Cash
How often do you use cash? Do you often bring cash with you? Do you always pay by card? Did you use cash more when you were younger? Is it ok not to have any cash on you?
Vocabulary
  • Contactless (adj) – referring to technologies that allow a smart card or mobile device to be waved over a reader to make a payment. → Almost all my payments are contactless; you just tap your card and you're done.
  • Wad of cash (n. phrase) – a thick bundle of banknotes. → It's easier to carry cards rather than wads of cash.
  • Chip and pin (n) – a system for authenticating card transactions at payment terminals. → There are chip and pin devices everywhere nowadays, so paying by card is simple.
  • Legal tender (n. phrase) – coins or banknotes that must be accepted if offered in payment of a debt. → Some places in England didn't accept Scottish notes as legal tender.
  • A rarity (n) – something that is very uncommon or infrequent. → In the past, shops not accepting certain notes was a rarity, and it's almost never a problem now.
  • To pan out (phr. v.) – to develop in a particular way or to a particular conclusion, usually successfully. → So far, not carrying cash has panned out reasonably well for me.
  • Direct bank transfer (n. phrase) – a payment made directly from one bank account to another electronically. → Even without a card machine, you can almost always make a direct bank transfer.
  • Remote (adj) – situated far from the main centres of population; distant. → If I was somewhere more remote, not having cash might be a problem.
  • The reverse (n) – the opposite or contrary of something. → I won't use more cash in the future; I think the reverse will happen.
  • Short of (idiom) – unless or except for. → Short of some disaster that stops contactless payments, we will use cash less and less.
  • To run out of cash (phr. v.) – to have no cash left. → If you only use physical money, you might run out of cash.
  • To come into cash/money (phr. v.) – to inherit or receive a sum of money unexpectedly. → If you inherit money from a relative, you could say you came into some cash.
It’s that time of the year… again.
Questions and Answers
Maria: How often do you use cash?

Rory: Not much these days, to be honest. Almost all my payments are contactless. You just tap your card and you're done.

Maria: Do you often bring cash with you?

Rory: Well, again, no. I honestly can't remember the last time I paid for anything with coins or notes or anything like that. There's just no need for it nowadays.

Maria: Do you always pay by card?

Rory: Almost always, yes. There are chip and pin devices everywhere nowadays, so it's just easier to carry cards with you rather than wads of cash. Or better yet, you can just pay through the contactless on your phone.

Maria: Did you use cash more when you were younger?

Rory: Definitely, yes. Not only was it easier to pay with it, I think it was almost always the only acceptable way to pay for things. I think the only exceptions were in places that didn't accept Scottish notes as legal tender, but that was a rarity and it's almost never a problem now.

Maria: Is it okay not to have any cash on you?

Rory: So far, it's panned out reasonably well. Even in places that don't use chip and pin, you can almost always make direct bank transfers to their accounts. You just need a phone and an internet connection for that. I suppose if I was somewhere more remote and unconnected to the internet, it might be a problem and I'd prepare in advance, but that's yet to happen.

Maria: Do you think you'll use cash more in the future?

Rory: No, I think it will actually be the reverse. Short of some disaster that stops contactless payments, we all seem to be using money less and less, at least as far as I can tell.
Discussion
Maria: So, dear listener, cash, coins, bank notes. It's interesting, because in some countries they do use a lot of cash, but in other countries they use only online payments and cards. And also, for example, in China, they told me that they have online payments, but if you go to a small village, everyone uses cash. Is this true?

Rory: I don't know.

Maria: I don't know.

Rory: I've never been to China.

Maria: Yeah, and it's interesting that they told me even old people who sell something, they have QR codes and you can make a payment online. A grandpa is selling some rice with a QR code in the middle of nowhere. So we use cash, we pay... Rory, what's the preposition? We pay by cash, in cash?

Rory: Usually pay by card but pay with cash. Or pay in cash.

Maria: Yeah.

Rory: Usually. I'm sure you could get away with other prepositions as well.

Maria: Or no preposition at all. We can say, "I usually pay cash for the tickets." So pay in cash or pay cash. Use cash.

Rory: Use cash.

Maria: You can run out of cash if you don't have any coins or notes on you. You run out of cash.

Rory: But if you inherit money, you could say you came into some cash. Come into money.

Maria: And again, if the examiner asks you when or how often, you just give a direct answer, a very short answer. "How often do you use cash?" Not much. Or often, every day, regularly. "All my payments are contactless." Or "I make all payments online," or "they are contactless." Contactless payments. Pretty much making a payment using a credit card or a mobile phone. So I use contactless payments. Or online payments. I just tap my card, tap my phone. So you tap your card when you make a payment. I bring some cash with me. Or you can say, "I usually have some cash on me." Me personally, I never bring any cash with me. I don't have any cash.

Rory: Because someone else is paying?

Maria: No, Rory, I pay for my stuff. I do have some coins at home but I just have my phone. I don't even have a card on me usually. So I just have my phone and I tap my phone everywhere. But you can say, "Yeah, I often, I always bring some cash with me." For example, my brother, he often brings some cash with him. So he always has cash on him. And you can say, "I can't remember the last time I paid for anything with coins or notes."

Rory: There's no need.

Maria: "I pay for stuff using coins or notes" or "I don't pay for anything using coins or notes, banknotes." There is no need for it.

Rory: Coins are metal, notes are folding, they're paper. Well, they're probably not paper, they're probably fiber, but paper money.

Maria: And it's so nice sometimes just to feel the paper money. You feel it.

