Spark to Speech · Tell

Tell what happened

Take one moment from your life — and tell it as a story, from a single memory to a gripping two minutes.

1

Your spark

What happened to you? Pick one moment — big or small — that you could tell as a story.

…or grab one of these to get going:

a journey that went wrong my first day at work a time I was scared the best meal I ever had how I met a friend a time I got lost a surprise a small disaster a lucky moment my last holiday
📚 Your word bank
Stuck for words — or want to sound sharper? Find your level, then steal the rung above.
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Focus a level: A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
Say you like it▸
A2I like it. / I really like it.
B1I'm really into it. / I'm a big fan.
B2I've got a soft spot for it. / I'm rather partial to it.
C1It's right up my street. / I find it genuinely captivating.
C2There's something about it I find quietly irresistible.
Say you don't▸
A2I don't like it. / I'm not a fan.
B1It's not really my thing. / I'm not into it.
B2I'm not particularly keen on it. / I can take it or leave it.
C1It leaves me cold. / It does nothing for me.
C2It's never quite won me over.
Give your reason▸
A2because it's good. / because I like it.
B1the main reason is that…
B2what does it for me is… / what makes it special is…
C1it comes down to… / it's largely a question of…
C2if I had to put my finger on it,…
Say how it makes you feel▸
A2It makes me happy. / It makes me feel good.
B1It really cheers me up. / It puts me in a good mood.
B2There's something comforting about it. / It gives me a real sense of calm.
C1It never fails to lift my spirits. / It stirs something in me.
C2It fills me with a quiet sort of contentment.
Compare it▸
A2It's better than X. / It's nicer than X.
B1It's far better than X. / There's no comparison.
B2It's in a different league from X. / X isn't a patch on it.
C1X doesn't hold a candle to it. / It leaves X standing.
C2To compare it with X is to do it a disservice.
Emphasise it▸
A2It's very ___. / It's really ___.
B1It's incredibly ___. / It's so ___.
B2It's remarkably ___. / It's ___ beyond words.
C1It's strikingly ___. / It's hard to overstate how ___ it is.
C2There's a ___ to it that almost defies description.
Say "that said…" (the other side)▸
A2but… / but it's not perfect.
B1that said,… / on the other hand,…
B2admittedly,… / to be fair,…
C1granted,… / I'll happily concede that…
C2for all its faults,…
Sum up▸
A2So, I like it. / In the end, it's great.
B1All in all,… / Overall,…
B2On balance,… / When it comes down to it,…
C1When all's said and done,… / If nothing else,…
C2If it comes down to a single thought, it's this:…
2

Grow your topic

One word holds a lot. Answer these out loud — jot a word or two only if it helps. Don't write sentences yet.

When and where did it happen?
Who were you with?
What was happening at the start — what was normal?
Then what happened — the turning point?
How did it end?
How did you feel afterwards?
3

Say it

Now pour those ideas into ready-made sentences. Read each one aloud and finish it your way.

It all started when …
At first, …
Then, out of nowhere, …
In the end, …
Looking back, it was …

4

Join it into a flow

Five lines and you have a whole turn. Start each line with the words in purple and keep going about your topic.

So this is the story of
It all began when
Everything was fine until
In the end,
Looking back now,

5

Talk about your topic

Use everything you built. Start the timer and keep going until it ends — fill the time with detail rather than escaping it.

Time left: 2:00
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