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CLIMATE crisis: Climate change is a crisis that cannot be ignored by governments. record levels/amount: Despite the claims of some scientists, we are now producing record levels of CO2 and there is no dispute about the connection between this and global warming. disaster/disastrous: It is not an exaggeration to say that the effects of global warming are disastrous. global: Although some areas are relatively unaffected now, climate change is a global problem. irreversible: The major concern is that the effects of our actions on the climate will be irreversible. long-term: The effects of our use of fossil fuels today may last for generations and it is almost certain to have long-term consequences for humanity.

Negative Effects This group of climate change vocabulary gives you language to explain what the effects are. As you read through the examples note the different language I use for effects and probability. ill-health: It sometimes goes unnoticed that there is a clear connection between climate change and ill-health. floods/rainstorms: One result of the rising temperatures is that floods and rainstorms are now a frequent occurrence. the Polar ice cap: One major concern is that rising temperatures in the Arctic are causing the Polar ice cap to melt, which in turn is leading to rising sea levels. heatwaves and droughts: Most experts agree that there is an increased risk of heatwaves and other extreme weather conditions. the natural world: Climate change will not only have a severe impact on people, but also devastate the natural world and lead to the extinction of important species. food shortages: We are already seeing in many parts of the world that climate change is leading to food shortages as a direct consequence of extreme weather conditions. housing/homelessness: One side-effect of rising sea levels is that more and more people who live by the coast will become homeless. conflicts/wars: If no action is taken on climate change, then it is likely that there will be more conflicts between nations, especially over water supplies. cost: It has been shown that any delay in making emission cuts will increase the cost of reducing carbon dioxide by almost 50%.

Causes

You may also need to discuss the causes of climate change too. You don’t need any very technical knowledge and this vocabulary should be enough. Again, note the cause language. human activity: It is no longer possible to say that human activity does not affect weather conditions. greenhouse gas emissions: If we are to halt climate change, we need to make substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. power stations: One of the leading causes of climate change is the number of dirty power stations using fossil fuels. carbon emissions: Carbon emissions are still rising year by year and are at record levels. illegal logging and deforestation: It should not be forgotten that illegal logging in the Amazon Basin is still a major factor inclimate change. burning fossil fuels: Individuals can make a small contribution by not burning wood and other fossil fuels. CO2: The root cause of much global warming is the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Possible solutions These words and phrases show different kinds of solutions. Some show what should be done (use more renewable energy and invest money), others show how it should be done (quickly and together). wind and solar power: An obvious solution is to deploy much more wind and solar power. renewable energy: Wind farms and other sources of renewable energy will help to reduce Co2 emissions to an acceptable level. international action/cooperation: International action on climate change could have a significant impact. quick/immediate action: Any action should be immediate because this is not a problem that can be delayed. investment: There should be greater incentives to invest in renewables and to reduce the current reliance on fossil fuels. decommission power stations: It goes without saying that coal-fuelled power stations should be decommissioned. protest/campaign: Individuals can help force governments to act by taking part in legal protests against the continuing use of fossil fuels. energy efficiency and waste: A greater emphasis on energy efficiency and reducing waste would undoubtedly mean that less fuel was consumed.

Ways of taking action

Climate change is a problem – that almost everyone can agree on. When you have a problem, you need to take action. These words and phrases give you a variety of ways of saying that. Note the different structures used with these verbs. cope: It is clear that national governments are no longer able to cope by themselves with the problem. tackle: A global solution is necessary as only international bodies will be able to tackle climate change. avert: Investment in renewable energy will help avert the impact of the CO2 emissions. prevent: The only way to prevent a disaster is to reduce these emissions to zero. act/take action: Governments should take decisive action to halt global warming. fight/combat: A way needs to be found to make combatting global warming that is affordable. sustainable and affordable: The key is to ensure that all countries around the world have the chance to adopt energy

How individuals can help You may be asked what we as individuals can do about climate change. Here are some ideas – there are plenty of them: lobby MPs: If enough of us lobbied our MPs and other elected representatives then they would have to bring in legislation. participate in peaceful protests: Another possibility is to take part in marches and other peaceful protests to apply pressure on governments and raise awareness of the issue.. community projects: In some areas there are small-scale community projects to encourage local residents to install solar panels and, in some places, help pay for them. share transport: We also have the responsibility to consider how we contribute to global warming by making unnecessary car journeys. We can always cycle to work, have a joint school run with other parents and even share a car on the daily commute to work. diet and our carbon footprint: Reducing food wastage is perhaps the way individuals can minimise their carbon footprintand so help global warming. energy-efficient lightbulbs: Another small way in which we can use less energy is to switch to energy efficient lightbulbs. solar panels: There are an increasing number of solar panels on the market and these can not only reduce energy bills but also mean that less carbon fuel is consumed. heat insulation: Likewise, it is important that people insulate their houses well so that less gas and electricity is consumed.

