Topic Guidance – IELTS Speaking part 2, 3

1. IELTS Speaking part 2: Narrate an occasion when you offered advice to others 

The essay topic

Narrate an occasion when you provided advice to others 

You ought to say: 

• Who you gave advice to 
• What the situation was 
• What advice you gave 
• And what the result was

Example

I’m going to talk about a piece of practical advice which I’ve just given my brother recently. Usually, he never consults me about anything. That’s why when he came to me to seek some advice, I was pleasantly surprised. It turned out that he wanted to ask about his higher education. I graduated from my bachelor program just a couple years ago so maybe that’s why he felt that I was the right person that he could come to.

He was going to study at a university this year and he was nervous about what skills he should focus on in his study. He told me that he wanted to become a software engineer. After giving it some thought, I suggested that he should spend more time developing his English. At that time, he hadn’t thought that learning English could be crucial to his career. I then explained to him why being proficient in a foreign language, especially English, was essential in this day and age.

For him, most of his learning material and all of the technical terms would be in English. Therefore, not knowing this language would drastically incapacitate his learning ability. What’s more, many of his future clients would be from overseas countries and English had proven to be the most effective language of communication in international business.

After I finished giving my advice, he nodded in agreement. He said he was going to think about what I said. I was glad that I could help him in some way. I thought my suggestion was pragmatic and meaningful. He’s a smart kid, I think he’ll make the correct decision.

Glossary

• A piece of advice (expression): một lời khuyên.
  Advice không đến được nên phải thêm “a piece of”
• Practical (adj): thực tiễn
• To consult (v) + someone: tham vấn ai đó
• To seek advice (expression): hỏi xin lời khuyên
• Crucial (adj): cực kì quan trọng. Đồng nghĩa: extremely  important.
• In this day and age (expression): trong thời đại này
• Have proven to be (expression) + adj: chứng minh rằng

2. Topic Guidance – IELTS Speaking part 3

2.1. Generally, which types of individuals are most appropriate for offering advice to others? 

I think there’re at least two qualities that would make a person a good advisor. First of all, that person has to understand people and must be able to sympathize with them. For most of us, this isn’t easy. Personally, there have been many times that I’ve judged people before fully understanding their struggle.

The second quality which that person should have is experience in what they are asked about. If he or she is asked about financial problems or relationship issues, he or she must have sufficient knowledge in the respective areas to give meaningful advice.

• To sympathize (v) + with : thông cảm với ai đó
• To judge (v): đánh giá 
• Struggle (n): khó khăn
• Sufficient (adj): đầy đủ 
• Respective (adj): riêng từng. đừng nhầm lẫn với
• Respectful (adj): liên quan đến sự tôn trọng

2.2. In what scenarios is it preferable to heed advice from your friends rather than your parents?

Off the top of my mind, I think it is better to take your friends’ advice on romantic relationships, especially in my country. Romance in Vietnam in this day and age is vastly different from what it used to be.

Dating apps and romantic activities in the virtual world have become mainstream in my generation. Our parents may not understand these fully enough to give applicable advice so I think a friend can be your trusted guide or just simply  a person who can sympathize with your situation.

• Off the top of my mind (expression): theo tôi nghĩ (ý nói: câu trả lời phía sau là ý kiến cá nhân 100% và có những ý chưa được kiểm chứng)
• Vastly (adv): rất nhiều (nói về sự khác biệt)
• The virtual world (expression): thế giới ảo 
• Mainstream (adj): thịnh hành
• Guide (n): người hướng dẫn/dẫn dắt

2.3. Which do you believe is preferable, advice from younger individuals or advice from older individuals? 

In my opinion, good advice can come from anyone regardless of their age. Yes, it is true that older people are generally considered wiser than younger people. But young people can offer more insightful advice when it comes to totally novel trends or issues.

Take career for example, if a person chooses to pursue a traditional career path, it is better for that person to ask for advice from a person who has decades of experience in that area. On the other hand, career advice regarding social media, say, being an online influencer, I think it is better to consult the young internet-savvy people.

• Regardless of + noun: bất kể
• Wise (adj): thông thái
• Insightful (adj): 
• Novel (adj): mới mẻ. đừng nhầm với novel (n): tiểu thuyết
• Regarding + noun: liên quan đến
• Internet-savvy (adj): sành sỏi và internet 

2.4. Why do many young individuals fail to heed advice from older individuals?

Rejection of advice, in my point of view, is caused by pride. By and large, young people are full of pride. We’re passionate and we want to prove our value to the world but we also want to take all the credit. As I grow older, I realize that this mindset can result in serious mistakes. Even though the advice from older people can seem to be outdated, it is a source of wisdom and lessons. We can learn from the errors of the older generation in order to avoid repeating them.

• Rejection (n): sự từ chối
• Pride (n): lòng tự kiêu
• By and large (expression): nhìn chung
• Passionate (adj): có sự nhiệt huyết
• To take all credit (expression): nhận hết thành quả 
• Outdated (adj): lỗi thời
• In order to: để