Part 3 — DiscussionQ3/2026Difficulty 4/5

Ky nang & thanh tuu

IELTS Speaking questions reported by recent test-takers, compiled each quarter. Cambridge does not publish the active list, so this is a compilation of reports, not official material.

Questions

Question 190s to speak

Which skills do you think will matter most in the next twenty years?

Question 290s to speak

Is it better to learn a skill from a teacher or by yourself? Why?

Question 390s to speak

Why do many people give up before they master a skill?

Model answer

Written by 8020 teachers. Do not memorise it — take the structure and the way ideas are developed, then speak about your own life.

Which skills do you think will matter most in the next twenty years? The ones that don't automate well, which I'd guess are judgement under uncertainty and the ability to explain something clearly to someone who disagrees. Technical skills matter, obviously, but they change every few years. Explaining and deciding have been valuable for centuries and I can't see that reversing. Is it better to learn a skill from a teacher or by yourself? A teacher is worth most at the start and at plateaus. At the beginning you can't tell good practice from bad, so learning alone means building habits you'll have to unlearn. In the middle, self-study is usually more efficient. Then when you stop improving, a teacher sees the thing you can't see about yourself. Why do many people give up before they master a skill? Because progress isn't linear and expectations are. The early stage improves fast, then there's a long flat period where effort produces almost nothing visible, and most people read that flat period as evidence they lack talent. It's usually just the shape of learning.

Vocabulary you can use today

the ones that don't automate well
những thứ khó tự động hoá
judgement under uncertainty
khả năng phán đoán khi chưa đủ thông tin
worth most at the start and at plateaus
có giá trị nhất ở lúc đầu và lúc chững
habits you'll have to unlearn
thói quen sau này phải bỏ đi
progress isn't linear and expectations are
tiến bộ không đi thẳng nhưng kỳ vọng thì có
the shape of learning
hình dạng tự nhiên của quá trình học

Common traps for Vietnamese speakers

Câu "tiến bộ không đi thẳng nhưng kỳ vọng thì có" là câu ăn điểm nhất bộ này. Nó ngắn, đối lập rõ, và trả lời đúng câu hỏi. Ở câu "học với thầy hay tự học", đừng chọn một bên — chia theo GIAI ĐOẠN (đầu, giữa, lúc chững). Chia giai đoạn là cách trả lời band 7.5 cho mọi câu hỏi "cái nào tốt hơn". Nói "I'd guess" khi thật sự đang phỏng đoán. Nó không hạ điểm; giả vờ chắc chắn về hai mươi năm tới thì mới đáng nghi.

âm cuối /z/ trong skills, years, habits/s//dʒ/ trong judgement, generallyâm cuối /t/ trong most, expect, efficient/θ/ trong twenty→/t/, things, month

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