Our effect on the natural world [audio:http://www.dcielts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/environ4.mp3|titles=natural world idea] When we’re the discussing the environment, it’s important not to forget that our actions have an impact not only on us but on the natural world and other species. So, for example, certain species are now endangered because of our actions. it’s not just because of hunting, but because we have

destroyed their natural habitats: they do not enough food or anywhere to live. If we carry on in this way, the biodiversity of the planet is under threat.

Pollution [audio:http://www.dcielts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/environ2.mp3|titles=pollution ideas] I would have said that one of the most serious environmental problems today is of course pollution. It’s a very pressing green issue and if you travel to any of the large cities in China, for example, you’ll find that there is very bad air pollution and there is a layer of smog hanging over the cities. It’s just air pollution, there is also water pollution. in many parts of the world, the quality of the water is not good because rivers have been contaminated by all sorts of industrial waste, by chemicals and fertilisers. And what we need to do is to recycle our waste and take care of the planet and try use renewable resources where we possibly can.

Energy [audio:http://www.dcielts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/energy.mp3|titles=energy ideas] Another extremely important green issue is of course energy. There are two points to be made here. The first point is that the way we use energy is causing harm to the environment. Most of us get energy in the form of electricity. This electricity is produced by power stations. These power stations emit all sorts of dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide up into the atmosphere. And these gases cause acid rain which does harm to our ecosystem and environment. the second point to make about energy is we need to make sure that we are using energy in a sustainable way. There is a limit to the Earth’s natural resources and there is a danger that we use so much energy the Earth is no longer going to be able to provide us with sufficient coal and fossil fuels. What we need to do is look for more renewable sources of energy such as wind or perhaps solar energy from the sun.

Global warming [audio:http://www.dcielts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/environ1.mp3|titles=Global warming ideas] What’s the greatest threat to the Earth today? I’d have to say it’s probably a combination of global warming and the greenhouse effect. I don’t understand all the science behind it, but I understand it’s to do with the build up of gases such as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which means that the planet is slowly but steadily getting warmer. and one of the results of this is that the polar icecap is melting and the levels of the oceans are rising. And it’s caused I understand by deforestation, particularly ofrainforests and particularly in the Amazonian Basin. And what this means is that we may be doing irreparable harm to the planet and the future of the planet for our children and our children’s children looks really rather bleak.

To discuss this topic well, it helps to distinguish between different types of immigration. illegal immigrants: – people who enter a country illegally economic migrants: – people who move country to earn more money migrant workers: – note that migrant can also work as an adjective immigrant community/population: – this can be used for people who have settled in country for some time influx of immigrants: – this is usually used in a negative sense meaning that there are too many immigrants first generation immigrant: – this is either an immigrant or a child on an immigrant [sometimes it is hyphenated as “first-generation”]

Arguments in favour of immigration There are various arguments in favour of immigration – these mostly relate to the economic benefits immigrants bring to a country. Note that I have added examples to some of these reasons to explain them further. dynamism: Immigrants provide dynamism which is beneficial to the economy and helps growth and competitiveness. For example, many immigrants set up their own businesses. unskilled labour: In many countries there is a shortage of unskilled labour and the immigrant population is typically willing to do work that the native population is not. This is particularly the case in agricultural communities where immigrants provide seasonal labour in the harvest season. skilled labour: A large proportion of young immigrants are highly-qualified university graduates and they work in fields where there is a shortage of skilled labour.

childcare: Another benefit that immigrants bring is that they often work in childcare or as home helps and this enables more mothers to return to work. boost the economy: Most research shows that encouraging immigration actually provides a boost to the economyas immigrants are net contributors to the GDP. There is also evidence that they actually claim fewer benefits and pay more tax than the native population. principle of freedom of movement: There is also the consideration that the principle of freedom of movement is a human right and that people should be allowed to choose where they live. short-term only: It should also be considered that many younger migrants return home once they have earned enough money and will never claim pensions in their host country.

