Possible Questions in Part 1 of Speaking test (continued)

5. Educational Background

- What is your major?

- Why did you choose … as your major?

- Why did you choose your particular field of study?

- What did you study at university?

- What was your major at university?

- What did you major in?

- How do you like your major?

- When and where did you graduate?

- What degrees have you obtained?

- Could you tell me a bit about your educational background?

- What has been the greatest change in your field?

- What is the educational system like in Vietnam?

- Are these any changes in the educational in Vietnam?

- What are the changes in education in Vietnam?

- What is the education like in rural areas in Vietnam?

- What do you think of the education in rural areas in Vietnam?

- Are computers used in schools in Vietnam?

- What are computers used for in schools?

- What are the advantages and disadvantages of the use of computers in school?

- Which is the best university in your country? Why do you think so?

6. Work experience:

- Where do you work?

- What do you do?

- What do you do for a living?

- What’s your line of business?

- What’s your job?

- What is your responsibility at work?

- What are you responsible for at work?

- What kind of work are you in charge of?

- Can you use simple language to describe your job to me?

- What is your routine work?

- What do you do exactly every day?

- What is a typical working day of yours like?

- Can you describe a typical working day to me?

- How do you like your job?

- What is the importance of your job?

- Could you tell me something about your job/your teaching methods?

- What made you decide to become a doctor/economist/teacher?

- What is the most difficult thing in your job?

- What is the most challenging thing in your work?

- Have you ever changed your job?

- What was your previous job?

- Why did you leave your previous job?

- Why did you take up your present job?

- How long have you been working at this job?

- What made you decide to take up this job?

- If you had the opportunity to change your job, what would you like to do? Why?

- What is the secret of being successful at work?

- What is your opinion of the qualities and skills of a good company manager?

- Why do you want to change jobs?

- Why do you want to change your field of work?

- Why do you want to work here with this company?

- What interests you most about this position?

- What kind of experience do you have for this job?

- What training or qualifications do you have for a job like this?

- Do you think your job is very stressful? In what way?

- What do you do to help you deal with the stress of your job?

- What is stressful about your present job?

- Could you think of an example of something stressful that happened at your work?

- How does the stress of your job manifest itself?

- What are the major sources of stress at work?

- What do you do to relieve the stress of your job?

7. Hobbies:

- Do you have any hobbies? What are they? (music, sports, swimming, jogging, travelling, reading, painting, collecting stamps/coins, etc.)

- What do you do in your spare time?

- How do you spend your weekends?

- What’s your favourite sport?

- What are the rules of playing basketball/tennis/chess/your favourite sport?

- What is the most popular sport in your country?

- What are sporting facilities like in your university/this city?

- Do you often go to cinemas/theatres?

- What kind of films do you like best?

- What film have you seen recently? Could you say something about the film?

- Who is your favourite film star? Will you describe him/her to me?

- What book/novel have you read recently? Could you tell me what the book is about? Do you often watch TV?

- What is your favourite programme? (News and current affairs, music, police shows, movies, talk shows, sports, soap operas, documentaries, game shows, cartoons, situation comedies, etc.)

- What kind of music do you like best? Why? (classic, pop, jazz, rock and roll, country music, etc.)

8. Festivals:

- What are the traditional festivals in your country? (Wandering Souls Day, Mid-autumn Festival, May First/Labour Day, National Day, New Year, etc.)

- What do you do in/during the Spring Festival?

- Can you describe one of the main festivals celebrated in your country?

- Tell me something about your customs in your country and give me some examples, please.

9. Travelling:

- Have you travelled a lot in Vietnam?

- Have you travelled abroad?

- What places have you been to?

- Which place/city/country do you like best? Why?

- What place in HCMC do you like best? Why? (Ben Thanh Market, Dam Sen Park, Cu Chi Tunnels, Sai Gon Water Park, Zoo & Botanical Gardens, etc.)

- What places in HCMC should a foreigner visit? Why?

- Where do you go when you are enjoying Vietnamese culture?

- Which city is the best in Vietnam? Why do you think so?

