Cambridge examiners enjoy discussing sports, and it’s easy to see why—it’s a universal topic that resonates with almost everyone. To engage students effectively, introduce them to a speaking strategy that encourages them to express general opinions, share personal views, and support those opinions with examples, all centered around the theme of sports.
Unfortunately, I believe I have exhausted my free Cambridge resources for PET speaking. However, I still have plenty of original ideas! With a little assistance from ChatGPT, I created a speaking lesson designed for students to share both general and personal opinions while supporting them with examples. This lesson includes a variety of sports-related topics, giving students the opportunity to express themselves freely.
Don’t miss out and scroll to the end of this post to access a presentation for your online lessons, as well as a comprehensive worksheet complete with teacher’s notes for all your in-person classes.
I feel like I haven’t had a classic warm-up in a long time! For this reason, I thought it would be great for students to refresh their sports vocabulary by going around in a circle and naming one sport each. The challenge is that each sport must start with the last letter of the previous word. For example, archery → yoga → athletics. This activity can help set the mood for the topic and prepare students for what’s coming next: the PET speaking part 4.
Next, introduce the topic of the class by asking students questions about sports:
- What sports do most people like in your country?
- What is your favourite sport?
- Why do you think sports are important?
After students present their answers, write some of them on the whiteboard (or in the chat) and correct any mistakes. Then, discuss which phrases express general and personal opinions. Ask the students if they think any of these answers could be improved by providing examples. Encourage them to share examples as needed.
Now look at an example answer that responds to the question about the importance of sports. Examine the answer and, as a group, divide it into three parts: general opinion, personal opinion, and an example.
Many people believe that sports are essential for children’s development, and I completely agree. In my opinion, sports are fantastic because they teach valuable life skills, like teamwork and discipline. Take my younger brother, for example—he plays football, and I’ve seen firsthand how it’s helped him become more confident and independent.
The division is clear and easy to see, as each sentence in the answer corresponding to its respective purpose. To help students diversify their vocabulary and make their responses more interesting and unique, the next part of the task requires students to match the underlined phrases with their synonyms. These phrases include Many people believe that…, In my opinion,…, and …for example….
Now it is time for students to practice formulating their own responses. Present them with a general statement and give them a minute to consider their stance on the topic, supporting it with relevant examples. The statement is: Most people believe that team sports are better than individual sports. After they have thought about their answers, ask students to share their responses with the rest of the group and address any mistakes that may have occurred during this exercise.
It’s time to provide your students with more autonomy. Present them with the question, Is watching sports on TV a good way to spend free time? Ask them to work in pairs to formulate a general opinion, a personal opinion, and provide an example. For weaker groups, consider working together as a class to develop an answer. If you’re struggling to come up with a good response, I can help!
A lot of people enjoy watching sports on TV because it’s entertaining and relaxing. I think it’s a great way to spend time, especially if you can’t play the sport yourself. For example, when I watch tennis matches, I learn new strategies that I can use when I play.
Before sending students off to complete the speaking exam task independently, I suggest providing one additional activity to practise the newly learned vocabulary. Present them with two questions: Do you think children should play team sports? and Is it better to play sports indoors or outdoors? To ensure they understand the material, give them time to think and write down their answers. This activity can also highlight common grammar and spelling issues.
Conclude this class by pairing students together and allowing them time to ask each other opinion-based questions about sports. Monitor the activity closely. At the end, reflect on this part of the exam and provide some feedback on their speaking skills.
If you need a quick class to help your students’ performance in the PET speaking part 4, download the presentation, worksheet, and teacher’s notes by clicking the links below.
Are you into any sports? Do you think sports play a crucial role in our lives?
