Speaking Materials

Did you have any idea who would’ve done something like this?

Did you ______ (have, idea) who would’ve ______ (do, like this)?

Don't be afraid to contribute to the conversations about topics that interest you.

Don't be afraid to ______ (conversation) about ______ (topic, interest).

For example, maybe you're faced with a situation that in the past you wouldn't have handled as well. But now, you can rise to the occasion and stand up for yourself.

For example, maybe you’re ______ (face, situation) that in the past you ______ (would not, handle, well). But now, you can ______ (rise) and ______ (stand, yourself).

Had he not spoken up during the meeting, the issue might still be unresolved.

Had he ______ (not speak up, meeting), the issue might ______ (resolve).

He had a sense of honoring his mom by caring for her when she was getting older, just like she had cared for him when he was a child.

He ______ (a sense of honor) his mom by ______ (care for, get older), just like ______ (care for, child)

I didn’t think twice about him potentially being involved in any way.

I didn’t think twice about ______ (he, potential, involve, way).

I'm gaining the confidence to speak up and participate more.

I / gain / confidence / speak / participate more

I wish I had talked to her more, that our communication had been better.

I wish I ______ (talk to her), that our communication ______ (better).

Whenever I make a decision, I like to have all the time I need to really think it through.

Whenever I ______ (decision), I like to ______ (have, time, need) to ______ (think).

If you’re not serious about the relationship, don’t lead him on by texting him a lot.

If you’re not _____ about the relationship, don’t _____ (lead) by texting him a lot.

It’s eating up a lot more time than I anticipated.

It’s ______ (eat, time) than ______ (I anticipate).

It’s taking a lot longer than I thought it would.

It’s ______ (take, long) than ______ (I think) it would.

I often have to remind myself to get my priorities straight.

I often have to ______ (remind, get, priorities).

My PS4 has been sitting in the closet for years, just collecting dust.

PS4 / closet / years / dust

Some sports are great for all ages. Badminton is a perfect example because it’s easy to pick up and not as intense as other sports like basketball or football.

Some sports are great for _____. Badminton is a perfect example because it’s easy to _____ and not _____ other sports like basketball or football.

Rather than being on the receiving end of ideas and information, we should think critically and strive for originality.

Rather than ______ (receive) of ideas and information, we should ______ (critical, originality).

Situations like this put to the test your ability to perform under pressure.

Situations like this _____ test your ability to _____ under pressure.

The mother, a divorced single parent, got her son through a tough childhood where he was often bullied.

The mother, a ______ (divorce, single parent), got her son ______ (tough childhood) where he ______ (often, bully)

The restaurant is right next door to the hotel where you were dropped off.

The restaurant is ______ (next) the hotel where ______ (you, drop off).

The very first thing I’m thinking of is…

1st thing / I think of

This is something that I’ve been putting a lot of hard work and effort into.

this / something / put / hard work / effort

We’ve had some hard times, but we’ve come through.

We ______ (have hard times), but we ______ (come through).

I was on the edge of my seat the whole time during this movie.

I was ______ (edge, seat, time) during this movie.

I realized that the best thing for me to do is to put it behind me and move on.

I realized that ______ (best thing, me, do) is to ______ (put, move).

You really should be more deliberate about how you spend your time. If you’re not careful, apps like TikTok will just eat away at your time without you even realizing it, leaving you no room to learn, exercise, or socialize.

You really should be more _____ about how you spend your time. If you’re not _____, apps like TikTok will just _____ (eat) your time without you even _____ it, _____ you no room to learn, exercise, or socialize.

I know it’s easier said than done, but you should prioritize the things that truly matter to you.

I know it’s ______ (say, do), but you should ______ the things that truly ______ to you.

I had things in my schedule regularly that every time I did them, I just felt like I was wasting time.

I had things ______ (schedule, regular) that every time ______ (do), I just felt like ______ (waste time).

After I quit that job, I no longer have to hold on to things that aren’t my priority, and I get to choose what matters the most to me.

After I quit that job, I no longer have to ______ (hold, thing) that aren’t my priority, and I get to ______ (choose, matter most) to me.

I wish we kept in touch more frequently and had a closer bond.

I wish we ______ (keep, touch) more frequently and had ______ (close, bond).

Sometimes, being vulnerable can open the door to more communication and help deepen your bond with someone.

Sometimes, being vulnerable can ______ (open door) more communication and help ______ (deep, bond) with someone.

He's really making it known that he cares about her, and that he's serious about the relationship.

He’s really ______ (make, know) that he ______ (care, her), and that he’s ______ (serious, relationship).

An overarching theme throughout this book is how people can lose sight of the bigger picture when they get caught up in trifling matters.

