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TOUCHSTONE 4 Topics and Writing Retakes 2018
TOUCHSTONE 4 Topics and Writing Retakes 2018
Use: Present perfect and the Present perfect continuous and verbs that are followed by verbs
+ing, + inf.
1. How have your personal tastes changed over the last 5 years?
2. What are your tastes in clothes and fashion? What kind of music do you like? Are there
any bands that you don’t listen to now as much as you used to?
3. Do you go shopping as often as your friends?
Topic 3. Tell about the traditions and customs of your country (or the country you would like
to live in)
Use: Present simple passive, V+ing as a subject and any proverb you find relevant
1. What is your social style? Are there more introverts or extroverts among your friends?
Who do you socialize with?
2. Do teenagers feel comfortable socializing in large groups?
3. Where are some good places to go out with friends?
Use: Passive of modals (should be done, could be done, etc.) and expressions in fact, so that
Use the following prompts:
1. Which laws can you propose to the government? Which laws should be enforced?
2. Do you have laws about wearing seat belt and using a cell phone in a car? How should
you get rid of litter and garbage?
3. What do you think about 18 as the age of majority? Do you think you should be allowed
to vote at 18?
Topic 6. Describe a strange event (coincidence or deja vu) that once happened to you
Topic 7. Tell about the household problem you have recently solved
Use: Causative get and have and expressions actually, as you might guess
1. How do you usually take care of problems? Do you ever ignore problems until the last
minute?
2. Do you ever have things delivered to your house? What?
3. What is something in your home that often needs to be fixed?
1. Do you think you have too many possessions? How good are you at managing money?
2. What is something that you couldn’t live without?
3. Have you ever bought or sold anything online?
1. How do people become famous? How important is it to be “in the right place at the
right time”?
2. What do you think is the best / the worst thing about being famous?
3. If you had had the opportunity, would you have wanted to become famous?
Use: Passive voice and expressions in fact, instead of, as a result of, despite
1. What is the most serious environmental problem and what is being done to solve it?
What can people do to protect the environment?
2. What kind of issues with pollution does your country have?
3. Why is it important for everyone to recycle?
Use: Future tenses, What-clauses and expressions What I heard, personally, The best part is
Use the steps below to write an anecdote in about 100 words about something you
were nervous about doing and how you overcame it.
Writing Task 2
Write a blog entry in about 100 words about a trend you've noticed in your town or
city. Use words and expressions for describing trends.
Think about:
• technology trends
• fashion trends
• environmental awareness trends
• behavior or attitude trends