Rory: Money, money, money.
Maria: When I see paper money, I just go, "Oh, yeah, paper money." And I touch the money, I just smell the money, paper. Because for me, I don't remember the last time I actually had some paper money in my hands. No actually, physically holding money. We pay by card. So we pay by credit card, we make payments online, because there are these online devices everywhere, and I carry cards with me, and it's just better than... what did you say?

Rory: Oh, it's better than having a wad of cash. A wad of cash is just a pile or a stack of cash that you have folded and put in your pocket. I have not done that in years and years and years. You just use a card and it's all okay.

Maria: Yeah, a wad of cash. A pack of notes. In films when they sell something and they have this wad of notes. When I was younger, I used to use a lot of cash. So, definitely yes. Again, a short answer, dear listener. It's absolutely fine to first give a very short answer. It's natural. It's what people do. Native speakers speak like this. "Did you use cash more when you were a child?" Definitely, yes. A short answer and then you say why. And here Rory uses inversion. You said "Not only was it easier to pay with cash, but it was also..." So you can kind of make it a question. Was it easier? But it's not a question, it's inversion. Not only was it easier to pay with cash, but it was also the only acceptable way to pay for things. So when I was a child, it was the only acceptable way. We didn't have any online payments, so Rory used cash.

Rory: How many children had bank cards back in those days, though?

Maria: No, no, no.

Rory: Not many.

Maria: Only cash and coins. Yeah, but maybe, dear listener, you are very young now and maybe you were born with a credit card in your hands. Only with online payments and you've never seen cash in your life. Perhaps, that's true for you. Really, I used only cash for a very long time. Oh, I'm old. I'm old. But still there are people who use only cash and they may not even have any cards, right? And you can use a phrasal verb, pan out. A very nice phrasal verb, dear listener. It's pretty advanced because not many people use it. So pan out, to develop in a particular way, usually a successful way. We'll see how things pan out. How things will develop.

Rory: The end result.

Maria: Or for example, "My business didn't pan out." It wasn't successful, unfortunately.

Rory: You missed something. You missed a band nine piece of vocabulary.

Maria: Ah! What?

Rory: Legal tender.

Maria: Whoa! What's that?

Rory: Legal tender means an acceptable form of payment.

Maria: What do you mean? We don't understand, Rory. It's too difficult for us.

Rory: Like using Scottish banknotes in England.

Maria: Yes, but our listener is not from Scotland, so what do they do?

Rory: It doesn't make a difference. Legal tender is a way of talking about legitimate ways of paying for something.
Maria: Okay, can you use it in a sentence that our listener can use?

Rory: Yes, absolutely. You might have gold, but it's not a form of legal tender. Usually shops only accept money or cash.

Maria: Nice. And we make direct bank transfers. So if you don't have any cash, you can just transfer the money, like at the beginning of the episode when Rory didn't have any cash for me and I said, no, no, no, you can just make a direct bank transfer online. So just transfer the money to my bank account. So sometimes people make direct bank transfers to other people's accounts. You need a phone and the internet. That's all.
But if you are in a remote place, a place which is far away from everywhere and everybody, and if a place doesn't have an internet connection, it might be a problem and you do need some cash. And there are some places like that where only cash is accepted, just because there's no internet. There's no Wi-Fi.

Rory: Where are these places? We must help them.

Maria: Yeah, there are some places like that in the mountains. Come on, in the mountains, in the jungles, and on some islands perhaps. But very few places are like that. Everyone has the internet these days. Well, most people, I think.

Rory: Most people. The people listening to this podcast have the internet. So it's highly likely they will be paying for things in the same ways we will be.

Maria: And about the future and cash, you can say that actually, the reverse is more likely. The reverse that I will use less cash in the future. So you can say, "I think the reverse is more likely."

Rory: The opposite.

Maria: The opposite. Yeah.

Rory: But then I said, "short of some disaster."

Maria: Ah.

Rory: But that means just unless there is some disaster.

Maria: Yay. So, dear listener, we are wondering, do you use cash? Do you really use coins and notes? Or is it just your phone? Or do you still carry cards on you? What about your life? Interesting. And I have a joke. We'll wrap it up with a joke.

Rory: I wondered if there would be a joke.

Maria: Yeah. So, Rory. I've done some terrible things for money.

Rory: Oh my. Like what?

Maria: Getting up early to work. [laughs] Rory, explain the joke.

Rory: Well, doing terrible things for money usually means killing people, but it can also mean getting up too early for work. And getting up early is also a bad thing.

Maria: Thank you very much for listening. We'll get back to you in our next episode. Bye.

