TOPIC 1: Write about a teacher you like most.
I have been learning English for 11 years but I gave no effort studying grammar. It was not until I met Mr.
Vinh. Back to the time when I was in grade 11, I were having so much free time so I decided to go to Language
Link an English teaching institution to study. I received full mark for every parts of the entrance exam, except
for the grammar test. It was a big disappointment to me. At that moment, I told myself that I had to do
something to get back my confidence. Through a friend, I knew Mr. Vinh who was then the only after-class
English teacher that I have ever studied. Mr. Vinh is a great teacher. He has his own teaching style. I'm a
person of freedom and I sometimes found it hard learning grammar in its boring formulas. However, it was
different in a grammar class with Mr. Vinh. He knew how to encourage me when I was tired. He always has a
large amount of work and a tight schedule for us. He never loses his patience for any student which I admire
him most. Everything that I have learnt from him, from the grammar to his personalities has made my life
better and easier. I thank him for that, for being a great teacher of mine.
TOPIC 2: Write a paragraph of 140 words to talk about the advantages of mobile phones.
Mobile phones have become more and more popular in the modern life for the following advantages. First and
foremost, using mobile phones is one of the popular methods for people to communicate. People can keep
contact with their family, friends and colleages despite a long distance. With a smartphone, video calls are a
great way to keep in touch with those who can't be there. Secondly, cell phones help users to entertain such as
surfing the internet, sending photos, listening to music, watching videos and playing games. Furthermore, users
can keep great memory on the photos photographed by their mobile phones and share them with their relatives
and friends via the Internet. Last but not least, thanks to some useful applications, the cell phones help learners
learn better and employees do their business more effectively wherever they are. To sum up, it is necessary for
all of us to have a mobile phone nowadays.
TOPIC 3: Write a paragraph of 140 words to talk about the advantages of homework.
From my point of view, homework plays an important part in the school life and it is beneficial to students for
some reasons. First and foremost, doing homework is a good way for revising the contents which students have
learnt in the class. Moreover, it is an effective approach for better understanding of all information that students
might have found confusing. Secondly, it prevents students from wasting time in video games and other ways
of entertainment. In addition, homework allows teachers to track students' progress and it can also be a good
talking point during parent- teacher appointments. Last but not least, when overcoming challenges with
homework without the help of teachers or parents, students will learn how to work independently and how to
deal with problems. In conclusion, homework should be compulsory at school for all the reasons above.
TOPIC 4: Write a paragraph of 140 words to talk about advantages of taking online learning courses.
Students should take online learning courses for some reasons. Firstly, learning online at home offers an
effective method to achieve knowledge in almost every field, from English to science or history. Secondly,
online learning is a great alternative to traditional universities, especially for those who can't afford the time
and money to take real courses. In fact, students can study at a time which suits their schedules and save
travelling time. Moreover, some online courses are provided with much lower costs and some are even offered
for fee. Last but not least, in terms of interaction and ability to concentrate, online courses offer shy students
the opportunity to participate in class discussions with more ease than face-to-face class sessions. Interestingly,
online classes are easier for students to concentrate because they are not distracted by others. In short, online
learning courses are becoming to be more and more popular because of the above advantages.
TOPIC 5. Write a paragraph of 140 words to talk about advantages and disadvantages of playing video
games.
Video games are one of the main reasons why children are attracted to the computer. Not only do they have a
bad impact on gamers but they also give some advantages to some extent. Firstly, in terms of positive effects,
playing these games is associated with improvements in brain function such as hand- eye coordination and
faster reaction time, thus helping children enhance some basic skills. Secondly, some simple games can
improve the players' moods and promote relaxation. However, with regard to negative effects, video games can
cause some health problems like short-sightedness and headache due to long hours of playing. Moreover, when
spending much time playing games and less time with social activities, gamers become shy and introvert.
Lastly, many games developed today are violent, causing gamers to tend to lose control and become more
aggressive. In total, it is clear that the disadvantages far outweigh the advantages so the amount of time for
video games should be controlled.
TOPIC 6. Write a paragraph of 140 words to talk about advantages and disadvantages of fast food.