An ______ (overarch) this book is how people can ______ (sight) the bigger picture when they ______ (catch up) in trifling matters.

It’s a viewpoint that others might not have thought about.

It’s a viewpoint that ______ (other, may not, think about).

What you're feeling is important and deserves to be expressed and heard.

What ______ (you feel) is important and ______ (deserve, express, hear).

I always try to talk myself out of sharing my inner world. It’s a conflicting feeling: I want to be seen and heard, but at the same time, I fear that no one will care.

I always try to ______ (talk out, share) my inner world. It’s a conflicting feeling: I want to be ______ (see, hear), but at the same time, I ______ (fear, no, care).

We can only move forward if we are both on the same page.

We can only move forward if we ______ (page).

We both have to make an effort for it to go where it needs to go.

We both have to ______ (effort) for it to go ______ (need to go).

I've made more progress in the past three months than I did in the years before.

I've _____ more progress in the past three months than I ___ in the years _____.

I can't think of any on the top of my head.

I can’t ______ (think any, head).

It's been bad for a long time and it's just getting worse.

It’s ______ (bad, long) and it’s just ______ (worse).

The bureaucratic and managerial classes are becoming more and more out of touch with the working class.

The bureaucratic and managerial classes ______ (become) more and more ______ (touch) with the working class.

They keep taking advantage of the population to push their agenda, while leaving us in a situation where people have to go into debt just to afford the cost of living.

They keep ______ (advantage) the population to ______ (agenda), while ______ (leave us, situation) where people have to ______ (debt) just to ______ (cost, live).

It's not easy to find a job that pays enough to cover those mortgage payments.

It’s not easy to ______ (job) that ______ (pay, cover) those mortgage payments.

The truth is, the cost of living has gone up to a point where people can't make ends meet without working 60 or 80 hours a week.

The truth is, the cost of living ______ (go up) to a point where people ______ (end, meet) without ______ (work) 60 or 80 hours a week.

I'm worried about what happens when the cost of living goes beyond what people can earn.

I’m worried about what happens when ______ (cost, live, go) beyond ______ (people, earn).

It seems like prices are rising across the board, from groceries to rent.

It seems like prices ______ (rise, board), from groceries to rent.

Most people don’t realize that they’ve been sitting back and watching their country fall apart.

Most people don’t realize that they ______ (have, sit, watch) their country ______ (fall).

The country has turned into a place where greedy bureaucrats exploit and drain wealth from the people.

The country ______ (turn, place) greedy bureaucrats exploit and drain wealth from the people.

There's something dark on the horizon that some people sense but feel powerless to change.

There’s something dark ______ (horizon) that some people sense but ______ (power, change).

Each lesson builds on the back of the previous one.

Each lesson ______ (build, back) the previous one.

It’s pretty ironic that in a country that claims to embody the spirit of communism and aims for it as the ultimate goal, communities get broken up at the first sign of trouble.

It’s pretty ironic that ______ (country, claim) embody the spirit of communism and______ (aim) the ultimate goal, communities ______ (get, break, first, trouble).

We should still hope for change even if that change seems unlikely to come.

We should still ______ (hope, change) even if ______ (change, unlikely, come).

price hikes

prices go up significantly

living paycheck to paycheck

can barely make ends meet

Well-connected people usually have an edge over others when it comes to doing business or finding jobs because they can leverage their social networks to access resources and opportunities that aren’t available to everyone else.

Well-connected people usually ______ (edge) others ______ (come to) doing business and finding jobs because they can ______ (lever) their social networks to ______(ac) resources and opportunities that aren’t ______ to everyone else.

These movies are made mainly to cash in on the holiday spirit.

These movies ______ (make, main, cash) the holiday spirit.

Tea is a big thing here. If you visit someone, they would normally offer you a cup of tea to show their hospitality and respect.

Tea is a ______ thing here. If you visit someone, they ______ (normal, offer) a cup of tea to show their hospitality and respect.

The high costs of transportation and accommodation put me off from traveling more frequently.

The high costs of ______ (transport, accomodation, put) from traveling more frequently.

Anything that goes big starts out from something small.

Anything that ______ (go big, start) something small.

Small talk is the conversation you have with someone to spark their interest and encourage more discussions.

Small talk is the conversation you have with someone to ______ their interest and ______ more discussions.

Someone who's really good at small talk can invite bigger and better conversations.

Someone ______ really good at small talk can ______ bigger and better conversations.

That's something I've really been working towards recently.

That's something I’ve really ______ (work) recently.

Don’t be too hard on yourself if you make mistakes.

Don’t be______ (hard, you) if you make mistakes.

Many people are doing it just because it's a trendy thing to do.

