Your Work General Description of Your Job • What job (or, what work) do you do? • Why did you choose that job (or, that kind of work)? • Did you want to do that kind of work when you were very young? • How long have you been working? (Or: How long have you been doing this job?) • What does your company do? • What do you do (in a typical day) at work? • Is your job related to what you studied in university? Feelings about the Job • How do you feel about your job (or, your work)? • What's the best thing about your job? • Do you prefer your life now, as a working person, to the life you had as a student? • Do you think your (school or) university education prepared you well for the work you are doing now? • Would you say it's an easy job? • What's the most difficult part of your job? • Would you recommend this job to other people? (Answer using 'would', not 'will'.) • Would you like to change your job? \ • What jobs are most popular (among young people) in your country? Working with Others • Do you need to work with (= co-operate with) other people at work? (teamwork question) • Do you like working with them? • How (well) do you get along with your colleagues? Training at Work "On-the-job" training is training at work, while you work. No-one has reported that these words were actually used. "Training" could be special classes at work or at some school. This is not really "on-the-job" training. • Have you received any ("on-the-job") tra • ining at work? • Would you like to receive more training in the future? • Would you like to receive some training (in the future)? • Do you think you will (need to) receive any training in the future? * • What kinds of future training do you think you will need in the future? Future • What are your work plans for the future? • Are you planning to change your job? • What would influence you to change your job? • What job (or, work) would you like to do (in the future)? • In the future, what changes do you think will take place in your industry? • Possibly the question above is: In the future, what changes do you think will take place in the typical workplace? • Why are you taking the IELTS test? Your Studies General Description of Your Studies • What subject(s) are you studying? • Why did you choose that subject? • (For high school) Why did you choose those subjects? • What are the most popular subjects (= university degree courses) in Vietnam? • Did you want to study that when you were younger? School/University • What school (or university) do you go to? • Which is the best university in your country (or, city)? Liking/Disliking Your Studies • How do you feel about your studies/your subject/your subjects? • What do you like most about your subject? • (For university students) What are your favourite classes/courses/subjects at university? • (For high school students) What's your favourite subject at school? (Don't say P.E. – that's not really a subject that people study.) Easy and Difficult • Do you think that's a difficult subject to study? • What's the most difficult part of your course? Interesting • For you, what's the most interesting part (or subject or class) of your course? (For high school) What's the most interesting of your subjects at school? Specific Course Content • What (specific things) do you learn in your course (in your studies)? • How do students in your course learn this subject? • Are there any particular skills that you learn in your studies? Life as a Student • Tell me about your student life. (= Tell me about your life as a student) • Do you like university life? • In addition to gaining knowledge, what other ways have you benefited from your school/university experience? • In your free time, do you do anything with your classmates? Studying with Others • Do you prefer studying independently ( = studying alone) or with others (or, in a group)? (Why?) • What do you do with your classmates? (If answering that you prefer to study with others.) Future • Do you think the things you are studying now in school/university will prepare you well for your future work? • What are your future work plans? (after you graduate) • Why do you want to do that kind of work? • Do you think what you are studying now is very useful (or, relevant or, important) for this type of work? • What jobs are most popular (among young people) in your country? • When you start working, do you think you will prefer that to being a student? • Why are you taking the IELTS test? • What are your future study plans? Your Hometown (Your 'hometown' is the place where you grew up, not necessarily the place where you were born.) • Where do you come from? • Where do you live at the moment? • Why did you choose to live here/there? (If not living in your hometown) • Do you like living here/there? • How long have you been living there/here? • Do you plan to live there/here for a long time? • Where is your hometown? (Or, what part of Vietnam do you come from?) • What kind of place is your hometown? • Is that a big city or a small town (or, a village in the countryside)? • Do you prefer to live in a big city or in the countryside? • (For you,) what benefits are there from living in a big city? • Has your hometown changed much in the past few years? (e.g. the past 10 to 50 years) • What's the traffic situation like in your hometown (or, where you are living now)? • What would you say is the best thing about the place where you're living? • What's the most interesting thing about your hometown? • Compared to the past, would you say your hometown today is more suitable for living in, or less suitable? • Do you think you'll always live there? • What city would you like to live in (in the future)? Transportation • What forms of transportation do you have where you live (in your hometown)? • Do you often use public transportation? • Do you (know how to) drive a car? • Do you think it's important (for everyone who drives) to drive well? • Do you think children should be allowed to drive a car (= to get a driver's license)? (Why?