Lesson 38 · Speaking
Speaking — Cambridge B2 First Part 4 / IELTS Part 3 (extended discussion)
Your task
Speak for 90 seconds on a discussion question. You MUST hit all four stages (Frame, Order, Acknowledge, Conclude) and use at least 5 discourse markers from this lesson.
How to do it
Examiners specifically score 'discourse management' as a separate criterion. (1) ALWAYS open with a frame ('I'd say…' / 'In my view…') — never start a long answer with 'Yes' alone. (2) Order with 'firstly / secondly' — even two reasons sounds organised. (3) ALWAYS acknowledge the other side ('That said…' / 'Of course, some argue…') — this single move pushes most learners from C1 5 to a 7. (4) Conclude explicitly with 'All in all…' / 'On balance…' — don't drift to silence. (5) Don't pad with 'and… and…' between markers — pause briefly instead.
Use these phrases
Talk about
- • When did you last give a long opinion in English? How did you structure it — or did you just keep adding 'and'?
- • Can you talk about one topic for 90 seconds without repeating yourself? Try: 'Why I chose this city to live in.'
- • Pick a small everyday topic (working from home, takeaway coffee, social media). Name one good point AND one bad point.
Model answer
In my view, working a four-day week would be a net positive, and I'd say that for two main reasons. Firstly, the evidence from the pilot schemes suggests productivity holds steady or even rises, because tired people make worse decisions. Secondly, it gives people the chance to do unpaid life-work — childcare, eldercare, study — that currently squeezes into evenings and weekends. On top of that, the climate gains from a quieter Friday are not trivial. That said, I do see the argument from sectors that can't shrink hours easily — healthcare, hospitality, schools — where a four-day week would need real structural redesign, not just a calendar change. All in all, on balance, I'd say the policy should be piloted broadly with sector-specific carve-outs, rather than rolled out flat across the economy.
Pair / class extension: Role-play 'The 90-second opinion'. Your teacher (or partner) gives you a topic (working from home, social media in schools, free public transport, a four-day week). You speak for 90 seconds — no more, no less — hitting all four stages. Use 5 discourse markers. Partner gives feedback: did you frame? order? acknowledge? conclude?
Giving opinions
Share what you think clearly and naturally.
- On the whole, I think…“On the whole, I think remote work suits me better.”
- In my view, …“In my view, schools should teach financial literacy.”
- If you ask me, …“If you ask me, it's not worth the money.”
- To be honest, …“To be honest, I wasn't a fan of the film.”
- I'd say (that)…“I'd say that's the best one.”
Speak out loud: use three of these phrases in a one-minute answer.
Agreeing & disagreeing
Respond to opinions without sounding aggressive or weak.
- Absolutely / Definitely.“Absolutely — that's exactly what I meant.”
- I see your point, but…“I see your point, but I'd look at it differently.”
- I'm not so sure about that.“I'm not so sure about that — it depends on the price.”
- Yes and no.“Yes and no — partly true, but it's more complicated.”
- I'd have to disagree.“I'd have to disagree there — I had a great experience.”
Speak out loud: use three of these phrases in a one-minute answer.
Asking questions politely
Soften questions for strangers, customer service, formal contexts.
- Could you tell me…?“Could you tell me where platform 4 is?”
- Do you know…?“Do you know what time it closes?”
- Would you mind + -ing?“Would you mind repeating that?”
- I was wondering if…“I was wondering if you had a moment.”
Speak out loud: use three of these phrases in a one-minute answer.
Clarifying & checking
Make sure you've understood — without saying 'What?'.
- Sorry, do you mean…?“Sorry, do you mean Monday next week or this week?”
- Just to check, …“Just to check, that's £40 each, right?”
- So what you're saying is…“So what you're saying is we should leave earlier.”
- Could you say that again?“Could you say that again — I missed the last part.”
Speak out loud: use three of these phrases in a one-minute answer.
Reactions & follow-ups
Keep conversations alive instead of letting them die.
- Oh really? / No way!“A: I quit my job. — B: No way! When?”
- Have you? / Did you? / Are you?“A: I've moved to Lisbon. — B: Have you?! How is it?”
- How come?“How come you decided to do that?”
- What's that like?“What's that like — working remotely full-time?”
- How about you?“I love thrillers. How about you?”
Speak out loud: use three of these phrases in a one-minute answer.
Suggesting & negotiating
Make plans, propose solutions, find middle ground.
- Why don't we…?“Why don't we meet halfway?”
- How about + -ing?“How about going to the Thai place?”
- Shall we…?“Shall we say 7pm then?”
- Would it work if…?“Would it work if we pushed it to Friday?”
- I'm easy / I don't mind.“I'm easy — whatever suits you.”
Speak out loud: use three of these phrases in a one-minute answer.
Storytelling & anecdotes
Hold attention when you tell a story or share news.
- You'll never guess what happened.“You'll never guess what happened on the way here.”
- So basically, …“So basically, we missed the train by 30 seconds.”
- All of a sudden, …“All of a sudden, the lights went out.”
- Long story short, …“Long story short, we ended up driving instead.”
- Anyway, …“Anyway, that's how I met your dad.”
Speak out loud: use three of these phrases in a one-minute answer.
Hedging & diplomacy
Soften strong opinions, disagree politely, sound less abrupt.
- It might be worth + -ing“It might be worth checking the schedule first.”
- I'd probably…“I'd probably go for the smaller one.”
- I'm not entirely sure, but…“I'm not entirely sure, but I think it closes at 6.”
- That's a fair point, although…“That's a fair point, although there's another side to it.”
Speak out loud: use three of these phrases in a one-minute answer.