It is no doubt that fast food becomes more and more popular so that it is necessary to understand the positive
and negative sides of this food. Firstly, in terms of advantages, fast food is convenient because it helps us save
a lot of time. For example, after a hard working day, a pizza or a hamburger can be a godsend. In addition, fast
food is thought to be delicious and not expensive. It costs only 20000-30000 VND. However, besides
advantages, there are some disadvantages when people use fast food. The first disadvantage is that junk food
may have adverse effects on one's health because it contains so much salt, fats and calories. Moreover, fast
food is an important contributor to obesity. Most children who eat too much of this food suffered from obesity
and lifestyle related diseases. In total, fast food is a part of the busy life; however, we should minimize our
junk food consumption.
TOPIC 7. Write a paragraph of 140 words to talk about advantages of group work in the class.
Group work in classrooms has become more and more popular over the last several years because of some
reasons. Firstly, it increases the amount of student practice. They all have an opportunity to give their opinions
and learn from others. In other word, groups are used to enhance the quantity and qualities of ideas discussed
because with the number of people involved, each with different experience, knowledge and points of view, a
larger number and variety of ideas can be given. As a result, the lesson becomes more effective and interesting.
Secondly, many teachers use group work in the class to encourage students to cooperate with each other.
Students feel that they are responsible for the group and for each of its members. They must cooperate and help
each other, and there is no way for shy and weak students to avoid such cooperation. In conclusion, for these
above reasons, we can not deny the importance of group work in classrooms.
TOPIC 8: Write a paragraph about 140 words to talk about advantages of public transportation
Public transport brings us distinct advantages over private vehicles. First of all, the benefit of using communal
transportation lies in its positive impacts on the environment. To be more specific, because buses or trains can
serve a large number of passengers simultaneously, the amount of both the natural resources used for fuel and
the amount of exhaust fume can be greatly reduced. Moreover, traffic jam will no longer be our long-lasting
obsession if commuters choose public vehicles as their daily means of transportation. Especially in big cities
where congestion usually occurs, public transport is one of the most feasible solutions to this pressing problem.
Another major plus point of communal transport is its cost-effectiveness. The cost of a bus or train ticket is
relatively reasonable, so travelers can save a lot of money. In conclusion, so helpful is public transport that we
should make it our form of transportation.
TOPIC 9: Write a paragraph of 140 words to talk about advantages of living in a big city.
Nowadays, there are many people who prefer to live in a big city more than there used to be, especially youth
people. There are many different reasons why they want to live there. Firstly, living in a big city is an
opportunity for people to find a good job, especially for the youth to enter life. There are many companies,
service centers, shops, restaurants, markets, and so on where we can easily find a suitable job with high salary
and get promotion. Moreover, city is the center of education. There is a wide selection of schools, colleges,
universities, and vocational training centers which is convenient for our study. We can choose either direct or
distant education depending on our condition and ability. Besides, there are many events and entertainment
facilities in cities such as: parks, zoos, clubs, theaters and cinemas. It makes you satisfied with what you want.
Futhermore, healthcare services are available with far better quality. There are many good doctors, specialists,
nurse staffs with full experiences who can cure serious diseases such as: lung and heart diseases. In addition, in
a big city, you can access to daily essential items and information more easily. A huge number of mass media
and high speed internet connection, would keep you up- to-date with almost everything in the world.
TOPIC 10. Write a paragraph of 140 words to talk about an experience that made you embarrassed.
My most embarrassing experience happened when I was a 4th grader. On a Sunday afternoon, while I was
studying, my friends induced me to play soccer. I hesitated a little because I had not completed my homework.
But I was too interested in this kind of game to refuse them. We played football passionately. After finishing
playing, I passed by my friend's house to watch action movies which I like best. I came back home at 7 pm. My
body was very dirty. I had bath and dinner quickly. Then, I continued doing homework. However, as soon as I
looked at the book, I felt sleepy. I tried to be alert. Being too tired, I couldn't concentrate on my lesson and I
decided to go to bed. I thought that I would get up to solve all the homework in the early morning of the next
day. But I got up late. In class, I was very worried because of not having done and reviewed my homework.
