Subject Index: Dialogues and conversation used in ESL Classes

4th December 2020

Dialogues

Accountancy & business chat // Business English: Office chat // 6th May 2020

Afternoon plans // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 4

Beginners‘ short conversations // Beginners’ English: Short dialogues // 8th April 2020

Introductions // Beginners’ English: dialogues // 5th June 2020

Black Friday shopping // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2

Calling a friend at work // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1

Catching up // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 5

Canada holiday // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 2

Cinema tickets // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 4

Coffee shop // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 20th December 2019: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/20/adult-speaking-class-level-2/

Coffee shop chat // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Coffee shop // 11th June 2020: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/category/adult-speaking-class-level-2/page/2/

Eating out // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

English course //Adult Speaking Class, Level 3: Dialogue practice // 14th June 2020

Environment // Adult professionals // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?

General review: // Adult Speaking Class, level 2: dialogue practice // 4th June 20202

Germany // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Germany // 26th Feb 2020

The gym and keep fit // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Health // 27th January 2020

Idioms & grammar // Adult Speaking Class, level 2: Long time, no see // 12th June 2020

Idiom practice // Cat got your tongue ? // Teaching Notes // 6th June 2020

Law, embezzling // Adult professionals // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?

Low-frequency words and phrasal verbs // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 6 24th Jan. 2020

McDonalds ordering food // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Money // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 3

New boss // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 2

Office small talk // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 15th May 20202

Phrasal verbs & collocations // Teaching Notes // 15th June 2020

Phrasal verbs & idioms // Teaching Notes // 15th June 2020

Poland holiday // Adult Speaking Class, level 2

Present perfect exercises // Adult Class, Level 2 // 4th July 2020

Reflexive verbs // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 2

Russian meets Englishman // Adult Class, Level 3 // 4th December 2019

Short scenarios // Adult Speaking Class, level 3: Short scenarios // 10th June 2020

Small talk, idioms, dialogue practice // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 8th July 2020

Symbols // Adult Speaking Class, level 2, Part 2

Tet Holiday // IELTS // 28th January 2019

Traffic // Adult C, L 3 // 25th December 2018 //Adult Speaking Class. Theme: Traffic

Subject Index: English Speaking

4th December 2020

Speaking exercises

All the world’s a stage // write a short play // Young Learners, Level 5 // 1st May 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/05/01/all-the-worlds-a-stage-and-my-students-shall-play-their-parts/

Buying a motorbike // Adult mechanics: What can go wrong ?

Characters // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3

Coffee drinking in Viet Nam // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // IELTS sentence building

Contractions // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1

Conversation practice // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 4 // 27th January 2020

Describe a friend // Adult C, L 3 // 7th November 2019

Describing people and clothes // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1

Easter // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2 // 1st January 2020

Electronic devises // IELTS // 4th March 2019

Expressions // Adult Class, Level 3 // 15th January 2019

Film and acting reviews // Adult Class, Level 1 // 5th March 2019

Food & Drink // What is your favourite ? // Let’s Get talking (‘Happy Talk’) // Young Learners // 28th August 2023: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2023/08/28/young-learners-lets-get-talking/

Free speaking exercises // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Part 4

General review: // Adult Speaking Class, level 2: dialogue practice // 4th June 20202

General speaking tips // Adult Class, Level 3 // 16th September 2019

English Speaking: Grammar

Past Tense // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1 /// Adult C, L 3 // 23rd September 2019 /// Adult C, L 3 // 16th September 2019

Past-time expressions // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 6 // 8th February 2020

Third Conditional: Mr Bowditch // Adult C, L 3 // 22nd October 2019

IELTS // Quick-fire talking // Part 2 questions // 12th May 2020

IELTS // Speaking exercises // small talk & making excuses // 12th May 2020

IELTS // Preparing for speaking test // 14th May 20202

Introductions Queen Elizabeth II (Christmas 2015) // Adult Speaking Class, level 2 // 15th May 20202