Arguments against immigration These arguments are normally based on social consequences of immigration and the impact it has on the native population. There are also arguments (factual or otherwise) that immigrants are bad for the economy. Also note the range of language to discuss problems (highlighted in red) integration: The major argument against immigration is that so many migrants fail to integrate with the local community and culture and this leads to social tension and even unrest. local services and jobs: One common difficulty is that they increase the pressure on local services and create competition for local jobs and this creates ill-will. claim benefits/social housing: One reason why people want less immigration is that immigrants do not pay tax and still claim benefits and require social housing that is paid for by taxpayers. schools: Another serious issue is that in some areas schools do not have sufficient places for the children and so class sizes become unmanageable. language: Related to this is the problem that many immigrants only have a basic command of the language and this can lead to difficulties in the classroom and elsewhere. loss of trained workers: The impact on poorer countries who lose much of their trained workforce through emigration should also not be forgotten. overcrowding/population: Many countries need to limit immigration because they are already suffering from over-population.

Measures and solutions You may also need to consider how immigration should be controlled. taxes and law: One possible measure is to ensure that migrants pay taxes and are subject to the criminal justice system.

language requirements: Another measure that could be put in place is to insist on a minimum language requirement so that all immigrants are able to integrate into the community. deportation: Some people believe that all illegal immigrants should be deported immediately. quota: The United States for example has a quota system whereby a fixed number of green cards are issued every year.

Someone you admire a role model – someone you want to be like someone to look up to – someone you admire be an inspiration (to) – be the sort of person other people want to be like a natural leader – someone who other people will follow lead by example – set a good example for others to follow She’s always been my role model and someone I’ve looked up to. I think it’s her ability to inspire people that I admire most as she’s a natural leader. Although in fact she’s fairly quiet and doesn’t say much but just leads by example.

Someone who is funny have a good/keen sense of humour – to know when something is funny be witty – be clever and funny be able to make people laugh/smile – be able to laugh at yourself (and not just others) be a great storyteller/raconteur (like) to see the funny side – will laugh even when the situation is serious/bad Amy has a really good sense of humour – she’s not just a great storyteller, she’s also able to laugh at herself and make other people see the funny side of serious situations. Lots of times she manages to break the tension by making people smile at what’s going on.

Someone who is clever smart cookie (I) – an idiom for someone who is clever sharp – another clever idiom – able to see the main point a straight A student – someone who did well at school always one step ahead – an idiom for someone who is clever in a more practical way able to see the big picture – someone who understands the complete situation and doesn’t get confused by details My brother’s definitely a smart cookie – one of the most intelligent people I know. He wasn’t in fact a straight A student at school but he’s really sharp and always seems to be one step ahead of

everyone else. Most people I know get confused and but he’s always able to see the big picture and he invariably makes the right choices.

Someone who is caring/tolerant open-minded/tolerant – willing to accept other people’s beliefs always sees both sides of the argument – someone who will look at other points of view laid back/easy-going – someone who doesn’t get easily upset and likes to get on with other people – sometimes a less positive characteristic be helpful – nothing is ever too much trouble – someone who will do things to help even if it is not convenient considerate – think about the needs of other people generous to a fault – be extremely generous One of Peter’s best qualities is that he’s so open-minded – he deals with everyone equally no matter what their background and he’ll sit and listen to their problems. His door is always open and nothing is ever too much trouble for him and he’s forever helping someone out with something.

Someone who is friendly/optimistic sociable – outgoing get on well with people – be good at relationships life and soul of the party – the sort of person who is lively at parties good company – someone who other people enjoy being around has a wide circle of friends – has a lot of friends likes to be the centre of attention – can be a more negative comment for someone who is selfcentred always sees the bright side – an optimist Andrea is quite different from me – perhaps that’s why we get on so well. While I’m quite quiet she’s really outgoing and the life and the soul of the party. She’s great company and people just love to be around her and she has a really wide circle of friends. Her best quality is that she’s so positive and always looks on the bright side of things.

Someone who is quiet a wall flower – an idiom for someone who doesn’t participate in parties much – generally a negative phrase keep yourself to yourself – to prefer to be alone be a private person – not to go out much not much of a social butterfly – a social butterfly is someone who enjoys parties and going out – perhaps too much

have a small circle of friends – have fewer friends I wouldn’t say that she’s a wallflower exactly but she does like to keep herself to herself and isn’t much of a social butterfly. You rarely see her at parties and I think she’s just a fairly private person who prefers to have a smallish circle of friends.

