Model answer notes
Built from each question on this page — a shape to follow and some phrases to borrow, not a script to memorise. Examiners mark you down for answers that sound learned by heart.
Part 1 · Question 1
Do you think of yourself as a lucky person?
Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.
Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.
Pick up and paraphrase: lucky
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 1 · Question 2
Is there anything you carry for good luck?
Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.
Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.
Pick up and paraphrase: carry
- What springs to mind is …
- …, and that is fairly typical where I am from.
- If I had to pick one, it would be …
Part 1 · Question 3
What do people in your country consider unlucky?
Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.
Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.
Pick up and paraphrase: country, consider, unlucky
- It depends, but generally …
- …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
- A good example of that would be …
Part 1 · Question 4
Has anything lucky happened to you recently?
Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.
Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.
Pick up and paraphrase: lucky, happened, recently
- I would say so, yes, mainly because …
- …, at least that has been my experience.
- On the other hand, some people would argue …
Part 1 · Question 5
Would you say success is mostly luck or mostly work?
Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.
Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.
Pick up and paraphrase: success, mostly
- Not particularly, no — the thing is …
- …, which makes a real difference day to day.
- That said, I can see why others might …
Part 1 · Question 6
Why do so many people believe in luck?
Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.
Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.
Pick up and paraphrase: believe
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 1 · Question 7
Do you remember your dreams in the morning?
Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.
Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.
Pick up and paraphrase: remember, dreams, morning
- What springs to mind is …
- …, and that is fairly typical where I am from.
- If I had to pick one, it would be …
Part 1 · Question 8
Have you ever had the same dream twice?
Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.
Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.
Pick up and paraphrase: dream, twice
- It depends, but generally …
- …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
- A good example of that would be …
Part 1 · Question 9
Do you talk about your dreams with anyone?
Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.
Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.
Pick up and paraphrase: dreams, anyone
- I would say so, yes, mainly because …
- …, at least that has been my experience.
- On the other hand, some people would argue …
Part 1 · Question 10
Would you want to know what a dream meant?
Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.
Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.
Pick up and paraphrase: dream, meant
- Not particularly, no — the thing is …
- …, which makes a real difference day to day.
- That said, I can see why others might …
Part 1 · Question 11
Do dreams tell us anything useful?
Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.
Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.
Pick up and paraphrase: dreams, useful
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 2 · Question 12
Describe a formal ceremony that you have attended.
Aim for 180–220 words — the full two-minute long turn.
Use the one minute of preparation to jot a word per bullet. Take the bullets in the order they are printed, spend the most time on the last one, and close by answering the final line of the card. Keep talking until the examiner stops you.
Pick up and paraphrase: formal, ceremony, attended
- What springs to mind is …
- …, and that is fairly typical where I am from.
- If I had to pick one, it would be …
Part 3 · Question 13
Why do societies mark important moments with formal ritual?
Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.
Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.
Pick up and paraphrase: societies, important, moments
- It depends, but generally …
- …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
- A good example of that would be …
Part 3 · Question 14
Are strict dress codes still meaningful nowadays?
Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.
Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.
Pick up and paraphrase: strict, dress, codes
- I would say so, yes, mainly because …
- …, at least that has been my experience.
- On the other hand, some people would argue …
Part 3 · Question 15
What is the value of ceremonies that hardly ever change?
Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.
Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.
Pick up and paraphrase: value, ceremonies, hardly
- Not particularly, no — the thing is …
- …, which makes a real difference day to day.
- That said, I can see why others might …
Part 3 · Question 16
How do people learn the correct way to behave on formal occasions?
Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.
Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.
Pick up and paraphrase: learn, correct, behave
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 3 · Question 17
Should institutions modernise rituals that seem outdated?
Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.
Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.
Pick up and paraphrase: institutions, modernise, rituals
- What springs to mind is …
- …, and that is fairly typical where I am from.
- If I had to pick one, it would be …
- what the ceremony marked
- where it was held
- how people were expected to behave