my compulsory maths tests.
Cross that bridge when sb. come to it (= deal with a problem when it arrives)
I’m not worried about that now—I’ll
cross that
bridge
when I come to it
.
Mat Clark – IELTS Speaking
55
Topic 3: Hobbies/ Free-time activities
Do you have any hobbies?
What do you do in your free time?
What hobbies/ free-time activities are popular in your country?
Is it important to have a hobby?
Why is it important for people to have free-time activities?
Is it harmful to spend too much time on a hobby?
What free-time activities would you like to try in the future?
