126 Pari 2

EXPRESIONS

Functions

LIKES

I like/ lovc/adorc/enjoy ... I've always liked/loved I' m quite fascinated by ...

I' m (very/deeply) interested in .. My main interest is ... ... interests/ fascinates me a lot.

I ha ve a particular fondne ss
I' m (really) fond of... I' m rea lly keen on ...

I am a real fan of. .. ... really appeals to me . ... a great! marvellous way to .

I' m intrigued by ... . .. has always intri gued me It would make sense to me

I find it (quite/ It 's fin e! excellent! great! superb It 's amazing! smashing! perfect!
fabulous/ marvellous incredible/ terrific

DISLIKES

I don't like/enjoy/ .. . very much. I dislikefhate . . . I don't (particularly) care for ...

I am not (very) interested in... It 's (terribly/ awfully) boring. I find ... sort of boring

... rather bores me. It's too ... I don't like ... at all.

I don't go for. .. ( Infm l) I'm not into ... (Jnfml) It doesn't appeal to me

It 's tedious I am not fond of... I am not keen on ...

I find ... (particularly! reall y! I really expect it to be better!

I don't find it very interesting.
unattractive!
I don't think it 's very Um ... I don 't have much/any I find ... (rather/ very/ totally)
Ill .. ' dull

NEUTRALITY

It makes no difference to me It 's all the same to me I don 't mind

I don't care.
It doesn't matter to me W"""'"" I don't hold any particular
.or not. on that issue!matter
• Part 2 127

PREFERENCE

I'd (much) prefer. .to ". I'd prefer not to ... I' d (much) rather (not) ...

I'd like ... J tcnd to prefer ... I enjoy ... (muc h) more tban . ..

I like ... rnoTel better than ... I' m much morc interested in ... I'm (much) morc attracted to ...

My choice! preference would On the whole, I find ... rnare On balance, ... appeals to me
be ... attracti ve/i nterestingJenjoyable more than ...

ABILITY

I'm able to ... I can ... I' m (pretty) good at...

I have the experience! ability/

I'm capable of ... I feel capab lc of ...
qualifications necessary to

CLARIFICATION

I mean What I mean is ... What I'm trying to say is ...

That means ... [n short Well, as a matter of fact

Here, I'm referring to ... In fact To be more precise,

To be exact... In other words Let's put it thi s way

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

I've managed ... I have managed 10 ... I'd like to have .. .

I've been able to ... J was able to ... I hope I' ll have ...

r CAUSES

... is the main contributing factor. ... is the cause of... ... is caused by ...

There is a direct/close link One of the main causes of this The most important reason
between ... and ... problem is ... Another cause is ... Why ... Another reason is ...
 - ~
Part 2
1,8

FUTURE (PLANS & HOPES & PREDICfl0N& CERTAINTY & PROBABILITY)

Next week! month! yea r I' m p lanning to ... I' d like! want 10 .. .

In the next few days/ weeks/ In the next coup le of days! By the end of the days! weekI
monlh,! years ... months/ yea rs ... II IV IIU J/ year ...

My dream is to .. J My amb iti on

I'm (rea ll y) determined to ... I have a rea l des ire to ...
lislo ..

I am very optim ist ic ...

I feel (quite) sure about...

I hope .. ./ Hopefully I' m con fid ent...

Ilhin kfl don 't think! I believe! I There is a good! a 50-50/

guess! suppose ... chance that. ..
I
There is a littlel not much It is probab le/ li ke ly! unlikel y I predi ct! anticipate ... will lead
that. .. Ithat... toJ result in ...
I foresee! I can ' t foresee any From what I've heard/read, it
I strong ly suspect this will. ..
.. ,cc .. ., ...

Thi s will undoubtedly! . . "'. .,. This will probably! poss ibl y lead
Thi s would/mi ght lead 10 ...
"c .... ;"I,lead to ... Ito ...

OPINIONS

Ilhink I tend to think Persona ll y I th ink

To my mind From my point of view I (fi rm ly) bel ieve

In my view In my ex pe rience I would say .. .

It seems to me! the way I see

To the best of my knowl edge In my op inion
it. ..

As fa r as l ' m concerned As far as I can see For my mo ney (Infml)

What I think is thi s ... I' d like to point out. It is a good idea to ...

OPINIONS (PASSIVE STRUCTURE)

It is said that It is be li eved that... It is thought that. ..

It is expected that. .. It is considered . .. It is understood ...

