IELTS Speaking Lesson about Intelligence

Question 1

IELTS Speaking Lesson about Intelligence

Answer 1

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Lesson about Technology, including Artificial intelligence
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Learn about Multiple intelligences (Gardner)
https://www.verywellmind.com/gardners-theory-of-multiple-intelligence
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Question 2

IELTS Speaking Vocabulary: Intelligent People
Intelligence is a popular topic for Part 2 and Part 3 of IELTS Speaking.
First of all, let’s look at some vocabulary you can use to talk about this
topic, including useful synonyms.
All of the following are synonyms of ‘intelligent’, but with some slightly
different usage and connotations

Answer 2

Synonyms
Intelligent (adj.) - usually used to talk about people
Collocations: Highly, incredibly, remarkably Einstein was a highly intelligent man

Question 3

Ingenious (adj.)

Answer 3

• usually used to talk about things, ideas, ways…
  That’s an ingenious idea
  He has found an ingenious way of learning English
  (Note: We also have the word ‘genius’ pronounced the same way and
  meaning a very intelligent person, but it is a noun.)

Question 4

Clever (adj.)

Answer 4

• to talk about people and things
  My daughter is so clever, she passed all her exams!
  I like how you solved this problem, that was very clever of you
  He is so annoying, he is a real clever clogs!

Next, we have more synonyms and all of these can mean ‘intelligent’
describing people, but these words also have a second unrelated
meaning

Question 5

Other term

Answer 5

Smart (adj.)
Can also mean ‘well-dressed’
Sharp (adj.)
Can also mean ‘pointed’
Bright (adj.)
Can also mean ‘shiny’
Quick (adj.)
Can also mean ‘fast

Question 6

Quick on the uptake

Answer 6

= quick to answer and solve problems
Tom is a real smart student, he is so quick on the uptake.
Now, the following three words are used to describe a slightly different
kind of intelligence. This is not so much about being a good student,
but about being good at solving problems in real life.

Question 7

Resourceful (adj.)

Answer 7

I would never have thought of doing that, that’s a great idea, you are so resourceful.

Question 8

Street-wise (adj.)

Answer 8

Tom Selby, from the series ‘Peak Blinders’, is a street wise leader and he
is really resourceful when it comes to solving the many problems life
throws at him.

Question 9

Astute (adj.)

Answer 9

= able to notice and understand things
Collocations: Financially, politically, very
Elon Musk is an astute businessman

Question 10

Finally, we have two words that mean intelligent, but they are slightly
negative in that they suggest someone solves problems in a smart way
but maybe in a dishonest way or a way that is harmful to others.

Answer 10

Crafty (adj.)
Cunning (adj.)
That is a crafty way of avoiding tax payments, but I am not sure it is
legal.
Be careful with Jack, he is cunning and can’t be trusted.

Question 11

IELTS Speaking Ideas: Different kinds of
Intelligence

Answer 11

When talk about intelligence, we tend to refer to academic
intelligence. We talk about people who are good at studying, passing
exams and so on.
However, there are different kinds of intelligence.
For example, many business people drop out of school, but they are
very successful in business because they are intelligent in different
ways.
Maybe they are good with people, or they know how to persuade and
influence others.
Below we have some different kinds of intelligence that you can talk
about for this topic in IELTS Speaking.
Make a note of the collocations and meanings

Question 12

Innate intelligence

Answer 12

Intelligence you are born with (inherit), from your parents’ genetics.

Question 13

Artificial intelligence

Answer 13

Read more about this in a recent live lesson on Technology

Question 14

Academic intelligence

Answer 14

Good at studying

Question 15

Emotional intelligence

Answer 15

Good at recognising and handling your emotions

Question 16

Multiple intelligences

Answer 16

These were made popular by Howard Gardner and including the
following kinds of intelligence,
* Visual-spatial
* Linguistic-verbal
* Interpersonal
* Intrapersonal
* Logical-mathematical
* Musical
* Bodily-kinaesthetic
* Naturalistic

Question 17

IELTS Speaking Question about Intelligence

Answer 17

A common but complicated question you may hear in IELTS Speaking
on this topic of intelligent people is the following:

Question 18

Is intelligence innate or is it something we can develop?

Answer 18

Here below, you have some useful phrases you could use to start your
answer.
* It depends what kind of intelligence you are talking about…
* This is the old nature versus nurture debate…I think…
* I guess intelligence is influenced by both genetic and environmental
factors…
* I think intelligence is something we inherit from our parents
* Studies with identical twins show intelligence is largely genetic
* I read somewhere that intelligence can be learned
* Academic intelligence is something we can develop
* Academic intelligence is something that can be developed

Question 19

IELTS Speaking: Idioms to talk about intelligence

Answer 19

Here are a selection of useful idioms you could use when discussing
this topic.
Don’t overuse idioms in the IELTS Speaking test.
Just use a few, that should be fine.
The following two idioms mean to be intelligent or smart

Question 20

To be as sharp as a knife

Answer 20

A president needs to be as sharp as a knife

Question 21

To be as bright as a button

Answer 21

My friend does so well at school, he is as bright as a button

Question 22

To be on the ball

Answer 22

= to be astute, quick to react.
Katie gave a good answer to that difficult question, she was really on
the ball

Question 23

To be the brains behind something

Answer 23

= to be the one responsible for it
You should thank Katie, she is the brains behind this great idea

Question 24

To suffer fools lightly

Answer 24

= to be patient with stupid people
My mother-in-law doesn’t suffer fools lightly

Question 25

To be born yesterday

Answer 25

= to be gullible and naive
My boss knew this plan wouldn’t work, he wasn’t born yesterday

Question 26

To miss a trick

Answer 26

= to know everything that is happening
My boss knows what everyone should be working on. He doesn’t miss
a trick

Question 27

To be out of one’s depth

Answer 27

= to not know what to do or how to do
something
This class is too difficult, I’m out of my depth