Question

Choose your topic and speak ‘for’ and ‘against’ for not more than one minute each.

Topic 1: It is important to learn a new language apart from your mother tongue.

Topic 2: Learning can happen only when you are young.

Use the guidelines given below.

• Begin with speaking ‘for’ the topic for one minute.
• Your teacher will signal that it is time to switch sides.
• Then speak ‘against’ the topic for one minute.

You may use the following sentence prompts.

‘For’	‘Against’
To begin with, I would like to speak ‘for’ the topic...	On the contrary/On the other hand...
My first argument in favour of...	There are two sides to this topic...
Most importantly I want to mention that...	There’s no doubt that...
In addition to that.../Moreover, I feel...	If I could make a point here...
I strongly feel...	I am pretty sure that...
I have a reason to believe...	Well, I am not sure whether you can really...
There’s no doubt that...	So, to put it in a few words...

Answer 1

Topic 1: It is important to learn a new language apart from your mother tongue.

For: 

To begin with, I would like to speak in favour of the topic. Learning a new language helps us communicate with people from different cultures and makes travelling and making international friends easier. It also improves career opportunities because many companies prefer employees who know more than one language. In addition, learning another language improves memory, focus, and problem-solving skills. It also helps us understand different cultures better and broadens our thinking. I strongly believe that knowing more than one language increases our confidence in social and professional situations. Therefore, learning a new language can enrich our lives in many ways.

Against:

On the other hand, there are two sides to this topic. Learning a new language can be time-consuming and difficult, especially when one is busy with studies or work. I am pretty sure that focusing on your mother tongue and excelling in it may be more practical in many situations. Well, I am not sure whether you can gain fluency in another language without years of practice. So, to put it in a few words, while learning a new language can be beneficial, it is not always necessary, and it depends on a person’s priorities and time.

Topic 2: Learning can happen only when you are young.

For: 

To begin with, I would like to speak in favour of the topic. Children and young people have flexible minds, so it is easier for them to learn new skills, languages, and concepts. Young learners also have more time to make mistakes and improve, which helps them learn faster. Moreover, habits formed at a young age often last a lifetime, making early learning more effective. I strongly believe that being young gives an advantage in education, creativity, and skill development. Therefore, learning at an early age helps create a strong foundation for the future.

Against:

On the contrary, learning is not limited to young people. Many adults successfully learn new skills, languages, and even new professions. Determination, practice, and focus can help a person learn at any age. Youth is not the only time when learning can be effective because adults often have more discipline and motivation. In short, learning can happen at any stage of life, and age should never be a barrier to gaining knowledge.