It is known that... It is reported that... It is a ll eged that...

i '"
 Part 2
Exactly
I (totally/comp letely/quite) agree
Neither do/did/can ... I
I'm in favour of.. .
1couldn 't agree more
I agree on the who le
I agree to some extent.
Um ... 1 actua lly th ink
I tend to disagree
I'm comp lete ly opposed to that
idea
I'm afraid I don ' I share the
opinIOn
You may have a point.
Nevertheless, I think ...
There is no justifi cation for ...
I don't altogether agree with you
... \0/in order to address, dea l
with, tackle, handle this issue
The best altemative/ solution!
initiative (would bel is to ... )
129
TOTAL AGREEMENT
Absolutely I agree en tirely
I couldn'l agree more ( I
So do/did/can ... 1
completely agree)
I feel the same way That's just what I was thin king
I th ink it' s a good idea I go along with the id ea that. . ./
because ... with your view that...
I think it 's justifiab le in some I share your opin ion that! on the
ways . issue of. ..
PARTIAL AGREEMENT
I agree up to a point. .. That's quite right, but. ..
Well, you have a point there,
Hmm, Poss ibl y, but. ..
but. ..
DISAGREEMENT
I don' t agree/di sagree I don 't thi nk so
I' m completely against it
['m notal all in favour of it.
because ...
I'm inclined to di sagree with I' m afraid . I don ' l go along with
that this idea
That doesn ' t necessarily follow/
Not necessarily
happen ...
I'm not sure that it works like
That's highly un li kely
that
I' m afraid. I don' l think there is
I would not say that
a link between ... and ...
I'm bound to say I disagree wi th
That's not possible
you on thi s point
SOLUTIONS
... tot in order to improve, There are three things to consider
develop, expand, increase. Fi rst of all ... Next ... Fi.na ll y ...
The best measure/ policy/ way/
One th ing to do about it is to ...
strategy (wou ld bel is to ... )
-
PART 3
DlSCUSSION
 Pari 3 133

TIPS of PART 3

Speaking tesr

Part 3:
Discussion (4-5 minutes)
The examiner will invite you to disc uss a number of issues, broadly related in theme to the
Part 2. Th e question s will increase in difficulty slightly as this part of the test progresses.

DOS AND DONTS

I • Remember there is no right or wrong answer.

I • Try to give informed, interesting and appropriate responses to th e ex aminer's

I prompts.

• Try to have a clear understanding orthe questions.

I
• Don ' t wony if you can ' t think ofa word. You can paraphrase and get around it.
I
I • Be willing to give extended responses.
I
I • Show your ability by expressing abstract ideas, support your opinions, point out both
positive and negative aspects and speculate about the future.

• Listen carefully which word to address ~lOd build you answer around.

- What are 1he benefits a/vegetarianism?

Obviously, you need to speak about the benefits. Use a paraphrase or synonym
when answering.

• Use appropriate introductory phrases. You can give an opinion without using an
opening clause, but it will sound very direct. To soften your responses, it is better to
start with an expression such as:

- Personally I think
In my opinion
- To my mind

• If you are asked to talk a subject you have never thought about, the most important
thing is not to panic. Avoid responding with '/ don't know' or 'I have 110 idea'. To
think of an idea or speak more naturally, you can use the follo wing phrases.
 \34 Part3

What I'm flying 10 say is ."

I'm not sure. YOII could say ... , but ...
I'm fairly certain that ...
Well, (here 's afifty-jifly chance af ..
Generally speaking
Broadly speaking
Personally 5peaking
Metaphorically speaking
Praclically speaking
Relatively speaking
Simply speaking
Technically speaking
Roughly speaking
To put it more simply
To be more exact
To put it more accurale
To be honest! realistic, I have different views about/ on [. . .]
I don '/ foresee any problems in the future.
!t 's almost impossible to predict wha! will happen
The (economic) consequences of [. ..) are enormous
Well, it's difficult to say, but in my experience
II's a difficult issue
J think it's a complicated issue
Well, it's hard /0 say
That's an interesting point [ think / would have to say ...
Beyond any doubt ...
It's hard to say. One way of looking at it is ... , but ...
To be honest, that '5 not something I've ever really thought about, bilt 1 suppose ...
Perhaps 1 should make (hat clearer by saying ...
LeI me iIIuslrate my point by ...
I'm no expert but I think
Ifyou ask me,
Er ... maybe (his question requires some expertise, but 10 the best of my knowledge ...
There is no simple solution to the problem of [. . .)
It 's reasonable 10 say ...
The truth (of the mallei) is ...
As a molter oj/ael ...
InIact, this is an issue oImuch importance to everyone
1t 's a mailer of the greatest imparlance 10 me
1n fact, many factors should be taken infO accountlconsidered
There are many different opinions aboulthis issue, but I think
Well, people have got mixedleelings aboUIlhat
Anotlierjllstificalion is ...
Another reason why ....

--