Rory: Bye.
It’s that time of the year… again.
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Do you like cycling? How often do you ride a bicycle? Did you have a bike when you were a child? When was the last time you used your bicycle? Is it difficult to learn to ride a bike?
Gifts
What's the best gift you've ever received? Do you like to give expensive gifts? How often do you buy gifts for other people? Have you ever given handmade gifts to others? Have you ever received a gift you didn't like?
Robots 2.0
Are you interested in robots? Would you like to have robots in your home? Are robots important? How can robots affect people’s lives? Would you like to drive a robot-operated car?
Fishing
Is fishing popular in your country? Do you like eating fish? Have you ever been to a place where there are lots of fish around you? Have you seen any movies with lots of fish? Why do people go fishing?
8 Phrases to answer any IELTS Speaking question
In this episode, we are giving you 8 sentences that you can use to answer any IELTS Speaking question. Whenever you don’t know what to say or need to buy some time to think, throw some of these phrases at the examiner and you’ll be fine!
10 Cliche idioms you should avoid using
For this episode, together with Jessica from All Ears English, we picked 10 cliché and cringe-inducing idioms that many English learners seem to use way too often. We'll show you how to use them more naturally and provide alternatives to help you express your ideas more clearly and effectively.
Paying bills
What kind of bills do you have to pay? How do you usually pay your bills, in cash or by another method? Have you ever forgotten to pay a bill? Is there anything you could do to make your bills cheaper?
Languages
What foreign languages have you studied? How did you learn those languages? Would you like to learn any foreign languages? Do you think it's difficult to learn a new language? Will you learn another language in the future?
Concentration
Are you a focused person? What do you do to improve your concentration? How do you stay focused? When is it hard for you to concentrate? What may distract you?
Friends
How important are friends to you? What do you usually do with your friends? What kind of friend would you like to meet in the future? What kind of people do you like to have as friends? Do you prefer to spend time alone or with friends?
Days of the week
What’s your favourite day of the week? How do you usually spend your time on this day? What’s your typical daily routine? Is there anything that you do every day? What do you usually do at the weekends? Which day is your least favourite day?
Teachers
Would you like to be a teacher? Do you think you could be a teacher? Did you have a favourite teacher? How did this teacher help you? Do you remember your teachers from primary school?
Health
How do you keep healthy? What healthy habits do you have? Do you have any unhealthy habits? Did you have any health classes at school? Do you have any advice on keeping healthy for youngsters?
Days off
How often do you have days off? What do you usually do on your days off? Do you usually spend your days off with your parents or friends? When was the last time you had a couple of days off? What would you like to do if you had a day off tomorrow?
Ice cream
Do you like ice cream? What’s your favourite flavour? Did you eat ice cream when you were a child? Are there any shops selling ice cream near your home? Can you make ice cream by yourself?
Dreams and ambitions
Do you think you are an ambitious person? What was your dream when you were a child? What is your main ambition in life now? What’s your dream job? Are you the kind of person who never gives up on your dreams?
Fixing things
Are you good at fixing things? What kinds of things can you fix? Is there anyone in your family who is good at fixing things? Have you ever asked people to teach you how to fix things? Has anyone ever taught you to fix things? What was the last thing you broke in your home?
Rain
Do you prefer rainy or sunny days? What do you do on rainy days? What do you do if you get in the rain? How can we phrase it better? Is rain good? Have you ever changed your plans because of rain? How does rain affect life in your country?
Wild animals
What’s your favourite wild animal? Are there many wild animals in your country? Have you ever seen wild animals? Where can you see wild animals in your area? Do you like watching animals in the zoo?
Bags
Do you like bags? What kinds of bags do you like? Do you have different bags for different occasions? Do you usually carry a bag when you go out? What do you put in your bag?
Staying up late
Do you enjoy staying up late? Do you often stay up late? Did you stay up late when you were a kid? What do you do when you stay up late? How do you feel after you stay up late?
Housework
Do you think your home is clean and tidy? Who usually does the housework in your home? What kind of chores / housework do you usually do? What housework do you dislike? What housework do you like? Did you do some house cleaning when you were young?
Art
Do you like modern or traditional art? Why do some people dislike art? What’s art? Would it be interesting for you to be an artist? What artwork would you like to have in your house?
Music
What kinds of music do you like to listen to? When did you start listening to that type of music? How much time do you spend listening to music every day? When do you listen to music? How do you feel when you listen to music?
Weekends
Do you like weekends? What do you usually do on the weekend? What did you do last weekend? Do you have plans for your weekends? What would you never do on the weekend?
Schools
Did you go to a good school? Where did you go to school? Did you like your teachers? Is there anything you want to change about your school? What are the differences between your school and other schools?
Libraries
Do you often go to the library? Did you go to a library when you were a kid? What do you usually do in the library? What kind of people go to libraries to work or study? Are libraries popular in your country?
Happiness
What things made you happy when you were a child? What activities make you feel happy now? What kinds of people make you happy? When during the day do you feel happiest? Does food ever make you happy? What do you do to stay happy? What would make you happy in the future? When do you feel happy at work? Do you feel happy when you buy new things?
Noise
Do you live in a noisy are? Does being in a noisy place bother you? What do you do to escape noisy places? Are there any specific noises that annoy you? What noise do we have in cities? What kind of noise do cars make? What natural sound(s) do you like the most? Why?
Small businesses
Are there many small businesses in your area? Do you prefer shopping in big companies or small shops? Why do some people prefer to shop in small businesses? Would you ever like to run your own small business? When was the last time you bought something from a small business?
Keys
