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πŸ“™ Part 2: Describe a time when you received money on your birthday as a gift

Rory received a surprise in his bank account for his 33rd birthday! Find out how he describes this late gift and learn Maria's crucial tip for what to do when the examiner suddenly says, 'Thank you!'

Maria & Rory

Β· 10 min read

This episode’s vocabulary

Come to think of it

idiom β€” used when one has had a sudden realization.

Transaction

noun β€” an occasion when someone buys or sells something, or when money is exchanged or the activity of buying or selling something.

To put off something/someone

phrasal verb β€” to decide or arrange to delay an event or activity until a later time or date.

Emphasis

noun β€” the particular importance or attention that is given to something.

To turn up (somewhere)

phrasal verb β€” to arrive or appear somewhere, usually unexpectedly or in a way that was not planned.

To be short on (something)

idiom β€” having not enough of some quality (and too much of some other quality).

Ultimately

adverb β€” finally, after a series of things have happened.

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πŸ“™ Part 2: Describe a time when you received money on your birthday as a gift
IELTS Speaking for Success
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Questions and answers

Maria

Rory, could you start speaking now, please?

Rory

On my last birthday, I got some money from my parents. That was pretty nice. Oh, in greater detail, this was actually my 33rd birthday. And I was away from home at the time. And I still am. Come to think of it, it was for my birthday, but it didn't happen until afterwards. I'd bought a lot of things for my new apartment and my parents had offered to pay for them. And this particular transaction was them doing exactly that. Oh, the reason that it took a bit longer than usual was because I wasn't really bothered about actually getting anything for my birthday. And I was quite happy to pay for everything by myself. So I never really put too much of, well, an emphasis on it or stressed it too much. Oh, I did explain this to them. But as it turned out, I couldn't or didn't get much of a say in it. Because then it just sort of turned up in my account with a message on WhatsApp saying, oh, here's the other half of your birthday present, hope you enjoy it. It's always good to have money, but it's not like I was short on it at the time. However, at least they were thinking of me. And that was quite nice. In greater detail about what it ultimately paid for. I've mentioned this before in the last episode, when we were talking about different things that I'd bought online, and I bought a bed, the one that clicks together quite easily. It was like something out of IKEA, to be honest with you. It worked really well. And then I got a vacuum cleaner. But it was one of the small portable ones because there's not really much to vacuum in this place. It's just for the floors, to be honest with you, and there's not much floor space. And I also bought, oh yeah, I got the microwave. And like I say all of this was delivered way before anyone paid for anything or anyone gave me the money. But it was nice how everything...

Maria

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And do you usually get money on your birthday?

Rory

I don't really know. I have sometimes but it's not a regular occurrence.

Maria

Thank you! -

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