/Why not?) • The question above might be this: Do you think all young people should learn how to drive? • What do you think is the most suitable (minimum) age for a young person to get a driver's license? • Do high schools in your country have driving classes? (Why?/Why not?) Transport • How did you get to the test today? (What form of transportation did you use?) • (Similar to above) How did you come here (= get here) today? • Why did you choose that form of transport? • Do you often use public transportation? • What kind(s) of transport do you usually use? • (Similar to above) What’s your favourite form of transport? (Why?) • (Similar to above) What type of transportation do you usually (or, most often) use? • (Similar to above) How do you travel around your hometown? • For you, what are the benefits (advantages) of using that form of transportation? • Is it very expensive (= very dear)? • (Similar to above) What vehicles (or, what means of transport) do people in China most often choose to use? Transport in Your Hometown • Is transportation very important where you live? • What's the most common means of (= form of) transport in your hometown? • What do you think of the transport conditions in your hometown? • (Similar to above) What do you think of the transport situation in your hometown? • (Similar to above) What’s the traffic like in your hometown? • How do you think the transport system could be improved? • (Similar to above) Can you suggest any ways to improve the transport system in your hometown? • (Similar to above) Do you think the public transportation system needs to be further developed (or, improved) in your hometown? • Do you think transportation costs (gasoline, subway, bus & taxi fares, etc) are expensive in your hometown? • (Similar to above) Would you say transport costs are high in your hometown? • How has the transport system in your hometown changed in the past few decades? • How do you think transport (in your hometown) will change in the future (or, in the next 20 or 30 years)? • In China, is transportation in the big cities the same as transportation in small towns and villages? Friends • Are most of your friends from school (or university) or from outside school (or university)? • Do you think friendship is important? • Do you prefer to spend time with friends or spend time alone? (Why?) • Are friends more important than family? (Why?) • What kind of people do you like to have as friends? • What do you and your friends do together? • Do you prefer to meet your friends at home or away from your home? • How do you keep in contact with your friends? • Do you like meeting new people? • Do you like face-to-face conversations with people? • Have you met any interesting people recently? • What kinds of people do you like to make friends with? • How do Chinese people make friends? (= where, in what situations, e.g. at school & at work.) • Do adults and children make friends in the same way? • How do people get to know (get to meet) new people? • Do you think it's easy to form new friendships? • How long does it take to get to know a person? • Do you think it's possible to become real friends with the people you meet on the internet, for example, on chat sites or personal introduction sites? • How will you make new friends in the future? • Can you remember your first (or, your earliest) friends? (Who were they?) • What do your friends think of you? (Do your friends think that you are a good friend? Why?) Music • When do you listen to music? • How much time do you spend listening to music every day? • What kinds of music do you like to listen to? • What's your favourite kind of music? • How often do you listen to (that type of) music? • When did you start listening to this type of music? • Where do you listen to it? • How do you feel when you listen to this music? • Do you like listening to songs? • Have you ever learned to play a musical instrument? • If you had the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, what instrument would you learn? (Why?) • What musical instrument(s) is (are) most popular in Vietnam? • Which instrument would you prefer to study - the piano or the violin? • What musical instrument do you most enjoy listening to ( = enjoy listening to most)? (Why?) • Have you ever listened to someone play this instrument? (Who?) • What benefits do children gain by studying music (learning a musical instrument) (in school)? • Do you think it's important for children to learn (to play) a musical instrument? • Is music an important subject at school in Vietnam? • When do children in Vietnam start to study music in school? • What benefits do children gain by studying music (learning a musical instrument) (in school) • Did you often listen to music when you were a child? (If yes, give details.) • What kinds of music did you like when you were a child? • What are some differences between the music you listened to as a child and the music you listen to now? • Do you think it's important for children to learn (to play) a musical instrument? • Is music very important to people in Vietnam? • What kinds of music are (most) popular in Vietnam? • How does music affect (or influence) people? • Compare the music that young people like and the music that old(er) people like. Family • Who are the people in your