Do you always bring many keys with you? What are the different types of keys you have and how do they differ? Have you ever copied a key? Have you ever used a keyless entry system? How do you keep your keys secure? What's the oldest key you have in your possession? Have you ever lost a key and had to replace it? Is it a good idea to leave your key with a neighbour? How can you avoid losing your keys? Do you always take your keys when you go out?
T-Shirts
Do you like wearing t-shirts? Do you own many t-shirts? Do you like t-shirts with pictures or prints? How often do you wear t-shirts? Are t-shirts popular in your country? When is it appropriate to wear a t-shirt in your country?
Outer space and stars
Do you enjoy looking at the stars? Have you ever learned about outer space and stars? Are you interested in films about outer space and stars? Can you see many stars at night where you live? Would you ever like to go into space? What would you do if you had a chance to go there?
Jewellery
Do you like wearing jewellery? What types? How often do you wear jewellery? Do you wear a lot of jewellery? Do you usually buy jewellery? Why do some people wear a piece of jewellery for a long time? Have you ever given jewellery as a gift?
Chocolate
Do you like eating chocolate? What's your favorite flavor? Did you often eat chocolate when you were a kid? Is it good to give chocolate as gifts to others? Why do you think chocolate is popular around the world?
History
What did you study in history lessons when you were at school? What did you study in history lessons when you were at school? What did you study in history lessons when you were at school? What did you study in history lessons when you were at school? What did you study in history lessons when you were at school? What did you study in history lessons when you were at school?
Fast food
What kinds of fast food have you tried? What are your favourite kinds of fast food? Do you ever use a microwave to cook food quickly? How popular are fast food restaurants where you live? When would you go to a fast-food restaurant? Do you think you will eat more fast food in the future?
Boring things
Do you often feel bored? Do you think school is boring? What kinds of things would make you feel bored? What would you do if you felt bored? Are you more bored now than when you were young? Have you always found the same things boring? What do you think will bore you in the future?
Reading
Do you often read books? When? Are your reading habits now different than before? Have you ever read a novel that has been adapted into a film? Which do you prefer, reading books or watching movies? What was your favourite book as a child?
Morning Time
Do you like to get up early in the morning? What's your morning routine? Do you like mornings or evenings? Is breakfast important for you? Is there any difference between what you do in the morning now and what you did in the past?
Writing
Do you write a lot? Do you prefer writing by hand or typing? Did you like writing things when you were a child? What do you like to write? Why? Do you think the things you write would change?
Hair
Do you like going to the hairdresser? Do you want to change your hair colour? How often do you have a haircut? How long have you had this haircut? Have you had a haircut you didn't like?
Cooking
Do you like cooking? What do you usually cook? Would you like to learn how to cook? Who usually does the cooking in your family? What do you usually do around the house? Do you like housework?
Technology
Do you like to use new technology? What technology do you often use? What electronic devices have you bought lately? Is there any technology you want to buy? What are the benefits of using technology?
Social Media
Do you like social media? Why? Why not? Which social media do you often use? Do you think your friends spend too much time on social media? Do you want to work in a social media company? What is the most popular form of social media in your country? Why?
Transportation
Do you like to use new technology? What technology do you often use? What electronic devices have you bought lately? Is there any technology you want to buy? What are the benefits of using technology?
Singing
Do you like singing? Do you often sing? Have you ever learned how to sing? Who do you want to sing for? Do you think singing can bring happiness to people? When do you like to sing?
Geography
Have you ever studied geography at school? Do you like geography? Do you want to travel to a country because of its geographical conditions? Are you good at reading maps?
Birthdays
What do you usually do on your birthday? Do you think it is important for you to celebrate your birthday? What did you do on your birthday when you were young? How did you celebrate your last birthday? What birthday presents do you like to get? How do children celebrate birthdays in your country?
Weather
What’s the weather usually like in your hometown? What’s your favourite kind of weather? Do you like the weather in your hometown? Do you like hot or dry weather? What do you do in hot weather? Do you prefer hot or cold weather? Do you prefer wet or dry weather?
Names
Does your name have any special meaning? Do you like your name? What name do your parents/relatives call you? Would you like to change your name? Does anyone in your family have the same name as you? Are there any differences between how people name their children now and in the past in your country? How do people choose names for their children?
Puzzles
Do you like puzzles? Do you like doing word puzzles or number puzzles? Did you like doing puzzles when you were a kid? When do you do puzzles, during trips, or when you feel bored? Do you think it is suitable for older people to do puzzles?
Snacks
Do you like to have snacks between meals? What kind of snacks do you like to eat? When do you usually have snacks? What kind of snacks do children in your country like to eat? What was the most popular snack when you were young?
Art
Do you like art? Have you ever visited an art gallery? Which do you prefer: museums or art galleries? When was the last time you went to an art gallery? What did you learn on that day?
Cars
Do you like cars? What cars do you like? Do you prefer to be a driver or a passenger? What do you usually do in a traffic jam? When do you travel by car? Do you prefer sitting in the front or back?
Home Decoration
What kind of decoration do you prefer? Is there any artwork on the wall in your room? Would you use mirrors to decorate your room? When was the last time you redecorated your home? Will you do it in the future? Do people in your country like redecorating their homes?
Emails
Do you often send emails? How often? Is sending emails common in your country? Do you think sending emails will be more or less common in the future? Do you think sending emails will be more or less common in the future? Do you prefer to have an email or a card for your birthday? Why? Will emails replace letters?
Collecting things
Do you collect things? Are there any things you keep from childhood? Where do you usually keep things you collect? Would you keep old things for a long time? Why? What are the benefits of collecting things?
Advertisements
What advertisements do you dislike? Do ads influence your choice? Is there too much advertising now in our life? Why do companies advertise their products? Is advertising important? Is it good that celebrities advertise things?