Job interviews // Adult Class // 17- 19 December 2019

Job interviews // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Job interviews // 12th Feb 2020

Not the …… man in the world // Adult C, L 3 // 3rd December 2019

Olympics in Vietnam ? // Adult C, L 3 // 10th February 2019

One of those days // IELTS // 14th January 2019

Pronunciation quiz // Adult Speaking Class, L2 Part 2

Pronunciation, intonation & stress // IELTS, intonation Volume 1 // 16th November 2020 https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/11/16/ielts-intonation-stress-let-me-feel-the-emotion-volume-1/

Pronunciation // A princess should sound like a Queen // 30th March 2021: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2021/03/30/a-princess-should-speak-like-a-queen/

Shopping // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2

Small talk exercises: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2019/12/09/vocabulary-building-exercises/

Small talk // IELTS 5-6.5 // 28th August 2019

Small talk // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 3

Small talk // Adult Speaking Class, Level 2, Review // 11th May 2020

Telephone conversation // Adult Speaking Class, L 2 Part 2

English Speaking: Travel

Holidays // Adult Speaking Class, level 3. Theme: Travel // 11th February 2020

Tet Holiday // IELTS // 28th January 2019

Travel (key words) // Adult C, L 1 // 26th February 2019

Travel: airport to city centre // IELTS // 10th February 2019

Travel in two minutes // IELTS // 19th February 2019

Travel // IELTS 5-6.5 // 14th August 2019

Travel: my stay in Bangkok in pictures // IELTS // 10th February 2019

Travel: Nha Trang // Adult Speaking Class, Level 1

Travel: one day in Sai Gon // IELTS 5-6.5 // 14th August 2019 / // Adult C, L 3 // 7th November 2019 // // Adult C, L 3 // 22nd October 2019

Travel: recommend a holiday // IELTS // 4th March 2019

Travel: Where shall we go ? (USA, Russia, India, Norway) // Young Learners & ASC Level 1: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/08/where-shall-we-go-young-learners-adult-speaking-class-level-1/

What’s the story (lazy student) // IELTS // 7th January 2019

Work – new staff // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 6 // 8th February 2020

Work party – organise the food // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3, Part 5 // 4th February 2020

Work problems // Adult Speaking Class, Level 3. Theme: Work-place problems // 5th February 2020

IELTS: Intonation, stress, let me feel the emotion (Volume 1)

16th November 2020

One of the biggest stumbling blocks for my Asian students is copying the speech patterns of English, how our voices rise and fall, how we pause for effect then stress key words, augmented by body language and facial expressions.

Best way to improve is to copy so, without further ado, some classic film lines.

Let’s dive in !

First up, ‘The Italian Job’, a British film from 1969 starring Michael Caine, who is still working today, an actor from south London: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g_GeQR8fJo

“You’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off !”

Now, let’s cross the pond (the Atlantic Ocean) and go Stateside, with Tom Cruise being yelled at (shouted at) by Jack Nicholson who you may remember from a previous video. The clip is from ‘A Few Good Men,’ a 1992 drama: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5j2F4VcBmeo

This can be for two students or teams: Start at 0:13 – 0:19

“You want answers,”

“I want the truth,”

“You can’t handle the truth !”

Movin’ on, most of most students are teenagers … this one’s for them. Emely Martinez and some informal, vernacular: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7nyqZJG1WU&list=PLcFdqEA1TNzMEObFQ-XYy4u6dYnrkUSEa&index=13

Watch from the beginning

“Oh my gosh, I think I’ve just come up with the best theory … teenage life sucks !”