Someone who is ambitious wants to get ahead in life/ wants to make something of themselves – someone who is ambitious driven/motivated – someone who tires hard to achieve things determined – someone who is prepared to work hard for what they want single -minded – someone who is focused on their goals and doesn’t get distracted a real go-getter – an idiom for someone who is proactive and works for what they want career minded/ put your job first – the job is more important than family or friends be married to your job – I guess he’s the most ambitious person I know – he’s very driven and has always wanted to make something of himself. Even at school he was career minded and you could see that he would end up running a big business – and it’s not really a surprise now that he’s married to his job.

Someone who is realistic/sympathetic self-possessed – someone who isn’t affected too much by others and remains calm and confident have her head screwed on – an idiom for someone who is intelligent in a practical way be a very grounded person/keep both feet on the ground – someone who doesn’t get carried away by their emotions keep things in perspective/proportion – be able to see how important things really are – often when there is a problem be sensible – be intelligent in a practical way be a good listener – someone who will listen to other people and just let them talk about their problems know the right thing to say – give good advice to people with problems Whenever I have a problem I go to Gina – she’s extremely sensible and you can rely on her for some clear and realistic advice. She’s always seems to know the right thing to say and she’s a great listener too. She just seems to know what’s important in life and is very grounded – I’ve never known her to get carried away.

Someone who is stylish/individual have a sense of style – have your own ideas about what is fashionable and not do/wear what is trendy/popular have a good eye for – an idiom for someone who can see what is stylish

have good taste – be able to judge what is stylish be a fashionista/fashion victim – be someone who will buy all the latest clothes a real individual – someone who has their own sense of style and doesn’t follow what other people like not follow the pack/crowd – do or think what most other people think because it is popular a trendsetter – be the sort of person who is the first to do something Patricia is the most stylish person I know – she just has excellent taste. I wouldn’t say that she is trendy or particularly fashionable but she always seems to wear the right clothes for the occasion – she has great taste.

Someone who is mature/reliable responsible – someone who knows their duty conscientious – takes time and trouble to do what they need to do mature – not just a question of age but attitude have an old head on young shoulders – be more mature even if they are young trustworthy – someone who you can trust someone you can bank on – someone you can rely on always there for you – someone who you can rely on be level-headed/not lose your head – not panic if there is a problem or get carried away their emotions able to keep calm in a crisis Annabelle is the most responsible person I know and is really trustworthy – if you ask her to do something you can be sure she’ll get it done. You can just bank on her. More than that she’s very level-headed and never gets carried away but will stay calm in a crisis. She’s a great person to have around when things go wrong.

Someone who is strongminded have a strong character/be strong-willed – do what you want even when there is opposition assertive – someone who is confident enough to say what they want have/get your own way – make other people do what you want be a force of nature – have a very strong character and be able to make other people do what you want even against their will never takes no for an answer – someone who is not put off by opposition doesn’t let the grass grow under her feet – someone who takes immediate action direct – someone who is honest and clear and does not worry too much about politeness – can be a negative term

always get straight to the point – be direct in the way you speak call a spade a spade – an idiom for someone who is direct Alice is certainly an assertive character and she almost gets her own her way – there are very few people who are able to stand up to her. I suppose you could almost say she’s like a force of nature in this respect. And while I do admire her for strength of mind there are times when she won’t take no for an answer and won’tt compromise at all and this can make her difficult to deal with.

Family people a typical family man – someone who prefers to spend his time at home with his family put your family first – the family is more important than career very maternal – the quality of a mother – be caring and supportive be a chip of the old block – be very similar to your mother/father

Good relationships get on like a house on fire Have an extremely good relationship/ be very close friends As soon as we met each other we got on like a house on fire and just took an instant liking to each other. have a soft spot for To like someone .We often use this when it’s slightly surprising that we like the person. I always had a soft spot for Maria despite the fact that she often let me down. [to let someone down is to disappoint them] get along with To have a good relationship with. This is a fairly neutral phrase. You can get along with someone even though you may not like them that much. I suppose I always got along quite well with my sister when we were growing up. look up to To admire or respect. We normally use this of someone who is older or more senior than us. Note that its opposite is look down on. When I was a child I always looked up to my father. He was a real role model for me. speak the same language If you speak the same language as someone, you have similar ideas and thoughts as them I think one reason we get on so well is that we really speak the same language as each other. There’s almost nothing we disagree about. be on the same wavelength This is another idiom meaning to have similar thoughts and ideas as someone else. We’re almost exactly on the same wavelength as each other and agree about almost everything.