Science
Did you study science at school? When did you start learning it? Did you like science classes when you were young? What was your favourite and least fav science subject? How do you use it every day? Do you think science classes are important? Do you think school children should have both science and art classes?
Meeting Places
Where do you usually meet your friends? Do you think there are some places that are more suitable for meeting others? How have meeting places changed compared with the past? Are there any differences between your favourite meeting places now and in your childhood? Where did you last meet with your friends?
Old Buildings
Have you ever seen some old buildings in the city? Do you think we should preserve old buildings in cities? Do you prefer living in an old building or a modern house? Are there any old buildings you want to see in the future? Why? How do old buildings affect the appearance of a place? What aspects of culture do old buildings reflect?
Sports Programmes
Do you like watching sports programmes on TV? Do you like to watch live sports games? Who do you like to watch sports games with? What was your favourite sport when you were a child? What’s the difference between watching sports live at the stadium and on TV at home?
Evening Time
Do you like the morning or evening? What do you usually do in the evening? What did you do in the evening when you were little? Why? Are there any differences between what you do in the evening now and what you did in the past?
Talents
Do you have a talent or something you are good at? Is it the same talent in your family? Do you think your talent can be helpful for your future work? Do you think people in your family have the same talent? Do you want to work on your talent and why?
Computers
How often do you use a computer? What do you usually use a computer for? What kinds of computers are popular in your country? Who taught you how to use a computer? When was the first time you used a computer? What would your life be like without computers? Do you think computers have changed your life?
Watches
Do you like to wear a watch? What kind of watches do you prefer? Is a watch important for you? Have you ever got a watch as a gift? Why do some people wear/like expensive watches? Do you like expensive watches?
Sitting
Where’s your favourite place to sit? Do you like to sit on the sofa or on a chair? Do you always sit down for a long time? Do you feel sleepy when you are sitting down? Can you fall asleep while sitting on a chair? When you were a kid, did you usually sit on the floor?
Online News
What kind of news are popular in your country? Do you often read the news online? Is it convenient to read online news? Where do you usually read news from? What was the last article that you read about? Do you still read newspapers?
Flying
Do you work or are you a student? Why did you choose this job? Do you like it? What's the most interesting part of your job? What's the most difficult part of your job? Is there anything you don't like about your job? What would you like to do in the future?
Daily Routine
What's your daily routine like? Have you ever changed your routine? What's your favourite time of the day? What do you usually do at this time? How do you organise your study time? Do you like to plan what you'll do every day?
Studies
What do you study? Is there something that helps you to study efficiently? What's more essential for you, lecturers, or friends? Is there anything you want to change in your university? Do you like your studies at the moment?
Accommodation
Do you live in a house or a flat? What do you like the most about it? What's your favorite room? Can you describe the view from your windows? Do you plan to leave there in the future?
Apps
Which apps are popular in your country? What kinds of apps will you use in the future? Do you want to make an app of your own in the future? How much time do you usually spend on apps?
Offices
Is it common for people in your country to work in an office? Where do most of your friends work? Would you like to design an office? What kind of office would you like to work in?
Sports
Do you like watching sports programs on TV? Do you like to watch live games? Who do you like to watch sports games with? What kinds of games will you watch in the future?
Time Management
Do you ever change your plans? Is it easy for you to manage time? What's the hardest thing about making plans? Are you ever late for anything? Do you think most people can manage their time well?
Noise
Are there any sounds that you like? Which sounds do you dislike? Do you think there's too much noise in modern society?
Going out
Do you often go out in the evenings? Do people in your country go out a lot? Where do most young people like to go out in your country?
Relatives
How often do you meet your relatives? How do you spend time with your relatives? Are people in your country usually close with their relatives?
Pets
What kind of pets do you like? What kinds of pets are common in your country? Would you like to have an exotic pet?
Rest
What do you do when you take a rest? When was the last time you took a rest and what did you do? When will you take a rest next time?
Future
How do you think your life will change in the future? Are you worried about your future? What challenges do you see for yourself in the near future?
Math
Do you think math is hard? When did you start learning math? Who taught you math? Did you usually use a calculator?
Museums
Are there any museums in your hometown? What's the last time you visited a museum? Did you visit museums when you were a child?
Memory
Do you have a good memory? Do you do anything to improve your memory? Has your memory changed over the years?
TV Program
What's your favorite TV program? Do you talk with your friends about the program you watched? In your country is it possible to watch any TV programs in English?
Getting up early
Do you often get up early in the morning? What kinds of people usually get up early? What are the benefits of getting up early?
Happiness
How would you define happiness? Do you think people in your country are generally happy people? What's the happiest moment in your life?
Forests and Trees
When was the last time you went to a forest? Is there forest near your hometown? Would you like to live in the place that has a lot of trees?
Traffic
How do most people travel to work where you live? What traffic problems are there in your area? How would you reduce the traffic problems in your area?
Songs
Do you like singing? Did you enjoy singing when you were younger? How important is singing in your culture?
Weather
What's the weather like in your country? Does the weather affect your mood? Does rain ever affect transportation in your hometown?
Walking
Do you like to walk on your own or with others? Do people in your country walk a lot? Do you think walking in the countryside is better than walking in the city?
Scenery
Would you like to live in a house with beautiful scenery around it? Why do people like taking pictures of the scenery? Do you enjoy taking photos of the scenery?
Public Holidays
