Let’s start this week by congratulating Dinh Dung! They achieved band 8 in IELTS Speaking using the resources on this website!
On a recent IELTS Speaking exam, the candidate was asked in Part 1 about computers, namely how and when they use them. This week, you will practise speaking about this topic.
Step 1: Tune in to this week’s podcast episode (audio and video version available below).
| Part 1 Questions Where are you from? What do you do? Did you have to do any special courses to get this job? Did you aim for this job? Do you use a computer in your daily work? How did you learn to use a computer? How often do you use a computer outside of work? What kind of tasks do you perform on the computer? |
| 🧑‍🎓Target language: indispensable (adjective) -something critically important “Computers are an indispensable tool for data analysis and creating reports.” |
Step 2: Listen to the sample a few times to get more familiar with the language.
Step 3: Engage this week’s full speech shadowing lesson. (If you do not yet have access, click here to sign up for full lessons.)
Step 4: Below is Monday’s speech exercise. Post yourself saying this excerpt to your Whatsapp group. Exercises for Tuesday to Friday will be posted in the group by your instructor. (If you have not yet been added to a group, click here to sign up – select ‘Join a Whatsapp group’.)
| Post yourself saying this into your Whatsapp group!🗣️📲 “I work as a data analyst for a multinational corporation. My job primarily involves collecting, processing and analysing large sets of data to help the company make informed business decisions. I also create comprehensive reports and visualisations to present my findings to various stakeholders.” |
Step 5: It’s very important that you note any new language items or pronunciation points from this week’s lesson in your journal to help you chronicle your improvement.📝
Transcript
Where are you from?
I am originally from Melbourne. It’s a city located in the southeastern part of Australia.
What do you do?
I work as a data analyst for a multinational corporation. My job primarily involves collecting, processing and analysing large sets of data to help the company make informed business decisions. I also create comprehensive reports and visualisations to present my findings to various stakeholders.
Did you have to do any special courses to get this job?
Yes, I did. I pursued a bachelor’s degree in computer science and then after that I did a master’s degree in data science. Additionally, I have completed several professional certifications in data analysis tools that are critical to my job, such as Tableau and Power BI.
Did you aim for this job?
Yes. From a young age, I was fascinated by technology and data. During my university years, I realised the potential of data science in solving real-world problems and decided to pursue it as a career. My education and internships further solidified my interest and helped me target this specific job.
Do you use a computer in your daily work?
Yes. Computers are an indispensable tool for data analysis and creating reports. My entire workflow, from data collection to visualisation, relies heavily on various software applications, all of which I run through my computer.
How did you learn to use a computer?
I started learning to use a computer during my early school years. Over time, I gained more advanced skills through formal education, self-study and hands-on practice. University courses and online tutorials played a significant role in enhancing my proficiency too, particularly in specialised software use.
How often do you use a computer outside of work?
I use a computer quite frequently outside of work as well. It serves multiple purposes, such as staying connected with friends and family and furthering my personal learning through online courses.
What kind of tasks do you perform on the computer?
Outside of work, I perform a variety of tasks on the computer. These include browsing the internet and engaging in hobbies such as digital photography and gaming. I also consume a lot of international news through my computer.
Thank you.