Speaking vocabulary · Topic 27 of 46
Social media
Model answers to every Part 1 question on this topic, with natural B2–C1 vocabulary and idiomatic phrasal verbs to help you answer in your own words.
In this lesson you will
- read and listen to model answers to 5 Part 1 questions about social media
- learn 10 natural phrases, including idiomatic phrasal verbs
- practise them in a gap fill, drag-the-word, multiple-choice and crossword
- answer the questions yourself and record your answers
Step 1
Key vocabulary
- scroll throughlook through information on a screen by moving it up or down
- keep up withstay informed about something or someone
- postput a message or photo online
- addictivemaking you want to keep doing it
- show offtry to make people admire you or what you have
- log offdisconnect from a website or app
- FOMOfear of missing out; worry that others are having fun without you
- mindlesslywithout thinking about what you are doing
- stay connectedkeep in contact with people
- time-consumingtaking a lot of time
Step 2
Model answers
Read and listen. The highlighted phrases are the vocabulary for this topic: hover over or tap them to see what they mean. Notice how each answer gives a reason or an example, not just “yes” or “no”.
Have you ever posted anything on social media?
Yes, but not very often, because I'm quite a private person. I post photos when I travel or when something special happens, but because I don't like to show off, I keep it simple.
When did you start using social media?
When I was about thirteen, because most of my classmates had accounts and I didn't want to feel left out. I guess that was my first experience of FOMO, which I still feel sometimes!
Do you think you spend too much time on social media?
Probably, yes, because it's really addictive. I sometimes find myself scrolling through short videos mindlessly for an hour, so now I set a timer and log off when it rings.
Do your friends use social media?
All of them do, because it's how we stay connected. It's especially important for friends who have moved to other cities, since we can't meet in person very often.
What do people usually do on social media?
They chat, share photos and keep up with the news, which is why many people check it first thing in the morning. Some people run small businesses on it too, although that can be very time-consuming if you do it properly.
Step 3
Practise the vocabulary
Match the meanings
Choose the phrase that matches each meaning.
- stay informed about something or someone
- try to make people admire you or what you have
- fear of missing out; worry that others are having fun without you
- put a message or photo online
- disconnect from a website or app
- taking a lot of time
- keep in contact with people
- making you want to keep doing it
- look through information on a screen by moving it up or down
- without thinking about what you are doing
Gap fill: use the right form
Complete the answers with phrases from the box. You may need to change the form (e.g. drag on → dragged on, struggle with → struggling with).
Have you ever posted anything on social media?
Yes, but not very often, because I'm quite a private person. I photos when I travel or when something special happens, but because I don't like to , I keep it simple.
Do you think you spend too much time on social media?
Probably, yes, because it's really . I sometimes find myself short videos for an hour, so now I set a timer and when it rings.
What do people usually do on social media?
They chat, share photos and the news, which is why many people check it first thing in the morning. Some people run small businesses on it too, although that can be very if you do it properly.
Drag the words
Drag each phrase into the right gap. On a phone, tap a phrase and then tap the gap. Tap a filled gap to empty it.
When did you start using social media?
When I was about thirteen, because most of my classmates had accounts and I didn't want to feel left out. I guess that was my first experience of , which I still feel sometimes!
Do your friends use social media?
All of them do, because it's how we . It's especially important for friends who have moved to other cities, since we can't meet in person very often.
Choose the right phrase
Which phrase completes each sentence?
- I ______ photos when I travel or when something special happens, but because I don't like to show off, I keep it simple.
- I guess that was my first experience of ______, which I still feel sometimes!
- Probably, yes, because it's really ______.
- I sometimes find myself ______ short videos mindlessly for an hour, so now I set a timer and log off when it rings.
- All of them do, because it's how we ______.
- They chat, share photos and ______ the news, which is why many people check it first thing in the morning.
Crossword
Write the phrases without spaces or hyphens. The numbers in brackets show the length of each word, e.g. kill time (4,4) → KILLTIME.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||
| 4 | |||||||||||
| 5 | 6 | ||||||||||
| 7 | |||||||||||
| 8 | |||||||||||
| 9 | |||||||||||
| 10 | |||||||||||
Across
- 1 put a message or photo online (4)
- 8 disconnect from a website or app (3,3)
- 9 stay informed about something or someone (4,2,4)
- 10 without thinking about what you are doing (10)
Down
- 2 keep in contact with people (4,9)
- 3 try to make people admire you or what you have (4,3)
- 4 look through information on a screen by moving it up or down (6,7)
- 5 fear of missing out; worry that others are having fun without you (4)
- 6 making you want to keep doing it (9)
- 7 taking a lot of time (4-9)
Step 4
Now you answer
Pick a question, then answer it out loud in two or three sentences. Try to use at least two phrases from this lesson, and give a reason or an example. Record yourself and listen back: did you sound natural? Did you extend your answer?
Press Record, answer out loud, then listen back.
Questions: frequently reported IELTS Speaking Part 1 topics. Model answers and exercises written for Tips4IELTS.