Now for a personal favourite, the inimitable Peter O’Toole an actor I had the pleasure of seeing, and briefly meeting, back in my London days. Here, Peter is on a talk show, explaining about a long, arduous flight from Japan to the USA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuhHThAaymQ

I heartily recommend watching the whole clip, however our section starts at 2:21

“Coming from Japan, one indeed stops at lots of places … Hawaii and all over … and it coincided, our stopping, with the cocktail hour … everywhere we went, it was cocktail hour … and one doesn’t want to be discourteous …”

Finally, my favourite TV chef (after Keith Floyd, obviously) is the beautiful Ching-He Huang

Here’s an assortment of phrases and lines from one of her numerous YouTube clips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVmAMQYTtHk

The whole clip is under two minutes. Here are some selections, in order of appearance.

“From street food to fine dining, Hong Kong is the place that has some of the best food on the planet. Every time I come my absolute favourite thing to do is eat.”

“So this is the pineapple bun, this is the moment I’ve been waiting for, it’s flakey and it’s sweet … it’s really good.”

“It’s small and punchy … just like you !”

“The sweetness of the prawns … eeerrrrrrrr !”

“This is some serious woking !”

The last phrase shows how we can play with English; a wok is a traditional Chinese frying pan. Here, Ching uses the noun (wok) to form a verb (woking), which is non-standard, in fact, it isn’t in any of the online dictionaries I searched. Having said that, most native-English speakers watching the show will know what she means.

If you are unsure, Ching is saying that the restaurant is extremely busy, there is a lot of high-energy cooking going on (woks are associated with high-temperature, very quick dishes).

Young Learners, Level 4: Which one ?

10th November 2020

E Up 4, U 2 review

Let’s kick off with an appropriate song – REM and ‘The One I Love.’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7oQEPfe-O8

I love playing guitar but I really want a new guitar.

I love playing guitar but I really want a new one.

The noun is ‘guitar‘. We can use the word ‘one‘ so we don’t need to say the same noun twice.

OK, which guitar would you like ?

Fender Player Jaguar PF, Tidepool at Gear4music

Gibson Custom Shop 1957 Les Paul Goldtop Left Hand #77121 - vos antique gold Solid body electric guitar yellow

Rickenbacker 330 Left-Handed, Jetglo at Gear4music

I would like the black guitar.

I would like the black one.

T-shirts – which one would you like ?

ROARR! - Hand Printed Kids T-Shirt | DESIGNSMITH

Star Wars™ Yoda READ kids t-shirt — Out of Print

Doughnuts – what is the question ?

Best Baked Doughnuts Ever Recipe - Food.com

Animals – which one is the fastest ?

Protecting big cats is the call of next year's World Wildlife Day, 3 March 2018 | CITES

QUIZ

Birds – which one can fly backwards ?

Insects – which ones never sleep ?

Mammals – which ones can fly ?

Which ones can’t jump ?

Which one can’t make a sound ?

Review

What do you like doing ? Are you good at it ?

Thay Paul's Notes – General Notes about my English lessons and life in Viet Nam.

I like riding elephants. I really like riding elephants. I’m good at it.

What do you not like doing ? What are you not good at ?

Confused man is confused. | I can explain

I don’t like speaking Vietnamese. I’m not very good at it.

Young Learners, level 5: What were you doing when … ?

4th November 2020

E Up 5 Unit 2 review

First up, divide class in two teams, after playing a warm-up song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMcWldfg28s

One of my students has chosen the English name ‘Cherry’, so this song goes down well (especially when I try, and fail, to hit those high notes).

Now, down to business

Past tense – what is the past tense for:

eat // drink // see // become // live // travel // ride // sleep

Moving on – complete the sentence:

Why Do Jews Eat Chinese Food on Christmas? | The Nosher

The history of Jews, Chinese food, and Christmas, explained by a rabbi - Vox

Last night I _____ Chinese food

How Young Mountain Tea helped change the tea industry with Indian farm – Aldea Coffee

Yesterday he ______ hot, sweet tea

Research seeks to help Black women sleep better - DefenderNetwork.com

She ______ all night

Marco Polo _______ famous for his travel stories.