What public holidays do you celebrate in your country? Which public holiday do you like the most? What do you do during public holidays?
Dancing
Why do you think some or many people like dancing? Tell me about any traditional dancing in your country. Do you think traditional dancing will be popular in the future?
Contryside
How often do you visit the countryside? What do you like to do in the countryside? Have areas of countryside in your country changed since you were a child?
Cakes
Do you like sweets more now compared to when you were a child? Have you ever tried to make sweets or cakes? Do you eat cakes or sweets after your meal? What sweets are popular in your country?
Street Markets 2
Do you like going to street markets? When was the last time you went to a street market? Are there many street markets in your country? Do you prefer shopping in a mall or street market?
Losing and finding things
Have you ever lost anything? What should people do to find what they lost? Have you ever found anything? What should people do if they find something? Is it ok to keep the thing you found?
Strangers
Do you often talk to strangers? Is it easy for you to start a conversation with a stranger? Are you afraid of being judged by strangers?
Family
Is family important to you? Who is the favorite member of your family? Who is the oldest member in your family? Do you have a family, not your own that you like, and why do you like them?
Traveling
Do you like travelling? How long was the longest trip you took? What kind of places have you visited?
Street Food
Do you like to try street food? What kind of street food do you like? What street food do people usually eat? Do you like to buy street food when you travel to a new place?
Mobile Phones 2
What was your first mobile phone? How often do you use your mobile phone? Can you describe your mobile phone? How has your mobile phone changed your life?
Taking Photos
Do you like to take photographs? How do you keep your photos? Do you ever delete or throw away photos if they are on paper? Will you take more photos in the future, do you think?
Drawing and Painting
Do you like painting or drawing? Have you ever learned painting or drawing? What do you like to draw? What do you know about painting?
Websites
What kind of websites do you visit? What's your favourite website? What websites are popular in your country? Are there any changes to the websites you use?
Dreams
Do you remember your dreams when you wake up? Do you think dreams affect life? Do dreams have special meanings? Do you like listening about other people’s dreams?
Cinema
Do you like going to the cinema? Did you usually go to the cinema when you were a child? When was the last time you went to the cinema? What kinds of films do you prefer?
New Places
Have you been to a new place recently? How often do you go to new places? Have you ever moved into a new place or a new home? Why is living in the same place for a long time not good?
Driving
Do you like driving? When was the last time you drove? Is driving common in your country? Is it hard to learn to drive? Will you drive more in the future?
Architecture
What kind of architecture do you like the most? If you could live in any home in the world, where would you live? Is architecture an important part in the cities identity?
Concentration 2.0
Are you easily distracted? Why is it difficult for some people to stay focused? What improves concentration? Is it good to do several things at the same time or is it better to focus on one task?
Flowers
What flowers do you like? When was the last time you gave flowers to somebody? What flowers have special meaning in your country? Have you ever planted any flowers?
Colours
What colours do you like to wear? Do people in your country like to wear bright colours? What colours would you never use in your home? Do you think colours influence you?
Animals
What's the most popular pets in your country? What animal would you like to keep as a pet? What's your favourite animal? Would you like to have a pet in the future?
Weather
What's the weather usually like in your hometown? Do you like the weather in your hometown? What's your favorite weather? What do you do in hot weather? 
Watching TV
What types of TV programs do you like to watch? Why do people dislike watching TV? What benefits can people get from watching foreign TV programs? Can you watch TV programs in English in your country?
Spending time with others
Do you like being around other people? Would you prefer to stay alone or with other people? What do you and your friends do together? Do you remember a time when you needed to cooperate with others?
Parks and Gardens
Do you like going to parks? When was the last time you went to a park? Are there any parks where you live? Should parks be free for people?
Shoes
How often do you buy shoes? Have you ever bought shoes online? What's your favorite type of shoes? Do you know anyone who likes to buy a lot of shoes?
Headphones
Do you use headphones? Do you usually use headphones when you listen to music? In what situations would you not use headphones? How often do you buy headphones?
Robots
In the first ever episode, Maria and Rory discuss robots, a topic that sometimes comes up during speaking parts of the IELTS exam
Names
In this episode Rory and Maria discuss "Names" - another very common topic that comes up during IELTS Speaking test
Age
In the third episode of IELTS Speaking for Success podcast Maria and Rory discuss "Age" - a topic that comes up fairly often in IELTS Speaking
Accomodation
This episode Maria and Joe talk about "accommodation" - one of the three topics (along with "studies" and "work") that you can actually prepare for
Water
In the fifth episode Maria and Rory discuss water. Lot's of useful words, grammar and jokes to satisfy your knowledge hunger and brighten up your day
Jeans
Lots of people struggle to talk about Jeans... But have no fear! We have come to the rescue with 12 minutes of useful "Jeans" content".
Patience
Let's see how big your patience reservoir is and whether you can sit through the whole episode without turning it off.
Animals
Maria and Rory talk about animals - allergenic and hypoallergenic, wild and domesticated, dogs and cats, sharks and alligators
Sharing
In this episode, Maria and Rory talk about sharing and discuss lots of useful vocabulary related to the topic!
Season Finale
In the final episode of season 1 Rory takes a full IELTS Speaking test
Hairstyle
The topic of the first episode of 2020 and Season 2 is "Hairstyle". Maria and Rory discuss bad haircuts, fringes and of course, ridiculous decisions that Rory made when he was a teenager.
Perfume
Tune in to find out the difference between aftershave and body spray, perfume and cologne, fragrance and scent, as well as what vocabulary one can use to describe how something smells.
Teamwork
We’re back with a new episode. This time Maria and Rory discuss “Teamwork” - a topic that might come up in parts 1 and 3 of your IELTS Speaking test.
Pens
We are back with weekly episodes! This week Maria and Rory talk about "Pens" as it is of the new topics of 2020 IELTS Speaking test and you guys should be ready for it!
Art
Listen to the episode to find out whether Rory has a painting of Maria in his bedroom or not, as well as what it takes him to be cultured and sophisticated.