Suddenly the teacher called my name... I didn't remember any information in books and got a zero mark... At
the time, my face was red and hot. Until now, I still haven't forgotten the experience. That was a valuable
lesson for me.
TOPIC 11: Are books more important than experience?
There is a saying that "Not everything that is learned is contained in books." I cannot agree with it more. We
should not ignore sources of knowledge rather than books, such as experience. First of all, experience teaches
us much knowledge which rarely appears in books. For example, no books teach us how to drive cars. Most
people learn driving by practice under the guidance of experienced drivers, and only by practicing can one
himself really learn how to drive. Secondly, only from experience can people explore the unknowns and gain
new knowledge. Franklin discovered electricity by his kit, Magellan found that the earth is spherical by sailing.
People found new knowledge from experience and wrote them into books. It is in this way that human-beings
explore the world generation by generation. However, I am not saying that knowledge from book is non-sense.
Books are the most available and most effective methods to gain knowledge. People gain knowledge from
books without having to explore the world themselves, which is the value of books. But nowadays there is a
harmful thought that all knowledge can be found on books, and people need not experience by themselves. So
it is worthy pointing out that, knowledge from experience is as important as, if not more important than those
from books.
TOPIC 12: Are Parents best teachers?
Our parents are our first teachers. It is our parents who teach us to say the first word, help us take the first step
and buy us the first book. Even so, they may not be the best teachers. I hold my view with the following
reasons. Firstly, the way they teach may not be proper. They may indulge their children too much and offer the
children all they want. In the long run, children would not listen to what their parents, or even anybody, say to
them. It will of course give rise to the difficulty in communicating with others. Other parents may be too strict
to their children. They may frequently blame or even beat the children because of a probably trivial thing. It
will cause the children to lose their self-confidence and become too timid to do anything or make any decision.
Secondly, many parents may not be qualified enough to be good teachers. Their values may not be quite
correct, their knowledge may be very limited and their points of view may be out-dated. These phenomenons
are common in our life. We can see many teenagers rebel violently against their parents. It is because they just
emerge from dependence and they are aware of the problems of their parents. Besides parents, we still have a
lot of teachers: teachers in our schools teach us lots of manful knowledge, friends around us give us many
golden rules of life, and books provide us with a lot of information. To some extent, everyone would be our
teacher because what we know is so limited. The most important thing is all of those are valuable, and that is
what I want to emphasize.
TOPIC 13: Write a paragraph of 140 words to talk about Benefits of reading books.
Among the kinds of modern media, books are considered as a traditional one, also bring a lot of benefits. As
far as I am concerned, there are many types of books that play specificly different roles such as: literature
books, comic books, political books, textbooks, etc. Firstly, books provide a means of getting information: For
instance, when we want to know about a famous politician, we read books of politics. Pupils who are looking
for an answer for a maths problem, may find a formula in maths references, etc. Secondly, books help us relax.
For example, when we get bored, reading a funny story is a good way to release the stress, or if the children are
in tense of studying, they can read a comic book to loosen their mind. Thirdly, books are regarded as a kind of
entertainment at weekends or when we are free, reading a book is an enjoyable hobby. In general, reading
books has many advantages that are good for everyone
TOPIC 14: Write a paragraph of 140 words to talk about benefits of excercises.
Regular exercising is considered an important part of a healthy lifestyle. To begin with, those activities not
only reduce your risk for health problems and diseases, but they also have an effect on overall appearance. For
instance, people go jogging or swimming to prevent heart disease or diabetes while others go to the gym for
flat belly or toned thighs. Furthermore, mental health condition changes for the better with the help of
exercises. Working up a sweat can ease stress, improve mood, and even reduce the likelihood of depression
and anxiety. It stimulates numerous brain chemicals that leave you feeling happy and relaxed. Undeniably,
looking better and feeling better promote your self-esteem and confidence to a large extent. In conclusion, it is
time everyone allowed time for exercises on a regular basis.
TOPIC 15: Write a paragraph of 140 words to talk about benefits of the
computer.
Computers are considered one of the best inventions in the world because of the enormous benefits they offer.