- What are your first impressions of Japan/the United States/Australia/your host country?

- Could you tell me an interesting trip or vacation you have taken recently?

- How do most people travel in your country?

- Which is the best way of travelling in your opinion? Why do you think so?

- How do you like travelling by air?

- What are the advantages and disadvantages of travelling by air/train/car?

- Have you had or heard of any dangerous experiences in travelling? Will you describe them to me?

- Have you had any car accident? If yes, describe it to me please.

10. Future Plan: Studying Abroad

- Why do you want to take the IELTS test?

- What do you want to study in Britain?

- What do you intend to study in Australia?

- Which university are you going to study in?

- Why do you choose this university?

- Could you tell me why you choose to study at this university?

- Where are you going to study in Britain?

- What’s your study plan in Britain?

- What is your research proposal all about? (in detail)

- What do you hope for most form your study abroad?

- What will your study abroad do for your career?

- Should you study more theory or do more practice? Give your reasons, please.

- How important are the roles of theory and practice in your discipline?

- What kind of differences in the facilities/cultures are you expecting between Vietnam and the UK?

- How will your study in Britain benefit your work in Vietnam/your unit/your people when you come back to Vietnam?

- What do you intend to do after you finish studying?

- What prolems can you foresee in the future when you come back to Vietnam?

- Will there be any adjustment problems in your life when you come back to Vietnam? If so, what are they?

- Are you required to make any changes in your work when you come back home?

- Will you have to make any changes in your work/life when you come back to Vietnam?

- Do you think there will be a gap between your knowledge gained in Vietnam and the level of knowledge you are going to encounter on arrival? If so, what will it be?

- What do you think about the future of Vietnam if Vietnam keeps an open policy?

- What do you know about Britain? (geological location, weather, people, character, food, customs, holidays, etc.)

- What problems do you think you will have in Britain?

- How will you overcome the problems?

- How will you deal with the problems?

- Do you think you’ll be able to cope with English-language demands of your intended study programme in Britain?

- What difficulties do you think you’ll have in your studies in Britain?

- Can you imagine what life in Britain would be like?

- How will you fare in Britain without your family?

- Are there any special places you want to see in Britain? What are they?

- What do you especially want to do in Britain?

11. Future Plan: Emigration

- Why do you want to emigrate to Canada/Australia/New Zealand?

- What made you choose to emigrate to Canada?

- Do you have any particular reasons to emigrate to Canada?

- Which city will be your future home?

- What do you know about the country you are moving to?

- What is your plan for the near future?

- What is your long-term plan in Canada/Australia/New Zealand?

- Could you tell me your plan in detail?

- What kind of job do you want to find in Canada?

- What kind of work do you want to do there?

- How can you find a job there?

- How can you make a living there?

- What soft of job do you see yourself doing in Canada?

- What difficulties/problems do you think you’ll have after emigration?

- How will you solve the problems?

- What will you do if you miss your parents/friends?

- What kind of life can you imagine you are going to have in a new country?

12. Friendship:

- Why is friendship important in your life?

- What is the most important quality in a friend?

- Do you have any close friends/long-distance friendships?

- How do you communicate with your friends?

- Do you have close friends of the opposite sex? If so, how are those friends different from your same-sex friends?

- Is it acceptable in your culture for friends who care for each other to expess anger openly?

- Is it OK for friends to disagree with each other? Explain.

- What do you need to do in order to keep a friendship strong?

- Do you think that friends play different roles at different times in our lives? (in childhood/adolescence/adulthood). Give some examples.

- What different roles does friendship play in childhood, adolescence and adulthood?

13. Others:

- What would you regard as the most significant events in your country’s recent histoy?

- What important event has happened in the world recently?

- What important event has happened in your country recently?

- How do you like your life at your school/university?

- What do you think of the teaching/training at your school/university?

- In what way do you think the training at your school/university is helpful or falls short?

- What aspect of English do you find the most difficult?

- What will you do if you fail IELTS?

If you finish answering these questions, I think it will help you a lot in the speaking test.