Lesson 49 · Speaking
Speaking — Cambridge B2 First Part 4 / IELTS Part 3 (society / contemporary topics)
Your task
Speak for 90 seconds on a contemporary issue ('Has technology made us lonelier?', 'Is globalisation good for local culture?'). Use the four-beat pattern: hedge → generalise carefully → acknowledge → land.
How to do it
Examiners distinguish learners who declare opinions from those who explore them. The four-beat pattern is the explorer's signature. Practise it on three different topics so it becomes automatic. Crucially: an unhedged 'all young people…' will tank your band score on lexical resource and discourse management, regardless of how good the grammar is.
Use these phrases
Talk about
- • What's a current issue you've changed your mind about in the last two years?
- • What's one cultural generalisation you hear all the time that's lazy or wrong?
- • Express a strong opinion about technology — without using 'all', 'always', or 'every'.
Model answer
I'd say, on balance, technology hasn't made us lonelier — but it's amplified loneliness in people who already felt it. Broadly speaking, the same tools that isolate one person bring another person closer to their family abroad. I take the point that teenagers tend to spend less time face-to-face than they used to, and that's worrying. But the bigger picture is that the technology is neutral. For the most part, the question we should be asking is which uses to encourage and which to push back on.
Pair / class extension: Three-way discussion on ONE of: 'Has technology made us lonelier?', 'Is globalisation good for local culture?', 'Are we more or less happy than our grandparents?'. Each speaker must hit all four beats at least once.
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.