He ______ from I___ to C________

In Thailand, Mr Paul _____ a large grey intelligent elephant.

20 Must-See Temples in Bangkok - Bangkok's Most Important Temples and Wats

Also he _____ many beautiful colourful temples

Now, past continuous

Make sentences using continuous form. Remember – verb + ing

Telling Stories | Heroes and villians Wiki | Fandom

What are they doing ? They are telling stories

Use flashcards. Have students ask and answer the questions. Call two students, one from each team and have them stand on a mark. Awards points for pronunciation as well as correct answers. Drill class to make sure everyone is taking part.

Next hand out six flashcards, three to each team.

Ask them, “What were you doing when I drank coffee ?” They must answer in the present continuous e.g. I was setting up the tent.

Finally, have a student mime an activity. Only that student’s team may answer.

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Speaking Practice: ‘Read All About It !’

2nd November 2020

The best way to improve your pronunciation is, obviously, to listen and then to copy.

Practice, practice, practice

IELTS students in particular need to demonstrate a variety of speaking skills: intonation, stress, chunking, elongating words for emphasis, not to mention body language, eye-contact and gestures.

Therefore, without further ado, here’s a number of clips for you to practice, and don’t forget … have fun !

First off the bat, President Obama speaking in Florida, October 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UoPB7SvCGk&t=364s

I want you to focus on the speech from 05:44 – 06:15

“I just want you to know it, it’s a good idea to have an answer to this question … it’s a good idea if you’re running for re-election to say, ‘Here’s what I want to accomplish.’ What did Trump say ? He got mad and walked out of the interview. He thought the questions were too tough. Too tough ! Miami, listen, if he can’t answer a tough question like, ‘What would you like to do in your second term ?’ then it’s our job to make sure he doesn’t get a second term.”

From a linguistic point of view, notice the differences between British and US English, words such as ‘interview’. Notice how President Obama paces himself … leaving space between sentences, how he stresses certain phrases (“Too tough !“). Finally, listen to the ‘music’ of the last sentence. His voice is building up to a climatic, “Doesn’t get …” which is an incredibly powerful way of speaking.

Now, let’s have a speech from President Trump: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVG1uR9wr-A

I want you to focus this time from 00:53 – 01:20

“…and ensure more products are stamped with that beautiful phrase: ‘Made in the USA.’ And next year will be the greatest economic year in the history of our country … under my leadership our economy grew at the fastest rate ever recorded, 33.1%, just announced. We created a record 11.4 million jobs in the last five months …”

Naturally, not everybody agrees with President Trump, nor his style of debating. Here’s how Vice-President Joe Biden reacted to being constantly interrupted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7Gw–6t3s4

Watch from 0:40 – 0:44

“Will you shut up, man !”

Time to bring it closer to (my) home, and British politics. You saw how polished and professional President Obama was … but that is not always the case. Here is former Labour (left wing) politician, Diane Abbot who was famous, or infamous, for making mistakes in the media.

In this clip, the politician is forced to listen to a recording of a radio interview where she couldn’t answer the question. This can make you cringe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYZ262b7wBI

Watch from 0:37 – 1:18

The question was how much would 10 000 extra police officers cost ?

“Well, if we recruit the 10 000 police men and women over a four-year period, we believe it will be about £300 000 …”

Interviewer speaks …

“Haha, no, I mean, sorry, they will cost … they will, it will cost … um about … about £80 million … yeah !”

Now, the British Parliament may be regarded as an icon of modern democracy and free speech but it can get out of hand. Politicians, like children, can be noisy and in need of discipline. A strong presence is required to maintain order. Here’s Mr John Bercow, former Speaker of the House reprimanding a politician:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-2002454/Video-John-Bercow-couldt-flying-flamingo-view-is.html

“If you don’t like it, you’re perfectly entitled to your view, I couldn’t give a flying flamingo what your view is.”

