Practice

1. Describe a project you worked on in your school/college or office
You should say:
 what the project was
 who else was involved in it
 how long it took to be completed
Sample Answer 1
Let me talk about the project I did in a team in my second year of graduate
school. Our tutor gave us an assignment to review the server log of an
international trade website and provide a brief analysis using the data
warehouse and data mining technology. We had three people on our team,
and I was the team leader. I allocated different tasks to different classmates.
One was responsible for extracting the data from the database to the data
warehouse, and the other one was to set up the data model for analyzing. I
was to analyze the final data set with a data mining software and prepare the
presentation.
The job was quite tough as this was our first time doing such an assignment,
and we needed to overcome various technique problems. For example, we
had to use the Microsoft database software to restore the data and write
codes to manipulate the data transferring. Besides, the data mining software
was also new to us; we had to get ourselves familiar with it.
Our team spent three weeks to finish the work, which we reckoned as an
authentic project in a corporation. Therefore we tried to learn the entire
process of doing the project, the demand analysis, project design and
implementation, and the documents. Additionally, we learned some useful
software and gained some coding experiences.
Sample Answer 2
Click on the audio to listen to the sample answer below. Pay attention to the
intonation and pronunciation of the words.
During my student life, I participated in numerous teamwork projects, and
having disagreements with other team members was unavoidable. I would like
to talk about a team project that I was involved in during the junior year at
university.There were two of us on the team, and our task was to invest in the

2. simulation stock market. We had to make decisions on choosing which stocks
were profitable and worth our investment. Each group’s performance would be
compared weekly, and at the end of the semester, we would have to present
our project in front of the whole class.
The project was vital as it contributed to 50% of our final results of that
semester. Besides, being an investor is really a challenging task, especially
when the Vietnam stock market is volatile and unpredictable. Two of us fought
for days to decide which companies had shown the best performance and
promised a bright future on the stock market. My friend wanted to invest in a
real estate company while I thought that an investment in real estate at that
time was an unwise choice.
Despite our arguments, we completed the task on time and had an excellent
group presentation. From this experience, I learned that it is very hard to be a
good team member. You would have to know how to present yourself while
fitting in the group and each person has to compromise to achieve a common
goal.
Vocabulary
 Unavoidable: not able to be avoided
Eg: Due to some unavoidable circumstances, I couldn’t attend the wedding.
 Profitable: beneficial; gaining financial gain.
Eg: Recycling isn’t a profitable business.
 Volatile: liable to change rapidly and unpredictably.
Eg: Mary and Rose have a volatile relationship. They often argue.
 Unpredictable: not able to be predicted; changeable.
Eg: Life is unpredictable. You never know what lies ahead.
 Compromise: to settle a dispute by mutual agreement and concession
Eg: She wasn’t ready for a compromise with her husband.
 Analyze: examine something or someone methodically and in detail
Eg: The panelists will analyze the student’s performance in the interview.
 Reckon: to consider or regard in a specified way
Eg: I am proud to reckon Mary as my best friend.
 Authentic: of undisputed origin and not a copy; genuine
Eg: During the admission process, you must submit authentic documents to the authoritie.

3. Describe a course you would like to study/Describe a course that you
want to learn/Describe a course or subject you would like to take in the
future
You should say:
 what course it is (or, would be)
 where you would do it
 what you would learn in that course
 Explain why you would like to do this course.
Sample Answer 1
Here is the sample for the IELTS Cue Card “Describe a course you would
like to study”.
 what course it is (or, would be)
Learning is a constant process, so we ceaselessly grasp information and
assess the same as per our understanding. I believe that taking up courses,
whether online or offline, offers an ultimate method to learn a specific subject
profoundly. So, one course that I would like to take in the future is digital
marketing.
 where you would do it
I would like to study this course as my core specialisation and would like to
pursue it from NMIMS. This private university is situated in Mumbai but has
campuses in Hyderabad, Bangalore and Indore as well. This course would
demand diligent work on my profile. So, if I manage to get admission, I would
have to work harder to excel according to the reputation of the university.
 what you would learn in that course
In the course, I want to prioritise consumer behaviour. Considering the digital
transformation happening across the world, a diverse range of companies are
moving online with a focus on social media. Therefore, I would like to study

4. social media and digital marketing and acquire insights so as to apply them to
advance my career.
 and explain why you would like to do this course.
There are plenty of reasons why I am inclined toward this course. To begin
with, the world of advertising fascinates me to a great extent. And then, this
course cannot be irrelevant as long as humans live with a capitalist mindset.
 what course it is (or, would be)
Well, I would like to do an English course. Today, English is considered to be
the most important language in the world. That’s why it’s become one of the
compulsory subjects and we now have to study English from elementary
onwards.
 where you would do it
I’d like to get admitted to the Foreign Trade University which offers a
professional course in Business English. They have a good reputation for
teaching this course effectively and to a high standard. As I have other
classes in the morning, I would like to enrol in the afternoon course. Also, the
course fee is both cheap and convenient for me to pay with my salary.
 what you would learn in that course
 and explain why you would like to do this course.
There are so many reasons why I’d like to enrol for an English course. First of
all, English is an international language, hence, having a knowledge of
English can help people around the world to communicate better. Second, it
also gives us countless opportunities to become more acquainted with other
cultures. We depend on English to keep up to date with the latest news from
all over the world since almost all books and magazines are written in this
language. Finally, learning English can really help us in our careers and
enhance our CVs, as these days, many firms need good office employees to
conduct international business.

