📖 Key Vocabulary — Pre-teach Before Class
Introduce or review these words with students before starting the lesson so they can use them during speaking practice.
1to procrastinateto delay doing something that should be done
2a deadlinethe latest time by which something must be finished
3to prioritizeto deal with the most important tasks first
4a to-do lista written list of tasks that need to be completed
5to multitaskto do more than one task at the same time
6time-consumingtaking a lot of time to finish
7to fall behindto fail to keep up with a schedule or plan
8a distractionsomething that takes your attention away from a task
9to burn outto become exhausted from working too hard for too long
10efficientable to finish a task quickly without wasting time or effort
11to stick to a scheduleto follow a plan without changing it
12a routinea fixed sequence of activities done regularly
13to be swampedto have far more work than you can easily manage
14to delegateto give part of your work to someone else
15productiveachieving a lot in a short amount of time
16to cut cornersto do something in the easiest or cheapest way, lowering quality
17to make the most of timeto use time as effectively as possible
18a workloadthe amount of work a person has to do
19to set a goalto decide clearly what you want to achieve
20last-minutedone very close to a deadline, with little preparation
✍️ Vocabulary Practice — Fill in the Blank
Complete each sentence below with the correct word or phrase from the 20 vocabulary words above. Use each word only once.
▼
a deadline
a distraction
a routine
a to-do list
a workload
efficient
last-minute
productive
time-consuming
to be swamped
to burn out
to cut corners
to delegate
to fall behind
to make the most of time
to multitask
to prioritize
to procrastinate
to set a goal
to stick to a schedule
- Booking a flight home is usually more stressful and expensive than planning ahead.
- At the start of the semester, it helps to for how many hours you'll study each week.
- Instead of starting her essay early, Lan tends to until the night before it's due.
- Even during exam season, Trang tries to so she doesn't feel overwhelmed.
- A good team leader knows how to tasks instead of doing everything alone.
- Working sixteen-hour days for weeks in a row is a fast way to before exams even begin.
- A well-organized student is usually more than one who studies without any plan.
- Minh keeps a on his phone so he doesn't forget any of his daily tasks.
- It's risky to while studying, because your attention gets split between two things.
- The lecturer reminded students that the for submitting the report was Friday at noon.
- When time is short, some students on their homework just to finish it faster.
- Using a planner every day has made Huy far more than he used to be.
- Balancing a part-time job with university classes creates a heavy for many students.
- Waking up an hour earlier is one simple way to each morning.
- During finals week, most students admit they feel completely with revision and assignments.
- When you have several assignments, it's important to the ones that matter most.
- Preparing a full presentation from scratch can be quite , especially without any notes to start from.
- Having a morning makes it easier to start studying without wasting time deciding what to do first.
- Turning off notifications can help you avoid every small while you're trying to focus.
- If you skip too many classes, you might on the course material.
1.last-minute
2.to set a goal
3.to procrastinate
4.to stick to a schedule
5.to delegate
6.to burn out
7.efficient
8.a to-do list
9.to multitask
10.a deadline
11.to cut corners
12.productive
13.a workload
14.to make the most of time
15.to be swamped
16.to prioritize
17.time-consuming
18.a routine
19.a distraction
20.to fall behind
🕐 0'–10': Warm-up & Opening Question
Purpose
Help everyone relax, get comfortable speaking, and activate ideas.
Teacher asks👉 "Do you think you manage your time well, or do you often feel like there aren't enough hours in the day?"
Follow-up questions- What usually stops you from finishing tasks on time?
- Has your ability to manage time changed since you started studying or working?
➡ Each student answers briefly (about 1 minute); the teacher asks 1–2 short follow-ups to keep it natural.
🗣️ 10'–45': IELTS Speaking – Part 2 Practice
Format: 1 minute preparation · 2 minutes speaking per student. Students choose or are assigned ONE of the topics below:
Topic 1
Describe a time when you had too many things to do at once.
You should say:
- What the tasks or responsibilities were
- When this happened
- How you decided what to do first
- And explain how you felt once it was over
Topic 2
Describe a person you know who manages their time well.
You should say:
- Who this person is
- What kind of schedule they follow
- How they avoid wasting time
- And explain what you have learned from them
Topic 3
Describe a habit that has helped you become more productive.
You should say:
- What the habit is
- When you started doing it
- How often you do it
- And explain why this habit has made a difference to your daily life
➡ Timing suggestion: 1 minute for preparation, then start speaking.
💬 45'–55': Follow-up Discussion (Part 3 style)
The teacher chooses questions related to the topics above, for example:
Study and Work Habits
- Why do you think so many students procrastinate on their assignments?
- Is multitasking actually an effective way to work, or does it lower the quality of results?
- How can teachers or employers help people manage their workload better?
Balancing Life and Deadlines
- Do you think technology has made it easier or harder to manage time?
- Should schools teach time management as a formal subject?
- What are the long-term effects of constantly working under tight deadlines?
to run out of time – to have no time left to finish something
a time management skill – an ability that helps someone organize and use time effectively
to meet a deadline – to finish a task by the required time
work-life balance – a healthy division of time between work or study and personal life
➡ Students discuss briefly; the teacher adds ideas, vocabulary, and useful structures.
🌟 55'–60': Wrap-up & Closing
- Quick recap of interesting or strong answers.
- One student summarizes what they learned today.
- Thank the teacher for joining.