Let’s wrap up with New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Arden:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN7ojP2Q6kY

From 0:34 – 0:46. PM Arden is talking about winning the election and the votes or ‘seats’ that she needed in order to secure victory.

“We have seen that support in both urban areas and in rural areas, and seats we may have hoped for but in those equally we may not have expected.”

To the ‘students’ that talk during my class, here’s a word from Vice-President Biden:

Thanks, Joe.

Vietnam on Video: Part 2

26th October 2020

A collection of clips predominantly featuring western people and their views on Vietnam. I have also added some suggested sequences for pronunciation practice … and so, without further ado …

First time in Viet Nam – First impressions of Viet Nam

A vlog by Divert Living, posted just over two years ago and which has already received more than a million hits:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHnQKvU8OiA&t=547s

Pronunciation Practice:

[American English accent]

Try 04:44 – 04:53

” … and I asked them, ‘How much is aqua (water) ?’ Aqua’s fifteen thousand, beer’s twenty thousand … of course I’m gonna get the beer, now … it’s just as expensive as the water.”

09:00 – 0913

“Fun fact, Vietnamese cuisine is considered one of the healthiest cuisines in the world … and, to go with the food, the size of the dining tables and chairs are super small.”

This vlog was shot in Ha Noi, so let’s get their take (their opinion, view, experience) on Sai Gon:

What to expect – Saigon or HCMC

Now they travel to my neck of the woods (the area I live in or was brought up in), and they encounter, among many other delights, coconut coffee:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iw_K-1AmVk&t=661s

Pronunciation Practice:

09:50 – 10.00

“Wow … that’s so strong, but it’s got a ball of coconut ice-cream in the middle … whoah !”

And the young lady who I believe is Korean adds:

“I wanna try … This is the coffee king … ahhhhhhhh !”

Talking Point:

The young travellers give their views on the environment and cleanliness of District 1 which is the city centre [UK] or downtown area [USA].

To what extent do you agree with them ?

What do Vietnamese students think of the Vlogger’s appraisal of Sai Gon ?

Let’s move on and talk about traffic which is quite a serious issue in Vietnam. Firstly, attending driving school … what can go wrong ? A clip from the world-famous motoring show from the BBC, ‘Top Gear.’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1xNTBLgq4c

[UK English accent]

Right from the get go (from the very start) we have some great lines:

“Cheer up … this is gonna be a doodle … [Vietnamese] … it wasn’t !”

01.23 – 01:45

“How the hell … what did you just do ?”

“It was eighteen. Eighteen years old.”

“How did you know ?”

“Did you not bother learning Vietnamese before we came here ?”

“Well, no.”

“You’re screwed, then.”

Time for some food and the ubiqitous Phở My favourite TV chef, Mr Keith Floyd, who sadly passed away in 2009. He came to Asia, and visited Vietnam and now he’s going to tell you about Phở:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO6cSQ8Vly8&list=PL4JTuMl25i9kPkTq5rGPVRNyhU0GPK1PT

[UK English accent]

02:32 – 02:38 and continuing up to 03:05

“Vietnamese are industrious, hard-working, incredibly energetic people …”

“So, the most essential thing here in Vietnam is a great breakfast, a thing called a pho.”

What goes in a pho, Keith ?

“You might put chicken, you might put meat, you might put fish but as long as you’ve got noodles and a rich stock, you can’t go wrong.”

How English people dress …

Top 5 Coolest Celebrity Chefs Ever! « Appliances Online Blog — Cheers

Far Flung Floyd | DVD | Buy Now | at Mighty Ape NZ

Top Gear Vietnam Special - Tour Vietnam With Quality Motorbike Rentals — Three Englishmen in Sai Gon

How English people really dress. Thanks for visiting my blog. All the best.

Speaking Practice – warm up game

7th October 2020

An activity for all levels

Teaching speaking skills 1 | TeachingEnglish | British Council | BBC

A major problem for students is pronunciation and also, in some classes, it can be rather tricky to get the students talking. Obviously, many learners are scared of mispronouncing and ‘losing face’ by their mistake.