First of all, computers serve as a major source of information. With the aid of the internet, searching for
information has never been more instant and convenient. We can also update ourselves with the latest
occurrences in the world with just some simple mouse clicks. In addition, computers are advantageous in terms
of education. There are a number of websites for teaching and learning which greatly assist students in their
self-study. Another plus point of using a computer is that it provides a means of entertainment. We can watch
films, play games or read comics in our free time. Besides, it gives us obvious advantages with regard to
communication. Distance is no longer a matter of concern when we can send emails within a few seconds or
make online phone calls. In short, computers have become an indispensable device in the life of human beings.
TOPIC 16. Write a paragraph of about 140 words about the benefits of studying at a gifted school.
A gifted school is really a good environment to study and cultivate the mind. We all can see that studying in a
gifted school brings us many benefits. Firstly, if you're a student at a gifted school, you will have good
conditions to develop your abilities in your favorite subjects, help you to build dream and orient your future
career. Secondly, most of the teachers in the gifted school are good and enthusiatic. They always create
comfortable studying atmosphere for the students to receive knowledge easily. Besides, there are many
valuable scholarships for good students, especially, for students that are in difficulty. Finally, the gifted school
always has many different facilities for students to relax after studying hard. There are many advantages of
studying in a gifted school. Therefore, we need to make the best use of these benefits to have the best results.
TOPIC 17: Write a paragraph of 140 words to talk about drawbacks of the computer.
Computer plays an undeniably important role in this information era; however, this high-tech device has its
own limitations. Firstly, the trouble arises when it comes to security. Some users exploit computers for
negative purposes such as stealing information, spamming or even terrorizing. Moreover, using computers can
be very addictive. Students often get addicted to playing games or net surfing, which distracts them from their
study. In addition, sitting in front of the screen for long hours can lead to certain health problems like obesity,
backache, and short-sightedness. Finally, paying too much attention to online activities is one of the primary
causes for lack of essential social skills. Specifically, those who abuse the computer may become passive,
sluggish in real life because of their lacks of communication and interaction. In short, everything has both
sides, so it is necessary that we use computers for right purposes.
TOPIC 18. Write a paragraph of 140 words to talk about drawbacks of playing computer games.
Video games have a harmful impact on children for some reasons. Firstly, playing computer games will
distract children from their studies because some children get hooked on playing games. Secondly, gamers may
have some health problems like short sightedness, headache and-obesity due to long hours of playing computer
games. In addition, being addicted to games, children may spend less time doing such activities as playing
outside and engaging with friends, so it leads to a reduced contact with the environment around and a lack of
interest in daily activities and hobbies. Moreover, in terms of negative behaviors, some games are violent and
they teach gamers that violence is an acceptable way to resolve conflicts. Gradually, they tend to commit
violence rather than watch it so that they can get points in real life. In conclusion, playing computer games
brings a lot of disadvantages so parents should keep track of the amount of time their children use them.
TOPIC 19. Write a paragraph of 140 words to talk about drawbacks of smoking.
Smoking has a bad impact on individual and society as a whole for some reasons. First and foremost, with
regard to individual, smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer and other dangerous diseases such as
high blood pressure and heart attack. Moreover, smoking can destroy smokers' appearance because it makes
teeth yellow, lips parched and breath awful. Secondly, in terms of negative effects on society, it is especially
harmful to children, pregnant women and the old. It is necessary to know that non-smokers also face the risk of
lung cancer and other ailments smoking causes. In addition, smoking industry contributes greatly to the
underground economy that the government find hard to control. Besides, the expenses of smoking is rising
very high, as a result it creates problems in lost productivity and in direct health care expenditures in each
country. In brief, because of the above drawbacks, smoking should be banned to protect our generations and
our nation.
TOPIC 20: Write a paragraph of 140 words to talk about the disadvantages of using public transportation.
Nowadays, along with the development of science and technology, many means of transport have appeared in
the world, especially public transport. However, using public transportation also has its own disadvantages.
Using public transport is inflexibility and inconvenience because you can't stop whenever you like and you
have to depend on the public transport for the time and route. Next, when there is a traffic jam, it is more
difficult for the public transport to get out. Moreover, you must pay for return ticket everyday and you haven't
got a vehicle of your own. Sometimes, you have to walk to the bus stop which is far from your house. Beside it
is quite dangerous as there are many pickpockets, crimes and robbers on public transport. Although using
public transport has some disadvantages as well as limitations, we should still use it because it brings more
benefits than its disadvantages.
