#1 IELTS PODCAST IN THE WORLD
Every week, Maria and Rory get together to discuss the latest IELTS Speaking topics, providing model answers and vocabulary to help you improve your general spoken English and achieve a higher band in your IELTS exam.
Rory admits he's become a bit of a couch potato! Listen as he and Maria share Band 9 vocabulary for daily routines and explore grammar for discussing past habits and hypothetical situations.
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Is a blockbuster with a big-name star guaranteed to succeed? Rory discusses why casting "non-entities" can still lead to a box office hit and shares powerful vocabulary for writing movie reviews.
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Rory shares why a recent trip to the cinema was a 'real letdown.' Listen to find out which blockbuster film he thought took 'absolutely ages' and learn how to describe your own disappointing experiences.
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Rory explains why he avoids high-rises but would visit a royal residence. Listen as he and Maria share stunning vocabulary for architecture and Rory cracks a dad joke about the world's tallest building!
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Should parents reward their kids for everything? Rory weighs in on when praise becomes a problem and shares some C2-level grammar that Maria says is essential for a Band 9. Listen for tips on avoiding selfish kids!
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Listen as Rory shares a personal story about his high-flying cousin! He reveals the idioms and transitions you need to talk about achievements and navigate tricky interview-style questions with confidence.
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Has Rory ever locked himself out of the house? Listen as he and Maria share tales of misplaced keys, momentary panic, and the one accessory everyone should have on their keychain. Don't get left in the cold!
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Are electric cars really the future? Rory shares a surprisingly pessimistic view on saving the planet, revealing a powerful idiom and a clever trick for when you need a moment to think in your exam.
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Rory plans a wild road trip to the rugged north of his country! Discover the advanced idioms, phrasal verbs, and transition phrases he uses to describe his dream journey and impress the examiner.
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Rory and Maria break down a Band 9 model answer, revealing how to structure a killer argument. Discover the 'timeless classic' linking words and sexy paraphrasing that elevate your score instantly!
Introduction: Some people have speculated that in the near future some modes of transport will be automated. Although there could be certain dangers connected to unemployment and flexibility, I tend to believe that there are more benefits.
"Oh my, both perfect aspect and future simple passive in the same sentence. This must be a band 9 introduction. And there is already a linking device (āalthoughā) and a modal verb with a good use of a comma. It is definitely band 9!"
P1: Foremost amongst these advantages is the likelihood that less time would be spent on driver training. If driving is computerised there will be less need to learn how to drive, so more time could be spent on more productive activities such as work. Related to this idea of efficient time use, less time will also be spent on reading maps and programming GPS for human use. Once cars, busses, and trucks have become driverless, people will be less distracted by having to read maps which could reduce traffic congestion and some road accidents. Similarly, driverless vehicles do not require sleep, so the chances of accidents related to the drivers falling asleep while driving could be minimised.
āForemostā is a brilliant word, isnāt it? It opens the paragraph on a strong note, telling us what we should care about. And then we have ārelated to this ideaā, which is a phrase but still a fabulous referencing device because it uses āthisā and identifies a wider theme! God, Maria and I are brilliant. We have used the word ādriverlessā rather a lot but the variety of tenses and higher level vocabulary elsewhere in the paragraph help compensate."
P2: However, there could be certain risks connected to vehicles operated without a driver. In the case of driverless busses and lorries, people who used to drive such vehicles will be made redundant which could contribute to high levels of unemployment. Though this may be a problem in the short term, in the long term it may be possible for jobless drivers to find a new field. For example, former drivers can become new mechanics for driverless cars, so this could address any employment deficit. Less easily addressed might be the benefits that come with having a human driver. For instance, people may be more adept at driving in certain places such as mountain ranges which may require more versatile off-road driving skills.
āHoweverā ā what a timeless classic! It connects this paragraph to what has gone before but also signals a shift into darker territory. Take note of the sexy phrase āvehicles operated without a driverā which is an excellent paraphrase of ādriverlessā...also we were running out of ideas for alternatives at this point. It happens. Behold the structure of this paragraph too! Not only do we say what the disadvantages are, we even try to dismiss one of them. Those drivers can find other jobs! Itās fiiiiiiine. This may or may not be true but it will help out conclusion later. And just look at all these examples that Maria insisted on. How great are those. They further underscore our ideas by connecting them to the real world. Love it."
Conclusion: To conclude, there are numerous positive aspects to the implementation of driverless vehicles including greater efficiency and safety. While these advantages may have drawbacks connected to unemployment, there is reasonable scope to address them.
"And we round off with āto concludeā and a nice paraphrasing of everything we said previously. I love the idea of āreasonable scope to address themā as it includes what we said before. Fab!"