This activity helps with both issues.

Arrange the class in small groups and hand each member an card. The students have to read out the information, while the other write down what they hear. Many of my students feel that work is something to be done as quickly as possible, but that will not work in this situation.

Instead, the other team members will need to check what is being said. This encourages slow, clear and careful pronunciation. To assist, use expressions such as:

Can you speak slower, please.

Would you mind speaking slower, please.

How do you spell that ?

Could you repeat that, please.

Sorry, I didn’t catch the phone number.

Let me confirm …

Is that ‘b’ as in blue or ‘p’ as in pink ?

Teachers: adapt to suit the level of your class. Add email address, specific requests etc

Asian Women Are Not For You. Many years ago, at a tech/startup… | by J Li | Medium

Hi, my name is Jane

I’m 22 and work as DJ

I’m really into dancing and parties

I don’t like reading or housework

I hang out with my best besties

We go to clubs and bars

I get there by motorbike or taxi

My email is jane98@aol.com

25-Year-Old Black Man Running Through Suburban Georgia Neighborhood Killed By Two White Men

Hi, I’m James

I’m 27 and I’m a football coach

I like to watch films. I’m a gamer

I’m not into shopping or dancing

I meet up with my brother

I go to the gym and the cinema

I have my own motorbike, Yamaha

My mobile is 098 724 5628

Beautiful Mexican Women And How To Date Them

Hello my name is Anna /

I have just turned 19

I’m studying chemistry

In my free time, I eat out I love hanging out with my friends

My blog is AnChem@wordpress

23+ Simple indian woman Free Stock Photos - StockFreeImages

Hello, I’m Carole

I’m 35 and a university lecturer

I’m really into reading

I hate playing sports I detest clubs and loud music

My fb page is CaroleCambridge.

Long Straight Layer Style Wig For Young Lady - Rewigs.co.uk

Hi, call me Sarah All right ?

I will be 24 next week

I work in a shopping mall

I go to work by bus

I love eating out. Chinese food.

My cell is 089 428 1015

I’m Tammy

I’m sweet 16

Next year I go to university

I love sitting in the park, reading

I enjoy listening to music & singing

Email me on tam16@yahoo.com

Hello everyone, I’m Jill

I’m 16 …. no, I’m actually 27

I play football in USA

I go to the park on foot

We eat at Mexican restaurants

My number is 555 207 8291

French Style Slouchy Wool Felt Beret Women Fashion British Chic Girls Beret Hat Lady Solid Color Winter Hats Women Dropshipping|Women's Berets| - AliExpress

Hi. You can call me Billie

I don’t want to say my age !

I am a professional dancer

My partner gives me a lift to work

I want to work in the theatre

Contact on billie09@gmail.com

Herr Deutschland is a Berliner - EXBERLINER.com

My name is Harry Brown,

I come from Berlin, Germany

I listen to music and play football

I love shopping with my girlfriend

I usually grab a taxi

My phone is 39 402 4951

Pin by Darlene H on Eye Candy #4 | French man, Handsome men, Lines for girls

My name is Peter

I was born in France

I watch movies at home and read

I hate theatre, it is so boring

I always use Grabbike.

Facebook me Peter of Paris

Littératures internationales Littérature Livres en français African lady Kenya crownhotel.com.vn

My name is Julie

I’m an actress and I’m 31

I love theatre more than cinema

I often hang out in the park

Call on 38 703 8946

Chinese Students Need Faith | Christian Reformed Church

My name is Eric

I am only 18

I love football and playing piano

I never read books or go shopping

My iPhone was stolen in the park

NB: all images are taken from Google searches, (including ‘royalty-free images’) and the information is purely fictitious. As I have readers from around the world, I wish to reflect this diversity in the photos.

These blogs are for education use, and are not monetised. No copyright infringement or personal offense is intended at all.