Books
In this episode (our longest episode so far) Maria and Rory discuss books. Page-turners and door-stoppers, fiction and non-fiction, encyclopedias and fairytales, Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, Pushkin and Lermontov and of course, red riding hood
Coffee
In this episode we are finally talking about Coffee - the second most traded commodity in the world and a drink loved all around the globe. We'll discuss different types of coffee, ways to describe its taste and smell.
Toys
What words should you use when describing something like a toy? What do toys teach children? Do modern parents spend too much on toys for their kids? Innovative or innovAtive?
Boredom
If you have ever wanted to know 10 ways to say "I am bored", if you are in your 20s/30s but still wondering what has Papa Roach's song "Last Resort" got anything to do with resorts this episode is for you.
Science
This time Maria and Rory talk about Jessie Pinkman's field of expertise - SCIENCE! Why do planets go around the sun? Do all sciences end with "_ology"? Is a tomato a fruit, a vegetable, a cherry, or a berry?
Cake
Tune in to hear Rory's sweet answers, find out about the the most popular dessert (or desert?) in Scotland and whether Rory is a good cook (or cooker?).
Dreams
Do you often have dreams? Do you think we can learn something from dreams? Do you think dreams affect life?  Do you believe that dreams have a meaning?
Morning routine
What’s your morning routine? How is your morning routine different from when you were a child? What would you like to change about your current routine?
Crowded Places
Which places in your city are crowded? How do you feel in these crowded places? Have you ever felt comfortable in a very crowded place?
Plants
Do you know a lot about plants? Have you ever had a plant? Would you give a plant as a present? Do you know how to cultivate plants?
Food
Are you a foodie? What kinds of food do you particularly like to eat? What kinds of foods are most popular in your country? How many meals a day do you have?
Seasons
Which season do you like the most? What’s the weather like in your hometown?  Do you prefer dry or wet weather? Rory how do people in your country deal with bad weather?
Films
Do you enjoy watching films? What kinds of movies do you like best? Do you prefer foreign films or films made in your country? Who’s your favorite film star?
Friends and Friendship
Do you have many friends? How often do you see your friends? What kind of people do you like to make friends with? Do you think you are a good friend to others?
Hotels
What are some good hotels in your city? What qualities make a hotel a good one? What problems do people usually have in hotels?
Social Media
Which social media websites do you use? How much time do you spend on social media? What kind of information about yourself have you put on social media?
Insects
Do you like insects? What kinds of insects make some people scared? Do you think insects are useful? Are many different insects in the place where you live?
Numbers
Do you have a favorite number? Do any numbers have special importance in your country? Were are you good at math, at school? What numbers do people often have to memorize?
Health
Is health awareness important? Do you think people have become more health conscious in recent years? What can be done to make people more aware of their health?
History
Do you like history? Did you enjoy learning history when you were a child? When was the last time you read about history? Do you think children should learn history?
Public Transport
Do you travel by public transports? When was the last time you traveled by public transport? What’s the most popular modes of transportation in your hometown?
Music
What kind of music do you listen to? What kinds of music do you dislike? Do you prefer listening to music alone or with someone? Does music influence your mood?
Handwriting 2
Do you often write things? Do you prefer to write by hand or using a computer? Is your handwriting easy to read? Did you like writing things when you were a child?
Shopping
Do you often buy things? Do you enjoy buying expensive things? Do you compare the price in different shops before you buy something? Do you usually search for bargains?
Staying up late
Do you stay up late? How do you feel when you’ve stayed up late to the night before? What do you usually do when you stay up late? How do you stay awake if you stay up late?
Laughter
Do you often laugh? When was the last time you laughed? Do you like watching funny TV programs? What kinds of things make you laugh?
Holiday
How often do you go on holiday? Do you like taking one long holiday or a couple of short ones? Do you prefer a holiday in a city or at the beach?
Languages
Do you like learning languages? Are you learning any foreign languages now? Is it important to learn a foreign language? How did you learn the languages that you speak?
Rubbish
Why do some people throw garbage on the streets instead of using trash bins? What do you do if you see rubbish on the street? Do you help in keeping the streets tidy?
Tidiness
Should you force yourself to be tidy? Is a bit of chaos good for creativity? What's the difference between vacuuming and hoovering?
Clothes
Do the clothes we wear say something about who we are? Unconventional = free thinking and creative? Formal = industrious and work-oriented? Do you think men and women have the same view of clothing?
Meeting new people
How and where do you meet new people? Should you care about other people's opinions about you? How much should you trust the first impression of someone? Has your star sign got anything to do with how much of an extrovert/introvert you are?
Mobile phones
Should there be laws and regulations on the use of mobile phones? At what age should we give a mobile phones to our children? Voice messages or text messages? What's the future of mobile phones?
Baking
Do you like baking? What do people usually bake in your country? Do you think you’ll be baking more in the future? What would you like to bake?
Goals
What's more important: short-term goals or long-term ones? What kind of personal goals do people usually set in their life? Not having goals = stagnating?
Maps
What kind of maps are available in the world? Why do people prefer electronic maps to paper maps? Would Rory survive without a map?
Bicycles
Are bicycles suitable for all ages? What are the benefits of riding a bicycle for a child? What are some of the world's countries with the bike-friendliest cultures?
Parks
IELTS Speaking model answers (Parks) - What are the benefits of having gardens in the city? Is it important for cities to have public parks? Why do people living in cities like public gardens? Can you really walk anywhere in Scotland?
Neighborhood
What do you like and dislike most about your neighborhood? What are some of the changes you have noticed in your area? What facilities are there in your neighborhood?
Newspapers
Is the Internet is a good way to get news? Is it important to stay informed about what's happening in the world? What effect do newspapers have on society?
Picnics