TOPIC 21: Write a paragraph of 140 words to talk about disadvantages of living in a big city.
It's undeniable that living in a big city brings us quite a lot of disadvantages. First of all, living in a big city has
many dangerous and hard situations like traffic jams and crashes. The environment is polluted because there
are many cars and factories. We have to suffer from much noise from cars, buses, tramways, and planes all the
time. Secondly, it's overpopulated. More and more people rush to the city to find jobs. The local authorities
can't control the number of residents and their jobs as well as their accommodation which causes disorders in
the society. Thirdly, many people are unemployed. The government can't create enough jobs for the youth, so
they have to earn their living by all means. It's easy for them to commit crimes. In conclusion, living in a big
city is easier but if we need quietness and contact with the nature, we should live in a village. For me, I would
like to live in a big city because it is good for my study, my jobs and my future.
TOPIC 22: Write a paragraph of 140 words to talk about the disadvantages
of mobile phones.
While mobile phones have a profound influence on the personal lives with a number of advantages, they also
have some following disadvantages. Firstly, using cell phones too much can harm your brain, particularly
teenager and children who are under 16 years old. In fact, it will probably be harmful to human's health as it
can increase the risk of brain cancer. Secondly, it is time-consuming because children may spend too much
time on chatting or playing games which affects negatively on their studies. In addition, if you use mobile
phones while driving, you may easily get an accident. Furthermore, using mobiles may result in the lacking of
face-to- face communication. Many people would rather stay at home and use their mobile phones than go out
for dating. In conclusion, each person should manage time of using mobiles reasonably.
TOPIC 23: Describe the house you are living in. Why do you love it?
I'm living in a comfortable house where the family members share happiness and sadness together. My house is
large with a red roof and four blue walls. There are nine rooms: a living room, a kitchen, two bathrooms, four
bedrooms, a study room and an altar. On the first floor, there is a kitchen where my mother always cooks
delicious meals. It's got a round table and six chairs and many kitchen wares such as cabinet bowl, a fridge,
pots and saucepans. There is a hood in the kitchen to take away food smell. Beside the kitchen is a nice and
clean bathroom. On the second floor, the living room where guests are welcomed is the largest one and there
are four bedrooms. All bedrooms are large enough to accommodate the furniture and some pictures for
relaxing. Among these bedroom is another bathroom. flowers On the third floor, there is an altar where my
parents often set up to worship the ancestors. Next to the altar is the study room where sister and I do
homework. I love my house very much because of its modernity and cleaness, and particularly because it was
built by my parents' effort.
TOPIC 24. Write a paragraph of 140 words to describe your last holiday summer.
I had a wonderful trip in three days with my family in Da Nang last summer. This was the best choice for us to
escape the summer heat for some cool air. The weather was gorgeous and we could enjoy all four seasons of
the year in one day here: spring in the morning, summer at noon, autumn in the afternoon and winter in the
evening. The city streets were lined with international quality dining and drinking options. We visited Ba Na
Hill by a cable car system in the morning of the first day. We had a lot of fun and enjoyed delicious meals here.
On the second day, we arrived in Hoi An, one of Vietnam's top tourist destinations. On the third day, we went
to My Khe beach and took many photos. I really enjoyed my trip to Da Nang and we will surely come back
here.
TOPIC 25: Write a paragraph of 140 words to talk about difficulties that women encounter in modern
societies.
Women in modern societies are still confined in some roles for some reasons. First of all, they must accomplish
a lot of tasks at the same time. While they are not only born for childbearing and housework but also for
involvement in the public life. They still have to do housework and take care of their children, women still
fulfill their social tasks and get their career achievements. Secondly, women still face gender inequality both in
the workplace and at home, which remains an obstacle to overcome. Wherever they are, their roles aren't
appreciated as much as the men's. Lastly, self-control is one of many difficulties they have to encounter. Many
women are now behaving differently, so they are smoking, drinking too much, and even having casual sex.