Check your knowledge Bad relationships fall out To have a serious disagreement. Note that you fall out with someone over or about something. Note too that there is a noun phrase have a falling out We used to get on pretty well but then we fell out with each other when we went to university.

a rocky relationship To have a relationship that is unsteady and perhaps sometimes fails completely. It is quite similar to a love-hate relationship. It was quite a rocky relationship as we used to argue with each other all the time and we sometimes went days without speaking to each other.

can’t stand If you can’t stand someone. you hate them. I couldn’t stand my brother when we were younger. I guess it was an extreme case of sibling rivalry.

turn sour When a relationship turns sour it becomes bad. I think our relationship turned sour when she refused to help me.

get off on the wrong foot with This is to start a relationship in the wrong way. Although we are now good friends, our relationship got off on the wrong foot and initially we couldn’t stand each other. clear the air You clear the air after an argument to settle differences with someone. There are times when we have serious disagreements, but we always manage to clear the air afterwards. get on someone’s nerves If someone gets on your nerves, they irritate you greatly. Despite the fact that she is a nice person and has many good qualities, she still gets on my nerves and I find it hard to like her.

let someone down If someone lets you down, they disappoint you in some way. They are unreliable. Note that you need to put the person before the preposition down. I do like her, but there was one occasion when she let me down quite badly. look down on To think that you are more important than someone else. This is really the opposite of look up to. One thing I don’t like about him is that he looks down on people who are less intelligent than him.

How to answer speaking questions about shopping In this lesson I show you ways to talk about shopping for IELTS in part 1 speaking. The questions about shopping are divided into the types of question you are most likely to get in IELTS speaking. You’ll also find lots of shopping vocabulary and idioms for shopping that you can borrow for shopping marked in bold. Note that the best vocabulary to use is precise: the best words are often quite simple but they are exact in meaning e.g. retail park or loyalty card contains common word combinations: one of the best ways to use words is to put them together to make common phrases e.g. do the shopping or get a discount that is varied: it’s okay to repeat language when we speak but you also want some variation too might be idiomatic: idioms are great to use if you are confident about them. They aren’t necessary but they can make your language sound more advanced e.g. go on a shopping spree or window shop

Questions about shopping The idea is you look at the questions, think about my possible answers and then make them true for you by using the vocabulary at the bottom of the lesson.

Habit questions These questions ask you about your everyday shopping habits. Typically you’ll use present simple or past simple tenses to answer them and you may want to use other time phrases to say how often. Note the use of if clauses int here examples to vary the grammar. Where do you normally shop? It depends slightly on what sort of shopping I’m doing. If I’m just doing the groceries, I’ll go to the supermarket, but if I need a little retail therapy then I generally go to the retail park where there’s every sort of shop available and I canwindow shop to my heart’s content. When you do go shopping? Typically I do the shopping at the weekend. There are times though when I’ll pop out to the local corner shop or newsagents if I need a paper or a bottle of milk.

Experience and time questions

These questions ask you about different times when you have shopped. Be careful how you use tenses. Past questions should normally be answered in the past. While it is normal to sue a present perfect at the start of a present perfect question , you may go on to use other tenses too. Have you ever bought anything online? Yes I have and I shop online fairly regularly. I do my grocery shopping online nowadays because it’s much more convenient to have it delivered to your door isn’t it? And you get a discount if you use your loyalty card. But I still preferto shop for clothes on the high street. I prefer to try things on before I buy them. When was the last time you bought a present for someone? I guess it was for my wife’s birthday – that was just last month. I got her flowers of course but then I also got her a ring – it was an absolute bargain as it was in the sales.

Likes/dislikes questions These are questions that ask you about what you like and dislike. Some of the language you need here is the language of likes and dislikes. Do you prefer to shop in big stores or small shops? I mostly prefer to shop in department stores. You get a much better selection there and the customer service is generally much better too. Sometimes I go to small boutiques for clothes shopping – it can be more fun. Is there any kind of shopping you don’t enjoy? To be honest I dislike most shopping. When I need a pair of shoes I just buy the first ones I see. When I was younger though I was a bit of a shopaholic and went on shopping sprees all the time – mostly for music and gadgets.

Your country/home town questions and opinion questions These are question where you may need to use more “opinion vocabulary” and one way to extend your answers is to give a reason for that opinion. What kind of shops are most popular where you live? That’s a really hard question to answer because there are so many different shops. But I guess the new shopping mallsare where most people go and they are more popular nowadays than the old markets. That’s probably because there are more facilities there and they’re just warmer and nicer places to be – outside can be cold in winter! What are the advantages of shopping online?

