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Conversation questions

Motivation Conversation Questions (B1–C1)

Goals, setbacks and what keeps us going when it gets hard.

Age
Ages 13+
Level
B1–C1
Skill
Speaking
Format
Teacher guide
More in the library

Warm-up

In pairs, list five words you connect with success. Compare lists with another pair and agree on the single most important word.

Pick a question

B1 · 1 of 12

What is something you are proud of achieving in the last year?

2-minute timer

All 12 questions

B1

  1. What is something you are proud of achieving in the last year?
  2. Who or what motivates you to work hard?
  3. How do you reward yourself when you finish something difficult?
  4. Describe someone you know who you think is successful. What makes them successful?

B2

  1. Is success more about talent, hard work or luck? Explain your view.
  2. Why do people often give up on their goals, and what can help them keep going?
  3. Do competitions and marks motivate people, or do they put too much pressure on them?
  4. How has your idea of success changed as you have grown older?

C1

  1. To what extent should success be measured in money, and what alternative measures would you propose?
  2. In the long term, can failure teach us more than success? Give examples.
  3. If motivation comes and goes, what do people who achieve a lot rely on instead?
  4. How might society change if people were judged by their wellbeing rather than by their achievements?

Wrap-up

Each student shares one goal for the next month and one obstacle they expect. Their partner suggests a practical way to deal with that obstacle.

Printable question cards

Twelve cut-out cards with the level on each, plus the phrases and vocabulary.