📖 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.
1a rivala person competing with another for the same goal
2to competeto try to win or gain something against others
3determinationfirmness of purpose
4perseverancecontinued effort despite difficulty
5a milestonea significant point or event in progress
6to excelto perform extremely well
7relentlessnot giving up easily, persistent
8a runner-upthe person who finishes second in a competition
9to fall shortto fail to reach a standard or expectation
10a triumpha great victory or achievement
11to strive forto make great effort to achieve something
12an underdoga competitor thought unlikely to win
13resiliencethe ability to recover quickly from difficulties
14a personal bestthe best performance someone has ever achieved
15to be neck and neckto be very close in a competition
16to fall behindto fail to keep pace with others
17to fulfil one's potentialto achieve as much as one is capable of
18a comebacka return to a former, better position after a setback
19to break a recordto achieve a result better than any previous one
20a trophyan object awarded for victory or success
✍️ 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 comeback
a milestone
a personal best
a rival
a runner-up
a triumph
a trophy
an underdog
determination
perseverance
relentless
resilience
to be neck and neck
to break a record
to compete
to excel
to fall behind
to fall short
to fulfil one's potential
to strive for
- She set a new in the 100-metre sprint at yesterday's meet.
- Years of finally paid off when he was accepted into the national team.
- If you skip too many training sessions, you risk your competitors.
- The two runners were for most of the race before one finally pulled ahead.
- Two local teams will for the championship title this weekend.
- The sprinter trained for years hoping to in the 200 metres.
- He continues to in mathematics, often scoring higher than anyone else in his class.
- Despite months of preparation, the team ultimately of qualifying for the finals.
- Coaches often say the goal of training isn't just to win, but to help each athlete .
- After a serious injury, her to the top of the rankings inspired the whole team.
- It took real for her to keep training every day, even when she felt like giving up.
- The winning team lifted the high above their heads in celebration.
- Winning her first regional title was an important in the young athlete's career.
- After finishing as twice, she was determined to win the tournament this time.
- My older brother has always been my biggest in sports, ever since we were children.
- Reaching the Olympic final was a personal that he had dreamed of since childhood.
- As the clear , nobody expected the smaller team to reach the final.
- Young athletes are often taught to excellence rather than simply taking part.
- Athletes need mental to bounce back quickly after a disappointing defeat.
- Her pursuit of a gold medal meant she trained twice a day for five years.
1.a personal best
2.perseverance
3.to fall behind
4.to be neck and neck
5.to compete
6.to break a record
7.to excel
8.to fall short
9.to fulfil one's potential
10.a comeback
11.determination
12.a trophy
13.a milestone
14.a runner-up
15.a rival
16.a triumph
17.an underdog
18.to strive for
19.resilience
20.relentless
🕐 0'–10': Warm-up & Opening Question
Purpose
Help everyone relax, get comfortable speaking, and activate ideas.
Teacher asks👉 "Do you enjoy competing with others?"
Follow-up questions- What kind of competitions have you taken part in?
- Do you think competition brings out the best in people?
➡ 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 competition you took part in.
You should say:
- What the competition was
- How you prepared for it
- What the outcome was
- And explain how you felt about the experience
Topic 2
Describe an achievement you are proud of.
You should say:
- What you achieved
- How you achieved it
- Who supported you
- And explain why this achievement means so much to you
Topic 3
Describe someone you know who is very competitive.
You should say:
- Who this person is
- In what way they are competitive
- How this affects their life
- And explain what you think of this trait
➡ 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:
Competition in Society
- Is competition beneficial or harmful in schools?
- Does competition motivate people more effectively than cooperation?
- How does competitiveness differ between cultures?
Defining Achievement
- What counts as a meaningful achievement?
- Should achievements always be recognized publicly?
- Is it healthier to compete against yourself rather than others?
to rise to the challenge – to perform well when faced with a difficulty
a level playing field – a fair situation where everyone has equal opportunity
to outshine someone – to perform much better than someone else
a sense of accomplishment – the satisfaction of having achieved something
➡ 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.