family? • What does your family do together? • What do the people in your family do each day? ( = What does each person do?) * • In what situations do you think family is more important than friends? • In what situations do you think friends are more important than family? • What is the biggest influence in your life? • Is family very important to you? (Why?) • How much time do you spend with your family? • If you were married, how many children would you choose to have? (Why?) Holidays Here, the meaning of 'holidays' or 'holiday' is:"vacation". • Do you (ever) have holidays from your work/from your studies? • When do you have holidays? • What do you usually (like to) do in your holidays? • How important are holidays to you? • What did you do in your last holidays? • Is there anything you dislike doing during holidays? C • How do people in Vietnam spend their holidays? • Do you think it's important for people to have holidays? • Do you think we have enough holiday time (or should people's holidays be longer)? • (Similar to above) Do you think people in Vietnam need more holidays (vacation time)? • Do you think it's reasonable for an employer to ask his or her employees to work in their free time? • (If working) Do you get paid during your holidays? [...]... could be improved? Or: Is there anything about your room (or, your home) you would like to improve? Or: How do you plan to improve your home in the future? • Is there anything on the walls of your home (or, your room/this room)? • What can you see when you look out the window of your room (or, the windows of your home)? • What is the environment like around your home? Food/Cooking Food Preferences • Is... radio? (Why?) Your Home (Your Accommodation) • Do you live in a house or a flat? • How long have you lived there? • Please describe it a little • Who do you live with? (Or: Do other people live with you?) • How do you like your flat/house? ( = How do you feel about your house/flat?) • How are the rooms in your house decorated? (Or, How is your house decorated? Or, What decorations do you have in your house?)... house?) • What's your favourite room in your home? (Or: What part of your home do you like best?) (Why?) • What do you do in this room? (= What is this room used for? = What is the function of this room?) • What decorations does this room have? (Or: How have you decorated this room?) • How do you think this room could be improved? • (The question above is possibly this:) How do you think your home could... group (or, with your friends)? • Do you prefer to do things in a family group or a group of friends? • What do you do with your friends in your leisure time? • Do you prefer to go out with your friends or to invite them to your home? • Do you and your family often get together for a family gathering • What do you do at these family gatherings? • What kinds of leisure time activities are popular with... Sport/Exercise In the questions below, the word "sport" might be replaced by the word, "exercise" for some questions • Do you like any particular sports? (What sports?) • Do you like to do daily exercise? (Why?/Why not?) • What sports or exercise do you like to do? (Why?) • How do you do it? • Do you use any equipment for this exercise (or sport)? • Do you participate in any sports with your friends? • Are... or less? • (Similar to above) How are your television-watching habits now different to (or, different from) when you were a child? • Possibly the question above is: How has television changed since you were a child? • • • What types of program do children in China like to watch? What (type of) programs did you like to watch when you were a child? (Why?) What was your favourite TV program when you were... facilities) near where you live? (for the public to use) • In the future, what sports would you like to play (or, take part in / or learn)? • Is children's sport (or exercise) very important in Vietnam? • Did you (or, do you) take part in any (organized) sport in school? • Do you think it's important to have P.E classes (or sports classes) at school? (Why?/Why not? • What forms of exercise are most popular... favourite TV program when you were a child? * English Language Television • Do people in China watch any foreign TV programs? • In China, is it possible for you to watch any TV programs in English? (What programs?) • (Similar to above) Do people in China (have the opportunity to) watch any English language (or, foreign) TV programs? (Say what programs.) • How do they get these programs? • Do you think English... think are most suitable for children? • What sports are most popular in Vietnam? • Are boys and girls good at the same sports? • What sports are most popular with young people today? • What sports do children prefer? • Why do you think people like (to participate in) sport? Leisure Time • What do you do in your free time? • Do you often do things with others in a group (or, with your friends)? • Do you... cooking in your home (or, in your family)? • Do you (ever) do any cooking at home? (Why?/Why not?) • When you were young, did you learn how to make a meal (= how to prepare food = how to cook)? • Have you ever thought about learning how to cook? • Do you think everyone should learn how to cook? • Do you think it would be useful to teach cooking in school? Eating Places • When do you usually eat your meals? . people at work? (teamwork question) • Do you like working with them? • How (well) do you get along with your colleagues? Training at Work "On-the-job". What are your work plans for the future? • Are you planning to change your job? • What would influence you to change your job? • What job (or, work) would