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IELTS Preparation Series 3, Episode 11: Grammatical Range in the Speaking Test


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Xem lời thoại bên dưới:

0:12

Hello, and welcome to Study English, IELTS Preparation. I'm Margot Politis.

0:18

Knowing how to compare and contrast is something you are likely to need for the IELTS Speaking

0:23

Test.

0:25

There are a number of grammatical structures that you can use to make comparisons and express

0:30

differences.

0:32

Listen to this candidate comparing and contrasting his teachers:

0:37

What differences in teaching styles have you experienced with different teachers?

0:42

Well, I think, you have to make a difference between a teacher's knowledge and personal

0:46

style. Some teachers, you know, are very knowledgeable and have a lot of experience and everything.

0:53

Both my history and science teachers knew their subjects really well, but my maths teacher,

0:59

who was much older - maybe that's why - just didn't have the skills to convey all that

1:05

to the students. If I were to compare all my classes, I would say his were the most

1:11

boring. My history teacher, on the other hand, he knew how to communicate to students and

1:18

his lessons were more enjoyable and we learnt faster.

1:22

He said that "both my history and science teachers knew their subjects".

1:28

He uses the word 'both' to say 'the two together'. They're similar in the way they know a lot

1:34

about their subjects. He then contrasts them to the maths teacher by using the word 'but'.

1:43

Listen:

1:44

Both my history and science teachers knew their subjects really well, but my maths teacher,

1:51

who was much older - maybe that's why - just didn't have the skills to convey all that

1:56

to the students.

1:58

To justify the contrast he compares the ages of the teachers. The maths teacher is much

2:05

older. Older is a comparative adjective. Someone who is 50 is older than someone who is 40.

2:16

'Much older' is a way of saying the difference is larger - someone who is 80 is much older

2:23

than someone who is 40.

2:26

He also compares the teaching styles of his teachers:

2:30

If I were to compare all my classes, I would say his were the most boring.

2:36

This time he uses the superlative - the most boring, because he is comparing more than

2:42

2 things. He does this using a conditional 'if' sentence which is a polite way of criticising

2:49

someone:

2:50

If I were to compare all my classes, I would say his were the most boring.

2:57

He goes on to talk about his history teacher. How does he show that he is comparing him

3:02

to the boring maths teacher? My history teacher, on the other hand, he

3:08

knew how to communicate to students and his lessons were more enjoyable and we learnt

3:13

faster.

3:14

He says 'on the other hand' to show that he is now talking about a different style of

3:20

teaching. And again he uses comparative forms - more enjoyable and faster - to express this

3:29

difference.

3:34

Now listen to another candidate responding to a question designed to encourage her to

3:39

compare and contrast:

3:41

Is it better to grow up in the city or in the countryside?

3:45

Well, I think that, mm, both places have their pros and cons. I've grown up in a city, and

3:56

I've lived in a city all my life. And sometimes when I see those families who have their kids

4:02

in the countryside I envy them, because they can run about, you know. They are free and

4:12

the environment is cleaner and safer, but then, on the other hand, you know, living