general vocabulary Useful interview expressions

1 Here are some com mon spoken expressions that you m ight find useful in the IELTS Speaking Test.
Put each expression into the correct box in the table according to its function.

1. C o u ld I just say th at : - 11. I d o n 't en tire ly ^ g ree.

2. W h a t are yo u r view s o n ...? 12. I see things rather differently myself.

3. D o -y o tt-ag r ee th at. -? 13. Let me inte rru p t you there.

4. Sorry to in te rru p t,... 14. W h a t d o you th in k a b o u t...?

5. Excuse me fo r in te rru p tin g ,... 15. Sorry to b u tt in,...

6. I a g fe e . 16. Tha t's just w h a t I think .

7. W ell, as a m a tte r o f fact,... 17. That's right.

8. I c o u ld n 't agree m ore. 18. W ell, actually,...

9. That's m y vie w exactly. 19. W hat's yo u r opin ion ?

10. W h a t are yo u r feelings a b o u t...? 20. I'm afraid I disagree / d o n 't agree.

Agreeing w ith somebody Disagreeing w ith som ebody

/ agree. / d o n 't e n tirely agree.

Interrupting somebody Asking som ebody for their opinion

C o u ld 1ju s t say th a t... ? D o y o u agree th a t...?

2 N o w do the same w ith these.

1. In e th e r^ w o rd ^ -.- 11. I'm sorry?

2. W h a t I m ean is... 12. To p u t it a n o th e r w a y ...

3. M a y I th in k a b o u t th a t fo r a m om ent? 13. Let me th in k a bo u t th a t fo r a m om en t.

4. So, in conclusion,... 14. That's an interesting question.

5. C o uld y o u repeat th e question? 15. T o sum m arise,...

6. Perhaps I should m ake th a t clearer by saying... 16. W h a t was that?

7. Let m e see. 17. W h a t I'm tryin g to say is...

8. In short / b rie f,... 18. Hrom , h o w can-l put-/-say-this?

9. To sum u p ,... 19. So, basically;.::

10. I'm afraid I d id n 't catch that. 20. W o u ld yo u m ind repeating that?
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 general vocabulary
Useful interview expressions
Asking for clarification or repetition Saying something in another w a y

Could yo u repeat the question ? In other words...

G iving yourself time to think Summ ing up w h a t you have said

H m m , h o w can 1p u t / say this? So, basically...

3 Fill in the gaps in these extracts from lELTS-style interviews w ith a suitable expression from Exercise
1 or 2. In each case, more than one answer is possible.

1.
Interview er: W h y are so m any people obsessed w ith celebrities?
Student:
Interview er: W h y are so m any people obsessed w ith celebrities?

Interview er: A lot of people say th a t w e 've becom e to o reliant on technology. W hat's yo u r opinion?
Student: ....................................................................... In fact, I th in k th a t it's taking over o u r lives.

3.
Interviewer: Do yo u th in k th a t people in places like India, Bangladesh and o ther African countries
w o rk h a rde r...
Student: b ut d o n 't you m ean Asian countries?
Interviewer: O f course, yes, that's w h a t I m eant.

4.
Interviewer: Some professional sports people are paid far to o m uch. Do you agree?
Student: ...................................................................... First of all, I th in k th a t there are times w h e n the
salary the y're paid is justified, b u t then again, a lot of th e m ...

5.
Interview er: T h e w a y parents behave can have a p ro fo u n d effect on h o w their children develop.
Do yo u agree?
Student: Yes I do. Children need people w h o can influence the m in a positive way, and w h o can
show the m the difference betw een rig ht and w ro n g ............................................................
th e y need go o d role models.

6.
Interview er: Some people say th a t private vehicle o w nership should be banned, and w e should all
use public transport. A re the y right, do you think?
Student: ......................................................................First of all, public transport can't always take you
exactly w h e re yo u w a n t to go. Secondly, it's expensive and unreliable. Th e n there's
the problem w ith ....
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