I suppose the biggest advantage is that you normally get much more choice than you do on the high street. The you go online you can get something from almost any country in the world now – that’s not exactly the same as in regular shops where you just find the same old produce.

Shopping idioms and vocabulary shop and words for shop Shop is an important word with different combinations to learn: go shopping = a general phrase do the shopping = when you buy things you need probably from the supermarkey shop around = not buy the first thing you see but look for better value or the best product get = shop!! purchase/make a purchase = a less common way of saying shop

types of shop One question you might get is to talk about different types of shop. Here are some for you to think about. I have left out a lot of specialist shops: a corner shop = a small, local shop that sells a little of everything – it needn’t be on a corner a newsagents = a shop that sells newspapers a chemist’s/pharmacy = a chemist’s is the British way of talking about a pharmacy or a shop that sells medicines a department store = a large store that sells a range of items in different departments such as food and clothing etc a supermarket = a large shop that sells many different kinds of goods and food a hypermarket = a larger supermarket a market = an open area where there are different stalls selling goods/food a farmers market = a market that specialises in food sold directly by farmers a flea market = a market where antiques and second hand goods are sold a second hand shop = a shop where used goods are sold a discount store/pound shop = a shop where all the goods are sold at a discount a boutique = a smaller shop normally specialising in clothes an online retailer = a shop that is on the internet a shopping channel = a television channel that is dedicated to promoting sales

places the high street = a British term for the main street in a town/city where the largest shops are

a mall = a building where there are several different shops a shopping centre = another term for a mall a retail park = an area normally on the outskirts of a town/city with several large retail outlets

ways of shopping/types of shopper to browse = to look for goods in shop before you buy to window shop = to go shopping without meaning to buy anything be a shopaholic = a fun term meaning that you are addicted to shopping go on a shopping spree = to go shopping and buys lots of items that you may not be able to afford to indulge in some retail therapy = a fun term meaning that you go shopping to make yourself feel better to bargain = to try and reduce the price you pay for something to look for bargains = to look for goods that are good value be a fashion victim = be the type of person who must have the latest fashion to try something on = to put on clothes to see if they are your size to shop online = to shop on the internet to do the grocery shopping = technically to buy fruit and vegetables, but normally used to mean to buy food and drinks for the household

price and money be on sale = be at a cheaper price than normal the sales = a time when most/some goods are on sale be pricey = be quite expensive be affordable = you have enough money to buy it be value for money = not the same as cheap, rather it means that it is worth the money you spent on it ask for a discount = ask to pay less get a refund = ask to get your money back if the goods are faulty in some way to cost an arm and a leg = an idiom meaning very expensive make an impulse purchase/buy = buy something when you didn’t mean to be careful with money = not spend more money than you need to be on a budget = not have much to spend or only spend the money you have

other ideas have a loyalty card = have a card from a shop that offers you a discount or some special offer be a loyal customer = use the same shop for a long period of time offer good customer service = help the customer opening hours = when the shop is open

Useful time phrases to help you say more When you are asked about your habits you should think about how consistent that habit is. This normally gives you more to say. If you say you do something sometimes, then you can say what you do other times. If you say you do something always, then you can explain why. absolutely always mostly quite often or fairly often from time to time occasionally generally consistently regularly on a regular basis typically every week/Monday daily most days a week rarely seldom/rarely once in blue moon (idiom meaning very rarely)

Other phrases for habits If you want to avoid the more normal time phrases you could try some of these: My routine is I don’t have fixed routine On a typical day I My habits vary I like to keep things varied

Ideas for extending your answers when talking about habits Frequency Think about how often you do something and explain what you do the rest of the time or explain why you do it so often

I don’t have a fixed routine really. Sometimes I go for a walk before I go to bed. It’s also quite usual for me just to sit and read a book for an hour or so. Exceptions and examples This is a similar idea. Even if you do have a regular habit then there may be times when you break that habit – this is an exception. You can also go on to give an example of that exception I almost always go for a walk before I go to bed but there are exceptions I suppose.Lat week for instance I was feeling really sick and didn’t feel like going out so I just stayed in to watch tv. Reasons Think why you have that habit I generally play football in the afternoon because that is when I have more free time and it makes a nice break after studying in the morning. Results Think about what happens as a result of that habit I very seldom ride a bicycle nowadays so I’m not nearly as fit as I used to be when I did ride every day. Comparisons Compare your habits now with the past I fairly often watch the news on tv – it’s about every other evening I guess. But this is quite a new development I would never watch the news on tv when I was younger.