Consequently, they have to pay high prices such as diseases and bad reputations. In conclusion, these
difficulties may never end, so women should learn how to overcome them and men should protect them more.
TOPIC 26: Do you like to live in a nuclear family or an extended family?Why?
From my point of view, I like living in an extended family for some following reasons. First of all, an extended
family consists of non-immediate family members including grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins who live
either nearby or within the same household as the immediate family members including mother, father and
children. Therefore, extended families give children a close relationship from their parents, their grandparents
and even their relatives. Furthermore, children can have a chance to enjoy full love and care from the elderly in
their family. Secondly, children living in extended families, may receive more knowledge and skills from their
older generation, which somehow provides them with better guidance in their career choice. In other words,
children can learn the family's tradition, rituals and customs from the elderly, which makes children realize
familial tradition and know how to behave well with everybody right from early lifetime. In conclusion, living
in an extended family is beneficial for children like me.
Topic 27: Do you agree with the idea that marriage should be based on love or not and why? In
about 140 words, write a paragraph to talk your opinion.
I partly agree with the idea that marriage should be based on love because of some reasons. First of all, it is
true that love is the first reason to have a happy life, to help people overcome many severe difficulties and to
build a warm family. In other words, it is important for couples to be in love before they commit to marriage
because without love, a couple may not be able to live in harmony. Although arranged marriages are very
common in the world, they usually do not make people either happy or satisfied in the end. Marriage based on
romantic feeling will bring about mutual tolerance, sacrifice and commitment. In this type of marriage, both
sides can be devoted, encouraging, helpful, patient and supportive for the other one. Beside love, marriage
should be based on mutual understanding, sympathy and honesty. In total, although romantic feelings are one
of the keys to have a good relationship, it's not the only factor that should be taken into account. Marriage
should be built on love and serious attitude of both sides.
TOPIC 28: How to lead a healthy life?
Health is so undeniably important that everyone wishes to have a healthy life. First of all, it is important to stay
physically active. Doing exercises is the best way to keep fit and to prevent some diseases such as heart
ailment, high blood pressure, lung disorder and so on. This also helps build up our muscle and strengthen the
immune system. Moreover, a suitable and nutritious eating habit is of great necessity if one wants to stay
healthy. In addition, a healthy mind is part of a healthy body. When people are in a good state of mind, they
make good decisions for themselves about their jobs, their lifestyle, and their health. It is advisable to reduce
stress, make time for things that are fun and get enough sleep every day. Finally, regular health care visit is
essential for a healthy life. The practice ensures timely diagnosis and treatment of potential diseases. In
conclusion, it requires a combination of practices to maintain good health.
TOPIC 29: How to protect endangered animals?
From my point of view, there are three viable measures for the protection of endangered animals. First of all,
governments should impose a ban on poaching. Every year, illegal hunting accounts for the ever increasing
loss of rare animals. As a result, many species are on the verge of extinction. By forbidding poaching, it is
certain that these endangered animals will be saved and can recover their populations. Moreover, deforestation
also needs to be reduced. Loss of habitats has resulted in mass disappearance of various types of animals.
Therefore, the prevention against logging proves vital in addressing the problem. Equally important, pollution
should be minimized. Oil spills, air pollution or water contamination are undoubtedly the culprit behind the
deaths of both marine and inland animals. Unless pollution is controlled, the situation will only continue for the
worse. In short, by following three steps above, the future of endangered species can be greatly secured.
TOPIC 30: How to protect the environment?
Our surrounding environment is so polluted that we should follow specific approaches to tackle this problem.
To begin with, each of us should use water wisely. That can simply be the instant repair of leaky faucets and
pipes because a dripping faucet can waste as much as 5 liters a month. Besides, using the shower instead of
taking a bath can save up to 50% of the water consumed. Plus, responsible disposal of waste should be put into
practice in every household. To be more precise, organic trash and scrap metal are to be classified and
discarded in different bins. Moreover, it is advisable to reduce our electricity consumption. By turning off the
light when going out of the room or using energy-saving devices, we can save not only our money but our
environment as well. To sum up, the concerted effort from each individual in saving the environment will yield
the best results.