Situation 1: You have seen your neighbor’s son playing games at the Internet shop many times. What will you do: inform his parents, talk to him or talk to the shop owner?
Answer:
Well, before I have to choose among three options: Talking with his parents, with him or with the shop owner, let’s talk about all of them.
Firstly, I reliably ignore the option of talking with the shop assistant. They don’t want to lose their customers; thus, I believe that they won’t care about it. Moreover, they can be annoyed and claim that I obstruct their work.
Secondly, if I talk to him, maybe he speaks one way and acts another. It is easy for him to change Internet shops and he is able to continue to play more and more.
Therefore, the best ideal choice is talking with his parents. They will have several ways to manage their son such as cutting his pocket money, putting him under control, etc. Besides, he spends a huge amount of time with his parents so they have a much stronger impact than everybody including himself.
For all the reasons I put above, I’ll choose talking to his parents as the best choice for me.
Topic Structure
If I had to choose among A, B and C, I would definitely opt for A for several reasons.
Discussion of A
The first reason why I go/opt for A is because only A can …
On top of that, A is an ideal option also because it enhances (Noun phrases), grants me the opportunity to …, thanks to which I can …
Discussion of B and C
Discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of B & C:
About the other 2 options, admittedly, both B and C have their own merits/benefits/advantages.
Specifically, B (briefly talk about its benefits) and C (briefly talk about its benefits).
However, the advantages obviously outweigh the positive features in a sense that B…. and C …
Discuss only disadvantages of B & C:
On the flipped side of the coin/ However, the other 2 options have some certain disadvantages that make them less desirable to me. To become more specific, B is …, and C is …
Counter-argument & Conclusion
Although some people may claim that A …, A is still my number one choice because of all the benefits it can bring to me.
Advantages / Disadvantages
| ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
|---|---|
| Opening phrases • Well I suppose that there are quite a few clear benefits. • Clearly there are a number of obvious merits. • Sure there are a few favorable aspects. • Obviously there are a number of positive features. | Opening phrases • I think it’s fair to say that there are few negative aspects. • I’m sure most people would agree that there are some drawbacks. • Of course there are a couple of shortcomings. |
| Highlight the most obvious advantage • But I would probably say that the one thing that really stands out is that … • But it goes without saying that the most apparent would be that… • Although I guess that the most visible would be that… • However, I guess that the most evident would be that… | Highlight the most obvious disadvantage • I guess the most impractical characteristic would be that… • I suppose the most unfavorable quality might be that.. • Unquestionably, the most adverse feature would be that… |
| Develop advantage • This is obviously favorable because … • This is undoubtedly positive for the simple reason that … • This is without doubt beneficial because … | Develop disadvantage • Most people would agree that this is problematic because … • This is an obvious weakness because … • This is a clear limitation because … |
| Second advantage • At the same time a second bonus might be that … • Besides this, a second plus point could be that … • As well as this a further favorable aspect would be that … | Second disadvantage • Correspondingly, an additional weak point might be that … • Supplementary to this, a further handicap may be that … • At the same time, another stumbling block might be that … |
| Simple explanation • This is clearly advantageous because … • This is definitely valuable since … • This is surely a positive feature because … | Simple explanation • And the trouble with this is that … • This can be a hassle because … • This is usually an aggravation because … |
NOTE:
- Don’t try to complicate your ideas; make them straightforward, simple and easy to understand.
- Compound and complex sentences are welcome; make sure you produce accurate simple sentences.
- Try to speak without hesitation. Choose the option that you find it easier to explain and support rather than what you like.
- Try to maintain eye contact with the examiner during your talk.
Situation: What means of transport would you choose to go from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City?
- Train
- Coach
- Plane
Sample 1:
If I had to choose among train, coach and plane as means of transport to travel from our capital city to HCM city, I would definitely go for plane.
The first reason why I opt for air travel is that it can save me much precious time compared to the other two types of transportation. In fact, it takes me no more than 2 hours to fly from Hanoi to HCM, while I must spend at least one day when I choose the other options.
At the same time, travelling by air is an ideal option as it grants me a chance to see my beautiful country from above, which never fails to amaze me no matter how many times I see.
About the other options, admittedly, both travelling by train and by coach have their own merits that we should not overlook. Specifically, since train and coach tickets are usually much cheaper than airplane ones, these two “pocket-friendly” options can save me from financial burden.
However, the disadvantages obviously outweigh the positive features, since travelling by train or coach is not only time-consuming but also harmful to our physical well-being because we have to sit for a long time.
Although air travel is a bit costly, it is still my one choice because of all the immense benefits it brings to travelers.
Situation: You are about to study at university. Which of these is most important?
- Cost of the course
- Reputation of the university
- Distance from home
I will choose a university because of its reputation. A university which is well-known must have good teaching and learning. So I can enjoy a good study environment. If the cost of the course is high, I will try to afford it by doing some part-time job. Distance from home is not very important because nowadays the traffic is much better, making travelling around easier and more convenient.
In my opinion cost of the course and distance from home are not as important as the reputation of the university because if I have a chance to study at a well-known university, I will have a lot of opportunities to get a good job with high salary after graduation and I can afford to pay for tuition fee or get a loan during university’s time. Moreover, I am an active and independent student, so the distance from home is not important at all because it will challenge me and train me to become more confident and more dynamic to deal with all the problems in my life.