Many people are doing it just because it's a ______ thing to do.

You may find yourself naturally gravitating towards things within your comfort zone.

You may find yourself ______ (natural, gravity) things ______ your comfort zone.

Whenever I get into something, I want to learn everything there is to know about that subject.

Whenever I get ______ something, I want to learn ______ (everything, know) that subject.

Some people have the ability to just walk in, pick up something new, and be really good at it.

Some people have the ability to just ______ (walk, pick, new, good).

I don't want to commit too much to this job because I like to keep my options open.

I don't want to ______ too much to this job because I like to ______ (option).

Can you clue me in on what happened between them?

Can you ______ (clue) what happened between them?

I've probably used the word too many times already, but I just can't think of a better one, so I'm just gonna roll with it.

I've probably used the word too many times already, but I just can’t _____ (think, better), so I'm just gonna _____ (roll).

If you've ever done something similar, you can probably relate to this.

If you've ever _____ (do, similar), you can probably _____ to this.

He's just doing it to get on her good side.

He's just doing it to _____ (side).

In social situations, I often get hung up on what I've said, worrying about whether I came off as rude to others.

In social situations, I often _____ (hang) what I've said, worrying about whether I _____ (come, rude) to others.

It's pretty common for someone who's depressed to keep thinking about their past failures and projecting them onto the future.

It's pretty common for someone who's depressed to keep _____ (think) their past failures and _____ (project) the future.

Sometimes, expressing yourself means putting your heart on the line, which can be scary, but it’s gonna be worth it in the end.

Sometimes, expressing yourself means _____ (heart, line), which can be _____, but it’s gonna be _____ it in the end.

This movie felt like a breath of fresh air to me because it doesn’t rely on the same clichés and plot devices that a lot of other movies in the genre do.

This movie felt like _____ (breath) to me because it doesn’t _____ on the same clichés and plot devices that a lot of other movies in the _____ do.

If you like warm and humid weather, I think you'll feel right at home here.

If you like warm and humid weather, I think you'll feel _____ (home) here.

Many people might just brush it off as religious talk, but I see something really meaningful in it.

Many people might just _____ (brush) as religious talk, but I see something really _____ in it.

After hours of trying to fix the issue without any luck, I finally decided to throw in the towel.

After hours of trying to _____ the issue without any _____, I finally decided to _____ (towel).

Older generations often write off young people's emotional problems as just being weak-minded, but I think they couldn’t be more wrong.

Older generations often _____ (write) young people's emotional problems as just being _____, but I think they _____ be more wrong.

The unique art direction really gives character to the movie.

The _____ art direction really _____ (character) the movie.

It's easy to start a project or pick up something new but it's much harder to stick with it.

It's easy to _____ a project or _____ something new but it's much harder to _____ it.

After working the same job for a while, many people tend to get complacent and stop improving themselves.

After _____ the same job for a _____, many people _____ to get _____ and stop improving themselves.

This is a highly requested feature that a lot of people have been asking for a long time.

This is a highly _____ feature that a lot of people have been _____ for a long time.

I can't understate how important it is to remain open-minded.

I can't _____ how important it is to _____ open-minded.

I like to hold off on making a decision until I have more info to work with.

I like to _____ on making a decision until I have more info to _____ with.

If you don't take this seriously now, there are gonna be more problems coming down the line.

If you don't take this _____ now, there are gonna be more problems coming _____ (line).

It all comes down to whether you’re willing to put in the effort.

It all _____ (come) whether you’re willing to _____ the effort.

In the end, it all comes down to your personal values and beliefs.

In the end, it _____ (come) your personal values and beliefs.

For me, nothing else comes close to the feeling of finishing a great book.

For me, nothing else _____ (come) the feeling of _____ a great book.

It took us a while to iron out our differences, but eventually, we got along really well.

It took us a while to _____ our differences, but eventually, we got _____ really well.

Make sure to keep an eye on the weather—it might rain any time now.

Make sure to _____ on the weather—it might rain any time now.

Brazil is high on my list of places to visit.

Brazil is high _____ of places to _____.

Fitness is really high on my list of priorities since it's directly tied to my mood and how productive I feel.

Fitness is really _____ of priorities since it's directly _____ to my mood and how _____ I feel.

Many relationship problems boil down to a lack of communication.

Many relationship problems _____ to a lack of communication.

In the end, it all boils down to making a choice that feels right for you.

In the end, it all _____ to _____ a choice that _____ right for you.

If they're gonna win this game, they need to go all in and give it their best effort. They can't afford a lapse of concentration.

If they're gonna win this game, they need to go _____ and give it their _____. They can't _____ a _____ of concentration.