IELTS Speaking Lesson about Study

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Table of Contents

Warm Up

What did you study after you left school?

Listening Quiz

1. Listen to this young man talk about his studies.

Who do you think he is talking to?

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Students at a high school

2. Listen again, and mark the boxes below if he says the exact same words. If you get 3 in a row - type Bingo + the boxes in the chat.

ielts bingo
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A

B

C

1

At university

Have a map

Solving problems

2

Genuinely interesting

Spark my interest

Suitable for me

3

Manage my time

Some advice

Question your decisions

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When I was sitting where you are now, I remember feeling quite unsure about my future. Everyone kept asking me what I wanted to do with my life, what I wanted to study at university, and to be honest, I didn’t have a clue (=I didn’t know). I didn’t have everything mapped out (=planned and organised). I just knew that I wanted to go to university.

In the end, I chose to study business management. I picked it (=I chose it) mainly because it felt practical and flexible. I wasn’t one hundred percent sure what career I wanted, but I knew I enjoyed problem-solving, working with people, and I had an interest in the world of business.

Did I enjoy my studies? For the most part (=mostly), yes, I’d say so. Some subjects were genuinely interesting, you know, especially marketing and entrepreneurship. I really liked them because they felt connected to real life.

That said, some subjects just didn’t spark my interest (=to create some interest) at all.

And I must admit, there were moments when I struggled. You know, the deadlines, the pressure, and a few modules that didn’t really suit me. Believe it or not, at one point, I even considered changing my major.

What stopped me though, was chatting to one tutor who pointed out that actually, no subject is perfect. So I decided to stick with it (=to continue) rather than start again from scratch (=start from the very beginning) .

Looking back now, I’m glad I made that decision. You know, my studies taught me more than just academic knowledge. I learned how to manage my time, work independently, and think more critically. And frankly, those skills have been just as valuable as the degree itself.

So if I could give you one piece of advice, it would be this: choose a subject that genuinely interests you, but don’t panic (=worry) if you feel uncertain. It’s normal to question your choices. What matters most is how you engage with your studies, the whole experience of learning and of course, the people you meet there. There you go – oh yes and good luck to you all!

Useful Chunks

  • I didn’t have a clue

To be honest, I didn’t have a clue about what I wanted to study

  • In the end… (=finally)

In the end, I chose to study business management.

  • I chose to study… mainly because…

I chose to study – business management – mainly because – it felt practical and flexible

  • For the most part… (=mostly)

For the most part, I enjoyed my studies

  • Believe it or not…

Believe it or not I even considered changing my major.

  • At one point, (=at some point in time; past or future)

At one point, I even considered changing my major.

At one point, I really must start studying Spanish again.

  • Looking back now…(=thinking about something past)

Looking back now, I’m glad I made that decision.

ielts student studying

IELTS Speaking Vocabulary: Study

Talking about your studies is such an important topic in IELTS. Not only in the introduction where they ask “Do you work or are you a student?”, but also for other closely related topics such as:

  • Your school
  • A teacher you know
  • Skills you have learned
  • Concentration
  • Education
  • A hobby

Here are some useful phrases to talk about your studies in IELTS Speaking

I’m a student at university / college

I’m a student at ______ university

To talk about your studies you can use either present simple or present continuous

I study French

I’m studying French

In addition, you can use the present perfect continuous to say how long you have studied.

I’ve been studying for 2 months

Notice we use FOR to describe a period of time

I’ve been studying since July

Notice we use SINCE to describe a point in time

Finally, you can develop your answer a little by adding which year you are in.

I’m in my first year

I’m in my second year

I’m in my final year

Next, we can talk about whether you like your studies. You should develop your answer a little and say why you like it (or not)

I like it

mainly because

I think it’s going to be really useful

for my future career

I don’t like it too much

mainly because the teacher we have

is a bit boring

he doesn’t engage us at all

IELTS Speaking Practise: Study

Can you guess what these people study?

1. Jane

2.  Fernando

Jane

Listen to each one and see if your guesses were correct.

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1. Jane

I study classical art at college and I’m in my second year, so yeah, I’ve been studying for almost 2 years now. It’s great, I’m having the time of my life. I actually want to be a museum curator when I graduate.

 

2. Fernando

I’m studying coding. I’ve been studying for just over a year now at university and for the most part, I love it. Mainly because I’m so passionate about AI. I think it’s the future. When I graduate, I want to run my own business.

English Idioms: Study

Can you guess the idioms?

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1. To suit me down to the ground

= to be perfect for me

The flexible timetable at university suited me down to the ground, as I like studying independently.

2. To be up my street

= to match my interest and skill very well

This computer course is right up my street because I am passionate about A.I.

3. To pay off

= something brings good results

Something (study, work, dedication) pays off

All those years studying hard really paid off in the end because now I have a great job.

Song To Review

Study For Our Future

Cick to listen 🎶

I love you lots

But I have to hit the books now

Need to study lots

Please don’t start a row

Believe it or not,

if I study today

You know we’ve got,

a future that may …

Take us places 

I’ve been studying for years

I am gonna stick at it

Despite all my fears

I know we can make it

I don’t have a clue

Where we’re gonna go

I haven’t got it mapped out

But one thing I do know

Is it will take us places

Yeah, we can put it off

You can even tell me off

At times I may feel off

But I know it will pay off

I don’t have a clue

Where we’re gonna go

I haven’t got it mapped out

But one thing I do know

Is it will take us places

iets student in library

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