What are some of the places that one could go to to have a picnic? Does Rory like mosquitoes and do they like him back? Why in general do people go on picnics? Where and when was Rory's last picnic?
Concentration
What are some of the things you could do to improve your concentration? Is multitasking real? What distracts you the most?
New Activities
What's neophobia and why are some people afraid of trying new things? Is it better to have new experiences when you're young or when you're older? Should you try new activities alone or with friends?
Fish and fishing
Is Fishing a good hobby or do you need to have patience of a saint to succeed? Where do people go fishing in Scotland? Fish or fishes? Where can you buy fish from? Is it a good idea to keep fish as pets?
Being in a hurry
What are some of the things that you should and should not do in a hurry? Why do people make mistakes when they're in a hurry? Should you always try and do everything planned?
Weekend
Would you say that weekends were more important to you as a child or now? What would your ideal weekend be like? Do men and women usually do the same kind of things on the weekend?
Text messages
Why do people send texts? What do you prefer: sending or receiving messages? In what situations are phone calls better than text messages and would you say that in general, phone calls are better than texts?
Gifts
Do you prefer to give or receive gifts? How often do you buy gifts for other people? What gifts did you get when you were a child? Have you ever received a gift which you didn't like?
Furniture
What furniture do you own? What's your favorite item of furniture? Have you ever received furniture as a gift? What style of furniture do you prefer: modern or traditional?
Change
What has been the greatest change in your life so far? Have there been any changes in your hometown recently? What do you plan to change next year?
Sport
What are the benefits of doing sport? What was your favorite sport when you were a child? Do you like to watch sports on TV? What kinds of sports would you like to try in the future?
Work and Studies
What's the most interesting part in your work/studies and what's the most difficult one? What do you dislike about your work/studies? What kind of work would you like to do in the future?
Recycling
What kind of things do you recycle? Did you learn about recycling when you were a child? Do people usually recycle in your hometown? Have your attitudes towards recycling changed over the last couple of years?
Making Lists
How often do you make lists? Do you make a shopping list when you go shopping? Why don't some people like making lists? Do you prefer to make lists on paper or on your phone?
Famous People
Have you ever met celebrities or pop stars in person? Who's your favorite movie star? Do you read news about celebrities? How do celebrities influence their fans in your country?
Hometown
What's your hometown like? What did you like about your hometown when you were a child? What's your hometown known for?
Jokes
Are you good at telling jokes? Do you like listening or telling jokes? How do you know what jokes are proper to say to your friends?
Discussions
Who do usually have discussions with? Have your discussion topics changed since you were a child? Do you often change your opinions? Do you prefer to talk or to listen?
Borrowing Things
Have you ever borrowed money? Do you mind if someone asks to borrow something from you? How do you feel when people don't return things they borrowed from you?
Your Country
Where is your country located? Which part of your country do most people live in? What are the main industries in your country? What are some of the good things about living in your country?
Colours
What colour would you like to paint your bedroom? Is colour, very important to you when you are buying something? Are there any colours that have a special meaning in your country?
Home
What can you see from the windows where you live? What do you like about living there? What do you dislike? Would you change anything about your home?
Smiling
Do you like smiling? When do you usually smile? What can make you smile? Can you identify a fake smile?
Evenings
Do you do the same thing every evening? Do you prefer to spend your evening with family or friends? Do you do the same thing in the evenings as you did when you were a child?
Ads
How do you feel about advertisements? Is there much advertising in your country? What do you think is the purpose of advertising?
Car trips
Do you like traveling by car? What's the farthest place you've traveled to by car? When will your next car trip beam?
Environmental Protection
What can people do together to protect the local environment? What's the importance of environmental education? What do you personally do to protect the environment?
Special Costumes
Did you wear any special costumes when you were young? When was the last time you wore a special costume? Do you ever buy special costumes?
Wild Animals
Is it important to protect wild animals? Should children learn things about animals? In which country do you think you can see wild animals?
Sky and Stars
Do you like to watch the sky? What's the sky like at night in your hometown? What's your favorite star? Is it important to study stars?
Primary School
Did you like primary school? What did you like to do when you were in primary school? What did you do in your free time at primary school?
Relaxing
What do you do to relax? Do you think vacation is a good time for you to relax? Do you think students need more time to relax?
Make-up
What does wearing make-up mean to you? Do you give make-up as a gift? What do you think when you see a man wearing make-up?
Mirrors
Do you think mirrors are a necessary decoration? Where do you put mirrors? Do you have a mirror in your bag?
Politeness
Do you think people should be polite? Is it important to be polite in your country? How important is politeness for you?
Mobile Apps
What apps do you usually use? Do you use your smartphone more now than in the past? What kind of smartphone will you use in the future?
Rain
Do you like rainy days? What do you do on rainy days? Does it rain much in your country? Is there any part of your country where it doesn't rain much? Does rain ever affect transportation in your hometown?
Tiredness
What do you do when you feel tired? Who do you usually talk to when you feel mentally tired? Are you often tired? Do you like to talk to strangers when you feel mentally tired?
Markets
Do you like to go to street markets? Which do you prefer markets or shopping malls? Have your shopping habits changed over the years?
Islands
Do you like islands? Are there any islands in your country? Do you want to live on an island? What would you like to do if you were on an island?
Amusement parks
Do you like amusement parks? When was the last time you went there and what did you do? Are there many amusement parks where you live?
Getting lost
Have you ever got lost? How can you find your way when you are lost? Have you ever helped someone who got lost? Do you ever use any applications with maps?
Handwriting
How did you learn to write? Do you usually writes by hand? Do you have good handwriting? Do you like receiving handwritten letters?
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