5. Vocabulary
 Compulsory: that must be done because of a rule of law.
Eg: In some countries, it is compulsory to attend school until the age of 16.
 Onwards: continuing from a particular time.
Eg: I will be in my office from 8:00 am onwards until I leave at 6:00 in the evening.
 Reputation: the opinion that people have about someone/something is like, based on what has
happened in the past.
Eg: The restaurant enjoys an international reputation for the best Thai cuisine.
 Countless: very many; too many to be counted or mentioned.
Eg: The teacher has warned him countless times to pay attention in class.
 Acquainted: familiar with something having seen, heard, or read it.
Eg: The students are already acquainted with the history of our country, having studied it at the
elementary level.
 Keep up to date with: be informed about the latest information.
Eg: I watch the news on TV every day, in order to keep up to date with the political situation.
 CVs: short descriptions of your education and qualifications, which you give to an employer
when you go for an interview.
Eg: Students should make sure that they write good CVs, to help them when they apply for a
job.
 Firm: company.
Eg: She works for a firm of lawyers in Paris.
 Conduct: organize or do a particular activity.
Eg: The school has decided to conduct all its classes in English.
Describe what you think would be the perfect job for you/What is
your dream job?
You should say:
 What job it would be
 What you would do in this job
 And explain why you think this would be the perfect job for you

6. Sample Answer 1
Here is the Describe what you think would be the perfect job for
you/What is your dream job? Sample Answer 1
 What job it would be
Being a part of the millennial generation, albeit, with an old-school soul, I
believe in discovering new opportunities and grabbing chances as and when
they come. So, when it comes to my professional life, the job that I would
really like to do is of a founder or a CEO.
 What you would do in this job
 And explain why you think this would be the perfect job for you
Spending years refining my skills, communicating with like-minded people and
learning ceaselessly, I believe I have acquired enough self-confidence to
handle an empire of my own. Anyway, there is nothing more attractive than
self-confidence. By being a founder or a CEO, I would like to run a service-
based company. For the past few years, I have been learning the tips and
tricks of digital marketing. And, owing to several companies turning toward
internet establishment, it is apparent that this domain has a bright future. So, I
would like to run a digital marketing company.
I am strongly fervent toward building a brand out of my own sheer hard-work
and zeal. There is a legacy I wish to create. Thus, keeping this in mind, I
consider building connections with startups and established organisations is
one of the best ways to do so. Anyway, while doing so, I would get to expand
my abilities and skills to serve them better. Also, I believe that I have good
leadership skills to handle a growing and thriving team.
Sample Answer 2
Click on the audio to listen to the sample answer for Describe what you think would
be the perfect job for you/What is your dream job? below read out loud.
Pay attention to the intonation and pronunciation of the words to maximize your
Speaking score.
 What job it would be

7. Being a girl living in my 20s, I strongly believe that I should choose a right
path for my career. In my opinion, a good career is not only a job that can
offer me a good income to afford my living, but is enjoyable as well. That’s
why I think a job in Marketing field will suit me well.
 What you would do in this job
 And explain why you think this would be the perfect job for you
I had spent a great amount of time on defining my strengths and weaknesses
as well as asking for advice from other people. After that, I came to the
conclusion that my outstanding skill is writing which I have an inborn
talent for. Since I was at the age of 8, I was found out to be gifted in Literature
by my teachers. They contributed a lot to developing my set of skills. During
years of study, majoring in literature, I was often considered to be among the
best students. Along with my writing skills, I think I will utilize my
analytic skills and creativity which I acquired after years of studying at my
university to dig into customer’s behaviors, then, develop a good campaign to
get more customers for our company.
Additionally, I am strongly passionate about Marketing. Therefore, I began to
work in this field quite early, since I was a freshman. Those working
experiences provide me basic knowledge and skills of Marketing as well as
strengthen my belief that this job would suit me.
Even though I have gained a lot of experience and knowledge of Marketing
and I am currently working in Marketing department of Fast-moving Consumer
Good company, I still have a long way to go before knowing it inside out. I
also hope that I can be good enough to get some promotion in near future.
Vocabulary
Here are the vocabularies for “describe what you think would be the perfect
job for you/What is your dream job” with examples:
 Come to a conclusion: to reach a decision.
Eg: We talked for a long time but never came to any conclusion.
 Outstanding: clearly very much better than what is usual:
Eg: It’s an area of outstanding natural beauty.
 Inborn talent (phrase): existing from the time someone is born | natural or instinctive
Eg: I have an inborn talent for singing

8.  Acquire/pick up a skill (phrase): develop a skill.
 Dig into: try to understand more about something
Eg: As digging more into Math, I gradually fall in love with this subject
 Utilize: to use something in an effective way:
Eg: Vitamins come in a form that is easily utilized by the body.
 A long way to go (phrase): to need to do a lot more before you are successful
Eg: I still have a long way to go before fulfilling my dream to become a yoga teacher.
 Know inside out (phrase): master something, know something well