iTEP MASTERY

In speaking part 2, the examinee is given a topical discussion and he has to give an opinion.

Part of the question will appear on the screen and you will have to listen to the rest of the question.

You are given 45 seconds to prepare and 1 minute to speak.

Some of the examinable topics include

Education

Health

Technology

Family life

Science

Success

What exactly are you supposed to do in speaking part 2 ?

You have to give your opinion on the topic giving reasons and examples to support your point of view.

How to answer questions in iTEP Speaking Part 2.

Step 1

Listen and take notes

The most important thing  you need to do while you are in the Speaking part of the exam is to take notes. You must have a pen and paper ready to write down something as you are listening to the question.

Why is it important to take notes while doing speaking ?

• It helps you to highlight the topic and the question so that you give a relevant response.
• It helps you to organise your thoughts and your answer which is key in preventing stress and confusion at the time of speaking.  

What exactly do you write down while listening to the question ?

You need to write down three things.

1.The general topic on which the question is set.

2.The two sides of that discussion.

3.The question asked that you have to answer(this is normally your opinion about the two sides of the debate)

Question –

The growing number of overweight people is putting a strain on the health care system in an effort to deal with the health issues involved.  Some people think that the best way to deal with this problem is to introduce more physical education lessons in the school curriculum.

They argue that being physically active can improve your brain health,help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and  improve your ability to do everyday activities.

On the other hand, Others think that the other alternative should be changing the diet to include more healthy food. 

They believe that a healthy diet may help to prevent certain long-term (chronic) diseases such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. It may also help to reduce your risk of developing some cancers and help you to keep a healthy weight.

 What are your thoughts on this question?

Our notes on the question  would look like this

 – Topic- Health and nutrition

– Do physical exercises to control overweight or work on a diet ?

-My opinion on the topic

Step 2

Make a plan

Next after listening is to make some notes to prepare your response.The plan you make should be simple and easy to follow as you are speaking.

Plan

• Intro about health and nutrition
• My opinion -I think physical exercises are better than working on a diet.
• Reason – Has many benefits like improving health – Easier because it’s cost effective.
• Conclusion – 

Step 3 

Speak clearly into the microphone.

Sample of an answer 

Owing to the problems which a growing population of overweight people cause for the healthcare system, some people think that the key to solving these issues is to have more sport and exercise in schools. In my opinion, 

I completely agree that this is the best way to tackle the issue of deteriorating public health in relation to weight. Firstly, dealing with the issues surrounding obesity and weight problems is best solved by taking a long term approach and introducing more sport and exercise in schools. This method will ensure that the next generation will be healthier and will not have such health problems by incorporating more sports classes into the curriculum as well as encouraging extracurricular sports activities, they will undoubtedly become fitter and more active. 

Another point to consider is that having more sports lessons for children in schools will probably result in children developing an interest in exercise which might filter through to other members of their family and have a longer lasting effect. In other words, parents with sporty children are more likely to get involved in sport as a way of encouraging their children. By both parents and children being involved, it will ensure that children grow up to incorporate sport into their daily lives. This is certainly a natural and lasting way to improve public health.

Therefore I really believe that the best way to manage overweight is through encouraging physical education.

If you want to know how Speaking is evaluated, read this article I wrote about iTEP scores  – and whoever wants to know how to practice speaking at home alone should read this article here