If I have included your image, please accept my sincere apologies, and I shall remove the picture.

British Food: IELTS sample answers continued

1st October 2020

Today we’ll turn our attention to Part 2: uninterrupted speaking for up to two minutes.

Remember, you have a minute to write notes. Use the method which works best for you, but I suggest you write a keyword that will help you recall L-FWs or an idiom.

Look at the previous blogs to see some useful words: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/28/british-food-various-exercises-various-levels/

mouth-watering / nutritious / filling / spicy / bland / traditional /

prices can be sky-high / cost an arm and a leg / astronomical / not my cup of tea

And: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/09/29/british-food-part-2-sample-answers-for-ielts/

Indian Street Food in London Compilation - including some Restaurant Food (Part 3). - YouTube — Indian street food in London

Part 2: What problems would you have with the food if you lived in the UK ?

You should say:

what UK food you know,

if you have ever tried it

if you have ever seen it

if you think you would enjoy it … and why (or why not).

Try to speak for the full 2 minutes. By now, you should know the formula: great introduction, some positive points, some negative, an anecdote, then a conclusion.

Well, that’s a very pertinent question because recently, I have been thinking about where I would like to study, and the UK is certainly top of my list. I am sure there would be some culture shock, especially when it comes to the food.

In class, we have seen some photos of traditional food such as toad in the hole, the full English breakfast and of course, the traditional Sunday roast. I think that British people have special food at Christmas time with … let me remember … turkey and vegetables then a special pudding which they set alight. I guess they use strong alcohol to make it burn. It looks tremendous fun.

I come from a small town, so I only had local food, but now I live in a big city, I can experience more western cuisine although we mostly eat fast food. So, no, I haven’t tried British food. Not yet, but the Christmas food looks mouth-watering.

Sometimes I watch a movie and I look out for what people eat. It looks very different from my country. Oh, of course, we use chopsticks here, as well as spoons, but they use a knife and fork in the UK. I tried once. My friend Jenny, who went to London on holiday, came back with a present for me. It was a knife and fork. I tried, I really tried but I couldn’t get the hang of it.

However when I see people eat in restaurants, I am a little nervous. They look so expensive. It must cost an arm and a leg to eat there.

Would I enjoy it ? I am not sure but I think so. My favourite food is chicken and sea food so I am sure I can get those easily. Maybe the food would possibly be bland compared to Asian food because we use lots of fresh vegetables and spices. On the other hand, new food is part of the new culture. Now I start to feel hungry !

What is 'mukbang'? Inside the viral Korean food YouTube trend

British Food part 2: Sample answers for IELTS

29 September 2020.

Part 1: Have you ever tried western food ?

Well living in a big city, I have a wide choice of food, including American and European cuisine. Fast food restaurants are ubiquitous so I have eaten, for example, burgers, KFC and pizza, which is my favourite.

In my opinion, younger people like western food. I often hang out with my friends at a mall and then grab a bite. It can be quite quick and very tasty. The restaurants are fun because they are colourful, have music and many happy people.

Having said that, fast food, especially burgers and fried chicken, is very unhealthy. There isn’t much salad. My mother, who is a great cook, doesn’t want me eating this food but I feel that it is OK if I only eat it occasionally.

Another point is the price. As a student, I think pizza costs an arm and a leg. It is so expensive compared to local street food. When I eat at, say, Pizza Hut, I usually order the sea food because it’s, I guess, better for me that the four-meat special !

Naturally there is a lot of western food that is mouth-watering and nutritious. Unfortunately, I haven’t tried much although I did go to an Italian restaurant once, when my uncle, who lives in Ha Noi, came to visit. I had spaghetti and meat balls, with a beautiful fresh salad and … allow me to add … a small glass of red wine. I would love to eat more western food, especially in a nice restaurant but that only happens once in blue moon.

More sample answers in the next blog. Happy eating